I love to plant.

My grandma and mom taught me how to plant well.

“Treat and care them with love.

You cannot hug them, but you can

smile and say love to them.”

My students are not motionless plants, but active plants which pursue whatever they want to be. I,

as a teacher, don’t make them grow in the way that I want. However, my goal is letting them bloom

as a special one out of my garden someday. Each of them has his or her own color and scent. I

would try hard for them to find their potential and make them be proud of themselves. Sometimes

they might face difficulties, but they are keeping growing, living, and at the same time, they are

always leaning.

Yoongyu Lee

“I entered the classroom with the conviction that it was crutial for me and every other

student to be an active participant, not a passive consumer…[a conception of] education

as the practice of freedom… education that connects the will to know with the will to

become. Learning is a place where paradise can be created.” –Bell Hooks

“I plant. I plant not only a seed, plant, or a young tree, but also my students. I put them into the ground so that they will grow. I guide them to wherever they can get enough sunshine, water, and nutrients to grow well. I treat them with love because love is another essential thing for growing.” -Lee

Culture Essay

Yoongyu Lee

Final

February 8, 2011

I am in The Middle of Somewhere Between America and Korea.

However, I am bound to live by the light that I have.

-Abraham Lincoln

“This student likes people and enjoys activities done with other people. Also she always

behaves in caring and receptive way.” When I took an aptitude test, the result said like that. What

made me love others, value the relationships I have? Because I highly value the relationship

among my family members, friends that I have had, teachers I have met, and any other

relationships, the story of my culture starts with my relationships.

While most of Korean parents tend to make their own path for their children and let them

follow, my parents have acted differently. My father was an active college student who was the

group leader in his acting circle. He puts always stress on living life with full of joy as well as

having a polite attitude towards others as he learned from his parents. My mother is a very

reasonable and smart person who is a physics teacher. They have put stress on being a nice

person and helping others besides having effort on everything I do. They have never pressure me

to do school stuffs. Instead, they have let me do those things myself. I think their trust in me have

had a good effect on me to grow well. As a teacher, my mother believes the power of education

and always tries to be a good teacher as preparing every class until late in the night. Her attitude

as a teacher made me think about my future career and also about the job as a teacher.

My parents always advise me to love myself, think about my life all the time and make it

brilliant. Following Korean traditional culture, they really respect old values like good

relationships in family. Because they both work, they have to have breakfast early in the morning.

For me- a lazy girl- waking up early and having breakfast together were really difficult. I always

complained about this, but I should do this all the time because they liked sharing everyday

issues at breakfast.

Speaking of my brother, he is two years younger than I am and a quite smart boy. When

we were really young, we used to go to kindergarten together and I was always caring my little

brother. However, the seat next to my mom was always mine. Though he was younger, the one

who was riding my mom’s back was always me. He has grown up very nice boy as always

caring our parents and me. Whenever we discuss about something, he seems to be my older

brother. Having compared myself to my brothers, I was sometimes under stress. I wasn’t a leader,

but he was always a leader. Also he entered much better University than mine. My parents

sometimes compare me with his hard-working attitude and that made me reflect on my behavior

and ashamed. However, having brother is really great thing in my life because I have learned

many things by interacting with him.

In relation to relationship among my family members, I would like to mention gender

roles my mother and father have played in my family. As Korea has experienced economic

growth, patriarchism which had been a main perspective on gender role among Koreans has lost

its power. Though many people still have it and emphasize the roles each gender should play, it

couldn’t survive in the schools. For example, we had a class for learning housework which

people had considered as women’s work in old days like how to cook, how to sew and so on. At

that class, everyone should prepare an apron and made some foods together having specific roles

without concept of gender role. In case of my family, my father participates to do some

houseworks even though it’s just small portion. He usually does the dishes every morning and

cleans the house once or twice a week. After work, my mother usually cooks and does other

houseworks. Though my father is helpful compared to other families, my mother is more in

charge of doing those. However, my father always stresses on women power to raise his

daughter as a one of the influencial women.

I would like to apply this gender role to my future students. I agree that men and women

are different in terms of body shapes and strength physically. However, there’s not much specific

task that only women can do. I don’t want to divide my class by gender. Instead, I will let them

know how beautiful the world is when we live together and respect each other.

Thinking about my ethnicity as a Korean, one thing most important nature is that

Koreans really value being and doing something together. In the agricultural age, people in a

town helped each other and even made some songs to sing while they were working. The

stadiums in Korea burst with the sound of the wild cheering when The World Cup was held in

Korea and Japan in 2002. Another thing that I have to consider as a Korean is that we always try

to save our face. It was a hierarchical society, therefore people regard keeping their dignity as

important.

Being engaged in studies was more important than any other things. People should hide

their feelings or opinions because they didn’t want to be considered as being frivolous. The

schools and the society taught them to be polite to others and respect others, that made people be

careful in their behavior all the time. “Think twice before you behaving or saying something.”

This is what Koreans have heard from birth. That can be the reason why I have not been used to

express my opinions or thoughts freely in the classroom.

As having studied in America, I had to have some difficulties because of this thing.

Students freely express their ideas no matter what other people think in classroom. I couldn’t say

anything because there was no time to think twice. Whenever I thought and organized my ideas,

the turn was just passed. What I learned from my experience in America is that I don’t have to be

afraid of being wrong. My ideas sometimes might be different from others and can be wrong.

However I still have a chance to think and correct my ideas by sharing it. Though I am still

having trouble in being courageous in classroom, I think I am getting better.

Based on what I learned from my experience, I want to encourage my future students to

be active sharing their ideas in classroom. Therefore, I would like to draw my future classroom.

As a one who believes the power of nurture, I want to give the best environment to my future

students. That is, not only giving them a great condition of the classroom, but I definitely hope to

be a good mentor for their lives. I would like to have students who are willing to be part of this

society. What I want to ask them to do is not studying given texts alone in their own place. I

want them to be curious and explore to fulfill that curiosity by seeking things they need and want

just by themselves.

Also compared to the old classrooms which was mostly teacher-centered, focused on

sending and teaching knowledge the instructor has have, I want to use positive aspects Korean

culture has in my classes. For example, I will expand cooperative group work times that use

Korean cooperative values instead of reading books together or making them do note-taking.

Nowadays, Korean educational system focuses on creative thinking and learning. Teachers help

students develop their cognition and think and act creatively. However, they still don’t have

much time to do group work and share ideas or information each student has.

One thing Korean students always think in classroom is “someone(except me) would

answer the question.” I really don’t want my students to think like that. I should make warm

environment where the students don’t have to have fears. I will let them know how wonderful it

is to share opinions and learn by expressing and correcting what they think.

I hope my students would be successful in group works. They will know how beautiful it

is to have those cooperative learning environment instead of competitive surroundings.

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.

I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.

- Abraham Lincoln

I believe that people are fully affected by the environment around them. Also I really

trust that nurture is above nature. Many things like books, media, religion can have effect on

creating one’s own culture. However, the relationships each individual has wield strong

influence over them. Therefore I want to form a great relationship with my students.

Chapter 12. Smiles that I store in My Heart

Yoongyu Lee

High School 1st grade

Rationale

We live with others in community. How have you helped others when they need your help?

What could you do for others? Some of you might have some good memories of helping others.

In this individualistic society, we surely need to think about “living together” and “helping

others.” This chapter will remind you of what you can do for community, and also of the

meaningful life. Students can think about how volunteer work can affect on others and make a

plan for volunteer work. Writing about this subject also would encourage students think about

community they engage.

Objectives

-Students can learn how to get directions by using related expressions and words.

-Students can write narrative writing through critical thinking.

-Students can share ideas about volunteer work and present their own experiences in class.

Length of Curriculum

Approximately 4 weeks. (11 lessons)

Materials and Resources

Textbook, Activity Book, Audio Tape, Students’ Handout, Report paper, Video clip

Means of Assessment

-Summative: Portfolio including students’ handouts, Group discussions and presentation

-Formative: Report paper, Writing

Teacher’s Calendar

Lesson1 Lesson2 Lesson3 Lesson4

Getting Started Listen & Speak

*Video clip

Conversation Before You Read

Lesson5 Lesson6 Lesson7 Lesson8

Reading Reading After You Read Critical Thinking

Lesson9 Lesson10 Lesson11 *Textbook

*Audio Tape

*Handouts

*PPT Slides

Language In Context Think & Write Exercise

Students’ Calendar

Lesson1 Lesson2 Lesson3 Lesson4

Getting Started

(In your Portfolio)

Listen & Speak

*Blank sheet

Conversation Before You Read

*Voca Paper

Lesson5 Lesson6 Lesson7 Lesson8

Reading

*Handout

-Words&Expressions

Reading After You Read Critical Thinking

Lesson9 Lesson10 Lesson11

Language In Context Think & Write

*Report Paper

*Writing

Exercise “Don’t forget to turn

in your portfolio!”

*UNIT Rubric

1) Class-individual/group Participation (10)

2) Portfolio (20)

* The portfolio includes every handout (10)

* The portfolio misses 1 handout (8)

* The portfolio misses more than 2 handouts (6)

* The student answered clearly on papers (10)

* Some answers are not perfect (8)

*Students should work more on it (6)

(*If student worked on it by given extra time,

they can get 8 points) 3) Writing (20)

Insights and ideas (How did the writer use the ideas to make the points)

1

2

3

4

5

Organization (How they develop their ideas well)

1

2

3

4

5

Creativity (In relation to the volunteer work experience, how the students connect

the ideas with their own experience.)

1

2

3

4

5

Grammar and mechanics 1 2 3 4 5

Lesson 1 Getting Started

Rationale Students will think about the title (Smiles I store in my heart) of the

chapter and talk about their experiences with others. They also see the

expressions they are going to learn in this chapter.

Objectives -Students will be encouraged to think about helping others and the

effects of it.

-Students can learn how to ask directions, ask for a help, and make an

appointment by using some expressions.

-Students can guess the situation by pictures first then listen to the

dialogue to be active in listening.

Forms of Assessment -Teacher will check marks for class participation.

-Students will hand in their portfolios with the blank sheet from today’s

lesson.

Opening/Closing -Opening : Students will watch the video(from the teacher’s volunteer

work experience) and guess what the title implies.

Strategies 1) “Stop and Say it!” : Teacher stops while students are listening

the dialogue. And check if they know the last word from the

listening to make the students concentrate on listening.

2) “Filling the Blank Sheet”: Teacher hand blank sheet out to the

students to fill the blanks while they are listening the dialogue.

3) “What’s in a Picture?”: Showing them some pictures from

volunteer work that teacher have done, or from others’

experiences.

4) “I am curious…” :Let students guess what they are going to

learn this chapter.

Materials/Resources Textbook, Video clip, Pictures, Audio tape, Blank sheet

Material (Lesson1)

- Blank Sheet 1

1. (1) A: I am lost. How do I ______ to the subway station?

B: That’s easy. Just ______ up this street _____ __ few blocks.

(2) A: Excuse me. How do I ______ to the __________shopping center?

B: It’s _____ ______ here. ______ the next bus. It’s bus ___.

(3) A: How do I get to the _________ _________?

B: Go _____ this street and _____ _____. It’s really ______ to here.

A: Thank you so much.

- Pictures

Lesson 2 Listen & Speak

Rationale This lesson focuses on listening and speaking. The students will listen

the dialogue about getting directions and learn how to ask/answer.

Objectives -Students will find the direction while they are listening the dialogue.

-Students will understand and learn how to get directions and helping

others find the directions by using some related expressions.

-Students will play a role in pair work to get directions.

Forms of Assessment -Teacher will check marks for class participation.

-Group point in “Collecting Expressions”

Opening/Closing -Opening: Teacher shows a short video clip to the students.

Strategies 1) “Ask Your Partner” : To help students improve comprehension,

it involves pairs of students questioning each other.

2) “Collecting Expressions” : As a group, students find some

expressions about getting directions as many as they can. After

a certain period of time, each group introduces one by one.

Materials/Resources -Video Clip :

http://netv.sbs.co.kr/sbox/sbox_index.jsp?uccid=10000745368&st=0&c

ooper=NAVER

-Before listening to the dialogue, let students explain how to get to

Mr.Kim’s office first to see if how well they know some words and

expressions to indicate the directions.

-By using the map of the school district, students can practice how to

get directions.

Lesson 5 Read

Rationale This reading passage is about the writer’s experience that the writer met

a homeless man. After reading this story, students can think about how

this happening affected on the writer’s life. They also learn some

expressions and grammar structures from the reading passage.

Objectives -Students can think about the story in relation to community.

-Students can learn some key expressions and grammatical structure.

Forms of Assessment -Grade on “Missing Words” practice

-Portfolio including students’ handout from the lesson today

-Teacher will check marks for class participation.

Opening/Closing -Opening : Start by giving them some questions to think about while

they are listening and reading the story.

“What was the weather like that night?”

“On the way back to the parking lot, what did the family discover?”

“What did the writer’s mom suggest?”

Strategies 1) “Missing Words”- individual

2) “STAR-Skim& Set purpose, Think, Anticipate& Adjust,

Review& Retell

Materials/Resources Audio tape, Handout

Students will be skimming , doing “Missing Words,” listening, reading

in order.

Making power point slides with reading passage will help students

concentrate on the class.

Material (Lesson 5)

-Student handout

1) Make your own sentence with the words from the reading passage.

*Chilly:

_________________________________________________

*Public:

_________________________________________________

*Describe:

_________________________________________________

*Extra:

_________________________________________________

*Belongings:

_________________________________________________

*Glance:

_________________________________________________

2) Translate the sentences below in Korean.

*We just hope that the money goes to those who are most in need.

: _________________________________________________

*My mother suffers from back pain.

: _________________________________________________

*She looked as if she’d had some bad news.

:__________________________________________________

Lesson 10 Think& Write

Rationale Students can learn how to write well-organized writings on their

experience through critical thinking and brainstorming. Also they can

learn how to expand the writing, and what the narrative writing means

by practice. The teacher encourages students to make a plan and outline

before writing to make it clear.

Objectives -Students can understand the style of narrative writing.

-Students can think about their own experience about volunteer work

and write about it.

-Students practice critical thinking.

Forms of Assessment -Writing

-Teacher will check marks for class participation.

Opening/Closing -Opening : Giving them a report paper at the beginning of the class to

use as a way of brainstorming

Strategies

Materials/Resources Handout

-First of all, let the students fill the report paper first and make a group.

Then let them compare their own experience with other students.

And the group leaders present what they have shared in a group.

Next, the teacher explains what the narrative writing mean and how to

write well.

Volunteer Report

Name___________________ Host Organization______________________________ Location________________________________________________________________ Period from________________________to___________________________________

1. What type(s) of volunteer work did you do?

Arts and Culture Community Service Education Environment Health Care Other ______________________

2. What were your motivations for volunteering?

I wanted to get work experience. I wanted to learn something new. I wanted to help people. Other _________________________________

3. What benefits did you get through volunteering?

I increased my self-confidence. I became aware of community needs. Other _______________________________________

4. Describe your experience and feeling in detail.

What did you do? What did you like best about this experience? What did you like least about this experience?

Narrative Writing is used when someone is telling a personal story. They include information about what they did and also about how they felt.

Graphic Organizer

STORY

What

Why

Reflection

Expressions

Yours

Questions?