Differences in the American and Korean classrooms

[addienfaemne]

Kids are kids everywhere, but there are definitely cultural differences that make teaching a different experience in Korea than in America. I've been thinking about some of the differences and decided to start listing them.

Here are some things normal with Korean students that Americans would flip out about:

• Kids joking about shooting each other (

Comments

[addienfaemne]

Awesome! I like being helpful!

Boys are a lot less concerned with "masculine" behaviors, or at least American masculine behaviors, I've noticed. There's a lot of little boys holding each other's hands and hugging each other in a way that would be coded as "gay" in the American classroom. There's a belief in Korea that Koreans can't be gay, so I guess that explains the lack of anxiety about looking "gay"? IDK.

[beanrows]

Drive-by comment: Korean kids don't know what "fuck you" or the middle finger means. All they know is that it's an insult, and they think it's a relatively mild one. On the other hand, they know very well that "shippal seki" means "fucking bastard." :p

IThe Grand Narrative has really good, in-depth stuff on Korean education and children...if you haven't already read it, of course.

[addienfaemne]

"Drive-by comment: Korean kids don't know what "fuck you" or the middle finger means. " No, I'm aware. But they've also been explained that it's a really bad curse, by me and their previous English teacher. Cursing just isn't seen as a big deal by them.

[foxprince]

so i'm totally on livejournal again

BECAUSE I'M JUST THAT MUCH OF YOUR STALKER

MWUH <3

ps respond to me on fb so i can buy some damn airplane tickets to korea dammit