Bad Teacher Updated 4/16/08

Sometimes my students will say, in cute English, that John is a "bad boy." It's funny when they tattle on each other and then they get upset about it when someone tattles on them. So this week, Mr. Palmer is a "bad teacher." My student's tattled on me! A few unhappy parents have called the school threatening to remove their kid (and thus, their money) from the school and to ensure that their children are not teased or hit by other students.

Dio's mom is one of the big contesters. During "Robot Dance" two weeks ago I had combined my class with BDawg's class. Dio got kicked by a couple of students. I didn't see it because we had 14 kids dancing and "freezing" on the very small carpet circle. Robot dance is basically a game. When the music stops playing they must "freeze." Hence, the "robot" part of the game.

There I was sitting at the desk talking with two of my students when I saw Dio on the floor crying. Just a little sniff and tear. That's all. Also, the other day, when the students came into my class, Dio decided to just lay on the carpet and do what Dio does: act lazy. So, K-Fed decided to step on his leg. I didn't see K-Fed do this. I was busy helping another student. So Dio's mom calls expressing her concern. That's okay by me. I even met the lady for a parent-teacher-assistant Director-Director meeting on Thursday this week.

I also meet Roy's mom. She's a nice lady, really. But over the phone she yelled at the assistant Director about Roy being picked on in my class by K-Fed. K-Fed is evil. He teases them. He hits them. It looks like play fighting. They have these rolled up paper swords and they "en gard." They hit each other. If it gets too rough then, Roy will cry. Roy will cry when K-Fed tears up his sword too.

K-Fed is a really sneaky boy. Psycho sneaky b/c I don't see some of the stuff he does and I don't understand the teases and insults he hurls like projectile vomit (Exorcist reference). And when I do catch the little bugger, I reprimand him.

So, I got two angry parents, one unhappy boss, an assistant Director who was reduced to tears by Roy's mom and an American Director all on and up my ass! It hasn't been a fun week. It's very crowded in my ass! It could be worse, I could be losing my house (I had to poke fun of a relative of mine). I do want to be a great teacher for my one year stay in Korea.

I now have a teacher assistant in my class. I have assigned seating. I pick up the crackling sounding "white" phone in the classroom and call if any of them start to cry, have a paper cut, an argument, etc. Baby sitting. Expensive baby sitting which includes a paid apartment and cheap lunches.

Yesterday, little cute May cried for 10 minutes in my class because Sarah and Emily (the same class as K-Fed and Dio and Roy) teased her. I had to call the asst director who came up stairs and she made them apologize. Didn't help. I hear Sarah and K-Fed are leaving the school...

If I lose K-Fed and Dio as students, it will be great. Sometimes losing a customer is healthier for the business. Having a teacher asst for 20 minutes in my class is nice too because she will help with their jackets and back packs (they're six year olds and still can't zipper their up their own jackets) and will talk to them in Korean, help me discipline them to chill and report what they say to each other. Also, she can tell the Asst Director and Director I am a good or bad teacher too! Maybe next week a student will tattle on me and say "Good Teacher!"

***Update***

Well, kind blog reader it looks like I only have three students left in that one class where the parents complained and yelled at the assistant director. During the parent-teacher-assistant director-Director meeting last week, one of the parents told me she would keep her son, Dio, in the class. Anyway, I heard his whiny voice and wheezing ass yesterday leaving the school yesterday around 12:30pm. He waved to me. His mom bowed. I learned today that she had removed him from the school. And that Roy's mom did the same.

Another class I have on Tuesday and Thursday, had five students absent on Tuesday. Tomorrow, which is Thursday, I will find out if they are sick or if they also dropped out of the school. I can't tell if my boss is mad or angry, but I asked the CFO if I was going to get canned and he said no. On the other hand, this might be a "saving face" technique. Tomorrow is another day and if I find myself on the street soon, I will take the train to Seoul, stay in a Korean style hotel, and look for another job. To be continued, ad nauseaum...