The First Week of June

Even though it was a relatively short week for me, only having lessons on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, June has started with a flurry of activity.

I woke up Monday morning happy and relieved that I would have the full day plus Tuesday to plan lessons and get organized for the latter part of the week. These two days being my very last free days at school. Henceforth, all grades will be at school and I will have in-person classes every day. I planned and prepared and felt pretty decent about my upcoming lessons. I had a rough first week with the 3rd graders but I would now see them for the second time. I wanted to be ready. The 2nd graders came to school on Wednesday this week, and I felt confident that things would go well, although there were still several unknowns that I would have to figure out.

My optimism took a nose-dive almost immediately on Wednesday morning. I was scheduled for a period 2 class from 9:50 - 10:30am. I was slowly getting ready and just taking some time to relax. I had arrived at school at 8:15am. At 9am, my co-teacher said, “Didn’t you hear about the schedule change? Your class is period 1.” I most definitely did not hear about the schedule change. When does the first period begin? 9am. What time is it right now? 9am.

I quickly gathered my things and scurried to the class, arriving late. And immediately after my late arrival, yet again the classroom technology failed. More accurately, I couldn’t figure out how to hook up the computer. The technician was sent for, and more lesson time was wasted. I think I lost all credibility with these students because it was a bad lesson with these same students two weeks in a row.

I lumbered back to the teachers' room in astonishment at how bad I looked and how bad the lesson felt. Another Korean teacher asked (very much too late) if I had learned about the schedule change. I explained what happened and that it was a disaster. She said I was lucky because the technician is only in-house Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I would have been without help if this were to happen on a Tuesday or Thursday. Luck is a relative term, isn’t it?

Later that day I was to have my first lesson with a grade 2 class, and it would be my first lesson with a particular co-teacher. Since there had been no communication prior to the class, the first lesson would finally unveil the co-teacher's style and expectations, which should ideally be discussed well in advance. Do they stand at the back of the room or do they actively participate? Do they handle student discipline or is that for the native teacher to sort out? Do they translate and explain in Korean, or is it left to me to explain everything in English?

Unfortunately, and again at the last minute, I was informed that my co-teacher had suddenly left the school and was not available for the lesson. Another Korean English would stand in as a substitute. All in all, it was a good lesson and the Korean teacher was helpful, but I am not regularly scheduled with that teacher in a normal week.

And what happened to my co-teacher who suddenly left the school? Apparently, she had a fever and went to the public health centre to be tested for COVID-19. I assume I will either see her tomorrow or be informed that she is sick.

There was a second COVID-19 scare at the school this week. During my Thursday afternoon class, I noticed one of my students speak to the Korean teacher and then leave the classroom. Later, the school nurse came to the classroom and collected the student's things from her desk. I didn't think much of it at the time since I was busy teaching. At the end of the day, I went to the first floor to put on my shoes and walk home. I spotted an ambulance in the parking lot, and an EMS dressed in a hazmat suit was loading a student into the ambulance. When he drove away I asked a teacher what was going on. He said that a student had a fever and was being taken to the hospital for testing. It was my student. Hopefully, it was just a regular fever and not the coronavirus. The close calls are nerve-wracking, but so far we haven't had a positive case.

I had a funny little interaction with a boy in middle school 2nd grade. He is basically fluent in English. We were chatting before our first class together was to begin. He casually dropped a "holy shit" to showcase his fluency. He said he watched a lot of English programs on Netflix and, of course, studied very hard. He asked if I had ever watched "The Good Place"? I hadn't but wanted to connect with the student, so I said, "I heard it's a good show." He responded, "It's not a show, it's a drama." Middle school, what can I say?

I concluded this strange first week of June by working all weekend on my lesson preparations. I think now that I am in the routine, I won't need to work on the weekends anymore. At least, I hope so.