Teaching in Korea can be awkward and exhausting. There are plenty of uncomfortable silences and blank stares when the students don't understand or don't feel like participating. My Korean co-teachers sometimes interfere in the most frustrating ways during the lessons. There are unexpected interruptions, like today, when half the class needed to leave early for lunch-serving duty in the cafeteria. Still, I try to find simple ways to have fun as a teacher.
I start every lesson with a few basic questions for the students to get the conversation going like "How is the weather? What did you do last night? What food do you like?" Whenever I ask "What drink do you like?" I pull the same gag. Students respond, "I like tea, I like milk, I like cola," then I pretend to mishear a student and say "Oh my god, you like soju!!!" Soju is an alcoholic drink here in Korea. The student gets all embarrassed and everyone laughs. It's fun. Most recently, I did this and the co-teacher, who isn't in on the gag, comes rushing over and says "She said juice. Juice! Not soju!" Okay lady, thanks for the correction. I didn't really believe the kid's favourite drink was liquid fire.
I give out participation points during the lesson. Each time a student raises their hand and gives an answer, I award one point. At the end of the class, whichever team has the most points wins and gets a prize, usually stickers and sometimes chocolate. I ask the students, "What subject do you like?" They answer, "I like PE. I like art. I like science." I award one point. When a student says, "I like English." I enthusiastically give two points. It usually gets a good reaction from the class. Some students think it's not fair and others love it. The problem becomes that every student tries to get those extra points by answering "I like English."
Whenever I meet a class for the first time, it's customary that I do a self-introduction lesson. I put together a PowerPoint presentation on myself, my family, hobbies, and Canadian culture. It's disappointing when this lesson is online or recorded because the students' first interaction with me is through a screen. But when it's in-person, I have some fun with it by showing my family photo and each family member. Then I point to myself and say, "That's me, your handsome teacher." It's usually good for a few laughs. I reinforce it during a later lesson on nicknames. I tell the students that my nickname is "Handsome Man." Sometimes the students will call me "Handsome Teacher" when they see me. Why not pump up my ego when I can? You know they could call me much worse things. Remember, this is middle school.
Sometimes, if I get to the classroom a little early, I like to mess around by moving the students' stuff. I might take a pencil case from one desk and then put it on another. Then I sit back and enjoy the chaos when students accuse each other of shenanigans. I usually make sure that another student sees me do it, so they can set the record straight after a while.
Another running gag is that a few minutes before class starts, I ask the kids if they are ready for the big English test today. Of course, there isn't a big English test, but the reaction is priceless - gasps, stunned and confused faces. "What? What? Teacher? A big test?" The poor girl in the front row today was stupefied until I told her I was just joking. Then I ask the kids "Don't you like tests?" and they respond "NO! We don't like tests!" There's always a smart ass who wants the test.
I teach 21 different classes per week, so thankfully I can reuse my same gags over and over again, especially when the classes are in-person. It's really just me having fun and hopefully building a good rapport with the students. Also, as one of the few foreigners that they've been exposed to in their young lives, I hope to show them that school doesn't have to be serious and stressful all of the time. Ultimately, I would love them to have a positive impression of me and Canada and hope that they would travel someday and experience other cultures. Learning to enjoy speaking English will hopefully help in that regard.
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