First Day

Today has really been an experience. I had three classes with the students, and I think they went well. Korean students are very much like American students I think; some of them are extremely smart and inquisitive, and others obviously just don't care about school. They are much harder to control than American students though, and I think that's why corporal punishment is used as much as it is (although it is quickly declining in popularity.) I had one of my co-teachers today hit one of the kids, and I have to admit it kind of bothered me. However, it is important to understand that this culture is very different. Since it is the co-teachers' role to help me maintain order in the class, it seems improper for me to take away a tool for doing so, especially one that is socially acceptable here.

In my third class today, the Vice-Principal (who is arguably the most important person in my life since he determines whether or not I will be forced to come in during breaks) came in to observe me. I was told that normally he will stay for 2-3 minutes, 5 at most, just to make sure the teacher is actually doing their job. But he stayed for about 15 minutes in my class, something which made the eyes of all my other co-teachers (I have about 5) widen in astonishment. I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure the reason he stayed so long is because he was really enjoying watching me teach. I saw him holding as conversation with some of my co-teachers, telling them about my methods and such, most of which he had never seen before.

I can see why Korea ranks near the bottom of the world in English speaking ability. None of them want to talk, they dread it. I think they find it embarrassing to not be good at a school subject (Korean students are top 10 in the world at almost everything else.) I held a conversation class with my English-speaking co-teachers today and even they were incredibly shy. It's simply amazing how they are so eager to help me and are so good at speaking english, but enter the formal classroom atmosphere and they are almost as shy as the students.

One of my Korean Moms has offered to help me get my cell-phone, internet, and hot water set up today after school, so hopefully I will have all those things by this evening.