School Days Update

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  Busan, Korea Rep.
Thursday, March 18, 2010

I realized today that havent given an update of our lives up here at SLP:

Things have been improving with my class of 5 yrd old Kindies. The week started off rough when I was told by my co-teacher that one of the cryers in the class told her mom that the reason she cries at school is because she is scared of Dianna teacher. Awesome. Once they explained a little more it did kind of made sense. It is there first time going to school at all which is already traumatic. Then they have this teacher that doesnt look anything like anyone they have ever seen, blonde hair, blue eyes, etc. Then there is the lack any ability to communicate whatsoever. They look at me repeating the same thing over and over and over, and all I can do is give them a blank stare, and vice versa. It is equally frustrating on both ends! So i do see how I could be scary, it was just a little disheartening to hear at first when I spend soo much energy trying to teach and entertain them.

But...we have now gone 3 whole days with no crying!! That is HUGE!! They have actually made really big strides just in this week. They definitely are like little sponges, soaking in everything I say. Thay have already learned the "im going to repeat everything you say" game. Which would usually be really annoying, but I'll take whatever English coming out of their mouths that I can get! Even if they have no idea what they are saying. They are beginning to understand different instructions, stand up, line up, sit down, and have the Barney "Clean Up" song down pat. Along with their ABCs, 5 little mokeys jumping on the bed, wheels on the bus, and their absolute favorite Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes. They think it is just hilarious when they do it really fast! (Thank goodness I was living with a teacher and preschooler for 9 months before I left!!) So all in all, its getting better each day!!

Bryans class on the other hand has made moves towards improvement. He calls their classroom mass Anarchy. ha They are all just wild!! Not to mention all of the foreign teachers have agreed that one student definitely has a mild case of Autism that is being overlooked. (Not easy to deal with obviously) He makes it through each day, but they definitely give him a run for their money. Everytime another teacher comes out of that room after teaching an Afternoon Activity they all say, "Wow im glad I dont have that class. Bryan...I am soo sorry for you! If we can just make it through the year without him throwing a kid out the window we will be happy!!

Now for a couple of funny stories:
-In the girls bathroom the largest stall's door is not a regular stall door that locks, it is a screen door that is magnetic. For some reason it is my favorite. I was in there the other day when the door swings open and there stands two of my students in my very next class. They make a surprise face and quickly shut the door. Then as Im just about to come out she does it again, like she thought i had somehow snuck out without her seeing and it was suddenly open. So, needless to say I couldnt wait to get back to that classroom. By the time I got back there I had about 4 boys tapping on my leg saying "Dianna Teacher, Dianna Teacher. Alice said she saw your bum!" I told them that Alice was just being silly. Well Alice quickly butted in with "NO! Teacher, Teacher! I open the door in the bathroom and saw your bum! I saw your Bum!"....Great. I had finally quieted everyone down and tried not to let them see the tomato color of my face, when Alice raised her hand yet again, after I called on her she simply said" I saw your bum".... Thanks Alice,,,we got it. I eventually had to threaten to send her to the office if she said it again. No more Bum talk!

-Bryan had the opposite affect in his class. He came in after lunch the other day to a kid crying yelling "it hurts! it hurts!" He was kind of tugging at his pants and asking Bryan to help him. He had had Bryan tuck his shirt in for him earlier that day, so Bryan assumed he needed help with that. So he bent down to help him. As he did that he asked what hurts? And the kid pulled out his private parts to show him. I guess another boy had given him a good kick in between the legs and he wanted to show Bryan where it hurt. If only I could describe in words that look on Bryans face when he walked back into the teachers room. Priceless. I think he was moer scarred than the kid was hurt!! Guess you never know what to expect with kids!! haha

(ps...i put up an entry with our contact info right below this one on the blog, for anyone that was wanting it.)

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