Weekly Photo Challenge: Renewal

The only thing that can bring things back to life, and restore energy levels in this community, is clean water.

As long as there is water, these young kids can continue to grow, continue to learn, continue to live.

I think it’s BORING. BORING BORING BORING.

Today was so unbelievably frustrating. All 3 teachers were teaching students adjectives to describe what they think of certain music, dancing or hobbies. From exciting, to graceful, from beautiful to difficult, it would seem only one adjective in particular caught on in every class…BORING. 

Korean students don’t exactly think for themselves and love to copy/borrow other peoples opinions, which I noticed on one of my first days teaching here. (Click here for the hilarious consequences) So considering the whole lesson today was based on, “What do you think of X? What do you think of Y?” I should have guessed it would be a flop.

When discussing various types of dances I decided to make the lesson more interesting by showing them some funny videos on you tube. For example this gem of “Stavros Flatley” from Britains Got Talent.

When it finshed I asked the class, so what do you think of this kind of dancing? Without even looking up from the pad they were all doodling on they replied in the same monotone one word anser they had been using for the whole lesson..BORING.

I showed them Riverdance…the legendary Riverdance with Michael Flatley. But oh how silly of me, that’s a BORING DANCE along with every other type of dance under the sun.

My level 5′s were discussing music. I was quick to discover that music I have loved all my life from Jazz music, Salsa music, Rock music, Country music, Reggae music and even classical music…are all BORING. How had I been so blind?! I did, miraculously, get one other adjective wrenched from their closed minds, it appears they are all fiercely patriotic when it comes to anything Korean… K-pop music is “good” and the Korean Fan Dance was “good” too. Kill me now!!!

How Boring...

We talked about Native American Rain dances and I showed them a photo of their elaborate and colorful costumes which were, you guessed it…BORING. I got frustrated at this point because there is no way in hell you could ever describe a rain dance as being “boring”. Extravagant maybe, spectacular, colourful, unusual, maybe even scary but no way is it BORING!

Turns out I wasn’t alone in my findings today. Cindy and Daniel, the other Native English teachers in my school was trying to deal with the exact same problems. Attempting to teach a whole unit on puppets (a Unit usually lasts 7 days) when the students keep emphasizing their dislike/indifference to the world of puppets can be quite the challenge! I guess the ONE HUNDRED AND ONE MILLION PEOPLE who viewed this puppet pals video must just be brain dead thinking this video could be…entertaining when its so OBVIOUSLY BORING!!

One disgruntled and…wait for it…bored..student cheekily commented in class saying , “Teachaa, This is supposed to be ENGLISH class, NOT music class!!” Thanks for the memo you cheeky brat, now prepare yourself for one HELL of a lot of homework, a big chunk of tedious, tiring, dull, irksome, annoying, uninteresting BORING homework coming right at ya!

Top Spanish star caught in Sex Scandal

Asking a class of 3 grade 6 (12 year olds) to write newspaper articles in English was a lot more fun than I thought it would be, especially when they totally mis-interpreted the headlines I gave them! Here is a tater…

HEADLINE: “Royal Family set up Internet site”

 

Royal family set up internet site. In London, Royal’s father is computer programmer so they can get the internet site with ease. The internet sites title is ‘Happy Family’. Many people visit their site. So they’re get popularity quick. They fell it is good idea and happy.

Kevin, TKE Newspaper 2010/12/10.

 

HEADLINE: “Pop star gives 5 million to saving the rainforest but won’t pay council tax”

Korean popstar RAIN gives 5 million won to saving the rainforest. But won’t pay council tax. Rain is angry. So they’re fighting now, rain and rainforest. I want then to stop.

Timmy TKE Newspaper 2010/12/10

HEADLINE: “Top Spanish Star in Sex Scandal!”

In spain, a top spanish actor is in sex scandal. Stars name is “Hank Brown”. He in scandal but she say “NO”. But peoples don’t velieve. How top spanish in sex scandal? Wow because he is BAD. Because he is famous, more people very surprised. From now on I hope is is coming into bad news. They’re mortified.

Dana. TKE Newspaper 2010/12/10