Dear Buheung High School:

I’ve survived my first month of the new school year with you! It may seem odd to westerners how the students enter a new grade at the beginning of March, instead of September, but I suppose it does make a lot of sense since 2013 is still fresh and February was the Lunar New Year.

Walking into you (*the school – haha this letter-writing perspective can make for a bizarre read*) that first week back and seeing all the new first year high schoolers (like grade 10s in Canada) gasping in awe and excitedly running up to me to say hello to the “waygook” teacher is nothing short of amusing. I felt like a celebrity all over again. Want to feel beautiful? Want a pick-me up? I walk through your halls and will receive everything from low bows, to cheerful waves and grins, gifts of Korean candies and endless compliments about how beautiful my hair, skin, eyes and even nose are! One boy bowed so low the other day that he almost fell over. And one other boy came right up to my face, his eyes staring deep into mine and used what little English he knows… “Woowww, Teacher, beautiful eyes”.  

Despite having been here for 6 months (halfway mark in Korea!!) at the beginning of this new school year and having already become comfortable at my school, there have been many changes that have made 2013 new and exciting. I’m now teaching an Extensive Reading class for second years. I was skeptical at first about it (why have a native English teacher teach reading, not speaking, when a Korean teacher can do it well?), then excited (about the opportunity of making changes in the reading material to include things other than boring and tedious graded readers), then brought back down again when the realities of the Korean testing system made me realize it may be impossible for me to do everything I want to do in this class… It has been an interesting journey and learning curve. Needless to say, I am enjoying it more than I expected and many of the students, especially the girls’ classes, have impressed me. But, ah, the other teachers assure me nervously that “their English is very low… lower than in other high schools… what do you think?”  I think they need to read authentic English. I think they need to be exposed to English that will actually make them interested in English. I think they need to enjoy it. How else will they even want to put any effort in? I showed them a variety of places they can find and read English: some blogs, social-networking sites, funny English signs, ads, menus and t-shirts, horoscopes, newspapers, personal/love ads, song lyrics, gamebooks, comics, magazines… the list goes on! And I definitely succeeded in hooking a lot of them! Then of course I hear the bomb AFTER being told I can use these other “authentic” and “fun” materials. The graded readers are easier (in terms of vocabulary), easier for assessment and seem to be of a more “elite” status in preparing them for the notorious Korean exams. I may be slightly bitter about it, but I’m determined to find a way to slip some of this into the curriculum whenever possible. Rawwr! I shall!

In addition to this change, I’ve also been teaching 2 after-school first-year Conversation & Culture classes. These kids make me excited to teach them. Their personalities, participation and enthusiasm, despite being a low level in English make me want to try hard for them. My Conversation & Culture classes with the second years are much different. I know all the students already, so we’ve already got a connection going and they understand how I teach. This year they are making country teams/groups and even more than ever, I’m infusing culture and global education into my curriculum.  No textbook for my class – no problem! I think I actually prefer creating everything from scratch and challenging myself to meet their needs, what I think they should learn and what they want to learn. There are always challenges with the apathetic students, the sleepers and the talkers in these classes (I’ll post you a letter about this later), but I feel like they’ve improved immensely since last year. Or maybe I’m also improving too? :p I’d like to hope so! My student mentoring classes are also very rewarding. These students are more advanced in English compared to the rest of their grade and they’ve been picked by their homeroom teachers to join my class for an extra challenge and to cater to them more.  I have the 15 of us sit in a circle around some desks and we have an intimate, comfortable space. I find these classes allow me to experiment with my teaching methods and activities and have made me realize what I wish education in schools would become. This new school year has been busier, but somehow I also feel happier. I feel more invested and more connected to you and your students. They’ve become MY students too.

What makes teaching here at your school so interesting is the variety of classes that I teach. I get to teach adults too: Two English Teachers’ classes, a Non-English Teachers’ class and a Parents’ class. In this latter one, there were 8 moms that came to this week’s class and all are at different levels (which makes it difficult), but we have a nice, comfortable conversation class and laugh a lot! Each week, one person brings a snack for everyone and I provide the tea/coffee!

I’ve wanted to post about my teaching experiences for quite some time now. I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. I’ve learned a lot about the Korean education system from being with you, Buheung. And there’s still a lot I have yet to learn. I’ll “mail” you some more letters soon.

TGIF!

Signing off,

~Leana