Being an English teacher has actually been a lot of fun, primarily because the students I have are so wonderful. Every week, I teach 3 classes of kids on Mondays and Wednesdays, 3 classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 2 classes on Friday. In each class, I have 1-6 students, and I end up with about 30 different kids every week. I have discovered that I like the younger age kids, mostly first, second, and third graders. They are so much fun! This page is going to be a compilation of the more memorable things that have happened in my classes.
Most Creative Excuse: one student threw an eraser at another student. As he was getting in trouble, he explained that he was actually throwing the eraser in the trash can (which was in the opposite direction). When I asked him how his eraser could possibly be heading towards the trash can in the opposite direction, he proceeds to explain. ”Teacher, you know JFK, right?” Yes I know JFK. Then, he draws a picture of a stick figure in a car. Then he says “okay, gun shoots” and then he draws circles through the figure in the car. ”just like my eraser – it goes towards her, but is supposed to turn 180 degrees towards the trash can.” basically, his excuse was that his eraser is just like JFK’s assassination bullet – it’s supposed to fly, turn, and ricochet to get to its intended target.
Most Dramatic Statement: after getting a paper cut, one kid tells me “my finger is dead.”
Best Superhero: kid writes, i would be super fart boy and defeat my enemies with my farts.
Worst vocabulary test sentence: the word was heavy, and one kid wrote on his vocabulary test “vivian teacher is very heavy.”
Funny vocabulary sentences: 1) the word was crooked, and the kid wrote “my bong is crooked” – he meant “my bone is crooked.” 2) the word was honor, and my girl student wrote “All men need dollars and honor.” – she later told me that her dad had helped her with that sentence.
No Comment: the journal topic was about why girls and boys can’t be friends, and we were brainstorming all these reasons. then one boy says “girls do this to boys” and he points at his korean-english dictionary, and the word is “arouse.”
Funny Face: ”here’s how you make a funny face. put a weird smile on your face, tilt your head to one side, and roll your eyes up to to the ceiling.” (try it, you do really get a funny face).
Much-loved fruit that shows up in one girl’s writing, all the time: peach car, peach time machine, eating peaches on vacation, etc, etc.
Best Stuffed Animal Toy that Joins the Class: one student brings in her penguin stuffed animal almost every class. the doll’s name is pronounced “Cory” but she spells the name “Korea”. Korea helps give the vocabulary tests.
Funniest Question about a Dead President: ”Is George Washington still alive?” Lena, George Washington was our FIRST president. ”oh, so he die.”
Somewhat embarrassing vocabulary word to explain: bra – underwear that women wear on top. Class clown asks, “Teacher, can you draw a picture?”
Most Touching Thing to be Thankful For: Josephine is thankful for Bokdori (her teddy bear) because he is her tissue when she cries.
Most Thoughtful Boy, as he kicks my ass in dak-ji: Brian says, “Sorry Teacher” and then proceeds to flip my dak-ji and win it from me.
Most Thoughtful Girl: “A Bear for Miguel” is a beautiful children’s book about a poverty-stricken family in war-torn El Salvador. The family has to trade things in order to get food that they need. Maria, the little girl in the story, ends up trading Paco, her favorite teddy bear and best friend, in order to get milk for her baby brother. Katie was the only student who said she would trade Pinky, her well-loved teddy bear, so that her brother could live.
Funniest contest: one student tells me that she and her brother were starving one day. their mom was taking a nap, so they decided to have a book-eating contest! they actually ate the pages of a book, and of course, my student won.
Honest description of depression: A person who get very big bad news and that will be a long long day, they will be depression. This is different sad than I lost something. We can’t get happy very well. Always we can be sad.
Most, most, most embarrassing moment: Yesterday we had a dance test. I was the best dancer so my music teacher showed other classes how I danced. I was very, very embarrassed that day.
Best description of one’s parents: I like my dad’s smell but my mom doesn’t. I am confused why.
Good question: She (mother) loves me, loves my dad, loves short hair, and loves dogs. I don’t know why she doesn’t like rabbits, cats, and hamsters if she loves dogs.
