English Teachers in Korea – A Day in the Life

Teaching 25 Korean 6th Graders How to Bowl

I taught at an Avalon campus in southern Gyeonggi-do, the enormous donut-shaped suburban province that encircles Seoul. I was lucky enough to teach Avalon’s best and brightest students for my last year in Korea. These super-achievers are highly sought after by all hagwons because they stand the best chance of getting into Korea’s few elite English-language middle schools, the metric for schools like Avalon. In order to retain this coveted group Avalon treats them (and their parents) like they are all the next Mark Zuckerberg. Which is how I ended up taking 25 Korean 6th graders on a trip to the local bowling alley.

The majority of what I picked up about Korean culture I learned through my time at school, from both my students and the Korean co-teachers I was partnered with. As such I know far more about the lives of middle class Korean 6th graders than any other segment of the Korean population. This includes their bowling acumen. Taking them on that field trip confirmed something I’d long suspected: Korean Kids can’t bowl.

Most of my students had never been bowling before because they lead monothematic lives. Six days of their week revolve around academics and they don’t have much room for sports, play dates, or extra-curricular activities. Instead of t-ball practice after school they just go to more school. Despite this they weren’t nearly as impressed with the retro hipness that is the sport of bowling as we’d hoped. After one game it was hard to compete with the digital wonder of their 8G cell phones. Not surprisingly the girls did not talk to the boys, balls were sent crashing into lanes with that sound that bowling bowls striking polished wood makes, and the bowling attendants had NO IDEA what two white Americans were doing with a posse of Korean youths.

-Tucker Hutchinson

First Impressions

When I was accepted into the EPIK program to work in a public school in Korea, my expectations were very high and I was under the impression that EPIK would take care of most things, including: meeting me at the airport, helping me move into my new apartment, and providing me with training. This was the case for many people, but not for me.

I replaced a teacher who dropped out and so I arrived in September rather than August. My circumstances could not have been more different than if I had arrived with the initial group of EPIK teachers. There was a lot that I was completely unprepared for. Including having to spend my first weekend in Seoul because no one could meet me at the airport, being taken to my bare apartment after my first day of school and left there completely alone, and spending my first three weeks in a small area called Sintanjin with no friends and no training.

For most people, their first impressions of the EPIK program - despite everything being so last minute - are positive and welcoming ones. The orientation is an opportunity for native teachers to receive training and to start making friends before they are taken to the cities they will be living in. There they receive welcoming dinners from their schools. I received no such training and no such welcome. This is an area in which I think EPIK could certainly make some improvements.

I may have cried a lot in those first few weeks, but not once did I contemplate going home. To go home would have meant giving up and I knew that somehow things would get better, and they did. I eventually received my EPIK orientation and made many friends from all over Korea. Although my school didn’t do a lot for me with regards to helping me settle in – I was able to do that all by myself, and that has made my experience all the more rewarding. Moving, settling in and working here have not been easy, but it’s been a challenge, and if I’m really honest, I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

Everyone has a unique experience when deciding to teach abroad and to constantly compare your situation with others will always leave you dissatisfied. I have learned to appreciate what I have, and I have learned so much about myself, and my abilities to survive alone in a different country. I feel all the stronger for it and wouldn’t give that up for anything.

-Uzma Ali

A Day in the Life of a Public School English Teacher

My day starts at about 8:10am when I arrive at the front gates of my school. I am greeted by a line of middle school “seniors” with a bow and a chorus of “anyeonghasseo’s”. In the one hundred meter walk from the front gates to the front door of the school, I say about one hundred hi’s, hello’s, and good morning’s.

By the time my first class begins I have had breakfast and about 4 cups of coffee which will supply me with sufficient energy to keep pace with my students. To keep their attention I have to be overly energetic and loud. Think high impact aerobics. I jump, dance, yell, scream, and act like a clown to keep them interested, they love it!. Though I teach the same three lessons over the course of five days, I manage to maintain my enthusiasm throughout the week. Every class brings a new surprise, and I like to think I inspire my students through my energy and fun attitude.

My lunch hour is a crash course in Korean culture and language. I am the only foreign teacher at my school, so I can choose to eat alone, or eat with my Korean co-workers. They are always impressed by my love of Kimchi (a rarity for westerners) and my adeptness with chopsticks. Through these experiences I have Korean table manners, commonly used expressions while eating, and that talking with your mouth full or slurping your noodles is perfectly acceptable.

So there you have it, a snapshot of a public school English teachers daily life. It’s quite possibly the greatest job a person could ask for!

-Tom Hopkins

My Best Day Ever...

I have lived in Korea for almost 2 years, and I am nearing the end of my second one-year contract. While I am not an experienced teacher, by any means, I have experienced enough to know that teaching comes with its ups-and-downs. Before I go on, I want to state that teaching is definitely not my calling. There are so many talented and passionate instructors; however, I am not one of them. Despite the fact that teaching is not within an earshot of my ideal career path, I have managed to completely enjoy my experience here. To say the least, teaching kids in Korea will be frustrating at times, especially for the faint of heart, but the students WILL find a way to surprise you when you least expect it.

Last year, I worked in Gyeonggi-do, which is the province that encircles Seoul. Gyeonggi-do is approximately 30km away from Seoul, and is considered rural by the standards of Seoulites. I taught all levels, but I had a knack for the less experienced English learners. Anyways, it was the day before my birthday, but it seemed like any other. I was on my way to teach my youngest and lowest class. They were 7-8 years old, and they were still learning simple phrases, such as, "This is a pen." When I got downstairs, one of my students told me to wait in the hallway before I went into the classroom. In fact, he went as far as to grab my legs and beg me to stay put. As other teachers walked by me to their classes, they all gave me inquisitive looks, but continued walking past me. I put up with his pleading for another couple of minutes, but by this time, the hallways were empty and I needed to start the lesson. I told him that it was time to start class, so I dragged him into the class.

When I opened the door, all my students shouted, "Happy Birthday!!" There were balloons taped to the white board and there were messages written on the board saying, "Happy Birthday!" The best part, though, was the student's desk that they set up for me in the front of the room. On the desk (and on other desks nearby), there were chips, candy, Gatorade, and PRESENTS! Each student (9 of them) bought and wrapped a present for me, birthday card included. Of course, I was looking for my co-teacher or a sign of an adult that assisted them with the party planning, but I quickly realized to my surprise that it was the kids that planned and did everything. I was completely taken aback, and I was speechless. Suffice it to say, we did not study much that day...

For the record, I got 6 small notebooks, 2 pens, and 1 set of markers, and they are the best presents I have ever received from anyone.

-Kyle Lee