Open Class

So, Susan, How did your Open class go?
It was great! overall I am very satisfied with my and my students' performance. I chose my rowdiest class, they are very smart (all my classes are) but I think because they are so unruly-types, *and because they love me :-)* they performed really well, enjoyed their chance to show off for me and the ESL foreign teachers in the room, but they were all so sweet and genuine. they didn't try to put on a show, they just DID CLASS, and this is exactly what I was hoping they would do. I wanted the class to reflect my personality as a teacher and my style. and I think I pulled that off, even though, forthe first half, I was shaky with nerves.

When I wrote "Wednesday" on the board, it was all wobbly.... I took a bit too long warming up with initial questions, and that was predominately because I was trying to de-psych my self down from the metaphorical ledge.

But things settled down soon and they flowed nicely. There were games, listen and answer, & repeat & answer. There were some things I do in regular classes that didn't happen due to the situation of the class (I opted not to use the books this time, so they didn't get to see my count to the page method for practicing #s, or the students writing the date on every page of their textbooks & notebooks)
I'm glad it was this class they got to come and see. period #1 is always so...learn-y, with new vocab and conversation, theres just a lot of notetaking and powerpoints. Period #3 is that darn "reading & writing" section. But #2...OH #2!..... in Period 2 we get to reinforce what we learned last period through games, activities & conversation. YAY.

Kudos to me, I think. I'm glad it's over, I was carrying a lot of stress around about it for the past little while, and I think I didn't even realize it till it was over and my whole body just kindof sighed*

I'm glad I got to do it. I am a stinkin' exhibitionist. and I LOVE teaching. I know I'm good at it, and I am SO SO PROUD of my students for making my job enjoyable by being wonderful kids, I got to show them off as much as myself. I'd be happy to do it again anytime. I hope, in fact, that I get to do it again sometime. but not too soon! I need to wind down a bit first.

Teacher reviews:

good at gaining control
good game activities
good rapport

I like your teaching style. You have the students participate a lot. thay like the class enough to volunteer and speak so much.
You do a really good job at keeping their attention and regaining their attention after and between activities.

on the whole, a good job. Well organized presentation. Enthusiastic participation on the part of the students. Strong teacher/student dynamics. students followed directions easily. variety of exercises none of which was way too long. Was the opening exercise just for the sake of loosening up the students? to get them to concentrate? I wasn't sure of how it related to the ensuing exercises.

I think you did an excellent job! It was the right combination of learning, listening, and interacting. the group activities were very fun it was easy to see that the children enjoyed them very much.

It was my first open class but overall you did an excellent job. Your nervousness did not show at all. The Students responded to you extremely well. Lot's of queing and management techniques that the students are extremely familiar with. Great voice and flow of lesson. Repetition and order is critical in teaching a 2nd language class. Your co-teacher and you responded well to each other. I saw some "signing" as well very effective! _linh Doan (London, On, Canada...Jang-nae Elem. School)

I loved seeing great amount of enthusiasm from both native teacher and Korean teacher. Most of the instructions were clear and the native teacher spoke slowly to the students, which helped them to understand. Also, I thought both teachers handled the large number of students. Overall, it was absolutely brilliant. Cheers.

Strengths: -very impressive teaching methos.
-lots of teachers actions gave the students more understanding of the topics
-used lots of different activities to make students more laf;lkdsjf;laksdj.
Weaknesses:
-maybe used too much time on "introduction" of the topic.
Advice:
once again, today's class was really impressive, well presented...excellent!

Good job today! I thoroughly enjoyed watching your class today, and I picked up a lot of new ideas that I hope to use in my own class. I especially liked the mask game to practice using directions. You have so much energy, and the children seem to respond so well to your teaching style. I was happy to see that the class seemed fairly realistic. The intro was a bit long for my class, but everything else was good. I like the "1,2,3 ACTION!" you used for the "Listen & Repeat" section. Thanks! Stacy

Seorak Mountain

Seoraksan is the highest mountain in the Taebaek mountain range in the Gangwon province in eastern South Korea.

"The Yukdam waterfall and the Biryeong waterfall are located on the left side of the valley, about a forty minute walk from the main car park. Ulsanbawi is a rock formation in the Seoraksan national park. The shape of Ulsanbawi is unique in the area. To reach the rocks you need to follow a hiking path and climb over 800 steps. On the way there, there are two temples and a spherical rock which is located on top of a larger rock. This rock is about 5 metres (16 feet) high and can be moved with some effort. Thousands of people have already tried to push down Heundeulbawi, but nobody gets further than waggling the rock.

According to the legend Ulsanbawi comes from the city of Ulsan in the south east of Korea. As Kumgangsan was built, Ulsanbawi walked to the north as the representative of the city. Unfortunately Ulsanbawi arrived too late and there was no more room. Ulsanbawi was ashamed and slowly trudged back to the south. One evening the rock went to sleep in the Seorak area. Ulsanbawi felt it was so beautiful around there that it decided to stay for good."

~Wikipedia Information

We traveled to Sokcho and stayed in a motel right on the beach! In the morning, we would get up, walk to the beach, and cook breakfast together. There were about 30 of us.
We enjoyed the mountain together, although I decided to skip the peak hike, and Jessika and I hiked along the river valley to a "cave" that was really a hole in the side of the cliff face (see pic 2). We climbed gruelingly steep steps to reach the little shrine that was in there, at we greeted the lady-monk who lived in a shack thwas build precariously at the edge of this cave, then took off our shoes and found ourselves inside a little cave. It smelled strongly of incense; there was a recording of monk chanting repeating itself in the background.
While our friends hiked up a most beautiful scenic (and incredibly windy, I'm told) peak, we made our way back to the river and enjoyed tuna-cheese-jalepeno sandwiches, chatted and took naps in the afternoon sun.
by the dinner time.

Family enjoying the afternoon at the waterfall in Seorak Nat'l Park

We were dirty from the hike, but we were cheerful and well-rested as we met our friends by the bear statue. Apparently, William didn't know I'd left the group... he'd been calling my phone. but my phone was off. All was figured out by 5pm, and we gathered together at a BiBimBap restaurant to dine and share our days' activities.

Absurd Park Rules: Seonyudo Park; Seoul

Writing Magic; Creating Stories that Fly

Gail Carson Levine is one of my favorite Young Adult writers.

She is responsible for such fairytale retelling stories as "Ella Enchanted," "Fairest," and the original "Dave at Night." Her reimaginings are incredibly vivid and original, even when she is using old archetypal stories such as Cinderella and Snow white to base them. She creates a world with its own rules and order, and it all makes sense from where it came. I admire her imagination as well as her magical, concise writing style.

I just picked up her new book called "Writing Magic," and although it is directed at a kids' audience, it's a lot of fun for any age. The author gives writing prompts in every chapeter and basically prods at you to write whenever, wherever, and whatever you can. She encourages you to be creative or not, write when you have no ideas, and save everything you write.

Well, I'm writing this to say that I'm excited about this book, not only reading it, but making an effort to write, write, write.

not because I WANT to,

but because I NEED to,

becasue I am a writer,

and writers write because we have to,

Physically, it makes me feel healthier, and it makes me see things I didn't know I was thinking/feeling. It helps me to uncover ideas I haven't yet had; it takes my mind on a journey and wears me out. andwith each word I write, I become a better writer!

Do you know, that last week I was writing a story, and I came to a point where my character was waiting for a bus. I wrote the esentence, "Her toes were pointed squarely at the curb," and I stopped. I gasped a little with glee. and chuckled under my breath in the coffeshop where I was sitting, because this was the first time I have used the word, "curb" our loud or written down in over two years! it just hadn't come up, and here in Korea I've been losing my words as I less often speak in English to native speakers. But do you know? since I wrote that sentence I have said/written/heard this word 15 times in the past week. Theres some value to me, rediscovering words that I know I know, but haven't thougth to use. Since coming here, I use the words "VERY VERY," and "So" more than I thought was possible. I have a fear of becoming less concise, less descriptive should I stay here any longer. and I am determined that this will not happen. and so I write. I write often. I write profusely, with generous hands, and an open mind. hoping to discover something, someone, within my thoughts. to create, unearth, reinvent. to save, remember, remind myself. who I am, was, will become. in these words I write. I love to write!

Susan Teacher:

Hello! How are you?... I fine thankyou! teacher I so sorry... I give you not flowers I so sorry But! I Give letter!!! ... Oh! teacher you are a very funny and very angry was scary~! um...oh~teacher I go to your home~ computer game and eating pineapple very sweet~! I earing music and picture~ teacher I love you.. and sorry..thank you...~bye bye~ see you tomorrow have a nice day teacher~pretty teacher~

-lee jae youn-

lovely

This is where Fish come to Die

I am resisting the urge to post all my pictures of the Sokcho fish market on the Eastern side of Korea (That's the Sea of Japan/Korea Sea, for all y'all who are counting) But you guys! it was really cool. Misty rainy, and right on the water! baskets and aquariums and buckets all spilled over with water, one bucket to the next, and they were ALL filled with Fish!

You would literally look your meal in the eye, they'd pull it out of its container, throw it on the pavement, wack it on the head with a bat or a dull knife, throw it on a bucket, then fry it up all right in front of you!
Left to Right: William, Natasha, Me, Jessika (btw, all these girls are Seattlites, go figure!) We're eating a giant muscle is sweet gochuchung w/ onions. the meat was the perfect texture, not chewy or sandy like oysters or clams. not tough, either. MASHHIKETA!and you thought the Kyoto steak house was cool, where the chef fries up the meal in front of you. That's got nothin' on the fish market. the fish is as fresh as you can get it, Jinsu Park came up to me with a plate full of raw fish and offered me some. I asked, what is it..."I don't know english name...black fish..." at least here he can actually POINT at what i'm eating. eerie.

I love being in Korea on days like this. As a foreigner, I am distant from my familiar place--although I have to say, Korea is far more familiar these days, the longer I am here--but still, you know that you have an expiration date. In a country the size on Indiana, I have traveled to more "famous" historical sites, covered more distance spent more time seeing stuff, than I ever did in Washington, Portland, California, Idaho, and Montana combined! I mean, really? I push myself to get out, see things, do stuff while I still can, I want my cultural experiences! This year in Korea, I have seen and done things I never imagined I would do, eaten food, tried new things, and felt more free to want to do things than I ever did back home. I ate a giant muscle, for goodness sakes! I've sung "Under the Sea" in front of many large groups of people, and I (on a daily basis) make a fool of myself for the sake of the children. (okay, that last one's not so different from how I always was, but still) I have no regrets. what's done is done, and I've done it. and I don't regret a second. how can I? it's part of my history now.

Now is lunchtime. I hope all is well at home, family and friends. be well and go out, get a cultural experiential experience at home, you have plenty of time, but there's so much to see! go out and DO IT! quickly, as often as you can! you never know when life'll get to busy for what you want.

someone had made a great catch! giant Ocuopi right at the harbor. their heads were heaving in and out of the shallow water. they looked like brains, or the indside of the Dalek casing, from Doctor WHO! the largest one was all cut up, his legs in different buckets. all around. this is not the largest one. The monk fish is the scariest fish I've ever seen up close. Do you remember that part in Finding Nemo, where Dorey & Nemo's Father are in the darkest part of the sea? and a fish comes up to try to eat them, the one with the light on its head? this was scarier. I was taking its picture and I swear it moved its head in that scary jerky motion that some ghosts do in Asian ghost films.

로때, 쌀랑해요!

Lotte World: the #3 happiest place on earth!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEqoXZHYmoA
the "So Long!" Dance