teacher! come on!

Here is a random shot of Kiyeong in one of his favorite spots, trying to tempt me to come play with him. I almost always give in...even though today I really just felt tired and didn't want to, I just can't say no. We ended up playing baseball with a taekwondo practice thingy for a bat and a little stuffed anime creature for a ball. Both boys got really into it--they thought it was hilarious when I tagged them out and were so proud of themselves whenever they got a "home run" (our name for a run of any kind). They didn't quite understand all the rules and thought I had some magical system (3 outs) of determining whose turn it was to hit. I can not tell you how weird it is to be considered good at throwing (they think I am wicked skilled) and sort of feel like I'm deceiving them in some way.

Today was a good day school-wise too. I got to teach kindergarten! The kindergarteners at our school get their own cool little wing. There are about fifty of them, nominally split into two classes (I think they mostly do things as a whole or in lots of random small groups, with 3 teachers working together). They have several rooms that are further split by furniture and bookshelves into an assortment of tiny rooms and passages and nooks...there is even (oddly) a little kitchen in one of the rooms). The whole wing is very bright with lots of murals, colorful kindergarten-sized furniture, tons of books, and toys. It's all really cute and fun and makes me wish I was a Korean kindergarten teacher. None of the 3 teachers spoke any English, so I was unsure of what they expected me to do...but we learned how to say "hello" and "hi" and sang and it was really great. I also finally got to teach my favorite 5-2 (we missed the last two classes together because of a 4th-5th-6th grade trivia contest and a school holiday) and they were so wonderful. When I am teaching them, 2-2, 4-1, or either of the 3rd grade classes, I think I want to be a teacher forever...although when I'm teaching 2-3 or 6-1 I can't imagine how I'm going to make it through the year.