School Festivals!

Each year in October or November, the schools have different festivals to show off their dancing, singing, English, and other skills to parents and different schools in the area.  I got lucky and was invited to 3 different festivals.  Each of my schools had their individual festivals for the parents at their schools and then both of my schools, along with another native teachers' two schools, had an English festival.  At both of my schools' individual festivals, I could not pull myself away from taking pictures of all the students (and it was hard to decide which pictures would make the cut to be in my blog,there were so many choices!).  

The school festival at Janggi Elementary School

The 4th grade class performing a skit in English- the Grasshopper and the Ants

All of the students sitting and waiting for the opening ceremony to begin

Kindergartners performing with fans

Kindergartners lining up to leave after performing

They were all so cute standing up on stage performing- and it was nice to see how they acted outside of the classroom.  These festivals seem to be a big deal.  They rent costumes for the students to wear- sometimes even two different costumes for different acts, and they practice very hard before the big day.  A few of my classes were cancelled due to practicing for the festival.  

At the festivals, some of the students would sing, dance, do Taekwondo moves, jump rope, or role play.  It was a really fun time. 

Kindergartners role playing

TaeKwonDo presentation

3rd graders waiting to perform

 Kindergartners walking off in their funny costumes

Kindergartners waiting to perform- this was the best act for sure
the played the drums so well and they are only 6 years old!

1st and 2nd graders dancing together

3rd and 4th graders performing a song with bells- they practiced so hard for this!

6th graders doing the "Roly Poly, " a famous Korean song/dance
while wearing school uniforms/military fatigues costumes

After the school festivals, all of the parents would walk around the school looking at all of the art on display that was made by the students.  A group of the 6th graders herded me around to show me all of the different things they made and what their siblings made.  I snapped a few pictures along the way. 

These are upside down stools, one just says "boyfriend" in English 

The English festival was a competition between 4 schools.  Grades 3-6 from each school were present.  They showed off their skills through English role plays and songs first.  Second, they recited a dialogue they memorized- they were the dialogues at the beginning of each lesson for the 6th graders.  After this, they had the "Golden Bell" contest.  Each school sent 10 representatives to the front of the auditorium.  They sat on the floor in rows and were given individual pens and white boards.  A question would pop up on the screen and yours truly would recite the questions.  They would have to write down the answer on the white boards and hold it up.  They had three chances to be incorrect before they were out of the running and had to go sit in the audience.  There were only two students left at the end and they were from each of my schools!!  It was pretty exciting and fun to be a part of it.  

These are the wands that parents buy for their children after the festivals-
they are filled with candy and can be used to hit your friends with them

Later on in the month, all of the teachers were cleaning the school after all of the children left for winter break.  The gym teacher came into the teacher's lounge holding one.  He took some of the candy I was eating and shoved it in the top and handed it to me.  How friendly those Koreans are.