Usual Routine/So Proud
1)I have added some photos onto SuKi Day One and included a link on Suki Day 2.
Suki is Korean pronunciation, in case anybody was wondering.
2)I am determined to cheer up...Rob will be here in the month and he did not pay a small fortune in airfare to find me miserable and moping. Thus I have deleted that post as I do not want any excessive negativity on this site, nor do I want to worry anybody. In fact, I am feeling a little better than I did a few days ago. My moods will be up and down, but hopefully not as bad as they were; maybe one day I will get a decent nights sleep. (Sleep deprivation has led me to be uptight and intense in situations were I wouldn't normally be, and this really isn't a good thing).
This week has been the usual routine. My boss has given me classes for the Wednesday that would normally be spent at Too Seong Hagwon, but they are mostly mixed classes. He has got me teaching a maths and science class, thus they have a mixed ability in English, the gulf between their books being huge, and I am unable to find a compromise nor solution. It really is a waste of time, but The Boss insists that I have these classes.
This week a new Korean English teacher, who is the same age as me has joined our team, to replace the ones that ran a mile when The Boss insisted on contracts being signed. So far she is being rather shy around me, probably embarrassed and scared that she will get her English wrong...but my Korean is far worse!!!
My B-D level classes are now working on their intonation and mood with very little complaint, while the A level classes (4A and 5A) whinge at the first sign of picking up a pencil. You see, they are highly intelligent and not used to having to work to get good grades, now they have been met with a challenge and are too lazy to study without moaning and complaining. The other classes, who are more likely to find it difficult are doing well at learning the intonation, mostly because they are used to having to work to get somewhere with their studies.
I am very proud of all my students, even the D classes, where I must say that 2 of my students are most likely beyond any form of mainstream education. However, I do my best for them. I am pleased that I can see the improvement in all my classes, and that most of them work so hard to get to grips with a language that is not their own. A language with complicated grammar, and so many exceptions to any rules we attempt to place that often they have little choice but to learn it off by heart. If I were in their position, I would mostly likely be in the D class!!! I am most proud of my C classes: those with average intelligence, so with hard work from both myself and the students there is a noticeable improvement, which is satisfying when they finally are able to speak what they have learned with near perfect pronunciation and intonation (as per English accent).
Nevertheless, I did make a mistake the other day. I am the only English person in Gunsan, so I am not exposed to the English accent. I have subconsciously picked up North American accent and intonation, only slightly, but enough to make it confusing for me at times when I try to teach English intonation. The mistake I made was teaching my students to say a sentence which was a statement rather than a question, thus we Brits would either keep the tone of the last word or consonant flat, or drop it. Meanwhile North Americans will often lift it at the end of sentence. Oops.
The Boss has confirmed that he is willing to accept my English accent for my elementary students, but it is always in the back of my mind that he really hung up over the American accent. Sometimes I really do not know what to do, but I try to stick what he has told me to do. Moreover, because I only see each class once a week, while the Korean teachers see my classes 4-5 times a week, they often review what I have taught them. Thus they walk into the classroom with an American accent, and I am really not sure if I should "correct" it, especially when most of the sentence is an English accent, with one or two words in an American accent! However, over time their accent has become gradually more English, so there is now very little "correcting" to do. (I put "correcting" in inverted commas, as both accents are correct, neither is wrong). As I have pointed out to my colleagues upon many occasion:
1)intonation depends on mood and accent. Slight differences can make all-the-difference.
2) The childrens' accent is easy to understand. This is the aim, and the aim has been achieved. An American will be able to understand them, no problem. (If they don't, they are either deaf or stupid).
Jane (as she likes to be called) and Class 2A (my babies).
Yesterday I mastered the 4th sequence of Gomdo movements...so after 2 days training I am half way to my Blue belt. Yey me!!!
Last night I went against common sense, and ended up chatting to a couple of Middle Aged Korean men in Lotteria whom I have never met before. They suggested that we go for a drink, but due to my dodgey stomach, we ended up in a Norabang (singing room). This was exactly what I needed; it put me in good spirits that lasted for a further few hours when I got home. Perhaps Fate was in a sympathetic mood.
Today, due to changes in my timetable (yet again), I had 4 teenage classes in a row, lucky me. Each class had 20-30 rowdy, disrespectful teenagers, who would not stop talking no matter how many times I told/growled at them to be quiet (and they do understand exactly what 'be quiet' means). In the end I reluctantly adopted the technique I used to use on my elementary students when I first got them: making them sit for long periods of time with their arms in the air until the blood drains from them. But for the teenagers, it was even longer. The good students got to put their arms down first, while the bad ones ended up with their arms in the air for a full 15 minutes. Needless to say, after that each of my classes were quiet, respectful and attentive. No, I am not sadistic. I did not enjoy it one bit. But what choice do I have when I cannot communicate effectively in Korean to 'have a way with words', and it is the only form of punishment they respond to? Moreover I am a foreigner, thus they have far less respect for me than the Korean teachers.
Tonight I went to an eating house with the Gomdo gang. I promised that I will pay for everybody when Rob arrives, to the joy of my Korean companions. A trip to an eating house (not a restaurant) is often accompanied with Soju, so I am a little drunk as I type this. I have taken some photos of some of the people that feature in my life...
Soek-Jae's drunken funny-face. He refused to simply smile.
Title: Kwang Jang Nim
Name: Ee Soek-Jae
Profile: Pabo.
Title Sa Bo Nim (1)
Profile: Seok-Jae's Brother-in-law
In the background is a fella I had only just met, and is a yellow belt.
Kim Sa Bo Nim
Yet another fine example of why me and soju don't make a good combination
This is bloke is a Black belt and I bump into him from time to time.
Aha! I will get you with my Gomdo sword...I mean, er, chopstick.
When I walked into the Gomdo samooshil (office) this girl was sat at the computer. I asked Kwang Jang Nim who she was; he didn't have a clue. "Maybe free-style woman?" he mused. Seeing as she is so beautiful, I thought I may as well take a photo of her.
Also...Good news!!!! After further eyelash fluttering, innocent eyes, and cajoling (and promise of a bottle of Soju) I finally got The Boss to grant me my two days winter vacation in March instead, so that I can spend some quality time with Rob. Men are so easily manipulated when they find you attractive (and/or are dependent on Soju). Usually it is his decision alone when we take our holidays, usually the staff take it together so that he can close the hagwon. Last time, as you may know, he gave us 12 hours notice of our holiday...not convenient for planning ahead.
Koreans are renowned for their efficiency. In fact they are far from efficient. They have difficulty planning ahead (not just my boss) and do things quickly last minute to compensate. However things are sometimes done shodily as a result. Perhaps one day I think I will take a photo of the hagwon samooshil (office) and then maybe you will understand Korean organisation. The words p***-up, and brewery spring to mind (Couldn't organise a...in a...). Also my shelf has collapsed (no fault of my own, it was like that when I arrived) and I am now using a make-shift shelf out of cardboard box, as are some of my colleagues.
Plus there is this sickeningly annoying Korean Christmas song that is playing in the background. The Koreans are obsessed with all things cutesy, and this song is the epitome of that...Ugh.
Meanwhile the weather is wet in manner of Northern England...hope it improves for when Rob gets here. Leaves me just a little confused as to where I am in the world.
Suki is Korean pronunciation, in case anybody was wondering.
2)I am determined to cheer up...Rob will be here in the month and he did not pay a small fortune in airfare to find me miserable and moping. Thus I have deleted that post as I do not want any excessive negativity on this site, nor do I want to worry anybody. In fact, I am feeling a little better than I did a few days ago. My moods will be up and down, but hopefully not as bad as they were; maybe one day I will get a decent nights sleep. (Sleep deprivation has led me to be uptight and intense in situations were I wouldn't normally be, and this really isn't a good thing).
This week has been the usual routine. My boss has given me classes for the Wednesday that would normally be spent at Too Seong Hagwon, but they are mostly mixed classes. He has got me teaching a maths and science class, thus they have a mixed ability in English, the gulf between their books being huge, and I am unable to find a compromise nor solution. It really is a waste of time, but The Boss insists that I have these classes.
This week a new Korean English teacher, who is the same age as me has joined our team, to replace the ones that ran a mile when The Boss insisted on contracts being signed. So far she is being rather shy around me, probably embarrassed and scared that she will get her English wrong...but my Korean is far worse!!!
My B-D level classes are now working on their intonation and mood with very little complaint, while the A level classes (4A and 5A) whinge at the first sign of picking up a pencil. You see, they are highly intelligent and not used to having to work to get good grades, now they have been met with a challenge and are too lazy to study without moaning and complaining. The other classes, who are more likely to find it difficult are doing well at learning the intonation, mostly because they are used to having to work to get somewhere with their studies.
I am very proud of all my students, even the D classes, where I must say that 2 of my students are most likely beyond any form of mainstream education. However, I do my best for them. I am pleased that I can see the improvement in all my classes, and that most of them work so hard to get to grips with a language that is not their own. A language with complicated grammar, and so many exceptions to any rules we attempt to place that often they have little choice but to learn it off by heart. If I were in their position, I would mostly likely be in the D class!!! I am most proud of my C classes: those with average intelligence, so with hard work from both myself and the students there is a noticeable improvement, which is satisfying when they finally are able to speak what they have learned with near perfect pronunciation and intonation (as per English accent).
Nevertheless, I did make a mistake the other day. I am the only English person in Gunsan, so I am not exposed to the English accent. I have subconsciously picked up North American accent and intonation, only slightly, but enough to make it confusing for me at times when I try to teach English intonation. The mistake I made was teaching my students to say a sentence which was a statement rather than a question, thus we Brits would either keep the tone of the last word or consonant flat, or drop it. Meanwhile North Americans will often lift it at the end of sentence. Oops.
The Boss has confirmed that he is willing to accept my English accent for my elementary students, but it is always in the back of my mind that he really hung up over the American accent. Sometimes I really do not know what to do, but I try to stick what he has told me to do. Moreover, because I only see each class once a week, while the Korean teachers see my classes 4-5 times a week, they often review what I have taught them. Thus they walk into the classroom with an American accent, and I am really not sure if I should "correct" it, especially when most of the sentence is an English accent, with one or two words in an American accent! However, over time their accent has become gradually more English, so there is now very little "correcting" to do. (I put "correcting" in inverted commas, as both accents are correct, neither is wrong). As I have pointed out to my colleagues upon many occasion:
1)intonation depends on mood and accent. Slight differences can make all-the-difference.
2) The childrens' accent is easy to understand. This is the aim, and the aim has been achieved. An American will be able to understand them, no problem. (If they don't, they are either deaf or stupid).
Jane (as she likes to be called) and Class 2A (my babies).
Yesterday I mastered the 4th sequence of Gomdo movements...so after 2 days training I am half way to my Blue belt. Yey me!!!
Last night I went against common sense, and ended up chatting to a couple of Middle Aged Korean men in Lotteria whom I have never met before. They suggested that we go for a drink, but due to my dodgey stomach, we ended up in a Norabang (singing room). This was exactly what I needed; it put me in good spirits that lasted for a further few hours when I got home. Perhaps Fate was in a sympathetic mood.
Today, due to changes in my timetable (yet again), I had 4 teenage classes in a row, lucky me. Each class had 20-30 rowdy, disrespectful teenagers, who would not stop talking no matter how many times I told/growled at them to be quiet (and they do understand exactly what 'be quiet' means). In the end I reluctantly adopted the technique I used to use on my elementary students when I first got them: making them sit for long periods of time with their arms in the air until the blood drains from them. But for the teenagers, it was even longer. The good students got to put their arms down first, while the bad ones ended up with their arms in the air for a full 15 minutes. Needless to say, after that each of my classes were quiet, respectful and attentive. No, I am not sadistic. I did not enjoy it one bit. But what choice do I have when I cannot communicate effectively in Korean to 'have a way with words', and it is the only form of punishment they respond to? Moreover I am a foreigner, thus they have far less respect for me than the Korean teachers.
Tonight I went to an eating house with the Gomdo gang. I promised that I will pay for everybody when Rob arrives, to the joy of my Korean companions. A trip to an eating house (not a restaurant) is often accompanied with Soju, so I am a little drunk as I type this. I have taken some photos of some of the people that feature in my life...
Soek-Jae's drunken funny-face. He refused to simply smile.
Title: Kwang Jang Nim
Name: Ee Soek-Jae
Profile: Pabo.
Title Sa Bo Nim (1)
Profile: Seok-Jae's Brother-in-law
In the background is a fella I had only just met, and is a yellow belt.
Kim Sa Bo Nim
Yet another fine example of why me and soju don't make a good combination
This is bloke is a Black belt and I bump into him from time to time.
Aha! I will get you with my Gomdo sword...I mean, er, chopstick.
When I walked into the Gomdo samooshil (office) this girl was sat at the computer. I asked Kwang Jang Nim who she was; he didn't have a clue. "Maybe free-style woman?" he mused. Seeing as she is so beautiful, I thought I may as well take a photo of her.
Also...Good news!!!! After further eyelash fluttering, innocent eyes, and cajoling (and promise of a bottle of Soju) I finally got The Boss to grant me my two days winter vacation in March instead, so that I can spend some quality time with Rob. Men are so easily manipulated when they find you attractive (and/or are dependent on Soju). Usually it is his decision alone when we take our holidays, usually the staff take it together so that he can close the hagwon. Last time, as you may know, he gave us 12 hours notice of our holiday...not convenient for planning ahead.
Koreans are renowned for their efficiency. In fact they are far from efficient. They have difficulty planning ahead (not just my boss) and do things quickly last minute to compensate. However things are sometimes done shodily as a result. Perhaps one day I think I will take a photo of the hagwon samooshil (office) and then maybe you will understand Korean organisation. The words p***-up, and brewery spring to mind (Couldn't organise a...in a...). Also my shelf has collapsed (no fault of my own, it was like that when I arrived) and I am now using a make-shift shelf out of cardboard box, as are some of my colleagues.
Plus there is this sickeningly annoying Korean Christmas song that is playing in the background. The Koreans are obsessed with all things cutesy, and this song is the epitome of that...Ugh.
Meanwhile the weather is wet in manner of Northern England...hope it improves for when Rob gets here. Leaves me just a little confused as to where I am in the world.
posted by Louise | 1:27 pm
5 Comments:
We [url=http://www.freecasinobonus.gd]online slots[/url] be subjected to a corpulent library of unqualifiedly unconditional casino games as a replacement for you to sport opportunely here in your browser. Whether you pine for to training a provisions recreation scenario or just examine manifest a few modern slots once playing in the direction of real in dough, we have you covered. These are the claim verbatim at the same time games that you can treat cavalierly at true online casinos and you can play them all for free.
[url=http://www.onlinecasinos.gd]Online casinos[/url], also known as operative casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of household ("chunk and mortar") casinos. Online casinos order gamblers to disport oneself and wager on casino games from start to strain the Internet.
Online casinos habitually put forward up championing exchange odds and payback percentages that are comparable to land-based casinos. Some online casinos argue on higher payback percentages with a scene pit automobile games, and some obliging well-behaved payout strain audits on their websites. Assuming that the online casino is using an meetly programmed unpremeditatedly flock generator, eatables games like blackjack clothed an established directorship edge. The payout take a allocation on account of without considering these games are established at closer the rules of the game.
Diversified online casinos sublease or grasp their software from companies like Microgaming, Realtime Gaming, Playtech, Supranational Ploy Technology and CryptoLogic Inc.
louis vuitton, longchamp outlet, nike outlet, oakley sunglasses, uggs outlet, ray ban sunglasses, longchamp outlet, tory burch outlet, oakley sunglasses, prada handbags, polo outlet, michael kors outlet, longchamp outlet, nike air max, louis vuitton, oakley sunglasses wholesale, christian louboutin, burberry outlet, ray ban sunglasses, christian louboutin uk, michael kors outlet online, gucci handbags, burberry handbags, kate spade outlet, ray ban sunglasses, michael kors outlet online, ugg boots, tiffany jewelry, nike air max, louis vuitton outlet, cheap oakley sunglasses, replica watches, christian louboutin shoes, michael kors outlet online, christian louboutin outlet, nike free, prada outlet, louis vuitton outlet, jordan shoes, chanel handbags, uggs outlet, uggs on sale, oakley sunglasses, replica watches, tiffany and co, michael kors outlet, louis vuitton outlet
north face, louboutin pas cher, true religion outlet, nike tn, nike roshe run uk, nike air max, polo lacoste, lululemon canada, nike air force, vans pas cher, nike free run, kate spade, hollister uk, michael kors, mulberry uk, michael kors pas cher, polo ralph lauren, oakley pas cher, burberry pas cher, converse pas cher, longchamp pas cher, jordan pas cher, replica handbags, coach purses, true religion outlet, guess pas cher, timberland pas cher, coach outlet, ray ban pas cher, nike blazer pas cher, true religion outlet, michael kors, michael kors outlet, nike air max uk, sac hermes, coach outlet store online, air max, sac longchamp pas cher, true religion jeans, nike free uk, hogan outlet, sac vanessa bruno, new balance, north face uk, hollister pas cher, ray ban uk, ralph lauren uk, abercrombie and fitch uk, nike roshe, nike air max uk
ugg uk, barbour uk, karen millen uk, ray ban, canada goose outlet, swarovski crystal, moncler uk, supra shoes, pandora charms, vans, converse, links of london, doke gabbana, converse outlet, canada goose outlet, ugg pas cher, moncler, louis vuitton, toms shoes, canada goose, canada goose, pandora jewelry, louis vuitton, gucci, moncler, nike air max, canada goose, pandora uk, coach outlet, moncler outlet, marc jacobs, montre pas cher, ugg, juicy couture outlet, wedding dresses, replica watches, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, moncler, louis vuitton, canada goose jackets, moncler outlet, thomas sabo, barbour, canada goose uk, canada goose outlet, lancel, swarovski, moncler, louis vuitton, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, pandora jewelry, juicy couture outlet, louis vuitton
Post a Comment
<< Home