Spring Spring Spring

Spring has finally arrived in Korea!  The cherry blossoms have come and gone, but the leaves have are all out on the trees now. It’s the latest spring I’ve seen in my four years in the ROK.  Hopefully I find myself among the mountains this weekend or next.  I started slow working on the masters but have really dug in over the last week.   I’m surprised by how much work is involved for just a part time program. I can hardly imagine what it would be like to do all this full time.  My head would probably bust open.

It isn’t the first time I’ve done work by distance, my last three years of university were spent studying half & half by distance and on campus.  The big difference between then and now is that I had little assignments which helped keep me honest.  There was a certain amount of work to be covered to pass the assignments and I had to get it done.  Now there is just one paper, to be passed in at the end, and my entire course will depend on it.  I’ve written up a study schedule and already I’m behind my intended targets.

I’m not going to be too hard on myself over that though.  After all, I haven’t been a student for quite some time now.  some growing pains are to be expected. I’m working to catch up on things over the course of this week and next, and now I’ve found a local place where I can work free from disruption and distraction.  That will help matters greatly.  I can’t work alone with Gizmo in the apt.  He cries to come into the room where I study.  Then he starts biting and scratching in order to get me to play with him.  Lucky for him he’s so cute!

I got some very welcome news at work last friday, namely I’ve banked a SH** load of pension last year.  It’s the first real good job news of the year.  I’ve acclimated to my middle school set up this year, the new teacher has taken over the lesson planning and has me proof reading.  I think the lessons are a still too teacher centered and some of our activities lack a clear focus but it’s not my place to tell someone who’s already got his masters how to do the job.  At one of my elementary schools I had a meeting with my partner teacher today.

I’ve been complaining a fair bit about that situation and decided it was time to try and do something about it.  I was hoping to exchange him for the various  home-room teachers associated with each grade.  Given that he’s been distracted with his new work duties this year I thought he might actually go for it.  Unfortunately no.  So I spoke to him again later, explained that I understood about his schedule and new responsibilities. How they mean he is very busy and that I can do 2 of the classes on my own, but,  I really need him there for the other class, which is the biggest I teach at that school and also has a special needs student whom I am not equipped nor trained to deal with.  The biggest thing about the meeting was to let him know I was having difficulty with the teaching situation at the school.  I guess we’ll see over the coming weeks how things turn out.