Something I like to do in my International classes is assign as homework for the first day an assignment where they write me letters about themselves and their goals for this class. I enjoyed reading the letters for the literature class I teach. I am just now getting to the world history class.
One of the letters was a student who was very thoughtful in his explanations. It made me smile as he told me about how he never studied but placed first in all his classes. He felt like this was deceitful so he decided to go to a better school and came here. He took his first test and assumed, like always, he would place first. Instead he placed 47th. Shocked beyond belief, he realized he would have to study hard. However here, all the students generally study hard. So he went to academy (extra tutoring school from late afternoon to 10 or 11pm) and studied hard there. This year, he finally was able to join the International Program and is excited to be here. I hope he likes our classes and does well.
Other letters told me things such as one girl's confidence that she can do anything because she has skills in studying. Then there is students who are separated from their families to be here. One girl's mother moved with her nearby so she could attend here, but her father works hard in another part of Korea so that she can afford this school. Another's family lives down in Busan, so she is forced to stay in the English dorm in order to attend. There are multiple reasons for being here, but mainly it is the school's reputation as a good school. The middle school programs here are definitely impressive. We hold high standards for our students. They know this and want to succeed.
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