A Day at School

Whenever I go to school I not quite sure what will happen...
Example: Wednesday...I proceeded to my regular Wednesday morning class. I love the teacher of this class but am also a little scared of him. He is older and seems gruff but is really quite sweet. I catch him singing to the kids and smiling. And he seems to like me. Well... I started class with my regular "Good Morning Boys and Girls". I had planned to begin our unit on weather but was delighted to find out that we were going to have a disco dance party instead. Yes!!!! Second Grade Teacher (I have no other name for him except for volleyball, which refers to the time we played volleyball and a volleyball landed square on his bald head) put on crazy music and had me dance with a group of students he hand selected. To make sure I would dance he "tapped" me on my rear with his "hitting sticks" (several dowels taped together for ultimate authority!)!!!!! Oh my goodness. Well whatever. We were all laughing hysterically. I thought we would just dance for a few minutes but then he told all the kids to push back their desks. He put on more crazy music and he and I and the whole class danced our butts off for the next twenty minutes. Then he had the in class band play me a song. After they played a great tune he let them bang away like crazy on all the instruments which as you could imagine, created a huge din. Happy Peparo day!!!!! Peparo is a yummy chocolate dipped pretzel stick. It's a made up holiday (like Ace Day-crackers) that Korean companies have made up to celebrate their holiday. Oh so that's why we ate tons of it and had a disco dance party. Oh duh...

Here are some adorable disco dancers from his class:


On a typical day I usually teach four or five classes. Some I actually teach in and prepare curriculum (sometimes even cooperatively with the Korean teacher) and some I have to stick to the book. The kids are really fun and were very excited when I brought my camera to school last week. Here are some third grade girls that are cute as can be. They like to run up and give me great big hugs! I have learned a lot of their names but it's pretty tough.



Midway through the day we go to lunch in the cafeteria. This, folks, is a crap shoot. Somedays we end up with rice and kimchi and some days we have a feast. Some days there is a whole crab floating in my soup and some days not. We never know. It's tough to bring lunch because the teachers think we don't like Korean food if we do and ask us many many questions.
After lunch is one of my favorite times. We love to go out with the kids and play in the school yard.

This is what the kids refer to as the "Bangy Bangy" which in reality is a nausea inducing merry go round. Every day they yell "Melanie Teacher, Michael Teacher one more time!!!" We have caved in several times and have almost lost our lunch riding on the Bangy Bangy.



On the other side of the playground we have "union land" as would any child's playground.


We also love to go walk on the wonderful foot massage path. It feels wonderful after a long morning of wearing sandals that don't quite fit.


Michael tried the slide one afternoon. He was terrified as evidenced here.


Okay we all have favorites...I'm sorry...here are kids from my favorite third grade class. They are really fantastic, do an amazing job listening even when the Korean teacher steps out, and are totally sweet and helpful. Aw!



I love the one girls shirt...it reads "Active 38 and Dynamic" Hmm... She is one of my very,very favorites. She giggles hysterically everytime I ask her a question and covers her face while peeking out back out at me through her fingers.

Thanks for reading!