Oh Teaching in Korea

Many people ask, "How do you teach a student English, when you don't know Korean.” There are many answers. First, I have a Korean co-teacher during my regular day classes. We plan lessons together. I explain activities in English and she translates if needed. We also sing songs, chants, play games and use lots of hand motions to make English class exciting. After school classes I teach by myself. The first hour I teach advanced kids who have a strong base of English. The second hour I teach students who barely know the alphabet. I use simple sentences and repetitive phrases for classroom management. It was very important to teach them key comprehension questions and phrases the first week of class. The Korean teachers taught them "Do you understand?" "Teacher help me please." Teacher I need more time." They also taught them the famous, "May I use the toilet?" These sentences were first over used because the students were eager to practice their new English sentence. So for the next two weeks I heard: "Yes I understand the meaning" even if I didn't teach them the meaning. Then they shortened the sentences to "Teacher help" "Teacher time" and they asked the toilet question any time they could. Even though these sentences were slowly abused, I understood what they were trying to say and it helps with the flow of the lessons.

When it comes to teaching lessons, I feel like I am one big song and dance act. I don't know what I would do without technology. Our computer is hooked up to a huge TV. I am able to show youtube videos and PowerPoints are my best friends. At first you wouldn’t think youtube would be so helpful, but it is an important tool for every English teacher in Korea. On youtube, you can find learning songs, books made to songs, short animation with translations. I use youtube for motivation. Usually I show a clip and then I say, "Ok, what do you think we are doing to learn today?" and the conversation begins. I also use youtube to teach songs. There are songs about everything, especially for kids. Songs teach kids new vocabulary and sentence structure and the kids enjoy it. Now, PowerPoint. The things you can do with PowerPoint are endless. I use PowerPoint for hidden picture, scramble sentences, and Jeopardy/Bomb games. If you have a PowerPoint prepared you don't have to waste time writing things on the board or flipping through pages. The Jeopardy and Bomb games are a fun way to review a lesson and to check for understanding.

My favorite part about teaching is when I teach 3 third graders the alphabet 30 minutes a day. I volunteer this time because I could tell they were sitting in class not understanding a word I said. I couldn't imagine being it that situation. I would probably quit the class. So, I decided to make English more enjoyable for these guys. It's so nice because it's with a small group of three kids, so there are no discipline problems. They hardly know English and I hardly know Korean, but I am still able to teach them the alphabet and phonics with flashcards and go fish. I think the small group learning environment took the pressure off and their brains were able to learn. It has been about 2 months and they can read 3 letter words. I think it is so amazing because I barely know the Korean alphabet. This is my most rewarding time.

Although being away from my family and friends is difficult, I realize what I am gaining in Korea. I am making new friends, experiencing a new culture and becoming a better educator. I can't wait to get back in a California classroom and use everything I have learned here. I have 8 more months to learn, yahoo!

Hiking and World Cup - I love Korea

Wow, It’s been a long time since I wrote. A lot of new exciting adventures. Let’s start with Buddha's birthday in May. Jayson and I joined about 75 foreigners to a private island called Deok Jeok Do. A hotel was arranged for us to sleep in. There was 5 of us to a room and we slept on the floor. The weekend consisted of ultimate Frisbee, hiking, BBQ and campfires. Some travelers were more interested in drinking and at times I felt like I was caught in the middle of a MTV Spring Break. Jayson and I stuck to ourselves. Enjoyed a little drinking and some cards. It was a humid rainy weekend. We made the best of it, but our trip was cut short because a storm was coming and there was only one ferry leaving the island in the morning.

Since Deok Jeok Do, Jayson and I have been bit by the hiking bug. We love it so much. Korea has so many beautiful mountains. We hiked up Mt. Munsu. It took us about 4 hours round trip, but once we hit the top we could see beautiful Ulsan (our hometown). We hiked up Jansam. This hike had a river with waterfalls along the way. Last weekend we hiked up Boemoesa. This was my favorite hike so far. We started at the temple where we experienced daily life of monks and visitors that came to bow and meditate. The top of Boemoesa was amazing. At first we were stuck in fog, but after 5 minutes the clouds parted and we were surrounded with beautiful greenery. We are always planning a hike. It is good exercise and it forces us to explore Korea.

The World Cup has also been an amazing experience. I have never been interested in the World Cup, but the Korean spirit moved me. Jayson and I did not think soccer was such a big deal, but the first Korean match we found we were in for a real treat. We geared up in our red and white. We enjoyed some chicken and beer with some friends. The people in the streets were all wearing Red and shouting “dae han me guk.” Which means Republic of Korea. The best part was when we arrived at the river. There was a huge Jumbo Tron set up with a stage. Hundreds of Koreans gathered to watch the game together. They were yelling, singing, cheering, and booing as if they were at a live game. Luckily the Korean’s won and everybody was happy. The next game we watched at a soccer stadium and the final game we watched at a bar. They lost, so now it is over, but it was fun while it lasted.

There is so much more I could write, but this is all I have for now. I need to write more often. I will post some pics Love everyone and miss you soooo much!