Another Week Down.......

This week has been full of ups and downs, but I am still smiling and have joy within.  I love my students here, even the ones who try to give me a little bit of trouble.  They are very respectful and for the most part try hard to learn/improve their English.  The best part so far is that I am noticing that my students are gaining confidence in speaking English! If they have a question, they ask!! 

I also notice that although Korean students know how to study long and hard (school from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m., and then hogwon...private tutor until 9 p.m.), they are not taught how to think critically.  Most things are remote memorization.  I'm working on a solution, at least one for the time being. 

I am getting better at remembering their names, which is a task within itself!  (It seems like the names all sound alike).  As I try to pronounce their names they ask, "Sarah teacha, do you want my English name?" (which would be like Kim or Jenny)  I tell them no, I want to learn their Korean name.  You should see the looks on their faces.  What is even more priceless is when I speak to them in Korean (broken of course, but nonetheless...), or when they walk up to me and ask, "Teacha, what's my name?"  Then I proceed to tell them their name, which they think I have forgotten.  That makes them so happy.  One of my boys told me today that I was a fashionista!  I couldn't help but to laugh! 

You may find this interesting.......(yes, another countdown!)
1. Students here are placed not by ability, but by age.
2. Middle school (and elementary and high school) have 1st grade (14 years old), 2nd grade (15 years old), and 3rd grade (16 years old).  So Korean students finish high school when they are 19 or 20.  They use to hold students back years ago, but they did away with that "system".
3. Regardless if a student does not do well, they are passed on to the next "grade", again everything is based on age.
4. High school is only 3 years, not 4 like the U.S.
5. Koreans add one year to their age.  So a first grade middle school student would be 13 in America.  My Korean age is 30 (29 + 1).  Why do they add a year to their age?  It was explained to me that Koreans believe that as soon as the baby is in the womb, the first year of life begins.  So this means when then leave their mother's womb, they are already 2 years old! 

Did you catch all of that!?  It's all apart of the Korean culture! 

안 녕 히 게 세 요
Ahn-n' young-he kah-say-yoh
Goodbye