Elementary Summer Camp: Seongchon and Bongam

An experience in photos and video. Dear THT Readers, enjoy a glimpse of English Summer Camp Seongchon and Bongam style!

Teaching Success: Shark Tale Movie

If you haven't watched the movie Shark Tale, you might as well. Particularly if you can do so as part of your after school class two weeks before school is out for vacation.

Some common sense tips for 'teaching' 3rd and 4th graders using a movie:

• Pre-teach vocabulary - especially to ensure your principal will look on you favorably as an English instructor
• Watch the movie in small parts
• For low level students use subtitles in English or Korean depending on student need
• Review vocabulary and parts of the movie throughout the instruction process
• Guide students in drawing some characters, the setting and a favorite scene of the movie. Advanced students can add a written description of any or all the movie.
• Enjoy the movie with the students, you'll probably understand the humor and such more than they will anyway ^.^

Dear Diary: A gift for the replacement GET

In transitioning out of her two elementary schools, Melissa Teacher wanted to create a lesson that would honor her students need to know she would no longer be teaching them in the fall while also providing some potentially valuable information for the Guest English Teacher (GET) who will come into this position next. The solution? A 'Dear Diary' activity where students read/listened to the diary entries of SpongeBob, Homer Simpson and Melissa Teacher then answered some questions about what they had heard. Students who answered questions or remembered a word from the diary, had the chance to throw a 'ball' into a a 'basket' Following the reading and listening activity, students were instructed to create their own 'Diary' entry that would tip the new GET off to student interests as well as language abilities. The folowing excerpts are some Melissa Teacher's favorites from Seongchon Elementary Schools students.

Good-bye Dear Bongam, It's been a Year!

Bongam Elementary School - August 2010 - July 2011

With many questions and doubts, concerns and uncertainties, Melissa Harrington has opted to change schools for her 2011-2012 contract in Daejeon, South Korea. The reasons for leaving are left for table-talk over a cup of coffee or tea. The reasons why Bongam will be missed however, have found their way into the blogosphere.

The following is a list of things which Melissa Teacher will forever carry with her from her year at Bongam Elementary school:

• An entire year with enthusiastic, energetic and adorable 1st and 2nd graders
• Making ABC Books
• Students choosing English names of dear friends: SaraJane, Erin and Cailin
• Learning kids songs and making up dances
• Learning how to implement Classroom Management regardless of age and language barriers
• Planning lessons solo, on the fly, and with occasional loads of time and inspiration
• The delivery of notes and ramyeon dok pokki on Christmas Eve day from students who never showed an interest in English class
• Watching a 5th grade class transition to 6th grade with as much energy, kindness, friendship and willingness to learn as they had had pre-hormones (Melissa Teacher admires them...<3)
• Pulling off an entire week of Winter Camp dedicated to the stories of Eric Carle
• Sports Day shenanigans, conversations, participation and relaxation - for once
• After-school classes with sweet 3rd and 4th graders and a dinosaur name Gogo
• Enjoying 9 out of 10 school lunches - especially pancakes and fresh fruits
• Celebrating birthdays with thoughtful gifts and cards from students
• Student determination to ensure Melissa Teacher would remember their names
• An amazingly talented and passionate co-teacher who has a mutual love for the Mountain West
• Gaining super-human flexibility regarding when, where and what materials would be available for lessons
• And the students...oh the students. Bongam Elementary Students are surely some of Daejeon's finest. Those who are a bit rough around the edges are still fine and kind and lovable. They will be missed.

Class 4-1: Penguin, Mario, Luigi, Yoishi, Ca-uen, William, Jinu...

Class 4-1: Ji-su, Ji-won, Ji-you, Eu-gene, Min-seo...

Class 5-1: Cindy, SaraJane, Erin, Myeong-kong...

Class 6-1 <3: Rebecca, Rina, Amy, Hermione, Chris, Kelly, Grace...

Class 6: Sam...oh Sam.

Class 6-1: So much love

Sports Day at Bongam Elementary School

Sports Day is quite the phenomena. Filled with songs, dancing, saluting, synchronized stretching and a wide variety of relays the day is a day that students can kick-back a little and enjoy life as a child, as opposed to a student. Highlights of Sports Day at Bongam Elementary school include:

• Kindergarten students paired with their parents rolling a giant ball down the field.
• Melissa Teacher being paired up with the one foreigner (Chinese) student as his 'step-in' parent for two relay races:
• Race #1: Pair up with another family, each individual grab a corner of a sheet, carry a large ball to a mid-way point, set down ball and sheet, scurry through small tunnel like thing, run back to ball and sheet, run back to start point.
• Race #2: Child sacrifice one shoe. All shoes scattered in the middle of the field, adult carry child to center of field and find child's shoe - both run back to starting point.
• (Please Note: Student is approximately the same size as Melissa Teacher)
• Mother's competing for Fabric Softener by keeping the hula-hoop in motion.
• Father's competing for Toothpaste in a game of singles hacky-'golden-pom-pom'-sack.
• All students gathering in the field, hula-hoops in hand to conduct a song and dance routine.
• Kindergarten students and their teachers busting out a K-Pop Routine with white gloves and matching yellow shirts and white socks pulled up to the knees.

Days such as these are always welcome when one has been teaching in South Korea for a few months (or longer). It's great to see the students outside of the classroom environment having a good time competing and performing for each other, their parents and themselves.

Another Year Older: Melissa's Birthday in Korea

Early in April, the Harrington’s took a few days to celebrate the life that is Mike Harrington. Now, just a few weeks later, the Harrington’s have celebrated yet another life, that of Melissa Harrington.

Having suffered the hit of yellow dust and waking up with horrible body aches and fevers, Melissa enjoyed her last day of year 25 and the first year of 26 home sick, cuddling with Lady and making Tomato Soup from scratch. However, mid-way through the second day of staying home sick things began to turn around and Mike pulled through with a huge birthday-celebration-win!

The evening of the 27^th Mike and Melissa headed out with their dear friends Kolt and Holly for a burger from Holy Cross a short walk from the Harrington villa. Having finished up dinner the couples grabbed a few donuts and made their way to the Harrington’s for what Melissa thought would be a quiet night of card games. Thoughts of card games were soon dashed when Melissa entered her home, turned on a light switch and discovered a dozen or so friends shouting “Surprise!”, handing over a beautiful cake and more than one bottle of wine.

The night carried on with much chatting and enjoying of company and indulging in a fabulous confectionary masterpiece made by Jen. For Melissa, the day was a perfect combination of relaxing and celebrating with a handful of dear and beautiful souls.

The coming days, Friday in particular, brought Melissa the superb joy of being an English Teacher to some of Korea’s sweetest students. A significant handful of students from Bongam Elementary school recalled that Melissa’s birthday had passed and spent the day coming to the English room to offer hand-written notes and all manner of gifts. Friday classes ended with two birthday parties as students had worked-hard in English class so they could celebrate with Melissa Teacher.

Considering the love showed through these birthday celebrations, Melissa Harrington can rest assured that 26 will be as good as, if not better, than 25.

After School Classes with Gogo

As part of academic school year 2011, Melissa Harrington has the great pleasure of teaching 4 (soon to be 6) after school classes. The most successful of these is for 3rd and 4th graders at Bongam Elementary School. Within the first couple of classes, Melissa Teacher discovered her students deep love and appreciation for Gogo - a dinosaur who is conquering the English language. The videos are presented in an order reflective of the Korean curriculum (which is to be expected considering Korea's EBS broadcasting company developed Gogo) so it is easy to find supplemental materials on websites such as www.waygook.org. The best source for Gogo's Videos is from this blog post which lists and links them in order.

In Melissa Teacher's after school classes, students had the opportunity to make and decorate their own dinosaur mask. They have since been laminated and are used in conjunction with the 5 minute Gogo clips as part of each class. Students listen and watch the cartoon which is conveniently paused by Melissa Teacher after Gogo speaks - students then raise their dinosaur faces to cover their own and repeat the 'target language' as stated by Gogo. The videos are then easily supplemented by various songs, activities and worksheets gleamed from the internet or Melissa Teacher's own creative energies.

Should you find yourself teaching in an after school class and have enough freedom to design your own curriculum, don't hesitate to check out Gogo's Adventures With English!

Students making a hand family following Gogo's and the Hand Family Song

A recent outcome of the students learning classroom objects with the help of a Karaoke Classroom objects song and cut-out pictures of various items such as an eraser, pen, chair, table, etc.

A Class Full of Camels

From 5 Little Monkey's to a Camel with 5 Humps, the students at Bongam Elementary school are mastering their numbers and their dance skills as is evidenced in the latest video from Melissa Harrington's 2nd grade class.



If you're looking to teach some youngsters in your ELL classrooms feel free to check out this PPT. These students also enjoyed a camel dot-to-dot followed by a "Camel Hump Quiz" where students were given a worksheet showing three 'elongated' horses then listened to Melissa Teacher make statements such as: "Alice the camel has 2 humps. Camel A - 2 humps" and drew accordingly.

Story Time: Doggy Poo

Some days in the English language classroom/career provide more chuckles than others. Having received the request to assist both her elementary schools with their Reading Contest this Spring, Melissa Harrington sat down to read a number of stories ranging from Alice in Wonderland to The Little Prince. One title however, caught Melissa Teacher's attention and the story was far from disappointing. Even better than the story, were the accompanying pictures of the stories main character: Doggy Poo.

Doggy Poo

Once upon a time, there lived little Doggy Poo. He felt all alone. He felt no one wanted him. A bird poked Doggy Poo. "What’s this? Poo! Poo! This is Doggy Poo! Dirty!" said the bird. "What? I am dirty?" asked Doggy Poo. He was bitter, and he cried.

A lump of clay laughed at Doggy Poo. "What’s so funny?" asked Doggy Poo. "You. You are a doggy poo, the worst kind!" said the clay. Doggy Poo was hurt and cried aloud. "I am really sorry," said the clay. The lump of clay paused. "I may be more of out luck," said the clay. "I am from far away. In summer, I used to grow white potato flowers there," said the clay. "Why are you here?" asked Doggy Poo. "In my homeland, rain had not come for a long time. Everything dried out so fast. I was growing chillies, but I let them die. Now I am being punished," said the clay.

"Oh! Isn’t this from my land? I guess I dropped it along the way. I will take it back home," said a farmer. The
farmer put the lump of clay in his cart. The lump of clay was happy.
"
What am I good for?" asked Doggy Poo. "I’m just Doggy Poo," he wept alone. Winter passed and spring came. A hen and her chicks passed by and looked at Doggy Poo. "This is nothing. You can’t eat it," said the hen. "I’m not even good to eat," said Doggy Poo.

It was raining. In front of Doggy Poo, there was a sprout. "Hello star, what are you?" asked Doggy Poo. "Hello, I'm a sprout. I will become a beautiful dandelion flower one day," said the sprout. "Will you be beautiful like the stars in the sky?" asked Doggy Poo. "Yes, I will shine like them too," said the sprout. "How will you become like those stars?" asked Doggy Poo. "I will use rain from the sky and the warm sun," said the sprout. "I see," sighed Doggy Poo.

"But I need one more thing," said the sprout. "What’s that?" asked Doggy Poo. "I need you!" said the sprout.
"Me? How can that be?" asked Doggy Poo. "I need you to join me. Together we can become a
beautiful dandelion flower," said the sprout. "Really? Wow!" said Doggy Poo. "You need me to become a beautiful dandelion flower," said Doggy Poo.

Doggy Poo was full of joy. "I will join you!" said Doggy Poo. The Doggy Poo squeezed the sprout and gave it a big hug. "I am good for something!" said Doggy Poo. Everyone is always needed for something.

A Classroom Full of Monkey's

Earlier this week, Melissa Teacher found herself standing in front of a group of 17 2nd Grade Students acting like a Monkey. Actually, it was the other way around, 17 2nd Grade Students found themselves acting like Monkey's in front of Melissa Teacher. In an effort to teach this handful of young Korean students bits and pieces of the English language, Melissa Harrington has settled on a number of popular English children's songs which makes for straight forward lesson planning and plentiful opportunities to hear sweet little kiddos sing sweet little songs.

Readers who are often scouring the net for tips on teaching young children English in Korea very well may have stumbled upon this song lesson a few months ago. Knowing she wanted to begin working with numbers, Melissa happily drew on the wisdom of cohorts in the teaching business and went to work teaching Bongam Elementary Schools 2nd Graders: 5 Little Monkey's. If you're looking to do a similar lesson with your students, feel free to check out this PPT Presentation and don't miss out on using this worksheet from SukSuk.

Deskwarming: A Photo Collage

Deskwarming is an unfortunate fate for many Guest English Teachers in the South Korean Education System. As westerners teaching in a foreign land, many GETs are sticklers regarding their contracts, particularly those portions which hold the most appeal. Recognizing the westerners 'love' of contracts and need to abide by such Korean public schools have held firm to GETs working 5 days a week for 8 hours a day unless the GET is enjoying their contractual vacation days. That means, out of 30 - 40 weekdays that fall into either winter vacation or spring break, a Guest English teacher will have 10 to vacation, 0-15 may be spent working English camps and the remaining will likely be spent at a desk, looking busy.

For one elementary school teacher in Daejeon, this is what that experience looks like:

Sitting in the science room because it is warmer than the English zone, staring at a computer screen and wishing 4:30 didn't roll around so late in the day.

Teaching Valentine's Day in South Korea

Here in the land of Kimchi and other spicy foods, Valentine's Day comes with a bit less commercialization yet the same funky desire to have somebody to love and receive gifts from. The Harrington's will be celebrating the day in a traditional Harrington manner and of course, we at The Harrington Times will bring the story in due time. Today however, we bring the story of Valentine's Lessons in Middle School and Elementary School settings.

One fabulous aspect to teaching English in a foreign country is the opportunity to have darling or un-motivated students (whichever the case may be, currently in Korea students fall into the latter category as one school year comes to an end and a new one will soon begin) help the Native English Teacher send some love and joy to friends and family back home. So it was, Michael Teacher conducted a weeks worth of Valentine writing requiring his students to write a sweet Valentine to some of the special women in his life before having the opportunity to write a Valentine to a person of their choice.

At the elementary school level, Melissa Teacher strayed from writing Valentine's with her sweet and darling group of 2nd graders and chose instead to do a little Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes action before using this worksheet to have students add a face to their own cupid. Should you find yourself in need of a Valentine activity or an easily adjustable body parts lesson in your own teaching English as a foreign language try this out:

Introduce the 'topic' with this YouTube video. Ask students what they heard, what they saw, etc.
Play or sing the song; Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, use this video if you like.
Lead students in singing the song at increasing/decresing speeds. Quiz them on body parts i.e. Head, Knees, Eyes (they move their hands accordingly).
Make sure students really know Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Nose before passing out this worksheet and viola - easy end of semester lesson for young English Language learners!





Happy Valentine's Day to all our Readers!

With Love from South Korea

February 14th is Valentine's Day, a day celebrated or acknowledged in some form by people throughout the world. For one of the Harrington's, the day is also a day to remember the union of a husband and a wife who chose to dearly love their daughters and faithfully serve as the heads of a household and a family. It was on February 14th the Melissa Harrington (as well as countless others) were blessed by the union of Harland and Brenda Allen. Regardless of the miles separating Melissa Teacher from these two folks whom she dearly cares for, they are never far from her heart and she was only too eager to recruit students from Bongam Elementary School to help her create a special Happy Anniversary message to 'send home'.

It's Daejeon: Haleh's Korea Experience - Part 3

Being herself a teacher in the United States, Haleh was not upset to learn that Melissa would have to interrupt these days of touring and 'vacationing' with a day of work at Bongam Elementary School. Melissa Teacher, expecting students to be antsy with the upcoming holiday and winter vacation took additional advantage of Haleh and Haleh's thrid grade classroom by developing a lesson plan for 3rd-6th graders which would revolve around students getting to know where Haleh was from, what she'd experienced and ate since being in Korea and what she does in the USA. After students ran around the room 'voting' on the best answer regarding Haleh (i.e. Where is Haleh 친구 from? A-America, B-Canada, or C-Korea? - go stand in such and such corner for A, B, C, etc) Melissa Teacher led them in a letter writing activity. These letters in turn would accompany Haleh back to her room of 3rd grade American students creating for both sets of students a good ole fashioned pen-pal relationship.

Highlights from the letters:

Dear American Friend,

"I love you! Do you know Obama?"

"I have one dream. To receive post from America. I have never received a letter from America."

"I like dok pokki. Do you like Korean food?"

"I dream soccer player."

Your new friend,

After enjoying a school lunch which far exceeds the flavors and nutrition of an American school lunch Melissa Teacher continued on with classroom obligations while Haleh explored a bit of Gung-dong, enjoyed a waffle and returned in time to accompany Melissa Teacher back home. Following a bit of rest and relaxation but the 'reunion' with Mike Harrington it was into Dunsan-dong where the trio met with some friends to enjoy a filling and delicious meal of Shabu Shabu (beef swished in broth, dipped in sauce, placed on rice filled lettuce and enjoyed with a good portion of Korean sides) in the top floors of Time World Galleria.

Following another successful and delcious Korean meal, Haleh was accompanied by a group of Guest English Teachers to a 'singing-room' aka Norae-bang where she enjoyed the singing talents of Melissa Teacher, Jennifer Teacher, Holly Teacher Michael Teacher and Mr. Fitz. Haleh even found herself joining in the singing 'game' with an all too amazing rendition of the Spice Girls - Wannabe. In case readers have forgotten this once popular tune, we at The Harrington Times leave you with your own opportunity to 'sing-a-long' and experience a bit of Korea Norae-bang.

Merry Christmas! With Love from South Korea

The Harrington Times would like to take a moment to wish all their readers a very Merry Christmas. The Harrington's are beyond honored and blessed by your readership, friendship and kinship. The couple would love to thank of you each personally for the joy you've added to their lives, the support you've shown, the effort you've made to stay in touch and keep connected. This journey would more difficult, less rewarding and nearly impossible without the community which has challenged, nurtured, encouraged and loved this couple.

To the community of family, the Harrington's say "thank you for life, values, strength and a support that allows miles to separate us during many special and important moments on the home front. We miss you terribly and love you deeply, we would not and could not be the individuals or the couple we are were it not for your support."

To the community of friends 'stateside', the Harrington's say "we miss you, more than is expressable in words alone. You too are the reason we can take on this adventure and lifestyle with confidence and comfort. You have commented, messaged, emailed and updated us keeping us connected to these freindships which are so dear to us. You are forever on our hearts and in our minds."

To the community of 'expat' friends, the Harrington's say "we couldn't do this without you. Our Korean experience exceeds our expectations because you are here, you are wonderful and you are willing to love us like long-time friends and family in the times we need it most. If we came to Korea, only to meet you, the journey would have been worth it."

To the community of readers and stumble-uponers and such, the Harrington's say "thanks. Thanks for caring. Thanks for researching what you may get yourself into, thanks for increasing our page views because it just feels nice. Thanks for occassional comments and letting us know we've presented something that is useful for you in your planning and preperations."

To the community as a whole, the Harrington's say: "Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Rest assured that All is Merry and Bright in Daejeon, South Korea! With Love, The Harringtons"



Merry Christmas Michael Teacher - from Nameson Middle School Students



One students interpretation of Michael Teacher and the 'rendition'

 

Students grades: 3, 4 and 5 wishing you a Merry Christmas with a little

Seoul Christmas Light Show in the middle. Merry Christmas from the ROK!

Bongam Elementary Students Master the Alphabet

In August of 2010, Melissa "Teacher" Harrington was granted responsibility for the teaching of English to a group of Korean first graders and second graders. Completely thrilled and slightly terrified, Melissa Teacher thought quickly how she could best train up the precious little gems of students while maintaining her sanity. Having worked three years in an Elementary school back in Laramie, Wyoming, Melissa Teacher had some tricks up her sleeve for teaching the alphabet as well as phonics. Realizing the students would have a limited attention span, Melissa Teacher combined these teaching techniques with a 'project' of students creating their own ABC book. With flying-colors the students have learned the alphabet, a bit of phonics and vocabulary and each created an ABC book. It is therefore, with great honor and pleasure that we at The Harrington Times present a video presentation showcasing some of Melissa Teachers favorite Alphabet Art.