Paul (Y550)

When I began in October, my hardest student to keep in line was Paul. He would always pretend not to understand, and instead say lewd things in Korean (or sometimes in English). One day, after pushing and pushing me, I was at the back of the classroom closing the window, when Kate came in to drop off some homework. When she left, Paul swore at her in English as he gave the spot where she’d just been the finger. Apparently, he didn’t realize I was still there.

I was furious. I tried to send him out, but he wouldn’t go. (They like to do that in Korea, just refuse to go to their punishment. It’s unreal.)

After class, I sent him to Kate, and nothing happened. Not only do I have no recourse or punishment ability, but apparently no one else does either. I lost it; I just started crying as soon as the students were gone. That was my first breaking point.

Paul’s behavior was similarly bad a few more times, until I insisted that Kate speak to Paul’s mother. Miraculously, Paul’s behavior improved dramatically. I got the feeling that he got the beating (or threatened beating) of his life. I don’t condone physical violence against children in any way, but I admit that whatever happened, worked. Paul suddenly paid more attention in class. He went out of his way to speak to me and improve upon his sentences and conversational skills, and became the politest boy in the school.

It was astonishing. He improved so much, and so quickly, and encouraged his friends to be better students as well. In fact, within a couple of months he was so far ahead of his peers that, while they went into intensive remedial courses for middle schoolers, he didn’t need them. He was at the level he needed to be, and maybe even higher than he needed to be. It was amazing. I didn’t know that such a transformation could happen in the space of 3 months. I’m proud to say I was a part of it.