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| A group of English teachers learn Korean during the nine-day orientation for the English Program in Korea, or EPIK, last week in Jeonju, North Jeolla. Some 800 teachers were hired through EPIK and will be dispatched to primary and secondary schools in 15 cities and provinces throughout the country. Provided by EPIK |
Kevin and Sarah Hartzell, both 23, met in college in Missouri and came to Korea “on a second honeymoon.” The pair are well-traveled and between the two had visited nearly every continent, including South America, Africa and Europe. Asia was the exception.
Together, the 400 teachers held seven nationalities from the United States to the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. They arrived in Korea on Feb. 19 and spent nine days training at Jeonju University in Wansan County for the English Program in Korea, or EPIK.
The Hartzells were recommended to the program through friends who had taught in Korea before, though none of them through EPIK.
Sarah said the two were both adventurous types and had discussed coming to Korea for the first time a year ago. A psychology major, Sarah said, “I am drawn to jobs to help others.” The two will be dispatched to North Gyeongsang at separate schools. “But we will be able to share our experiences at the end of the day and have almost a double life,” she said.
But as their orientation came to a close, Kevin admitted, “I feel nervousness about going to the classroom for the first time.” He takes to heart “being humble and forming good relationships with people,” somewhat Confucian notions.
He said he learned over the past few days that, “Being in Korea, I feel that in cultural interactions, treating people with respect is highly ideal, especially details such as acknowledging the elderly and bowing your head.”
And perhaps he has struck a chord.
“This is the first year that Korean etiquette, complete with wearing hanbok, was included in the orientation program,” said Choe Mi-kyung, training manager with the EPIK program and a researcher with the National Institute for International Education.
“The quality of teachers we receive has risen considerably, and many come with experience or teaching certificates,” said Choe.
Hence, the orientation is a time for teachers to adjust to the Korean lifestyle more than anything else.
“Since many teachers are curious about Korean language and history, the orientation is a time they can learn more about what to expect from Korean students, hear lectures from experienced teachers and also experience the culture firsthand,” Choe said.
EPIK, under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, was launched in 1995 with the intent of bringing a higher caliber of English education to Korean students.
A total of 800 teachers were trained last month, and the Education Ministry plans to hire a total of 2,000 native English speaking teachers this year.
Visa law requires EPIK teachers to have citizenship from one of seven countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States or South Africa.
Over a week and a half, teachers underwent extensive training in lesson-planning and working with Korean co-teachers, along with cultural experiences such as an introduction to the language, visiting hanok, or traditional Korean-style homes, and learning taekwondo.
Some teachers, however, are already familiar with Korea and its culture such as Greg Doyle, a 28-year-old Irishman and a veteran of the EPIK program.
The first time around, he spent two years teaching elementary students in Sangju, North Gyeongsang, between 2010-11. “I went in completely blind,” he admitted, stating that EPIK’s orientation was a reason why he chose the program over other methods to teach in Korea. He eventually returned home in 2011 due to family obligations, but he couldn’t stay away for long.
“I missed Korea and found myself looking at Facebook and friends’ pictures of what they were up to here. When I was in Korea, I didn’t miss Ireland much because of a good support network and I was at a job I enjoyed doing,” Doyle said. “Under those set of circumstances, it made sense coming back here.”
And as a veteran of the program, he was able to advise novice teachers and help ease their concerns.
“Many are worried at the moment because a lot of the people are in the dark about where they are going, what city, village or town. They’re about as confused as I was in 2010 orientation.”
Add to that the fact that most are in a completely new culture and do not know what age group - elementary, middle or high school - they will be teaching. Some teachers are filled with trepidation about their new jobs.
But Doyle said, “Just go with the flow. When you decide to do this, you must be prepared mentally, and that is half the adventure of it as well.”
“I was lucky with placement in Sangju; it’s rural but big enough to have all the comforts and other expats around the city,” said Doyle. “If someone said to me before leaving Ireland that I will be teaching at a small provincial town, I probably would have been hesitant.”
“The co-teachers really went out of their way to help me and settle in and adapt. They included me in the staff nights out,” he added.
Foreign English teachers are partnered with Korean teachers - a setup especially helpful for younger students with lower levels of English comprehension.
Justin Mellish, 23, likewise, is no stranger to Korea as he spent two years studying here, first as an exchange student at Anyang University for five months then at Chonbuk National University.
His father also lived in Korea for a year as part of the Air Force.
“Growing up, Korea’s always held a mystery for me, as a place that my father lived for one year,” he said.
This year, Mellish’s father will return for the first time in 20 years.
By Sarah Kim [sarahkim@joongang.co.kr]
