Sore sinus Thursday

Just a quick one today - I'm tired and have a sinus headache :(

1) I made a strawberry banana coconut smoothie. It was yummy.

2) I'm making a new dish for dinner - chicken kiev. Not sure it's going to work, but it should taste good :)

3) All the spring flowers are out. It looks lovely.

4) I got to level 44 on StarWars.

5) I read a really good article today about how to use student choice in the classroom. It was very interesting.

P.S. Here is my dinner :)

First bash the chicken out.

Then add garlic butter and roasted capsicum.

Wrap and refrigerated for an hour. The fry, seam side down first.

Looks delicious.

Yummy middle!

Researching Wednesday

As I work on this article about student choice, I've been lead to a lot of academic work on fostering student autonomy, and how supporting learners autonomy has a number of positive outcomes like increased motivation and engagement, but also a bunch of other stuff, such as students being happier about doing the work, feeling more fulfilled, a growing more as people. Interestingly, I can relate this not only to my own classroom, but myself in my job. Things that suppress autonomy (which means doing things of your own accord, because you want to and feeling like you have the power and skills to do things on your own) are a lack of genuine feedback, forced tasks that have no discernible reason or value, and intruding on tasks with unwanted correction or 'help'. Clearly, the biggest one for me is the forced tasks with no value (or even any outcome as far as I can tell, half the time). So, I think a lot of my dissatisfaction with my job stems from me feeling like I have no control, and very few tasks that are personally relevant or of any value to me. Well, I didn't need to do research to tell me that, but it is interesting.

Also, since I started doing the reading and writing, I've noticed I've been feeling much happier in general. My day feels a little bit more worthwhile. I think this is because I'm doing something which will yield results and that is interesting to me, relevant to my career, and should have a usable result (an article to try to get published). Even if all I do is write a bad article that no one wants anything to do with, at least I learned that the 'doing' is of value for it's own sake :)

One article I read said: "When students feel that teachers support their autonomy they are likely to value the task and experience positive feelings toward it". I'd say this is true for any number of situations, not just teacher-student.. I know my favourite jobs have been the ones where my employers trusted me to get the job done, provided support, but mostly trusted me and left me alone. In fact, I've enjoyed all but two of my jobs (out of 9-ish) and those were the two that included make-work for no reason, excessive monitoring and control, and no opportunities to take responsibility for myself. Interesting.

So, can a worker - stuck and unmotivated - in one of these non-autonomy supporting jobs, find a way to foster their own autonomy? Can a student? If I was one of these blogging gurus with a website anyone actually read, perhaps I'd come up with some nifty 10-step plan for it :-D Haha, but I'm not. But I've maybe (even just temporarily) fixed my own.

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Anyway, no teaching again. By the end of this week it will be a month since I taught properly. Well, I did get to teach one full Wednesday last week, but other than that, nothing. I still have to be at work though, for a full eight hours. Even when all the other teachers get to leave at lunch, I still have to be there, at my desk. Weird system, but whatever. Holidays in July! And, only two weeks of summer camp! I taught six in winter, so that's a lot less planning for me to do :)

You know, it's gone past 'warm' now, and is definitely into 'hot'. My apartment was apparently 25 degrees inside this morning. Won't be long before the air-con comes on. I love it. However, many Korean people are still wearing jackets, and EVERYONE is still in pants, socks, and shoes. And hardly anyone opens the window on the bus. It's like they are resistant to the heat. I swear, it's somewhere around 30 today, and my co-teacher is still in full pants, socks, long-sleeved shirt and blazer. I'd die! I'm in a t-shirt, skirt, and sandals. In fact, I've just read that it can be considered suggestive for a woman not to cover her feet, so a lot of women in Korea will wear socks right through summer. Well, I'm all for cultural sensitivity, but bugger that. I'm gonna let my suggestive feet show.

Ok, today's five things:

1) Getting lots of reading done and feeling inspired by it.

2) Mastering the sinus rinse technique.

3) Boneless fish fillets for lunch - really yummy, along with a tasty omelette. 

4) Sun sun sun!

5) I went to the market on the way home and got two big things of strawberries for $4! They're only a bit squishy in places. I'm freezing them to make smoothies with! Also, I just (hopefully didn't break) my blender making almond butter. It's like peanut butter, only made from almonds. And WOW, I don't think I can go back to peanuts now - it's soooooo good!

Holiday dates Tuesday

Another lovely warm day, though a bit overcast today. Again, a desk day for me, but I do have after-school class this afternoon. We did a lesson on zombies last week, so this week we're watching part of the movie 'I am Legend', and then doing a worksheet and talking about it. I'm also planning on doing a questionnaire about what the kids want to learn, and talking to them about some different things we can do in class, if they want to. I'm hoping it goes well - a lot of the time when I try to talk to them about doing anything differently they don't understand at all.

Big news! I've got my holiday dates! At long last, Mr B. came through for me and got it all sorted. He even managed to score me two extra days. My contract says the principal can give me five extra days, but Mr B. reckons that's only if the school is REALLY rural, like on a tiny island or something. That was fine, but then he said I could have two days instead. He told me about six times 'just two days, not five'. I was like, yeah, I can hear you. I'm totally happy with two more - I could have none! So, my holiday dates are from the 25th of July to the 5th of August - twelve days that include my birthday. Pretty darn likely that Brook will be here for my birthday - kind of awesome!

Because today is a late start (and finish) day for me, I got to play some StarWars this morning. I'm totally getting back into it, though the server my main character is on is not very populated at the times I play, so I'm basically playing a single player game online. I'm really enjoying it, though. I also made another awesome smoothie in my new blender. I think it's really going to come into its own when summer really arrives and I can make ice-cold smoothies from frozen fruit. Yummy! I'm really into oranges at the moment.

I've been working on my research all day, but I'm going to stop now. My head feels really spacey - I think from the blocked sinuses. I read four articles this morning and got some good references, and wrote a couple of hundred words of my own. A few hundred a day and I'll have it done in a few weeks. At the moment I'm leaning towards writing more of a practical 'five steps to implementing student choice in your classroom' sort of thing right now, rather than something hardcore academic. I think this suits my situation and aspirations better for now. I'm enjoying thinking about things :)

So, today's five:

1) Got my holiday dates - very happy about this (it also means that my dealing with Mr B can go back to minimal = much less ranting from me).

2) I'm delivering my rabbit into Seoul on Saturday, and I'm going to do some summer clothes shopping in Myeongdong for the day.

3) Mmmm, smoothie.

4) Lunch today was roast pork with a salty/spicy sauce on the side. I love the roast pork - it's so simple and tasty. And not covered in goop made of goodness knows what.

5) Turns out my after school class has been cancelled this week. And I only found out when I went to ask where my students were 5 minutes into class time. Haha, excellent communication there. Oh well, I just left and came home early. I'll have to do my needs analysis next week.

Bought a blender Monday

I had a really nice weekend again, but I felt too sick and tired to go to the baseball on Sunday :( This virus is STILL kicking my butt. On Saturday I skyped Jenni, then met up with Courtney, Nyasha, and Nyasha's workmate Casey (a guy) to go to the mall, have some ice cream, and then we went to Suwon, did some window shopping and went to a very nice wine bar in the evening. I had to go home about 11, though, as my cold was revving back up. Sunday I skyped Mum and Dad, did grocery shopping, etc. It was so good to catch up with everyone over the weekend - Mum, Dad, Jenni, and Brook! Really nice.

No teaching again today, but I have made progress with other things. First thing I went and asked Mr B about my holidays. He was super vague, and indicated they'd be sometime at the end of July. I asked if he'd asked the principal about the 5 extra days and he said he find out by tomorrow. I told him I REALLY need to know, and he seemed to understand. So, tomorrow I'm going to go to him with my work schedule sheet and ask him to confirm dates. He won't, but I'll keep going to him until he does. May is my month of getting stuff done.

In this vein, I've decided to try and write something to get published. Not sure at the moment *where* exactly this publishing will take place, but hopefully some ESL magazine or journal will take my work. So, this morning I started researching for an article on motivating/empowering students using choice, like giving them some control over the class so they like it more and stuff. Haha, I say this in a flasher way in the actual article. I've planned out what I want to get done each week, so that in about a month's time I should be finishing it up and submitting it. Academic writing, it seems, is something like riding a bike :)

Because of my cold, however, I've got a serious case of brain fog. My sinuses are so blocked it feels like a big pressure build up inside my head, which is not really helping me digest the first scholarly articles I've read in over a year :) I am very much enjoying exploring new ideas though, and I'm really looking forward to producing something with my down time - something that may even help my career. Win-Win!

Also, I may have found someone to adopt Kyle! I'm taking her into Seoul on Saturday to meet the guy. Hopefully he doesn't pull out and I'll have gotten her a nice new home. I just don't get rabbits. I think that animals that urinate in their own food supply are probably not the kind of pet I'm looking for.

So, five things:

1) I'm reading academic articles about classroom motivation and enjoying it.

2) I've found a productive way to spend some of my at work down time.

3) Sunny weather with a warm breeze - makes me happy.

4) There's been progress on the holiday dates - even a vague estimate is better than nothing.

5) Lunch today was yummy. They do this amazingly smotth baked egg thing with black sesame seeds in it. I took two squares :)

BONUS!

6) I went to E-Mart after work to buy some salt, and on a whim decided to see how much blenders were. I got one for $20! I got home and immediately blended up a frozen banana and an orange - wow! So yummy! The blender is really cute too, just a one person sized thing. I'm happy with it.

Also, I bought a sauce bottle. You know, the plastic squeeze kind with a nozzle? Well, I want to do some sinus drainage, and had to get salty water up my nose. Who needs a fancy tool when I can just squirt it up with a sauce bottle? :-D

Fish Bone Friday

Again, no teaching for me. Yet another day at my desk with nothing to do. So far I've caught up on every blog and message board I visit, done some research, and am now reading some more of 'Good Calories, Bad Calories', which is still very interesting, but is so intense I have to read it in small bits. It really should be re-titled  'Carbohydrates don't seem to be very good for you', or 'Too much insulin is pretty bad news'. It sure sounds like eating carbohydrates (other than those in fruit and vegetables) is, for the most part, really not good for your body, mostly due to the effects of on-going raised insulin levels. Looks like that causes no end of problems. Which is good to know! And I'm finding it easier and easier not to eat them :) I haven't eaten a processed carb food (on purpose - school lunch is suspect, but I'm too lazy to pack lunch each day when it's put in front of me) for maybe over a week. I'm not counting dark chocolate, which I am really starting to enjoy.

Today's school lunch was fish, which I am learning to be able to take the bones out of. I don't think I managed totally today, though, because I feel like I maybe have one stuck way down in my throat. It hurts when I swallow, anyway, and feels swollen. Not sure what to do about it, or even if it is a fish bone.

Today is also the day my co-teacher said he'd have my holidays sorted out by, but no sign of it. I'm going to start e-mailing him so I have a record, just in case I have to ask an outside source for help (like GEPIK of the MOE or something). So, this afternoon I'm going to write him a polite email reminding him that I need to know my holiday dates soon, and that if he doesn't sort it out himself I'm going to write a letter to the principal :) Not to tell on him or get him in trouble or anything, just to ask about my holidays.

Today's 5 things:

1) I got up and out the door fast enough to catch the early bus, which means I get to go home early today :)

2) It's Friday! Yay for the weekend.

3) I wore my Carebears t-shirt to work. It makes me happy.

4) It is nice and sunny again and I lay in the sun at lunch time.

5) Only 2.5 hours of boredom left until home time.

Fire Drill Thursday

I'm back at my desk all day for the next week or so :( Testing is coming up and Mr B. insists on teaching all the classes alone. Luckily, I went to class and was having a chat with the students before he came and kicked me out. I asked why all the classes had been moved forward today, and they managed to tell me it was something to do with fire safety and that they had to listen to a long talk about fire safety or something. It's REALLY good I happened to ask, because at exactly 2pm all the sirens started going off and all the students started running around a leaving the building. Mr B. never thought to tell me not to worry about all the noise and sirens (and they must be doing something outside because it smells funny (like fireworks?). If the kids hadn't told me, I would have thought North Korea was attacking of something! I could have been really scared. It's official, Mr B is a dickhead. So, now there's been loud sirens, the teachers office smells like fireworks, and their broadcasting the fire safety talk through the whole school, so all I can hear is a whole lot of Korean and smell chemicals. Not the best afternoon ever. 

Seriously, did he not think to tell me? I'm kind of starting to actually move towards hating the man. And, I don't even get to take part in the fire drill, which sucks for two reasons, 1) it's nice and sunny outside and it'd be nice to escape my desk and hangout out there for half and hour, and 2) I have no idea what to do if there actually was a fire. Unlikely, the building is all brick and stone, but still. This job sucks donkey balls.

Anyway, in the spirit of my 'five things' goal (today's going to be a tough one though):

1) Sun! Seriously, I am not made for winter.

2) I think I'm starting to look different, and I'm pretty sure my tight pants are fitting better.

3) I bought some chicken bits at E-Mart yesterday and I'm going to roast them with lemon and garlic for dinner.

4) I had a fantastic dinner out with Courtney last night. We went to the 'nice' galbi place and it was so, so good! Had a really good time talking to her too, she's such a nice person :)

5) The fire drill is finally over, and I can hear myself think again! As I wrote that one of the nice ladies in the office came and told me 'fire fighting training - alarm - you scared?'. I said thanks, but I was ok, the kids had told me it was going to happen. Um, a little too late yeah, lady? 

Open Class Wednesday

I just finished teaching the open class. No parents came at all, but three of the other Korean teachers were there for most of the lesson. They also decided at the last minute to video it all. Wow, thanks for asking if it's ok to tape me. Haha. I don't actually mind, but it's not nice to record someone at work without at least telling them. Anyway, the lesson went really well, the kids were great and it was actually a lot of fun. I doubt I'll ever get any feedback, but it was an enjoyable lesson. And Mr B. was very helpful and actually acted like a competent co-teacher. Which makes me think he does actually know how to co-teach, he's just really lazy. Which is sort of worse than not knowing.

The weather today is really crappy. It's cool and rainy, and overcast. Not cold though, so that's ok :) I wore nice clothes to work today, in honour of the open class (thought I'd better make some effort) and all the kids noticed and told me I looked pretty and beautiful. I also wore my hair down for the first time in ages and they all told me I had a small face (which is a complement over here). What suck-ups :D

I went to dinner with Courtney, Nyasha, and Nyasha's workmates last night, for duk-galbi. It's chicken and cabbage cooked in a spicy sauce at your table. It's not my favourite Korean thing, but it was a nice night. Nyasha was aghast at the fact that I'd never watched an Aerosmith music video (I'd probably be familiar with their most famous songs, but I couldn't name any of them). I don't think she actually believed me that I didn't know them. I mean, I know they're a rock band thing, but I really don't know anything about a bunch of those famous bands - The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, etc. I don't like their music at all. Haha, apparently I'm culturally stunted now :) Probably like how I felt when I met a girl who'd never seen any of the StarWars movies! But then, Nyasha said she didn't think Ricky Gervaise was at all funny, and I realised we're from different planets :D Seriously, anyone who doesn't find Ricky Gervaise both hilarious and intelligent thinks about things very differently from me! Mum gets it :)

At lunch today I accidentally ate the anti-christ of the type of food I'm trying to eat. I'm going no grains, no sugar, no vegetable/grain oils. Well, at lunch there was this unidentified fried thing. I thought it was a meat dumpling. I'm still trying to live without too much trouble, so I compromise a lot with the school lunches, so I took it even though it was fried and battered. I figured it was meat and meat is good. Haha, how wrong I was. It was a deepfried super sweetened battered bean paste ball. I am glad I tried it because now I don't feel like I missed out, but next time I'll give it a miss. So super sweet, and pasty. The kids went crazy over them. I probably would have too, at their age. Now I feel old :-D

Ok, today's five things:

1) I'm going out for dinner again tonight, to the 'nice' bbq place. Yum.

2) Open class went well.

3) I've gotten to teach (partially) 5 classes today! What a record!

4) Only an hour and a half until home time.

5) I have a small face :)