Confused confused confused

April 5, 2010

So today begins another week on the job, my first full week. As I was sitting at my desk, they were setting up chairs in the teacher’s room and I asked my co-teacher why they were doing this and she told me that we have an impromptu meeting today. I thought it must be a serious issue to have an emergency meeting. Self-centered as I am, I thought maybe I was in trouble. haha. They handed out a booklet and a couple sheets of paper. I looked at them and couldn’t understand a thing because it was all in Korean. However, one of the sheets of paper had “ESC”, “DELETE”, “EXIT SETUP”, etc, so I knew it was about computers. Whew! I’m not in trouble! The meeting consisted of a couple people rambling on and on and me sitting there not comprehending a single thing except for “hakgyo”, which means school. Then seemingly out of nowhere, I hear “Christina..Christina!” and my ears instantly perked up. “What??!” The lady motioned for me to stand up and walk over to where she was. “Uh…” Then the head of the English teachers said to me, “You have to introduce yourself.” “Oh, ok.” So, she says a little something in Korean and she hands me the microphone. “Annyeong haseyo! (bow) Chonin Christina imnida.” Then I get applause from a group of young ladies at the end of the room. hahah I start talking about nothing because c’mon, they don’t understand me anyway. I don’t even think I talked for a minute. It was so unexpected, but I guess I should’ve seen that one coming! Then I hurriedly went back to my seat. haha

I taught my first class and I felt so down about my teaching ability or lack thereof. My co-teacher was just standing there looking at me and she didn’t seem to be happy with the way I was running things. I guess that just made me feel a bit self-conscious and inadequate. Omigosh! What am I doing here??? I’m not experienced! But I know that it’ll get better in time. I just keep telling myself that over and over again. I know I’m doing good things here.

At the beginning of my second class, I was telling myself to just be positive and don’t let the first class get to me. The second class went a lot better, I felt better. Then, I had my after school class, which I was afraid of because my after school class on Friday (the advanced level) did not go smoothly. During my after school classes, I teach alone and I don’t do my introduction presentation, which I have been doing the past few days. I have to teach a packet that they give me that seems VERY elementary to me, but I guess it’s at these kids’ level. On Friday, the advanced kids just looked at me like, “I can’t believe I’m listening to you. You’re a moron.” But today’s after school class (the intermediate level) went so well. I felt REALLY great after that. I could’ve done some things a bit better, but overall, I felt good. The students really look up to me for information, which is a lot of pressure, but I am certain that I know more English than they do, so I’m good, even if it is elementary.

OH! During one of my classes today, one student asked me, “Why is your hair black?” I was so confused by this question…I didn’t have an answer for her! I just said, “uhh……” I didn’t know where she was going with this question! I’ve never been asked this question before and it wasn’t in a joking manner. I told my co-teacher after school and she said it was probably because she thinks that all Americans have blonde hair! haha, so hilarious these Korean kiddies.