On Friday evening, in one of my favorite classes, the six girls (5th grade; usually there are seven, but one went on a trip to Jeju) were their characteristic chatty and happy selves.
However, two of them asked me for food and said they were so hungry.
A plan formed in my mind:
1. I had hungry students (aren't they always?)
2. We did not have a lot of book work to do (very unusual)
3. I had a cup of coins that had been stacking up for a year
So I went and got the coin cup, took it to class, and started counting out piles of 1,000 won/$1.
One girl asked another, "What's this?"
Another other girl responded, "It's a game!"
I didn't say anything, just checked their notebooks as they finished the evening's writing assignment.
Then I stood up from my desk and said, "Yes, it is a game. The game is to go to the mart (convenience store) and buy a snack. Each student gets one pile of coins."
A student said, "Really?"
"Yes," I said, "Get your coins, grab your jacket, and let's go!"
"Really?"
For context, we very rarely do things like this at my academy, and I had never taken these girls outside before, as we are too busy studying English and doing book work. Two of the girls I have taught for 1 and 1/2 years and have never taken them out before. However, they are great kids--they always do their homework, never complain about the workload, are are always bright and cheerful--so I like to reward them sometimes. (When they do start singing K-pop songs, however, I tell them that they have to sing in English.)
As I walked toward the elevator they still didn't believe me.
"Teacher, are we going to the mart? Is it true?"
They were excited, and they made me feel happy that I had decided to act on a whim.
So we went to the convenience store (less than a block away), where the Korean clerk watched with interest as I told my six Korean girls in English to quickly choose a snack.
They paid up with their coins, and then we returned to class to finish a worksheet that I had prepared for them.
All the while they kept saying, "Teacher, really, really thank you!" which was useful in prompting me to remind them to say "Thank you very much!"
A few of them were so happy that they said they would write about the experience in their diaries (that they write for weekend homework).
I'm looking forward to reading the diaries on Monday.
Maybe I should do this more often--?
Posts
