Korea ppt-understanding korean students and families-jh kim

1. Understanding Korean American
Students and Their Families
(Permission granted to Mary Connor to copy and burn
this Power Point lecture)
(Presented
By Jung Hae Kim
Principal, Wilton Place School
Los Angeles Unified School District
jkim01@lausd.net

2. What Do You Already Know About Korean American Students?
Korean
American
Students

3. What Challenges Do You Face?
With Students…
 Parents absent; working long hours, spousal abuse,
 Communication barrier
 Intense pressure from fathers to succeed…
 Receive all A’s, go to Harvard, Yale etc…yet are not able to achieve
With Parents…
 Difficult to get involved in child’s school
 Concerned with economic security and
prosperity
 Complexities of living in multicultural,
multiethnic society

4. Similarities and Differences
Korean Immigrant StudentsKorean American Students
English Speaking Non or Limited English
Speaking

5. What Are the Needs of Korean Immigrant and
Korean American Students ?
Students’
Needs
Language
Barriers
Cultural
Understanding
Values
Traditions
Education
Academic
Success
Diversity of
Koreans
Generation
Gaps
Fluency
in both
English
and Korean
Social
Emotional
Psychological
Family
Expectations
Peer
Pressure

6. Concerns and
Sources of Conflict
Identified by Parents
Education and
career goals
Motivating teen
more
effectively
Choices of dating
and
Marriage partners
Better communication Cultural values
Generational value
differences

7. Concerns and
Sources of Conflict
Identified by Teens
Doing well in school,
Getting Into a good
college/university
Choosing a career
Parental pressure
to succeed
Desire for freedom,
Independence
and respect
Lack of two-way
communication
with parents
Generational
value differences

8. Sources of Intergenerational Conflict
•Gender-based expectations
•Importance of academic success
•Comparisons with others
•Amount of time to spend on studying
•Amount of time to spend with family
•Choice of dating partner
•Choice of marriage partner

9. “You can’t help a student you do not know”
Identify students who are not
meeting expectations and
know who these students are.
Accept students and find
value in them for who and
what they are
Be culturally sensitive to the
life experiences of students.
Work with parents/family
developing assets in student.

10. Identify Students and Build Relationships
Understandings
Learning is a product
of the relationship
between a student
and teacher.
The quality of a
relationship is built on
one’s knowledge of
the student.
There has to be a
willingness to know
our students – Put a
face to the name.

11. Typical Classroom Behaviors
Korean Values
Typical Classroom Behaviors
American Values
Korean Youths…
Show respect by avoiding eye contact,
bowing and not initiating conversation
with an elder.
Will never use the name of an adult
when speaking face to face. Will call
the instructor (seon-saeng-nim)
”teacher”) rather than the name.
Avoid insulting the teacher’s efforts by
saying, “I don’t understand.” Will nod
politely even while not understanding
and attribute the difficulty to their own
lack of diligence.
American youths…
Show proper behavior by maintaining
eye contact, smiling and making
friendly conversation with an elder.
Politely calls adults by name; for
example, “Mr. Jones” or “Mrs. Smith.”
It is rude to address an instructor
merely as “teacher.”
Should speak up whenever they do not
understand. Asking questions
demonstrate one’s intelligence.
Perceive their own learning to depend
on good or bad teaching.

12. Typical Classroom Behaviors
Korean Values
Typical Classroom Behaviors
American Values
Korean Youths…
Will remain silent rather than show
faulty understanding or command of a
skill. To put forth a mistaken answer or
an unperfected skill is a personal
embarrassment and an insult to the
teacher and the discipline.
Will hesitate to express a personal
opinion for fear that it may sound
presumptuous or run contrary to the
feelings of the teacher.
Must Choose a differentiated
vocabulary and verb forms in order to
speak politely to a “superior.”
American youths…
Will give their best efforts to answer a
question or do a particular task,
because trying Is more important than
being absolutely correct. Although just
beginners, these students will or
hesitate to demonstrate a skill or speak
about a particular subject.
Should be able to give their own views
on a topic when called on by the
teacher and to defend their statements
with reasonable arguments.
Do not differentiate their word choices
when speaking to a teacher or a
parent’s friend. Do not even perceive
these adults to be “superior.”

13. Bullying In Korea:
Part of the School Culture
Bullying is ingrained in school and the military
culture in Korea.
A younger student can be at the mercy of the
older Korean students.
In the past it was more playful; now it can be
much more harsh.
Korea has a culture that is based on respect for
those that are older which will include
classmates as well as teachers and all adults.

14. What Can and Should Schools Do?
Discipline those that are involved in bullying. Don’t push
the problem under the rug.
Rules/guidelines about bullying should be part of the
orientation process for students and their parents.
Rules/expectations should be in English and Korean
There should be consistent enforcement of these rules.
An experienced counselor could work with students
through role playing and counseling individual students
who are causing problems in the life of the school.
Make it very clear to all students that bullying is not part
of the American culture.
Explore ways for the bully to share with students positive
elements of the Korean culture (ie. Taekwondo)

15. Parent Involvement-Engage Parents
 Make the school relevant to our parents.
 Most Frequently Asked Questions &
Answers-Flyer, School Web-site...
 Coffee with the principal.
 An evening with the principal/Teacher.
 Grade level meetings/events with teachers
and parents.
 School/Monthly calendar of events, awards
and celebrations
 Communicate regularly with parents
about instructional goals and student
progress.
 Learning at Home-Provide parents with
the tools to be partners in their child’s
education.
 Include parents in various activities
(Korean holidays: Chusok, Hangul Day)

16. Five Critical Needs
of Parents:
1. Need to Feel
Accepted
2. Need to Feel
Included
3. Need to Feel
Respected
4. Need to Feel Secure
5. Need to Feel
Important
Some Popular Topics
for Parent Education:
College Awareness
Gifted Program-Testing
Differentiated Instruction
for the Gifted
Successful Parent
Conferences
State Testing Preparation
Reading Comprehension
Writing

17. How to Involve Parents in Your School?
I. Communication
 Building Credibility
 Positive Communication-An Ounce of Prevention
 Newsletter
 Provide Translation
 Bilingual Educational Terms
II. School Events/Communities
 Parent Meetings, Council/Advisory Meetings, PTA
 Back-to-School Night, Open House, Parent Conferences
 Awards Events/Ceremonies/Korean holidays
 Parent Workshops/Training
 Sports Events/Concerts
 Community Business, agencies, organizations

18. How to Involve Parents in Your School? (Continue)
III. Volunteers
 Chaperones-Field Trips, Dances, Parties, special events
 School Committees
 Make Phone Calls to Parents
 Translate for Students/Other Adults
 Classrooms
 Room Parent Representative
 Cafeteria
 Library
 After School Enrichment Classes Assistant
 Supervise-Traffic and Lunch/Playground
 Web-site Master
 Reading Buddy (English/Korean)