Today is Teacher Appreciation Day. This is an unique holiday in Korea, well, its not necessarily a holiday, but a special day reserved for teachers of all public schools in South Korea. The students assemble in front of the school, and the head students give flowers to every single teacher, including me! I felt so special because I never have been given that much respect before.
Being a teacher in South Korea is special. It is a position that is held in high esteem. My teachers were asking me today if we had this holiday in America...and I believe we don't. Why don't we give the proper "ups" (respect) to the teachers in our own homeland as they do in East Asia?
Its what we value that counts. In Korea, education is the key to a successful life, and its the same in America too. Yet Koreans just value it more. In a Confucian society like this one, Koreans value a strong, educated mind to produce goods, ideas, and services. An educated person is a fulfilled person, according to their culture. So teachers have the difficult and special task to educate the young minds of Koreans and get them ready for the rest of their lives. However, the role of the teacher in Korea and America I believe is different: Korea is to educate and lecture only, with the relationship between a student and teacher one of servitude and respect. Yet American teachers are special and unique because many are GREAT mentors, and many take the time to get to know their students one on one and help them in their journeys. I think that is a major difference between the philosophy of teacher-student relationships in public schools.
I told my fellow teachers today that since the value system is different, so are the salaries. Korean teachers on average get paid more than their American counterparts. I told one of my English teachers, Mrs. Park Hyun-sook, that a starting teacher in America averages around $22,000 a year. She was surprised when she heard that.
Also, the amount of discipline is different. Korean students, even though no matter how much they goof off in my English-only classes, are serious learners and for the most part, do a good job of learning. They study all day, every day, and misbehavior is frowned upon distinctly. Punishment is physical, even though not harsh, but they do the crime, they pay with pain.
In America, I remember some students in high school cussing at their teachers and walking out the classroom, or kids just doing whatever they wanted like walking out in the middle of the class and go meet their friends, and some just flunk out. Some kids just came to school because they were bored. It was that sad of a situation, and I even went to a suburban high school. Imagine how tough it is to go to and teach at schools in the DC area or other metropolitan zones.
So, today was a great day just because it was special to see how much they value education. Kids will be kids, but in Korea, the respect is there and they know that high school is the time to make it count.
By the way, tomorrow is Teacher-Parent Day, and that means: ATTACK OF THE AJUMMA! Remember my old story of the first "Attack of the Ajumma?" (Check the archives) More are coming tomorrow, so please hope that I do not get approached by these Nagging Villains and Gossip Machines. They are going to do the dreaded conferences tomorrow, a concept that is held in fear worldwide by all teachers.
As for Koreans, ajumma are infamous for scanning a target, analyzing them in their databanks, and preparing some juicy gossip about a teacher. I just kid, but its still fun to conjure up some goofy fears about Korean people.
Even my own students make fun of the Ajumma. My one special kid, Destroyer once said that " an ajumma on a public bus will throw their purses towards an empty seat like a fireball and will make sure they get it." (He even did an impersonation...classic)
If you forgot what an "ajumma" is, let me simplify it for you in American terms:
"Ajumma" = "Soccer Mom"
Requirements to be an ajumma:
1. Korean woman, 35 to 55 years old
2. Poofy, bowl cut hair
3. Huge aviator-like glasses
4. A purse
5. High heels
6. Mother of full-time students
7. More make up to put the Maybelline Research Team to shame
8. Cell phone
9. "Fashionable" outfits
10. Can speak at a rate faster than an AK-47
Enough said.
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