10:30 PM Thought I'd take a moment to write, since I'll be on a plane home to the states in less than two days. Woot!
I'll be home for 3 full weeks, then it's back to Korea for this year's graduation in February, then the new school year in March, with a fresh crop of baby 1st-graders. Aww. They will be the same exact age as my own baby brother, so it will be interesting to look at them in terms of my own blood relative and what I know of his history and what it took to raise him. :-)
I've been doing "Winter English Camp" at my school, and it has been grand.
GRAAAAND, I say. And I was relaly ambivalent about the whole thing, going into it. Last year's winter camp was a total flump (="Failure-lump") and I did not enjoy it. But this year! It has been extraordinary, let us say.
I have four 1st-graders and six 3rd-graders, and they're all charming. The crazy thing is, I was expecting the 3rd-graders to be a small pack of my favorites, but when i walked through the door on Monday, I found they were all virtual strangers to me. They only A-level among them was Hyunee, a sweet kid who I've always totally overlooked because he stands in the shadow of so many other charmers in class.
But we've all gotten along beautifully well. I was nervous as anything, but I had picked a witner camp theme with the students' enjoyment in mind, and it has paid off. I decided to do "Film Discussion and Baking," playing to my strengths. Because while I might not be the best English-as-a-Foreign-Language teacher and might not be able to impart grammar rules from on high, I do know what fun is.
I have laughed myself silly over the boys' antics and they in turn, feel the happiness. No matter how much baking soda we spill or how many bowls we crack, we're having a killer time making cookies, brownies, and bread together.
KBR told me that one of our boys, Do-Il, texted her after class was over to tell her that while he wasn't good at English and had never had much use for it at all, he had an amazing time in camp. Imagine that! A boy who hasn't received any enjoyment from the subject at all was having a great time with it. That warmed my heart and I nearly split my face with a smile.
KBR also pointed out that the boys are all enjoying the class, as evidenced by the fact that they keep coming. I recalled that last year on my biggest day we had like 5 kids and on my lowest day I had just one kid, so I'd forgotten how astonishing it was to have 9, then 10, then 10 kids for the first three days of camp. KBR says that they come early, to boot, and camp out in the room, waiting for class to kick off.
Among the 1st-graders is my baby Jaehoon, the one made of stardust and rainbows. Despite being the most responsible kid in there, he's been responsible for almost all of the accidents we've had (hole knocked in the bottom of a plastic bowl leading to batter leaking out on the floor? Jaehoon. Cloud of spilled baking soda floating through the air and settling in a loose mounds all over the desks? Jaehoon), and has sustained the only burn.
Jaehoonie has been a dedicated baker, taking snapshots of every step in the baking process, and personalizes his dishes, including carving KBR's initials in a plate full of peanut-butter cookie dough batter. He wonders why we haven't baked in the special Saturday class before, and I told him honestly that I hadn't thought of it until now. But I certainly intend to do more of it in the future, now that I know how portable my little oven is.
It was super-easy to pack up Mr. Bakes-a-Lot (my oven) in a canvas bag and carry him to school. This opens the future wide open for possibilities--I know that not only can i teach cooking, I can teach English through cooking and bring about a lovely, messy bonding experience between the students, and that is grand.
Heewon told KBR that he's afraid that my not being in class on Friday will mean that he has to go to another class, and that's the sweetest praise. But I've got that covered--KBR will sit with the boys on Friday and watch a movie with them while I'm off getting on my plane. Tomorrow will be my final camp day, and I intend to enjoy my day with my unexpectedly wonderful kids.
It was truly a blessing from God, to give me such a happy, lovely camp experience.
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