11 AM: My birthday was lovely.
It was my first birthday totally away from my family--I think in college the semester was usually over by mid-May, allowing me to be at home for it. But it wasn't an emotional issue, being away for this.
I went out with my friend and she helped me buy a bicycle. It's pink and super-super cute. I hadn't ridden a bike since I was 12 years old, so I was quite uncomfortable with it at first, and I had never ridden a bike with gears, so that was new as well. For a while it was touch and go, wondering whether I'd wreck, especially since we had to ride near traffic. But I had a helmet and I got the hang of things pretty quickly.
I practiced riding with B-Friend for an hour, then I went home to get cleaned up for a trip into town. I spent over 2 1/2 hours getting a gel manicure, which is wickedly pricey and obviously time-intensive, but they look amazing and they last for a month. So. The shop owner told me that the design I'd chosen by happenstance was "wedding nails". Pics forthcoming.
Then I went clothes shopping and got 2 new skirts and 2 new dresses, because so help me I'm going to make this dress thing happen. It makes the older teachers so very happy, to the point that I can't ignore their preferences. Also, it's getting hot. Jeans are practical when the weather doesn't go over 75-80, but it's going to get blistering before long and dresses are a good option.
Today, more presents were waiting. I got a cute little jar of great-tasting pink candy from KBR.
And Minjoon gave me a fish.
A FISH.
Minjoonie raises tropical fish as a hobby, and he gave me a beta.
A beta and a glass jar and a frame to hold the jar and a bottle of fish food, and a hand-written and illustrated instructional card in Korean and English, telling me how to take care of my new pet. He used Google translate to get it just right, he said.
I hugged him twice. I could just cry, it's so thoughtful. I really really really hope I can manage not to kill this fish.
Got another package from my Mommy. :-) :-) :-) Arrived just in time.
Had the best class ever with H-Sol. It was 2-7, 2-8 and they understood everything and did everything. Score, happy-dance, score, happy-dance! Considering that my last class with her just gave up and I didn't make them do anything for the last 15 minutes, it was a great reprieve.
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1:20 PM Further birthday presents have occurred. Ferrero Rocher chocolate from my Seonwoo, for one.
In class, KBR told me that C-Jeongmin had asked her what kind of present he should get me. She said he was really, really nervous about it. Today, I saw C-Jeongmin several times, on the periphery of the kids who were hovering around me in the office. He kept not coming forward, so I was assuming the birthday present thing wasn't happening.
Then KBR walked over and dragged C-Jeongmin in front of me, saying that he had my present in his pocket, but was too shy to give it to me. He finally produced a nice little box of chocolate, simultaneously looking happy and embarrassed to death. I squeezed his hand and told him how much I appreciated it.
My next 2nd-grade class with NG went well. I moved all the boys in the back to the front--which took 5 minutes and much fussing. And of course, a few of them kept sneaking back to the back, so I had to make them go back. Also, to keep everyone's attention, I had to yell some. Not angry, but really super loud one time. And later, I had to raise my voice a little, but never to the same level because the babies knew when to start paying attention.
Anyhoo, I hope if I keep moving the kids to the front so they can all be together, it will help them pay attention. At the very least, they are all in one place and not starting fights/throwing things, etc. And I hope if I vocally get their attention a few times, I shant have to yell in the future.
Also, I ended the class with speaking, which seems to be the way to go. They work better that way,when they have something concrete to do.
I don't want to be harsh with the boys, but physically moving them to new seats and using the mic to call their notice to the pertinent parts of the lesson seemed to keep them on track--EVERY SINGLE CHILD finished their worksheet. That has never happened in the history of my teaching 2nd-graders. So long as I can keep from being angry with them while I do all the mega-discipline.
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4 PM: Good day! I went to the special needs room and talked with Dohyun for forever. He can stand if he has his walker to support him, and he decided to stand and look down on me while I sat, for the duration of our conversation.
He was working really hard to stand up straight, which I know was an effort, considering his level of muscle control. He ran through the ever-growing list of words he knows in English, and asked me the meanings of other words. We probably talked for ten minutes like this. He asked if I liked exercise, then informed me that he has been exercising also.
That's so wonderful for him. But also kind of heartbreaking that he has to try that hard to get his physical body into the condition where he can do basic things. He told me about his Saturday plans with classmates from Ship-ban, and he said that he thought of me as one of his close friends. I'm going to remember to go see him at least once every day. He's important and he can't come talk to me, so I have to go to him.
Had my craziest 1st-graders all by my lonesome. But I managed, though I had to make them put their little noggins down on their desks as a disciplinary measure for a while. William-Jiyoon caused no trouble and participated very well, though. And Jeongmook kissed my hand.
GOSSSHHH. Mimic-Jaehwan came by just now! My graduated student, C-level Jaehwan who I never taught but played 5 zillion games of cards with. He came by with his buddy to visit the 3rd grade offices. His buddy was here to see YSR-Teacher, but Jaehwan's home room teacher from last year left, so instead he visited me.
I gave him chocolate and oohed and ahhed over his haircut, which looks tons better than last year's bowlcut, but which does make him look like an entirely different kid. When he leaned his head in the office door, I didn't recognize him. I made myself look back at the small, unknown kid in the door, and low and behold it was my boy Jaehwan. He told me he goes to one of the technical high schools, a place where my friend Matt says the kids are totally dead-eyed and hopeless all the time. I hope Jaehwan's doing okay.
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