Why I sometimes like teaching

I remember, when I was in 5th grade a class about what we wanted to be when we grew up. We had to list 5 things we wanted to be. I wrote, "I don't want to be a teacher." Now, this still rings true today, I will not be having a career as a teacher, it's certainly not for me. If my 5th grade self were to see me today she'd say, "What the heck are you doing? We decided not to do this a long long time ago."

And while I indeed don't think I could stand more than the 15 or so hours of teaching little ones (my private tutoring doesn't count as teaching and is actually enjoyable), and I am unhappy with the management and lack of communication with staff (due to not only language barriers but in general), sometimes it's fun. Like, I walk into a class of 5 year olds dreading the day I was born, and 30 minutes later everyone is tired from laughing and playing, including me.

Here is a list of some of the things my kids have done to make my day better:

Give me stickers of cartoon characters, shapes, and the chinese flag during my first class, and not take them off all day, so when I see my friends who ask about them I say, "gifts from my students."

Around Christmas, a student gave me her barbie doll, which still sits on my shelf so I can see it when I come home, in all its dirty and ragged glory and beauty.

I always worry about having fun games to play, and learning that I shouldn't, because the sillier/simpler I think the game is, the more fun it is for them, for example some games(the rules are simple and each one is exactly what it sounds like):
~roll the ball under the chair
~throw the ball at Kate and laugh at her falling over
~jump and say a word while Kate hits you with a toy hammer
~playing catch, but through a hulahoop
~throwing a sticky ball (suction cups) at the whiteboard
~put yourself through a hulahoop
~anything that involves Kate hitting you with a hammer
~pass the ball until Kate says stop, then read or whatever
~Down by the Banks (of the Hanky Panky)
~Red Light Green Light
~Throw a big soft dice and say the word x # of times
~Remove one chair and everyone changes their seat, last one standing says sentence (can be dangerous but still fun)
~Rock Paper Scissors
~two students through a hulahop at the same time
~jumping over flashcards while saying the words

and more, well, hopefully. and I'm always trying to think of new games so please feel free to tell me, anyway, back to the list...

One of my classes one day a student on my way out said "I miss you Kate I love you!!" and now every class the whole class says this when I leave

We do activities "one by one" to give each student helo on pronunciation. One student (age 4) came up to me when I was doing a group game and said with the cutest puppydog eyes, "One by one?" and smiled a cheesy smile.

The first time they had an oral test, the class didn't realize that there'd be a much shorter lesson afterwards that day, so when I left after only 10 minutes of review, without exception they all groaned and said, 'so quickly today!'

When I put my angry face on and fold my arms to get them to quiet down, and they make faces at me, and I can't keep a straight face.

In my younger classes the other day, we were doing letters, and so far they had learned to say, "A A A, /ae/ /ae /ae/, ant ant ant." in a chant. and I was adding "A for Ant." the word "for" to each one, and by the letter C, before I could teach it a couple students made the jump and added 'for' all by themselves. "C for Cat" So, when students make the jump and can extrapolate usage of words.

When I run into students on the street and they run up and say "Hi Kate!!!" and give me a hug.

Every now and then I'll say something in Chinese, or catch them talking to eachother and let them know that I understand what they just said and they go, "teacher, can you speak chinese?" And in Chinese I say, "Yes I can speak Chinese," and in English, "but right now we all speak English, okay?" and I get a wide eyed "Okay." and nod from them.

At the beginning of every class I go around the room and say hello to each student. I say "Hello how are you" and they say "fine thank you and you?" to help them learn other answers I ask if they're tired, happy, sad, etc. and do motions with each so they understand. For hungry I tickle their belly and angry I make a face and growl at them. now, a few students are always "very very very very very angry," or "very very very very hungry."

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So, those are some fun things that happen in class, thanks to my students, who are for the most part good and adorable.