I did attend the grade 6 graduation. Upon entering the venue where all the students sat in their caps and gowns, the 6-4 girls called out “Ah Abigail Teacher!!”. I waved back and made my way to S to see if there was anything I needed to do but was intercepted by a gaggle of grade 4 girls. One clung to my arm like a koala while they other two excitedly told me their older sisters were graduating. Several other grade 3 and 4 kiddos were there to see their siblings graduate and the resemblances were uncanny. I pointed out Seungkwan Jr to H. “Oh, you mean Kyungmin?” Once she…

Final Week of Fall Semester This is the first week I’ve sat more than I’ve stood and my back is answering for it. I’m wondering how I’ll survive the next three weeks of desk warming. 3-4 also declined class today so H and I had a long discussion about come versus go in Korean. It ended again with H saying I needed to stay at this elementary school for another year (she’d return for the last half of it) and saying I need a Korean boo. “Where should I meet him?” “Um maybe in the street?” “Should I make business cards with my phone number that say ‘date me’?” “That’s…

Final Week of Fall Semester Sometimes I am disturbed by the sass and awareness of Jaekyung, the grade 3 girl who wrote me a note. It’s hard to remember she’s just ten when she looks at me and shakes her head at the antics of her less mature classmates. Thursday will be my last class with grade 3, except for 3-2 whose homeroom teacher has decided to keep them to herself that day. We closed out today by having them present their self introductions. H helped me explain why “I like cat” is wrong, “I like a cat” is grammatically correct but used for a single, specific cat, and why…

In the morning I bought adorable macaroons from a kind woman who was very patient when I forgot how to count past five. At this point I’m well versed in Chinese-Korean numbers since my kids and coworkers seem to discuss money often. However, I’m much less adept at Native Korean numbers since I rarely order more than “five” things. (And don’t let Koreans say their two number systems are like English counting and ordinal numbers. Korean has Chinese-Korean numbers, Native Korean numbers, AND ordinal numbers.) After a visit to the gym and my mandu man I took the unfamiliar but beautiful red line bus to Nana’s house. A group of…

Dear grade 6, Good riddan—I mean, goodbye! You were terrible to the end. The girls of 6-2 raised overall points by crowding my desk to chat in addition to Seonghwa and two boys of 6-4. Now, the rest of you? Climbing through windows, jumping on desks, fist fighting in the back of class. I know you kept shouting “Mission Impossible!” but that doesn’t give you a pass. It’s also the most English I’ve ever heard you speak. All I can say is, I guess get it all out now because the misery of preparation for the Korean college entrance exam is now upon you. Byeeee.

Guitar teacher played me an UNO reverse card and knocked on the classroom door after school to give me chocolate. “For giving me candy last week.” We could play this game in escalation until I walk away with a car. This morning I stepped on the back of Strong Girl’s shoe to make her trip. She turned around in the sea of students to shout 누구냐! But quickly amended to “aha teacher!” I am twelve. I will see more of her posse since the principal decided to change around winter camp, again, so I’ll have a few more fifth graders than expected. S asked me if that was okay, as…

I forgot to add that my fourth graders always request my “neck dance” when I play them this YouTube clip. I can move my head independently of my neck like a chicken which they find amazing. “Abigail teacher, do the thing!” S and the subject teachers had a special strategizing tea time (I declined the invitation) in which they schemed which grade to request for next year to maximize chances of success. Each year elementary public school teachers must reapply for their desired position. Subject teaching grants you few points so S has little bargaining room. However, few teachers want to be the homeroom teacher to grade 1 (too young),…

Quick live update from grade 3: When I sing Into The Unknown from Frozen 2 I have a chorus of echoing AaaAAAaaaaa from down the hallway. Magical. Also Frozen 2 was great. We stan snow queens who leave their traditional lives behind to live in the woods and ride snow horses.