Winter Camp 2012 Wraps Up

Wow! Camp has come and gone in what feels like the blink of an eye. However, I can say I'm pleased with that reality. Camp this time around (compared to last summer) was a bit easier. I think it is because I had the higher level class, although at times they started to test me.

I found that it was good to get the book done and play review games and other silly activities with them. They seemed to like it most when I was less serious about things and delved into their creativity. I recall on the lesson about "The Emergency Room" I got into a thing about the number, "119". I told them that Korea copied America because we have "911". From here on one student started to boldly lecture me about how America copied Korea. I then proceeded to tell him how Korean people wouldn't even have a telephone to use that number with, if it weren't for Americans inventing it. This led to one student telling me that Steve Jobs is Korean and that he invented the phone. I corrected him that Steve Jobs is not Korean but did invent the iPhone.

That was a fun moment.

Otherwise, the open class went pretty smoothly. At my school parents come to view the students give presentations. Throughout camp the kids work on a role-play and make crafts. So I had them present their role-plays and crafts to the parents. Some kids were ultra shy and at the golden time refused to come up. It was a little strange as in class they were very energetic.

During the open class I didn't make much eye-contact with the parents. To be honest these folks still scare me a little and I know they are judging me, even if they don't officially have to do it. But I compensated this by speaking and asking the presenting students a lot of questions.

These kids have truly grown up a lot since the first day they arrived, and I am really proud of them. After the open class the kids go down for a closing ceremony in the auditorium. Here each group shouts a chant that has been designed by their camp teacher. One of the low-level groups did a really good job giving a great chant. I watched as one of the very lowest of the kids stood up enthusiastically and shouted out English with a huge smile. I think this school does a good job with teaching English, in this respect.

Well that's camp! Now I have one week off for the Lunar New Year. What am I going to do? Oh yes....lesson plan. ><