Making Cute Kids Sing in English
Written by Bessie on Friday, July 03, 2009 in Korea, Republic of
Feelin' amused
You want to know what stress is in a Korean kindergartner's life? Getting up in front of the school to make a video of a English Song and Poem contest for your parents. My students complained. Whined. I bribed them with stickers and candy and made guilt-ridden statements of "You want to sing nice for your mom and dad, right?"Feelin' amused
So it wouldn't have been so treacherous, but my kids are terribly shy. For the longest time they wouldn't talk to any other teachers but me - forget other students. They actually complained when I told them we were going to an all school birthday party in the gym. "Don't you want cake? Or presents?" "No teacher!" Right. I knew I had my hands full.
I'll give you a sticker...
So I practiced like crazy with them. I got them really excited. And I bribed them. For weeks I was prepping them for "the whole school will be there - it'll be fun!" We'd go to the gym every few days so they got used to it, and I talked for weeks about when we'd go with another class to practice.
When the day came that we went to the gym with another class, things were going so well, they didn't freeze-up, and they were actually sort of having fun.
And Disaster Struck.
My kids were singing and jumping up and down, when the one little boy in class shouts "Teacher!" I looked over, and he's in the classic legs-squeezed-together-hands-over-private-area position. I rushed him to the bathroom, and he just cried. My Korean co-teacher took him in her arms to comfort him and gave him a change of clothes. He refused to smile the rest of the day, poor thing. My other kids were all looking pathetic, too. I had one week to turn this around.
Oh, and here are 2 new students.
Then, I had the extra fun thing *read with sarcasm* happen that I got 2 new students in the 2 weeks before the Song and Poem Contest. Having a new kid in class is like starting all over with classroom behavior and training and is generally pretty draining. But as far as the Song and Poem Contest goes, the 2 new students actually sort of my cause.
Lucky for me, they're pretty outgoing and their English is really good, so they caught up easily. And the new students were enough of a distraction that the rest of the class seemed to forget about the Pants Peeing Disaster.
Alls well that ends well
Finally the big day came, and 50 kindergartners and pre-schoolers crammed into the gym. For 2 hours we listened to crazy kids songs and rough English speeches so that parents know their tuition money is being well spent. My class ended up doing pretty well; some of them looked slightly tortured, but they're pretty adorable. Then they got some awesome popsicles at lunch.
Kyle teaches virtually all of the kindergardners & pre-schoolers at our school, but spends the most with the youngest kids in the school, who are all 3 years old, and generally, really young for all-day school. Everyday they cry, fight over blocks, and then Kyle comes to the class. While he mainly attempts them to get them to not hit eachother & draw proper circles, he teaches them English, and they pick up a fair amount. His Korean teacher almost never leaves the classroom, it would be pretty painful without her.
So here's of video of our students showing their adorable sides. I realized that if Kyle and I are ever strapped for cash in the future, he'd do pretty well as a birthday party clown. :) And yes, everyone is wearing slippers - no shoes allowed in our school.
Comments on "Making Cute Kids Sing in English"
I loved watching it. The school is so lucky to have you two there. Think they would ever want people in their 60's? I was at US Toy last week and saw stickers with bugs and thought about you. Would love to send you some if you could use them. Keep spreading American good will.
I'm sure they would take people in their 60s! Whether you would actually want to is another question...
Damn, why didn't you tell us about the clown ability BEFORE you performed our wedding?!?!? .... would have added a whole new dimension to the evening. ;)
Never did I think I would see the day that Kyle would be teaching preschoolers, either... priceless.
priceless - yes, it totally is. It would totally make me want to have kids sooner if I didn't know that they're also total boogers too. someday...
The children are so lucky to have you as a teacher. You can tell by their songs that they have learned so much from you. Keep up the great work - it looks like you're having a lot of fun too!
I love the video - when you all move back to the US move to KS we know plenty of people looking for a great pre-school - I have two, Todd has two and we have lots of friends. Kyle it reminds me of the Dora - pre school days and the shows we put on at the nursing homes.
nursing homes?! that's such a great idea - i love it!!!
Priceless!!!! Kyle, you are such a ham with little ones! Hilarious! -And the 2 of you are maaaah-vuh-luss! Ya got some great singers there, Bess! And with Complete Impartiality, I say you REALLY inspired your kindergarteners to kick into high gear! Terrific little singers! Grown-ups who can't relate to the honesty and spontaneity of young children do NOT know what they are missing! LOL Congrats on this success! :)
That was adorable! Well done!
SIMPLY WONDERFUL! THANKS FOR SHARING...
After 30 years in the classroom,this post had me in hysterics. Your description of the arrival of a new student....always a favorite happening for teachers, the bathroom accident, and the practicing for those assemblies....always a parent favorite and a teacher's agony. My favorite photo is of the two youngsters by the cake and fried whatever pile....looking shell shocked and dazed. Quite a different photo would appear with American students gazing at treats! It was fun seeing the children out of uniforms and looking more like kids than tiny business people. Congratulations....for two untrained teachers coming from the business world to one so far removed from anything that you had been challenged with before in your working lives, you are doing a GREAT JOB! Keep smiling....a sense of humor will sustain you as educators.
This is so cute amazing these kids is very nice. Your blog is awesome.
I can be a clown and, as a certified minister of the Universal Life Church, I can marry people as well. I just need to learn how to do balloon animals!
by kyle the husband at July 05, 2009 08:23 AM