Still Burning the Midnight Oil

Title refers to the number of hours required for teaching + teaching office hour preparations (10+ hours/day) for the month of January. It's a Korean custom that is followed when elementary and middle school students have winter vacation, that is the time when their intensive studies begin for the entire month. Some learn basic English grammar, some learn spoken English, some are preparing for high school or university entrance examinations or the TOEFL/TOEIC tests before studying abroad. Whatever their personal reason, the hakwons swam with migratory Koreans trying to edge further ahead of the competition and become more fluent bilingual speakers. My job isn't easy for these very reasons. The expectations of the students and their parents footing the expensive costs each month, make teaching a tango with academic scrutiny and entertaining lessons that don't turn students away. It's a fine line between the worlds of ESL learning (creative) and TOEFL learning (academic) where multiple syllables and correct grammar and extensive vocabulary score the biggest points. I still give it my best efforts everyday to keep students on pace with their goals, further pushing their capabilities micrometers further towards their present goals. Korean hakwons operate with last minute decisions made from the top-down. The orient is known for Confucius philosophies and the collective process of Confusionism making which generally comes from the top and trickles down into direct instructions from other superiors. It's a learning curve for a freelance ESL teacher with Canadian roots, but I am letting old man river show me way. ^^