My home stay

I had a wonderful time with my host family on Saturday.  Choon Hwa, the mother, is a first grade teacher. Her daughter, Ho Yuen is a 16-year-old high school student. 

My visit began with a cooking lesson. Choon Hwa taught me how to make kimbap – it’s kim (seaweed) wrapped around rice, pork, carrots, danmooji (a radish), cucumber and crab. It was delicious and a fun way to start getting to know each other. 

Making kimbap

Ho Yuen's desk

After a visit to a park and a walk around a lake, we visited Ho Yuen’s high school. I was surprised to find the school was open and students were in some of the classrooms working. Ho Yuen’s classroom looked similar to another high school we’d visited. The student desks were covered with books, paper, snacks, makeup and drinks. One desk even had a hair straightener on it. When she explained that she spends all day in the same desk (teachers move from class to class) and that she stays at school until 9:00 pm or later, the variety of things stored on their desks made more sense. 

Next we did little shopping in downtown Chuncheon and arrived home in time for Choon Hwa’s favorite drama:  A Gentleman’s Dignity.  It seemed like tamer version of Sex in the City, except from the perspective of four men rather than four women. 

Student work - first grade writing

On Sunday, we had an incredible breakfast – bulgogi, soup, and a homemade fermented juice.  It was the best meal I’ve had so far. Then we visited Choon Hwa’s classroom.  The classroom was very similar to the elementary classrooms we'd seen on our visits. It was very organized and clean with plants on the students’ windowsill and beautifully illustrated student work hanging on the walls. She spends a significant amount of time keeping it organized and clean (she has to mop and clean it herself) in addition to preparing for her teaching duties. She teaches her students physical education, art and music in addition to math, reading and writing.  I found it interesting that her reading curriculum is taught whole group with no differentiation for different level of readers. If a reader is struggling, Choon Hwa stays after school and works with them to help them keep up. Next year, the school will add English class to first grade. She expressed concern about her ability to teach it because of her English proficiency. 

This home stay provided additional context to what we’ve seen this week. Choon Hwa thinks the schools and parents make children work too hard, but is resigned to the fact that it’s a necessity for students to be successful in Korea. Ho Yuen starts her final exams tomorrow. These are high-stakes exams that play a major role in options for higher education.  Ho Yuen planned study today, but seemed confident and prepared. I wish her well.