Pepero is a chocolate-dipped biscuit stick, and in America I knew the treat by the name of "Pocky". I think it's Japanese originally, but Korea took pocky to a whole new level. A national holiday level. Somewhere along the line, a marketing genius noticed that November 11th--11/11--looked like four sticks of Pepero, and for about fifteen or twenty years (I think) it's been a holiday of sorts.
On Pepero Day, so I heard, you give Pepero to people, but particular to people you like, making it a bit like a mini-Valentines Day. I didn't bring Pepero to school, because I'm not sure if teacher's give it to students, the way a teacher in America might throw a Valentines party for the kids and pass out chocolates. I'm waiting to see how the whole thing plays out at our school.
I already got some Pepero this morning. I came to my office and Saturday-Jeongmin was waiting outside with information and chocolate: "Teacher, do you know Pepero Day?" He explained it to me, then gave me a box of pepero, a chocolate bar, and a chocolate truffle. Child knows how to make an impression. I thanked him profusely, and read the sweet message he'd written on the box. I took pictures of the chocolate, too. :-)
Think I've got the 1st-grader's speaking test ready to go. Nothing too difficult.
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11:00 AM: 1st-graders' speaking test went well. On a scale of 7-10, mostly 9's and 10's with only two 8's and no 7's. 7 is not trying at all, 8 is getting out about two replies to five questions, 9 is getting everything mostly in place, 10 is answering everything fine, even if it's just with one or two-word replies that are grammatically correct.
Got 3 new names--Brainy-Yehoon in glasses, Smart-Cool Hyungoon who probalby had the best replies out of anybody except for Kyeongwon (ooh, and little Chanjin was good, too), and Youngchan, who has the biggest eyes and sweetest heart and hangs out with Stubborn-Hyukjae. I really felt like these were my boys throughout the test because I got to greet them when they stepped out into the hall and high five them when they were done.
Here are the photos of this morning's chocolate:
Three, Count 'Em, THREE things made of chocolate.
Back View of the Box:
Words of the World's Most Darling 1st-Grader.
After class, I was on the 2nd floor and felt someone snuggling against my back. It was Seongwonnie, who has finally decided after much deliberation that I'm not someone who's going to hurt him. I can understand his reticence to warm up; from what I've heard and seen, he's picked on and hit and hurt by pretty much anyone who takes a notion to do so.
And Seongwon is honestly aggravating as the day is long. You start playing with cups, he knocks them down, you lay out cards, he hides them, you work on piano with another kid, he rushes in to turn the piano off or to bang on the bass keys. He whines and pouts. He makes annoying animal sounds. But he's beautiful and lovable, still. He's been working tirelessly to learn Heart and Soul on his own, and he always wants to show me his progress. I pray that the Lord protects Seongwonnie.
Saw Bossy-Dongseok in the hall and we chatted about Pepero Day. He was saying that I shouldn't get chocolate and I was fake-bragging that of course I should get it because I deserved it, and it's just nice that Dongseok's one of my kids, now.
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5:30 PM One of the super-thoughtful male teachers drove me home because it's getting truth-telling cold out there and the sky was already nearly dark when school let out. My lunch coordinator fed me extra tangerines and ddeok today too, so I feel like I've always got people looking out for me.
Monday was bone-deep tirign as usual. I loved giving the speaking tests to 2-9, 2-10 A and 2-7, 2-8 A, though. They were darling, and even the toughest, most challenging boys were delightful to speak with one-on-one. I gave them each a chocolate piece when they finished their speaking, so it took the pressure off a little bit. I tried to make the questions very accessible--all material they've covered before.
Afterschool, I had a good movie with Korean subtitles that I'd already shown to the 3rd-graders today. In 3-5, 3-6 B, we watched our action film while Yeonghyo, Sooncheonnie and I played UNO. Sooncheon's a doll and two weeks ago he had one of the best English speeches I've heard from a 3rd-grade B-class.
Bought two giant bags of popcorn for afterschool instead of just one, and only just had some left over. And that was without the usual influx of 12 spare boys! Gyuchan came in during the break, held out his hands and said, "Teacher...food please." He's bigger than me, but I felt like I was taking care of a little child who hadn't been fed enough.
Redhair-Joonyoung stayed in our class the whole time, flitting between Sanghwa and me. Sanghwa does not want to discuss his new hairstyle, but I would talk with Joonyoung about how cool it looked, so Sanghwa stil heard himself praised. Joonyoung's finally learning to demand less and request more, and he knows that if he needs something, I won't let him go without. He's someone I care about, now.
Got one other pack of pepero, from Yoontae who was waiting outside my office before lunch.
What a Precious.
Saturday-Jeongmin, Woohyuk, and Yehoon came by after lunch to play the forest game. They actually stole me away from the 3rd-graders I was playing UNO with because doggone it, they aren't going to bow to the hyungs when it comes to gametime, no sirree.
Got lots of happy greetings from various kids in various parts of the hallways. I feel like an appreciation-dispenser, there to let people receive smiles and greetings.
New nice boy with glasses in 2-9, 2-10 A is Sangmin.
Need-You-Junho followed me down the entire hallway, nudging my shoulder and insisting that I was his girlfriend, then checking for comprehension: "Understand? Do you? My girlfriend, understand, okay?" I told him I wasn't agreeing to anything until he gave me some pepero. A lady's got to have standards.
As Boo-Jongha was leaving the building, I said bye to him and his friend Ingu stepped forward to introduce himself and request that I remember his name in the future. He's A-class 3rd-grade, so I haven't taught him. But then Ingu went outside, then stepped back into the school to ask me a second time to please recall his name. I'm beginning to wonder if the 3rd-graders have bets going about how many names I can remember.
In the special needs room, Jaehyung spent about two minutes just holding my hair, which used to be the sole province of Yeongchang. Today, before I played piano with them, Seongwonnie and Yeongchang's hands were so dirty that I actually took the initiative and led them over to the sink inside the classroom and directed them to wash their hands with actual hand soap and water. You'd think at age 14 they'd have a handle on hygiene, but no. I used to do this very thing for 6-year-olds in children's church.
In afterschool, my Jinseop ate 6 helpings of popcorn. I hope he didn't injure his lungs, inhaling all that spray butter.
