Admiration

Hey, this is Brett.

As a teacher every now and then you have the pleasure of teaching a class that is all those things that you wish for, respectful, humorous, hard working and friendly.

There is one class at Yale whom I have had the privilege of teaching since I arrived in Korea. They are called Admire, and are a third grade middle school class which makes them about 15 years old. They are also among the top level students at Yale.

When I began teaching them they were a class of lifeless, soul destroyed teenagers. They were overcome by the pressures of the Korean education system and the fact that it was 9pm, they had been in school all day and were now expected to read and answer comprehension questions on American history. The material they were working on was equivalent to what a grade ten student would be studying back home. For fun they got to read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which although amusing to English speakers, contains so many nonsensical words, that it was almost impossible for them to comprehend.

I knew I had to do something. My first goal was to get rid of their current text books, and then to introduce some more interactive activities and conversations. It did not take long for these students to start to come out of their shells. I started to see their hidden personalities that were laying below the surface. Week by week they became more open, happier and more talkative.

As a reward for finishing our absolutely horrible reading comprehension book we held a Monopoly party. Completely against school policy, this turned out to be the most successful lesson I have ever taught. I modified the rules so that if they spoke Korean I could fine them! For 45 minutes these students were actively speaking English in a real life context, and enjoyed every minute of it.



These days, I laugh more during their class than at any other time throughout the week. These kids make me laugh more than anything. They tell jokes and banter with each other in English. They tease me and I give it back to them. Their wit is quick and clever and they are not too proud to joke about themselves if it means getting a laugh from the rest of us.

I cannot take credit for their ability, they have done that on their own, and they are amazing. They are who they are, and who they are is awesome! I am proud that I was able see past their tired eyes and create an environment in which they could be themselves and enjoy learning.