Teacher! No red!

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I teach a class of 5th and 6th graders. There are three students in my class and I must admit, they are my favorite students. They speak English very well and make me laugh with their cute Korean personalities. I'm often introduced to card magic tricks (that are so blatantly obvious, you must play ignorant), to Korean translations of words such as ladybug (mundangbeole), and to their laughter when I attempt to say anything in Korean.


This past Monday I was collecting their homework books and noticed that their names were not on the front of their books. Grabbing some markers so they could write their name, I hand Jerry a red marker to use. A shocked expression overcomes him along with some dramatic head shaking and the following conversation takes place:

Jerry: "Teacher! No red!"
Grace: "No red? Why?"
J: "Teacher.... (insert facial expression of him trying to figure out how to tell me in English)... red is not good."
G: Okay, no red. But why? What's wrong with red?"
J: "Teacher, red mean die."
G: "Huh?"
J: "Teacher, name in red mean not alive.... mean dead."
G: "Ohhhh! If your name's written in red it means you have died?"
J: "Yes, teacher!"
G: "Oh! Well, let's not use this red marker then, huh?"
(Insert children laughing)


It was one of the most educational Korean-customary lesson I've received thus far. All thanks to my favorite 11 year olds.

Alex, Jerry, and Christin

 

 

 

Decorating cookies for their parents