Work Update 👩🏻🏫
Friday, December 16, 2022So I've mentioned it, but I haven't straightout said it yet. As of April 2022, I went from English ALT teacher Christiiney to Preschool teacher Christiiney♡
전 글에 몇번 얘기한 거 같은데, 올해 4월부터 영어 교사 크리쌤에서 유치원 교사 크리쌤으로 변경했어요 ♡
It has been a whirlwind of events since then. I started with a lot of confidence with my four years of teaching experience, but that went away pretty almost immediately. I quickly realized that I had no idea what I was doing 😅
많은 일이 있었죠. 교사를 4년을 했으니깐 자신감 갖고 일 시작했는데, 얼마 안 지나서 그 자신감이 없어졌어요. 제가 뭘 하고 있는지 전혀 모르겠더라구요.
So this all starts in the fall of 2021. After a long 18 months, I finally finished my graduate studies in the summer.
시작은 2021년 가을이었어요. 긴 18개월 끝에 드디어 석사 과정을 끝냈어요.
I knew that I couldn't continue with my job. I had a really fun three years, but my fourth and final year really took the joy away. I was doing so much more work then previous years, but with the same pay and less vacation. I was just burnt out and needed a change of scenery.
더 이상 영어교사는 못 하겠더라구요. 3년 동안은 진짜 재밌게 일을 했는데, 4년째에는 더 이상 보람을 못 느끼기 시작했어요. 일이 더 많았는데 월급은 똑같았고 휴일도 없었어요. 번아웃하기 시작해서 새로운 환경을 찾기 시작했어요.
Honestly speaking, I started feeling that something was lacking in my third year. I wanted to do more...which is a big part of why I started grad school xD I knew that I wanted to be more involved in school. As an ALT, who worked at multiple schools, I could only do the bare minimum at my schools. I was always thinking about my next class and/or my next school. Basically, I just wanted to think about one group of students. I wanted my own class!
솔직히 말하면 3년째부터 이런 생각을 하기 시작했어요. 그냥 무음 가를 더하고 싶었어요. 그래서 석사 공부를 시작했어요. 영어교사 때는 여러 학교를 다니면서, 하고 싶은 게 많았는데 시간이 너무 없었어요. 항상 다음 수업, 다음 학교를 생각해야 해 가지고, 여유가 너무 없었어요. 간단하게 말하면, 한 구룹만 걱정하고 싶었어요. 저만의 반을 원했어요.
As my forte is in elementary school, I really wanted to become an ES teacher. Unfortunately, with my lack of a teaching license, I couldn't even apply to the majority of jobs. So after searching a bit, I settled for the closest thing: an international kindergarten.
여태까지 초등학교에 제일 많이 일해서, 토 넓게 교사가 되고 싶었어요. 근데 아쉽게도 제가 교사 면허가 없어가지고 많은 일자리에 지원 자체를 못했어요. 그래서 여기저기 검색을 해보니깐, 제일 가까운 게 국제유치원이었어요.
If you've been following for a while, you might know that I'm a Kansai girl. It's where I started my Japan journey and basically all my communication and social skills were formed there. So I wanted to go back. At the same, I did have quite a few friends here in Aichi...so I applied to jobs here and in Osaka. While I did do quite a few interviews for schools in Osaka, I didn't get any offers quick enough. I had to move out of my company apartment by the end of March, and all the jobs started on April 1st. I was in a time crunch, so I ultimately accepted a job here in Aichi, just so I could start my apartment search (which was honestly a nervewracking experience that might get it's own post in the future 🙃). And it's funny how life works, because as soon as I accepted the offer, I got a whole bunch from Osaka.
저를 오래 팔로하신 분은 아실 텐데, 저는 간사이 여자에요 ㅋㅋ 일본 생활은 거기서 시작했고, 말투나 버릇은 다 거기서 배웠어요. 근데 여기 아이치에도 친구들을 몇 명 있어가지고, 여기랑 오사카에 여러 유치원에 지원을 했어요. 면접은 오사카에 있는 유치원이랑 많이 했어요. 근데 아쉽게도 연락은 너무 늦게 왔어요. 전 회사 아파트는 3월 말까지아와야 했는데, 대부분 학기는 4월 1일에 시작했어요. 새로운 아파트를 찾아야 되는데 시간이 너무 없었던 거에요 (그것도 재밌는 일이었어요. 나중에 글 쓸까~ ㅋㅋ). 인생에 참 재밌는게 지금 학교에 취직하기로 하고 나서, 오사카에 있는 학교한테 연락 이 엄청 많이 왔어요.
But I am honestly really happy with my choice. It's a quaint little international school and I co-teach the 3/4-year-old class with a Japanese teacher.
근대체 선택에는 후회가 없어요. 지금은 아주 작은 국제유치원에 일하고 있는데, 3/4반에 일본인 교사랑 같이 담당하고 있어요.
I have the cutest class of 14 munchkins~
우리 반에는 귀요미 14명있어요~
I won't lie, they are definitely a challenge. I really didn't have much experience with such little kids. I didn't really know what I was doing...and honestly, I still don't know most of the time.
그 거짓말이 되어 안할게요. 힘들긴 엄청 힘들어요. 이렇게 작은 애들이랑 한 게 없어서... 솔직히 지금도 내가 뭘 하고 있는지 모를 때가 많아요.
It's more than just teaching the curriculum. I play a part in building these kids' manners and attitudes outside of home. Also, because this is an international preschool and all the English they learn is from us, all the mannerisms they learn are a direct reflection of the teachers...and the pressure can be intense sometimes.
어떤 교과서 따라서 가르치는 거는 아니고, 이 작은 생명들을 사람으로 만드는 역할이잖아요. 그리고 국제학교니깐, 이 아이들이 배우는 영어, 매너 등등은 외국인 교수한테 배우니깐, 여러가지 부담이 좀 있어요.
But I am loving the freedom! There is a general curriculum, but what and how I teach is to my discretion. I basically get to choose what and how we do things. And I have definitely been taking advantage of that~ It has been exhausting but a whole lot of fun~
근데 이 자유가 너무 좋아요. 교과 과정은 당연히 있지만 어떻게 가르치냐는 제 자유예요. 쫌 힘든데 엄청 재밌어요.
I have been able to indulge in my creative ideas~
제가 좋아하는 미술도 많이 할 수 있어서 너무 좋아요.
I was also in charge of the after-school program, working with a handful of younger elementary school kids.
그리고, 초등학생 부도 담당했어요.
Here, I really had all the freedom. There was so set curriculum for this, so I had to make things from scratch. This was totally where my ES experience and my grad studies came into use~
여기에는 진짜 자유였어요. 0부터, 다 제가 다 만들었어요. 여기서 제 초등학교 경험이랑 석사 공부를 쓸 수 있었어요.
I had a lot of fun and headaches with this group. But I super enjoyed it...though at the same time, I was definitely stressed out. I just had so much on my plate. I won't lie, I often neglected this group when it came to their lessons. I did the bare minimum, because I honestly didn't have the capacity to do more.
재밌으면서 많이 힘들었어요. 너무 바빠서 그냥 최소한으로 가르쳤어요.
Thankfully, starting this month, I'll be passing the baton off to another teacher. But since I have so many ideas, I'll definitely be continuing to share my ideas~
다행히, 이번 달부터 다른 선생님이 담당하게 되었어요. 근데 아이디아가 아직 많아가지고, 공유해야죠.
I also do Eiken lessons for two students. They're both studying the grade pre-2, with one of them having already passed. The reason is that there's just so much information, that it seemed like a good idea to continue through the book.
그리고, 영어능력 시험 레슨도 해요. 2명을 가르치는데, 둘다 준2, 고등학교 레벨이에요. 한 명은 벌써 통과를 했는데, 이 레벨에는 배울 게 너무 많아서, 공부를 계속하기로 했어요.
These two are in kindergarten and 3rd grade. Trying to teach pre-2 in a way that they understand has been a challenge, and I'll be honest, I still haven't quite figured it out 😅
이 두 명은 유치원생이랑 초등학교 3학년이에요. 얘네들이 이해할 수 있게 가르치는 게 엄청 힘들어요. 솔직히 말하면 아직도 잘 모르겠어요.
My current job is definitely keeping me busier than my last one, but I can't deny that I'm much happier. I'm in a place where I feel like my ideas can really flourish. Also, I feel much more appreciated in the work that I do!
지금 일이 훨씬 바쁜데, 더 행복해요. 제 생각이랑 아이디어를 키울 수 있는 공간이에요. 그리고 제가 이렇게 열심히 일하는데 인정해 주니깐 너무 좋아요.
As of now, I am pretty content with my career...but at the same time, I don't know if this is something that I want to continue to do forever. So while I figure that out, I'll be having a good time doing something I enjoy 💕
지금은 이일에 만족하고 있는데, 언제까지 일을 할 수 있을까는 모르겠어요. 평생은 못할 것 같아요. 근데 그거는 나중에 생각할 수 있으니깐 그때까지는 여기서 재밌게 일해야죠💕
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