The kids are alright

...not really, they are amazing!

It's been over two weeks now that I said goodbye to arguably my highlight of being a teacher in Vietnam, I had to bid my 192 Grade one and two students fair well, sad day. I have for the most part of my year and half been teaching at language center, where I mostly taught adults on week nights and kids on Saturday. This was fun for the most part, mixed in with so 'not so fun' at times.

I started teaching in the public schools around January and my regret is not having done that sooner. I'll be honest teaching young kids is not every teachers cup of tea, I hardly knew I would get so into it. However, getting paid to sing songs and help color, hoping my English native accent will rub of on the kiddies was well worth it.

I had the joy of having to teach, and I quote from the textbook, things like:

"Please don't wink"
"Do jumping jacks"
"Plant a tree"
"Take off your cap...quickly quickly"
"Please don't whistle"
"Can you play the violin?"
"I love cucumbers... yum yum yum"
"Bounce the basketball"
"Pick up the clock...slowly"
"Touch the starfish"

And the word Iguana and Umpire... so my kids can't ask what your favorite color is but they can say the word Iguana?!

All these random lines where set to annoyingly catchy tunes so I'm yet to go a day without at least one song being stuck in my head. The fun part of course comes when you and kids work together to add moves to the songs and ta-da there is half your lesson gone.

The great thing about teaching public school kids as opposed to language center kids is the fact that they absolutely looove coming to English class. I can completely understand why too. Think about how excited you would be about going to extra English lessons on your weekend? But think about excited you would be if there was a part of your school day filled with songs and a teacher that would do just about anything to amuse you??

The first 5 minutes of class, usually after I receive a good amount of hugs, playful punches and pictures would include a routine of doing Kung Fu Panda and Ben 10 moves, followed by the Macarena and then the alphabet song (because you know I was actually teaching a language). Not going to be doing much of that in my next job, but more on that later.

I must add that teaching would not be half as pleasant were it not for the help of the teachers assistant, a teacher that can help with the translation when needed and discipline more needed. Having not to be strict while trying to be the best teacher ever helps a lot. Only problem is that if there's a lesson without a TA it's near impossible to convince the kids that discipline means more fun, just not going to happen.

I was convinced as a kid that my teachers had favorites, ... but now being a teacher myself I simply know that it was true. My favorites where usually the trouble makers, how unfair is that.

My students amused me every single day I taught them, let it be said, there is no such thing as a dull day when you're teaching these kids. Yes yes I know it's easy for me to say that now, weeks after having to wake up early and be energetic before I was even fully awake. After all that I only have good memories of teaching young kids.

Let me end with this, before I get way too carried away, teaching these kids will forever be one of my favorite memories of Vietnam.