Surprise

When deciding to come to Korea I have to admit that I didn't think about this whole teaching thing as much as I should have.  Sure I got my certification and Googled little tid bits on teaching ESL, but I never really thought about the things that could/would happen when teaching kids this age.  The first couple weeks I was constantly surprised by how helpless they are. The vomiting and the peeing were shocking at first, but now I've come to understand that it comes with the territory.  I may have accepted those things as part of the job, but I can honestly say that cleaning up poopy pants was not something I signed up for and after this incident i'm thinking about renegotiating my contract to include some sort of hazard pay.  There has got to be some sort of bonus for dealing with the trifecta of disgusting bodily fluid messes before your 2 month mark.      

Silence is a frightening thing when teaching kindergartners.  There is comfort in the constant noise and movement of children.  When they sit completely still, without fidgeting, and become silent it tells me that they are A) doing something they shouldn't be doing B) choking C) peeing and/or vomiting on themselves or as I learned last week D) pooping their pants.

It all happened during outside play last Wednesday.  A couple of the boys were kicking a basketball around the grass and the girls were playing in the little house making pies out of dirt and mud.  I was "eating" a pretend mud cake when I looked over to see Brian standing in the corner of the playground, silent, focused and still.  I stood up and walked towards him, calmly saying his name.  After beckoning him 5 or so times with no response I began running across the grass, I'd seen this look before and it was the one kids have right before they pee their pants.  I was hopeful that if I hurried I could get him to the bathroom in time.  When I reached him I semi frantically said "Bathroom Brian?! Potty?! Pee Pee?!" he shock his head yes and I grabbed his hand and took off.  As we ran into the school and into the bathroom he said "teacher help", which gave me more hope that if we got him situated quickly everything would be fine...but no....no no....dear god no.

The details of the clean-up don't need to be told, but I will say that I thought seriously about turning a blind eye, telling him to get dressed and sending him back out to the playground, poop and all.  I thought that maybe my co-teacher would make the unfortunate mistake of taking him to the bathroom later in the day...at which point I would have played dumb and let her deal with the mess. I thought about this, I really did. You're welcome Lena. 

Since coming here I can say that the pee and the vomit I can understand and I completely excuse, but i'm having some trouble accepting this poopy pants business.  This kid can speak English.  He knows how to ask for the bathroom, he knows how these things work and judging by his face this took focus.  His speaking capability coupled with this focus factor leads me to believe that this may have been a choice.  As if he decided that pooping his pants was a better option then leaving the wonderland that is the Reggio playground. Hell with all the balls flying around, everyone screaming and running, I guess I understand why he had that determined look in his eye....this was no easy feat.  Whether this was an achievement to be congratulated or just shotty decision making, you just have to wonder what goes through a kids head when they choose to hold up in the corner of the playground and drop one. I guess I'll continue to wonder. One thing I know for sure is that if this ever happens again...nose goes Lena.