I was definitely ready for the break we had for Spring Festival but since we've gotten back it's been pretty fun to be back teaching. I don't know if it's because I'm a little refreshed after such a long break or if it's because the kids learned this stuff more recently in their Chinese class so they find it really easy or if it's just a mixture of everything but either way it's good. I think the fact the kids find this stuff easy is starting to be a little bit of a problem though; some of them don't seem to be concerned about their work. I gave them an in class "assignment" yesterday that wasn't really going to be handed-in or marked until none of them were trying and then I had to say I was marking it and now I will have to mark it...at least they tried harder after I said that though lol.
Another problem is the kids have gotten a little more risky with how far their misbehaving will go. A kid earlier this week dropped his book and said "ah shit!" I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing. It's almost nice to see your ESL student drop his book and swear in English; warmed my heart a little. I then had to tell the kids that even though I was laughing they shouldn't do that....I don't think hearing those words from someone who was laughing really had much of an impression though. Especially since today I gave the kids their work near the end of the period and they had some time in class to work on it. I was standing at the front and all of a sudden I hear a kid say "WHAT THE F***!" I was like "what did you just say?" I couldn't believe that he had ACTUALLY said that. He was like umm...nothing. I was like...well I heard you. He said umm... I'm sorry? Then I had to get into a discussion about how certain swear words are worse than others and that my mom still gets annoyed when I say the "F word." These conversations are funny though and I'll actually kind of miss having them when I teach in Ontario because they make it interesting. I also had to tell them today that I don't mind if they ask my permission to go to the "toilet" but that next year they should really called it the washroom; for the rest of class kids called it the washroom; they are actually so funny.
I will also miss how nice the kids are. Even when they're annoyed they still aren't outwardly rude. My cell phone ran out of money this week so I went and bought a phone card and brought it to the kids today and they called for me to add the money; none of them even hesitated for a second they seemed excited to help. I don't think kids in Ontario would be nearly as willing to help.
The University of Waterloo math contest is in April so the kids have to sign up by next week to register. At first none of them were signing up but after a couple did more and more followed; I think partly because they felt less "uncool" if other kids were doing it and partly because I was annoying the crap out of them because I kept asking. I know they don't LOVE tests but so many of them are so smart it would be sad for them to not do it.
Oh my gosh I almost forgot too; it was at least 25 degrees at lunch today and the kids were STILL in their winter coats. I felt like them when they ask me if I am cold; I kept thinking AREN'T YOU HOT?! None of them were.....WEIRD!
Anywho; I'm having my first ever teacher evaluation tomorrow so I should go get ready for bed so I'm nice and rested up for it!
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