Korean American Pride

I don't recall ever seeing any Korean Americans compete in the Olympics before. It's really exciting to see someone who looks like you on the outside but has many similar experiences on the inside go out in front of the whole world and show some amazing talent. Only 17 years old. Same age as the students I teach. Go, Chloe!


Thought of the Day: MLK
Song of the Day: 한희정-내일

Any plans for winter break?

Catch up on Youtube!








Thought of the Day: Burgers
Song of the Day: Wu-Tang Clan-People Say

Indebted

I've never suffered from credit card debt before. I spent a couple of hours yesterday calculating how long it would take for me to pay off all my debt. Credit card debt, that is, not my student loans. Student loans are like a faithful companion; they will never, ever, leave me. Anyway, let's just say that I am really looking forward to 2018. I will finally have my car paid off and my salary should see a slight raise as well.

This morning, I read an article on a 42-year-old millionaire and his advice on spending and saving. My biggest takeaway from his wisdom was making a spreadsheet of your finances. I had done this when I first moved back to the states but stopped keeping up with it because my spending and earning patterns were fairly consistent. But now that I am in debt, I figured tracking my money again would help me restart my journey towards becoming a millionaire high school teacher.

I must say that the past month did not look too pretty. But I guess when you're at the bottom, you can only go up, right?


Right?


Thought of the Day: Soup Plantation
Song of the Day: Matthew Heath & Grady Griggs-Slow Down

Nobody Knows

but Jesus.

Thought of the Day: Salary Points
Song of the Day: Sam Cooke-Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen

Devotionals for the Undevoted

I recently found out that Banner of Truth posts a free daily devotional from The Valley of Vision, a book of Puritan prayers and devotions. I recall my passionate days of promoting reformed theology and even giving a copy of The Valley of Vision to those who were remotely interested. The irony is that I never read the book myself except for a handful of prayers that sounded like they were reserved for the lips of holy people.

I've been going through the Psalms in my personal devotions, but my prayers have felt repetitive, dry, and pointless for a while now. Like one of my small group members once shared, it often looks something like "God, you know, you know, you know, thank you, thank you, thank you. Amen." I suppose that is one of the many reasons why the author of The Valley of Vision researched and wrote those amazing prayers. The Holy Spirit groans our heart, but it is nice to also have guided carefully chosen words that we can ponder upon and express to the Father who listens.

If you are struggling with conversing with God, I would recommend these accessible Puritan prayers as an addition, not substitution, to your prayers. They are definitely for UNholy people. Like me.


Thought of the Day: Amazon Prime Day
Song of the Day: A Flock of Seagulls-I Ran

Man With the Master Plan(s)

Summer School Plans
Plan A: Take Math course and add Spanish course at city college.
Plan B: Test out of Math course early and add Spanish course at city college.
Plan C: Test out of Math course early at city college and take Spanish course next summer.

Summer Vacation Plans
Plan A: Parents visit us this summer.
Plan B: Visit Snugs in NY.
Plan C: Visit Enoch in NC and his sister in DC and visit Snugs and Brian in NY.
Plan D (TBD): Plan C + Sam in NJ.


Proverbs 16:9 - The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.


Thought of the Day: East Coast
Song of the Day: Childish Gambino-Redbone

This Math T-Shirt is Funny

and true!

Thought of the Day: Hollywood
Song of the Day: Eminem Piano Medley

Math is Funny

I usually give an extra credit opportunity for my students whenever they take a quiz. All they have to do is answer a reflection question on something they learned, something that was helpful, or something that could improve their learning.

This week, my reflection question was: This year, do you think you have improved, stayed the same, or become worse as a math student? Why?

I get all kinds of answers ranging from not understanding anything to Mr. Chung is the best, but one of my students wrote: "improved because with a happy mindset and a golden heart, anything can be accomplished."

I can't tell if the student is being sincere or not, but either way I had a good laugh. I recently heard from another teacher that she had students who would write things like JESUS IS THE ANSWER for her math problems. Haha. Kids are funny.


Thought of the Day: Valentine's Day
Song of the Day: Dead Prez- Hip Hop

Rookie Mistake

Ms. Brie is a first year English teacher at my school. Since we're both rookies to LAUSD, I make a slightly more intentional effort to greet her or ask how she is doing whenever we pass each other in the hallways. But every time we speak, she doesn't quite show the same smile she gives to everyone else. I start wondering if my subtle efforts to be nice and relational are coming off the wrong way.

Then one day during winter break, I'm browsing through IMDB and look through the celebrity birthdays. The actress, Alison Brie, was born 34 years ago on December 29th. To my horror I realize that I somehow mixed up Alison Brie with the English teacher whose name is also Alison. In other words, there IS NO "Ms. Brie" at my school and I've been calling this English teacher the wrong name for an entire semester. In fact, now I'm not even sure that her name is Alison!

I wonder how many times she's told her story of how the new math teacher keeps calling her "Ms. Brie" for some reason. Why didn't you ever correct me, Ms. Brie???


Thought of the Day: Packers
Song of the Day: Tupac feat. Skylar Grey-Better Days/Words Remix

Where Is My Mind?

I feel like I'm losing my mind sometimes, but this soothing cover helps me to stay relatively sane.


This cover of "Black Hole Sun" ain't so bad neither.

Thought of the Day: Burning Out
Song of the Day: The Notorious B.I.G. - Can I Get Witcha (Paxel Remix)

So Far

I just read an article from Business Insider entitled Teachers share 19 things they'd love to tell their students but can't. Here is one part of the article that really resonated with me:

"You may not realize how important it is to do well in school. You grew up in a tiny apartment in a horrible neighborhood, your parents aren't educated, you're working 18 hour-days, and your neighbors are selling drugs — and maybe you think this is all normal, but it's not, and you have a chance to get out of this."

I finished my first month of teaching and I've really enjoyed it...so far. I always knew that teachers had to have the gift of flexibility, but adapting to SO many unexpected changes very suddenly has really opened my eyes to the challenges of working in a public school. Ranging from handling 40 enrolled student classes to getting creative with solely Spanish-speaking classes, I've learned that a teacher education program can only prepare you for so much.

But like I said, I really enjoy teaching. At my school. With the students that I have. Alongside my partnering staff members. So far.

Thought of the Day: Nate

Thankful > Excited

I have about two free weeks left before the teaching career really begins. It has not been easy trying to imagine what my classes will be like and how I should prepare lessons or activities for them. It doesn't help knowing the universal fact that the first year of teaching is the most difficult year.

I tried to get myself inspired by watching movies like Freedom Writers and Stand and Deliver, but all they seem to do is fast-forward to all of the successful outcomes of their struggles. Jaime Escalante apparently didn't even have any struggles. Orale! here and the students all do their homework, and Orale! there and the students are finding derivatives right after Algebra I.

Well, at least I got a job in the district that's really close to where I live. I guess I'm more thankful than excited for my first year of teaching. Buy bigger pizzas everyone!



Thought of the Day: Heat Wave
Song of the Day: Eric B. & Rakim-Paid in Full

My Genesis and Exodus

On May 6, Phil got his CSET results. Did not pass. He was devastated.

On May 11, Phil sent out his resume and cover letter to his first school.

On May 12, Phil retook the CSET for the third time. The test was nearly identical to the first one he had taken in November. He guessed on 9 out of 30 questions.

During this time, Phil was reading through Genesis and observed that Joseph went through numerous misfortunes. The misfortunes were often accompanied by the words, But God was with Joseph, which also meant But God was with Phil.

On May 13, Phil applied to two more schools.

On May 19, Phil met with one of the principals on his campus to drop off his resume, cover letter, and recommendation letter. The principal said he would let him know when he could interview for the following week.

On May 20, the principal never responded.

On May 24, Phil wrote to the principal to confirm a potential interview. The principal never responded. Phil applied to two schools.

On May 25, Phil met with his own principal after a fire drill to drop off his resume, cover, letter, and recommendation letters. The principal said he could not interview anyone that was not cleared for hire yet. Phil interviewed at a middle school in South LA and received a job offer. He asked for two days to think about it. Phil applied to another school.

On May 26, Phil discussed the job opportunity with colleagues and family members but still had no clear answer.

On May 27, Phil declined the offer and took the risk of missing out on a district job. Phil applied to another school.

On May 28, Phil applied to Los Angeles High School. Yes, that's the name of the school.

On May 31, the vice principal asked to come in for an interview.

On June 1, Phil interviewed at LA High and was told he would be contacted by the next day. On the drive home, the vice principal called to offer the job. Phil accepted the job and informed the vice principal that he would inform her of his CSET results that would come out in two days. He looked up test dates for the next opportunity to retake the test as was his custom, but there were none that would allow time for the district to process him in time for the upcoming school year. The applications, emails for references, and interviews would mean nothing with another Did not pass.

During this time, Phil was reading through Exodus and observed that God repeatedly used sentences that started with I will... God told Moses
I will bring you out
I will deliver
I will also redeem you
I will take you for My people
I will be your God
I will bring you to the land
That last sentence stuck with Phil during these anxious times. His personal version was I will bring you to the school.

By the way, the first principal Phil had met with emailed asking to come in for an interview that day or the next if Phil had not accepted a position yet. Phil chose not to respond.

On June 3, Phil got his CSET results.

Phil shared his gospel with family and friends and opened up a wine bottle that was reserved for a special occasion. Here is the picture my supportive classmates sent me of them celebrating my victory.

I looked back on my journey with the third CSET and imagined what could have happened if I had passed either on the first or second try. I am certain I would have approached my school applications very differently. Because I was so busy and focused on studying for the test, I did not apply to two specific schools early on, which resulted in their positions getting filled. The first school was a pilot school. The other was a REED school. Both types of schools are very demanding and not exactly favorable for first year teachers like myself. I am confident I would have accepted their offers.

But because I had applied to schools (and even took the chance of turning one down) after all of my classmates had secured jobs, I discovered the opening for LA High, Southern California's oldest public school, just 10 minutes away from where I live with only Algebra I to focus on, which happens to be what I taught this year.

When Phil was all alone studying for those tests multiple times, God was with him because God was bringing Phil to his school. And Phil thanked the Lord.

Thought of the Day: Credential

Filter Bubble

Thought of the Day: Tacos
Song of the Day: Nirvana-Dumb

Textbook Bridge is Falling Down

On Friday, my classmates and I had an engineering task of making a bridge out of paper, tape, straw, and paper clips. The objective was to make a bridge that could hold as many textbooks as possible. My team came up with this design that was able to sustain a whopping 18 textbooks before collapsing. Who knew paper and straw could be so dense and resilient!

I like this picture because it symbolizes to me the workload and pressure that everyone in my cohort carries every day. Spring quarter is a tricky quarter since we're trying to finish the school year, academic and student teaching, while trying to find our first teaching job for next year. In fact, 6 out of 16 students were away for interviews on that Friday. Two have already accepted offers. I have yet to get started.

I think I'm burnt out. I'm sick of "holding up so many textbooks" in the midst of so much uncertainty. I still have a bunch of work to do and I don't even know if I've passed my CSET, if LAUSD will inform us about the rumored hiring freeze, or if I'll get hired at a decent school. As I told my small group last week, uncertainty is uncomfortable, and I feel like I've been uncomfortable for quite some time now.

But discomfort keeps you close to God. You're pushed to constantly ask for help. And so you pray. And we know that He listens.

Even if the bridge collapses, it'll all work out somehow.

Thought of the Day: Science Practices
Song of the Day: Maxence Cyrin-Where Is My Mind

Spring Break Broken

Today is Good Friday, but it happens to be a good Friday for two reasons. The first being that this is the day the Church commemorates the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The second being that I make my second attempt at passing the third CSET to be fully qualified to teach all levels of secondary math.

Unfortunately, the second reason is playing a bigger role in my mind because I have dreadfully studied calculus for the past month during one of the most academically challenging quarters of my life. I actually thought it would be impossible to study so much with so little time that I threw away all of my previous practice test questions and returned the textbooks that got lost somewhere. So I took an oath to never see that horrible CSET again.

Then representatives from LAUSD dropped us a visit and informed us that all three CSETs had to be passed in order to be eligible for hire. So after that bomb dropped, I had to improvise. I finished EDTPA a month early just so that I can have more time to study. I canceled road trip plans just so that I can have more time to study. I scheduled this test all the way back to Friday this week just so that I can have more time to study. In fact, three of my classmates had to postpone their test because they felt like they did not have sufficient time to study. In other words, I worked really hard and sacrificed a whole lot just so that I can have more time to study.

Finishing this test means that my spring break officially starts today at 5 PM, a week later than the rest of my cohort colleagues. One of my classmates texted us after finishing his EDTPA saying that he was going to down 12 Smirnoff Ices to start off his break. I don't think I would go that far, but I can finally watch my Warrior games and drink my beer with no guilt for the next three and a half days. I may not get to see Antelope Canyon this spring, but I can confidently say that I did my best given my situation.



I just hope my best is good enough so that I don't have to break another oath to never see this horrible CSET again.

Thought of the Day: CSET
Song of the Day: 2Ge+her (2GETHER)-U + Me = Us (Calculus)

Back to the Future Day

Tomorrow is Back to the Future Day, October 21, 2015. These days, I wish I could go back in time to this past spring and summer where I had more time and freedom to study for the third math CSET without the current workload I'm suffering from. I'm scheduled to take my test exactly a month from today, but it doesn't look likely that I will remember all of my calculus by then. Looks like Thanksgiving and Christmas won't look so merry this year.

Where's a DeLorean when you need one?

Thought of the Day: Point Slope
Song of the Day: Pryda-Neon

Psalm 94:19

When  my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.

I love the NASB translation of this verse, especially during a time when my heart is multiplying anxieties at exponential rates. I feel overwhelmed right now. So much to read, write, prepare, and study in so little time. The IMPACT program at UCLA is really good but very intense. Even after I get my credentials and masters, it's still going to be an uphill battle. Teaching is no joke. I never knew it would be this demanding. What have I gotten myself into?

Where are Your soul-delighting consolations?

Thought of the Day: Carpool
Song of the Day: Ed Sheeran & Rudimental-Bloodstream (Arty Club Remix)

Learning to Fly while Being Unemployed

I had my last day of class yesterday and my male Italian student messaged me to let me know he was sorry he couldn't make it to say goodbye. Just a week ago, we had talked about how big the Foo Fighters were in Italy, but I had no idea to what extent he was talking about. See for yourself.

I start school in two days!

Thought of the Day: Santa Barbara
Song of the Day: Foo Fighters-Learn to Fly

Let's GO~

My brother and I started playing Go/Stop this week. At one point, he owed me $22. Now he only owes me $2.40. I forgot how fast time (and money) can fly by when you're playing this crazy Korean game. It reminds me of those late nights in Seoul when I used to play with my dad after having a few drinks over dinner. It's amazing how much money I lost to him but also how fun it was. I wonder why we stopped playing.

As my brother and I are playing these days, there are more than a few times where I make a very careless decision and end up losing the game. I have the perfect opportunity to put down the right card or call it quits when I have the chance, but one negligent move tumbles me down to multiple consecutive losses. It's one thing to lose when the situation is out of your control, and it's another thing to throw away a win because you didn't realize what you were holding in your hand. I guess that's what I'm afraid of happening in real life.

I hate the idea of wasting time or being behind because of poor decisions that I made. But now that I have a spouse as a life partner, I feel more burdened to be more careful with what we choose to do in the present so that our future will not hold any regrets. I don't want either of us to say that we should have done A, B, and C or kick ourselves for having done D, E, and F. I don't want us to have consecutive multiple losses because of my unwise choices.

But we're in this real-life Go/Stop game, and I have to realize that if my $22 turns into $2.40, it can also just as easily go from $2.40 to $22. The Psalm I read this morning reminded me that God tells us "know that I am God." That means I have to remind myself over and over again that He controls the deck despite my imperfect strategies. I can't lose!

I gotta increase Simon's debt.

Thought of the Day: CSULA
Song of the Day: Coldplay-A Sky Full of Stars