Open Class = LOTS of work and LOTS of stress

Within the first 3 days of working at Yangjeong Elementary and maybe even the first day, I was told about an Open Class that I would teach with Yang Ja Yeun in October.  I honestly didn't understand what an open class was but I knew it was important.  The Open Class that we were to teach was for a competition that had started earlier in the school year.  She did well in the first round and therefore would have a second open class this October and this time I would join her.  My basic understanding was that an open class was an observation but this one would be done by someone other than a principal or vice-principal since it was for a competition.  Yang Ja Yeun asked my opinion of what I thought would be good for teaching.  She tried hard to incorporate me into the planning.  However, I had never taught English as foreign language and was definitely trying to get my bearings during this time.  She had to submit her lesson plan on September 13th.  That was a Friday and it was the end of the first week that I taught any kind of English class that was not a form of introduction about myself.  I was definitely still new to this kind of teaching and unfortunately was unable to help with the planning.

From there it was time to begin making the materials.  The materials needs to be well done and we needed many more than we typically used in class.  Also during class we usually have the book on a powerpoint and use that to read together with students.  For the Open Class we had to make a big book.  In my own a opinion, the powerpoint is better because its larger and easier for all students to see.  But a big book is what was expected.  Each class we start with greetings and asking about the weather, day and date.  For the Open class we only asked about the day and we had the day on magnets as well as a picture of the sun to put on the board as students answered our questions.  The title of the lesson was also printed and bordered with color paper to put on the board instead of simply writing it on the board. It was to be a big show basically.

There was a lot of work to prepare for this class.  The week prior to the Open Class I did not teach my 5th and 6th grade classes because we had several additional 4th grade classes.  The class that was going to do the Open Class with us had more than all others as we prepared them for the activities that we would do and made sure they understood all aspects of the lesson.  By the time of the Open Class, the students had done all of the activities multiple times and they chant that they "made" during our class was set, almost memorized, and had motions.  Obviously not something they put together in the 3 minutes given to them during the lesson.  The week of the Open Class I also didn't teach 5th and 6th grade.  In addition to bringing in class 4-4 for additional classes to prepare for the activities in the Open Class we had other 4th grade classes come in and we did the lesson for the Open Class with them while our Head English teacher observed and gave us feedback.  

About a month before the Open Class, I also learned that we would have 2 Open Classes.  About 3 weeks prior to the Open Class, I learned that our second Open Class was open to the principal, vice-principal, parents, and all teachers in Busan.  I also learned that on that day the head English teacher and the 3rd/4th grad English teacher would also have Open Classes at the same time.  At first I thought our second Open Class would be the same lesson but with different students.  Then I was told it was the same students but different lesson and finally found out it was the same lesson and the same students.  At least that meant we didn't have to prepare 1 Open Classes!

My biggest concern of the Open Classes was making sure to do a good job for my co-teacher.  She had put a lot of effort and many long nights at work preparing for this Open Class. I didn't want to be the reason that the class did not go well.  The more we did the Open Class for our head English teacher the more I became the assistant with little teaching in the class.  At first, I felt like that meant I wasn't doing a good job, but then I realized that meant less that I could mess up on and I was definitely okay on that. I just wanted it to be a success for my co-teacher and if that I meant I did very little teaching that was okay with me.

On the day of the Open Class, the students of class 4-4 came in a class early to work on some last minute parts of the lesson.  They were also there so we could start promptly with the lesson.  It worked out fine.  I think overall it went alright.  I didn't get a lot of feedback on it so I'm not really sure but I think it was okay.  The first one was for the competition and was on Wednesday.  On Thursday, the students had their midterm exams.  Then on Friday we had our second Open Class and the Head English teacher and the 3rd/4th grade English teacher also had their Open Class.  They would all be at the same time.  I felt a lot more comfortable during this Open Class.  There were many teachers there.  There were at least 35 possibly even over 40 teachers hanging out in the back of our classroom.  There were other teachers that floated in and out and some that just went to one of the other classes.   

The only feedback I got about that Open Class was that there were too many teachers that came!  As soon as it was over, the English library where we were teaching was changed into a place for a meeting.  I had no clue there was a meeting after the Open Classes.   At first I was told I didn't have to be in the hour long meeting where they would talk about the Open Classes and then told I had to be there because we would have to give comments about our Open Class.  Then I was told that I didn't have to be there and then I did and then I didn't and then I did.  Finally, the Head English teacher asked the principal and he said no.  So thankfully, I had an hour to rest in the English office.

After the meeting, the English teachers were all in the English office talking and then we were told the principal wanted to see us.  At the end of that meeting I was told that I needed to clear my schedule for Monday because the principal wanted to take us to a dinner.  Ten minutes later it was changed to that night.  Surprise!

Oh this stressed me out!  Navigating the culture in this setting and with the principal present was not something I was excited about.  I was mostly nervous because I know Korean is a drinking culture and that there would most likely only be alcoholic drinks served.  I wasn't sure how to say that I didn't drink without offending the principal.  I also was very concerned about what we would be eating.  I eat Korean for lunch each day at school and I don't really like it.  I didn't want to be so picky and offend them by not eating much.  

The dinner went pretty well.  I was sitting across from the principal and that concerned me.  I also only offered beer or soju (an alcoholic drink) and so I had the principal pour me some beer and then when the toasts were done, I simply pretended to drink it and didn't actually touch it at all.  Thankfully, it is part of Korean culture to turn away and cover your mouth when drinking in front of a supervisor like a principal.  That helped me just pretend to drink it :)  As for the food it was really good.  It was a Korean  BBQ.  I thought we were going to have pork but instead we had steak pieces.  The principal took time to show me how to eat it in the Korean style and so I ate it that way.  It had a lot of garlic but it was really good.  I didn't eat many sides but that is okay.  Oh and this was very much a traditional meal where we sat on the floor and took our shoes off at the door.  The main thing is I survived the dinner.  It was a couple of stressful weeks that included a cold.  I was so thankful for them to be over with but it is also part of the culture that is incredible to be able to experience and learn from.