Your Daily Gem.

There are an overwhelming amount of young boys at our school with the name Jack.  I know it's a catchy name and it's probably one of the most popular when it comes to movies and folk tales.

We've got Jack in the Box, Jack and the beanstalk, Jack (and Jill), that nimble Jack with the candlesticks, Jack the ripper, Jack Frost, Jack Dawson from Titanic, Captain Jack Sparrow, Jack Kerouac, Jack Johnson, Jack Black, Jack Bauer, even Jack Russell terriors...

Jack can also be found in various compound words and phrases.  Jackknife, Jackpot, Jackhammer, Jack-O-Lantern, hiJACK.  The list goes on and on.  It's no wonder our Korean co-teacher had to make up nicknames for the 3 Jacks in her class.

There's Jack K1 and Jack K2- aptly named because both of them have Kim as their surname.  She also exclaimed, "I call the other one Jack S!"  The teacher's room immediately fell silent and I think someone dropped their chopsticks. 

We slowly looked at Anna and I carefully asked the obvious question.  "Anna, do you really call him jackass?"

Your Daily Gem.

Much to my dismay I no longer teach Andy, Isaac and Jenny.  Their absence is a direct correlation to my lack of recent daily gems.  Luckily my co-teacher Claire has been picking up the slack.  She recently gave us this gem.

While sitting in class. 

Andy:  Teacher, I have a great idea.

Claire:  What's your idea Andy?

Andy:  Umm... I don't have leprosy. 

He then looks at the other student in class and says, "Don't worry Isaac.  You don't have leprosy either." 

Your Daily Gem.

Annie: Teacher, give me stickers.

Me: Tell me why I should give you stickers.

Annie:  You are very smart.  You are as smart as Einstein... but not as smart as me.

Your Daily Gem.

"Teacher, your face is very pretty... but your hair is very messy."

This is coming from the same kid that told me I must not have children.  He might be on to something.

Your Daily Gem.

Chapter 6 of our science book is about growth.  Today we were talking about the transitions one makes from a baby to adulthood.  Andy thought it would be appropriate to give me this piece of advice...

"Teacher, you must not have babies because babies eat and poop and poop and eat and poop and poop and poop.  It's very smelly."

Thank you Andy.  I'll keep that in mind.

Your Daily Gem.

Got this gem from fellow Pohang Hagwon teacher, Kristina S...

"I was teaching the verb "go". When asking the students to form a sentence with he, she, it, etc....Sergio (the quietest, sweetest, tiniest boy in the class) calmly, and with a straight face says, "He goes to hell," and glances at the naughtiest, meanest, most annoying boy in class. I couldn't stop laughing. The delivery was impeccable."

Your Daily Gem.

Today in my class of seven year olds we were discussing the differences between fact and fiction. After describing what fiction meant, the students were asked if various movies and books were fact or fiction. The text book listed The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Helen Keller, The Three Little Pigs, and A Diary of Anne Frank. When I asked little Jenny if A Diary of Anne Frank was fiction she replied with,

"No teacher. It is not fiction. It is fact because Anne is girl who lived in upper house safe from bad men. She write diary and diary's name is Hello Kitty."

You have to admit, she was pret-ty close. 

Your Daily Gem.

My 2nd graders today...

Me: Louis, where were you last week?

Louis: Teacher, I go China for play.

Tara: Teacher! I go Japan!

Jack: Teacher, I kill people.

Your Daily Gem.

So Landis and I co-teach a few classes together. One of my favorite classes includes three students named Jenny, Isaac and Andy. They're only 6 or 7 years old but they are bright kids. As I was walking by their classroom today, (I'm their 1st teacher and Landis is their 2nd) Landis popped out and told me about their most recent conversation. It went like this...

Jenny: Landis teacher, you are a boy.

Landis: I am not a boy! Isaac, do you think I'm a boy?

Isaac: No teacher.

Landis: Andy, do you think I'm a boy?

Andy: No teacher, you're not a boy. You have titties.

Jenny: You have big titties!

Apparently Jenny then began to draw an anatomically correct picture of Landis. Sans shirt. Those kids love to keep things interesting.