Yesterday I had to do one of our big group highly structured classes and it was my first day in there. I found out at the last minute I'd be doing it, which is OK, I remember how to do that format no problem, but we had no power yesterday, so we had to open the windows and it's SO noisy in there. The traffic outside makes everyone talk in unnatural volumes and tones, so it's pretty uncomfortable. The format of that class is pretty intense, too. Yesterday was basically a warm-up class for me.
A lot of the students came in late, and then they were...um...rude. I was thinking is this my imagination? Korean style rude is ignoring and passive aggressive non-compliance. So not only were they doing tons of things they weren't supposed to be doing, but then afterward they- no two of them- complained about me with the stupidest comments ever, that I won't get into or I'd have to explain the whole format. I was pretty sure that their dissatisfaction wasn't about me at all. Sure enough...
I had a surprise today when in my first class before our time was up, a student who has my other class brought up the issue quite naturally and wowed me by saying that their behavior yesterday was terrible and they apologize. I was like...OK it wasn't just me. He promised today would be better. I really like these people. Sometimes even when they're bad, they're good.
The bottom line is there are alot of issues with the admin at this school and sometimes the students lose it. I figured that was the deal.
2 comments:
Students there seem very... just NICE, I cant imagine some snotty kid coming up to a teacher and saying that, let alone saying it out loud in front of the class, ah Koreans, they are so polite (from the few i have met)
You are correct, and in our case, it seems that they feel they are representing Korea like ambassadors, which might help explain why they are that way, but you're right. They really are as nice as I'm making them out to be.
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