VENUS CLASS

The new school year has officially begun but it’s been a bit of a rocky start. With a ton of new Korean managers and new foreign staff it has become a whirlwind of confusion around the office. Typically how it works is you have a lesson plan and the books and tools you need to teach your classes, and any problems or questions that arise you just direct to your Korean manager of that class. Well about 80% of the managers on my class list are NEW Korean staff,  so they are lost most the time. Talk about feeling like you’re on a sinking ship with the only one with a paddle……this has been my main frustration this week. I have been praying for extra patience and hoping things just fall into place since no one is helping me put things in any particular order.

Nevertheless, I have a younger Kinder class, which has given me 7 new babies that are only 5 years old. One of the little girls is soooo stylin, and then there are a few girls who are very shy and then 2 boys who are not.   

They all have their talents, quirks, and challenging moments but I have come to realize I am back in full on preschool mode. I’m talking about the little kid statements that I haven’t heard since I left my last job;  “I did poo poo, help me teacher!”, and “I miss Mommy” with tears welling up in their eyes. One child even cried because he couldn’t find the toy he was playing with the previous day! I have truly had to remind myself of the way these codependent children behave, and become that kind of teacher again.  They are all precious though and I know I will soon fall in love with each one of them.

It officially felt like I was their teacher today as I was given artwork on origami paper! That sealed it for me….and I heard an “I love you teacher.”  I also had a few children not want to leave class today, which made me feel like I was doing pretty good muddling through the chaos of the first week of class. We stood in line and chanted our “VENUS CLASS” song, and then walked with our buddies down the hall. I got big hugs and a few kisses too and then waved goodbye. 

Every day as Kinder ends my old Kinder class returns to school for their new elementary “Big Kid” class. I can’t help but feel with every one of my old children that runs up the stairs that I miss my old mischievous 8 year olds, but I am so proud of them moving up to the next level. I often feel like a celebrity as I hear “MS.NIIIIIKKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIII” being screamed down the hallways and they run up to me and give me hugs! EJ, one of the kids that probably loves me the most from my old class, runs up to me every time screaming at the top of her lungs “MS.NIKKI” and then lunges into my arms! I am filled with so much happiness every time I see my kids, asking them if they did well on their spelling tests and how they like their new teachers. I even walked a few of them out to the bus today after class because I wanted a few moments with those familiar faces. They might be big kids now, but they will always be my babies in my eyes. 

Another reason I can rest easy about my old Kinders moving on and up with their lives is that an important prayer was answered. The child I was worried about, who has special needs and gets in trouble with Korean Teachers all the time because of his behavior, has one of my closest friends here at LCI as his teacher. She is so patient, strict, but so incredibly loving and this child will not suffer undue consequences because of his genetic makeup. She will fight for him and love him just like I did. An answered prayer to say the least. 

So here we go, new kids in, old kids moving on…..let’s hope Ms.Nikki can do a good job with these seven.