Nerd Alert.

Six weeks down. It's funny how all of a sudden, things feels clicked into place here... how comfortable I am in my daily routine, how well I'm getting to know my students... I don't think so much about writing my weekly lesson plan out now (although I still do it, per school rules).. I can joke around with my 6th graders and they actually understand me (and joke back). I know almost everyone's name by face (which is quite an accomplishment for me... I'm usually terrible with names, and I see roughly 230 students each week).

I've been telling the other ajaans that of all the students at Bandon Sriserm, my 6/1 kids are definitely the future high school nerds of Nan. I mean that in the best and most endearing way possible. These kids are sharp, and they love learning: they are a teacher's dream come true. When I ask for a volunteer in class, I get 27 hands in the air - not just raised, but stretching and held out in front of my face if I'm close enough, everyone making whining noises, desperate to be called on. Last week, I introduced an optional extra credit project in 6/1, to give the "slower" 6/1 students a way to make up for low test grades: each student has an English Extras card, and each time they complete an extra homework assignment (read a news article in English, interview one of the American teachers, write a dialogue in English, write a composition, etc.), they get a stamp on their card... once a student gets 5 stamps, I will give them 25 extra credit points. One week later, nearly every student in 6/1 has at least 2 stamps on their card. The amount of English Extras-extra grading I brought upon myself this week is absurd. But they are fired up about the extra assignments, so how can I complain? Every free period - before school, during lunch, after school - you can find the entire 6/1 class sitting on the floor of my office playing Scrabble, while the rest of the school is playing ping-pong and football and finishing ice cream popsicles outside. I get regular visits throughout the day from my 6/1 students to ask about homework, how to say various phrases in English, and to explain to me that on the Word Scramble worksheet I made yesterday, I accidently added an extra "n" to the "gymnasium" scramble. Ah, silly me. 6/1 doesn't seem to hang out with any of the other 6th graders, and I get the sense that they consider themselves an elite crop of students... Either that, or they are just really tight-knit and love the air-conditioning in the English room.

Either way, I spend a lot more than just one hour per day with the 6/1 kids. I know each of their personalities, the kinds of things that make them laugh in class (like when I try to speak or learn Thai from them), the games and activities I can use to bribe them into doing one more less-than-exciting worksheet on quantifiers (Bingo and Heads-Up-7-Up work wonders).

Kindergarten is still the more challenging bunch (in terms of classroom management), but we have more good days than bad. I won't say I pick favorites in my classes, but Pee is by far the cutest and I'm very partial to him. This kid does not stop smiling. I can just look over at him and he starts cracking up. Today we were coloring shapes different colors: blue square, red circle, etc. Pee came over after I passed out all the worksheets and just beamed up at me with two outstretched arms - his paper in one hand, a green colored pencil in the other. I squatted down next to him and said, "Yes! Green triangle," and pointed to the triangle. He repeated "geeen tyangle" ("r"s are impossible for Thai kids), without taking his eyes off me and without breaking his smile. 5 minutes later he came up again, with every shape on his paper colored in green. I started to say no and correct him but I couldn't do it... that smile, those eyes.... "Good job Pee!!"

And finally, without further ado: a very belated video of the 6/1 Idol winners singing "Wavin' Flag."