As I have mentioned before, the parents in this country are crazy for education. The school where I teach is of the afternoon variety, which means that students go to their normal schools all day before getting their 3-hour dose of English from me. They are typically here twice a week, but go to a variety of other hogwons, or extra-curricular academies such as mine. English, math, science, orchestra--their structured learning does not cease when they exit their primary school.
Their mothers extend that pressure onto us, the teachers. I was not two weeks into school before a few mothers complained that I wasnt giving enough homework. A week after that, the complaint was that I didnt call on their student enough. Now, in my defense, they have the same complaints for every teacher, and the complaints come in the same order during the same weeks of the semester. It is as though there is some secret parent meeting where they decide what they are going to do next. (and for the record, I assign the same homework as everyone else and I call on every student).
Anyway, the most recent complaint is one that, I must say, took me by surprise. A parent called saying that her child is coming home from school and using the word like too much. As I am an American, they had to have learned this from me.
I admit that I do inadvertently insert this word into inappropriate locations in my everyday speech. However, I try very hard not to use casual language in my classroom. Furthermore, I have these students one day a week. I scarcely think that is enough time to pick up on my bad habits. Nevertheless, my boss mentioned that I may want to pay attention to such "trash language" in the future. I agree, and Im trying.
At the same time, though, I kind of like knowing that theres actually someone paying attention.
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