The Class From a Demon Pit

Sadie and I are now in Yangzhong, Jiangsu China teaching at our school. We teach 7th and 8th graders together. She has half the 7th grade and half the 8th and I take the other halves. It seems like they lump the kids in classes based on their brains and personalities. It always happens that one class is full of well behaved smart kids and another class is full of demons disguised as middle school students who can't understand the lesson every other class does. Too harsh?

I walk into my fourth and final class for the day to applause and girls crowding me to ask me what my name is, how old I am, if I have a boyfriend, etc and boys walking behind me to see if they are as tall as me. Typical. Then, Class starts and I begin to introduce myself when a ruler goes flying from one side of the room to another. Shocked. A few minutes later after a lecture on not throwing things at other people, while I'm in mid-sentence, a girl in the front row throws a paper airplane across the room at someone. I'm thinking this class can't get worse. You think I'd be smart enough to never think that because it did. The next thing I know, one kid causes another to fall off his chair, another student hits the person next to her, while someone else is yelling across the room to someone while I'm talking. I actually felt like I was in a movie. Things are always over-dramatized there. Or at least I thought that until now! Then, their teacher walks past the window and into the class and immediately, like someone pushed a button that turned them into angels, they were silent. That is until he left a minute later. It's a good thing I've had classes like this before (not as bad, of course) or I'd probably have run out crying. It's also a good thing I know it's not personal. Of course, they got a good talking to.

Twice.

And by some miracle, I got them to be quiet for the last ten minutes of the class. SUPER TEACHER AWARD! But in all honesty, I can't help but love them even though the were being demonesque. These kids are surely going through a lot since being 14 isn't exactly easy and they are in school nearly 12 hours of the day 5 days a week. I think they are allowed to be crazy sometimes.

When things like this happen, you really have to just laugh about it. I mean, the girl threw a paper airplane at someone RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE! I have to admit that girl deserves some points for bravery. It's just Foreign Teacher syndrome. The symptom is a false belief that the foreign teacher doesn't care when people throw paper airplanes or chairs or rulers at people. But don't worry. I'm up for the challenge and I will find the cure! I'm determined to make this class one of the best.

Seventh graders are my favorite! They are so sweet and we have a lot of fun in class together. There is something magical about being a teacher in a class where you can learn and laugh together. You feel connected to each other even though all you know is their favorite color. If I didn't have some crazy classes like the demon class, I wouldn't know how to appreciate my angel classes. So the demon class is a good thing. :)

Okay, now for some pictures of our apartment!!! Sadie's room is not included since she was sleeping when I took these. But it's just a mirror image of mine so it's not necessary. Also, Chinese TV is the best.