School Begins

For the third year, I began teaching English in the Republic of Korea.

This time around, there's not as much hype going around this one, which is a good thing.

I wasn't introduced in the "starting line-ups" of teachers at the opening ceremony this past Monday (the 3rd of March) because now I am not a rookie, but a veteran.

So to my new freshmen class, I'm a virtually unknown quantity, and I am guessing many didn't know that they had a native English teacher. (Many high schools in Incheon still do not have a native teacher for their English classes) I walked into their classrooms with surprised looks on their faces as they were saying in Korean, "who's this guy," or "he doesn't look Korean to me."

I actually enjoyed last week. I was introduced to any fanfare so I was out of the spotlight. In my first two years in Korea I was at two different schools, so there was a lot of raucous about me being the new foreign teacher. It was fun. Yet this time, instead of being a celeb, I could focus more on being a better teacher and stay out of the limelight.

Speaking of "walking into their classrooms," that was one of the first few changes I've made this past week. In past years, I usually taught in my class in the English Zone, a special designated classroom built in many schools to encourage an English Only environment. It's a special room with many colors and gimmicks, and is very advantageous for giving good lectures on the huge projector screen and has seating designed for group activities.

Even though the English Zone serves its purpose well, it sometimes can be tougher to work in. The reason is mental. Most students study hard in their regular classrooms and are mentally geared to work hard in that environment. So there were moments last year when students would come to the English Zone, see the funny colors and collages of pictures of world leaders on the wall, and become relaxed.

For the first few weeks, I will teach in their regular classroom as a way to bring legitimacy and a sense of order to the class. So far its working. After introducing the classroom rules and enforcing them while allowing them to get used to my teaching style, then I will bring them to the English Zone for further instruction. If the plan will work, who knows, but hey, I got to get the ball rolling right this year.

Teaching the new freshment will be nicer for one major reason: the class sizes. I have 36 students per class, average. That's down from 44 average last year. This means it will be easier to control on some levels as well as getting to know the students' faces more. Last year it was tough at times to maintain control while helping students understand the material at hand.

As for life in general in Korea, the transition back has been tougher than last year. I spent an awesome four-week vacation in the States, so coming back here and getting adjusted has taken a toll on my body, because I have to get adjusted to my work schedule as well as Korean time. This is not like for most people who go on vacation to a nearby ocean or another state and come back to work. For me, its fighting off jet lag in the States while adjusting to the peace and quiet, then coming right back into bright neon signs, buses going out of control, mayhem in the streets of Seoul, and the fast-track life.

But God is faithful and He has been ever so helpful in getting my mind and body adjusted.

Bonus: Funny quotes from this week's "Q & A Time With Mr. Soni" during the first week of classes:

Q: "Mr. Soni, do you like Korea?" (in which Mr. Soni has been living here for two years)
A: "Yes." (awkward silence, then laughter)

Q: "Mr. Soni, which one [of us students] is the most attractive?"
A: ......(looks over at Ms. Lee, Mr. Soni's co-teacher)
Student: "NOOOO! Not her!"