Teaching, Teaching, TEACHING!

Another week is almost in the books, and Sarah and I feel pretty comfortable calling ourselves English teachers at this point. We each probably have about 10 lessons or so under our belts at this point, and we have sort of spent this week growing more accustomed to the routines and daily schedules at our schools.

The beginning and end of my week seem to be the busiest, with 4 classes in a row first thing Monday morning, and 6 classes in a row to finish off every week on Fridays. All in all, we plan roughly 7 or 8 lessons every week, and we execute them in about 22 classes over the course of each week. For having zero teaching experience prior to coming to Korea, it’s very much baptism by fire. Nevertheless, Sarah and I both feel energized and full of life having the opportunity to teach these incredible kids.

I have slowly discovered that 5^th grade students are my favorite to teach (Yes, I know you are not supposed to have favorites, so sue me! J). 6^th graders are at the age where it is starting to become cool to disrespect the teacher, not pay attention, and care less about doing the work and making the effort. Many of the older students are also still very low-level English students, so by 6^th grade they sort of have the attitude of giving up. Obviously, this motivates me to change that mentality, but nevertheless it makes this grade a tough one to teach across the board.

Sarah and I have also both had our unique challenges in our schools. While Sarah’s is a very large school and she has to juggle and plan with several teachers and handle more grades (1^st through 6^th) as well as after school programs, I have a small school with lower level students, and much of the work rests solely on my plate. In fact, just yesterday I was informed that I have to present a proposal this Friday to my principal for an English festival in early October, which I was just informed about last night. Needless to say, Sarah and I keep busy in our own challenging ways. We both love it though and find the challenge exciting and engaging! It’s a job that gives us purpose and lets us know we have a chance to impact lives as well as change the systematic trappings of ESL classes in foreign countries.

The center of downtown Daegu....beat that, Chicago!

Last night, we gathered with our good friends for our first outing of “Western Wednesdays”, a weekly event in which we all get together in downtown Daegu and eat dinner at a restaurant that reminds us a little more of home. Last night we went to a diner and had burgers, fries, and Coca Cola….MMMMMM! It was excellent!!!

A little taste of home :)

We were originally going to eat at a Bennigans (yes, they have that here), but it was $17 for a club sandwich…and much more for everything else.

The gang at the Western diner in downtown Daegu. Good times!!

This upcoming weekend is Chuseok, which is the Korean version of Thanksgiving. We get off work from Saturday September 10^th through Wednesday September 15^th. We go back on Thursday next week for a very abridged week. We need to start celebrating this in America, I think. He he he!

This weekend we are traveling to Busan (a large East coast beach city about an hour away) to hang with some friends and enjoy the long weekend. Looking forward to some R&R, and I’m sure we’ll have some great pictures and stories to tell when we get back.

Happy to have had another productive, safe, and fun week in our new home!!! Lots more to come!!!