"Thank you for this wonderful atmosphere to learn about Korean history and culture. It was such a pleasure to walk into the room filled with lovely posters and decorations. The gift bag and many handouts/information packets were generous and thoughtful. The presenters were very articulate and informative. I learned so much and truly enjoyed myself throughout the day."
(Margo Wixsom, teacher at Palo Alto High School)

''Thanks to you and all of your colleagues for putting together such an outstanding selection of presentations! The books, maps, and other goodies in the tote bag are great, and I plan to read them carefully. Please keep me on your email list for future events. "
(Lynn Loar, teacher at Winter Lodge School)

"I was most interested to learn about the origination of the Korean alphabet and the differences between Buddhism and Confucianism. It made me really want to visit Korea!"
(Amanda Jenkyn, teacher at Bullis Charter School)

American Educators Learn about Korea

On November 3, a serious-minded atmosphere filled a seminar room of the Fremont Unified School District, in California. There, American educators were diligently entering notes onto their notebook computers or distributed materials without making even the slightest sound, while a lecturer explained in detail about Korean history and methods to improve its instruction in U.S. classrooms. This is the fourth year that I have felt, with great pride, this kind of ardent enthusiasm for learning about Korea among U.S. educators.
Inaugurated in 2009, the seminar's fifth session this year provided American educators at primary and secondary schools with detailed information about Korean history, through lectures and related activities for helping Korean students and their families to learn about and experience Korean culture, all for free of charge.
The ''Korean History and Culture Education Seminar" was launched in response to a perception that Korean students growing up in America knew little about Korean history. The initial focus was to have the history of Korea properly understood by the American educational community, at a time when textbooks that served to distort students' understanding of Korean history, such as "So Far from the Bamboo Grove," were used in U.S. schools. If American teachers learned more about Korean history and culture, they could then pass on more accurate information to their students, including from foreign countries like Korea, who were actively developing their own outlook on the world through a process of accumulating knowledge, and it would also help children of Korean descent to take pride in their cultural identity.

Pride in Korean Culture

The Social Studies Framework bill, which was passed by the California legislature this autumn, includes an increased amount of Korea-related content, but as a practical matter it is still not easy to teach about Korea due to a shortage of relevant materials. Under these circumstances, above all else there is an urgent need to provide American educators with educational information and materials about Korea for use in their classroom instruction.
Thus far, more than 100 American educators have participated in this seminar program. What everyone praised, after attending the seminar, was the usefulness of educational materials distributed to participants. From advance publicity to management of the actual event, all matters were carried out by some 800 Korean School students and their parents.
At every corner of the venue, you could see parents dressed in hanbok (traditional Korean costume) offering assistance, and high school and college students providing volunteer services, in an impressive display of collective dedication. Students, teachers, and parents contributed to prepare video clips to promote the seminar, decorate the venue, and even perform traditional Korean dance. Thanks to these efforts, the seminar also served as an opportunity to demonstrate Koreans' enthusiasm for education and community-mindedness.
In addition to providing U.S. educators with comprehensive information about Korea's history and culture, we could also take greater pride in our own Korean history and culture. Indeed, we were most pleased with the fact that we had so many wonderful things to introduce to America's teachers and students.
In particular, from 2011, this program began to gain added momentum thanks to support from the Korea Foundation. Through this seminar, which is organized with the help and support of such many people, I hope that more students at American schools will be able to learn about Korea's real history and culture. In addition, I can imagine a scene in which those, who have just started learning the Korean alphabet at Korean School, will be preparing for another program seminar in 10 to 20 years from now.

Kim Hyun-ju
Teacher, Silicon Vallery Korean School
Former President, History and Culture Education Committee