I've kind of been a failure at blogging lately, and want to try to get back into the habit, so here goes.. a short blurb about the last week and a half!
I am currently in the midst of my second week of teaching in the new semester. This year, I have first and second grade (7th and 8th grade) students, rather than first and third like last term. I actually had a lot of apprehension going into this new semester-- mainly because, after getting off to a VERY rocky start last time, I had finally found a rhythm that allowed me to enjoy the second half of the past semester... so I REALLY feared breaking that and having to go back to feeling the way I did in the beginning. Because it was definitely not fun.
Fortunately, though, starting off this new semester has been a completely different story. Work still holds plenty of challenges for sure, but I am getting a lot more joy out of my job, and am feeling much more confident in the classroom. This time around, I knew what to expect and was prepared, which has made quite a difference. In addition, I am no longer phased when informed of schedule changes the day-of, and I no longer beat myself up for things that I can't control. And I can't overstate just how much more bearable my work life is because of these mindset shifts!
I am coming to really embrace the fact that, in spite of the challenges, there is a lot to be thankful for in working for a Korean public school. For one thing, it is a very stable position, and I don't have to worry about the possibility of my school shutting down-- a very real fear for many working in hagwons here. I am also kind of a rock star to the students, who simply love me for being the only foreign face among them-- and while it's definitely strange and can be pretty annoying at times, it's also often something that- on most days- I can harness and use to my advantage. Plus, working in this system, I rarely have to worry about grading and am generally given ample time for lesson planning while at work. I can usually get about a week or a week and a half's use out of one lesson for each grade and ability level that I teach, and that gives me a lot of freedom and flexibility, both at work and in life in general. Teaching here definitely does not consume my time the way that it can for teachers at home.
All in all, working as an ESL teacher in Korea, despite some of the unique challenges, is not a heavy load to bear. It leaves me a ample room in my life to explore, learn and grow through my time here, and that is something for which I am truly grateful.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment