Peanut Butter and Paper Hats

So, here's how you know you have a problem with procrastination:
1.) You are sitting in front of your computer with your work files open.
2.) The documents in question are minimized, and you are typing a new blog.
3.) You are eating peanut butter out of the jar with a plastic spoon.
4.) Steps 1, 2, and 3 are overshadowed by the fact that "Red vs. Blue" is playing on the screen.
5.) You're teaching yourself how to fold a paper hat from a piece of newspaper for your "How To" Speech lessons next week.

"I probably could have saved a lot of time by telling you these things worked by magic."

Yup. My name is Marcie, and I have a problem.

Earlier today, I went to Tongjin with Randy - he's the English teacher from Canada. Tongjin is the very small town near where we live (about five minutes away) and reminicsent of Hogyedong. We went to the post office, got coffee, walked around, ate gamjatang, and then picked up some groceries at the Lotte Supermarket ... hence, where I got the peanut butter (mmm, creamy Skippy).

I've got a rough plan of my Winter Camp classes ... but, really? I feel like this is going to be subject to change. Oh well. Next week, I'm going to start doing speeches with the kids. I think it'll be "How-to" speeches ... you know, demonstrations. I spent a prep period typing up a ton of topics ... I'm going to mix 'em up in a box or something and let each kid pick one. They'll have to do a little research, and create a visual aid, and then present to the class. We'll see how that works. I think it'll be great with my 2-2 and 2-4 classes. I think half of 2-3 will dig it. But most of 2-1 and half of 2-3 ... aigooo. Oh well. Five out of eight isn't bad, I guess.

What else have I done? Well, yesterday, I did some of my TEFL homework. Oh, and I watched "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" (and yes, I could FEEL my brain cells dying while watching that). Today, I watched "Pride and Prejudice" - the Keira Knightley one. I looove Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy.

Oh, so Winter Camp - I want my Winter Camp to be presentation-based. I'm trying to create a lot of two-day lessons (Winter Camp is 2 weeks long, so it's 10 classes), where we introduce the topic on the first day, give the rest of the class period for working, and then present on the second day. That's my intention, at least. So far, I have topics like advertising where we talk about what makes a good advertisement, why people use it, etc ... and then I give them a random object (like a set or chopsticks or a plastic plate) and they have to come up with an original use for it and try to sell the product to the rest of the class ... advertising will kind of segue into movies and promotions like that where they have to create an ad to market a movie (either a real movie or a made up one) ... maybe talk about music, and then they will have to analyze and then perform a song ... what about poetry? They ARE middle school students, after all, but I think they could become interested in poetry, and then write and recite something ... or maybe, act it out. Basically, I want to get them SPEAKING in front of their classmates. That's my goal. Oh, and of course the first day will be getting to know each other, going over classroom expectations, blah blah blah. I'm thinking of having them make their own rules. Oh, and a game day. I dunno. Let me know if you have any suggestions. Maybe I could make them do speeches, too.

I would rather just teach TOEFL for two weeks straight.

Oh well. Again. Any suggestions are more than welcome. :)

Okay. Time for me to go to bed. I promise I'll stop eating the peanut butter from the jar. :) Loves ...

Oh, and PS - my student, Min-Jung, who I mentioned earlier was preparing for an interview? Yeah ... she got it. :)