Day: November 5, 2012

"I love you," my student announced, looking up at me. Koreans – or, at least, a subset of Koreans – will be much more demonstrative and free with these kinds of expressions than typical Americans. I've had many students, male and female, come straight out and say "I love you" in this way. This isn't just about having limited English – they will just as easily say 사랑해요 to a Korean teacher in Korean. I've heard it, many times. Korean teachers will use it with their students, too.

Sometimes, it's utterly random. Other times, from students, it means something akin to, "I didn't do my homework" – it's an effort to preempt teacher wrath or anger. In any event, it's more common with elementary students than middle schoolers. But this was a middle schooler who goes by the English nickname of Kelly. Generally, when Kelly says this, she means "I didn't do my homework."

"Teacher is soooo handsome," she added. She must have a lot of undone homework to apologize for, I speculated. But I hammed it up.

I put my hand on my chin in a kind of stereotyped Korean pop-star pose. Several kids laughed. And then Kelly broke her run of compliments. As if awakening from a bad dream, she shook her head, and announced, "Oh my god. But teacher is sooo old!"

Gee. Thanks.