Here where kids of all ages run around freely and spiritedly. Here where teachers are always busy and never not tired. Here where the rules are strict and the standards are high. Here where oddly enough, students don't want to leave, maybe because of the vibrant colors and open gates, maybe because of the awesome soccer field?* Either way, kids LOVE THEIR SCHOOL here. It isn't as much like the pulling-teeth attitude that we get a lot of times back in the States when it comes to going to school each and every day. Here in SK, it's more like that for the teachers. :)
I am, of course, speaking of Korean elementary schools. As I am told, most elementary schools look the same with a soccer field out front (usually turfed a bright shade of green), two- or three-story buildings surrounding it, and a gym (often used) off to one side. No gates, no locks (except when you try to play badminton with your Chinese friend early on a Saturday morning!).
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The English Classroom
Each English classroom has commonly brightly-colored walls, tables, and chairs. The staples of a chalk board or white board and a Smartboard are present, in addition to an abundance of resources and materials.
As I know elementary classrooms back home in the U.S. to be packed to the brim with resources—from books and journals to pencils and crayons, so are Korean classrooms similarly packed and then a bit more overflowing. The amount of resources associated with these English classrooms in SK is amazing and great, but rarely ever used (at least in my experience).
At my school here in Jangheung, there is also a 'back room' filled with props and tables and spaces sectioned off for use in addition to our actual classroom. It is similar to an "English Town" (a type of school that just has sets and tools and props to teach very hands-on lessons of English), as it has many different "real world" play sets for the students to have a more real experience practicing their English. Sadly, this back room at my school usually just stays sectioned off and dark. My co-teacher will very seldom say, "Let's use the back room for class this week." More often than not, she keeps her own personal books and tools for teaching in the room and then we barricade the door with a little bookshelf so as to keep it new and fresh for whenever we might need it? In the future? Sometime? Perhaps?
In any case, it is an amazing place and I have yet to figure out how to utilize it in everyday teaching from the textbook; or at the very least, for special lessons of some sort.
Most English classrooms may also have phrases like "Fun Fun English World!" or "Welcome to English!" accompanying any wall art around the room. They often seem to contrast the regular homeroom classrooms greatly as those are much simpler and dimmer in decor as well as stocked materials. It seems as though the colors and books and props in the English classrooms scream to the students, "PAY ATTENTION TO ME!" And this definitely works as it often takes a good chunk of the beginning of each class to calm and focus the otherwise-excited and energetic students on their tasks for the period. But our job as ESL teachers is to use these resources to their potential and make English more interesting and attainable. In my experience, the more funny, loud, and expressive I am in front of a class of 5th or 6th graders, the more likely they are to pay attention to the foreign language that the crazy chick at the front of their class speaking.
These rooms instill a sense of childlike fascination and attraction into the English room amenities, which I think, is a great thing! You can definitely see it in students. Because the Korean education system can be an intensive, demanding, and rigorous system, any kind of solace that these kids can seek now is a good thing. Before their middle-school and high-school tests begin and the demanding standards and countless hours of studying start, they can acquire some more time to play and imagine and poke fun and laugh. Because they still just want to be kids; because they are still kids.** Who love the peace sign. It's 'their thing' in pictures. Always.
And then, finally, filling these spaces in the center, are the students. Sitting in rows and rows of desks to allow for very little ease of space to walk through by the teachers. But our job starts in the classroom. Not just at the school, not just once we stepped off the plane into SK, but it all started once we stepped into our classrooms. Whatever shade of orange, yellow, blue, or pink our classroom walls may be painted, our job is to use these classrooms and try to teach the students to speak with some fluency, in the hopes that it might broaden their horizons and allow them access to new opportunities found within and beyond Jangheung.
* * *
The Cafeteria
My dad just asked me the other day, "So what is the school itself like? With all those kids everywhere? Is it busy or quiet?" And my response is: YES, so loud and busy, all the time. As the students are allowed to run around without a specific "playground" to keep to, they sort of run amuck? But it is a good kind of running amuck, where they are trusted and given responsibility to stick to a task of any sort during their time off of class, like cleaning and sweeping out a classroom during the teacher's lunch or playing in a specific courtyard (for the younger students) or coming in to bug me and get candy for doing English worksheets I have any extra of in the office. They usually have something to do and it keeps them productive and on task and they enjoy it.
The best representation of this is in the cafeteria. It may look chaotic at first glance, but after observing it for the past six months from lunches at the teacher's table, I have come to understand that there is indeed a method to its madness...
The kids enter onto the scene through a door at the side...
The teachers proceed to get their lunches from dishes at the center of the table in the middle of the grand room. They then sit and maybe have a chat while they eat, or just sit and take a break while the madness carries on around them...
When all are finished eating, the trays and leftover food is disposed of into bins and buckets...
Student helpers are there to assist (some super cute, and you catch their cuteness)...
There are machines for water...
And that's about it. Another smooth day in the cafeteria is complete!
Change of Weather
As we are just coming to the close of summer and the beginning of fall, that means cooler weather and less use of fans in the classrooms. Summers here in Korea are famously known for their sticky, sticky, humid heat—along with the orchestras of cicadas loudly blasting their chirping tunes almost as if they are communicating and trying to join in on classes and life in town. To help with this time of infamous humidity, the windows in all the classrooms are opened wide to allow for plenty air flow (hopefully).
But that was then (thankfully).
Now, as we transition into autumn, things are a bit quieter and wonderfully less-sticky. :) More sweaters and jackets for all!!! At the middle schools and high school, students have just full-on decided to switch to their thicker winter uniforms. Things are generally more lovely (as it is all around the world when the leaves of trees surprise us with their transitioning into different hues), and even with the long months ahead of us until we get to visit our families, we can at least take a chilly walk by the river or sit and drink a coffee on a Saturday afternoon in the meantime-without having to shed most layers while sitting in the sun. Thankfully, autumn is here. And we are so, so excited.
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The End
<3
e + k
I am, of course, speaking of Korean elementary schools. As I am told, most elementary schools look the same with a soccer field out front (usually turfed a bright shade of green), two- or three-story buildings surrounding it, and a gym (often used) off to one side. No gates, no locks (except when you try to play badminton with your Chinese friend early on a Saturday morning!).
Oddly enough, these wide open spaces serve as fun places to hang out for students after hours. Kids want to stay at school?!?
The English Classroom
Each English classroom has commonly brightly-colored walls, tables, and chairs. The staples of a chalk board or white board and a Smartboard are present, in addition to an abundance of resources and materials.
An easy day after a test, so what to do?... Korean students love Spongebob, too! :D
At my school here in Jangheung, there is also a 'back room' filled with props and tables and spaces sectioned off for use in addition to our actual classroom. It is similar to an "English Town" (a type of school that just has sets and tools and props to teach very hands-on lessons of English), as it has many different "real world" play sets for the students to have a more real experience practicing their English. Sadly, this back room at my school usually just stays sectioned off and dark. My co-teacher will very seldom say, "Let's use the back room for class this week." More often than not, she keeps her own personal books and tools for teaching in the room and then we barricade the door with a little bookshelf so as to keep it new and fresh for whenever we might need it? In the future? Sometime? Perhaps?
In any case, it is an amazing place and I have yet to figure out how to utilize it in everyday teaching from the textbook; or at the very least, for special lessons of some sort.
These rooms instill a sense of childlike fascination and attraction into the English room amenities, which I think, is a great thing! You can definitely see it in students. Because the Korean education system can be an intensive, demanding, and rigorous system, any kind of solace that these kids can seek now is a good thing. Before their middle-school and high-school tests begin and the demanding standards and countless hours of studying start, they can acquire some more time to play and imagine and poke fun and laugh. Because they still just want to be kids; because they are still kids.** Who love the peace sign. It's 'their thing' in pictures. Always.
And then, finally, filling these spaces in the center, are the students. Sitting in rows and rows of desks to allow for very little ease of space to walk through by the teachers. But our job starts in the classroom. Not just at the school, not just once we stepped off the plane into SK, but it all started once we stepped into our classrooms. Whatever shade of orange, yellow, blue, or pink our classroom walls may be painted, our job is to use these classrooms and try to teach the students to speak with some fluency, in the hopes that it might broaden their horizons and allow them access to new opportunities found within and beyond Jangheung.
* * *
The Cafeteria
My dad just asked me the other day, "So what is the school itself like? With all those kids everywhere? Is it busy or quiet?" And my response is: YES, so loud and busy, all the time. As the students are allowed to run around without a specific "playground" to keep to, they sort of run amuck? But it is a good kind of running amuck, where they are trusted and given responsibility to stick to a task of any sort during their time off of class, like cleaning and sweeping out a classroom during the teacher's lunch or playing in a specific courtyard (for the younger students) or coming in to bug me and get candy for doing English worksheets I have any extra of in the office. They usually have something to do and it keeps them productive and on task and they enjoy it.
The best representation of this is in the cafeteria. It may look chaotic at first glance, but after observing it for the past six months from lunches at the teacher's table, I have come to understand that there is indeed a method to its madness...
The kids enter onto the scene through a door at the side...
Sometimes a bit crazier than is necessary...
They then proceed through a line in front of the sweet, hair-netted, plastic-outfitted cafeteria ladies (behind the glass at the background of this photo):
The teachers proceed to get their lunches from dishes at the center of the table in the middle of the grand room. They then sit and maybe have a chat while they eat, or just sit and take a break while the madness carries on around them...
When all are finished eating, the trays and leftover food is disposed of into bins and buckets...
Student helpers are there to assist (some super cute, and you catch their cuteness)...
There are machines for water...
And that's about it. Another smooth day in the cafeteria is complete!
* * *
As we are just coming to the close of summer and the beginning of fall, that means cooler weather and less use of fans in the classrooms. Summers here in Korea are famously known for their sticky, sticky, humid heat—along with the orchestras of cicadas loudly blasting their chirping tunes almost as if they are communicating and trying to join in on classes and life in town. To help with this time of infamous humidity, the windows in all the classrooms are opened wide to allow for plenty air flow (hopefully).
But that was then (thankfully).
Now, as we transition into autumn, things are a bit quieter and wonderfully less-sticky. :) More sweaters and jackets for all!!! At the middle schools and high school, students have just full-on decided to switch to their thicker winter uniforms. Things are generally more lovely (as it is all around the world when the leaves of trees surprise us with their transitioning into different hues), and even with the long months ahead of us until we get to visit our families, we can at least take a chilly walk by the river or sit and drink a coffee on a Saturday afternoon in the meantime-without having to shed most layers while sitting in the sun. Thankfully, autumn is here. And we are so, so excited.
The End
<3
e + k
*(One big difference I have observed here from home in the U.S.: the students never want to leave the school. After hours, there are children running rampant, not often chaperoned by any teacher or adult in particular. They are free to peruse the classrooms if they after-school classes or not. This is interesting because it allows them to feel more at home during the school day and I think also allows them to stay out of trouble even beyond the 3:20pm bell.)
**(As most issues about the classrooms back home tend to gravitate towards high numbers of students, greater student-to-teacher ratios, and classroom management, the issues in Korea tend to gravitate toward smaller student numbers (which is a good thing; usually 25-26 students per classs) and standardized tests-which are a BIG DEAL to Korean educators. As I thought standardized tests were a big deal for my upbringing, Korean teachers and admin. take it to a whole new level. The middle-schoolers and high-schoolers deal much more often in this area. But even at the elementary level, there are weeks when the English classes are canceled to allow for more time for study and devotion toward the mid-term and final tests. They are really important here in Korea.)
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