![Arin’s First Weeks of School:
Fifth grade this year is off to a great start. I was shocked when I started school and had such a great class. My students are fantastic. I have such a variety of personalities and it makes the class so fun.
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Arin’s First Weeks of School:
Fifth grade this year is off to a great start. I was shocked when I started school and had such a great class. My students are fantastic. I have such a variety of personalities and it makes the class so fun.
We have spent a lot of this past week setting up our classrooms. The top four pictures are of Cody’s sixth grade classroom and the bottom two are of Arin’s classroom. We can’t wait for the students to get here!
Today was our last day teaching at Kids Club. I am so going to miss these kids. They have been such a source of laughter and joy for me.
Today I taught my third graders for the last time. Needless to say, it was a sad day.
Footprints Recruiting Spotlight
Teaching is Korea is an experience of a lifetime. For me, it has opened my eyes to a different part of the world. It sparked a love in me for traveling and learning about other cultures. When first considering coming to Korea, I was sure this was a one-year adventure; however, now that I have lived here almost a year, I can’t imagine leaving quite yet. Living in a different culture changes you and forms you into a somewhat different person. It’s hard to see a country so different from your own and not have your mind more opened by the experience.
This week I had a summer English camp with about ten 3rd and 4th graders. I did a detective camp and the entire week we used English to solve the mystery of who kidnapped Spongebob. Each day we learned about a different topic (clothes, telling time, directions, etc.). Then using those topics, we would try to figure out more about our kidnapper. The students also got a hint everyday (ransom letter, witness reports, etc.). We finished the week off with a scavenger hunt around the school to find the kidnapper.
Basically it was a really great week. It was really nice to get to spend some time with a small amount of kids. Usually I see each class (of about 24 students) once a week during the school year, so it was nice to feel like I got to know some of the kids a little more.
Something I love about teaching is how thoughtful some of the kids are. Today was the last day of the camp and they brought me coffee, fruit, and cookies. It is a great reminder of what a great job I have!
One week down of hanging out with super cute kids. One more to go!!!
Oh and in case you were wondering, the kidnapper was Homer Simpson (My students seem to have a weird obsession with him, which is super odd to me. I mean the Simpsons aren’t exactly ‘kid friendly’…Oh, Korea…)
***Click the pictures to see them larger and read the captions.
This is one of my all time favorite students (Am I allowed to admit that as a teacher?? Well, it’s happening. All you fellow teachers out there have to admit you have favorites as well ;) ). He is one of my sixth graders, which can be a tough grade to get to participate at times. He isn’t even the kid who always raises his hand, but he doesn’t mind giving it a try if you call on him. If he sees me in the hall outside of class, he always wants to try to have a conversation of some sort with me. He is an absolute goofball (as you can tell by the pictures), and there honestly isn’t one class that he doesn’t make me laugh hysterically.
The first picture was during a class “telepathy activity”. The students had to guess what sentence I was thinking of based on the chapter and write it down. ‘What does that have to do with those pencils?’, you may ask. Well, I looked down for one second to check what sentence was the correct one and when I looked back up, he claimed to have “antennas” so he could read my mind. Pure awesomeness.
The second picture…well really there is no explanation for this one. Basically, he doesn’t get embarrassed and isn’t afraid to look goofy. Resulting in this…
I swear I do actually teach…sometimes ;)
While teaching English, there have been many times where I have been like, ‘huh, that is why we say it that way…’. I have realized while teaching English that there are so many things you just know as a native speaker that you don’t realize are legitimate rules in English.
Last Friday I had the funniest realization EVER.
Teaching: Do you like it?
By the end of this week I will have sung this song approximately 10 times…
But my third graders love it and it is pure gold for teaching them “Do you like it?”.
If you have to teach this phrase to young children in the near future, give this song a try. If they are anything like my kids, you won’t regret it!
My day today:
The morning- I taught my classes how to make paper fortune tellers (Using “You will…” sentences), so we pretty much colored and folded paper.
The afteroon- I am spending my plan time today making giant letters to teach my third graders the alphabet.
I have loved coloring my entire life, and I will admit that I still love it just as much as an adult. Somehow I have found a job that lets me do it all day long.
I am one happy person.