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Miriam ChoiModern Korea is still amazing to me. Korea's history was seemingly tragic, being very powerless and constantly haven been fought for by foreigners. I wonder if it wasn't for Korea's history, would Modern Korea still look the way it is in current times? Globalization is so huge, and is ongoing with all the pop culture, beauty, and food. I remember when people weren't as familiar as Korea, than Japan or China. I would often get mistaken as Japanese or Chinese and would feel ashamed that no one knew the country I originated from. Having the same thought, it now amazes me how so many people know about Korea. Some foreigners know even more. I had introduced kpop to my students this one time, and I was surprised to find that they had heard of kpop before and their siblings listened to kpop! I think they will love learning more about Korea's past, especially getting into the division between the south and the north.
Miriam ChoiThe first card's description reads "Do revolution and read Chairman Mao's works in whole life." There are three people holding a white book to their chest, looking very determined. One man is wearing a soldier's uniform (revolutionist), and the woman next to him is wearing a white cloth over head which seems like she works at a factory. The man standing next to her is wearing a white coat and looks like either a researcher or another factory worker. There is a big red sun behind them, and it looks like there's also a mountain, possibly a truck, and a city in the distance. They all seem to have a happy grin on their faces, and are all facing one direction looking at the same target.
Card #2: There are thousands of people in the background holding up little red books (Mao's read book). They all seem to be cheering and celebrating Chairman Mao. The people seem to have all different jobs, from labor workers to soldiers, however they are all seem overly happy. In the background, there is a big white building with red flags all around the edges of the roof perimeter.
Miriam ChoiThis lecture about Korea in the 19th century felt very personal to me. The only history lessons I ever received was by watching Korean dramas that go back to this time, having my mother sit next to me and explain all the drama happening among the yangban, aristocrats, and the royal family. After letting myself sink in, to the information that was presented, the part that never left me was the thought that Korea must've been so weak that it was basically being tossed around. The surrounding countries wanted control, fighting for Korea, and Japan eventually ruling over Korea. I always knew there was tension between Korea and Japan but it never felt real to me.
Currently, my class is learning about interactions between countries and I think that this could be something I introduce to them. We have been engaging in discussions about rules and responsibilities, and connecting them to laws and consequences. Eventually, I want my students to start linking ideas between laws/consequences with the interactions between countries. We might start a class discussion about the fairness of gaining control over others, and the cause and effects. Allowing my students to see mutiple perspectives, will enrich their learning about how some interactions may not always be for the good cause. Asian history was never a big part of social studies in the elementary level, so I think this could be a great opportunity to see the different interactions in history from different parts of the world.
Miriam ChoiAs I was reading through the articles Dr. Dube assigned to us, the one that caught my attention was the article about South Korea calling for more babies.
Even though I never grew up in Korea, I'm always being surrounded by Koreans and the Korean culture. I, too, have witnessed this shift in population every time I visit S. Korea. My mother tells me stories of her childhood and how she grew up in South Korea. She always referenced how there is a culture shift from her time, to now. A decrease in family size was one of the factors. My mother alone has 3 siblings, and my father alone has 4 siblings. I am an only child, and my mother tells me how she had plans of no more. Many of my friends are an only child, if not, have one sibling. When I engage in conversations with my friends, currently living in Korea, some don't even have plans of marriage or having children. I have always had questions on how and why this differs from other countries.
Many of my students come from very large families. Many of their parents are either my age, younger, or possibly a couple years older. My students, on average, have more than two siblings. It would be very interesting to apply this data in our classroom. Since I teach 2nd graders, it would be hard to teach the urgency of an aging population. However, when it comes to family, and comparing family sizes from different parts of the world, I think they will get hooked instantly. Family is everything in their culture and since our classroom's country of focus is South Korea, I think it pairs perfectly. I would like to have my students collect data by surveying other peers and teachers, and compile them to create graphs on their findings. I think it would be very interesting to see how it differs between different cultures/communities and also look into different factors that play in. I am very curious to hear the questions that pop up as we dive into this inquiry of family size.
Miriam ChoiHello everybody! My name is Miriam Choi and I'm a 2nd grade teacher at a charter school located southeast of LA.
I grew up in Oregon and attended the University of Oregon for both my undergrad and grad in education.
I moved to Korea for a year teaching English, then moved back to the states to start my career! This is only my third year teaching, so I'm still pretty new. I have a lot to learn and I'm really excited to be a part of this seminar.
