A couple of months ago, I decided one very important lesson I wanted to teach all my chicldren was how to actually GREET people properly.
I would frequently arrive in class, ask individual students 'how are you' only to hear responses such as 'I'm fine', 'I'm happy' or my favorite Korean invention 'I'm so so', which I have learned should REALLY translate into 'I'm okay'.
What stuck out the most, was the impoliteness of their responses.
And so, I wrote 1, 2, 3 on the board and explained to them that when they are asked this question, there are THREE parts in the answer:
1 - your state of being (okay, well I didn't write THAT on the board as it would have really flew over their heads)
2 - a recognition that something nice was asked of you (ie THANK YOU. Or THANKS. or THANKS VERY MUCH. Or even the Korean THANKS VERY MUCHY)
3 - do unto others..(in other words, ASK THE QUESTION BACK. The variations included HOW ABOUT YOU? or repetitively HOW ARE YOU? or simply AND YOU?)
As as teacher, I think most days you feel like you might as well be talking to drying paint. That the only way something might sink in is if you actually carved it into the paint before it dried.
But today, I've been proven wrong. TWICE.
I saw two students today whom I no longer teach but are still at my school.
And in my most courteous Canadian way, I simply asked them how they were.
Do you know what happened without missing a beat?
They both finished their greeting with number 2 AND 3.
Success. Changing conversations two students at a time.
I would frequently arrive in class, ask individual students 'how are you' only to hear responses such as 'I'm fine', 'I'm happy' or my favorite Korean invention 'I'm so so', which I have learned should REALLY translate into 'I'm okay'.
What stuck out the most, was the impoliteness of their responses.
And so, I wrote 1, 2, 3 on the board and explained to them that when they are asked this question, there are THREE parts in the answer:
1 - your state of being (okay, well I didn't write THAT on the board as it would have really flew over their heads)
2 - a recognition that something nice was asked of you (ie THANK YOU. Or THANKS. or THANKS VERY MUCH. Or even the Korean THANKS VERY MUCHY)
3 - do unto others..(in other words, ASK THE QUESTION BACK. The variations included HOW ABOUT YOU? or repetitively HOW ARE YOU? or simply AND YOU?)
As as teacher, I think most days you feel like you might as well be talking to drying paint. That the only way something might sink in is if you actually carved it into the paint before it dried.
But today, I've been proven wrong. TWICE.
I saw two students today whom I no longer teach but are still at my school.
And in my most courteous Canadian way, I simply asked them how they were.
Do you know what happened without missing a beat?
They both finished their greeting with number 2 AND 3.
Success. Changing conversations two students at a time.
Comments
me: Hello (insert name) how are you today?
student: i'mfinethankyouteacherhowareyou?
me: i'mfinethankyou(insert name here)howareyou?
student gives me befuddled stares.