Sound of Vitality

Blowin up Haengsin-dong. Holla!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Classroom tales

I have a class on Wednesday night that is a bit difficult. They're 13-14 year olds and salty and disruptive, like they can be, and the class is all boys which is additionally challenging. I've been bringing them around though, as much as I can. They love just guessing the answers to the book questions and shouting 'FINISHED TEACHER' and trying to get me to spoon feed them all the answers. So one kid who especially loves doing this told me part of the work was too hard, and I was like 'Dan it is EASY. You just need to use your brain and your eyes.'

The kid looks back at me blankly. I draw a huge head in profile on the board with brain and eyes visible like a medication commercial for headaches. 'Use your brain (gesturing to brain) and your eyes!' I said to him. The other kids started laughing. 'Brain too big! His brain peanut!' So I laughed and erased the brain size brain and drew a little peanut. We all laughed and the mood of the classroom was considerably lightened and more fun. Dan laughed too and didn't seem to care.

So as the class went on, when Dan did well I'd increase his brain from peanut, to orange, to potato, to mouse on wheel, to B-2 brain model, to finally A-1 brain when he did a really good job figuring out a question in English. I'm pretty sure this would have been considered picking on the kid in America, but here in Korea it was just good fun.

Oh, here is my snail gumbo with green peppers and onions I had for dinner. Not bad!

7 comments:

  1. oh man I had a class comprised of exactly the same demographic, but these kids had zero interest in learning. It was a [landing-on-a-broken-ankle] Kerri Strug just to get them to focus for 5 minutes. Invariably the classes would devolve into games I got off daves esl cafe.

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  2. Sounds about right, Yif. By the way - Radiolab is incredible. The one about the afterlife fucked me up for the day.

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  3. Try playing games with them where they get candy or prizes if they get the answers right. You could do a bingo type game or jeopordy. (not that they know what any of those games are) It might help, with that age group.

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  4. I want snail gumbo, beats hobo jambalaya anyday.

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  5. Good job with the kid. I have rough days with my pediatric patients too.

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  6. Get this song now: it's a life changer: Lil Wayne - Bed Rock.

    "Call me Mr. Flinstone, I can make your bed rock."

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