Teaching: the boring version

I have been alluding a great deal to a teaching internship, but I have yet to make an actual post about it. However, since it takes up a great deal of my time in Korea (and theoretically, you are reading this because you are at least mildly interested in my time in Korea), I feel I should at least give you a basic idea of what I'm doing.

I "teach" three English classes at a women's university in Seoul. I say "teach" because I am convinced I am a fraud. To begin with, I'm only 19, and I'm probably the youngest person, in all of my classes. I have also never taught before, and I hesitate to describe myself as a "teacher" without the intensive training that real educators have to slog through before they can claim that hallowed job title. But since I stand at the front of the classroom, talk to other students about things I am at least somewhat knowledgeable about, and make feeble attempts to direct discussion, I suppose the simplest word for what I am doing is "teaching." However, when people ask what I'm doing in Seoul, I describe myself as a lowly intern leading a few not-for-credit courses, because I feel that that's more accurate.

Whatever it is I'm doing, it has been a lot of fun, a lot of work, and an enlightening experience overall. But since lesson planning prevents me from actually taking the time to write an exciting story about it, I will give you a boring story instead. So if you are for some reason slavering after knowledge of my goings-on, here is a taste of my, well, goings-on.

The following is a midterm report I recently had to send back to my own college, to let them know that I am actually doing what they gave me the funding to do and benefiting from the whole experience and whatnot. Thus, it is a bit suck-uppy and a bit dry. But it should give you a general idea of what I'm up to, and how I feel about it.

Without further ado, the midterm report (real colleges omitted):

So far, my time teaching English at (Korean University) has been both challenging and enlightening. As an English major and a Speaking, Arguing, and Writing (SAW) Mentor at (my college in America), I have greatly improved my critical thinking skills, my writing skills, and (chiefly through SAW) my ability to help others express their ideas clearly and perceptively. However, when I began my internship, I doubted that even these skills would help me conduct three two-hour classes, four days a week. I also doubted my ability to engage students with the material through writing and speaking in class. In short, I doubted my ability to teach. However, I underestimated both myself and the preparation that (my American college) has given me. I found that I was more confident, more charismatic, and more creative than I ever thought I could be, and while I still have much to learn, I believe that should I choose teaching as a profession, I would both enjoy and excel at it. I attribute this largely to my experiences at (aforementioned college in America). My liberal arts education and my extensive practice at peer mentoring have given me the skills and the confidence to succeed at this venture. 

I also underestimated the kindness and intelligence of my students. They are enthusiastic to improve their English skills, which makes my job as their teacher much easier. They are also very welcoming and have made an effort to make me feel at home in Korea. They have told me a great deal about their culture and their experiences, and they have not hesitated to share their ideas. Because of them, I feel I have a much deeper understanding of Korea and its people. They have also helped me to learn a bit of the Korean language. While I am still a beginning Korean learner, thanks to them, I can navigate the twists and turns of life in Seoul more easily than I could before. 

In short, although my internship is only halfway over, I would like to express my great thanks to both (American college) and (Korean college) for this opportunity. Although living and working in Korea has been a challenge, I have learned more from this experience than I can adequately convey. I am more confident in my ability to communicate with others, both in and out of the classroom. Through living in a foreign country, I have gained a broader perspective on my own country and the world it inhabits. My internship in particular has renewed my interest in teaching as a career, and it has given me the skills I need to follow that path if I so choose. Because of this internship, I will very seriously consider pursuing a Fulbright fellowship (or an equivalent) to teach abroad after graduation—not only because I will will be a competitive candidate, but because this experience has convinced me that teaching may be my calling. Thanks to the graciousness of (both colleges described above), I can pursue this calling with the knowledge that I have both the ability and the passion to attain my goal.

So there is the long and short of it. Fear not - a much more colorful tale of my teaching experiences (all mishaps and scandals exposed) will come sometime before Friday. Theoretically.

And now, I leave you with a nice picture of temple gate, because it seems like a good way to end a post.

Lovely, isn't it?

Until next time,

-Emily O.