Lots to say today, I might actually post twice... Lame?!
Thursday... Ever really look forward to an enjoyable evening only to have it blow up in your face? I know bunk about soccer, but I had a suspicious feeling Argentina was going to destroy Korea. !@# $@# was all pumped for the game, we decided that we'd watch it in 똥꼬 (literally means Asshole). I enjoy their bamboo booze, it tastes like cider, you get a ton of it for 4$, and it doesn't drop me like soju... Boy was I wrong?!
1 hour before the game, @#$ @#^ is shitting bricks (practically giving herself a heart attack). She's talking about having a feeling Korea is going to beat Argentina... So much for rationality!?
2 minutes into the game I knew Korea was going to be annihilated by Argentina, they couldn't maintain possession, they couldn't pass, they were children playing against men. $@# !@~ decided that drinking was a good way to cope with the stress of Korea getting their asses handed to them, so we ended up switching to soju... Long story shot, we ended up shitfaced at my home argueing about god knows what for 3 hours... Damn you Argentina?!
School sucked the next day, I try not to drink on weekdays as I actually respect my job and act professionally. Anyhow, I get a pass for being hungover that day because the rest of the schoolteachers were equally angry and hungover. I figured &$ @#% n me were through, but she appologized for going mental (she really was) and we just spent the weekend together relaxing and watching 3rd rock from the sun. I have absolutely NO money until I get paid, so when she suggested we go to a ShabuShabu restaurant, I countered with Kimbap... Cheap bastard?!
_________________________ANYHOW_____________________
My classes seem to be cancelled today for some unknown reason. At least 3 of them seem to be, I'm sure I'll be teaching grades 1,2 & 3 afterschool but that's just gravy. The kids have learned "How are you?" like little pros, and I didn't teach them that lame ass "I'm fine thank you, and you?" robot shit. They say "I'm very good" "I'm so hungry" (if it's before lunch time), "Not bad" (instead of fucking so-so). My students will get an imaginary punch in the face if they ever use so-so... Bad Teacher?!
Grade 3 is a different story, 지윤 is still making my class a nightmare. I'm not exactly sure how to deal with a student quite like her. We even have a new grade 2 student 소리, whom I was told hasn't smiled or spoken above a whisper since she began 1st grade. After a week I've got her singing and talking like the rest of my kids. I'm not going to give up. There's gotta be a way, and if there isn't a way I'll just have to do what I can to make the best of it... Resistance is futile!?
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Weekends, Temples and Soccer
That's right, I said soccer. I teach my children about soccer, and they like to play soccer. I'm Canadian so i just go with what I've said all my life... ANYHOW?!
Watched the first game with @#$ $@! at a park near my place. Some newly minted politicians decided to set up a big screen as thanks to those who "voted" for them. It was quite nice! The Chopsticks joined us in watching S.A play to a draw. There was an entire pig being slow roasted on a BBQ made from 2 barrels split apart then welded together to form a MEGAQ, but you got such a small amount for 30$ it made me cry... RIP OFF!?
A grade 4 student 소연 just walked into class with a hangmans noose, and board eraser. She asks "Where do you live?" --- I thought she liked my class!!
We watched Korea beat Greece the following night at the same place. This time (obviously) it was packed with hundreds of Koreans. We had a little spot picked out, drank coffee and watched the game. I enjoyed it, but I know jack shit about soccer so I just went "ooo" when something good or bad happened. Oh, I also jumped up and cheered when Korea scored (didn't wanna slow the party).
We spent the weekend at my place (this time she told her mom she was staying in 섬연 with a friend) , it was awesome. Saturday we drove to Tongdosa temple and spent the afternoon walking around taking pictures and stuff. I love doing shit like that with someone! A real girlfriend is 10x more fulfilling than just some random chick you meet for a short dance in the forest... Whatchoo talkin 'bout SFP?!
Thanks to a great weekend, I've managed to do the impossible and shake off the mid-term funk I was in. I'm rocking my classes, well all except the grade 3 class. Those girls are stonefaced killers, especially 지윤. She's like possessed of the devil or something, she just sits there mumbling and making mean faces. She was so sweet last year too, I wonder what happened. Oh well can't win em all over!... LOVE ME DAMNIT?!
I've got 2 classes left today, gonna be no problem getting through them. Only question left on my mind is what to do after I'm done!... hmmmm?!
Watched the first game with @#$ $@! at a park near my place. Some newly minted politicians decided to set up a big screen as thanks to those who "voted" for them. It was quite nice! The Chopsticks joined us in watching S.A play to a draw. There was an entire pig being slow roasted on a BBQ made from 2 barrels split apart then welded together to form a MEGAQ, but you got such a small amount for 30$ it made me cry... RIP OFF!?
A grade 4 student 소연 just walked into class with a hangmans noose, and board eraser. She asks "Where do you live?" --- I thought she liked my class!!
We watched Korea beat Greece the following night at the same place. This time (obviously) it was packed with hundreds of Koreans. We had a little spot picked out, drank coffee and watched the game. I enjoyed it, but I know jack shit about soccer so I just went "ooo" when something good or bad happened. Oh, I also jumped up and cheered when Korea scored (didn't wanna slow the party).
We spent the weekend at my place (this time she told her mom she was staying in 섬연 with a friend) , it was awesome. Saturday we drove to Tongdosa temple and spent the afternoon walking around taking pictures and stuff. I love doing shit like that with someone! A real girlfriend is 10x more fulfilling than just some random chick you meet for a short dance in the forest... Whatchoo talkin 'bout SFP?!
Thanks to a great weekend, I've managed to do the impossible and shake off the mid-term funk I was in. I'm rocking my classes, well all except the grade 3 class. Those girls are stonefaced killers, especially 지윤. She's like possessed of the devil or something, she just sits there mumbling and making mean faces. She was so sweet last year too, I wonder what happened. Oh well can't win em all over!... LOVE ME DAMNIT?!
I've got 2 classes left today, gonna be no problem getting through them. Only question left on my mind is what to do after I'm done!... hmmmm?!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Midterm Blues
That's right, I'm kind of in a funk at school. It usually starts mid-late June and lasts until camps start...
The weather is just too fucking awesome, the beaches crying out for my attention, and I still haven't figured how to switch the system from heat to air conditioning (not that I use the A/C much anyhow). During this time I get tired of the same old shit I've done over the past 3 months. The only thing I enjoy doing now is planning the summer camps for the coming break, of which I have 3 this year... Vacation stealing Cocksuckers?!
After camps have finished, and I get my meager vacation, the batteries have been fully regarged and I'm ready to get back to the job with a vengeance.
This year we're doing a neat little lesson on 'Parachutes'. I'm going to have a little contest after for each team, involving a die cast metal soldier figurine, and maybe we'll send fido into the atmosphere as well but I'm Not sure yet. Fido will be plastic and much lighter than G.I Jeong, after they've designed and completed their 'chutes it's up to the roof to lauch our army. We'll combine the descent time for their 2 drops, and the team with the overall slowest descent time wins. Despite the low speaking level of my students, there's so much useable English I can teach them with this I'm having a hard time figuring out how I wanna do it!
Mini olympics, Cake decorating, Shoebox dioramas, Phonics, and making a movie are also on the agenda for this year. I'm a little bit annoyed that my new VP is a pussy and refuses to give me any of the perks I had last year (lots of extra time off, no desk warming etc...) but whatever. I enjoy my job, and the students make me happy... SFP 화이팅?!?!
OH Noes not another one...
So I should probably start taking bets on how long this new girl and I will last. It has potential, but then again I say that often enough! We've spent entirely too much time together since we've met. It could also burn out as fast as it started up, which I hope doesn't happen. It's strange, because she was the one instigating everything, I just kinda rode her wave (nice wave!!)... REAL nice wave?!
I hope I get to see her tonight, otherwise we'll probably meet up in 광알리 tomorrow for some KOREA vs. GREECE madness. Sorry to all you Greeks out there but Korea is going to smash you. I'm really looking forward to Argentina vs Korea. That will be a wild game I'm sure, I told my students I think Argentina will win... they got pissed!
Oh the stories I have about @#$ @#$ and me from last week... !?:)?!
The weather is just too fucking awesome, the beaches crying out for my attention, and I still haven't figured how to switch the system from heat to air conditioning (not that I use the A/C much anyhow). During this time I get tired of the same old shit I've done over the past 3 months. The only thing I enjoy doing now is planning the summer camps for the coming break, of which I have 3 this year... Vacation stealing Cocksuckers?!
After camps have finished, and I get my meager vacation, the batteries have been fully regarged and I'm ready to get back to the job with a vengeance.
This year we're doing a neat little lesson on 'Parachutes'. I'm going to have a little contest after for each team, involving a die cast metal soldier figurine, and maybe we'll send fido into the atmosphere as well but I'm Not sure yet. Fido will be plastic and much lighter than G.I Jeong, after they've designed and completed their 'chutes it's up to the roof to lauch our army. We'll combine the descent time for their 2 drops, and the team with the overall slowest descent time wins. Despite the low speaking level of my students, there's so much useable English I can teach them with this I'm having a hard time figuring out how I wanna do it!
Mini olympics, Cake decorating, Shoebox dioramas, Phonics, and making a movie are also on the agenda for this year. I'm a little bit annoyed that my new VP is a pussy and refuses to give me any of the perks I had last year (lots of extra time off, no desk warming etc...) but whatever. I enjoy my job, and the students make me happy... SFP 화이팅?!?!
OH Noes not another one...
So I should probably start taking bets on how long this new girl and I will last. It has potential, but then again I say that often enough! We've spent entirely too much time together since we've met. It could also burn out as fast as it started up, which I hope doesn't happen. It's strange, because she was the one instigating everything, I just kinda rode her wave (nice wave!!)... REAL nice wave?!
I hope I get to see her tonight, otherwise we'll probably meet up in 광알리 tomorrow for some KOREA vs. GREECE madness. Sorry to all you Greeks out there but Korea is going to smash you. I'm really looking forward to Argentina vs Korea. That will be a wild game I'm sure, I told my students I think Argentina will win... they got pissed!
Oh the stories I have about @#$ @#$ and me from last week... !?:)?!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Grade 1 & 2
I started this blog to talk about my life at school and students, but It's been hijacked by tales of women. At any rate, something has been on my mind lately concerning my little ones that's really gotten me into a twist... Incipit thoughtful pose?!
I teach at a rural school in the middle of Gangseo-Gu, Busan. It has a total of 32 students, many of whom are orphans. When I first arrived very few could recite the alphabet, let alone read a simple word like cat or happy. After my first year of damage control I needed to get back to the basics, especially with the younger students. Kids are so bright at that age and pick up language so fast. I really wanted to make sure every student could read, it makes the rest of the process a lot easier.
From the start of this school year I've been teaching a lot of phonics, and so far I've been quite successful! I'm a bit stumped on what to do for the grade 1 & 2 class (combined), because 2 students are MUCH better at learning simple conversational English while the rest are picking up how to read really really fast. I've been teaching for over 3 years and while I'm no super teacher, I certainly know how to conduct a great English class. Should I split my class into 20 minute blocks of phonics and conversation? Should I switch between the two every other class? It's not a question of the children being bored and not paying attention, it's the unique needs of each child.
I've attended lots of workshops and seminars in Korea, but they're all pretty much the same. They're just glossing over important points while never really touching on them in a meaningful way.
"All children are unique and have different needs..."
Ok no shit, now what? How do you tailor your lessons to maximize the potential of each student in the class? What strategies can I use to promote the best learning environment for the kids. This is the problem I'm faced with right now. I'm having a real hard time taking my game to the next level, and I really want to. Teachers must also continue to learn.
My school is awesome and my students are brilliant, they just never had a chance to learn English properly. I'm the man in the position to help open that door in their lives and I wanna make sure they have what they need to get there. They deserve the chance (if they want it, kids are fickle beings) to be given all they need to learn and grow. Anyhow that's what I've been mulling over this past week. Just gotta keep working till I find the right formula?!
I teach at a rural school in the middle of Gangseo-Gu, Busan. It has a total of 32 students, many of whom are orphans. When I first arrived very few could recite the alphabet, let alone read a simple word like cat or happy. After my first year of damage control I needed to get back to the basics, especially with the younger students. Kids are so bright at that age and pick up language so fast. I really wanted to make sure every student could read, it makes the rest of the process a lot easier.
From the start of this school year I've been teaching a lot of phonics, and so far I've been quite successful! I'm a bit stumped on what to do for the grade 1 & 2 class (combined), because 2 students are MUCH better at learning simple conversational English while the rest are picking up how to read really really fast. I've been teaching for over 3 years and while I'm no super teacher, I certainly know how to conduct a great English class. Should I split my class into 20 minute blocks of phonics and conversation? Should I switch between the two every other class? It's not a question of the children being bored and not paying attention, it's the unique needs of each child.
I've attended lots of workshops and seminars in Korea, but they're all pretty much the same. They're just glossing over important points while never really touching on them in a meaningful way.
"All children are unique and have different needs..."
Ok no shit, now what? How do you tailor your lessons to maximize the potential of each student in the class? What strategies can I use to promote the best learning environment for the kids. This is the problem I'm faced with right now. I'm having a real hard time taking my game to the next level, and I really want to. Teachers must also continue to learn.
My school is awesome and my students are brilliant, they just never had a chance to learn English properly. I'm the man in the position to help open that door in their lives and I wanna make sure they have what they need to get there. They deserve the chance (if they want it, kids are fickle beings) to be given all they need to learn and grow. Anyhow that's what I've been mulling over this past week. Just gotta keep working till I find the right formula?!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
What just happened?
What a weekend?! It's pretty cool when you go into the weekend expecting one thing, and something better/awesomer/different happens! I never made it to Mr and Ms. Chopsticks home. I've been breaking my plans with them far too often lately, I don't want to be a bad friend!
I'll have to do something super awesome for them soon, before they hate me forever.... Be a better friend SFP!
Friday night, I was just gonna stay home and sleep. I got a phonecall at 1am from @#$@ #$. I hadn't met her before but I could tell she liked to fuck with lots of guys (literally and figureatively). Anyhow I told her I just wanted to stay home and not do anything, she said ok... but after 5 minutes thought "fuck it" and met up with her in Seomyeon... Spontaneity is fun!?
It started off kind of uncomfortably, but after a few bottle of soju we started to relax and talk freely. 10:00am, 4 bars later, completely smashed we wound up in a Motel with a vibrating bed. I was far too drunk, I couldn't stay hard longer than 5 minutes... yes... I had whiskey dick and man was it embarassing! I thought after that she'd laugh and bail... overboiled noodle dick?!:(
2pm we decided to go out and eat lunch together. I was planning on making a pathetic exit and just go home ashamed and question my manhood. I regained my self confidence (god knows how) and after lunch accompanied her to her friends house for a little more rest. I passed out with her for an hour or so, woke up while they were whispering to each other in the kitchen. I wondered what they were saying. @#$@ @# went to the store and left me alone with her friend, who mysteriously kept laughing ever time she looked at me. (oh god they talked about my pathetic performance). I still have no clue why she didn't make an excuse to get rid of... Definition of "Pathetic loser"
We ended up going back to my place, I was finally recovered from all the godamn soju I had drunk with her (9 bottles and 3 pitchers of beer). SUCCESS!!!! I was back to my normal form and made up for her breakfast of Ramen when she wanted kimbap... Bad pun.
Time to shorten this stupid entry. In the end we stayed together the entire weekend, woke up this morning and she let me drive her car to my school. We've got plans to meet up tomorrow... Maybe the Chopsticks will let me treat them to dinner as well... please?!?!
I'll write about school tomorrow. I'm tired, my throat hurts, I have 3 more classes... But a good weekend makes me feel great! I'll pound my students with English and let em learn!... Good times?!
I'll have to do something super awesome for them soon, before they hate me forever.... Be a better friend SFP!
Friday night, I was just gonna stay home and sleep. I got a phonecall at 1am from @#$@ #$. I hadn't met her before but I could tell she liked to fuck with lots of guys (literally and figureatively). Anyhow I told her I just wanted to stay home and not do anything, she said ok... but after 5 minutes thought "fuck it" and met up with her in Seomyeon... Spontaneity is fun!?
It started off kind of uncomfortably, but after a few bottle of soju we started to relax and talk freely. 10:00am, 4 bars later, completely smashed we wound up in a Motel with a vibrating bed. I was far too drunk, I couldn't stay hard longer than 5 minutes... yes... I had whiskey dick and man was it embarassing! I thought after that she'd laugh and bail... overboiled noodle dick?!:(
2pm we decided to go out and eat lunch together. I was planning on making a pathetic exit and just go home ashamed and question my manhood. I regained my self confidence (god knows how) and after lunch accompanied her to her friends house for a little more rest. I passed out with her for an hour or so, woke up while they were whispering to each other in the kitchen. I wondered what they were saying. @#$@ @# went to the store and left me alone with her friend, who mysteriously kept laughing ever time she looked at me. (oh god they talked about my pathetic performance). I still have no clue why she didn't make an excuse to get rid of... Definition of "Pathetic loser"
We ended up going back to my place, I was finally recovered from all the godamn soju I had drunk with her (9 bottles and 3 pitchers of beer). SUCCESS!!!! I was back to my normal form and made up for her breakfast of Ramen when she wanted kimbap... Bad pun.
Time to shorten this stupid entry. In the end we stayed together the entire weekend, woke up this morning and she let me drive her car to my school. We've got plans to meet up tomorrow... Maybe the Chopsticks will let me treat them to dinner as well... please?!?!
I'll write about school tomorrow. I'm tired, my throat hurts, I have 3 more classes... But a good weekend makes me feel great! I'll pound my students with English and let em learn!... Good times?!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Punishment can pay off!
2 posts in the same day, ugh. 2 good things happened to me since this morning.
1. The grade 4 afterschool class has been cancelled! Now I'm actually sad about this, but it's Friday. I'll take a break when I can get it!
2. The grade 4 kids 수현, 제현, and 한별 felt it their duty to come into my class and inform me that it was "time for lunch time". 제현 just stood there rubbing his belly saying "Me hungry". You'd think after drilling him for almost 2 years to say "I'm" that he would have picked it up by now but no dice. The other teachers told me his English is better than his Korean. At first I simply thought they were being nice, then they told me he was from China (Again I didn't believe it because the day before he couldn't find Beijing on a world map). But the kid tries! He's the first one to speak whatever random bullshit I had to teach the day/week before.
I guess a lot of teachers feel they have the "best" students ever, mine try their best... And that's better than being little English wiz kids in my books!! I feel sorry for the teachers who have little shithead students. They just didn't get lucky I guess.
성훈 just walked in, dropped off his bag, gave me the thumbs up, said "Very good" and left. If I'm ever feeling burned out, or run down these kids always find a way to make me happy again!
DAD GET ON MSN!!!@#!
1. The grade 4 afterschool class has been cancelled! Now I'm actually sad about this, but it's Friday. I'll take a break when I can get it!
2. The grade 4 kids 수현, 제현, and 한별 felt it their duty to come into my class and inform me that it was "time for lunch time". 제현 just stood there rubbing his belly saying "Me hungry". You'd think after drilling him for almost 2 years to say "I'm" that he would have picked it up by now but no dice. The other teachers told me his English is better than his Korean. At first I simply thought they were being nice, then they told me he was from China (Again I didn't believe it because the day before he couldn't find Beijing on a world map). But the kid tries! He's the first one to speak whatever random bullshit I had to teach the day/week before.
I guess a lot of teachers feel they have the "best" students ever, mine try their best... And that's better than being little English wiz kids in my books!! I feel sorry for the teachers who have little shithead students. They just didn't get lucky I guess.
성훈 just walked in, dropped off his bag, gave me the thumbs up, said "Very good" and left. If I'm ever feeling burned out, or run down these kids always find a way to make me happy again!
DAD GET ON MSN!!!@#!
Another week in the books baby!
It's strange, most people look forward to the coming weekend. whereas I tend to wish I could just skip it and hit Monday all over again. The only thing guarateed on weekends is I'll become considerably more broke! This weekend proves to be an exception however, SO BRING IT ON!... sweet sweet rest?!
I was invited out by my co-teacher (gasp) for dinner and drinks with some of the other young women who work in the school as specialty teachers (Plus the slightly older science teacher). What a nightmare! The first hour I did my best to use my broken ass Korean and carry off a conversation (no dice), after the 2nd hour they were appologizing for not being able to speak English (my co-teacher included...ugh). Come the 3rd hour we were getting drunk and things became more enjoyable... doG bless beer?!
Today, my co-teacher recruited the grade 5 class (all 7 of em) to haul up bags full of shit from the Daiso store... that means 1 thing... PINESHOP!?!@#! Hurray, I get to teach 6 classes of the exact same shit.
"Welcome to the pine shop, may I help you?
"I wanna blue shapeu pencil please"
"That will be 10 pine, thank you come again"... Rinse and Repeat!?
This will go on all day, including my grade 6 students constantly bitch at me that they get to go last and all the good stuff has already been sold. I love em to death, but that just makes me wanna slap em around till they really have a reason to cry... anger management?!
Mr. and Ms. Chopsticks will save me with beer and Wii. Possibly some chicken from the mouth of a dragon?.... MmmmmMmm beer and chicken?!?!
I was invited out by my co-teacher (gasp) for dinner and drinks with some of the other young women who work in the school as specialty teachers (Plus the slightly older science teacher). What a nightmare! The first hour I did my best to use my broken ass Korean and carry off a conversation (no dice), after the 2nd hour they were appologizing for not being able to speak English (my co-teacher included...ugh). Come the 3rd hour we were getting drunk and things became more enjoyable... doG bless beer?!
Today, my co-teacher recruited the grade 5 class (all 7 of em) to haul up bags full of shit from the Daiso store... that means 1 thing... PINESHOP!?!@#! Hurray, I get to teach 6 classes of the exact same shit.
"Welcome to the pine shop, may I help you?
"I wanna blue shapeu pencil please"
"That will be 10 pine, thank you come again"... Rinse and Repeat!?
This will go on all day, including my grade 6 students constantly bitch at me that they get to go last and all the good stuff has already been sold. I love em to death, but that just makes me wanna slap em around till they really have a reason to cry... anger management?!
Mr. and Ms. Chopsticks will save me with beer and Wii. Possibly some chicken from the mouth of a dragon?.... MmmmmMmm beer and chicken?!?!
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