Where else . . . in the middle of the street.
Korea has such lax parking regulations that it's ridiculous. In the handful of years that I've been here, I've seen a parking ticket being written out 1 (one) time.
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Parking in Korea
Where do you park when the lot is full?
Where else . . . in the middle of the street.
Korea has such lax parking regulations that it's ridiculous. In the handful of years that I've been here, I've seen a parking ticket being written out 1 (one) time.
Where else . . . in the middle of the street.
Korea has such lax parking regulations that it's ridiculous. In the handful of years that I've been here, I've seen a parking ticket being written out 1 (one) time.
Saturday, 8 September 2012
Things I Do at the End of Class
I have been meaning to write this post for a while. If you're a teacher or a parent it might be of interest.
As an English teacher in Korea I make an effort to respect the time frame for my classes. I have 50 minutes per class, and while I tend to do a bit of warm-up after the bell rings ("How was school today?", "Happy Friday!"), I usually get started fairly quickly.
We usually check homework together, as I feel it is a better use of time ("Change workbooks with your partner. Get a colored pen or pencil. Ok, Sally, read number 1.")
Then it's into the lesson and activities.
I try to finish on time in order to get my students out the door on time, as either they have 10 minutes break (which I think they need) or they are leaving the academy and need to catch one of the academy's vans.
This means I often finish a few minutes early, and long ago I found I needed a few educational activities I could do in a short time frame (as in minutes).
Here are a few of them, all of which my students have come to enjoy:
5 Things
So my students are packed up and ready to go. I ask, "Bella, tell me 5 animals that don't have legs", or "Mike, tell be 5 foods that are green", or "Yeo-jin, tell me 5 countries that are not in Asia."
The other students shout out answers, but the chosen student has to tell me the 5 things.
This activity makes them think outside their books. Sometimes they know the answer in Korean but not in English, so as a class we help each other to learn the vocabulary.
Map Search
In most of our classrooms we have a world map posted on the wall.
I ask, "Justin, where is Brazil?" or "Henry, where is Sudan?" and the chosen student has to get up, go to the map, find and point out the country. If the student can't find it, another will eagerly help him/her.
This activity helps students learn the English names of countries, and I have noticed an improvement in students' geographical awareness.
Memory Circle
I begin, "I like to play soccer" and the next person has to say, "I like to play soccer and play tennis" and then the third person says, "I like to play soccer, play tennis, and go swimming" . . . and so it continues.
Or, I say, "I want to eat pizza" and the next person says, "I want to eat pizza and watermelon" and then the third person says, "I want to eat pizza, watermelon, and chocolate cake . . ."
As an English teacher in Korea I make an effort to respect the time frame for my classes. I have 50 minutes per class, and while I tend to do a bit of warm-up after the bell rings ("How was school today?", "Happy Friday!"), I usually get started fairly quickly.
We usually check homework together, as I feel it is a better use of time ("Change workbooks with your partner. Get a colored pen or pencil. Ok, Sally, read number 1.")
Then it's into the lesson and activities.
I try to finish on time in order to get my students out the door on time, as either they have 10 minutes break (which I think they need) or they are leaving the academy and need to catch one of the academy's vans.
This means I often finish a few minutes early, and long ago I found I needed a few educational activities I could do in a short time frame (as in minutes).
Here are a few of them, all of which my students have come to enjoy:
5 Things
So my students are packed up and ready to go. I ask, "Bella, tell me 5 animals that don't have legs", or "Mike, tell be 5 foods that are green", or "Yeo-jin, tell me 5 countries that are not in Asia."
The other students shout out answers, but the chosen student has to tell me the 5 things.
This activity makes them think outside their books. Sometimes they know the answer in Korean but not in English, so as a class we help each other to learn the vocabulary.
Map Search
In most of our classrooms we have a world map posted on the wall.
I ask, "Justin, where is Brazil?" or "Henry, where is Sudan?" and the chosen student has to get up, go to the map, find and point out the country. If the student can't find it, another will eagerly help him/her.
This activity helps students learn the English names of countries, and I have noticed an improvement in students' geographical awareness.
Memory Circle
I begin, "I like to play soccer" and the next person has to say, "I like to play soccer and play tennis" and then the third person says, "I like to play soccer, play tennis, and go swimming" . . . and so it continues.
Or, I say, "I want to eat pizza" and the next person says, "I want to eat pizza and watermelon" and then the third person says, "I want to eat pizza, watermelon, and chocolate cake . . ."
Short Children's Films
On this site:
http://www.gkids.tv/watchonline.cfm
you can find a bunch of short kids' films (2-10 minutes), mostly animation. I have shown some of them to my students during break times.
I would strongly suggest that you pay attention to the age ratings and that you preview the films, as they range widely in almost every aspect.
The "canary" one is cute:)
http://www.gkids.tv/watchonline.cfm
you can find a bunch of short kids' films (2-10 minutes), mostly animation. I have shown some of them to my students during break times.
I would strongly suggest that you pay attention to the age ratings and that you preview the films, as they range widely in almost every aspect.
The "canary" one is cute:)
Cheers to Canada!
What I read in the news today:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/07/world/meast/iran-diplomatic-relations/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/07/world/meast/iran-diplomatic-relations/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
Friday, 7 September 2012
Interesting Class Action
In one of my Let's Go 2 classes, I had an unusual thing happen this week.
On Tuesday my third grade students in one class were reading their storybooks in pairs, and two of the older (and more skillful) girls finished first.
Sometimes I have alternate activities lined up for more advanced students in these situations, for otherwise the students who finish early might get bored and start speaking Korean, which I want to avoid.
In this case, because the two girls sit right in front of my (the teacher's) table, I waited to see what they would do. The other students in the class were still reading, so, I thought to myself, watching these two girls, were they going to goof off?
No. One of them, kind of a leader, seemed to suggest to the other that they begin writing the next exercise in their notebooks, an exercise I had not assigned yet. I was a bit proud that they they would contemplate doing unassigned work, yet I knew their thinking--let's do it now and we can relax later.
(Generally I frown on students working ahead, but not always.)
Things got busy and I forgot about this little mini drama.
Thursday, the next class, I assigned that same writing activity as an in-class assignment. As the same two girls were sitting in front of me, I noticed and remembered that they had already completed the activity in the previous class.
I wondered what they would do (note that I always make a teacher's mark--in my case a star--at the end of completed notebook assignments, so that I know what is old and what is new. This action "saved" me twice today when students tried to pass off--consciously or not--old work as newly completed homework. However, in the case of these students, I had not "starred" their work, because it had not been assigned . . .)
One student glanced at the other, and I saw the message being telepathed: "Let's pretend to do this."
I gently reached out, took one girl's notebook, and remarked, "You're a fast writer!"
(It was about 30 seconds into a writing assignment that should normally take about 5 minutes.)
Inside I was laughing.
I said, "You two have to write the exercise again, but I will give you an extra homework sticker." (After a certain number of stickers they get to chose a present, either a pencil or an eraser.)
They were pleased, I was pleased (after all, they did do the assignment twice), and I am curious to see if the two girls cook up another scheme. That's what keeps me on my toes.
On Tuesday my third grade students in one class were reading their storybooks in pairs, and two of the older (and more skillful) girls finished first.
Sometimes I have alternate activities lined up for more advanced students in these situations, for otherwise the students who finish early might get bored and start speaking Korean, which I want to avoid.
In this case, because the two girls sit right in front of my (the teacher's) table, I waited to see what they would do. The other students in the class were still reading, so, I thought to myself, watching these two girls, were they going to goof off?
No. One of them, kind of a leader, seemed to suggest to the other that they begin writing the next exercise in their notebooks, an exercise I had not assigned yet. I was a bit proud that they they would contemplate doing unassigned work, yet I knew their thinking--let's do it now and we can relax later.
(Generally I frown on students working ahead, but not always.)
Things got busy and I forgot about this little mini drama.
Thursday, the next class, I assigned that same writing activity as an in-class assignment. As the same two girls were sitting in front of me, I noticed and remembered that they had already completed the activity in the previous class.
I wondered what they would do (note that I always make a teacher's mark--in my case a star--at the end of completed notebook assignments, so that I know what is old and what is new. This action "saved" me twice today when students tried to pass off--consciously or not--old work as newly completed homework. However, in the case of these students, I had not "starred" their work, because it had not been assigned . . .)
One student glanced at the other, and I saw the message being telepathed: "Let's pretend to do this."
I gently reached out, took one girl's notebook, and remarked, "You're a fast writer!"
(It was about 30 seconds into a writing assignment that should normally take about 5 minutes.)
Inside I was laughing.
I said, "You two have to write the exercise again, but I will give you an extra homework sticker." (After a certain number of stickers they get to chose a present, either a pencil or an eraser.)
They were pleased, I was pleased (after all, they did do the assignment twice), and I am curious to see if the two girls cook up another scheme. That's what keeps me on my toes.
Sunday, 2 September 2012
New Semester
Last Thursday was the beginning of our new semester, which roughly coincides with our students returning to their public schools from summer vacation.
It's a bit chaotic, as always, but definitely less so this year, as most of us (teachers) are keeping the same classes and--for the first time--the academy is no longer providing books. Now, the parents have to acquire the textbooks on their own.
The good thing is that we do not have stacks upon stacks of books and cds. The bad thing is that, on average, 2 students in each of my classes did not have their books for the first class.
Class sizes were smaller for most of July and August, as many students took a break. Now I am back to full size (10 students) for many of my classes.
We have started teaching some new books to our middle school classes based on the new NEAT test that the Korean government is planning to use for university entrance exams.
It's a bit chaotic, as always, but definitely less so this year, as most of us (teachers) are keeping the same classes and--for the first time--the academy is no longer providing books. Now, the parents have to acquire the textbooks on their own.
The good thing is that we do not have stacks upon stacks of books and cds. The bad thing is that, on average, 2 students in each of my classes did not have their books for the first class.
Class sizes were smaller for most of July and August, as many students took a break. Now I am back to full size (10 students) for many of my classes.
We have started teaching some new books to our middle school classes based on the new NEAT test that the Korean government is planning to use for university entrance exams.
Saturday, 1 September 2012
Post- Typhoon Week
Friday we had our first sunny day (mostly) in a while.
South Korea had a period of hot weather that was killing off farm animals, but then we reverted to rain and more rain. And then typhoon Bolaven came. And then a second typhoon came two days later (Tembin?).
Too much rain.
Food prices are going up, especially for some fruit.
In the midst of all of this, our academy is starting the new fall semester, so students who have been taking a break are coming back and new students are joining--most classes are full up at 10 students.
New books, new students, new goals . . .
South Korea had a period of hot weather that was killing off farm animals, but then we reverted to rain and more rain. And then typhoon Bolaven came. And then a second typhoon came two days later (Tembin?).
Too much rain.
Food prices are going up, especially for some fruit.
In the midst of all of this, our academy is starting the new fall semester, so students who have been taking a break are coming back and new students are joining--most classes are full up at 10 students.
New books, new students, new goals . . .
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