Last week of school...annyong, Gumjeong Elementary!

Last week, classes finished for the semester at my school, and I had to say goodbye to my 420 students. So, we had a party in all 14 classes, with snacks, games and songs and it was a great end to a great school year. I forced each class (with the exception of one) to smile for a picture, just to prove to you all that I do in fact teach over 400 Korean children every week!

During my goodbye party week, I received an overwhelming amount of presents and letters from my students. One student built me a model of my classroom, another student gave me a korean flag, and I got a lot of tacky but cute jewelery. Also got a lot of interesting food including chicken, cake, starbuck's latte's, aloe juice, dried squid, and more. But the most touching things I received were the letters, telling me how much I will be missed and how I have helped improve my students English. That is the ultimate pay-off I was hoping for with all of my hard work this semester.





Although I didn't always realize it, looking back I think that having my own classes was the best thing to happen to me in Korea. Though it was hard, as well as above and beyond the call of duty of a native english teacher, I know that it was the greatest experience I could have had. It really was invaluable. If I had continued co-teaching all year, I never would have formed the relationships I have with my students that have caused them to be so sad over my leaving. I never would have known how good it feels to succeed in motivating and teaching students. I never would have realized that teaching is the most rewarding job in the world if you go at it with passion and honest effort. So, as much as I want to say how unfair it was and how my school took advantage of me, the truth is that they KNEW I could do it and it was really a gift.