The Secret - Blogabond

When I was freaking out about my upcoming student teaching last August, a teacher friend of mine told me, "The secret to teaching is acting like you've known all your life what you just learned that morning." That cute little saying turned out to be frighteningly true. I won't tell you how many five a.m. google searches I performed in my apartment as I scrambled to decode obscure parts of speech for the day's grammar lesson. (But I will tell you that there is, in fact, an answer to the direct query 'what the hell is a participle?')

Here in Korea, Lack of Planning strikes again, only this time it's not really my fault. In March, my hogwan is starting up a brand new curriculum. On one hand, this is a bummer, because having just arrived a month or so ago, I was just getting used to the now-defunct lessons. On the other, at least now we will all be confused together. So our director called me into his office this evening after my classes. I am still juvenile enough to be a little bit scared of the principal's office. And it turns out, the eight-year-old inside of me is right. Because Mr. Shin informed me that I "get" to be the native (white)teacher to present the brand new curriculum, of which I know nothing, to the Korean parents. In three days.

I was really, really hoping he was kidding, but the nervous laughter died in my throat when he handed me a yellow textbook and said, "Learn this book. You are good teacher." How he knows this is a mystery, because neither he nor anyone else has so much as set foot inside my classroom so far. But it's okay, because he said, "I have a confidence in you." In conclusion, I get to teach a curriculum I don't know to parents who may or may not speak my language on SATURDAY. Bummer.

written by

alli_ockinga on February 25, 2009 from Inch'on, South Korea

from the travel blog: I go Korea!

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You go girl! I have confidence in you too.

written by Teresa Ockinga on February 25, 2009

Hey Alli -

I love reading about you adventures in communication. I cant imagine being in Korea!!! Well, keep on chewing bubblegum and kicking ass. Your experiences will make you an awesome teacher!

written by

chaddeal on February 26, 2009

I'm just now reading this (it's March 4) and I suck for that, but I want you to know that I hope it went well and I'm sure any parent regardless of language barrier will see you as delightful. How could they not?

Lots of love,
Ryan

written by Ryan on March 4, 2009

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