my classes

In the morning, I teach two kindergarten classes, New York and Oregon (this year they decided to give the kindergarten classes names of U.S. states), all 5-year olds. While I'm teaching Oregon class, my Korean partner teacher is teaching (in English) New York class. We switch after every 40 minutes. I have a break when the kids have science, P.E., outdoor activity, and music. The kindergarten program runs Monday to Friday from 9:40am to 2:40pm.

In the afternoon, after the kindergarten kids leave, I teach elementary age students (7, 8, and 9-year olds). The after school program runs from 2:55-5:30pm. Some classes are 2 days a week and some are 3 days a week. I have 4 after school classes, Stanford, Emory, New York, and Carnegie. I've never heard of Carnegie and Emory universities, but apparently they're American.

Now, onto how I feel about my students. At the beginning of the month, I hated a majority of my students. Now, at the end of the month, I hate them a little less. I think I spend about 25 of the 40 minutes of class wiping snot off faces, sending kids outside to get a band-aid because something ALWAYS hurts, telling them to shut up and raise their hand if they want to speak, taking kids outside the room to ask who hit who first and making them apologize to one another, and oh, telling them that it doesn't effing matter who is using what pencil, and finally, what I do most often... writing "X"s next to students' names because they don't know how to keep their butts in their chairs! Friggin' hell.

I do have my favourites, don't get me wrong. Actually, I'm wrong. Out of all 20 of my kindergarten students, I only have one favourite. One. Her name is Jayna. She's quiet when she needs to be quiet, never disruptive, raises her hand when I ask a question, and waits quietly for instruction. She never touches or distracts any other student and is just well-behaved all around. And, she's really, really cute.

As for my after school program students, they're much easier to teach because they're a bit better behaved. A bit. My Carnegie class consists of 4 nine-year old boys who are very hard to discipline. For some reason they don't respect me very much. That will change very soon. Thank goodness I only have them once a week. My Emory and Stanford classes have more boys than girls in them (8-year olds), which also makes it hard for me to control, but they have more respect for me than Carnegie. And my New York class consists of 3 seven-year old girls... heaven. They're my favourite class. I end every Friday with this class, it's awesome.

Here's a picture of Shawn from my Carnegie class: