Maybe Corporal Punishment Isn't All That Bad

I'm still here, though I will be headed off to Malaysia in a few days. But don't worry, I will definitely have something more to say before then (and before the end of the year).

In the meantime, here is a short, interesting newspaper article that was posted recently in the JoongAng Daily (the one Korean English newspaper that I have at least a little bit of respect for) about the increase in school violence since corporal punishment was banned earlier this year. It seems problems have been springing up all over, and I've even seen the effects at my own school, though not nearly to the degree described above. Not to say that beating kids is a good thing, but Korean parents are beginning to catch a little too much of the American 'holy child' syndrome, for my taste.

Have a read for yourself here

Until next time,

-스티브

Just Checking In

I was hoping to have a little more time to write today, but it's already after 10 and I'm not nearly ready for work at 11. Normally, that still might give me 20 minutes or so to write but not today. My bank account back home is running low, so I should go to the bank and make a transfer before I miss a student loan payment and in effect forfeit the 1% principal reduction that I was just granted.

So all I really wanted to do was check in and say hi. I'm not sure if I posted last week or not, but I still intend on bringing this thing back to life. Things are crazy now with work, Christmas, my upcoming trip to Malaysia, and my future after February, but I know that I'll get it all worked out soon. And when I do, I'll let you know.

Anyway, that's it for today. No war, which is no surprise. And like before, things have gotten very quiet very quickly, though the passing helicopters haven't quite gone away.

One final note, a forth grade student at my school (not one of my students, but one at my school) and his mother passed away in a house fire over the weekend. His father is alive, though from what I understand, his condition isn't good. The school's been pretty silent about the subject. I think the principal hasn't ever had to deal with anything like this before and really doesn't know how to react. I've been told that they'll do something soon, and I hope they do. I nearly teared up in class yesterday when my student (who was in the same class as the boy) was telling me how her teacher and other students had covered the young boy's desk in flowers since the accident. Let's just pray that his father, extended family, and the rest of the students at the school (who don't seem to know how to react, either) will be okay.

Until next time...

-스티브