Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Chillin' Villain]

���� ��ȭ... Rock n' Roll.

Just got my schedule for my first-ever semester teaching uni, and this course is about half of my classes. Which is sweet, because I really only have two different classes to prep/develop over the course of the term, and this one may have a lot of room to have fun/get creative with. We'll see.... (yeah, I know I sound like a naive keener, but I'm movin' on UP, baby!)

SO- does anyone else teach a course like this? Is there a textbook that is established as the "standard" for this kinda course?(We DO have a textbook for it, but I don't get to see it 'til Monday...) What kinda stuff did you do with the classes?

*Villain's Disclaimer* ---> I've got detailed meetings and stuff about all this next week, so please don't flame me about not being prepared or looking into it myself first or anything reactionary like that... I'd just like to hear any anecdotes that the more-experienced may have to offer!

[Grotto]

I havent taught that course but western culture differences are vast.

Food. Tell your students that you have gone months without eating rice and ask them what they think of that. (disbelief and amazement)

Family structures.

Dating.

Friendships.

Schools.

TV

Movies

You name it and you can usually compare some differences between Korean and Western culture

[gypsyfish]

Western culture seems pretty broad. See if you can have them limit it to one country (with luck, yours!) and go from there. That can be broad but there are some books that deal specifically with the USA and Britian (and maybe more). Good luck.

[peppermint]

Try to work in a little pop culture to keep their attention. Once a month maybe bring in a sitcom and discus the situations in it. USA today often has articles about western culture that might be good for freetalking. .

[Chillin' Villain]

Yeah, I totally hope I can do the pop culture thing... I'm sure it will have a place in teh curriculum SOMEwhere... If not, I'm sure I'll have some creative control, as well....

As for the broadness, I basically took a liberty in expressing ���� ��ȭ as "Western Culture"... Really, English (the country, not the language) and American culture...

God, there's gonna be so much I'll be able to with this! (I hope...) I think they made a good move in giving this particular course to me!

[Zenpickle]

I would treat it like a Western Civ. course. Go into the history of aspects of western culture, try to conclude which are some major "bookmarks" in western history that are at the root of the culture:

The Roman Empire
The Reformation and Magna Carta (early examples of a long tradition of challenging centralized power)
Renaissance
Enlightenment (leading to reviving Athenian democracy to create modern democracies)
Scientific Method (revolutionary concept that changed Western thought to believe that it can figure out nature and society and change it to make life better)
Industrial Revolution
How the Imperial Eras of the 16th to 20th centuries influenced different cultures and helped lead to two world wars

Maybe contrast and compare it to the "bookmarks" of Korean culture, like the indoctrination of Confucianism, the spread of Buddhism, the creation of Hangul, Koreans' struggles against authority of landlords, kings, and the Japanese and Chinese.

I would love to be a fly on the wall in that classroom.

IMHO, the Scientific Method alone is a tradition that is so ingrained in our culture, that it is at the root of what baffles us about aspects in Korean culture.

[coolsage]

I wish you well in your endeavor. Normally I wouldn't recommend 'teaching culture' in a Korean classroom. That's not our mandate. We're here to impart language, not values. That's getting dangerously close to introducing your personal version of religion to students. But if you can get them to stop spitting on the sidewalk, that would be a good thing.

[Chillin' Villain]

Yeah, I don't have much choice in the matter, as it's the course that was given to me... I'm still pretty floored about it, though...

I don't think it's a neo-colonial/cultural-indoctrination class so much as it is a "teach the freshmen about sitcoms and pop music" class.

Either way, it's better than teaching friggin' grammar!

[canadian_in_korea]

I think its great that a class on "western culture" is being offered to students here. I often tell my husband that so many Korean students focus on learning English but in my opinion it is far more valuable to learn the culture. Of course learning the language of a country that you are going to be living in is important, I'm not saying that it isn't.....but so many Korean students/families go abroad and can't handle living in a new society partly because they have no idea about the culture. My husband has family living in the USA who are experiencing this right now. It is a hard thing for people to realize that they can't just go to another country and live "exactly" the same way as they did in their home country....there are bound to be differences....if you at least know about these differences...it might make adjusting a little easier. I would think the most difficult thing about teaching a class on culture would be not portraying one culture as being "better". I had one elementary school teacher ask me if Canadian people don't like Korean people. Of course I asked why she was wondering this and she said....."one of the teachers in my school is wondering if she can talk to you, her daughter is studying in Canada but the people she is staying with don't like her. They only give her humble food..and they don't take care of her"....when I explained to her that on average in Canada a salad or sandwich is a "normal meal" and when teenagers are in grade 12/university they do most things on their own....these people most likely were treating her the same way they had taught their own children. Misunderstanding all around is my guess. Anyway I think it's good.. And yeah...if I took a class on culture and it turned into a history class...well that would just suck.. I'd probably drop the class. Refering to things that lead to the culture to be what it is now is different....wow...I wish I could take your class..

[Koreabound2004]

If I can offer you one piece of advice. In teaching Western culture...please ensure that you also talk about the negative things.....

I think it is important to include aspects of Western culture, and more specifically historically...and not to glaze over such issues and pretend that they do not exist.

Many Koreans I have met tend to view our society as a dreamland, where the land of better things awaits them...and this is not necessarily so.

Granted its better than what many people around the world experience...it's not all that its cracked up to be.

[Tiger Beer]

[Hollywoodaction]

[Derrek]

I have found 2 books that would be helpful to you. They are at Citybooks in Kangnam. One of them I have at school, and can't remember the name of at the moment. It is named, "Culture differences" or something like that. A lot of the information is great, but some is dated. It compares and contrasts many, many situations -- showing how Americans do something verses how Koreans handle it. If memory serves, the book is brown and has both the US and Korean flags on the front.

Another great resource is a book I found near that one (same shelf, I think) that discusses hundreds of Korean "sayings" and beliefs. For example: Don't whistle at night, or snakes will bite you, etc.

Some are dated, but Koreans know them, and they'd give you a lot of ideas and things to talk about / compare to your own beliefs.

I have been informed I might be teaching (or co-teaching) a similar class to students this year. It will be fun.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Begin with the Munich Putsch, move to the elections that were re-held after the Nazis declared war on all other politcal parties in Germany, then discuss the Nuremberg party rallies, Western collusion with Nazi re-armament, the weakness of the Chamberlain government and finally the invasion of Poland.

[ajuma]

Chillin' Villain: All of these suggestions are great...BUT (and this is a BIG but!!!) FIRST find out what level your students are!!! I suggest doing some Q&A type conversation with the students in week 1 so you can get to know their level. Don't make too many plans before you meet them! If you're not at a high-ranking uni, your students may not know more than "Fine, thank you, and you!"!!!!! Especially if they are freshman....