Fast times at Busan High

Well, it is official.  I am a teacher.  I am called Sung-sang-nim Dean (Teacher Dean).  I have been teaching since last Thursday.  I feel I have done enough to give an honest first impression.  My manager's name is Rara.  She is very by the book.  She is a nice person and speaks English well.  She gave me a brief overview of how paperwork is done and the order in which everything is to be presented.  She figured out my routes to school and showed me how to get there.  It was very very helpful.

I find myself second guessing everything when going somewhere new.  I have to make sure I do homework before I head off.  I have only been on the subway in the states a few times.  I am getting the hang of it here.   Navigating the subway station when transferring lines was a little shaky at first.  Numbers, symbols, colors, and people everywhere can throw a few bumps into the journey.  I did it today for a meeting and got there just fine.  I was slow but I did not take any wrong steps.  I just have to slow down and be damn sure to check everything twice.  Some things are in English, but not all.  A lot of people come over here unable to read the language.  They must be much smarter than I am.  If I could not read Hangul I would not be able to make it.  There are simple words such as EXIT (chul-gu, or na-ga) that do not usually have English under them. How do you know if you are heading to the bathroom (hwa-jang-sil) or exit?  You do exit in both of them but they are completely different. 

Teaching is fairly easy.  I got thrown into it after watching just one class.  I have winged it the last few days.  I follow the syllabus and go through the workbooks.  If I have extra time I go back to what I know best.  I draw on the board.  I do silly pictures of what we studied during the day.  The students try and  guess what it is.  Once they do they have to spell it.  It keeps them engaged and they seem to like it.  I watched a guy teach today who was really good.  He was sarcastic which it what the kids like.  He did little games that keep them talking.  I am definitely stealing a few pages from him.

The curriculum is really easy.  It is basic English, nothing too hard for anyone with a high school diploma.  You have to have a bachelor's to teach though.  You can tell the kids that get it and those that do not.  There are some really smart kids and then some who have no clue what is going on.  They all know the American cuss words.  I hear the F-bomb quite a bit.  They think it is funny.  I asked them if they knew the definition.  No one had any idea.  I think I will let their older siblings help them figure it out.  I have received a few paper dolls and birds from the students.  I am going to keep them and start a scrap book.  My co teachers are great.  They have even invited me out to bowl.  I am excited to work with them. Co teachers make or break the experience for the teacher and the students. 

It is still a little early to call this my career, but I do like it so far.  I enjoy working with the kids and they are energetic, loud and can be really goofy.  Sort of like me sometimes.  I have no pictures of them yet but I will soon.

Hope you enjoyed,
Deano