New Semester

It's been a very long time. I am so thankful for those of you who get on here to see what Jon and I are up to, and I am sorry for being lazy lately! We have had a lot of changes at school in the past few weeks. Our school has 3 teachers who only speak korean, 4 teachers who speak English and korean, and 4 foreign teachers. Of those 7 teachers who are koreans 5 quit and were replaced in the last two weeks. We got to be part of the hiring process by interviewing them in order to help figure out what their English levels were. It was a big transition but came at a good time as last year officially ended March 2nd and the new year and semester began the 3rd. We were really happy to start over with new classes and fresh books. It helps us feel on top of things and like we have a good handle on where the kids are and what they should be learning as opposed to being thrown in like we were when we got here. Our new teachers are really great, and seem to be good at teaching. We are really thankful for them and the change, even though it was sad to see some of the others go.

As part of the new semester we also got new kindergarten classes. Actually Jon's old classes graduated to the next level and they are now the highest level in the kindergarten - 7 years old, 2nd level. (Although they are really only 6 western age.) He is now teaching two classes with 5 kids in one and 6 in the other. He has a great set up since he already knows these kids well from last semester and enjoys teaching most of them.

My classes are a little interesting. I also have one class of 7 year olds, although they are only beginners. They don't know any English, so we are learning how to say their names and today we learned the letter D. I am also teaching a beginner class of 5 year olds. (They are technically 3. They were all born toward the end of 2007, so they will be 4 this year) These kids not only know nothing, but they are also just so young and don't know what is going on at all. I am lucky if I can get them to all sit down at the same time. This one little boy just jabbers and jabbers away at me in korean and no matter how many times I tell him I don't understand korean he doesn't give up. Today one boy was still in the bathroom messing around with the towel to dry his hands and everyone else was walking back to class and a few seconds later he comes running out of the bathroom bawling because he lost his class. I was right there in the hall, but it was so cute. I must be patient with these kids. I just want them to understand me like my old class of 5 year olds did. Granted I started teaching them when they were 6 months in and not from the very beginning. I just hope I can get these kids to the same place in English as my old kids were 6 months ago.

Anyway, I will try to update more often. There is much more to tell, some great stories about the end of the semester, and just some funny things our kids have said lately, but I'll save it for a couple days.

HAPPY NEWS: Steve and Jeannie bought their tickets! Parent week #2 is on it's way April 28th WHOOO HOOO!!