6.09.2009

It's only Tuesday.

I'm so fucking tired, there aren't even words for it.

Today, the nightmare class...

I worked my ass of preparing a science experiment lesson for them, so they wouldn't be bored, or confused. Most of the class came over and participated and it was fine. One table opted to sit at the back of the room, and I ignored them. They don't want to participate, that's fine. Just so long as they don't disrupt class for the rest of the students. Still, that apparently wasn't good enough. As I was taking attendance at the end of class, someone grabbed one of the eggs from the experiment and smashed it on a table. Just because. I brought Coteacher up to the English Zone after class to see the damage with her own eyes, since the students like to play Foreign Teacher vs. Korean Teacher and claim that I've somehow misunderstood something.

Whatever. I agreed to take another contract at my school earlier this week. Now I'm considering making it known that I'm actually hesitating, because the second grade teachers don't do anything to try to make the second grade students show me any kind of respect. Well. One of the second grade teachers -- the old hag. She stands at the back of the room during regular classes and allows the students to chatter ceaselessly, because she can't do anything to stop it either. But I can't help but think it doesn't set the right example, when I continually shout over them to be quiet, and she just stands there, doing nothing. And I don't know what's going on with these nightmare students' homeroom teachers that these incidents after school are reported to them again and again, yet there's no change in the students' behavior. They're clearly not being punished. I'm dreading the thought of seeing the little bastards for three to four classes every single day next year. This school is not giving me much to work with, and I'm going to make it clear that I'm not happy about that, when we sit down at the table to negotiate a re-sign.

Still. My lovely third graders. Today I came downstairs from the English Zone to be greeted by a group of six of them. They wanted to ask me something. The first time the request came out as, "Liz Teacher ..... hit me?"

Uh... pardon me?

"Liz Teacher hit me? Picture."

"You... you want me to hit you, while you take a picture of it..."

"Neh!" Excited that their meaning had been transmitted so clearly, so quickly.

"I don't... what?"

"Oh sorry! Sorry, Teacher." They started to walk away, but I grabbed one by the arm.

"Listen... come see me. Later." We were between classes, and I had to get over to the second grade building. "Okay? Later, you come talk to me."

"Okay, Teacher. Sorry."

Eventually, they managed to clarify that they were doing a photo essay about two students fighting. They had decided they wanted the foreign teacher to act as the school disciplinary department in their photo essay. I explained that I was quite shy, and hated being photographed, and they apologized again. But what could I do? They had already planned their entire project around it. So they came by after school and I got to play tough guy for a while. Photos of me lecturing the students, putting them in the push-up position with their butts in the air, smacking them in the ass with a stick. Forcing them to shake hands.

Hey. You gotta represent, right? Waegookin Seonsaengnim for the win.

They also got to see the situation with the egg, as they followed me and Coteacher up to the EZ for the examination. Coteacher explained to them in Korean what had happened. They were upset. Why would someone treat Liz Teacher that way? I don't know, boys. It means a lot to me that it confuses you, too.

Unfortunately, egg on the table plus photo essay project equals one extra hour at work. And I have a Korean lesson tonight. And I'm fucking exhausted.

And it's only Tuesday.

I'm starting to think I'm not going to be much fun on this weekend trip away. While the others, with their unemployed student statuses, are frolicking around playing beach volleyball and drinking ungodly amounts of soju, I think I'll probably be passed out in a deck chair with a book over my face. Ah, well. It'll be nice to get out of the city for a bit. Just pray the weather gets better.

1 comment:

Jess said...

Gawd, what is up with the angelic and demonic classes? I've got one class that refuses to chill the f out, and they ruin the start of my day. Thankfully the older kids are chill. Call me weak and ineffective, but some of these kids ya can't control.