Yeah, I did it. Got my whistle and my yard duty boots on and took a job covering a Gr. 6/7 class. It was a good day for it: a snowy Monday. The kids were all still pretty relaxed from the weekend, I had a great EA in for the morning. But God help me I could not remember any of the arguments that the Patriots had for independance! I am a very quick study with names which always seems to impress and freak out the kids. In a good way. I think it makes them feel as though I actually see them. Although I always end up calling someone by the wrong name repeatedly, either the really high-strung one who freaks out at me whenever I do it or the quiet one who doesn't have the nerve to correct me. Today it was the quiet one and although I called her by the wrong name at least 20 times, it was usually to praise her. I don't know how Meg and Kelly (sorry, Roland) keep it straight in their classroom in Korea where all the kids have new English names, just for school. Crazy.
Anyway, it felt good to be out there again.
3 comments:
I'm sure if I asked about the English names, I would be told that it is so the kids feel like they are in an English environment. I think that is probably BS - ESL books recommend NOT renaming your students with English names. I think it is done primarily for image - for the parents, but also for the western teachers, who couldn't tell a Min Jun Ju from a Yun Suk Young.
do you get to learn their korean names too? can you keep them all straight?
yay for you!!
I miss it a little, and the kids too, but I don't want to go back.
Post a Comment