During my first year in the teaching field, as I learned a new culture and language and took in new surroundings, I also learned and grew a lot as a teacher. This week I will be sharing some of these lessons learned while teaching ESL in South Korea.
Working as a team is very important. I think the first “teammates” with whom we learn to “play nicely” are our siblings. My experience in Korea was something like that familial relationship. Not because I knew anyone before I arrived, but because our institute provided housing for foreign teachers, so my coworkers were often roommates. If you didn’t play well at school, things could get messy at home. That meant that clear, open, and honest communication need to be had and maintained. Respect and professionalism were essential. In the same vein, we were mostly young professionals and recent grads with a sense of adventure which encouraged some great friendships that I still enjoy. Working with others from different backgrounds teaches you to find what you have in common and learn from the things you don’t.
Amanda M. Orozco 