These are some of my favorite YouTube videos; quite a mix:
Stand By Me/Playing for Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM
What a Wonderful World (Shadow Puppets)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNnaHfXJ-dw
The Black Hole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Un20p1NGuw
Rare Exports
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JIz7I5yzwQ
Trunk Monkey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdLLdh1xECg
Spiders on Drugs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HipedgM3I
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Question
What do you find when you Google
Radiolab + NPR + Words ?
Answer: A cool word/image association video. Watch it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0HfwkArpvU
Radiolab + NPR + Words ?
Answer: A cool word/image association video. Watch it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0HfwkArpvU
Saturday, 7 August 2010
North Korea Land Mines
As if there weren't enough to worry about with North Korea, now comes this:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/01/north.korea.land.mines/index.html#fbid=dGqqL2oW55P&wom=false
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_15655032?source=rss
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/North-Korean-Land-Mines-Drifting-Into-South-Korea-Kill-A-Man-A-Wounds-Another/Article/201008115674527?f=rss
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/01/north.korea.land.mines/index.html#fbid=dGqqL2oW55P&wom=false
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_15655032?source=rss
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/North-Korean-Land-Mines-Drifting-Into-South-Korea-Kill-A-Man-A-Wounds-Another/Article/201008115674527?f=rss
Student Blooper
In class the other day, a student created a rather embarrassing situation for herself.
Some background.
All of my students attend at least two classes, one with a Korean teacher and one with a foreign teacher. That's the norm at English academies in Korea.
In my classes they only speak English (or are supposed to; the actual practice is another thing, depending on their skill level). Their classes with Korean teachers are essentially bilingual education, as English grammar is explained to them in their native (Korean) language.
The classes run back-to-back, so either they have me for an hour and then they have a Korean teacher, or vice versa.
Sometimes it is a bit hard for them to make the switch if they have the Korean teacher first, and I try to be a bit more lenient in that case. As a rule, I would always prefer to teach the students first, and have the Korean teacher follow up.
In this particular class, the students have been at the academy for two years or more, so they speak basic functional English. Currently they are working on language like, "What does he do?"
"He is a mechanic. He fixes cars."
So it's not basic stuff. They know the class routine, they know what is expected, etc.
Anyway, I was in the middle of a lesson with these 8 kids (4th-5th grade), when, as my back was turned, one of them called out "Teacher!" as if to ask a question.
Now, normally this isn't a big deal, even though my boss prefers that they address me by my surname (Mr. __) instead of "teacher." However, in this case the student used the Korean word for "teacher" instead of the English one.
That is kind of like being in a meeting with a male presenter and calling him "Mrs." instead of "Mr." It just isn't done, and it is a glaring mistake.
So this student called to me in Korean, and I was about to make a witty remark, when she, completely unaware of her first gaffe, repeated the error.
She called me "teacher" again in Korean, only this time, the second time, she raised her voice, as if I hadn't heard her the first time.
The rest of the students in the class were doubled up, laughing, for it was indeed a funny and perhaps unprecedented mistake.
I am not Korean, I do not look Korean, and, for the most part, I do not speak Korean. To call out to me in Korean is simply strange.
I turned to the student and said, with a smile, "Gabriella, you are the only student I have ever had who has called me "teacher" in Korean two times!"
The poor girl was so embasassed, so red-faced, that it was hard not to press on, but she is a good kid and it wasn't intentional, so I let her off the hook.
Oh, the little things you don't expect--I like those humorous situations.
Some background.
All of my students attend at least two classes, one with a Korean teacher and one with a foreign teacher. That's the norm at English academies in Korea.
In my classes they only speak English (or are supposed to; the actual practice is another thing, depending on their skill level). Their classes with Korean teachers are essentially bilingual education, as English grammar is explained to them in their native (Korean) language.
The classes run back-to-back, so either they have me for an hour and then they have a Korean teacher, or vice versa.
Sometimes it is a bit hard for them to make the switch if they have the Korean teacher first, and I try to be a bit more lenient in that case. As a rule, I would always prefer to teach the students first, and have the Korean teacher follow up.
In this particular class, the students have been at the academy for two years or more, so they speak basic functional English. Currently they are working on language like, "What does he do?"
"He is a mechanic. He fixes cars."
So it's not basic stuff. They know the class routine, they know what is expected, etc.
Anyway, I was in the middle of a lesson with these 8 kids (4th-5th grade), when, as my back was turned, one of them called out "Teacher!" as if to ask a question.
Now, normally this isn't a big deal, even though my boss prefers that they address me by my surname (Mr. __) instead of "teacher." However, in this case the student used the Korean word for "teacher" instead of the English one.
That is kind of like being in a meeting with a male presenter and calling him "Mrs." instead of "Mr." It just isn't done, and it is a glaring mistake.
So this student called to me in Korean, and I was about to make a witty remark, when she, completely unaware of her first gaffe, repeated the error.
She called me "teacher" again in Korean, only this time, the second time, she raised her voice, as if I hadn't heard her the first time.
The rest of the students in the class were doubled up, laughing, for it was indeed a funny and perhaps unprecedented mistake.
I am not Korean, I do not look Korean, and, for the most part, I do not speak Korean. To call out to me in Korean is simply strange.
I turned to the student and said, with a smile, "Gabriella, you are the only student I have ever had who has called me "teacher" in Korean two times!"
The poor girl was so embasassed, so red-faced, that it was hard not to press on, but she is a good kid and it wasn't intentional, so I let her off the hook.
Oh, the little things you don't expect--I like those humorous situations.
Staff Dinner
We went to my bosses' house tonight for a staff dinner . . . good food and company, including a small dog and a pet rabbit. Walked home in the rain together; kind of a nice way to cool off.
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Power Outage
Tonight, or rather this morning, we were hit with a power outage. My building shut down for the better part of an hour, except for emergency doorway lights (which almost made it worse).
I have lived in many cities, and in all of those cities that I can remember (in the U.S. and Japan), when it rained it was not unusual for the power to shut off.
It's not raining here right now.
When the power shuts off for no apparent reason in South Korea, people get alarmed, and for a good reason.
If you don't know why, then you aren't keeping up with your world events.
I heard what sounded like some of my neighbors evacuating their apartments.
I was apparently hungry, so I got up and ate some of my most spoil-able food--I made a salad, and ate it in the semi-darkness, with the emergency light reminding me with its shadows of what could be.
As of now, an hour and a half or so later, the power is back on.
That's good news.
I have lived in many cities, and in all of those cities that I can remember (in the U.S. and Japan), when it rained it was not unusual for the power to shut off.
It's not raining here right now.
When the power shuts off for no apparent reason in South Korea, people get alarmed, and for a good reason.
If you don't know why, then you aren't keeping up with your world events.
I heard what sounded like some of my neighbors evacuating their apartments.
I was apparently hungry, so I got up and ate some of my most spoil-able food--I made a salad, and ate it in the semi-darkness, with the emergency light reminding me with its shadows of what could be.
As of now, an hour and a half or so later, the power is back on.
That's good news.
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Sneaky Teacher and Genius Student
Back to my favorite class.
Ten kids, two textbooks, no spare time.
Ah, but I was able to go to class early, and there sat one girl, one of my most favorite students (always happy, cheerful, nice + smart), and I got an idea.
The class has 7 girls, 3 boys. 2nd grade students.
I wrote on the whiteboard:
TODAY IS BOY TEST DAY!
We thought that was great. I said (to my little student co-conspirator) , "Shh! Don't tell!"
She giggled, "Ok!"
When class time started and I walked in the door, I immediately said, "Ok, today is Boys' Test Day, so let's get started!"
The girls cheered, but one boy, Justin, said, "Mike has money!"
Money--always a big source of pride. I try to play it up and ask if I can have some, or ask what it is going to be used for. But first I always ask, "How much?", as counting in Korean vs. counting in English are two very different things.
"450 won!" was the total, 5 coins, about 45 cents, and I congratulated Mike on his exceedingly large stash.
Then Justin came up to me and said, jokingly, "Teacher, Mike give you money, we have girls' test?"
I thought that idea was both brilliant and hilarious, so I laughed.
Sometimes I wonder what these kids go home and tell their parents (moms) about me/class, but the important thing is that they are still there.
Ten kids, two textbooks, no spare time.
Ah, but I was able to go to class early, and there sat one girl, one of my most favorite students (always happy, cheerful, nice + smart), and I got an idea.
The class has 7 girls, 3 boys. 2nd grade students.
I wrote on the whiteboard:
TODAY IS BOY TEST DAY!
We thought that was great. I said (to my little student co-conspirator) , "Shh! Don't tell!"
She giggled, "Ok!"
When class time started and I walked in the door, I immediately said, "Ok, today is Boys' Test Day, so let's get started!"
The girls cheered, but one boy, Justin, said, "Mike has money!"
Money--always a big source of pride. I try to play it up and ask if I can have some, or ask what it is going to be used for. But first I always ask, "How much?", as counting in Korean vs. counting in English are two very different things.
"450 won!" was the total, 5 coins, about 45 cents, and I congratulated Mike on his exceedingly large stash.
Then Justin came up to me and said, jokingly, "Teacher, Mike give you money, we have girls' test?"
I thought that idea was both brilliant and hilarious, so I laughed.
Sometimes I wonder what these kids go home and tell their parents (moms) about me/class, but the important thing is that they are still there.
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