Tuesday and Thursday's are brutal. From 9:30am-12:30pm I teach two sections of English III aka English class for people who have "studied" English for three years yet have no interest in being in class and have no idea what is going on. My first section has grown on me. They are cute and my lady-boy Nanzy does a fabulous of job of keeping everyone laughing. The second section is consistently the worst hour and a half imaginable. People saunter in 45 minutes late. Nobody says a word, the boys all where sunglasses and talk on the phone and I slowly loose my mind. I usually keep it together but yesterday things fell spectacularly to pieces.
It got to the point where I slammed the book shut and yelled something to the effect of, "This is not working, what is wrong with you people?" They look frightened. I then had them each write me a note telling me what they want to learn in class and what will make them participate more. What I received back are notes that could only be written in Thailand. Equipped with drawings of smiley faces, thumbs ups, flowers, hearts, dogs and cats playing on rainbows. Even from the boys.
A few samples:
"I want game and funny joke. Happy."
"I don't want. everyday it very happy but I don't know about Grammar and I don't spek Eng."
"I like you very much. But you speak quickly. I can't understand sometime. I think you is teacher very good. I love you."
"You have to speak clearly and slowly because I cannot catch your word and I want to play a game more because we will feel happy. We want to join in a group work. I love your smile. Thank you. Have a wonderfullday. love you!!!!! You re so lovely."
"You are good teacher but sometime I don't understand you because you speak quickly. I hope you see pleas you speak slowly next hours."
I guess the consensus is that I "speak quickly." I will do my best to remedy that. It's also hard to hate them when they tell me I have a nice smile.
Smiley face, thumbs up, peace sign, sticking my tongue out.
Hang in there. You have nice smiles.
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