More Student Tales

Every month or so they switch up the classes and I end up teaching students I had not taught before, teaching students on a different day then normal or end up not teaching students in general.

If you recall the class I have referred to as the pen pal class, I went from teaching them 3 times a week in January and February to only teaching them on Fridays during March and now into April. They usually make sure they say hi to me on Tuesdays and Thursdays which is nice, but I have since developed a couple other favorite classes.

I'll talk about the older class first, thus saving the best for last. This might be my favorite class, I just don't have any of the cute stories with them like the alphabet class. I especially feel bad for these kids...well I shouldn't even call them kids. They work so hard, it is unreal. They spend so much time in just their regular school that the only time they can fit the academy in is on Sunday mornings. They are all slightly younger then my brother Tom, and for the most part they can understand everything I say. I see them more as peers then students and often regular conversation invades the lesson I am teaching. They are also very helpful in answering any questions I might have about how things work in Korea and are always fascinated to hear the differences to Canada. I should not say they actually. A few of the girls in the class. Not everyone.

Another class I will mention I am not even sure their exact level. They work in the same book as some other students but they seemed more advanced then that. My best guess for them is middle school. I don't know how well they understand me, but they understand enough that I can joke around with them. There are about 9 students in the class and one of them is a guy. The rest girls. I can only imagine how much he must love it.

Finally is the alphabet class. I have taught them for probably a month now. Some of the students recently have really started to come out of their shells. This is a good and bad thing. It means they are eager to talk to me and speak up in class, which is good to a point. Sometimes they may speak up at the wrong times or be too willing and leave the students who aren't as willing behind. I Re is one such student. Very cute and at first very quiet. Now she loves answering questions correctly and will do so when I am trying to get a student who finds it difficult. That doesn't help them much.

Jeoung Yeoung and Seul Bi both have come out of their shells a bit. Jeung Yeoung is funny because she will just start speaking Korean to me before class or after. It's like she doesn't believe I have no idea whats she is saying or something.

Yu Jin and Seon Mi are probably neck and neck for my favorite students. Seon Mi may be a bit in the lead because of how hard she tries. While learning about animals I pointed in Yu Jins book one day at a monkey and said 'Yu Jin.' Not too sure if she would understand that I was joking, but being one who loves to tease kids I tried anyways. She looked at me and said "No Andy Monkey." That has developed into my nick name from the class. Seon Mi always writes me little notes and gives them to me at the end of class. They are cute. The last said Hello Andy at the top and My mane is Seon Mi in the middle, with good bye on the bottom. She is so cute. She is the only one that tries to say things to me in full sentences even outside of class and I am not demanding one. She also organizes the desks into perfect rows before class. I don't have a picture of her yet, but I will try perhaps tomorrow.