Elementary school visit

Our first exposure to an elementary school in Korea was the elementary school affiliated with the Chuncheon National University of Education. It is a public school, but a lottery system determines who gets to attend the school.

My first impression was the impeccably clean, bright, cheerful facility. The classrooms and hallways were filled with smiling, energetic students and laughter - lots of laughter. We were greeted by students waving from windows two stories above us shouting, "Hi teachers, we love you!"

First grade classroom

Based on what I'd read about Korean education and culture, I expected to see classrooms filled with students sitting obediently in rows waiting for permission to participate. Imagine my surprise when I entered a first grade classroom to find students bowling in teams and cheering each other on. I was bowled over...literally.

Third grade lesson on measurement

In the third grade classroom students were engaged in a boys against the girls review game. I could not understand what the teacher was saying, but I could tell they were learning about estimating and measuring. The teacher's effective instruction and use of manipulatives and visuals helped me make sense of the situation and kept students engaged.

As an ELL teacher, I was interested to see the English classroom. This school employs a native speaker of English, a recent college graduate from Toronto, in addition to the Korean English teacher. The native English speaker works with fifth and sixth grade students in 50-minute sessions three times per week. His focus is developing speaking and conversation skills in an interactive environment. He uses games and role plays to engage the students in conversation. He also helps prepare students for their school's English speech contest. In the speech contest, students are judged on content as well as use of hand gestures. The students' work from his class is not assessed formally. The school's English tests are based more on English grammar and vocabulary than on speaking. 

Student work in English class

Student work in English class

I  noticed evidence of Chuncheon National University of Education's teacher certification curriculum in many areas of this school. For example, there was a small electric piano in most of the classrooms.  Small potted plants, with student's name on them, lined the windowsill of the classrooms. Georgeous artwork was on display in the classrooms and hallways. In physical education class, the students were practicing a traditional dance and playing Korean drums. The school also had a beautiful outdoor space and garden.

Prior to our site visits, our professor host from CNUE told us many Koreans would wonder why teachers from the United States would come to Korea to learn about education. Korean's education system is heavily influenced by the United States' education system. Many Koreans want to come to the United States to attend college. The enthusiasm of the students and the professionalism at this school impressed me. I wondered what a Korean teacher would think if he or she visited my school. 

Lunchtime

Physical education class