Working With Children

If you know me, you know I haven't always loved kids the way I do now.  For the better part of my adolescent life, I honestly thought I would never procreate.  The thought of having children disgusted me, I didn't like to hold babies, and I'd rather be caught dead than making "awhhh" noises at somebody's cute baby.  The universe must have decided to play some cruel joke on me because over the past few years the tables have dramatically turned.  I absolutely love children.  I love almost everything about them (except for the really horrible parts like when babies cry endlessly or when my kids disrespect me in class).  I find so much humor in the things kids do and say, especially when they don't think anybody is looking.  After being able to work with kids every day of the week over the past few months, I've learned to appreciate a lot of different types of young people.  Some of my favorite students at the beginning of the term have been replaced by those quiet ones that snuck up on me and totally stole my heart once I got to know them a bit better.  Some of my kids make me so happy, every time they come into class I yell a little "yes!" to myself in my head.  Of course they aren't all sunshine and Korean rainbows, there are some students that are really tough to deal with, and others that I flat out wish weren't even at CDI.  But for the most part, I've really remembered why working with young people calls to me on such a higher level than nearly anything else.  I've decided to share a few examples of the hilarity I find in my students with you... enjoy.

One group of 5th/6th grader's (my Birdie Listening class) response to a brand new virus that infects people in Korea.  It was called the Chungdahm Virus and it eats children.

 I like to teach my EC kids (my lowest level, 3rd/4th grade) one weird vocabulary word a day, and I usually write it on the board.  Magical was a fun one...

One of my more outspoken EC kids (Arnold - who still cannot spell his own name) drew me as a adjuma (old Korean grandmother).  I'm pretty sure that is me holding him like he is a baby.  Weird kids.

 And Sydney says Arnold is crazy right back...

 This is what happens when we have Saturday classes and I forget to take my whiteboard markers with me at break time.  The kids make up their own to-do lists...