Live Life! Love Life!

My story map of the fat and thin guy gift from Hangyul a fan I was told the story about the heroism of Kim Gu during the Japanese Occupation. The marriage keomungo and kayageum (a traditional Korean zither-like string instrument, 6 and 12 strings respectively)

New KONA Book Center Story Maps made by students Culture Talk by Brian Thomas on his Project 57 for Grenada. He is soliciting help to provide 57 computers for 57 public elementary schools in Grenada. A benevolent British company learned about his project so he will be receiving a thousand computer instead. the young audience were asked what they learned from the presentation so they made a recap and got a Canadian pin as a prize. Professor Kim teaching basic Korean Volunteer-trainer-student-teachers telling stories in Korean. Mercy receives her certificate for completion of her training. Brian receives his certificate of appreciation for his talk and some donation also from the center. and there was this sweet young girl who claims her parents are Nepali but she is Korean. The parents decided to bring back her back to her roots since she is beginning to forget to speak Nepali.

I have not posted this, it is almost a week old photos of my Korean class. The lesson, a nursery rhyme is about butterfly. My colleague teased me that she learned the song at age 4. I told here that is my level of Korean language skill. And added for an excuse that we are testing the story map pedagogy of Prof. Youngim Kim, of KONA, in my case learning Korean a reverse of the children learning English. It is fun learning with the family since everyone is learning in the process. If the children could not find the English words they ask their parents. The parents would then consult the dictionary if they don't have the the English words at their fingertips. I even got chocolate for valentine's gift from Hanul and ginseng slices (in packet) from the parents. My teachers - sangsengnim ( very patiently teaching me the pronunciation over and over again) That's my output - drawing and writing like a toddler !

I am almost two years here in Korea, 10 months the first time and this second time around I've been here for more than 10 months again, the sad thing is I could hardly speak the language. Well I can introduce myself and say hello and thank you. But of course lately I am starting to pick up some words, the familiar ones I am beginning to recognize them but when it is spoken fast everything becomes so foreign to me. (girls at orphanage learning the story with their story map) Last Saturday I went with my new found family friend to an orphanage where KONA (Korean Organization of Natural Approach) is doing volunteer work. There were 10 kids of various ages (8-12), 4 boys and 6 girls enrolled in an English Class. Their teacher, coach, mentor are kids like themselves who are learning the KONA Pedagogy which employs story map. (Hanul in the middle and blue shirt teaching other kids the story) I was amazed though when I found out that the story telling is by use of computer or stories onli...