Question:
Would you consider the school you work in one located in a affluent, middle class or lower income area?
Answer:
If looking at it from my United States viewpoint, I would describe it as poverty due to the overcrowding and the way children and grown-ups peddle their wares on the street and their sense of 'fashion' is not of important as mere survival however, it is a very common way of life here in Korea and not viewed as an impoverished condition. The one thing I have witnessed about the Korean society is that they are very hard workers and it is not uncommon for multiple members of families to occupy the same living spaces which is something that is uncommon in the United States. There is also a large percentage of homeless people even in a city as big as Seoul. Orphanages are also prominent in this country.
Question:
If you are located in a lower income area, how does it affect the children
you teach?
Answer:
The children that I teach are eager to learn because not very many of them are able to attend school on a full-time basis because they have to work to help their parents earn money. I think this is because their parents have not made material possessions priority as sometimes we Americans do. Their focus is their culture and keeping their beliefs and culture intact from generation to generation. Their is a strong sense of cultural pride that is displayed by these children as well as their parents. I think I see this side of the spectrum because education is considered a privilege here. People in poverty are frowned upon and even ousted in some areas being forced to relocated to other areas in Korea.
Question:
How has working in Korea affected your view of the education system in the United States?
Answer:
I now have a greater level of appreciation for the United States. Although, I do know that there are always budget contraints and cuts concerning our school system, the caliber of education is in my opinion, leaps and bounds above that in Korea.
Studying abroad is something that I have always wanted to do. Now having a child their is much less of a chance that I will ever get to do so. I enjoyed reading her information about Korea. When she mentioned that many families can live in the same living space, I find that with my families that I work with too. I with with children that live in poverty and it is not unusual to see up to 10 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment. I am so glad that she has the opportunity to study abroad and see what life is like outside the US.
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