Just a Boring Day, So I’ll blog….

It is in the middle of summer and it is raining. Huh? Oh ya summer is the rainiest season in Korea. On Saturday it was a very rainy day. We couldn’t go on a bike ride or go hiking, but we wanted to get out of our little box. So, Jayson decided to go bowling and I decided to go shopping. BAD IDEA! It wasn’t just raining; it was a non stop downpour. I thought I planned it right. I wore Capri’s and high heels in case I step in a puddle. I wore dark colors because water doesn’t show up as much. And I had an umbrella, of course. All of this pre planning did not matter. The streets were flooded, the people were pushy and water was flying from all directions. My adventure only lasted 2 hours and now I know to stay inside when it is raining like that.

Today is another rainy day, but luckily I have to stay inside and get paid for it. It is also one of the quietest days at school. It is so quite, that I could hear a pin drop (or that annoying screeching bird outside my window). The sixth graders are taking a very important test. So important that there are 2 teachers per room and a hall monitor. My job is to guard the answer sheets in my office. I think I can handle that. Hehehe

8 days until China! Yahoo!

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!

May is a great month for teachers in Korea!

May is a good month because there are a lot of holidays and there are also special events at school. Two weeks my school had Sports day. Every school in Korea holds this event once a year. At my school every grade practiced one special event like circle tug-o-war, relay races, jump rope, dancing and running. For weeks before the event the classes would practice. The classes would also practice marching. The teachers began to stress out and I didn’t understand why. I just thought it was going to be a fun relaxing day like a jog-a-thon or something. It was fun for me. They would cancel classes, so they could practice. And once the day came, I understood what all the commotion was about. All the students wore matching gym outfits. All the teachers wore matching gym outfits (even me). There were tents set up along the perimeter. Flags hung all around. And there was a head table for the principal, the vice principal and top district big wigs. All the teachers were praying for a smooth event because all the eyes were on them and their class. There was an opening ceremony with flag waving, songs, speeches and choreographed exercises. And then, finally the games began. It was a long day and only my pictures can describe the rest. The teachers are much more relaxed because the event is over.

Last week my school had their birthday on Tuesday, so there was no school. On Wednesday it was Children’s Day, so there was no school. Children’s Day is a day where kids get presents, and a day off school. Some businesses are also closed for this holiday. Since we had the day off, we went to Haeundae Beach in Busan. The weather was perfect! Good friends, good Frisbee, and you are even allowed to enjoy a drink or two on the beach. I should have worn a little more sunscreen though. Ouch!

Today is Midterms, so I don’t teach. On Thursday and Friday we are going to a conference about 1 hour away. Next Friday is Buddha’s Birthday, so no school. We are going to Deok Jeok Do for that 3 day weekend. It is a private island near Seoul. About 60 English teachers will attend. There are sleeping facilities, but we have to bring our own food. So, it’s kinda like camping on the beach. Bring on the SUN! So, in conclusion (haha), May is a great month for teachers in Korea!

Korea in the month of April

Since we don’t want to spend time in our small apartment box, we explore as much as possible. Sometimes we feel like we are living college life again. We spend many late nights in bars or dance clubs hanging out with friends until 3am. Last weekend we ventured to Busan. After enjoying a delicious Mexican meal we followed our friends through the subway system to foreigner row. Ok, not really foreigner row, but once we arrived there were so many English speakin folk, that it didn’t feel like we were in a foreign country. We were able to share our teaching experiences withe each other and then we got our dance on! I love my space to dance and I get a little crazy sometimes. The few Koreans that were there didn’t know what to think. Their dance club style involves bouncing and step tapping. It was fun!

Once we were tired we wanted to take a taxi adventure back to Ulsan (little did we know how adventuress it would be). Ulsan is about 45 minutes away from Busan. At 3am there are no buses or trains running. So, we bargained with a taxi driver to drive us home for about $60. Everything was fine until he missed the exit! Apparently, highways in Korea have no turn offs once you’re on them. For miles we were stuck on this highway with no exits. Then we turned around, had to pay a toll booth. The taxi driver asked how to get to our location. He got directions and went. Then he got lost again. We ended up turing around 4 times, hitting 4 toll booths and adding 25 minutes to our 3am adventure. Once, we were on the correct road, the taxi driver was running red lights and kept on saying “sorry.” We were so happy to see our apartment and no to mention our toilet (boy did we have to pee).

Although our weekends can be crazy, we also take time to enjoy the outdoors. We love our bikes. We biked along the Taehwa River. We enjoyed a peaceful ride with beautiful flowers surrounding us. I also attended a wedding last weekend. Korean weddings are very different from American weddings. The wedding was at this huge facility where many weddings are held in huge decorated conference rooms. They just shuffle the weddings through. When we first arrived we entered a room where we took pictures with the bride. After 20 minutes the wedding began. The room was generically decorated for any wedding. People were talking during the ceremony. I had no idea what was said, but it was pretty short. There were two dressed up kids that walked down the aisle in the middle of the ceremony. I don’t know the purpose. There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen. There was an announcer and a priest. It was very cute when the groom sang to the bride. Lets just say he will not be a singer when he grows up, but his effort was very adorable. After the ceremony we went to a buffet. The bride and the groom did not attend because they had their traditional wedding with immediate family. There are no presents or cards, just money. I decided to exercise my American and I gave the bride and groom a good ‘ol fashioned hand written card. They liked it!

During the week we teach, teach, teach and go to the gym. Last week I only went to the gym twice and they freaked out. I have made friends in my K pop aerobics class and now they expect me to attend class everyday. Well, at least they keep me motivated. K pop is really fun. There’s no instruction, they just turn on the music and go. The ladies know all the dances and I am stumbling two counts behind. After a few weeks, I finally have a few down.The ladies (all ages) come decked out in disco outfits. I mean neon, bellbottoms, booty shorts, fishnet, you name it. I just wear my given gym outfit and call it good. This weekend I went out with my new K pop friends. They do not speak English except for one girl. Except her Spanish is better then her English, so we speak spanish to each other. The instructor made sure my glass was full. We were hugging and laughing and taking pictures. We can’t speak to each other, but who needs language when you can dance;)

Although we miss home ALOT!!!!! This is an experience we will never forget and we challenge ourselves to go on as many adventures as we can. Seize the moment!

Busan/Orphanage/Soccer/Cherry Blossom Festival

We have been doing a lot of touristy stuff lately. We finally feel comfortable getting around, so each weekend we venture out more and more. The culture shock is starting to wear off. We have been here for almost two months and things are starting to feel natural. We love our new friends because every weekend is very eventful and we get to share it with them.

Last week we went to Busan. Busan is a city just south of Ulsan. It takes about an 1hour and 1/2 by train to get there. Jayson and I checked out Shinsegae, which is the biggest “department store” in the world. So, they say. It’s pretty big, but it reminds me more like a mall rather then a department store. There are a lot of stores, a movie theater, an ice skating rank, and a spa. Then we took a subway to Haeundae Beach. It was very beautiful. In the summer the beach will be filled with umbrellas and thousands of people. We met up with some friends ate Mexican food (it is the closes place to eat mexican, oh it was so amazing). We then went to a bar to drink and play pool. Good times. That day we took a train, a bus, the subway and a taxi.

This weekend I went with a church group and went to the Busan Orphanage. It was a lot of fun. It was explained to me that the kids are not adoptable because they have family near them (like aunts and uncles), but they cannot afford to take care of them. There are about 90 kids living at the orphanage ages form 2 to high school. The kids were really fun. We brought paper, pens and chalk for arts and crafts. Someone brought ingredients for no bake cookies. I ended up teaching a dance class, of course. The kids did not speak much English, but it doesn’t take much to share a game or draw with a child:) Very rewarding.

Jayson went with some friends to a soccer game. It was the Ulsan Tigers versus the Jeju Pride. The score was 1-0. They were the only group of foreigners. A stadium guy took a picture of them and put it on the jumbotron(sp?). During halftime they had people kick American footballs into the gaol. Why? We don’t know. Soccer is very popular and they had a great time.

Today we went to see Cherry Blossoms in Geyongju. They were so beautiful. The cherry blossoms will only last a few weeks, so even though the weather was questionable, we still went. We met up with our South African friend Melvin and took some beautiful pictures. We enjoyed some delicious Italian food in the cutest restaurant. Funny story: We were taking pictures of each other and all of a sudden a Korean man offers to take a picture of us. That was nice but then he proceeds to follow us for the next hour or so. He said he was at Geyongju to meet foreign english people. He wanted to be our tour guide and practice English with us. He was very nice, but hard to talk to. He did explain the tombs, fortress ruins, ancient ice house and various locations that we walked to. I think we will run into that a lot. There are a lot of Koreans that want to practice English with a foreigner. Pretty cool, I guess.

Anyway, my stories are not very interesting this time. So, take a look at the pics and enjoy:) Until next time....

Korean School System

Korean students and American students share a lot of similarities and differences. For the most part, if I ever hear an American student complain about too much school I will slap them silly (ok not really). This country is school crazy, but in a good way. Teachers care about their students success and parents push them even further. Although school is mainly academic driven they still go on field trips, have sports days and teach creative and inventive lessons. There are a lot of opportunities for students to become successful and everybody is pushing them every step of the way.

Ok, let’s start with elementary school (1st to 6th grade). Kids will attend school Monday though Friday from 9am to 2pm. They will also attend school 2 Saturdays a month. After 2pm, most students will attend a hogwon (Korean Private School). Or, some students will attend after school classes provided by their school. Some students will be in school as late as 10pm. After school classes and hogwons cover many subjects, but I think most student receive extra English instruction.

Middle school students (7th to 9th grade) will attend just as much school if not more. Some Middle school students will even live on campus during the week because they chose a school for a certain specialty (like sports or mechanics) that is far a away from their home. Their day schedule is very similar to Elementary students, but I believe they will attend more hours of school and the discipline is more intense. High school students (10th to 12th grade) most likely live on campus. High schools are aimed to a certain specialty like science, or math or language. Students will pick their high school accordingly and they also have to take an entrance exam. A lot of pressure. Their school days are long. They have regular classes from 9am to 4pm, then extra classes, then they have mandatory study time form 8pm to 10pm. The teachers observe them studying. And sometimes students will attend more class after that.

Classroom management is at a whole different level in Korea. I am a firm believer in positive reinforcement, but Korean teachers think otherwise. It also amazes me what Korean teachers decide what’s punishable and what they will look the other way on. I will see so many students (mainly boys) pushing, slapping, hitting, pinching, punching, you name it during break time and the teachers will do nothing. I will even catch it a few times in class and nothing. But if the student is disrespectful or not participating then that is when the punishment begins. Since I do not understand Korean language, I don’t always understand why the students are being punished, but I do understand that my Korean co teacher is frustrated. A lot of times the whole class will have to close their eyes and put their hands on top of their heads. She will begin to lecture them and then they will have to raise their hands straight up. Their hands get heavy and begin to shake. The teacher will lecture them for as long as she feels necessary, then they put their hands down and we continue instruction.

If one student or a few students are disrespectful then the punishment is more intense. Many times students will have to stand facing the corner during class time in humiliation. Other times students will have to write letters or sentences. Another time a few students did a series of push ups and squats until they could barely move. This is just elementary students. In Middle school the teachers walk around with a stick and use it as necessary. Some students will have to squat against the wall with their hands out for an extended period of time during class. Jayson has seen students completing work in the hall on their knees. If a student gets sent to the principal’s office, I hear it’s brutal. I don’t know much about high school, but I imagine it’s pretty similar. Since high schoolers have to earn their way into the school, I would imagine they behave a little better, but I don’t know.

Anyway, these are just generalizations and not facts. This is just a bunch of examples that I have witnessed in my school or heard from my friends. But still I find it all to be pretty interesting. I take it for what it is and try not to judge. This system works for Korea. So, if you are a teacher or a parent in the States and your kids are being little sh*!s you can share this story with them. Enjoy!