Jeonju Orientation Sets New EPIK Teachers on Path to Success
By Wendy Couch


The EPIK team welcomed over 700 new EPIK teachers to Korea this past February at two separate Orientations at Eulji University in Seongnam city and at Jeonju University in Jeonju city. The EPIK Training and Support Team split the incoming group of teachers into two groups, and a total of 350 teachers journeyed from Incheon International Airport to Jeonju University on February 17th for a 10-day Orientation. At the Jeonju Orientation, teachers represented 7 different countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. Participating teachers were separated according to their provincial placements, and teachers headed for Busan, Gwangju, Ulsan, Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam and the National Schools were in attendance at Jeonju. The EPIK staff worked tirelessly for months to create an Orientation course that would effectively prepare all new Guest English Teachers (GETs) for the challenges of living and teaching in Korea. Through lectures, cultural performances, field trips, movie nights and even a talent show, new GETs spent their time learning about Korea, pedagogy, and Korean culture while preparing for their new lives as public school teachers. Although the Orientation was only 10 days, teachers spent most of their time together and many were able to develop meaningful and sincere relationships with their peers and with the EPIK staff.

During the Orientation, GETs had the opportunity to experience Korean culture, past and present, on a personal basis. During the Opening Ceremony, teachers experienced an ohgomoo, or five drums dance, concert as well as a short Fan Dance, a traditional Korean dance, recital. For many teachers, these performances represented their first introduction to traditional Korean culture, and throughout the Orientation, GETs learned more about the cultural legacies and modern realities of life in Korea. Special lectures on Korean culture and culture shock gave teachers a finer understanding of the cultural nuances, and many teachers noted that they felt more comfortable integrating into their new lives. One GET noted, "I really enjoyed meeting people from around the world. The lecture on cultural differences along with the documentaries gave me a greater understanding of Korean culture, historically and in modern times."

Many new teachers also cited the lectures as a highlight of the Orientation. The EPIK team invited top notch teachers from around the country to speak about their experiences as a teacher in Korea, and lectures topics included such as Ways to an Effective Co-Teaching in the Classroom, Wonders of Korea and even Making Your English More Comprehensible. Several lecturers received outstanding feedback and review on their presentations, and many teachers mentioned that the presentations gave them the confidence to know that they could be successful and sincere English teachers from day 1. Additionally, all teachers presented a mock lesson during a shortened lesson planning practicum. In groups of three, the teachers prepared, presented and received feedback on content based lesson plans. After many hours of classroom instructions, most teachers said that they were excited to enter their classrooms and to try out all of the new teaching methods and strategies they learned.

The field trip to Jeonju's Han-ok village and cultural center also was a big success. Accompanied by warmer weather, GETs enjoyed a day outside of the lecture hall by learning more about traditional Korean culture. During the morning, teachers wandered through Jeonju's Han-ok village, which remains of the most famous examples of traditional Korean architecture today. They also visited a traditional market, and participated in a sweet potato event. During the afternoon, the teachers visited the Jeonju cultural center where they learned more about traditional Korean dancing, drumming, knitting and of course, weddings. After a long day, the teachers returned to the university to rest before completing the rest of the Orientation.
The Orientation concluded on February 26th with the Closing Ceremony and a few final goodbyes. While a 10-day Orientation may seem long, most GETs were surprised how quickly the days passed, and although they looked forward to meeting their new co-teachers, schools and students, they also stated that they would happily keep their new friends and memories close throughout their experiences in Korea. While they came from seven different countries and brought with them thousands of expectations and experiences, the participants left looking forward to their new careers and lives as Guest English Teachers in Korea's public schools.