Teaching: Things that Work and Things that Don't

I decided to put together a list that includes some of my key experiences with teaching:

• Games. Lots and lots of games. I teach at Elementary school, which means I teach grades 3-6. The games I use are usually simple like Pass the Ball, Simon Says, 4 Corners, or other traditional ESL games. 

• What works: PPTs with a lot of special effects and funny pictures (the love pokemon, and other anime). If you find one game that is a crowd pleaser, it is ok to play it again, and again, and again... My students love BINGO, always a classic, and they ask to play it repeatedly. 

• What doesn't work: In most of my classes my co-teacher prefers not to translate my English. This means that more involved games, like Mafia, or something like running dictation are hard to explain. I have had some very awkward instances where students have no clue what is going on...but I have also learned from mistakes and now, I always use detailed ppts with pictures for instructions.

• Discipline. Elementary kids are great, because (at least in Korea) they are young enough to still respect you, and are in fact quite awed that a foreigner is even talking to them. This has worked to my advantage in the sense that I have not had to worry about discipline too much.

• What works: Sometimes, when my kids get too excited during a game, or are just not paying attention, I use this attention getter: "Eyes on me!" and they say "Eyes on you!" This is so ingrained in them, and really works. My school implements a reward system, so I will tell them, if I have to say "Eyes on me" three times before the quiet down, they will get points subtracted. This really works to keep them quiet and paying attention.
• Depending on the class, I will give them the silent treatment, which involves me staring them down, not saying a word until they realize I am not happy with them.

• What doesn't work: I have tried, and failed to talk to my kids about why they should be quiet, respect each other, etc. Maybe if my kids were older, I could actually talk to them about concepts such as respect, etc. But  I don't speak enough Korean, they don't speak enough English to really get the point across, and especially my 3rd graders are still so young. It is easier to simply set clear boundaries about class room behavior, and establish the consequences if the rules aren't followed
 

 

• Co-teachers. In Korea, at least for Elementary ETAs, we work with co-teachers. At my school I have a co-teacher for each grade I teach. Each co-teacher has a unique style of teaching, and so your team work will be different. But I have found some things to generally be the same across the board.

• What works: Bigger, complicated games. With my 5th grade co-teacher we did a running dictation where we went outside and let the kids literally run across the entire sport's field. This was great for the kids, and we were able to manage it because there were two teachers, instead of just one. Another thing that works with co-teachers is to split up teaching. What I mean by this, is that I usually let my co-teachers explain grammar points. This is helpful for my students, because they need to understand the grammar in their own language first. 

• What doesn't work: For me, it has not been effective to teach grammar points in English, because my students don't really understand, they just memorize what I say. This might have to do with the young age, and limited English skills of my students. Another thing that hasn't worked with my co-teachers is for them to instruct me in teaching. When I first started teaching I looked forward to learning from my co-teachers, and having some feedback on my own teaching. This hasn't happened, mostly due to my co-teachers' personalities and the work culture in Korea. I have had to learn from observing, and adjust my teaching based on the reactions I get from co-teachers. This has been hard.

Spring Break Snapshots

Korean Elementary Schools get one week off between semesters, for their equivalent of spring break. So this past week one of my best friends  (who is currently living in Japan) came to Korea to visit. Together we visited Seoul and Busan, the two major cities in the country. Below are various pictures from our trip! Enjoy!

We started our adventures in Seoul, where we met some other friends from the states and explored the city. 

After Seoul we took a 5 hour bus trip to the bottom of the peninsula, to Busan, the other major city of Korea. This is Gamcheon Cultural Village. Originally a refugee settlement, during the Korean war, it is now a popular destination for Koreans and tourists alike. We stayed in Busan with another friend from Roanoke College, who is also currently working in South Korea. What a small world! 

On our way to meet our friend we stopped for delicious strawberries! I must say, Korean fruit is some of the sweetest, most delicious I have ever had! 

Our second day in Busan was spent exploring Haedong Temple, built in 1376 during the Goryeo Dynasty.

This dragon statue, soaring on a cloud, fascinated me! 

The temple is situated immediately on the coast, and looks out over the ocean. Gorgeous! 

The last stop of our trip took us back to Cheongju, my city, where our host family showed us around town. 

Sang Dang Fortress, built during the Joseon dynasty overlooks the mountains and city of Cheongju. 

We hiked for an hour with my host family, after which we ate delicious food and celebrated Elsa's last day in Korea. The sunset was beautiful.

 In short, spring break was a lovely respite from my regular routine. The new semester starts tomorrow, and except for two or three holidays, I will not have a break from teaching until my contract ends in July. This break has been restful and refreshing and it was wonderful to explore Korea with my friend. I am truly thankful for friendships that span countries and years! 

February Limbo

In Korean schools February is an odd month, because technically kids and teachers go to school, to finish the semester, which ends the last week of February. However, most of the kids already finished their textbooks, so we teachers don't have anything to teach.

My school requires me to come in to work every day, but I don't actually have any kids to teach, since we finished the English textbook in December. This is very odd to me, and I offered to teach some supplemental lessons, but the school refused. Instead my co-teachers are watching movies with the students. I am honestly a little confused and frustrated with a system that doesn't make the most out of the presence of a native speaker. Moreover, if they really don't need me....can I go home? I'd love to travel some more within Korea, but since I need to show up to work every day (even though I literally just sit at my desk reading for 8 hours), I am stuck in Cheongju until the last week of February.

Regardless of my frustrations with the school system, I am enjoying my months in Korea, as they quickly fly by. I am happy to report that every month living with my host family is easier and more enjoyable, as we learn about each other, and grow in language skills. My host sisters are a handful, but they make me laugh, and I am very grateful for that!

Yesterday, I accompanied my host family to a local concert hall, where the two youngest girls (aged 4 and 6) were performing in their kindergarten talent show. I don't know what I expected, but it definitely wasn't the elaborate, 3 hour-long program I saw. While I was impressed with the amount of work the kids put into their performances, and the professionalism with which the teachers, TV crew and moderator conducted those 3 hours, I couldn't help thinking if the emphasis on perfection took the joy out of it for the children.

My host sisters' kindergarten talent show. This was the stage. The audience was packed with parents and grandparents. The second from the left is my youngest host sister, who is 4.
 

Olafur Eliasson's exhibition at the Leeum Samsung Museum of Modern Art

 The beginning of February I spent two days in Seoul on a solo-trip. I wanted to get away and be on my own, so I spent two days visiting museums and city sights. Below are some pictures.

My favorite installation in the exhibit was this curtain of water and light.

Visiting the Iwha Mural Village in Seoul, the houses in this area are all painted with beautiful murals 

Winter English Camp 2017

Two weeks of English camp are over now.
I taught 2nd and 3rd grade, two hours each, for one week, and then 4th and 5th grade, two hours each, for one week.

It has been a really nice experience, because unlike the regular school year, I did not teach from a textbook but was able to come up with my own games and activities. I enjoyed that a lot. I also enjoyed having smaller classes and getting to know my students on a more personal level.

Last day of camp we had a food party where the kids were allowed to make snacks for themselves

Highlights from English Camp:

Duck Duck Goose, very popular with 2nd and 3rd

• Being physically pushed, pulled and urged by a second grader to join in the game of Duck, Duck, Goose. It felt nice to be wanted.
• Receiving a handwritten note thanking my co-teacher and me for our work. 
• Introducing 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade to a game my German family plays. (I translated it into English of course).
• Learning the Pitch Perfect cups song with 4th and 5th grade, and seeing the kids practice the song during break time. (meaning they actually enjoyed the activity enough to continue past class hours)



2nd grade boys. They were so sweet...why do they have to grow up? 

• Being told by two 4th graders (지은 and 회진) that I was the reason they signed up for English camp in the first place.

One of the 2nd grade girls wrote a note to my co teacher and me, thanking us for the camp.

The two boys with the scarfs are twins, and my co teacher and I only found out the last day!

2nd grade girls

3rd grade boys

The boy kept sneaking into all the pictures.

Happy New Year from Japan

This year I got to spend New Year's Eve with one of my best and oldest friends. I am visiting her in Japan, where she is currently working, and spent New Year's Eve with her and her friends. After an evening of Japanese New Year's TV, we went to bed for a few hours before waking up at 3 am to hike Mount Takao, from which we watched the first sunrise of the year, and then crossed to the other side of the mountain, from which Mount Fuji is visible.

The first sunrise of 2017, as seen in the Land of the Rising Sun

Currently, I am sitting in Starbucks in Tokyo, filling out graduate school scholarship applications, sketching, journaling and reflecting. I will be here until Sunday, when I return to Korea to start teaching my English winter camp. I am so thankful for this break and rest. Looking back on my time in Korea so far, I know I have only survived with my sanity in tact because of prayer and support from friends and family. It is not easy living and teaching in Korea. But it is fun, and it is rewarding and I wouldn't change a thing.

Some difficult things this past year:

• Language barriers. I notice this most, because it keeps me from truly being able to connect with people on a deep level. I love intellectual conversation, talking about books I'm reading, things I'm learning about God and other sometimes serious matters. I can't do this in Korean. And I miss it. 
• Cultural differences like directness. You can't just say what you are thinking in Korea. I notice this especially at work, where I often have to bite my tongue from pointing out the inefficiency of the system. 
• Being away from friends and family.

Some wonderful things this past year:

• Realizing that it is possible to connect with people with out language. I notice this with my host family who truly do care about me, and connect with me, even without speaking each other's language. 
• Learning to love Korean culture. I love the value Koreans place on aesthetics in art, music and daily life. I love the food. I love the patience people show me when I try my Korean. I love the Noraebang culture (karaoke). 
• Learning about God and myself. This year has been preparing me for graduate school in big ways. I'm learning that I need to grow in humility where my faith is concerned.
• I am learning that there are things I love about American and European culture.

Boarding the cable car to go half way up Takao-san (4am)

 

The temple on top of Takao-san

My friend, Elsa, and me in front of Fuji-san 

Tying our fortunes at the temple (Japanese tradition)

View of Tokyo (the famous skyline is visible, very small, in the distance)