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Teacher Stories Connecting with Korea Professor Jeon Soon-dong of Chungbuk National University, Korea, received a warm welcome from students at St Mary's College, SA. Peter Batty participated in the 1997-98 Australia-Korea Teacher Exchange Program. Below is his account of the second phase of the program where he hosted Professor Jeon Soon-dong from Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, South Korea. With the support of St Mary's College In Adelaide, I hosted Professor Jeon Soon-dong during the exchange visit of Korean teachers to Australia in August 1998. I had met Professor Jeon when I traveled to South Korea on the Asia Education Foundation's TICFA program in 1997. The group of Australian teachers on that trip had participated in an International Education Symposium with Korean, Taiwanese and Japanese educators during the Korea study tour, hosted by the Education Faculty at Chungbuk National University where Professor Jeon is a lecturer. Many relevant issues were discussed during the symposium and the four nations exchanged information relating to curriculum, educational structures and methodology. Professor Jeon and two other Korean teachers, Mr Vi Su-jong and Mr Kim Moon-sik, returned to Adelaide with me, following their orientation program in Melbourne, and began a hectic but extremely rewarding nine days. I was hosting Professor Jeon, while the other Korean teachers were hosted by teachers in Adelaide who participated in the 1997 Korea study tour, Mike Cerchez and Paul O'Donnell. I had arranged a program which included a variety of school based, community and family activities aimed at providing Professor Jeon with a broad range of experiences reflecting Australia's culture and educational systems. During the school based program, Professor Jeon had the opportunity to meet with the Principal of St Mary's College who provided a forum for the exchange of information on the Australian and Korean educational systems and curriculum. This overview allowed him to contextualise the school based experiences he was to encounter during the program. He observed classes from Reception to Year 11 in a variety of areas of the curriculum and taught year 6 and 7 classes and year 10 Australian History classes on Korean culture and society. We arranged for a formal welcome assembly and meetings with local education personnel including the Director of the Catholic Education Office, the Director of the Department of Education, Training and Employment. the Manager of School Education at Flinders University and the Access Asia Advisor in South Australia, The homestay also included joint programs with the other two South Australian participants and schools who were involved in the program. These included activities within each of the schools, a visit to a local kindergarten and local cultural and historical visits. Outcomes from the visit of Professor Jeon were numerous and rewarding. In addition to providing me with additional resources to support the development of a Middle School teaching unit on Korea, our school was able to establish firm links with middle school students from Chungbuk University High School. Students from both schools now correspond regularly via email and staff and students from St Mary's College have developed a close affinity with Korea and have acknowledged the exchange and resulting interaction as a positive and rewarding experience. My vision is to continue the links we have now made with Korea - to teach units of work on Korea within the SOSE curriculum and support other staff with incorporating Korean studies within other areas of the curriculum. This year, we will implement a student exchange between St Mary's College and Posco Dong Primary School Pohang and Chungbuk National University High School Cheongju, Up to twenty year 7 to 11 students will be participating in the program during September/October 1999. The TICFA program has contributed significant opportunities for my school community to gain a greater awareness of Korea and establish international links with students and teachers. However, personally, some of the most treasured memories of this program include watching Professor Jeon as he read the "Three Little Pigs" to my children with fabulous animation, enjoying his reaction to the Aussie taste treat of Vegemite at breakfast and introducing him to the delicacies of the Aussie barbeque. Not only has the program provided me with great experiences personally and professionally, but it has enabled me to meet special Korean friends with whom I share fond memories and an on going connection and vision. | More Teacher Stories | Go to the top of the page Contacts Further information on the TICFA program is available from: Ms Kristi Sheldon, Manager, In-Country Programs k.sheldon@asialink.unimelb.edu.au Mr Aaron O'Shannessy, Project Officer, In-County Programs a.oshannessy@asialink.unimelb.edu.au Asia Education Foundation Sidney Myer Asia Centre The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia Telephone: 03 8344 4800 Facsimile: 03 9347 1768