Thoughts on homesickness

I took these pictures as I left school today.  The one on the right was my view as I walked out of the building.  I'm not a fan of the fact that it's getting dark so early these days, but it's hard to be upset with a beautiful sunset and mountains in the distance.

Today was a little stressful, as many Mondays are for me because it's my first day with a new batch of lessons. I also started speaking tests for the second grade girls today, so I had to get everything ready for that as well. Of course my procrastinating self was still getting things together at the last minute (which is quite frankly pathetic because I had tons of deskwarming time last week).

Despite the somewhat hectic nature of Mondays, as I left school a group of boys yelled my name and told me to have a good night.  I told them to have fun on their trip (1st grade students are going on a trip to Jeju Island for the rest of the week...needless to say, I'm jealous).  Regardless, the boys asked why I wasn't coming and told me they would take lost of pictures and bring me back a present.

As I continued to walk down the hill I saw girls and talked to them briefly about the chilly weather.

I continued to walk further, and I couldn't help but think, "Man, I really love these kids."

They don't understand what I'm saying half the time (ok, maybe only a quarter of the time), but these kids are really some of the sweetest students I'll ever get to work with.  I don't even know their names (for the most part), but I've been here long enough that I know their faces and their personalities.  As cliche as it sounds, these kids make my days awesome and make me glad I'm in Korea.

Homesickness (but still not culture shock) has been hitting me in some ways recently.  Not that I'm unhappy to be here, but I'm realizing that it will still be 9 months before I am home again.  That's starting to feel like a long time.  My time here has been great, but anyway you look at it, 9 months is a long time to go without seeing friends and family, dancing, driving my car, etc.

My life in America seems like it's in another dimension.  I know I graduated, I know I taught all of last year, I know I have friends and family on the other side of the world, but none of that stuff feels real to me anymore, and I think that the strangest part of homesickness for me.  All of the things that I identified with are  still there, but I have no way of being anywhere near them.  It also probably doesn't help that my nieces, best friend, and sister all have birthdays this week, so that's probably not helping with the whole "feeling really distant" thing.

The biggest realization I've come to is that I can miss home and still be happy.  I always thought of homesickness as being that miserable point where you just want to pack your bags and get on the next plane home. What I've come to realize is that there's a difference.  You can be miss home but simultaneously have no desire to move back home and go back to your former life.

And besides, if I ever need a reminder of why my life is so awesome right now all I have to do is take a walk through the hallway at school and I'll find plenty of "hellos" and smiling faces to remind me of why moving my life to the other side of the world was the best decision I ever made.

A glimpse into the classroom...

As I was getting set up to teach one of my lessons last week, one of my students came up to me with a chocolate muffin-type snack.  He shoved it in my face, and I quickly asked, "For me?"  He said yes and kept it right in front of my face.  "You want me to take a bite?"  He nodded his head and replied "Yes, one bite."  I took a bite and then he continued to eat the rest.

Koreans have different rules about sharing food (in that there are no rules). When you go out to eat you generally get a large portion of food that is shared by everyone.  There's none of this "getting your own plate of food" business that we have in the west.  I've grown accustomed to that, but this moment still took me by surprise.  I'm just going to add this to my list of things that would never happen in the US.

Here are a few other humorous moments from my time in the classroom last week:

Situation 1
Assignment: Write about a person who inspires you and explain why that person inspires you.

Me:  Who are you writing about?
Student 1:  His mother.
Me: Oh yeah?
Student 1:  Yes. Best friend.
Me: Oh, he's your best friend?
Student 1: No.
Me: Oh, why?'
Student 1: He loves me, but I don't love him.
Me: Oh, ok.
Student 1: No, no!! Not gay!!!!

Situation 2
Context: In the midst of asking the students a serious of "would you rather" questions.

Question 1:  Would you rather be invisible or be able to fly?

Student 1:  I would rather be invisible because then I could see everything.
Everyone else in the class: OOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!

A few minutes later....
Me:  I think I would rather be able to fly.
Student: That's because you are a woman.  It is every man's dream to be invisible.  Then you can see everything.
Me: ..........................

Question 2: Would you rather go to a concert or go to the movies?

Student 1: I'd rather go to a concert because then I could hug a girl I didn't know.
Me: ..........what?

Student 2: I'd rather go to the movies because it's dark in the movies.
Class: OOOOHHHHHHHH


Just in case I was forgetting, these are high school boys I'm teaching after all....

The Test That Determines Everything.

Tomorrow is the day that many students all across Korea have been preparing for since they were children.  Tomorrow is the college entrance exam.

I wrote about this briefly in my earlier post about Korean schools, but this test, also known as the CSAT, is the test that alone determines which college or university Korean students will be able to attend.  Students who do well will get to go to their dream schools. Students who do poorly will have their dreams shattered or have to wait for another year to take the test again.

I wish I could say that I was over-exaggerating the importance of this exam, but unfortunately this is the reality in Korea.

The third year students at Jeomchon High School have always been somewhat of an enigma to me.  They aren't allowed to attend any of the school field trips or festivals because they "need to study."  These students are always studying.  In fact, I don't teach third graders at school because speaking isn't on the CSAT, and therefore they need to spend their time practicing grammar and the other English skills that are tested.  It simply isn't a priority for them to spend time with the native speaker because it isn't seen as essential for their success on the test.

Students have been busy this week cleaning the school in preparation for the test tomorrow.  I also didn't have some classes this week because my students needed to practice their cheering for the seniors.  Their cheering?!  Yes, you read correctly. We did not have classes so they could practice cheering.  Just cheering for the seniors before the exam is more important than having classes.

Today I got to see the cheering in action as we had a ceremony for the seniors.  Basically the principal gave some words of encouragement to the seniors, then there was this big pinata-type thing they opened, the students did their cheers for the seniors, and finally the students all lined up along the hill and cheered for the seniors as they left school and went home.

All of the 3rd year students.  Sadly, it was raining.

The Principal addresses the students

Pinata type thing...and fireworks.

3rd graders march out of school

The students line up on the hill and cheer for the seniors as they exit

All week I have been able to feel the stress, anticipation, and overall importance of this test.  All week long we have been given rice cakes and other "lucky" foods to eat.  Tomorrow morning the stock exchange and other businesses will open an hour later to ensure that there is not traffic on the road for test takers.  Police will line the streets and assist any students who are running late.  Airplane schedules are fixed so that there are no distractions from air traffic.  The entire country adjusts because the test is just THAT absolutely important.

Parents, friends, and other family members will line up outside of the school tomorrow to cheer on the students.  Some parents will head to churches or temples to pray for their child's success.  This test means everything to these students and these families.

Now, I don't even know the third graders, but I still find myself feeling like a nervous wreck for them.  The tension in the air is palpable, and I cannot even begin to imagine how it feels to actually have to go through this grueling process.  Students who don't do well not only feel sad for themselves, but they feel like a failure for their entire family, who has often spent loads of money on their education over the years.

This week has been somewhat surreal for me.  Every time I witnessed something being done for "good luck", I couldn't hep but think, why should luck be any part of an education system or anyone's future?  What does it say about an education system when years of work comes down to a few hours and luck?  Does that not seem absolutely insane to people?  I know this is just the way it is, and it's not just the way it is in Korea, it's this way throughout Asia.  China and Japan both have similar tests, so the competition is fierce. Nonetheless, my heart breaks for these kids.

After the sending off ceremony for the seniors today, I saw some of my second grade students entering the school.  They looked sad, and I asked them what was wrong.

"Oh, teacher, now we are third graders.. Nooooo, we don't want to be third grade!"

These students know they're next.  They know what they're in for over the next year.  Their countdown starts now. This test has become a right of passage for students, but that doesn't mean they look forward to it by any means.  I know the second grade students, and have come really like some of them. I cringe to think about them going through this next year.

This is a link to a 20 minute documentary about education in Korea.  Please take some time and watch it.  I promise it's worth it.

http://vimeo.com/24642646

School in Korea

I've been here for about two and half months now, yet I feel like I have written surprisingly little about what school is actually like in Korea.

Let's start with the basics. Korean schools are similar to American schools in that they are divided among elementary, middle, and high schools.  However, they are different in that elementary school has grades 1-6, and then middle school and high school each have three years.  So essentially, what is their last year of middle school here would be our freshman year of high school in America.

Another important thing to note about the Korean school system is that high school is not technically compulsory, but most students do attend all three years of high school. In fact, Korea has an extremely high graduation rate.  I think it's somewhere around 98%, but I haven't checked that statistic, so don't quote me on it.

Korean high school students attend different schools depending on their academic ability.  I don't know for sure how this is determined, but I would guess testing has something to do with it.  There are technical high schools for the lower level students, other assorted level high schools, and then the more elite high schools that have the top students.  I work at one of the "high performing" schools--I am regularly reminded that it's the "best" school in the area.  Of course, I put all of these things into quotations because I in no way think that the students in the technical schools are less intelligent than the students at my school--I highly suspect that they type of education in Korea really caters to the students 1) with money and 2) who can test well.

Education is a top priority in Korea.  Today this country is one of the most modern in the world, but it wasn't long ago that it was completely destroyed by war.  If you look at pictures from even twenty years ago, you can see how drastically this country has changed in a short amount of time.  Sixty years ago, people here were living in extreme poverty and therefore Koreans saw education as the foundation of their country's reconstruction.  In many ways, the emphasis of education is in fact what has made this country so prosperous over the past few decades.  However, Korea has also had to compete with the education systems of its neighboring economic powerhouses--Japan and China. For this reason, the intensity of the education systems of these countries is very similar.

Students in Korea go to school all day, every day.  Younger students go to school during the day, then go to hagwons, or private schools at night. At the hagwons, students will take additional math, science, english, or even music classes.  These schools are expensive, but many parents see it as absolutely essential for the success of their students, and therefore shell out tons of money to hagwons every year.

By the time students get to high school, they are in classes all day (8-6), then they have mandatory study time until 10:00.  Many students then go back to their dorms and study for a few hours after that. So, you might think, "well that sucks, but at least they have the weekends!"  Well, no.  When I ask my students what they did on the weekend they tell me they either had classes or studied.  Even over Chuseok break (Thanksgiving), my students told me they would only see their family on Chuseok, and they would then spend the rest of their break studying.  They either have classes at school over the weekends or they go hagwons for extra classes.

In one of my culture classes, I did a lesson about American high school.  When the students saw all the vacations that American students have they were completely envious.  They also couldn't believe that school is done so early in the afternoon, students can play on so many sports teams, and that students can CHOOSE some of their classes.  Students in Korea don't get these options, and while American students love to complain about what they have, there are millions of students in Asia who would love to have the American school schedule.

So why do these kids study so much?  The answer is simple: testing.  Korea (along with other Asian countries) have an education system that is purely driven by testing.  The Korean college entrance exam, or the Korean SAT, is the single most important factor to determining a student's future.  A student's entire education comes down to a single day.  If he/she gets a poor score on the test, they will have no shot at getting into a top school, regardless of how well they did over the past few years.  Having a bad day on CSAT day could quite literally ruin your plans for your future.

Teaching in such a test-driven educational environment has been quite the learning experience for me.  While many schools in America are moving towards competency based grading and performance assessments, testing is still the be-all- and end-all in Asia.  Education systems in America are valuing depth over breadth of knowledge, and skills over the recall of information.  However, in Asia, it is primarily about recall, and education is about being able to remember AS MUCH as possible.

I don't believe this type of education system is best for the students, but it's not my place to think that I can change a whole country, especially since Korea is trying to stay competitive with the rest of Asia.  While I think it's really unhealthy for students to spend so much time studying, I do think that the students learn how to work hard.  I think that many American students are losing the ability to study at all, but I would never in a million years hope to have a system like the one in Korea. With that said, I really appreciate how much Koreans value and support education.  If people in America also cared so much about their education system, I think we could solve a lot of the problems that we are currently facing.

Below is a picture of my class schedule.  In Korea, students stay in the same classroom with the same group of students (separated by gender)  for all of their classes.  This is called their homeroom.  The first number tells you which grade they're in, and the second number tells you what classroom they're in.  For example, 2-1 would be second grade first class, and 1-3 would be first grade third class.

I see first grade boys the most--4 times a week.  First grade girls I only see once a week, and I see every second grade boys and girls once a week.  That's a total of 21 classes a week, but I only have to prepare a total of five, fifty minute lesson plans a week--a lot less than I had to do in the US.  Although, as I've mentioned I find planning difficult because of the lack of any type of solid curriculum for me to follow. 

I teach from 9-5 everyday (8:30 start time on Monday/Tuesday), which is nice because I don't have to wake up disgustingly early like I did last year, but by the time I get home the day is pretty much winding down.  I have way more downtime than I did teaching in America.  Tuesdays are my busiest days because I teach five classes, but then I also teach a night class.  I don't leave school until after 9:30 PM on Tuesdays, which is gross, but gives me insight to how the students and other teachers feel.  Most teachers stay at school until at least 10 most nights, and some nights they are required to stay until 11.  It's insane.  I am so tired by the time Tuesdays are done that it takes all my energy to come home and put on my pajamas.  I can't imagine doing that daily.  Additionally, I only have to teach three classes on Wednesdays, so at least after having such a long day I have a less stressful schedule the next day.  

So, there's a little insight into school in Korea.  It's really different from the US, but that's part of what is making this whole experience so interesting.  I will be happy to one day return to teaching in the US, but for now, this experience is certainly opening my eyes. 

The School Festival

On October 22nd my school had its annual festival.  Now, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but in the weeks leading up to the festival it became obvious that this festival is a BIG deal.  Apparently every school has its own festival every year--all the way from elementary school to high school.  These festivals are essentially a chance for the students to perform musical and dance numbers.

At my school, each boy class paired with a girl class to sing a traditional Korean song and an English pop song.  This was a competition between the classes, and let me tell you, they took this very seriously.  During the week or two leading up to the festival, I had canceled classes multiple times because they "needed to practice for the festival."

On the day of the festival, I arrived at the theater and the day began with a film festival.  In the weeks before the festival I had also heard a lot about the films that students were making.  Even though I couldn't understand what the students were saying in the movies, they were pretty awesome.  I could get the gist of the stories, even though I didn't understand a word of what was being said.  Most of the movies followed a similar idea--there was almost always someone in love with someone else....how surprising.  Ok, not really, but I truthfully enjoyed this part of the day.

Next was the song competition.  I was surprised by how well some of these students could sing.  Although, I'm not really sure WHY I was so surprised because singing is a big part of Korean culture--this is the country of noraebang, after all.  The students had told me so much about these songs, so it was awesome to finally see them perform.  I loved how into it they all were.  I tried to imagine trying to get my students in America to do this, and it made me laugh.  This is something that students would just NEVER do in America, but even the coolest kids in Korea took this really seriously.  Below are a few of the videos from the singing competition.

After the song competition we headed to lunch  During the lunch break we had little games for the students to play.  I was at the "Speed Quiz With Sarah" game, where students had different nouns they had to describe and they had to get me to correctly guess the noun through their descriptions.  If they got me to guess enough words, they got a prize. 

One thing that I've noticed about Korea is that they make banners for everything. I felt legit to have my name on this one.  

After lunch, we came back and the students did their other singing and dancing performance.  This part was LONG.  Tons of kids got up to sing songs, and again I was impressed by the singing abilities (do all Koreans sing well?)  I was especially surprised by how many boys got up and sang ballads.  Again, things that would never happen in America.  

There were also a lot of dance numbers.  These numbers were mostly all danced to K-pop songs, but I loved listening to the reactions of the students.  You would have thought that the actual K-pop artists were on the stage by the way that the girls would freak out during these numbers.  It was really quite entertaining.  

(sorry for all the videos...I can't figure out how to move/delete them now)

After they finished all the performances they announced the winners and then we had dinner.  After dinner, I came back to play the English games with the students again, then the kids all got ready for their evening performances.  

The evening performance contained many of the same performances from the day, but there were some new things as well.  This is the performance that many parents came to, so there were a lot more people there at that point.

The festival went until really late--I don't think I left until 10:30.  It was a really long day, but I was glad to see my students have some FUN and doing things artistic instead of just studying all day long like they usually do. These kids are smart, but some of them are also really talented, and it was awesome to see them in their element.  The students really love this day, and I'm glad they have at least something to look forward to.

 Of course, the whole school wasn't at the festival.  Third graders don't get to participate.  Why?  Because they have to study, of course.  

                                                                That's Korea for you.

Woraksan Mountain

This weekend a bunch of my friends and I had plans to go hiking to Woraksan Mountain, which is about an hour away from Jeomchon.

Three of my friends from Seoul came down on Friday night, and we had an early morning (after obviously staying up too late the night before) to get our adventure started.  We rented a car for the day, so we avoided the tricky bus situation and got a start on our hiking around 10:00.

I had been concerned about the weather because there looked to be a chance of rain.  However, everyone still wanted to go, so we started to make our way up the mountain.  It was actually a little sunny for about the first fifteen minutes, but unfortunately that didn't last too long.

The mountain itself was pretty tough.  Of course, there were plenty of Korean hikers along the way.  And yes, Korean hikers are different from the typical hikers you find on your average New England weekend hike.  While hiking in Korea, it is is pretty routine to be passed by these Korea hikers, who are typically at least 20-30 years older than myself.  Naturally, while I'm huffing and puffing they never seem to be bothered by the difficulty of the hike.

Korean hikers are also without doubt the best-dressed hikers I've ever encountered.  One of the things that struck me when I first moved to Jeomchon was the number of outdoor apparel stores.  Jeomchon is not that big and we have SO MANY of these types of stores.  How many of those stores do you really need?  Well, now I know, apparently you really do a lot because Korean hikers are all fully clothed in the most legit hiking gear there is.

As we made our way further up the mountain it was obvious the clouds were only getting thicker.  We didn't have much of a view at all and once we got closer to the top, it then it started to rain on us.  We wanted to make it to the top, but we got to the point right before the most intense part, it was raining, and we knew even if we did make it to the top there wouldn't be much of a view.  So, we had some lunch, in the rain where we were, then made our way down.

You just don't see this when you're hiking in New England. 

That is the top of the mountain...so close, yet so far!

Same picture as above, but after only about 10 minutes we couldn't even see the top of the mountain anymore

Lunch time!

In America we have PB&J, in Korea you have kimbap while hiking.  I have to say, it's awesome. 

Of course, coming down a really steep mountain in the rain is less than desirable and I think we all slipped at least a few times.  Needless to say, we were pretty happy to make it back to the car.

Despite the conditions, it was still a nice day to be outside and get some fresh air. I love hiking in New England, but there's something really awesome about coming across Buddhist monks and temples in the middle of your way up a mountain (yeah, that happened).  I definitely want to go back to Woraksan in the spring because I can tell there are some fantastic views out there and since we didn't make it all the way to the top, it's definitely a mission that needs to be accomplished!

Once we got back we showered and met up with some other friends for dinner.  Then we went out for a few drinks, and of course ended the night with noraebang.  It was a really fun night, and I'm really glad that my friends from Seoul could meet my friends in Jeomchon.  I know I've said it before, but I really feel blessed to have met so many awesome people in such a short amount of time.

A Korean, A Hong Konger (what do they call people from Hong Kong?), and an American! I love these girls!

Love these people!

Obviously this had to happen. 

Sunday we woke up late and everyone left in the afternoon.  I was sad, to see everyone leave, but I hope that it won't be long until we can all meet up again!

What I've Learned in the ESL Classroom

 Today’s article is written for the Reach To Teach Teach Abroad Blog Carnival, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. I'll be posting a new ESL related article on my blog on the 5th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you'd like to contribute to next month's Blog Carnival, please contact Dean at dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com, and he will let you know how you can start participating! 


When I finished EPIK orientation about two and a half months ago, I felt like I had been through the most overwhelming whirlwind of my life. Everything in my life was suddenly different, and then BAM! On top of it all,it was time to start a new job.

Adapting to life in Korea became so all-consuming that the whole teaching thing (you know the reason we're all here in the first place) almost became a second thought.  During orientation we didn't know where we were living, never mind the grade we would be teaching.  Needless to say, despite the hours of training we endured, we didn't exactly feel like we had any idea what to expect from our jobs.

This is not my first teaching job.  In fact, I have a Master's degree in Secondary Education and I taught for two years in America before coming to Korea.  I can't tell you how many times during orientation people looked at me and said "oh, you have teaching experience, you'll be fine."

The truth is, I knew teaching in an ESL room would be a completely different experience, and in large part, it has been.  At home I taught Civics/Economics/Law and a few other social studies classes.  I had ZERO experience teaching English, never mind teaching English as a foreign language in the midst of a school system that functions quite differently from the system in the US.

One of the reasons I wasn't sure of whether or not I should come to Korea was because of how much I loved teaching in America.  I never stopped doing work when I was teaching at home, but I also couldn't imagine myself doing anything else.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to leave something I loved to do something that I didn't know if I would even like.

I'm two and a half months into teaching here, and while I really do miss teaching in the US,  I've learned a number of things in my short time here.  Here's a snippet of what I've taken away from my time as an ESL teacher.

1)  Teenagers are teenagers, no matter what country you're in.  
Sure, there are differences in culture that affect the way some of my Korean students act, but the similarities between my students in Korea and the US far outweigh the differences.  There is most definitely a social hierarchy in Korea, just as there is in America.  There are the "athletic" students, the "outgoing students", the "shy students", the "studious students" and the "socially awkward" students.  I've been surprised by how many times my students have said or done things that have reminded me of my students in America.  These students love the same things as American teenagers--they like music, sleeping, thinking about members of the opposite sex, and playing video games. They are self-conscious and place great importance in their looks.  They have their emotional mood swings, and some days you don't know whether to expect them to be bouncing off the walls or completely asleep for the duration of the class. Even if I can't communicate with them that well, I love them and their crazy/wonderful teenager ways just as much as I loved my American students.

2) Students need to be built up, not torn down. 
My students are under a tremendous amount of stress.  Korean education is ALL about testing.  In fact, their entire education essentially comes down to the SAT test they take in their third year of high school.  These kids have been going to hagwons since they were children, which means their school days basically consists of two parts--the regular day and then night classes.  They hardly ever get real days off from school, not even on weekends or holidays breaks.  If they're not smart (or really just bad at testing), they will be reminded of it.  If they don't fit into the narrow idea of acceptable beauty, they will be told by virtually everyone around them (as if they didn't already know it themselves).

I've found that compliments can go a long way in the ESL classroom.  Many students lack confidence in their ability to speak English, and they need encouragement to feel like it is ok to make mistakes.  I try to build the students up as much as I can (not that I lie to them), but from what I can tell, they don't hear many positive things about themselves very often.

Recently my students participated in a competition in our provinece where they had to put on a play in English.  During lunch I would go and watch and try to help them with their plays. The first time I saw them I told them it was really good (and it was--they ended up winning 1st place), but they looked at me with complete disbelief.  "Really?!"  Apparently the other teachers hadn't been telling them the same.  After they won, one of the students excitedly came up to me at school the next Monday and thanked me for my help. I didn't think I did that much, but it was truly appreciated by the students.

Students need to hear corrections, but they also need to hear positivity as well. And trust me, it means A LOT for them to hear it from the western, native teacher.  Students are really shy and self-conscious, especially about speaking English, and especially about speaking English to the native speaker (I mean, who wouldn't be?)  It's really important to give corrections in a gentle way and to give positive feedback whenever possible.  It does wonders for these kids' confidence.

3)  Good lessons only come with a lot of time and effort. 
Teaching is hard work. You don't just get to show up and do you're job--there's planning, making materials, implementing the lesson, and revising.....and then revising again.  I sometimes teach the same lesson six times in one week.  Some weeks, I change the lesson almost every single time.  By Friday, I usually finally have the lessons to a point where I am satisfied with them.

I've always known that teaching is a process, but this is the first time I've really been able to revise lessons.  I didn't teach long enough in America to really get to revise any lessons, so this has actually been a good experience for me.  I've been able to truly going through the evolution of the teaching process.  And if anything, teaching the same lessons so many times has really shown me just how much of a process it is.

4) It's hard to be patient, especially when you're insecurities are brought to the forefront. 
Teaching requires a whole lot of patience.  This is again something I already knew, but teaching in Korea has made me more aware of this.  Teaching in Korea has additionally made me aware of the fact that I am not confident in my teaching ability.  One of the major changes I've had to adjust to is the fact that I have to teach with a co-teacher.  Last year I could do whatever I wanted in my classroom, and if I had a lesson go badly, I didn't have my colleagues there to witness it.

This year I have another teacher in the room with me 80% of the time.  I like my co-teachers a lot, but it is still uncomfortable for me at times, especially when I think something isn't going well.  Of course, feeling this way has unleashed a number of personal questions (why do I care as long as I am putting in my best effort?), but at times it can be frustrating.  It can be difficult to keep your patience when your students can't always understand you, you have a communication barrier with your co-teacher, and you don't feel confident about what you're doing.  Everything is amplified in the classroom--whether it's your strengths, insecurities, or ability to be patient, teaching is the culmination of so many things that you can't help but learn a lot about your ability to deal with all different types of circumstances.

5) One of the best ways to learn about Korea is to get to know the students

It sounds cliche, but my favorite part of teaching is hands down getting to know my students.  By this point there are certain students I look forward to seeing on a daily basis--the students who always stop by at the same time, or who I always see on my walk home from school.  Talking with them in those informal situations is absolutely the best part of my job, and I love hearing more about their lives.  I have learned a lot about life in Korea just by talking to my students, and I hope that they are learning just as much about America by talking to me.  You can learn a lot by reading books or articles online, but you learn myriads more by talking to people and hearing about their own experiences.  I can read about Korea and my students can read about America, but to talk to someone is to get the real deal, the real insight on how a culture affects a person's life.

I always tell my students that someday when they come to America they can find me and we can meet up and I will buy them pizza (or hamburgers or whatever western thing we happen to be talking about)....but I honestly mean it, and I hope that one day they really will get to experience my culture, just as I am getting to experience theirs.




Teaching in the ESL classroom is still teaching me new things every day and I'm sure it will continue to teach me more with every day I spend with my students. At least I hope it will, because I came to Korea to learn as much as I can, and I have no doubts that I will go back to America someday as a much stronger, well-rounded person and  teacher for my future students.