"Fight! Fight!"

There are at least 2 fights every week at my school. I've talked about this before, but am going to take a new look at the fighting extravaganza with this blog. When kids get in fights between classes, teachers usually ignore it. I always wondered why they did that, but NOW I realize it's because whatever adult sees an altercation has to handle it. There's no sending the kids to the principal's office or giving them a referral or detention around here! Whatever adult sees it, handles it... all in their own ways, I'm sure. Some talk firmly, some just stare at the kids until they're so uncomfortable they can't remember why they were fighting, some hit (I've only seen this once) some scream, some yell, and some point in the student's faces....! To each his own, I guess.

The other day, at the very end of class, 2 of our 4th grade boys got into a fight. It was probably over a pencil case or something, but it was a fight none the less. Stella and I cleared out all of the other kids in the class and talked, really firmly, to both of the boys. Other than the sounds from their crying, they were completely silent. It goes to show how much more Korean students respect their elders, and teachers. After about 5 minutes of Stella talking very firmly to them (this is her way of handling fights - SHE'S AMAZING AT IT), they were sent back to their own class as if nothing ever happened.

I snapped this picture while she was talking to them.