Who said “I love me”?
I had my last “genius class” of the term, this evening. “Genius class” is a Konglishism for something that would be described in the US as a gifted program, maybe. The classes aren’t held at my school, Hongnong, but rather at the county office of education in scenic and happenin’ downtown Yeonggwang. Working for this office is the closest I have ever come, in my life, to existing inside a Kafka novel. It’s almost pure non-communication.
For example, I found out that I had to give a final test, tonight, because someone at the office sent a text message last week – not to me, but to someone who used to work at that office but that happened work at Hongnong Elementary. That’s the only communication ever received by me about the fact that I had to give a final exam. That’s just one example.
Anyway, I made a final exam, and gave it this evening. Despite the unadulterated bureaucratic horrors of working for the office, and the fact that the kids don’t really seem all that gifted to me, I found myself thinking that I’ll miss the kids. I always end up getting nostalgic, for the kids.
One of the kids is a girl named Ye-jin. She wrote a really terrible test. Her English seems almost non-existent. But she drew a picture on the back. Here it is.
The picture made a big impression on me. The thing that was striking to me about it was that it portrays me as seeming so overconfident, almost arrogant. I know I come off that way, to others. It conceals deep insecurities, of course. My student attributed to me thoughts such as “I love me!” (twice) and “Peoples are love me!”
Actually, I think it’s not just OK, but probably important to convey a very strong sense of self confidence when teaching kids – and as this picture reveals, apparently, I do exactly that. But it’s all a front, of course. I’m a deeply insecure person.
Nevertheless: “I like monkey.”
