My static electricity doll. One of the level 2 projects.

Every day during IP (Intensive Preschool) we have an hour devoted to various activities. These activities are meant to center on subjects other than English. I have been “teaching” “Science” for a month now, and will be continuing to do so in February. Why would I bother placing those words in quotations? Simple.

1. The material enables me to enable them to say, “Teacher fix. Teacher help. Teacher it won’t work. Teacher I can’t do. Teacher. Teacher. Teacher.” Classes usually end up with me crafting all the projects because they are generally too complex for the age group.
2. 3-7 year olds want to play with science, not understand what atoms or molecules are. Most of the time they don’t even have a basis for or large enough vocabulary to understand the vocabulary flash cards. These end up being unceremoniously dumped into the trash.
3. These projects are usually completed within the first 10-25 minutes of the class period. What do we do then? We color or complete word searches.

This isn’t meant to be a rant against science. I have always loved the subject and majored in one of the “soft sciences”, because I am not a lover of math. This is primarily about highlighting the disparities between the ages of my students, their English comprehension, motor skills, and the material provided. Project materials are broken up into monthly bags with level numbers. The problem is, I have found that my more knowledgeable students are given tasks that are too simplistic and my 5 year olds (essentially 3 in US standards) are given ones which are far more complex.

I have three levels of classes for my activity time; the majority of them are in the higher level IP classes. Two weeks ago, these older students put two pieces of circular cardboard together so they could see the phases of the moon during the course of 30 days. I kid you not that we all finished in the first 5-10 minutes of class. I even added some background on the phases of the moon, where and when we can see it, what colors it appears to be and asked them to find dates that aligned with a shape I drew on the board. 15-20 minutes of my hour? It was a long class.

Then last week, my tiny kids were supposed to learn about the diffusion of ink in warm and cold water. I’m sorry, what? These kids can’t even understand my English directions, let alone what they’re supposed to be learning about the project. I had to tell one boy over and over again to not drink the colored water. They were expected to use their own pipettes to insert colored water into another container and then put it into a cup of water. I did it myself since a few of them ended up chewing on the plastic and would likely have squirted their classmates given the opportunity. When the project was done, I had them all walk to the bathroom and repeated several times to put their water in the sink. I went with the little girl and took care of ours. I had to wait on the boys and when they came back, they still had their cups full of dyed water. Some even filled them up more. Cue the facepalm moment.

It was interesting to read about the differences between Boomers and GenMe, even if I did find myself caught between the two in regards to ideology. However, I did not need to read “The Age of Anxiety (and Depression, and Loneliness): Generation Stressed”, “Yeah, Right: The Belief That There’s No Point in Trying”, or “Sex: Generation Prude Meets Generation Crude”, which are chapters 4, 5, and 7 respectively. Chapter 4 made me more stressed than I had been before reading it. Chapter 5 urged me to make the decision to be an expat forever, and Chapter 7 made me realize I would rather be part of “Generation Prude” what with the horrifying implications of sexual expression in middle schoolers.

The one thing this book does well is provide food for thought and conversation that still concerns the youth of today, even if they are primarily the generation after GenMe or iGen. (The book was published in 2006.) Would I say you should go out and buy this book? No. If you do, buy it used. My advice would be to make copies of whatever chapters you may find relevant.

“Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled – and More Miserable Than Ever Before” by Jean M. Twenge is the next book on my shelf. I picked this book up at Barnes and Noble before I left Texas last summer. It was going to be an insight into my students and how I could better understand the kids who would be walking and clamoring into my classroom over the next couple of years. Now, it is likely to become a form of self-examination and comparison of American and Asian culture, but I’ll take what I can get. I’ve heard mixed reviews about the book and how it apparently drops off the face of the earth come the middle chapters, but I’m willing to give it a chance.

The first chapter is entitled “You Don’t Need Their Approval: The Decline of Social Rules”, and discusses the apparent decline in social values and expectations in today’s youth, specifically their lack of concern and respect of others and the social norms older generations have grown accustomed to. Rather than sharing a few quotes and how I relate to them, I’m just going to divulge my own experience as a member of the “Me Generation” or “iGen” and how I find myself more comfortable with traditional values.

Twenge mentions the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale toward the end of this first chapter, briefly describing how the scale measures a person’s need for social approval. She then tosses out a handful of statistics describing how scores have consistently decreased over the last several decades with the onset of individualism and the concept that “it doesn’t matter what people think”. My score was 14, landing me happily in the average range of this scale. To be honest, I wasn’t worried about the possibility of falling into the “needs social approval” category, because I know enough of about myself and have learned plenty from sociology and anthropology to know societies are going to be structured in a way that leads to certain expectations of conformity. Even now, with iGens flouting traditional rules, roles and identities, they are creating a larger circle of “non-conformists”. The younger generation is all about being the individual, being true to yourself, being happy and never letting anything determine who you should be or what you should do. I’m not saying I don’t agree with many of those points. I think a positive and optimistic attitude is one of the most important characteristics a person can have. I’m saying it’s silly for iGens to believe they are all unique for being unique. Yes, we are all different, all some variant of special, but we’re conforming to non-conformity and many of us are using that to project what I find to be a very negative and disrespectful attitude toward every other person who isn’t included in our generation.

I’ve been told on several occasions that I’m an “old soul”. I tend to agree with that notion. It’s likely some of my fellow iGens think me rather prudish, conservative, or old-fashioned. I’m okay with that, and have to credit and thank my parents for raising me in an environment where traditional values like honesty, manners and respect were prevalent and expected. I remember every lie I’ve ever told, and know lying makes me feel terrible, which is why I would rather tell the truth. I remember having a conversation with an ex about what was more important, being right or being honest. He said he would rather be right. I, on the other hand, would rather be honest. If being honest means I’m wrong in some choice or fashion and that results in lower pay, a poor grade or embarrassment, so be it. At the very least, I can go to sleep at night without fretting over falsehoods and know I’ve grown from the experience.

The old adage “honesty is the best policy” is something I adhere to as strongly as possible, but that doesn’t mean I have to be rude. I do think people should care about others’ feelings enough to know they should err on the side of politeness rather than blatantly telling a person the equivalent of “f*** off”. The fact that kids these days so openly swear in classes, talk back to adults and generally don’t care about what’s happening around them appalls me. I knew and cared enough about my surroundings to only curse when I was with friends outside of middle or high school. Never in front of my parents. There was an unspoken rule that you couldn’t swear in front of adults until you reached college. Then, you could swear like a sailor, just not in front of your mother. I will admit, sometimes that’s still a struggle for me.

I believe acknowledging the differences between generations is important and critical when interacting with them. It’s very likely that your boss is going to be from an older generation. If you want to keep that job and his or her respect, you better know how to act around them and desire their approval. That’s how it works. Sure, plenty of people don’t like working under a boss or administrative team, they do well striking out on their own and I’m sure any iGens they employ will be grateful for the laid back atmosphere. But, unless you’re incredibly driven and lucky, more than likely that’s not going to be your work environment for the majority of the time you’re employable. You have to be aware of your surroundings. I shouldn’t be surprised my mother keeps telling me this even though she knows my educational background, but it’s completely true and I must stress it as much as she does. Know your surroundings. You can only go so far by yourself. Humans are social creatures, while individualism is prized, I would say the most successful, if not happy, people are the ones who know when, where, and how to tailor their interactions with others. So yes, I think a measure of caring and the need to feel socially accepted would do the iGens some good.

Twenge also questions the future of the iGens and what will become of their children. I cannot speak for the entire generation, but I can see a future filled with infants who carry around the latest Apple product. This has already started to happen. To be quite honest, that terrifies me. Yes, technology is a great learning tool and resource. But what happened to getting messy and melting crayons in the car? (I’m sure my parents didn’t really appreciate that, but I’m sure they’d rather deal with melted wax than a broken iPad.) What happened to books kids could physically touch? What happened to recess? What happened to manners? I would like to say that my future children will not be getting a cell phone before high school. I would like to say they will know how to answer the phone, write thank you letters, wash their laundry, and value the outdoors. I would like to say they will know how to dress for a job interview, cook for themselves and address their elders. Until I have them, I cannot give an accurate answer as to what will happen. At the very least, I can say I would rather them be individuals with a traditional flair rather than individuals who are self-centered and disrespectful.

2012 – Challenges

1. I will read at least one book every month.  By the end of 2012, I will have read 12 books. This comes from the reading challenge at goodreads. How many books will you read this year?
2. I will blog every week, either here or in my travel blog.
3. I will endeavor to write 30,000 words for creative purposes in January. Based on how I progress with this particular challenge will determine the goals I set for the following months.
4. I will participate in and complete NanoWrimo 2012.

1. 1. 
      

   Yes, I will be teaching. Yes, I will be traveling. Yes, I will be undergoing TESOL certification. That is why these are challenges as opposed to resolutions. Every step is progress, regardless of whether the challenge is met or exceeded.  

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,700 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 45 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

• My class sizes will be small, exceptionally small when compared to American public schools. My largest class will be 10 students, and the smallest will be 4. I’m extremely excited about this because it enables the me to build better relationships with the kids, and I will be able better focus on their individual needs.
• All teachers share an office space. Rather than a teacher’s lounge where they gather during breaks, it is a workable office where the teachers can freely communicate with each other. We sit next to the other foreign teachers as well as the Korean co-teachers.
• Classes start promptly at 10:00 AM every day. I am not a morning person, so this is definitely going to spoil me for the year I’m teaching EFL. Several of my days will be ending late, specifically the MWF work schedule releasing at 7:00-7:30 PM. The nice thing is the classes seem to go by fairly quickly because of their size.
• In the morning until around 2:00 PM, we have the younger kids who would be considered pre-K and Kindergarten in America. Several of them have already had one or two years of English. After the younger students leave, the older ones filter in from their normal school schedule. To clarify, the older students will have already attended their public school and after-school curriculars before coming to their English classes. It’s extra school, but not remedial. These students are roughly 10-13 years old and are in the equivalent of American middle school.
• Bell chimes are cheerful. The bell rings every 40 minutes, and no one is ever scared to death or caught by some terrible surprise. I have worked in schools where I have dreaded the sound of the bell because it is either obnoxiously loud, long or insanely grating on the ears. The chimes at my school are a mini musical every period. They literally put a smile on my face every time I hear them. What better way to change classes?
• Teachers do not have a home room. We go to where the kids are. The classes are labeled as animals in alphabetical order: Alligator, Bear, Cat, etc. We go to whichever class we have next with the materials we need specifically for that class.
• Parents have a viewing room. I noticed that there is a room in the lobby that is completely filled with mini television screens. I had no idea what these were for until I found a camera in every room. At first, this was an intimidating factor, but I can see the perks of using these methods. Classes are not interrupted or distracted by visitors, the environmental integrity is kept intact, and issues that may have gone unnoticed by the teacher may be brought to light. We know and understand that we are being monitored, but it’s not in any way like “Big Brother is always watching!” We are informed if a parent wants to watch a class or if there are further actions that must be taken or corrected.
• The material is locked in and ready to use. This means writing lesson plans will be far easier than what I have come to expect. We write down which pages from which books we will be reading or working on and then turn it in. I kind of balked at that prospect, but the teaching material is all provided for us. The teacher’s handbook for every learning resource tells the teacher exactly what must be done and when.  The teacher is left with the task of providing engaging instruction, or not.  I have to remember that the majority of people who come teach EFL classes in Korea do not have an educational background. Of course they aren’t all going to have previous experience writing detailed lesson plans that address the specific needs of the students and expected educational standards. This does mean I’m going to be out of practice by the time I finish teaching here, so I will be needing some refreshment at some point.

You can purchase it on Amazon for roughly $12 in paperback, and $10 for the Kindle. The book includes an intro, seven chapters and an epilogue of sorts, with the addition of exercises after each chapter and in the back of the book. I was fine reading it on my own, but it’s easily converted to a group read if desired.

My posts cover the following chapters:
I. Introduction – Winner Always Quit
II. Chp. 1: Quit Taking a Ride… And Take the Wheel – Make Your Own Luck
III. Chp. 2: Quit Getting Comfortable… And Explore The Edge – Part 1, Part 2
IV. Chp. 4: Quit Managing Your Time… And Manage Your Attention – Procastinating
V. Chp. 5: Quit Showing Interest… And Commit – Being Committed Instead of Interested

Now, it’s time for me to quit dallying around on the computer and get to work packing for my flight to Korea tomorrow. The next time I post, I will be somewhere in South Korea. Until then.

Liz Dwyer brings in the point that the standardized tests are getting old, and what’s more, are no longer believed to portray an accurate representation of a student’s ability. I would like to say it’s about time this was recognized, but from my experience, teachers have known this has been an issue early on. The author makes a point to say that we should revise our assessment techniques so students are prepared for a 21st century education. When other countries have been looking at the holistic child rather than a single aspect of knowledge, capability or aptitude for years, it’s sad to see we are only now just thinking about following their example. It’s about time we catch up.

… a resolution without action – a written promise, a passionate commitment – is a waste of time. … Until action happens, there can be no follow-through. There’s always a first step, and it’s always the hardest one.

Every year around the holidays people start thinking about their New Year’s resolutions. I know I’m terrible at keeping resolutions made during that time frame so I started mine at the end of November. Could I do 30 Days of Healthy Habits? Now was the chance to see. I was doing very well up through the halfway mark (Dec. 14) and it has since taken a hit with the holidays and impending 13 hour flight to Korea. However, if I miss a day of working out, I work twice as hard the next day. I am determined to see this through even if the results don’t come as quickly as I might like. I document as much as I can, what I eat and how long I workout. It comes down to make choices, and holding myself accountable for the decisions I make throughout the day.

That said, I am no where near as dedicated to my writing. I have been hit with countless ideas of inspiration since I began blogging regularly, which is a start, but I have yet to put them down. Why? I’m still stuck halfway between inactive words and my interest. Once I manage using action words, commitment words and taking positive action, that should be solved. So what exactly are these words I’m talking about?

Your challenge is to consciously avoid using words that are strength killers, words that sap energy and commitment from your interactions, and ultimately, your actions. Eliminate these words and phrases from your vocabulary:
I can’t, If, Doubt, Try, I don’t think, I don’t have the time, Maybe, I’m afraid of, I don’t believe, It’s impossible.

But omitting these negative words is not enough. A sports team needs more than just a good defense to win; it also needs a strong offense, so you must also mobilize your own offensive assault with the words you choose. Build positive mental connections, personal strength, and commitment by using the language of commitment:
I can, I will, Expect the best, Commit, I know, I will make the time, Positively, I am confident, I do believe, All things are possible.

Remember:
1. Worry forestalls commitment.
2. Action conquers worry.
3. Words affect actions.
4. Writing down the goal opens the gate to action.
5. Commitment with passion overcomes all obstacles.