Magic Weapon

I have been in Korea now teaching for over 4 months (WHAT?! where does time go!)... And far from being an expert teacher, I have learned tricks - had bad classes and good, and discovered many ways of filling those extra 10 or 15 (or 30 - hahaha) extra minutes at the end of the class...

Lately I have discovered a new magic weapon. My super-duper interesting life ;) I have a little book of photographs from home - some from when I was younger, some of my house, some of my family, some of different places in Canada, and some of me playing rugby and baseball. I whip that out when I run out of things to do.. "Want to see teacher playing baseball? Want to see teacher's cat?"

In one of my afternoon classes I have all the smart kids that I taught in kindergarten until they graduated a month ago. Anyways the last few classes I've found myself off on some WILD tangents from the material we're supposed to be studying (which sucks anyways, so I don't feel bad). Like talking about the diets of elephant seals and sea lions. Or today, talking about all the different kinds of rays I've seen scuba diving and the different types of sharks - and the ones I've swam with. The other day, the kids sat silently as I regailed them with tails of how my brother and I used to play "car crash" in the living room - sitting across the carpet from one another, smashing toy cars into each other - the kids even had me draw the toy cars we'd play with on the board. (What?!)

I've promised this class I'll bring them pictures of my trip to the Galapagos as well to show them. So anyways, this is my new magic weapon. I figure it is interesting to them because it is so far removed from their lives. I don't know - but anyways, keeps me... and them occupied!