Summer School for Smart Students....

When I was in elementary school, my school held summer school for those students who were behind in their academics. With all the cuts to education, I am not sure if this type of program still exists. In Korea, summer school still exists, but it is for a much different student population. The brightest and most gifted students attend summer classes for an additional two weeks. I had only ten classes over this two week period with all gifted students, with the exception of one class. The gifted students translated their attendance cover sheet for me and it roughly was labeled summer class for smart students. I did not ask my "low" class to translate their title for two reasons 1) there is not enough English comprehension on their part or Korean on my part to have that conversation 2) did I really want to know that their class was probably labeled as sumer class for students with no talent. I have tried extra hard with several students and have been informed by their classmates, in front of the student, "she has no talents." Anyway, this entry is becoming very serious and depressing and it suppose to be light-hearted and fun, so I will post a few of the students essays. These essays provide me with lots of laughs, but more importantly an insight into the thoughts and opinions of Korean middle school girls.

The first prompt was that the students are on strike and they are detailing their "negotiations" with the respective parties.

**There are several mispellings and use of wrong words....I am posting their essays as is with no corrections.**

To sister

From your sister re: the strike is on

Im not happy with how you are acting me. I wont be supplying you with many cookie. Before I go back to give cookie. I want to you to give me the following.

1. Don’t yell at me

2. don’t hit me

3. don’t tease me

4. don’t cry at next brother

I hope you like rice because you won’t be getting many cookie from me

Your older sister'

** Ree seester this reminds me of our pickle incident...bahahaha love you, your little seester*

To study room principal

From your student

Re the strike is on

I am not happy with how you’re make me studying. SO listen up. I m going on strike. Before I go back to studying. I want you to give me the following.

1. Don’t speak ill of abuse

2. Don’t hit us

3. Don’t talk be idle

4, Don’t stay of of this. This is none of your business.

* I think she is actually unhappy with abuse, because she is getting hit with the stick, but I think "don't talk be idle" is my new favorite saying, and I think she would like whoever to stay out of her business!*

** A few negotiations of a student to her mother.**

Don’t treat me as a silly girl

The freedom to wake up and sleep any time I like.

**I think her "don't treat me as a silly girl" is a really mature statement.

**The next is one a student wrote to herself, and like all of us she is of course her worse critic.**

To myself

From me

Im little worried with how I am spending times these days. SO listen up. Im going on strike. I wont let myself to become lazy and not good tempered. SO follow these

1. Write all the homework in your planner

2. Plan a day certainly and very careful

3. Always smile

4. Be positive

5. Think one more before you talk

6. I understand because Im sick these days and tired of busy vacation days but I hope myself to do the best I know Im trying well but I want myself to try just little more.

**This one is a few of the negotiations of a student to her English Academy. many of the girls go to Hyein Middle School until 5pm, and the straight to English Academy until 8 or 9pm.**

I don’t want to submit my cellphone: its my privacy

I want to eat in glass. I am a growing girl So I need to eat much hungry.

**Obv she meant class not glass, in Hangul the G and the C are often interchangeable.**

Another prompt: While digging in the dirt, I found an old lamp. I started to wipe off the dirt off, when, suddenly s genie appeared and promised to grant me three wishes.

Some of the following are whole essays while others are excerpts.

I thought very long time finally I said three wishes to genie. Well, one is I want to be a richman. I wish I would be a millionaire. Genie nodded his head and he said “You can say two wishes too. I know I know and another is everyone likes me, then I wish I could be superstar ha ha ha !!! Genie laughed at me, but I was very happy so I couldn’t see he laghed at me. The other is I wish I would be the most beautiful person in the world. But when I said last wish I wake up the dream. All is my dream, so I was vain.

**I love that she realizes she is very vain....lol**

I said “I wish I would go to BigBang’s house Genie said “wait…Hum…they are in Japan. I cant send you the other country sorry I said “hum then

**Obv this student never finished, but I love her sarcasm with the response of the Genie.**

One wish: Hum…I wish I would meet Jesus so I want to know my name write in life book if my name don’t write in this book I will live kindly and help poor people.

**This was interesting take of the Book Of Life, and that she needs to earn her spot by good deeds, but only if she hasn't made her way into the book yet.**

So I told Genie my wish. Ummm.. First, I wish if I could be magic.” Then I was be witch. And I made many things I wanted so long time. Genie asked me second wish. SO I toldhim, “Second wish If I would know my future. My wish is end. Thank you. 10 years later, as ever I can magic and see my future. But I comprehend my wish is foolish. I’m in pain I saw bad futures. So I find genie again and said “My last wish is here! Return me again. I comprehend commonness is true happieness. Then, I return again 10 years ago mine. I think it is real happieness.

** I do not know know if "commonness is happieness" is a Korean saying/belief or if she created this on her own. Either way, I think it is a beautiful concept, even if its extremely idealistic.

The Korean English teachers gave the students these prompts, and it was my duty to correct them. Ay! Ay! Ay! (in the words of Mrs. Dayadurham) I felt so bad making all those red marks. However, it was fun trying to decipher the meanings of many of their bizzare sentence structures.