::A Geek in Korea::

Today we had to make "cards" for fake parties the students wanted to have. I told them it could be a real party, like for their birthday, or a party of their own creation. I gave them construction paper, some ideas, and let them do whatever they wanted.

For an example, I made my own card. On the outside, it read "Fun Party!" with lots of balloons and fun images. On the inside it said, "Just kidding! Time to study! Homework party!" It was inspired by this comic. I used this example to detail the different things needed to complete an invitation. Then the students could write their own without me needed to watch over them to make sure they included the date, time, place and everything else.

I told them to make up whatever they wanted as a reason to have a party. This particular class has bad spelling, so I was always adding things to the word bank of vocabulary we had on the board. They would shout out a word, in English or Korean, and I would write it up on the board for them if I knew what they were talking about.

One girl wanted to have a "monster" party, where people would get killed. I told her she probably wouldn’t get anyone to come to her party. Another boy said he was going to have a "beer" party. I told him he’d be showing these cards to his father, and he quickly changed it to as "water and juice" party. He even had to change his pictures.

Another girl wanted to write she was hosting a "Beautiful and Hot" party, but instead ended up writing she had a "Butterfly and Hat" party. It could still be fun, I guess. Her twin sister asked me how to spell "sausage". Despite the name, in Korea, children eat horrid tasting cheese "sausages" that are sold without refrigeration at shops. I told her how to spell the word, then came back to check on what she was writing. She told everyone to come to her "Sausage Party" after math class. People should supply their own sausages. I was too kind to explain to her that the word "sausage party" has a slightly different meaning at times.

I liked the fact that the children were willing to be silly and still do their work and practice their English. Not everything has to be serious as long as they continue to study.