Teaching in Korea
What is it like teaching in Korea? Kyunghwa High School Perspective
Hello! Mandeep here! I taught at the high school alongside my co-teacher, Katie. Teaching in Korea is vastly different than teaching in America. Though I do not have actual teaching experience in America, I did have the opportunity to sit in and observe many classrooms in America. I also was a teacher's aid for a couple fifth grade teachers and kindergarten teachers. Given all of this experience, I can confidently say that teaching in Korea is extremely different and extremely fun. The students at the high school are some of the most passionate, hard-working, and driven students that I have ever had the pleasure to meet. They study very hard and try their best in their academics. Katie and I had a blast teaching because the students were all so eager to learn. Whenever we would ask a question, many hands would shoot up in the air and a feeling of pure excitement would fill the class.
The language barriers were slightly difficult at times, but I sincerely believe that the language barriers made the entire experience that much more meaningful; despite these barriers, the students pushed through and worked that much harder to understand the material.
Katie and I taught two lessons over the course of two weeks. We taught each lesson multiple times every single day throughout the week. We taught both first graders (first years in high school) and second graders (second years in high school). We did not have to modify the lessons because the English proficiency and academic achievement level was quite similar between the two grades. Katie and I taught about two classes every single day and had breaks in between while the other high school teachers taught. Katie and I brought together popular culture from America, such as the Marvel superheroes, and self-appreciation and recognition of important people in the lives of the students. Katie and I quickly learned that in order to teach these students effectively we have to slow down the pacing of our speech, enunciate each phrase, and speak loudly so that the students can understand. We also found that having fun hooks and use of visuals really engaged the students and made them excited for our lesson.
In the majority of Korean classrooms the teacher lectures and the students sit and listen. Because of the more teacher-centered curriculum and methodology that the Korean education system employs, Katie and I decided to switch up our lesson plans so that it would be more of a student-centered approach with lots of group work and interaction between peers. The students ended up LOVING this approach because they got a chance to speak their mind, hear the creative things that their peers came up with, and have a space for more higher level critical thinking. Many students approached Katie and I after class thanking us for this approach as it was extremely beneficial and fun for them.
Overall, teaching in Korea was lots of fun. Though there was a lot of work involved, seeing the amazing reactions from the students made it 100% worthwhile. Seeing the students explore their own talents and passions in the classroom is a rewarding experience that Katie and I will never forget!
This is Katie and I want to second everything Mandeep said about how passionate and hardworking our students were. We were very fortunate to have such supportive and dedicated students to teach. Mandeep shared a lot of great information about how wonderful our specific school and students were and I would like to share a bit more about the structure of the education system.
The students work extremely hard every day in order to prepare for the college entrance exam their senior year of high school. Every student is expected to pull long hours studying after school every day and the overall rigor of the education system is hard and requires a lot of work. There is not a lot of room for extracurricular activities as many students go to academies after school ends to study more, usually in a particular subject such as English. This was another reason that Mandeep and I wanted to provide a group activity-based lesson plan to engage the students in peer interaction and a more creative approach to utilizing and practicing the English language.
When going to teach in Korea, be prepared for the intense rigor of the education system and the high expectations. The education system strives to provide the best education and prepare the students for the difficult college entrance exam. Because the classroom is more lecture-based, I think the students will really appreciate a more interactive, creative approach to lesson plans if possible to incorporate those lesson plans into your teachings. The students really enjoyed practicing the language utilizing their own creativity and ideas and while this approach won't work in every setting, it's worth the time and effort when you can incorporate a student-centered approach!
Hello! Mandeep here! I taught at the high school alongside my co-teacher, Katie. Teaching in Korea is vastly different than teaching in America. Though I do not have actual teaching experience in America, I did have the opportunity to sit in and observe many classrooms in America. I also was a teacher's aid for a couple fifth grade teachers and kindergarten teachers. Given all of this experience, I can confidently say that teaching in Korea is extremely different and extremely fun. The students at the high school are some of the most passionate, hard-working, and driven students that I have ever had the pleasure to meet. They study very hard and try their best in their academics. Katie and I had a blast teaching because the students were all so eager to learn. Whenever we would ask a question, many hands would shoot up in the air and a feeling of pure excitement would fill the class.
The language barriers were slightly difficult at times, but I sincerely believe that the language barriers made the entire experience that much more meaningful; despite these barriers, the students pushed through and worked that much harder to understand the material.
Katie and I taught two lessons over the course of two weeks. We taught each lesson multiple times every single day throughout the week. We taught both first graders (first years in high school) and second graders (second years in high school). We did not have to modify the lessons because the English proficiency and academic achievement level was quite similar between the two grades. Katie and I taught about two classes every single day and had breaks in between while the other high school teachers taught. Katie and I brought together popular culture from America, such as the Marvel superheroes, and self-appreciation and recognition of important people in the lives of the students. Katie and I quickly learned that in order to teach these students effectively we have to slow down the pacing of our speech, enunciate each phrase, and speak loudly so that the students can understand. We also found that having fun hooks and use of visuals really engaged the students and made them excited for our lesson.
In the majority of Korean classrooms the teacher lectures and the students sit and listen. Because of the more teacher-centered curriculum and methodology that the Korean education system employs, Katie and I decided to switch up our lesson plans so that it would be more of a student-centered approach with lots of group work and interaction between peers. The students ended up LOVING this approach because they got a chance to speak their mind, hear the creative things that their peers came up with, and have a space for more higher level critical thinking. Many students approached Katie and I after class thanking us for this approach as it was extremely beneficial and fun for them.
Overall, teaching in Korea was lots of fun. Though there was a lot of work involved, seeing the amazing reactions from the students made it 100% worthwhile. Seeing the students explore their own talents and passions in the classroom is a rewarding experience that Katie and I will never forget!
This is Katie and I want to second everything Mandeep said about how passionate and hardworking our students were. We were very fortunate to have such supportive and dedicated students to teach. Mandeep shared a lot of great information about how wonderful our specific school and students were and I would like to share a bit more about the structure of the education system.
The students work extremely hard every day in order to prepare for the college entrance exam their senior year of high school. Every student is expected to pull long hours studying after school every day and the overall rigor of the education system is hard and requires a lot of work. There is not a lot of room for extracurricular activities as many students go to academies after school ends to study more, usually in a particular subject such as English. This was another reason that Mandeep and I wanted to provide a group activity-based lesson plan to engage the students in peer interaction and a more creative approach to utilizing and practicing the English language.
When going to teach in Korea, be prepared for the intense rigor of the education system and the high expectations. The education system strives to provide the best education and prepare the students for the difficult college entrance exam. Because the classroom is more lecture-based, I think the students will really appreciate a more interactive, creative approach to lesson plans if possible to incorporate those lesson plans into your teachings. The students really enjoyed practicing the language utilizing their own creativity and ideas and while this approach won't work in every setting, it's worth the time and effort when you can incorporate a student-centered approach!
Lesson Plans
Mandeep and Katie's Lesson Plans
What is it like teaching in Korea? Kyunghwa English Business School Perspective
Hello, everyone! This is Raffaella. I had the pleasure to work at Kyunghwa's English Business School with my co-teachers Akira, Kara, and Andrea.
The EB school is unique in that in focuses on giving the students a comprehensive knowledge of business so that they can enter the work force immediately after graduating from Kyunghwa. Unfortunately, this means the focus of their studies is on business, even in English class. As a result, the English level of the students at EB is between the middle school and the high school, and also has more emphasis on formal interactions. Even so, the students were incredibly excited to have us and did their utmost to communicate. Also, luckily, I have worked as a conversation leader for the international students at the Applied English Center at KU for a year, and so I am used to speaking slowly and using simple language or rewording complicated phrases. So, I didn't have as many difficulties communicating as some of my peers did.
During our observations the first couple of weeks, we learned that this led to very straightforward lessons that were teacher-focused and mostly involved imitation and repetition from the students to learn set phrases in a set context. This wasn't unexpected for me, having spent a year as a student in Korea myself, but was still disheartening. The teachers reflected my sentiments. With only 50 minutes once a week with each class and a focus on business english, there is only so much wiggle room the teachers have to personalize the lessons for the students and introduce fun activities. However, it was clear to me that the two EB english conversations are passionate about what they do and put every effort into making class as interesting and engaging as possible given their limitations. It inspired Akira, Kara, Andrea and I to use our opportunity to expand on skills thee students have already learned, but add a twist of fun and show them how to extend their formal learning into casual exchanges.
The four of us taught two lessons in pairs to the first, second and third year students while we were at the EB school. Kara and Andrea taught a lesson where the students got to tap into their creative sides and create their own music companies modeled after their favorite Korean pop idols. Akira and I mirrored that lesson with our own lesson about how to talk about music. This both complimented Kara and Andrea's lesson and also fit into the students curriculum, which included how to make small talk. Akira and my lesson allowed them to listen to both American and Korean music, and talk to their peers about their music tastes. We also added a competitive game using fly swatters, which was a HUGE hit. Overall, the lessons were a huge hit. They work incredibly hard.
In addition, because the students at EB were in the middle of testing, we also had the opportunity to have many casual conversations with the students and to help them practice speaking english, as well as had daily meetings with a small group of girls from the English Club at EB. Topics of conversation ranged from family and pets, to politics and science. We even had students come to us of their own accord to practice for a speech competition! Mandeep and Katie already mentioned it, but you will never meet a more passionate and hard working group of students than the students at Kyunghwa. Seeing their faces light up with joy and laugh at our silly antics (mostly dancing goofily to Justin Timberlake) and engaging in conversations with us outside of class made the whole experience completely worth it.
It was an eye-opening experience that really convinced me I wanted to work as a teacher in Korea. I had already been seriously considering it, but seeing how lovely the students and staff were, and how responsive they were to our lessons convinced me that it was worth it despite all the hardships and difficulties of the Korean education system that Katie, Mandeep and I have talked about. I look forward to returning to Korea next fall as a full time teacher.
Hello, everyone! This is Raffaella. I had the pleasure to work at Kyunghwa's English Business School with my co-teachers Akira, Kara, and Andrea.
The EB school is unique in that in focuses on giving the students a comprehensive knowledge of business so that they can enter the work force immediately after graduating from Kyunghwa. Unfortunately, this means the focus of their studies is on business, even in English class. As a result, the English level of the students at EB is between the middle school and the high school, and also has more emphasis on formal interactions. Even so, the students were incredibly excited to have us and did their utmost to communicate. Also, luckily, I have worked as a conversation leader for the international students at the Applied English Center at KU for a year, and so I am used to speaking slowly and using simple language or rewording complicated phrases. So, I didn't have as many difficulties communicating as some of my peers did.
During our observations the first couple of weeks, we learned that this led to very straightforward lessons that were teacher-focused and mostly involved imitation and repetition from the students to learn set phrases in a set context. This wasn't unexpected for me, having spent a year as a student in Korea myself, but was still disheartening. The teachers reflected my sentiments. With only 50 minutes once a week with each class and a focus on business english, there is only so much wiggle room the teachers have to personalize the lessons for the students and introduce fun activities. However, it was clear to me that the two EB english conversations are passionate about what they do and put every effort into making class as interesting and engaging as possible given their limitations. It inspired Akira, Kara, Andrea and I to use our opportunity to expand on skills thee students have already learned, but add a twist of fun and show them how to extend their formal learning into casual exchanges.
The four of us taught two lessons in pairs to the first, second and third year students while we were at the EB school. Kara and Andrea taught a lesson where the students got to tap into their creative sides and create their own music companies modeled after their favorite Korean pop idols. Akira and I mirrored that lesson with our own lesson about how to talk about music. This both complimented Kara and Andrea's lesson and also fit into the students curriculum, which included how to make small talk. Akira and my lesson allowed them to listen to both American and Korean music, and talk to their peers about their music tastes. We also added a competitive game using fly swatters, which was a HUGE hit. Overall, the lessons were a huge hit. They work incredibly hard.
In addition, because the students at EB were in the middle of testing, we also had the opportunity to have many casual conversations with the students and to help them practice speaking english, as well as had daily meetings with a small group of girls from the English Club at EB. Topics of conversation ranged from family and pets, to politics and science. We even had students come to us of their own accord to practice for a speech competition! Mandeep and Katie already mentioned it, but you will never meet a more passionate and hard working group of students than the students at Kyunghwa. Seeing their faces light up with joy and laugh at our silly antics (mostly dancing goofily to Justin Timberlake) and engaging in conversations with us outside of class made the whole experience completely worth it.
It was an eye-opening experience that really convinced me I wanted to work as a teacher in Korea. I had already been seriously considering it, but seeing how lovely the students and staff were, and how responsive they were to our lessons convinced me that it was worth it despite all the hardships and difficulties of the Korean education system that Katie, Mandeep and I have talked about. I look forward to returning to Korea next fall as a full time teacher.
What it's like teaching in Korea? Kyunghwa Middle School Perspective
Brooklyn here! I had the amazing opportunity of working at Kyunghwa Middle School along with fellow KU students Annie, Naomi, and Katie A.
This year was the first time KU students had taught in the middle school, so it was a new experience for everyone involved. For that reason, the middle school students were extra shy and it took some work for them to open up to us. However, they were all ecstatic that we were at their school and were ready to learn from us. They are hard working, kind, and definitely full of energy. We were asked to teach two of the three grades at the school, so Naomi and Katie co-taught the second graders (age 13) while Annie and I taught the first graders (age 12). For the first few weeks, we observed classes, met the students, and got to know them. During this time, we had the opportunity to have casual conversations with the students, getting to know their favorite foods, K-pop bands, and their stories. We not only learned more about the students, but they learned more about us, causing them to be more comfortable with us.
After a few weeks of observations and learning more about the school, each duo prepared two lesson plans to teach during our time there. For the first week, we decided to stick with the theme of food since it is a very relatable topic to all people, yet the customs associated with food differ quite drastically between cultures. Naomi and Katie created a lesson slightly more challenging for the older students and Annie and I simplified it for the first graders. For the second week of class, the middle school asked us to help the students review for their upcoming tests, so we all came up with some fun review games. The girls love competition, so bringing educational games into the classroom worked really well. While we did not make an official lesson plan for the review game, we did make a second sample lesson plan continuing our unit on food. Check out our lesson plans below!
Since these students were the youngest at Kyunghwa, they also had the least experience with English overall. This brought about some difficulties in teaching, communicating, and lesson planning. Some of them could hold a basic conversation, but a large amount of students had to pause and think for a moment after you asked them a simple question like, “how are you?” As their teachers, we had to really work on speaking slowly and clearly while also using simple vocabulary. As someone who speaks pretty quickly naturally, this was hard at first. However, halfway through the trip I found myself speaking abnormally slow even in casual conversations with my English speaking friends. It was also challenging to come up with lessons that would not completely go over the students heads, yet were not too easy. Once we got to know the students more, it became much easier to plan. There were also certain classes that were very loud and ready to learn, while others were more reserved and shy. Learning to teach differently to different groups of students was hard at times, but it was great learning experience. As I said before, this was the first year for student teachers to work at the middle school, so it was pertinent for us to come in with an open mind and a positive attitude. If you are willing to be flexible, then you will thoroughly enjoy your time at the middle school!
Teaching at Kyunghwa Middle School was one of the most enjoyable and eye-opening experiences I have had. The students are incredibly sweet and were a joy to teach. I learned so much from the school, my coworkers, and of course the students. It really got me thinking about what I want to do with my life and whether or not I could see teaching as a part of my future. The personal lessons I gained from these six weeks will stick with me for a long time, and I will look back on this internship as one of the best summers of my life. I am left with wonderful memories that I will cherish forever.
Brooklyn here! I had the amazing opportunity of working at Kyunghwa Middle School along with fellow KU students Annie, Naomi, and Katie A.
This year was the first time KU students had taught in the middle school, so it was a new experience for everyone involved. For that reason, the middle school students were extra shy and it took some work for them to open up to us. However, they were all ecstatic that we were at their school and were ready to learn from us. They are hard working, kind, and definitely full of energy. We were asked to teach two of the three grades at the school, so Naomi and Katie co-taught the second graders (age 13) while Annie and I taught the first graders (age 12). For the first few weeks, we observed classes, met the students, and got to know them. During this time, we had the opportunity to have casual conversations with the students, getting to know their favorite foods, K-pop bands, and their stories. We not only learned more about the students, but they learned more about us, causing them to be more comfortable with us.
After a few weeks of observations and learning more about the school, each duo prepared two lesson plans to teach during our time there. For the first week, we decided to stick with the theme of food since it is a very relatable topic to all people, yet the customs associated with food differ quite drastically between cultures. Naomi and Katie created a lesson slightly more challenging for the older students and Annie and I simplified it for the first graders. For the second week of class, the middle school asked us to help the students review for their upcoming tests, so we all came up with some fun review games. The girls love competition, so bringing educational games into the classroom worked really well. While we did not make an official lesson plan for the review game, we did make a second sample lesson plan continuing our unit on food. Check out our lesson plans below!
Since these students were the youngest at Kyunghwa, they also had the least experience with English overall. This brought about some difficulties in teaching, communicating, and lesson planning. Some of them could hold a basic conversation, but a large amount of students had to pause and think for a moment after you asked them a simple question like, “how are you?” As their teachers, we had to really work on speaking slowly and clearly while also using simple vocabulary. As someone who speaks pretty quickly naturally, this was hard at first. However, halfway through the trip I found myself speaking abnormally slow even in casual conversations with my English speaking friends. It was also challenging to come up with lessons that would not completely go over the students heads, yet were not too easy. Once we got to know the students more, it became much easier to plan. There were also certain classes that were very loud and ready to learn, while others were more reserved and shy. Learning to teach differently to different groups of students was hard at times, but it was great learning experience. As I said before, this was the first year for student teachers to work at the middle school, so it was pertinent for us to come in with an open mind and a positive attitude. If you are willing to be flexible, then you will thoroughly enjoy your time at the middle school!
Teaching at Kyunghwa Middle School was one of the most enjoyable and eye-opening experiences I have had. The students are incredibly sweet and were a joy to teach. I learned so much from the school, my coworkers, and of course the students. It really got me thinking about what I want to do with my life and whether or not I could see teaching as a part of my future. The personal lessons I gained from these six weeks will stick with me for a long time, and I will look back on this internship as one of the best summers of my life. I am left with wonderful memories that I will cherish forever.