My Job

I work 5 days a week and I don't believe I have mentioned it yet.

My job is nothing too exciting and today I have found myself counting down the minutes. All too often we finish reading a story and we have 30 minutes to go and I have few ideas on how to spend the time.

Still I have some favorite students. I'm starting to see that some of them actually do like me. And that is encouraging even though they are often pains in the you-know-what.

Yesterday I had four girls fighting in my class, which for these 8/9 year-olds consists of tattling when they speak Korean and tattling when they point at each other and make the sign for 'crazy.'

I literally screamed at one point "uhhhhhhhhhhhg! I don't care. DON'T talk to each other, DON'T look at each other, NO crazy signs, NO 'teacher teacher she korean talking, she crazy.'" While at the same time I fake sign languaged- with X arms (Japanese style) and mimicking their bad english. So frustrating.

The boys must have been loving it. I usually have trouble with the guys, but it seems they have gotten over their hatred for me and now just want to get points. They actually pay attention most the time and rarely give me attitude.

When I pulled in their regular teacher to talk to the girls, there was an eruption of noise in trying to blame each other. Poor Jessica (my co-teacher), I tried to silence the girls long enough to explain that I don't care who was first, or who said what, I just don't want it in my class-and that's all I wanted translated. I am not really sure if that made it through.

I hate it when kids gang up on each other, or are mean. It makes me sad for their hearts.

On the other hand I have two boys that I teach, Nelly and Kevin and they are probably younger, maybe American age 8, and adorable! Well Kevin is REALLY adorable (like ring-bearer adorable), but Nelly has this funny way of clapping his hands "ah-ha!" every time he understands something, which is particularly endearing. They are just such a joy. I go from classes of a rowdy 10 kids, 70% of which are dumb as bricks and then I get to teach Nelly and Kevin who's understanding is far past their grade level AND they have a sense of humor!

I give them so much candy. Shoot, the classes that I like get so much candy and actually get to have fun.

All this job makes me realize is how much better suited I am to teach Art. I am already bored of teaching english and it hasn't even been two months.

At least the money is good.