Day 468: Another Disaster

What a day! What an emotional rollercoaster!

I was already stressed out beyond belief over today's Open Class with the parents (remember when I was crucified at the stake by the parents of Parrots: Season 1 last September?) but my idiotic comment last night made me feel doubly worse. To help make up for my poor behaviour I really needed to have a kick ass Open Class today.

Unfortunately, the Parrots: Season 2 had other things in store...

Despite doing two 'dry-runs' before the Open Class began, the Parrots turned into little shits the moment their parents arrived. Actually for the most part 9 of them were quite good (including tempermental Judy), but 3 of them helped to fuck things up royally. My kids are normally quite well-behaved actually, but they all went more than a little squirly when all the moms came into the room. Especially Roy, Eric, and Danny. The three of them were sitting together, and Roy decided that it would be way more fun to be as silly as he could than to listen to me. He didn't want to do a damn thing on his work sheet, and instead proceeded to scribble and make funny noises and stab his pencil case over and over. Eric and Danny naturally thought this was absolutely hilarious and so their laughter helped to encourage Roy even more. Trying to rein in Roy, without looking too strict or making too big a deal and thereby risking embarrassing his mother proved to be an impossible effort in balancing.

The class ended after what seemed an eternity and I just know it must've looked awful. The moms left without saying much and I had such a pit in my stomach. I was so angry and upset. I felt like my kids had sabotaged me and had purposely tried to make me look like a terribly incapable teacher, but for Christ's sake they're only 5 so I know that's not possible. Or is it...?

I went to lunch and felt sick. On the way back to POLY I actually lost my lunch on the sidewalk. I felt that horrible. After last night's fuck up with Tim and today's Open Class disaster, I feel like my goose is cooked at POLY. Thank god I'm leaving in just over a month, cause otherwise I'm sure I'd be fired.

Well this was how I felt until afternoon prep time came along. And then suddenly everything changed. Sonya came by to see me later and actually reported that the moms felt that the Open Class was good. The only mother who was upset was Roy's, and she was mad at him for his behaviour, not me. Whew! What a load taken off! I sure as hell didn't see that coming, but then again Korean moms are about as predictable as leaky explosives.

Riding that wave of encouragement I went into Tim's office to apologize. And, another surprise - he was totally fine. He just laughed it off and said not to worry, that he knows the staff is stressed these days and that it didn't mean anything. Oh man, hearing that made me feel soooooo much better! I'm so thankful he doesn't hate me!

What a long and fucking emotionally draining day (I can mostly blame myself for feeling that way though!) What I need is a nice long break! Like five months backpacking across Asia would be nice... ;-)