So it's not that I couldn't actually be a teacher....not to brag but I think I'm damn good at it lol just kidding, who knows what kind of teacher I am in reality. I get by I think, I love my kids, I love teaching them and I love watching them learn. So what's the problem you ask...well I'll tell you. I think the reason that I love teaching so much is because I'm teaching in Korea, and its a whole different ball game over here. At home there are so many rules, so many things to worry about that don't apply at all here. In North America you can barely touch your kids without a parent trying to sue you for child molestation but in Korea the parents want you to be affectionate with their kids, that's how they know you like them. Everything is about appearances and if you are smiling and hugging them and playing around then you are a good teacher....they almost rather that then their children actually learning. I enjoy being able to be affectionate with my kindergartners and especially my moms and tots because they're just so little and adorable...I couldn't imagine not being able to hug them and play fight and all that stuff, what do you do with them then? Maybe I'm just too much of a kid to understand the seriousness of it all.
I have another reason and it also has to do with working in Korea and teaching english. The beauty of the job is that no matter how good a student is at english, they still don't understand things like sarcasm and different sayings and jokes, its lost on them but that's what I like about it. I love that my students sometimes have no idea what I'm talking about and that I can tease them and say things and they are clueless. Even my Kindergarten class, I spend most of the class talking about them to my T.A and couldn't imagine not having that freedom to just say something out loud. I know I know I'm horrible and should spend more of my time helping them instead of laughing at them but I've realized that because I don't understand them I pay more attention to their behaviour and their body language. Since there's that communication barrier I spend alot of time trying to figure them out and watch them (not to sound creepy) but I do and without understanding eachother we still get by and I can still get a good idea of what they're all about. I couldn't imagine actually having to listen to them, especially my older kids, with all their attitude and drama and whining UGH I would go mental.
There's something about living somewhere and not understanding anyone...It's kind of nice being able to zone out and live in your own little world. You have to rely on everything else and pay more attention to all the visual cues you see and body language rather then words.
Anyways back on track...teaching in North America, is it in the cards for me hmmm who knows. I just know so many wonderful teachers who are much better at it then me and when I think about who I want teaching my kids its not me, it's them and that's ok with me. I would never use teaching as a fall back, I have too much respect for it now to think of it that way and would only do it if I really loved it because I would want that to show. I think I'll leave the teaching to the professionals and my kind of teaching, my play fighting, my hugging, my smiling and teasing self can stay in Korea where its allowed and legal :)
Until next time,
Yours truly xo
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