New Teachers Put Best Foot Forward At August 2010 EPIK Orientation


By David Pennell

After months of preparation, last month nearly 476 teachers from 7 different countries convened at Jeonju University, Jeonju city for the August 2010 EPIK Orientation. Jeonju University has become the perennial home for the EPIK orientation, and has consistently provided a warm and inviting atmosphere for welcoming a new crop of EPIK teachers for the February and August intakes. Last month was no exception. Even the often intense summer heat could not dampen the pervading sense of enthusiasm and excitement as teachers prepared for their new lives in Korea. Throughout the rigorous schedule of lectures, field trips and Korean classes, new EPIK teachers remained positive and optimistic about the year ahead.
As the orientation staff prepared in Jeonju, everything began at Incheon International Airport on the morning of August 18th. Here, the EPIK staff greeted new arrivals from all over the world: America, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Throughout the day, shuttles departing for Jeonju transported new teachers to the orientation site for registration and some much needed rest. For many, it was their first time arriving in Korea.

Developed over the past several months by the EPIK Training and Support Team, the 9-day orientation course is designed to prepare participants for their new roles as public school teachers and for their lives in Korea. Orientation participants attended lectures on everything from Korean culture, history and language, to English teaching pedagogy, classroom management strategies and co-teaching. New teachers even got first-hand experience with traditional and modern Korean culture through traditional performances and field trips to historical and cultural sites around Jeonju. The orientation is also an opportunity for teachers to socialize and get to know their fellow teachers. The Jeonju orientation was attended by teachers assigned to Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan, Jeonbuk, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam provinces. So, in between lectures and other orientation events, there was ample time for forming relationships with teachers going to one's own province or other areas throughout Korea.

However, the new school semester begins only a few days after the completion of the orientation, so the main focus of the orientation is on equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills to overcome the challenges they will face in the classroom. Lecturers from all over Korea, most of whom have been teaching in Korea's public school system for the better part of the last decade, are invited to provide the highest quality instruction and practical advice to new recruits. Lecture topics included, among other things, the Korean English curriculum, effective lesson planning, task-based and project-based learning, and co-teaching. This year, as in years past, many participants felt that the lectures were one of the highlights of Orientation. The lectures culminated in mock lesson presentations, prepared by groups of three teachers over 2 days, delivered to their fellow teachers and EPIK lecturers. Many reported that this practical experience, and the feedback they received from their peers and lecturers, resulted in increased confidence and lessened their worries about teaching for the first time. Several also expressed an eagerness to apply the concepts and methods they learned to their classes.

In addition to lectures, the orientation is comprised of many cultural performances and experiences intended to introduce new arrivals to aspects of Korean culture and to help them understand and adjust to their new surroundings. This year's events started with several excellent performances during the opening ceremony including Ogo-Mu, or five drum dance, a Fan Dance performance, and an exhibition by the Jeonju University Taekwando team. Equally enjoyable was the field trip on August 22nd. Teachers were shuttled to sites around Jeonju, such as the Jeonju Hanok Village, a collection of traditional Korean homes built in the 1920s and 30s during the period of Japanese occupation. Teachers marveled at the remarkable display of traditional Korean architecture, and also visited the Gyeonggi Shrine, originally built in A.D. 1410, and the Jeondog Cathedral, where many of the early Catholic missionaries to visit Korea were martyred. Then, they got to experience Hanji, or traditional Korean paper, traditional wine and craftworks, and even got to sample Jeonju's most famous dish, "bibimbap". Coupled with lectures on Korean culture, overcoming culture shock, and Korean language lessons, these events gave teachers an appreciation of Korean life in order to ease their transition.
After 9 days, teachers were understandably tired, but ready to begin their journeys. After a short closing ceremony, buses were loaded and everyone headed to their new homes in their respective provinces. All in all, the success of the orientation was due in part to the tireless efforts of the EPIK team, and of course, the enthusiastic participation of the EPIK teachers. As they headed off to begin teaching, they took with them good memories, new friendships, and anticipation for the year ahead.