Ian's Fall from Grace

Today was the kind of day that prompts me to write Palin-esque notes for the blog.

When Ian got to school today everything seemed normal.  Then Gene came into his classroom to let him know that he would soon be emailing him the material for next week.  He sat down and a serious look came across his face.  First he asked Ian why he left school at 8:15 yesterday when he wasn't supposed to leave until 8:40.  Ian corrected him, saying that he had left school at 8:25; then he went on to explain that the 8 o'clock class wasn't even on his schedule, his students just showed up and sat down.  Ian hadn't been prepared for them and he said that he had "something he had to do."  The last part isn't actually true, but Ian was angry and it just came out with the rest of it.  Gene explained away Yoon's lack of professionalism by saying that, in Korea, one's job is very important and one must complete everything that is set before them, no matter what.  Ian felt that the subtext of Gene's speech was something akin to "In America, workers must be spoon fed their responsibilites and walked through their day to day lives, so I understand how you got mixed up."  Gene implored Ian to say nothing other than that he was sorry because instead of speaking directly to Ian, Julia and David (and the Goam staff) use Gene as a whipping boy and yell at him.  Ian agreed and said it would never happen again (because after no fewer than twelve revisions, Ian's schedule is finally concrete).

Ian's day got better, though.  Spending time with his spastic students brightened things up for him.

My day was pretty good.  I'm completely in love with my 6:30 Essential 2 class (the kids are 12 and 13).  The kids are Ashley (she spells it Asuley), Peggy, Kelly, Oliver and Gavin.  They are hilarious.  Today's class provided me with these laughs:

Gavin:  Where's Kelly?

Ashley: She threw the bus.

Gavin: What?

Ashley: She didn't know the bus time.  She threw the bus.

Me: Oh!  You mean she missed the bus.

Ashley: Yeah!

(All the kids started miming Kelly throwing a bus.)

I wrote some simple questions (with some "fill in the blanks" so that they could make their own question) on the board for a warm up (the kids throw a ball back and forth and ask each other).

Gavin: Who is your favorite human?

Ashley: I like everyone.

Me: Okay.

Ashley: Wait! I don't like... (stands up and starts miming a trenchcoat flasher) crazy man!

 (I start laughing from shock and embarassment)

Ashley: Understand?

Me:  I do understand, I just wish I didn't.

Later, the kids are still asking questions.

Ashley: Do you like pants?

My last class (Essential 1) isn't quite as fun, but there was one awkwardly funny moment.  The kids were taking turns asking each other "Where is...?" questions and practicing using prepositions.  I apologize for the transcribed crudeness.

Arthur:  Where is labia?

(silence)

Arthur: Where is labia?  (He gets up and walks to the map).

Me: Saudi Arabia? 

Arthur: No.  (Under his breath, scanning the map) Labia, labia, labia... (He comes to Africa and stops).

Me: Libya?

Arthur: Yeah!


Good night!