Monday, October 17, 2011

My first day of teaching

So today was my first day of teaching my classes by myself.

It started off kinda rocky of course.  I got pen on my shirt, right in the middle, so typically me.  I walked into the wrong room for the first class.  I did not know how to work the computer and forgot to bring the password.  After my young students got a good laugh out of the silly English teacher, they helped me with the computer and I ran up to get the password to log on.  It went well after that though.  Students in Korea study so hard and go to school a long time, they have long days.  I work 1:30 to 8:30pm.  All of my students go to school during the day and come to the institute after, many in classes till 10:30 at night.  They used to go till 12am but a new law, from what I am told now limits them to no later than 10:30pm.  Still I have to give them credit for that.  Many of my students also go to Japanese or Chinese academys or institutions too.  My fourth graders, which would be the same age as 3rd graders in the USA because in Korea you are 1 years old at birth and turn 2 I think January 1st (the luner new year) on your 1st birthday you are 3 years old already so they start school earlier, anyways my 4th graders can speak and read English wonderfully, better than I can read or speak Spanish after 6 years of it in school.  They are very bright and most are hard working.  Education is very important here and amazingly the students don't complain, they don't know any other way, if only they knew the short length of time kids in the US go to school.  Also the kids here go to school all year with very little breaks, maybe 4 days for winter.  

Overall though my first day was good.  My Korean teachers are a great help and I am lucky to have them.

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