Before coming to Korea, I had very little experience being a disciplinarian. Sure, I have babysat my niece and nephews and I have worked in a school, but I have never been the one with complete control. Having that responsibility is a bit of a shock, especially when that power and control is over 7-year-old Korean kids.
When the school year started, I wanted to set a firm boundary between friend and teacher. I wanted them to like me but I also wanted them to respect me. I think I did a pretty good job finding that line and I think my kids knew where that line was. There are, of course, the few that seem to do things to just completely annoy me! For example, today we were doing our math lesson and one of my boys was playing with his eraser. It is a well known rule in my class that erasers are for erasing, not for balancing on your head, playing hockey with, spinning like a top, or trying to put up your nose. As I was helping another student, James kept playing with his eraser after I told him several times to stop. Since he kept playing he earned himself a check mark and I asked him why he kept playing with his eraser after I had told him to stop. His response, "I don't know why. My heart tells me to play with the eraser while my head tells me to stop." How do you know laugh at that!! I couldn't be mad, it was just too clever of a response.
In some ways, I do feel like I have been too lenient with the rules but in other ways I feel like I should let them be kids, they are only 6 and need to have some fun in life. Some of the moms feel as if I am not disciplining properly, well actually it's just one mom. Her son is a complete behavior issue but she tends to think his behavior problems are because of me and Sheena. She believes our ways to discipline are the problem and not her child. I usually write something about his behavior problems in our weekly comments and she no longer wants to hear it. I guess if it's out of sight it's out of mind. That's a great way to teach a 6 year old how to behave and how to respect his teachers! Things like that really make me wonder...'if you didn't want to raise a child, why did you have one?'
I was actually a little glad this mom said those things this week because today we had Open Class. That is when the parents can come and watch me and Sheena teach. In theory, this sounds like a great idea, but in reality all it is is a rehearsed lesson that the moms are watching. We actually practice what the lesson will be with the students. We also drill into our kids the information they need to know for the Open Class so they look smart in front of their moms. I had thought the whole point of the Open Class was so the moms could actually see what their kid is like in class and how we teach. But it is nothing of the sort. First off, Sheena and I team teach this lesson, which NEVER happens. Her and I are never in the same room together teaching. Second, the kids know everything we are going to do and have practiced with us. Third, no child will act the same when their mother is sitting right next to them. The whole things is just a big production and a complete waste of time! But, I was happy to see Ian's mom here today (Ian is the one with the behavior issues). She got to see first hand how he behaves in class and it wasn't pretty. It was a little victory for me!
This week was also my birthday (it was a crazy week for me)! I have never been away from my family on my birthday so I thought it was going to be a little sad, but Sheena made it a very memorable birthday. She decorated my desk at work with balloons and she gave me a gift. It was actually a gift from all my kids. The past few weeks she had them make a card for me, they all wrote me their own special note and colored a picture. Then Sheena laminated the cards and put them together to make one very special card! I had tears in my eyes as I read it! It truly made my day and made my 28th birthday a day I will always remember!
As much as I miss home, I am fortunate to have the co-workers, Korean and American, that I have. They are becoming my Korean Family.
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