Why Korea?

Why did you choose to do student teaching in Korea (and not in US)? 

I love to travel! I know that might not be a great reason to move to another country but I have a B.A. and M.A. in International Relations and my passion is to learn about the world and its people. I thought going to Seoul for student teaching would be a great opportunity to learn about another culture. This is a perfect combination of my history in international relations and my new career path in education.

I also really like Korean food!

What do you hope to gain from this experience? 

I hope that I can learn how to be a better teacher through being challenged with a different teaching environment.   I think I will learn to be more flexible, which is an essential skill for teachers. The challenges I will face being in a completely foreign environment will encourage me to think quickly and be open to adaptations in the classroom.

Why do you think that it is important as future teachers to have diverse cultural experiences and be prepared to think about curriculum and pedagogy globally?

 As our world becomes more interconnected it is essential for teachers and students to learn more about other cultures. Students from various nations are more present in our classrooms than ever, this makes learning about other cultures important. There is a move towards multicultural education and integrating cultural differences into the curriculum. International experiences like this help prepare teachers for addressing the growth of globalization and the impact that makes in the classroom. As teachers discuss different religions, cultures, and ethnicities they can draw from their personal experiences to create lessons. Traveling and teaching abroad helps teachers become more dynamic in their teaching. Oftentimes people become settled in their ways and approaches, when exposed to different teaching techniques and cultures teachers can gain new skills and techniques for the classroom. Teaching with an appreciation for global differences helps students become better global citizens and will prepare them for diverse college campuses and workplaces.