When teaching English in South Korea, especially in public schools, you hear the phrase "desk warming" a lot. Desk warming is a week, or sometimes weeks, where there are no students and therefore no classes. There may or may not even be anyone in the school. I find though, that desk warming has some value to it. I personally have done a lot of things in just 3 days. The reason I'm here today though is to reflect.
I graduated with a B.S of Elementary Education. During classes we were constantly taught to after a lesson reflect on what happened, what was good, what was bad, what worked, what should you change. So I would like to reflect on my first year of officially teaching.
I say officially because this is my first year teaching elementary aged students in a classroom as the official teacher. I've actually been teaching since I was in elementary school. I was that kid that set up all of their stuffed animals in a row and taught them from my old school workbooks and things. Sometimes I even made my younger sister sit there and listen to me teach. I even sometimes made my sisters friends join her in my lessons. Looking back now, I'm sure it was annoying, but whatever. I've also taught preschool for a few years and I've been voluntarily working with children in my previous churches and things for years. I've worked a few different summer camps and things as well.
Then in University we have to make all of these lesson plans with our future classes in our heads. For years, you look forward to this future class, they are officially your class. Never did I imagine my class would be teaching English in South Korea, however, I couldn't have picked something better.
I started off last year feeling slightly lost and clueless. I was trying to figure out how to do simple things like buy groceries, use the stove, or find the grocery store. Everything was brand new, ultra confusing, and very exciting! In school, I was teaching all of the 3rd and 4th grade classes and 2 5th grade classes and 2 6th grade classes. There was a huge language barrier with the younger grades, but they were cute. 6th graders were especially helpful as they would occasionally teach me how to say things properly. I'm pretty sure we spent the beginning of class for a good 4 classes trying to teach me how to pronounce the name of our local lake correctly. I also learned how to use English in a more understandable way for my students. Overall I feel like the first semester was trying to find my own footing and rhythm.
Starting second semester I taught only 5th and 6th grade which was perhaps the most fun thing on the planet. At the very least they found me amusing and fun. Which works for me because obviously my purpose was to brainwash them into thinking English was fun. We shared stories and danced a lot. I've got a lot of stories, but they won't translate very well without acting it out. Second semester I felt more secure in my everyday life. As in, I know where the grocery store is now, and I know how to ask for honey and oyster sauce but that's another story. As a result, my teaching became more like me and therefore better.
Then February comes and my 6th graders graduate. If I'm honest, I'm both really proud and really sad. This is the end of my first group of students. My first class that I have thought so much about for years. Maybe that's why I'm sad to see them go. I'll miss our secret high fives and weird class jokes. However, I love my students, all of them; and as a teacher I want to see them become smart, kind, and really cool people. So I proudly say "BYE!!! GOODLUCK!!" as they go to middle school, even though I want to say "hey, just stay in 6th grade forever and I'll just keep teaching you English." I did make them promise to say hello if they ever come back to visit here next year.
I'm also really excited about the new school year and the new students I'll meet. 3rd graders are going to be freaking adorable. Also, I'm planning a lesson that involves the "chika chicka slim shady" song.
So in my reflection I think I've decided that I'm really good at getting students to feel comfortable using English, and I'll continue to try and find new and interesting ways to teach students.
Sorry this one is a little boring... but it's an update. :)
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