ADAM GREENBERG
  • Hi, I'm Adam
    • ID >
      • Two Poems
      • Computer Drawn Art
      • SCUBA diving
      • Korean Ice Cream Review
      • Last Night's Dream
    • EGO >
      • A Bio-Story
      • Resume
      • What Others Say
      • "Ew, Baby Pictures"
      • Fun with facial hair
    • Issues >
      • Debt-Free Education >
        • Learn for Free >
          • Khan Academy
          • Coursera
          • MIT Open Courseware
          • Skillshare
          • Udemy
          • Highbrow
        • Earn Scholarships
      • National Service
      • Election Reform
      • Retire the Penny
      • Universal Basic Income
      • Net Neutrality
      • DVORAK vs QWERTY
      • Senior Citizen Driving Exam
      • Art + Creativity
    • Speaking
    • Subscribe
    • Search
    • Contact Adam
  • Work with Meaning
    • Alternative Business Models >
      • TOMS | One for One
      • iPhone Screen Repair | Name Your Own Price
      • "Adam, I Need A Website" | The Gift Economy
    • National Service >
      • Peace Corps Volunteer 2022-23
      • Peace Corps Volunteer 2018-20 >
        • HIV+ Positive Voices: Worldwide
      • AmeriCorps NCCC Team Leader 2011-12
      • AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Member 2007-08
    • Leadership in Community >
      • Successfully campaigned for Emergency Window Hammers on Buses in South Korea
      • Started "AmeriCorps Alums" Kiva.org group lending $30,000+
      • I.M.P.A.C.T. Leadership 2007
      • S.T.R.I.V.E. Mentor 2006
    • Environmental Stewardship >
      • The Obama White House Council on Environmental Quality Intern 2009
      • BioTour on the 2008 Campaign Trail
      • aRc of Montara
      • Founded #CleanGwangju
    • Outdoor Education >
      • National Outdoor Leadership School Alumni 2016
      • Rocks + Ropes Facilitator 2011
    • Teaching Abroad >
      • Teaching English in South Korea
    • Activism >
      • PolitiCorps Fellow 2009
      • Young People For Fellow 2007
    • Work with Me >
      • Adam's Edits
  • Travel with Intention
    • And on a Budget >
      • Full-Time Travel on $15 a day
      • Budget Travel Tips
      • More Resources + Recommendations
    • Travel Guides >
      • CouchSurfing: A Travel Style
      • Quick Guide to Housesitting
      • Guide to Help Exchange
    • Countries Lived / Traveled >
      • Africa >
        • Malawi
        • Tanzania
        • Zambia
        • Zimbabwe
      • Asia >
        • Cambodia
        • China
        • India
        • Indonesia
        • Israel
        • Japan
        • Laos
        • Malaysia
        • Philippines
        • Singapore
        • South Korea
        • Taiwan
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
      • North America >
        • Canada
        • Mexico
        • United States
      • Oceania >
        • Australia
    • CouchSurfing Stories
    • World Travels Photography
    • Adam + Lianne
  • Create Generously
    • Hand-drawn postcard, free to your mailbox
    • CREATE and GIFT
    • Tonight's Watercolor!
    • Prints @ Society6
  • Media
    • Photography >
      • Latest: #SydNYE 2017
      • World Travels >
        • Africa >
          • Malawi
          • Tanzania
          • Zambia
          • Zimbabwe
        • Asia >
          • Cambodia
          • China
          • India
          • Indonesia
          • Israel
          • Japan
          • Laos
          • Malaysia
          • Philippines
          • Singapore
          • South Korea
          • Taiwan
          • Thailand
          • Vietnam
        • North America >
          • Canada
          • Mexico
          • United States
        • Oceania >
          • Australia
      • Motorcycle
      • Disney Cars Tent
      • Jolly Roger Flag
      • 2005 "Phase"
      • Instagram
    • Videography >
      • 1 Second Every Day
      • Motorcycle Rides around Korea
      • BioTour on the 2008 Campaign Trail
      • Skydiving
      • Free 7-Eleven Slurpee Day!
      • Denver 9 News Interview re: Tonight's Watercolor
    • Podcasts >
      • HIV+ Positive Voices: Worldwide
    • Music
    • Korean Students' Drawings of Teacher
    • Early Published Works
    • Books on my Shelf
    • Motivating Quotes
    • Press
    • Published Articles
    • My Upcoming Book
  • Blog

"That was a great lesson" - a short reflection on teaching High School English in South Korea.

4/9/2014

4 Comments

 
Last night, I went out for a teacher dinner with one of my new elementary schools, here in Korea. As we crowded in the restaurant's small lobby to gather our shoes after eating, a teacher I didn't yet know said, "Hello" and then told me that her daughter is now a third year student at Munjeong Girls' High School - one of my high schools last year.
"Oh," I asked her, "was your daughter in my 2nd grade classes?"
"Yes. My daughter said you were really kind and handsome."

I won't speak much about handsome: I think Koreans love to tell foreigners they're handsome regardless of its truth, but I will say, hearing that her daughter found me "really kind" was a compliment that made my whole night. 

Teaching high school English last year I learned how exhausting this time in Korean students' lives can be. Frankly, I found it ridiculous. At a time when, as studies have repeatedly shown, teenagers should be getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night, Korean high school students are in school from 7am-10pm! And often, at hagwons (or private academies) until 12am in their third year, cramming for the standardized exam, Suneung - the all-important college SAT.

Seriously, do they ever see the sun?

Apparently also, they just don’t sleep during the week (except in class). Every Monday I'd ask my classes, "What did you do this weekend?" and without fail I'd hear either, “Adam Teacher. Sleep all day” or "Oh teacher! Study" with an exasperated sigh. Their stress in the classroom is palpable.
As teachers, sometimes we leave a classroom saying to ourselves, "That was a great lesson" ... sometimes.
As for those latter times, maybe heavy heads hung above desks because it was first period, or maybe with their other pressures, some students aren't so interested in or focused on learning English? I’ve learned not to be offended. Or hey, maybe I just didn’t prepare a great lesson?

To be honest, I don't recall who my colleague’s daughter is; much as I would have loved to, with 45 girls in each of 21 classes, I just never caught all their names. Some days I left the room wondering just how much English they were garnering from our one short 50 minute interaction each week. 

But if our short time together has helped leave the impression that foreigners, in general are "really kind", then I’d leave Korea saying, “That was a great lesson."
READ THAT OTHER SHORT REFLECTION




AdamGreenberg.com is the official website of some guy by the same name. Thanks for being here.

Adam's grateful his 20s were a debt-free decade traveling with intention through work with meaning.
Some of that work includes TOMS, The White House, teaching abroad, experimenting with art and business in the Gift Economy, and two proud terms of national service with AmeriCorps.
We have got to reform student loan debt for all.
4 Comments
Jeremy link
4/11/2014 16:20:11

great post and blog adam!

Reply
Adam Greenberg link
4/12/2014 15:42:18

Thanks for reading, Jeremy.

Reply
Lianne link
4/13/2014 14:32:47

Great post. You're so indiscriminately kind to everyone. The students were lucky to have a teacher like you.

Reply
Adam Greenberg link
4/13/2014 20:54:04

"Oh go on." (waves hand)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    AdamGreenberg.com
    is the official website
    of some guy
    by the same name.
    Thanks for being here.

    TOP POSTS
    - The TOMS word "With"
    - My beer desk @ TOMS
    - One Student in Korea
    - Korea's Bus Hammers
    - 2010: Painted E'ry Day
    - My First Job
    - Raised $25,000 w/ Kiva
    - White House Interning
    - My memo to Prez B.O.

    @AdamGreenberg
    @AdamGreenberg

    <- share this post

    President's Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Award

    All
    1 Second Everyday
    Adam I Need A Website
    AmeriCorps NCCC
    BioTour
    CAUSE Banana Bread
    CREATE And GIFT
    Drink Water And Yawn!
    Emergency Window Hammers On Buses In South Korea
    Khan Academy
    Kiva
    Music
    Poetry
    PolitiCorps
    Quotes
    Recommendations
    Social Entrepreneurship
    Teaching English In Korea
    The White House
    TOMS
    Tonights Watercolor
    Tonights Watercolor
    Two Months In 1992
    University Of Miami
    Young People For

    RSS Feed


    "ew, baby photos"
    Adam in 1988

    AdamGreenberg.com is the official website of some guy by the same name. Thanks for being here. 

    ​Adam's grateful his 20s were a debt-free decade traveling with intention through work with meaning. Some of that work includes TOMS, The Obama White House, teaching abroad, art and business in the Gift Economy, two proud terms of national service with AmeriCorps, and two terms with the US Peace Corps in rural Zambia, working with small-scale fish farmers.

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    ... in others' words
    Adam in the words of others

    Where's Adam?

    <- share this post


    April 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    April 2008
    January 2008
    November 2007
    July 2006
    October 1992
    September 1992


    a few paintings

    Picture
    CONTRIBUTE

    2014 Reading Challenge

    2014 Reading Challenge
    Adam has completed his goal of reading 24 books in 2014!
    hide
    25 of 24 (100%)
    view books


    CLICK FOR THE QUOTES


    <- share this post


    Tweets by @AmeriCorpsAdam


    Thanks for stopping by (San Diego).
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Hi, I'm Adam
    • ID >
      • Two Poems
      • Computer Drawn Art
      • SCUBA diving
      • Korean Ice Cream Review
      • Last Night's Dream
    • EGO >
      • A Bio-Story
      • Resume
      • What Others Say
      • "Ew, Baby Pictures"
      • Fun with facial hair
    • Issues >
      • Debt-Free Education >
        • Learn for Free >
          • Khan Academy
          • Coursera
          • MIT Open Courseware
          • Skillshare
          • Udemy
          • Highbrow
        • Earn Scholarships
      • National Service
      • Election Reform
      • Retire the Penny
      • Universal Basic Income
      • Net Neutrality
      • DVORAK vs QWERTY
      • Senior Citizen Driving Exam
      • Art + Creativity
    • Speaking
    • Subscribe
    • Search
    • Contact Adam
  • Work with Meaning
    • Alternative Business Models >
      • TOMS | One for One
      • iPhone Screen Repair | Name Your Own Price
      • "Adam, I Need A Website" | The Gift Economy
    • National Service >
      • Peace Corps Volunteer 2022-23
      • Peace Corps Volunteer 2018-20 >
        • HIV+ Positive Voices: Worldwide
      • AmeriCorps NCCC Team Leader 2011-12
      • AmeriCorps NCCC Corps Member 2007-08
    • Leadership in Community >
      • Successfully campaigned for Emergency Window Hammers on Buses in South Korea
      • Started "AmeriCorps Alums" Kiva.org group lending $30,000+
      • I.M.P.A.C.T. Leadership 2007
      • S.T.R.I.V.E. Mentor 2006
    • Environmental Stewardship >
      • The Obama White House Council on Environmental Quality Intern 2009
      • BioTour on the 2008 Campaign Trail
      • aRc of Montara
      • Founded #CleanGwangju
    • Outdoor Education >
      • National Outdoor Leadership School Alumni 2016
      • Rocks + Ropes Facilitator 2011
    • Teaching Abroad >
      • Teaching English in South Korea
    • Activism >
      • PolitiCorps Fellow 2009
      • Young People For Fellow 2007
    • Work with Me >
      • Adam's Edits
  • Travel with Intention
    • And on a Budget >
      • Full-Time Travel on $15 a day
      • Budget Travel Tips
      • More Resources + Recommendations
    • Travel Guides >
      • CouchSurfing: A Travel Style
      • Quick Guide to Housesitting
      • Guide to Help Exchange
    • Countries Lived / Traveled >
      • Africa >
        • Malawi
        • Tanzania
        • Zambia
        • Zimbabwe
      • Asia >
        • Cambodia
        • China
        • India
        • Indonesia
        • Israel
        • Japan
        • Laos
        • Malaysia
        • Philippines
        • Singapore
        • South Korea
        • Taiwan
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
      • North America >
        • Canada
        • Mexico
        • United States
      • Oceania >
        • Australia
    • CouchSurfing Stories
    • World Travels Photography
    • Adam + Lianne
  • Create Generously
    • Hand-drawn postcard, free to your mailbox
    • CREATE and GIFT
    • Tonight's Watercolor!
    • Prints @ Society6
  • Media
    • Photography >
      • Latest: #SydNYE 2017
      • World Travels >
        • Africa >
          • Malawi
          • Tanzania
          • Zambia
          • Zimbabwe
        • Asia >
          • Cambodia
          • China
          • India
          • Indonesia
          • Israel
          • Japan
          • Laos
          • Malaysia
          • Philippines
          • Singapore
          • South Korea
          • Taiwan
          • Thailand
          • Vietnam
        • North America >
          • Canada
          • Mexico
          • United States
        • Oceania >
          • Australia
      • Motorcycle
      • Disney Cars Tent
      • Jolly Roger Flag
      • 2005 "Phase"
      • Instagram
    • Videography >
      • 1 Second Every Day
      • Motorcycle Rides around Korea
      • BioTour on the 2008 Campaign Trail
      • Skydiving
      • Free 7-Eleven Slurpee Day!
      • Denver 9 News Interview re: Tonight's Watercolor
    • Podcasts >
      • HIV+ Positive Voices: Worldwide
    • Music
    • Korean Students' Drawings of Teacher
    • Early Published Works
    • Books on my Shelf
    • Motivating Quotes
    • Press
    • Published Articles
    • My Upcoming Book
  • Blog