If this is your first time teaching in Korea, it can be quite intimidating especially since you will be handling students. I remember when I got here, I wasn’t sure how I could connect with my students. I wasn’t fresh out of college and I wasn’t accustomed to the Korean culture. One of the things my trainers at Chungdahm told me to do was to brush up on Korean pop culture and ask my students’ about their daily lives. I think because I started to watch and listen to the Hallyu or the Korean Wave (Korea’s version of Hollywood), it has me a better teacher. To be successful, bonding with your students about different subjects can make your life teaching a lot easier.
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Tags:
student management,
Students,
Korean students,
Kdrama,
students in Korea,
KPOP,
seoul comic books,
class management,
webtoons
We all know that life can be hard at times. Living in a foreign country away from your family, friends, and home can make a bad day... even worse. Since we all have tough days, I thought it would be helpful to show some examples of what difficulties to expect and how to I got through it.
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Tags:
Korean culture,
teaching in Korea,
things to do in Korea,
English teacher in Korea,
drink in Korea,
advice,
eating out in Korea,
students in Korea,
Activities to do in Korea,
makgeolli
Getting to know your students isn't always easy. There's a definite learning curve to figuring out how to walk the line between authority figure and someone the kids feel comfortable with. From the outgoing class clowns to the moody, exhausted teenagers, I've found that part of teaching is finding a way to relate to each of them. As Chungdahm's spring term begins here in Korea, I am revisiting my top tricks and go-to topics for breaking the ice with my new classes.
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Tags:
working with children,
teaching in Korea,
working in korea,
students in Korea,
teaching at Chungdahm
A new term has started here at CDI, and with that comes new classes with new students. Even though this term will round out two years in Korea for me, the first days of new classes still fill me with a little excitement and anxiety. I just want them to like me, you know? In my time teaching at CDI, I have learned a thing or two about how to start your new term off on the right foot. So whether you're fresh outta training or you're a fellow seasoned teacher, here are some tips to implement in the first few weeks of a new term.
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Tags:
teaching in Korea,
First week in Korea,
advice,
students in Korea,
teaching at Chungdahm,
motivating students
"Oh, listen to this. It was so funny today in class because..." While teaching English in Korea, some version of that phrase will probably become a common refrain in your conversations with family and friends. Living abroad will give you ample opportunities to collect funny anecdotes -- the lost in translation moments alone will be countless. But for me, it's always the stories that come from my classroom that are the best. Children are strange, unpredictable, wonderful little humans, and Korean kids are no exception.
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Tags:
Students,
teaching in Korea,
students in Korea,
funny moments in the classroom,
teaching at Chungdahm
It’s been quite warm lately. It’s been quite wet. Summer is here. And with a new season comes a new term at Chungdahm branches. There are four terms in a Chungdahm year, and each term brings new opportunities and new challenges. Let me fill you in on what you can expect from a new term, and how you can prepare for one. In this particular post, I’ll focus on how to turn a quiet, perhaps boring class into a lively learning environment.
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Tags:
teaching in Korea,
Korean students,
students in Korea,
teaching at Chungdahm,
New Term,
quiet students
The very first dinner invitation from my student Kyungju was indeed very special; it’s an experience that I will carry with me after I leave Korea and move onto other pursuits. I believe that I am the envy of many of my coworkers at Chungdahm, although no one willopenly admit it. I’m getting to better know my students family; Kyungju’s Dad works for POSCO, one of the top three companies in Korea and her mom Su-Eun majored in Art in college. Kyunju has a younger sister, 8 years old who is just adorable. Our time together is always very special.
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Tags:
Korean culture,
Korean students,
dinner,
students in Korea,
Korean cuisine,
Activities to do in Korea,
karaoke
The COEX Aquarium is by far one of the strangest aquariums I’ve ever seen. Our ChungDahm branch took the students for a field trip there for their Albatross level up party, and instructors volunteered to chaperone. Although the students seemed to be disinterested the whole way through up until the gift shop, I was thoroughly amused by the weird, quirky things about the aquarium, and the reactions from the students.
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Tags:
Teach English in Korea,
Trips in Korea,
free time,
Korean students,
students in Korea,
Activities to do in Korea
