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