Teacher Annalog: Write a Scary Story

Most Korean students are currently off from school. In America, most families would consider this a vacation period. Unfortunately, in Korea, winter break simply means more hours spent in hagwons, academies specializing in SAT prep, math, science, English, etc.

I normally teach junior high and high school students, but this month, I have the opportunity to teach an intensive reading and writing course for elementary school students (fifth and sixth graders). They may not be fluent in English, but they make up for their lack of proficiency with their exuberance and attentiveness. They can be quite a handful, but they never cease to amuse me.

I won't have much time for leisurely posts for the next two months, but I thought I'd ocassionally post a sample of their writing, because kids truly do say the darnedest things.

Their writing may not always be grammatically correct, or for that matter, coherent, but is often surprisingly insightful.

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Topic: Tell me a scary story or describe a scary incident that happened to you. Include an example of simile or personification.

"The Mummy"*
I'm afraid of my mummy because when her get angry she always control me to clean my room. If I clean quickly she tell me again to clean the bathroom. Sometimes she yell and hit me so I afraid of my mother and my father afraid her too. When my mother was sick, but my father don't care her so she is going angry and she ran out of my home.

Teacher Annalog's comments: Take note, student. It's best that you learn this lesson at a young age. You should never upset Mother, especially when she feels like crud.


"It's a Hard Knock Life"
When I was in second grade I was playing at the friend's house. We was playing gameboy. I didn't know the time was 11 p.m. because I was so concentrated playing gameboy. So outside was as dark as dark chocolate. I was walking away home and I was resting at slide in playground. 10 minutes later 3 mens were coming me. The mans were big as hulk and tall as giraffe. They came to me and said "give me money" so I ran fast as cheeta and yelled big as I could. The trees were whispering to me "run faster." At the place were the place divides in to 2 ways I got to get free by them chasing me. I told to my parents that there is gangster here. that was my bad day in my life.

Teacher Annalog's comments: You are strong and agile like a Denzel Washington. May the winds continue to guide you with their whispered wisdom.


"Like Scary Man"
I'm afraid about dog because of really dangerous accident. When I was nine years old, I get a big hurt from dog. I want to forget that accident. Let me tell you detail.
I was buying a good for grandmother and the dog was coming to me. So I ran away from him. Dog sounds like very scary man. This is the reason why I afraid about dog.

Teacher Annalog's comments: This totally happened to me, except I was with my grandmother... and we were trying to steal mangoes from my neighbor's yard... and the dog was scary like Britney, post K-Fed.


"The Bat"
I am afraid of my mom. Especially when I late from the promise. She is very scary. Once time I played with my friends and I came really late to home because of playing. The home was silent when I got into home. It was like a desert with no one but myself. And I wanted to just cover this up so I slowly went into my room suddenly the silent word of mom made me scary. I wanted to escape from my mom as fast as I can. But my mom came with an aluminum bat. That day was a very hurted day with a bat.

Teacher Annalog's comments: Do not be disheartened. Many a brave man has been defeated by the "silent word of mom." Even the most formidable soldier could not help but acquiesce to the wordless gaze of an angry mother... or an aluminum bat.

*I took the liberty of creating titles for each of the featured pieces.