I teach at a private language academy (aka: cram school) where parents send their progeny AFTER regular school hours. Sometimes these children attend to two or three different academies in one day and are (understandably) exhausted by the time they get to us. Often, though, parents are VERY eager to get their money's worth and insist that their children attend all sessions, even to the point of sending them to class under duress.
Case in point:
My Korea co-teacher hangs up the phone and turns to me.
"That was Sung-Hyeok's mother. He's just had a circumcision and he was in the hospital with food poisoning last night, so she asks that you please don't give him re-test [extra study time, often used as punishment] today."
The poor, miserable lad sat in his seat, with his hood up, and about 5 minutes into the class asked: "Teacher, may I go home?"
Me: "Yes, yes, go. Go!"
Wanting to make his life a little brighter:
Me: "Here, have a sticker."
