Students RUNNING everywhere
Another interesting finding in Korea is when you walk around the hallways in the school, you will ALWAYS see students running around – Never walking, ALWAYS running! It’s funny because as a foreigner, you are not sure if they are supposed to be in class. They are just running everywhere! I have observed other teachers and they just kind of laugh as the students run by – so now I have been starting to do the same. Of course, my Westernized teaching wants to tell them to stop or say “WALK” but it’s just what they do here. Kids fall down all the time, they bump into each other, they get hurt – but yet they hardly ever cry.
Chores
As well, when walking the halls you will not only see students running, but they are usually carrying a broom! That’s right; the students are in charge of cleaning the school. They all run around with little brooms, mops and dustpans. Many times I see them smacking each other with them, so I am not sure how much cleaning is actually being taken care of. As well, the students clean the teacher’s classroom. I had a bunch of garbage in my office when I first got here. I asked my teacher where I could take it and she responded… “Have the students take care of it for you.” It’s so different than back home. I mean, it is kind of nice I suppose… but asking a little 10 year old to take my garbage out to the dumpster - I guess I haven’t had the heart to do that yet.
Showing Love through "Violence" ?
This is probably the NUMBER ONE thing Cory and I first noticed in our school. The first week of teaching, Cory and I saw a boy lying on the floor while another boy kicked him in the ribs. Cory broke up the fight (between two 7 year olds) and one boy ran away! Cory went after him… but the boy just kept walking and would not listen. In our minds, it seemed very disrespectful. Right away, Cory told his co- teacher and she just laughed and said “they’re kids.” We were a little in shock… a 7 year old boy getting his ribs kicked – it sounded pretty serious to us… but no. You see, in Korea they tend to be a little more aggressive. I want to say the word ‘violent’ but I can’t because often times the person that is being “abused” is not crying – they are simply laughing! Often times you will see students that are friends just smacking each other! In one of my classes, 2 girls kept hitting each other the entire class period. They even took turns! “Okay hit me as hard as you can. Okay, now let me hit you.” – is what seemed like was going on. Or, a student will just come up to another and punch them in the back, head, kick them in the leg…the list goes on! Hitting in the States does not fly in schools but here it is okay. Plus, the teachers don’t do anything about because it’s just part of their culture. Even in bus terminals or out and about, you will see teenagers and young adults hitting each other. It’s like how they show love? I don’t know…something I don’t understand and also can not find myself getting used to.
Student/teacher relationship
This is VERY different compared to back in the States. I had a “freak out” moment the other day as one of my 6th grade boys walked into my very small office and shut the door behind him. Right away I thought, “okay this looks bad.” My thinking just went back to: You NEVER have a student alone with you, especially one of the opposite sex. Of course, nothing happened. He simply came in to see what I was doing on the computer and to talk to me in English. In Korea, students and teachers have a completely different relationship. Teachers are viewed in an extremely respectful way (even though it may not seem that way when teaching) but outside the classroom, students usually treat you with the utmost respect. It’s funny to see my worst students in the classroom giving me a complete half bow when they see me. As well, teachers will sometimes drive students somewhere, or walk with them places… it’s just not weird here.
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