Making the News in Korea

On July 6th, just after our final lecture at Korea University, myself and two other teachers, Robin Manning from the Austin, TX area and Kelly Webner from Miami, FL, were interviewed by The Chosun Daily.  We were asked about our favorite moments of the trip and what specifically we will take back to our U.S. students.  The article appeared in print on July 8th.

While it is in Korean (and I can't find it on their English version website), here is a link to The Chosun Daily article on the Korea Society trip.  I have used Google's translator to try and make sense of the article.  Based on those results, here is what I understand the translation to mean:

39 Teachers Visited Korea at the Invitation of the Korea Society

"Many students in the United States know very little about Korea, like a small puzzle piece.  When I return I hope to share with them many more puzzle pieces to help them see the larger picture of Korea."

From the 26th of June through the 7th of July, 39 teachers came for a two week visit to Korea and will return home to share their experiences.  David Burton (36) a high school social studies teacher from Moore, Oklahoma, USA, said "Most of our students only know about the Korean War and the division into North and South.  I hope to share many other things about Korea."  Burton specifically plans "to teach about Korea's economic development by using pictures of the POSCO steel plant."

Various academic and cultural exchanges were part of the Korea Foundation and Korea Society's program.  The teachers visited museums and sites all throughout Gwanghwamun, Seoul, Gyeongju, Bulguska, and Cheongju.  Robin Manning (58), a teacher at Jack Hays High School in Texas, USA, said "having her students read newspaper articles on Dokdo will help to organize discussions with her students" when she returns to the United States.

Running for about 25 years, the Korea Studies Program began in 1989.  So far, more than 600 teachers from the United States have come to Korea.  The program was first started when the eledest daughter of Choi Young Jin (70), Korea Society Vice President, was in high school.  "Her teachers were not covering information on Korea in World History.  China and Japan provided the basis of East Asian representations."

Noting that this is her first visit to Asia, Kelly Webner (33), a teacher at South Miami High School in Miami, Florida, USA, said that her "experiences will lead to expecting students understand the balance of traditional Confucian values with modernization as well as to know of Korea's pristine beauty."

Picture's caption: 39 American social studies teachers explored the campus of Korea University for five days as part of their two week good will visit to Korea.