Demonstration Class...is anyone out there?

Ok, so a demonstration class is scheduled once a semester generally either for parents or school staff to visit a classroom and evaluate how the teacher(s) are teaching the students. My co teacher and I had one scheduled for yesterday. It was placed on the school calendar at the beginning of the term, in September. We met and created a great lesson plan that included pair and team work. It highlighted some of the best work that we have done together this semester. She suggested I wear a dress and (after confirming that she would wear one too) I agreed.

We rehearsed in the first three classes for the day and then left lunch early to put the final touches on the classroom. The 5th grade class also came back from lunch early and were acting very polite at our suggestion. Then 1:40 came...then 1:41...nothing. My co teacher suggested we start the class. She recorded it on the stationary cameras in the classroom and ..... We had the BEST CLASS EVER. The children were responsive and on their best behavior. We clicked together and were in sync. The lesson plan flowed WELL.

And no one showed up. NO ONE. Not the principal. Not the vice principal. Not an admin. Not even the school mascot. The windows were opened and not even a little birdie from outside flew in to perch on the window and watch our wonderful class.

After we dismissed the students, I turned to my co teacher and said, very American-like, "THAT SUCKED!"

To further confirm the "suckiness" of it all, yesterday afternoon, I went to teach adults at my weekly session at the Education office. I once again only had one student. I even heard her trying to convince another guy to come to the english lesson and he was arguing with her and shouting that he refused to come! I do not speak Korean but I KNOW when someone is REFUSING to do something.

At the class I asked the woman does she have anyone else to speak english with besides me. She said no. The only time she speaks or practices english is during our weekly Tuesday lessons. But she also told me that she is VERY HAPPY to learn english with me and I am a great teacher.

I smiled because this just confirms what I was starting to discover a month into teaching in this country.

English is mandatory to teach in this country but not mandatory to learn. 

It is only after you get here and get into the classroom that you realize that the only ones who take english seriously here are native english teachers. NO ONE ELSE. LOL.

How do you like them apples?  LOL.