Swearing in school

December, 23, 2008

Today Shinsook and I were letting our students watch all Mr. Bean episodes because it is their last week and we wanted to take it easy on them. When watching a particularly funny episode, I had a student right next to me exclaim, almost naturally “Oh shit!” when Mr. Bean did something strange. It took me half a second to say anything, because for a second I was happy that he used it in the proper way, but then I had to reprimand him because he swore in school. I’m usually not a person who really cares either way if someone swears or does a dirty gesture, as long as it’s not directed at me. The only other time when I care is in school, a church, or in front of grandparents. So, although I was proud of him for speaking a proper sentence, and naturally, in English, I had to yell at him, but he was immediately sorry, which told me he really did say it naturally.