I agreed to help out as ESL instructor this last semester and am sure glad I did. I sure loved getting to know these young Korean kids and helping them with their English. An added benefit is knowing what it’s like to be an elementary teacher. Wow, I had no idea the amount of energy needed to keep these kids learning! It sure is a lot different than teaching high school where I can assign a project and my kids will run with it on their own... well, most of the time =)
The kids were divided into six classes with six teachers. Shown from left to right: Emily Nelson, Christine Kim, Sara Huffman, yours truly and Bob Griffon. I know, I said six teachers, but Loretta Griffon didn't make the shot. As you can see in the photo taken a couple weeks ago, it still feels more like autumn around here than winter... not so good if you want a white Christmas but great for the kids who loved to run around outside during activity time.I believe the final Christmas presentation was enjoyed by all. During the performance, I had my kids read a poem in English and then show they knew their numbers by doing actions to 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. At first I didn’t know whether these typically-shy kids would perform in front of an audience – especially when it came to ‘nine ladies dancing’ and they needed to twirl around – but they really came through and did a fantastic job.
