English, teaching and other fun!

I am writing early because I am leaving for Wisconsin tomorrow for my friend's wedding and will be gone until Monday.  I am very excited to see everyone and tell them all about my time in Korea so far.
  I will start with the beginning of the week, Monday I taught my first 2nd and 4th grade classes which went very well. Teaching in a foreign place brings challenges that I never thought of before, such as having to explain what being kind means or getting children to talk instead of just staring. I think my greatest challenge right now is communicating with all of the homeroom teachers. I know that they want to help, but translating for the children when I am trying to check their level of English understanding makes it very difficult to get a true feeling for what the students already know. I think I just need to be more direct with the teacher from the beginning, but I don't want them to think that I don't want their help. Anyway, I am teaching 2nd grade about shapes this week and they seem to enjoy my activities, but I found out very quickly that I needed to give more direction and direct guidance for my string shapes activity. Student had a hard time keeping the string on their desk and began wrapping the string around their heads, hands, and pretty much what ever they could. I asked some of the teachers in the English department for suggestions and so as the week has gone on I think my lessons have improved. 
  My 4th grade teaching experience went very well I taught one class on Monday and one on Tuesday. Both of the classes went extremely well. First I asked the students if they had any questions for me so I had them each write down one question and I answered them all before I started in on the lesson. We discussed 'seasons' the students seemed to love my activity of  singing a rap song about the seasons. I found it on Youtube...it's called "If you need to know the seasons" if you listen to it, it will get stuck in your head. I had so much fun teaching them and can't wait to teach them again in two weeks.
  Today was the BIG English festival at Soongin and I thought it went great! I got to sit in on one of the best classes I have ever seen...and it was taught in English. The class was one that I have taught and the teacher is very good at managing her classroom. It is a 3rd grade classroom and they are able to have fun with the teacher and while watching I could tell that they know their limits within the goofing around time. The teacher created games such as pictionary and catch to help students stay engaged in the learning. I was even able to video tape some of the class, but would like to get the teacher's permission before I put it up on my blog. 
  Also some of the 5th and 6th graders put on a play for all of the teachers that had come from other schools to see how Soongin taught English. It was called "The Ants and the Grasshopper". Philly was in charge of it so she was stressing out all day long, but everything went great and I think the principal was very pleased.
   After school today, the principal took all of the teachers out to a nice BBQ place to thank them for all of their hard work.

The wonderful BBQ.

Mingi teacher, she teaches English to
4-6th graders.

Philly teacher, she teaches English to
1-3rd graders.

Drinks with the Principal.

I had so much fun getting to talk with some of the other teachers and offering the respectful gesture of doing shoots with the principal and vice principals.  Everyone at Soongin is great and I am so glad that I am at this school, even if they don't know what to do with me. The people are great!

Drinks with the Vice Principal.

A week of teaching...and then let the games begin

   This was my first week of teaching, I taught 7 classes of 1st graders and 2 classes of 3rd grade. I began by teach the 1st graders about opposites, thinking that it might be a little bit difficult for them based on what one of the 1st grade teachers had told me. I was wrong! The activities that I had planned turned out to be to simple for my classes that I taught on Monday and Tuesday so I decided to scratch most of the lessons and change it to be more difficult for teaching the rest of the classes. I found some new activities that would take their learning to the next level and it turned out that my activities we to difficult for the other classes that I taught on Thursday so as I was teaching I changed the activities to fit the level of the children in the class. Teaching the 1st grade classes on Friday went very well! I found some new activities and focused more on the speaking and listening with the children instead of the topic so heavily.  I have a feeling that my Friday classes will be much better than my Monday classes because I will figure out what works and what doesn't by the time Friday comes.

  Teach 3rd grade was amazing though! I thought I would like the younger children better just because that is what I am used to teaching, but the 3rd grade is my favorite so far.  I  taught two different 3rd grade classes, one on Monday and one on Tuesday. We discussed maps and I had the students help me draw a map of their classroom and then had them think about their bedroom at home and draw a map of it. They really enjoyed the activity and one of the teachers said that her whole class wrote about it in their journals that week. I can't wait to teach them again!
    Next week I am teaching eight classes of 2nd grade and two classes of 4th grade. I will be teaching the 2nd graders about shapes and the 4th graders about the seasons. Oddly, it was very difficult for me to write and create the lesson plan for 4th grade. I don't really know why the only thing I can think of is that 4th grade is out of my certification or maybe I was just thinking to hard. We will see how this week goes with teaching.

   This weekend were the big games at KU and it was so much FUN!!! I forgot my camera, but Pey had hers so she let me take pictures.They were played at the Olympic stadium which was cool in and of its self.  I went to the rugby game and the soccer game. I was not able to go to the hockey, baseball, or basketball games because they were on Friday.  The game on Saturday were so much fun, I went with Pey, Natalia and their KU buddies. We didn't sit down at all and their chats are crazy....I'm sore today, how pathetic. We won both of the games and after each team won they thanked all of the fans for cheering for them, it was so sweet.  Once the games ended we came back to Anam where the Alumni paid for students to eat and drink for free at certain restaurants. The KU buddies were so great they are some of the nicest people I have ever meet. I had a great week and am ready for the challenges that teaching in Korea brings.
 Oh I forgot to say that this week is the big English performance and evaluation at my school so the stress will be high and should be interesting. Philly is in charge of the play the students are going to perform. Its very cute, but she is so nervous.

The Ants in the play. They are so funny!

Also I get to go home this week, just for the weekend, but I am very excited. The jet leg should be insane though, wish me luck.

Life in Korea....

 This week has been full of surprises and change. At the beginning of the week was the Korean Holiday, Chusok and everything was closed on Monday and Tuesday  which was a little boring. However I did take advantage of the fact that I could sleep in! I went to the palace Deoksugung on Monday and  watched a traditional Korean song and dance. It was beautiful.

 Deoksugung Palace

Many of the children dressed in traditional Korean clothes.

The song and dance Keely and I watched for a little bit.

 On Tuesday I did not do very much because I was going to be going on a tour of the city on Wednesday. So that's what I did! I went on a city tour with Falyn, Erin and Keely. We left at 9am and didn't get back until 9pm, everything was paid for and we went all over the place. We went to the Gyeongbokgung Palace, to the top of the Seoul Tower, Namsangol Hanok Village (a traditional Korean Village), Dongdaemun Market (it was cool to see but all the clothes were so tiny that there was no way any of us would be able to fit into any of it...maybe in a few months we will) and we went on a Hangang River boat at sunset (it was beautiful). After a long day out I slept pretty well that night.

Gyeongbokgung Palace

Gyeongbokgung Palace

The Palace guards.
 I feel so bad they must hate getting
their photos taken all the time.

They were on a field trip and were to
 cute to pass up taking a photo.

Falyn and I at the stream in Seoul.

Up yet another hill!! Seoul Tower is
at the top of this one though.

There was an act going on when
we made it to the top of the hill.

Me at the top of Seoul Tower!

    I went back to Soongin on Thursday. I got to school and settled in a little when my coordinator came in and told me that she was not going to by the coordinator any more and that someone else would be. Later that day I found out that I not only would be teaching seven classes of 1st grade and eight classes of 2nd grade, but also two classes of 3rd grade and two classes of 4th grade along with two after school programs for 5th and 6th graders. I didn't want to freak out right then, but later that night I was completely overwhelmed and didn't think I could teach 20 classes a week. I went to sleep that night just asking God to help me be a good teacher to all of them.
     The next day I got to school and decided I was going to do lesson plans all day and get as much information from the teachers about what they would like me to do. I had a plan and was determined to do my best. I was really enjoying the challenge. I also got to observe a 3rd grade class, in Korean and got lots of information about classroom management styles. I got to talk with the 3rd grade teacher and I think I will be helping her with her thesis for her degree which is very cool and will help me build my relationships with the teachers I work with. I was working on my lesson plans for Monday when my coordinator came back in and said that she is changing what I am doing again. I will still be teaching all the grades, but will be teaching 1st and 3rd grade one week and then 2nd and 4th the next, so only once every two weeks.
    I hope it goes well and that I am still able to build some kind of relationship with the classes. Relationships with my students is very important to me so this will be my new challenge. I will also be teaching an after school program for 3rd grade on Tuesdays and a 5 and 6th grade program on Thursdays. I will be helping in the Magic English Shop the school has to help students get more comfortable with speaking English and that will be Wednesdays and Fridays.
          I definitely have my work cut out for me. I can't wait to start!

Sept.8-9: observations at the Soongin!

Today is Saturday and I will be off of school for the next five days because of the Korean Holiday Choo Seok. I have enjoyed my observation time in the English classrooms, but am ready to teach. On Thursday, I learned a lot about the school and how the classrooms are handled. It is very different than in the USA becuase the English teachers do not seem to be as focused on having any classroom mangagment, but rather the teaching that needs to happen. I asked Philly about it and she said that English class is like a break time for many students because there was so much work they have to do the rest of the day. Also the English class only meets once a week and the lesson needs to be finished by the end of the 40 minute period so there is no time to stop lessons for students' behavior.

One of the English classrooms in the school this is where my desk is too.

I observed on Thursday and Friday, but on Friday I was able to help the 5th grade English class with their activities beacause I had seen them done the day before. Also on Friday I helped with the morning broadcast. I introduced myself to the school and told them some facts about me. I helped with the English story telling time that Scott, one of the 4-6 grade English teachers, started to do. I was nervous, but everything went pretty well. I even said hello to everyone in Korean!
Today I found out that I will most likely be teaching seven 1st grade classes and eight 2nd grade classes English lessons. There is no curriculum for the children this young yet, so I have to create my own. I'm nervous because I don't know how much they have already learned in their English classes with Philly. I will have to collaborate with her next week. If anyone has any suggestions on activities let me know. I have started looking at some of my previous lessons and I don't know where to start! Hopefully I can work on some ideas this weekend. Overall, I am having a good time and the school is great, the teachers are all very nice. It's the school's first time having a foregin student teacher so they are trying to figure out what they can have me do and what they can't. I understand it, but I'm just bored in the meantime. It was nice to help the English teachers on Firday. Maybe next week I'll get to teach something. Talk to you then

Betsy

Sept 7- day 1 in the Soongin: the visit

Today was my first day getting to go to the school that I will be teaching at for the next 3 months. I meet with two of my buddies who were going to take me to the school for the first time, but when we all got together we found out that none of us know where the school was or how to get there. Jenny, one of my buddies, called the school to get directions or at least find out where to get off the subway. We got to the stop Wolgok and got off the subway. My buddies asked the information desk in the subway station where the school was and how to get there from Wolgok station. We walked for 20 minutes before we saw the school and wouldn't you know it, it's on the top of a very, very steep hill.

The HILL!!!! the school is at the top.

I'll be in shape when I come back that's for sure!  We got to the school and the people in the office, sat us down and brought us grape juice on ice to drink, which was nice after the hard walk up the hill. I got a little bit of information, but not enough to make me feel more comfortable about the situation. I meet with the principal and four teachers that I will be observing the next few days, Ellen, Philly, Scott and Mingi. As of right now I will be teaching 1-6grade which is going to be very different for me because I am used to teaching younger children. The teachers seemed very excited to meet me, but they didn't seem to know what they were supposed to do with me once I got in their room. I guess that will come with time. I got a quick tour of the school and then had to find my own way back to KU. I work tomorrow so I will see how it goes and let you know.
Betsy

Very interesting to say the least! September 2-3

Well, I am here in Korea! Lets start with the plane ride, we had very helpful people at the airport that let us change our seats so that we could all sit closer together on the plane rather than being in 4 different areas of the plane. We got our luggage and  oh man, did we pack a lot. My luggage  was new then I left the US,but it is now broken by the time I got it off the plane in Korea. I will most likely have to get a new suitcase to come home. There was a man with our names on a sign at the airport to pick us up, but he spoke no English. He wanted pictures with Falyn. ( He may have liked her a little.)

    Anyway, the driver got us a little lost on the way to KU. We were all worried for our lives because driving  here is crazy. However, we made it to our dorm and the coordinator showed us to our rooms. Falyn and I are rooming together, but we have a very small room and bunk beds. Erin and Keely have separate beds and lots of room which is great. Falyn and I have three other roommates and they thought we weren't coming so took all of the space in the common areas of our suite. We have only meet one of them, but haven't gotten to talk with her at all.  Once we dropped our luggage off in our rooms we went to dinner with the coordinator Ally and two girls from Florida that are doing the same program as us. Their name are Pey and Natalia. They are very helpful!

   We all woke up very early and went to a place called "Paris Baguette", that is right down the street from us, to eat breakfast. From there we found our way to the subway and then the store, which had everything. Erin and Keely have one roommate that seems very nice, she helped us get to the store on Sunday. I bought an adapter here and it won't stay in the outlet so I may have to get one sent to me, but if I can get tape, then it should work for the time being. That is all we have done so far, just working on getting settled in.  I will tell you more when more happens!
Betsy