Hansel And Gretel

In case you're ever left doubting the effectiveness of your lesson plans, just ask your students:

"What's the weather today?"

If they answer, "It's Friday!" you know.

If it's Monday, well, you can be certain.

You'd think this answer, so early on a Monday morning, would cause me to lose all hope in my students. But I persevere, knowing they'll catch up. Because in this country, hard work and long hours is the status quo.

Think about the US and how, at the end of the day, school buses take students home.

In Korea, they take students to other schools.

So each day at 2:30, the bell rings and children run excitedly to the buses like little Hansels and Gretels running ignorantly into the oven.

"There's no candy in the bus! But there's no candy in the..."

Slam. Lock.

Their work ethic is ineffable. The only way it could be given proper justice is if it were given a rhyme scheme and set to the tune of "I'm a Woman."

Well I get up at 8 and start the day by studying before class. I study Korean, science and history. And then I study math. I do my homework 'til midnight and then play computer games 'till I win. I wake up at 8 and wash my face and then start all over again. (jazz fingers) 'Cause I'm Korean. K.O.R.E.A.N.

...Whatever. I thought it was funny.

So in the midst of breaking up a fight one day, I come upon a complaint that I feel is uniquely Korean:

"Stop fighting!" I say. "Why did you hit her?!"

"I said I already know this and I want to learn something more. So she called me a jackass and hit me."

Ah, the old I-want-to-learn-more complaint.

My co-teacher interjects. "You want to learn more?"

Uh-oh.

"Yes."

"Something different?"

"Yes."

"Something new?"

I sense a trap Hansel, I sense a trap...

"Yes."

She smiles.

"Then you can learn consideration."