Creating a climate of caring and concern in my classroom

(Image via https://portals.mum.edu/default.aspx?relid=607693)

(image via www.etsy.com)

My Background

Who am I? I am a "plain" Midwestern boy from Kansas. Yes, that's right, Kansas. Please no more Wizard of Oz or Dorothy jokes, I have heard every one. Every. Single. One.  I am the "black sheep" of my family. From the time I was little, I have always had the "itch" to travel or live someplace other than Kansas City.

I knew there was a bigger world out there and that I had to be a part of it. I always wanted to live in Asia; and here I am blogging to you from my apartment in Yeosu, South Korea. I grew up in middle class America. My family was working class and both my parents worked full time. I grew up in a mostly white (Caucasian) neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, however, I attended a very diverse school district. In my high school, I was actually the minority. The racial break down was 60% African American, and 40% white, I fall into the latter. I experienced diversity, in fact, to me, I'm quite used to it and think nothing of it. We celebrated black history month, Hispanic Heritage month, and used inclusive textbooks. In that aspect, I am fortunate as an educator to have been familiarized with many cultural perspectives from an early age.

(외국인=foreigner in Korean, image via www.koreanized.com)

However, my daily life here in Korea is quite different. I am reminded by looks and stares (and odd questions) that I am an outsider here and not Korean. From the bus ride to school or standing in line to buy coffee, my "foreign-ness" makes many Koreans nervous. I am an intermediate Korean speaker, and even when I go to a restaurant to order in Korean, I'm immediately hit with a brick wall as they usually reply to me in Korean. Sometimes, it makes me feel as if I don't belong here. I NEVER want my students to feel like the "outsider" in my classroom. I will always work hard to foster a sense of belonging for every student! They will never have to worry about whether or not they belong in my classroom. I know that sounds like "rainbows and butterflies," but, it is what I strive for. 

My School Background (Where I teach!)

I am a middle school ESL teacher at Jonggo Middle School in Yeosu, Jeollanamdo Province, South Korea. I teach grades 7,8, and 9 at an all boys private school.

(this fact sheet was completed by me for my TEACH-NOW persona project, March 2017)

Though I love my school and the students that I teach, diversity is lacking. In fact, there is no diversity. 100% of my students are Korean born and speak Korean, most have never traveled outside of Korea. I am the only non-Korean that many of my students encounter. My behavior can "make or break" their perception of a foreigner. I always strive to have positive interactions. Though I am human, there can be an occasional cultural misunderstanding. When those moments occur, I try to use them as "teaching moments" for my classroom. 

"Climate of Caring" Classroom

As an ESL Teacher, I have limited control in regards to the curriculum and rules that I am able to implement in the classroom. In South Korea, Native English Teachers (NETS) are considered assistant teachers. Every NET reports to an assigned co-teacher who is Korean.  In my school, I am quite lucky! I am considered a full member of the staff and am always made to feel welcome and included. My co-teacher, Mr. "P," allows me the freedom to lesson plan and create my own personal touches to the lesson as long as I follow the government mandated textbook. Mr. P trusts me and allows me to conduct classes on my own as the sole instructor! The following are things that I do to harmonize eastern culture and western culture in my classroom...





No "colonization." As an educator, I really dislike (okay, hate) when other NETS assign each student an English name. I think it's lazy and distasteful. If I were the student, I would think " if you can't even take the time to learn my name why should I work hard for you?" Last year I was a counselor at the Jeollanamdo Provincial English Language Camp at Mokpo Sehan University. It was the most rewarding experience of my teaching career so far. Seeing Korean and Japanese students working hard to speak English and communicate with each other was both touching and inspiring. However, the one thing that I am unable to forget is when one my 7th grade boys said to me "Mike Teacher, you are the first foreign teacher to actually learn and remember our names." I was dumbfounded! Most of work in large schools which makes it impossible to memorize every student's name. I told him "well, in my main school, I don't know everyone's name, but I would like to." He told me that I was the first teacher who took the time to read everyone's name in Korean. I never would have thought that a small gesture like that would have such an impact. That student schooled me that day. He showed me how important names are to students. 
In my classroom, I never assign English names unless a student tells me that they have an English name and they prefer to use it. Once they request it, I make a note in the class attendance book. In my opinion, if you teach ESL and you walk in and change every one's name on day one, it shows a real lack of cultural insensitivity. I think it sets a tone of superiority. Students should not have to think about changing their names to accommodate a teacher. It is true that I have a Korean name, myself. However, I chose that on my own accord without being made to feel "assimilated."  I will discuss this in my next bullet point. 

 My Introductory Class lesson sets the tone...

Race and ethnicity often play important roles on children’s identities, and contribute to their culture, their behavior, and their beliefs. When race and ethnicity are ignored, teachers miss opportunities to help students connect with what is being taught. Recognizing that a student’s race and ethnicity influences their learning allows teachers to be responsive to individual differences. In some cases, ignoring a student’s race and ethnicity may undermine a teacher’s ability to understand student behavior and student confidence in doing well in a school culture where expectations and communication are unfamiliar.                                                                                                                    (Teaching Tolerance, 2016)

As a teacher, from day one, I set the tone of inclusion, tolerance, diversity, and cultural exchange through my introductory class. As a NET, I have worked at over six schools in the Korean public school system. The introductory lesson at the beginning of the school year can "make or break" the caring and cultural inclusive atmosphere of the classroom. I use my introductory lesson as an opportunity to show my Korean ESL students that I am "immersed" in Korean culture. It shows them that I am respectful of their background and country.  The first fifteen minutes of my lesson is conducted completely in Korean. It may seem counterproductive in an ESL classroom; but I have come to realize that it creates an "we're all in this together" understanding. I greet my students in Korean and I have a written introduction of about six sentences in Hangul (Korean alphabet).  The reactions from the students are usually that of shock and I can see their jaws "drop to the floor." Sometimes they clap for me. Which I admit, makes me embarrassed, because I don't think I am that good of a Korean speaker. 
 
The above are my Intro slides where I use local images of me in Korea, doing and enjoying things that they do themselves.  I usually include images of my co-teacher (as you see above) to show the students that their Korean English teacher and I are a cohesive team and work together for their benefit. Most of my students love soccer, I usually always include photos of me and students playing soccer together.  I try to show them that I am a real person, just like them. Too many times, students, (myself included) tend to think of their teach as an authority figure who never leaves the school walls. I try to "humanize" myself, to show students I am just like them and I am approachable. 

By showing my students that I took the time to learn to read and write Hangul bridges understanding between us. It is difficult to learn a new language; especially when Korean and English are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. This shows the students I know the effort (and frustration) involved in learning another language. It shows that I understand them and I can relate to them. In my intro PowerPoint, I show a slide of me as a student at the Kansas City Korean Language Academy. I use this as a time to joke and break the ice with them. I let them know that I am a student just like them. I am still continuing to learn Korean and they can be my teachers (outside of the classroom) as well. I let them know that I have made many mistakes and that is normal to make mistakes. Mistakes are how we learn and grow. Many of my Korean students are a "wiz" when it comes to grammar but lack the confidence to speak. I break down this wall by telling them that I do NOT care if they make a mistake, EVER. I tell the students that I will never laugh at them or make them feel bad. I only want them to try speaking. Usually I relay a personal story of times that I have spoken Korean incorrectly. By showing my students how receptive I am of learning (and living) Korean culture, I hope to start building their trust immediately!

(Image via https://portals.mum.edu/default.aspx?relid=607693)

A classroom of acceptance, respect, and safety (no bullying).
When students walks in the door, they will immediately notice the layout of my room is different from the usual class style that they are used to. All of the desks will be pushed to the center of the room. The students will have confused looks on their faces! That is the response that I'm looking for. The students will choose the layout of the room, they will create the environment most comfortable for them. Students will decide how they like the setup and what works best for them. I think as teachers, we should trust students to make the best decisions for themselves (within reason). Think about it, when we were in university and had reports or projects, we didn't just sit at a desk. We went to coffee shops, or met restaurants, or "sprawled" out on the floor at a friend's place. These comfortable environments fostered creativity. Shouldn't my classroom be the same?

Not my classroom! (Image via www.clipartfest.com)

Allowing their input for classroom design also shows them how much I value their opinions and how much I want our class to work as a team. "In your quest to foster safe learning environments, your biggest ally along the way will be your students themselves." (Crockett, 2016). I think many times teachers feel that they should have all the answers. Teachers make mistakes and contrary to popular belief, they don't know everything! (Insert laugh here! haha). I think some teachers are afraid to solicit feedback from their students or ask students probing questions as to whether or not their teaching style works for them. In my ESL classes, I constantly ask my students if they would like me to repeat an audio exercise of if they would like me to slow down. Some of my classes are multi-level classes, to avoid embarassment on the part of my slower students, I don't ask if they would like me to repeat. I just do it. Some of my students are self-conscious and are too hard on themselves, they worry about looking bad in front of their peers. This small gesture that I do, hopefully, eliminates that. I never want my students to feel bad or self-conscious. 



LGBT Students
In Korea, any discussion in regards to LGBT (gay and lesbian students) rights is simply not discussed and ignored. LGBT people living in Korea are usually closeted and hide their sexuality from family and peers. Many people live "double lives" and "remove their wedding rings" on weekends to live their lives freely (without the knowledge of their families). Korean society adheres to a strict Confucian hierarchy where those who "stray from the norm" are ostracized or viewed as being different. Sadly, many gay students commit suicide because they live in fear of bringing "shame" to their families. In a Confucian culture that values filial piety, parents exercise stronger authority over their children's lives. Many LGBT children live in fear of "disappointing" their parents.  There simply isn't a support system for gay and lesbian students. Although, everyone knows that it exists, nobody talks about it. Though sometimes my students tease each other or will say to me "Mike Teacher, those 2 students are gay, they are boyfriends." I know they do it for shock value to elicit a response. My way of dealing with it is being indifferent and showing them that a person's sexuality is "no big deal." Often times when they say that to me, I say "so what?" or "who cares?" or "does that make them a bad person?" Sometimes the students don't expect me to say that and it catches them off guard. I can see them pause and ponder what I just said. I had one instance last semester where a student was being mean spirited and said "teacher, don't listen to him, he's gay." I have to be mindful what I say. I said to him "does it matter if he is? Does that affect you? If he is a kind person, you should let him live his life." His response was "you have an open mind, this is Korea, we don't." I told him, that's not true at all, I told him he can chose to have an open or close mind. I hope interactions like that give students who really are closeted and scared a chance to see that my classroom is a safe place and homophobia or mean spirited comments are not allowed. Of course, when I become a licensed teacher and have more control over curriculum and rules, I will be able to facilitate more inclusive dialogue and discussions.

(image via https://globaldigitalcitizen.org)

Conclusion
According to Digital Global Citizen "Safe learning environments translate into comfortable learning environments. They are places where students feel at home."

This image says it all..."build a classroom your students can call home. Where are we most comfortable?  Usually, we are most "comfortable" in our homes. Students spend as much time inside the classroom as they do their home sometimes. Why shouldn't students consider the classroom their second home?  In conclusion, here is a list of guidelines from Global Digital Citizen that I will strive to teach by:

• Keep a clean and orderly classroom
• Allow students to be openly expressive and encouraging to others
• Celebrate student work in different ways
• Create a list of guidelines that are “law” (ex: no name-calling, bullying, etc.)
• Stay calm and in control always
• Practice useful failure and turn mistakes into learning opportunities
• Model kindness every chance you get
• Move around and interact with students, and create connection
• Be patient and smile
• Feel free to laugh with your students and be vulnerable
• Give kids choices on how they can do assignment

I think this is a pretty solid list to follow, a sort of "checks and balances," if you will. Creating a safe, caring, and welcoming environment is a continuous process. With time, it will get better and better! 

References

Crockett, L (2016, July 12). How to Build Safe Learning Environments for Students. Retrieved May 3, 2017 from: 
https://globaldigitalcitizen.org/create-safe-learning-environments

Teaching Tolerance (2016). Critical Practices for Anti-Bias Education. Retrieved May 3, 2017 from: http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/common_beliefs_descriptions.pdf