Moonshine Graduation

On Saturday, November 13 2010, my Godmother's kindergarten (Moonshine) held their graduation ceremony in East London. Aunty Bonita (Bonz) asked me to be the Graduation Mistress so I had to walk the little graduates in, cap them and give them their certificates. I went to the rehearsal on Friday morning, but nothing prepared me for what I saw on Saturday evening. The little people were dressed up in graduation gowns and caps looking so adorable!

In my cap & gown, with Aunty Bonz & some of the graduates!

After the formalities of the graduation, the kids came back into the hall (in partners) and danced. Take a look!

I know Aunty Bonz for my entire life, and I've always known her to be someone with an extra big heart. However, on Saturday evening I saw her not as a Godmother or family friend, but as a Teacher / Mother to all the little children who were graduating from her school. My mum and I both agree that Aunty Bonz touched everyone's heart when she went to each and every child to kiss them goodbye. She pulled off the event with such perfection, and I've already told her that I think she's one in a gaziliion!

Check out this little guy doing a "Michael Jackson"!

13-year-old girl demands free iPhone repairs

From Korea Times

An iPhone user Tuesday filed with the Seoul Central District Court a lawsuit against Apple Inc., demanding that the U.S. handset maker pay repair costs for her damaged phone.

The 13-year-old girl lodged the suit against Apple's Korean unit, calling for 300,000 won (about $270) in compensation. It marks the country's first civil action against the global handset manufacturer's after-sales service policy.

She bought an iPhone 3G last February that broke months later,and brought her smartphone to an authorized repair shop earlier this month, a court official said.

However, the company reportedly rejected her free repair request, saying that she dropped the smartphone in water. 

TEDIndia '09 Kiran Bir Sethi teaches kids to take charge

About Kiran Sethi
The founder of the Riverside School in Ahmedabad, Kiran Sethi has launched an initiative to make our cities more child-friendly.

About this talk
Kiran Bir Sethi shows how her groundbreaking Riverside School in India teaches kids life's most valuable lesson: "I can." Watch her students take local issues into their own hands, lead other young people, even educate their parents.

Do-Re-Mi by Cute 3rd Grader boy

While my 3rd graders were doing a worksheet today, I passed by one boy who was singing something while colouring in. I couldn't make out the tune so I leaned down to listen properly. I asked him if he'd sing again for me, and he agreed. My heart just melted...doesn't yours?! :)

World Cup 2010 Google Doodle (SA)

Congratulations to Nikisha Lalloo (13) from Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape) on winning the Google Doodle competition in South Africa. Her doodle appears on Google South Africa on June 11 and will also participate in the global competition for an opportunity to appear on Google's international homepage.

World Cup 2010 - S.Korea + S.Africa

From Korea Times

Two South African children, with national flags of South Korea and South Africa painted on their faces, pose together during the opening ceremony for a brand new football pitch at Ikwhezilethemba Primary School in Soshanguve, a township near Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday. 
Korea Times Photo by Won Yoo-hun

"Korean teacher is supposed to be the devil teacher"

I just met my friend, Sarah for dinner. She always says that I'm her "living diary" because she opens up to me a lot. Therefore, I feel the trust is mutual so I've also shared things with her that I don't with many people here. One of the main reasons is the language barrier, and Sarah's English level is near perfect. We just click.

This evening I told her how I've been feeling lately about teaching, especially with the little ones.

"What about your co-teacher?" she asked.
"She's there, but she's not 'there'," I tried to explain.

Sarah is familiar with KH (my co-teacher for 3rd and 4th grade) so she knows her style (and her Fran Drescher voice on max).

We talked about authority in the classroom. I told her how when I was the only teacher in the room, the kids were good, but the minute the Korean teacher came back, the student's changed. Sarah told me that kids are very clever and they know who they can take advantage of.

"So who's supposed to be in charge of the discipline?" I wanted to know.
"The Korean teacher is supposed to be the devil teacher."

Sarah often told me that I'm the "angel teacher" and the Korean teacher is the "devil teacher" as they are the ones who are supposed to deal with discipline of the students, not me.

There. Straight from a Korean teacher's mouth.
  

Thoughts & Questions of a 'teacher'

From Google Images

"I feel very...I don't know...happy when you teach with me."

My co-teacher (KH) said this to me a few weeks ago. What a nice thing to say, I thought. I teach 3rd & 4th grade with her on Monday and Tuesdays.

The other teacher in the office, who I teach 5th grade with on Friday, said she feels the same way when I teach with her...only to realize that they both felt "happy" because I teach the majority of the class. I bet they didn't know I understood that they said "it's really tiring." So in other words, for these particular teachers, they treat the days that I teach with them as "rest days".

On April Fool's Day, I sent a joke text to a few friends and colleagues saying that I was suddenly going back to South Africa that weekend. The next day, the first thing KH said to me was, "I thought, how will I teach the classes alone?"

It's nice to feel wanted or needed, isn't it? But this is what I have come to realize:

Recently, I have been feeling very drained after my classes on Monday's and Tuesday's. What used to be my favourite day of the week (Monday) has turned into a day I dread because I teach raucous 4th graders. Don't even get me started on Tuesday's where I teach 3rd graders. Yesterday was particularly hard for me. Apart from not being 100% physically well, my classes gave me almost an out-of-body experience. Running, screaming, jumping, shouting, screaming children. KH just looked on, or if I gave her a look of desperation, she'd scream at them. If you want to imagine her voice, think Fran Drescher in The Nanny. Ok, got the voice? Now turn the volume up to the max! Yes, she's loud.

I was meant to go to the movies after work yesterday, but canceled and went home to sleep. I can't remember when last I slept that early, but it felt good. This morning I woke up pretty refreshed and even managed to write an article before getting ready for work.

There are a number of co-teaching methods teachers can utilize. When I started teaching, I remember my co-teachers at the time saying that they wanted the lessons to be split 80/20 (majority of the time going to me). I had no problem with that, because while I taught, at least there was a Korean teacher helping me with the discipline of the kids - especially the younger ones.

Over time, I realized I could teach a class entirely on my own. Of course, each class is different - and I teach 25 classes a week (including Kindergarten). Some classes, like a particular 5th grade class I have on a Friday are an absolute pleasure. I just love ending my week with them - they're so attentive, respectable and active during activities. Other classes make me want to emit steam from my ears.

This is my first year teaching with KH. She's very bubbly and generally fun to talk to. As another friend and colleague told me, KH has her "holes" (faults), but I overlooked them. But as my energy and nerves started wearing out, I began to notice things. When I'm teaching, she's faffing around with papers on her desk or not helping me reprimand the children when I need it the most.

First of all, I'm not a certified teacher. I'm just an English instructor. Secondly, I'm not Korean. I'm not Korean. Many colleagues tell me, "You're just like Korean." I accepted it as a compliment as it was meant to be one, but hey, I'm not Korean!

Come 4:40pm, I drag myself home and will myself to exercise to get my stiff body moving, while KH bounces home seeming quite full of energy. Why am I more tired than she is?

Only people in the teaching profession - especially to YL (young learner's) - will understand what a physically-demanding job it is. Not only do I use my voice and energy when speaking, but I use my body. Remember, teachers to YL are also performers. We have to sing, clap and dance to get them [students] excited. In other words, we have to make complete idiots of ourselves at the front of the classroom!

So while I'm doing the Hokey Pokey dance at the front, I'm also trying to get the students at the back to participate or I'm trying to stop ABC from fighting with XYZ (there are a couple of these going on simultaneously). Then, it's time for worksheets and as I go around checking 36 little bodies whether or not they're doing their work, I have to deal with students who don't bring their books to class or who sit there dumb-founded because they don't have a pencil and don't ask for one.

This raises another issue for me.

At the beginning of the academic year, I was told that the principal said that students from our school (who are now at middle school) were very poor at writing in English and were generally low. This made me feel terrible. I'm the only foreign teacher at the school. I have 40 minutes per lesson with each class once a week. 40 minutes is just the time between bell-rings, the actual learning time can arguably be 25-30 minutes. There are about 36 children in each class. How do I - one person - ensure that every single child leaves my classroom having learned something from my lesson? What about the child that never brings his books to class? What about the child who's falling asleep because he was at hagwon (special learning academy) till late last night? What about the child who can't concentrate because they didn't eat breakfast?

"Where is your book?"
"Jeep" (house)

Yes, they are children. If anyone should know that, it's me. I can't treat them the same way I'd treat high school children. Of course not, but I do think that there needs to be a certain amount of discipline that should be carried out. If I, as the foreign teacher am expected to teach something to approximately 1000+ kids I see every week, I certainly can't be breaking up fights between A & B or reprimanding the boys at the back to pay attention to me. Is that not why I have a co-teacher?

Yesterday as I was reprimanding a class, a group of boys were still talking over me. I told KH about it, and she just smiled at them - before telling them to be quiet. This really pushed my buttons.

During an earlier class, KH had to go downstairs for something so I was left alone with a particular class. I was very strict them and for the 10 minutes that I was with them, they were pretty good. Enter the Korean teacher, they went back to their usual behaviour.

Is there a confusion of authority?

This got me thinking > If I'm to teach a class, let me teach entirely alone with my own rules for things like discipline. Or, if I'm to teach with a co-teacher it has to be a 50-50 effort during the 40 minute lesson.

So I need to explore this area a bit more > How much authority does a foreign teacher / English Language Instructor have in a classroom? In a co-teaching situation, who should control the discipline? Do such people deserve the title of 'teacher'? What does it mean to be a 'good' teacher?

I'd love input from any teacher's.

Needed: Punching Bag

  From Google Images

One of my co-teacher's, who we'll call KH, teaches 3rd and 4th grade with me. A few minutes ago she came to discuss something about our lesson for next week. She laid out a textbook and calender on the desk and was circling some dates and writing things while trying to tell me something. To be honest, I wasn't really functioning.

Before she left, she said, "You look tired."
"Tired" is an understatement to how I'm feeling right now. I feel exhausted.

I taught five classes today, most of them 3rd graders. My head is literally throbbing. If the students weren't behaving like wild animals let loose after months of captivity, then KH was screaming at them. She is known amongst other teachers for her very loud nasal voice, but she screams. Screams!

As I've mentioned somewhere else on my blog, I've recently become very sensitive to noise, so today was really just draining for me. I have more to write on about this, but that's for later.

Children's Day in Korea - May 5

Today - Wednesday, May 5 - is Children's Day in Korea. It's a public holiday, which means there will be children everywhere. Everywhere!

This is the Google Doodle on the Google (Korea) homepage:

  

Bloody Student!

I was wondering why my one 4th grader sitting at the back wasn't doing his work. His finger was bleeding and this is what I saw when I went over to his desk. Sent him straight to the bathroom!

   

Grade 6 Graduation - 2010

On Friday, February 12 2010, the 6th Graders graduated from Elementary School. This lot is very special to me, because when I started teaching in Korea in '07, they were my youngest students... and now they're all grown up and moving to middle school!

It was pretty sad saying bye to them, because they're really nice kids.

**********

People selling flowers outside the school for the graduates!

 

  

I went to every class (6-1 to 6-8)  to say good bye.

This is one of my favourite classes: 6-6!

  

Parents standing in the back (taking loads of pics!)

  

The school principal giving a speech.

 

They're brother-sister. 

When I arrived in Korea in '07, he was a senior, and she was a junior!

  

Snacks for teachers at lunch time

 

   

I can't turn children away who want to learn...from me!

I have to teach 3 weeks of English Camp during the winter vacation.

Week 1 - 3rd grade
Week 2 - 4th grade
Week 3 - 5th grade

I've run many of these camps before. They're different from regular classes because I teach alone (I teach with a co-teacher during regular classes).

Image taken from Google Images

The class limit has always been 20 students. That's a manageable class size.

Yesterday when I arrived at school, there were about 20 students (3rd graders) waiting outside the English classroom to hand in their reply slip to say if they wanted to attend the camp.  The final count was 22 students. 22 screaming hyper-active 3rd graders for a whole week...by myself?! I figured I could do it.

A little while later I heard that there were some students who were late to hand in their reply slip. Their homeroom teachers misunderstood and didn't send their students to the English class, so they got left out. So it wasn't even the student's fault!

I felt very sorry for them, but had to be strict and say no more applications. If I kept saying "Ok, one more student", I'd have to do it again and again. Also, the bigger the class is, the less time I will be able to spend with each one individually.

This morning I woke up thinking about how I had to reject those few students. A voice inside my head told me that I can't turn children away who want to learn...from me! I had to make a decision - should I bend the rules and allow them all in? I knew very well that I was getting emotionally involved with my work.

It's hard to divorce your emotions from work
when children are involved.

I called my teacher friend on my way to work at 8am and she said that it may be hard for me since I'd be teaching alone. Still - it bothered me.  I decided that by working here in Korea as an English teacher, it's not just a job for me, but it's service I'm providing. When I arrived at work, I told my co-teacher that I will accept the other students who want to join the camp. The latest count is 29 students.

This made me think of a passage I read in The Unmistakable Touch of Grace, by Cheryl Richardson.

According to the ancient philosophy of Vedanta, selfless service is called karma yoga, the path of selfless work, wherein every action is offered to God as a sacrament. By doing so, it is said that one eventually attains unions with God.

I felt so much better after I decided to bend the rules. I shared this story in a chat with an uncle whose advice I always take to heart. I feel so lucky to have mentors - all over the world. He said:

Some personal issues arise out of this:

1. If you bend the rules, there is always the possibility that you will be taken advantage of. Are you prepared to accept that?
   
   
2. If you follow the rules by the book, then your personal feelings come into play and can make you feel despondent.
   
   
3. With such a heavy load alone, what is in the best interest for you, is the question to be answered!
   
   and then..
   
   
4. Your peace of mind comes first, otherwise YOU WON'T BE DOING A GOOD JOB WITH THE FEELING OF HAVING DEPRIVED SOMEONE.
   

Well, I know I'm going to bed tonight feeling satisfied about my decision!

Oh Seo-gyun, not tonight!

After a pretty crappy afternoon (more in the next blog) all I wanted to do was head straight home from work, take a shower and climb into bed. Oh yes - and feel sorry for myself. My mum convinced me to go to the gym because it'll be better than moping around home.

Remember Seo-gyun from last week?

When I arrive at the gym, Seo-gyun is already on the treadmill. He doesn't see me. After 20 minutes he spots me, stops his treadmill and heads over to the one next to me. He tells me he hasn't seen me for a few days and asks what time I arrived.

He asks in Korean if Die Hard is fun. Die Hard 4 was playing on TV and I had it on.

I tell him I'm a little sick today - hoping he won't talk too much and follow me around. I'm really not in a chirpy mood and would much rather be punching something.

...but he does! He follows me into the dance studio and just stands there wanting to talk more.
He keeps asking me something, but I can't understand him.

He also asks where my classroom is. It's common for past students to visit their old teachers. Does he want to come and visit me at school? I tell him I move around a lot... sometimes I'm on the 4th floor, sometimes 5th.

When I head out to do some weights, the gym instructor spots us and gives me a big grin. After about 20 minutes, I'm ready to leave.

"Bye, Seo-gyun!"
He rushes behind me.
"I my go"

I say goodbye to him downstairs and we go our separate ways.

He yells in Korean, "See you tomorrow, ok?!"
I think I may have a tail!

Too emotionally attached to my students?

Image taken from Google Images

On Mondays after lunch I teach the 6-1 class. As I made my way to the front of the class, a few boys were saying, "Teacher - Thomas sad"

Thomas' Korean name is Sang-hu and he's the kind of boy who will ask me with a big genuine smile, "Teacher - How are you?"

When I ask him how he is, he has given me the answer, "I'm rainbow happy!" So he's one of my special students. The class knows I'm fond of him because he always waits till everyone's left to come and talk to me after class - maybe if he did very well in his class test or what he did over the week-end.

When I saw him today, his head was bent over and he wouldn't look up at me. I had to have a few students come to my office for a speaking test. When it was Thomas' turn, he came in with a big frown.

"Thomas, are you sad today?"
"Yes teacher"
"Why?"
No answer
"Thomas, tell teacher why you are sad"
"I want die"
"You want to die?"
"Yes-suh"
"Is it your friends?"

He starts to cry. My students usually cry when they get into fights with friends, but my 6th graders don't really cry openly (they're the seniors at school - but let's face it, they're still "babies")

"My is friends fight"
"Who, Thomas?"
He won't tell me his friends name.

I told him to sit down and I handed him tissues while he cried.

"6-1 teacher know you sad?"
He shrugs his shoulders
"I don't know"

I so badly wanted to hug him and tell him not to cry...but I couldn't. Because of boundaries between teacher-student. There was so much I wanted to tell him, but my Korean's not that fluent and his English isn't fluent enough to understand.

I sent a message to his homeroom teacher to tell him to look out for him. He replied saying he'll talk to him after school.

Kids fight. They make up. But in that moment of them crying and hurting ... anyone can relate, I think ...and for a child to tell me, "I want die" touches me. I know that some may say I probably get too emotionally attached to my students, or to anyone for that matter who pulls on my heart strings. I guess it's just what makes me human.

Today I questioned myself as a teacher

This morning I had speaking tests with the students. One by one they came into my office. I showed them a picture and they had to say a simple sentence which we've studied intensely.

"Let's play soccer"
"Sorry, I can't. I'm tired"

They're usually very nervous for one-on-one speaking tests, so I chat to them for about 30 seconds before we start. I ask them things like what they had for breakfast and what they enjoy about English class (I speak in broken Korean)

Today - as a teacher - I felt frustrated. A bit sad, too.

I asked some of them, "How are you?" and they replied, "It's sunny"
I repeated the question and they gave me the same answer.

I bet you're thinking that's so adorable, right? A year ago, I'd have thought they same thing. But for the past two and a half years I have placed SO much emphasis on basic greeting.

A: How are you?
B: I'm good thanks/fine thanks - and you?

So when a student answers "It's sunny" when asked "How are you?" I actually feel like bursting into tears. And - it was overcast and cold all day.

Weather is another thing I've drilled over and over again.

A: How's the weather?
B: It's sunny/rainy/windy

When I stand in front of a class asking them questions, I'm overwhelmed with joy when I hear 36 little voices chanting the answers back at me. I feel so proud to know that I've imparted knowledge to these little people.

However, the real test comes when a teacher is with a student on-one-one.


Today I questioned myself as a teacher.

What am I doing wrong? I certainly don't want to think that I'm [dare I say it] wasting my time?

I put a lot of effort into my lessons and was awarded for it earlier this year. I know there are probably other teachers who feel the way I do. I'm not a teacher by profession. So I haven't studied the sociological aspects of what is to be a teacher. But why aren't they grasping simple things I'm teaching them?

All I know is that I'm putting my all out there. How much are my students taking in? This is what has been bothering me all day.

Teacher's responsiblity to feed children with energy

I've been running on minimal sleep for the past few days. On one night, I was woken by a buzzing mosquito whose sole purpose was to wake me up from a deep sleep and feast on my flesh. The other nights, I needed to stay up to keep writing. Like nearly every other writer, I have a day job (9-5) and can only settle down to write at around 7:30 in the evening (after I've been to the gym)

I'm an English teacher at an elementary school in Korea and I really need a good nights sleep to be at the top of my game. I teach 33 classes a week (phew!) By now, I've come to know the personality and ambiance of each class I teach. I know who's energetic, noisy, quiet, responsive etc. Yesterday morning (Friday) my first class of the day was a 4th grade class. They are fairly quiet and like most children, they are still waking up at 9am.

Teacher's are also human and sometimes we also feel like we're just waking up at 9am. In my case, since I'm an early riser, at 9am I'd have been awake for four hours already.

Just like each class has its own personality traits, all teacher's are different too. Some are very active who bounce around the class keeping children alert and on their toes. Other teachers stay at the front of the class and do what has to be done and only commute from the board to their desk.

I believe I'm the former of the two. If I see that my class isn't responding to a lesson, I'll stop in the middle of it to get them singing or moving around. This will have them giggling and hopefully be more interested in what I have to say. I've often said that I'm more of an entertainer than an English teacher, but when working with children - you simply have to be. I have to turn into a "happy-clappy-singy-dancy-person" which I'm not sure if I am in real life :-)


I also don't like standing at the front of the classroom for the whole lesson unless I have to write on the board or use the computer. Other times, I'm walking around the room. This keeps the children alert because some of them will turn to face where ever I'm standing and pay attention to my instructions. I have a rule: I will only say things twice. If they don't listen, they will miss out on an important instruction or test question. The others (especially those who sit at the back of the class and think they can get away with reading comics or talking to their friends while I'm talking) know they can't do that if I'm standing near them!

Of course, I'm not perfect. I also have days where I'm feeling tired or irritated. And it's not always easy to wear a "poker face" so I find it very hard to speak with as much enthusiasm and animation on those days.

My current co-teacher is temporary while my usual co-worker is on study leave at the moment. Yesterday we started a new chapter with the Grade 4's titled, Sorry I can't where they will learn how to accept or decline an invitation as well as giving a reason for it.

Example:

A - Let's play soccer.
B - Sorry, I can't. I have a headache.


My co-teacher (who I'll refer to as CT) and I both greeted the class, and I went on to my 10 minutes of Phonics. I use Starfall, a very useful Phonics site with great stories that the kids enjoy. CT then introduced the new lesson (speaking in Korean) telling them the objectives of the chapter and what they will study. We then use the prescribed CD & textbook. They listen to a dialogue and I quiz them on it after. This also forces them to pay attention to details. I ask questions like, "What colour was her hair?" or "What did Minsu say to Julie?"

After 20 minutes of my teaching them, it was CT's turn to do an activity with them using a website. They were going to learn new vocabulary and also take a fun quiz. After I was done with my part, I started floating around the class as CT taught the rest of the lesson.

I don't mean this to be a personal attack on her at all, but I merely want to demonstrate a point which I'm sure any educator would agree with. Within 5 minutes of CT starting her part of the lesson, the class became restless and talkative. She was sitting slouched at the desk looking very tired and speaking in a monotone with zero enthusiasm. Also, she didn't try quietening the class down. I asked her if it was OK that I stepped in and taught the section with her.

I went to the front of the class and had them repeat sentences after me using actions and different tones. And did they respond? Yes! After that, I had them sing a song and since we had a few minutes to spare, we played Hangman (word game). They were literally sitting at the edge of their seats as we played the game. When the bell rang we had to dismiss them to go back to their homeroom.

The manner in which a teacher dismisses a class is just as important as greeting them. My students know that they can't line up to leave unless their chairs have been pushed in neatly under their desks. I have them say 3 things before leaving:

1) Thank you teacher
2) See you next time!
3) Bye!

Children are sensitive and can feel the energy (or lack of) from their teacher's. The responsibility therefore lies with the teacher to inject them with enthusiasm for learning. If he/she is lethargic when teaching, how can they expect enthusiasm from their class?

Here an Oink, There an Oink...

The school I teach at will be closed from Friday, October 30 to Wednesday, November 4 for what has been described as a "National Emergency"

There have been 29 confirmed cases of H1N1 at my school. Last night, my friend called me to tell me that the school she teaches at will also be closed for nearly a week as there were 100 confirmed cases of the virus. Many of the children at school are wearing masks, and their homeroom teachers have them wash their hands very often during the day.

Before you start thinking I'm lucky to have nearly a week off work, think again!

Teachers still have to go to work. Of course, there are no classes to teach... but we still have to be at school - either "lesson planning" or "gathering teaching materials". I don't really anticipate being 'bored' as such, as I have plenty to catch up on. Anyways... that's the latest from my side!

End of semester - Kindergarten class

On Thursday, July 16 2009 it was the last class of the semester with the little babies @ Kindergarten. I was *SO* happy! This year it's been really tough teaching them. Firstly, because there are so many more of them than last year and secondly - they are just plain naughty. But anyways, it's just 40 minutes a week. And some of them ... SOME of them... are really sweet!

My absolute favourite girl (in blue polka dot dress)

No words to describe this boy...
Eeyoh!!

Child Abuse?

I can't log into Blogger from my work computer, so I wrote this as a Facebook note. I've just copied & pasted it here. I'll probably blog about it again.
--------------------------------------
Friday, July 17 2009 - 8:40am

I've just arrived at work.

I saw something disturbing a few minutes ago. Walking to work, as I turned a corner I heard a child crying. I didn't expect to see what I did. A girl (maybe 10 years old) was standing naked, holding a paper with a message on it. Who I assume was her mother was standing next to her, arms folded, giving her a death stare. My instant reaction was that I had to take a photo (to ask my Korean friends what the paper read) and - SURELY, what I saw was wrong.

But I couldn't pull out my green neon camera and snap this weeping child - who was standing naked in the street. Naked. Crying.

I walked on, but turned to look back over my shoulder a couple of times. So many people walking towards her were slowing down and mothers walking their children to school had a confusing look on their face.

I arrived at school, and told one of my co-teachers (Mr Oh) what I'd seen.
"Maybe she's being punished?" he said.
"But isn't that illegal?" I asked.
It is.

I just told another friend at school about it, and she told me that she'd heard about it. The paper read:

"I am a liar"

What do you think? I'm really disturbed by this.

Update: 9:45am

I told my other co-teacher about this. She was very upset to hear this. She said that it constitutes as child abuse. And she just shook her head in disappointment saying, "That girl will NEVER forget today for the rest of her life."

I honestly don't know if the girl is one of my student's. I couldn't bear to look at her face. It is very likely that she is a student at our school, since this happened just around the corner from the school. Apparently, no one can question or confront the parent, but if necessary - it can be exposed in the media. I know of other teacher's who walk that route in the morning and will ask them if they saw it.

But - so far no one has reacted as it being 'normal' or acceptable.