Attendee Evaluation

EVALUATION FORM

National Korean Studies Seminar

June 22 – June 26 2015

 

The following information is essential for all of the participants: Take lecture notes on a separate sheet of paper. Please keep up with your evaluations throughout the week. Evaluate each speaker and component of the program. Your responses will be collected Friday afternoon. If you wish to make additional anonymous comments independent of this questionnaire, please do so. Please hand in your responses to me on Friday in order to check off your name.  If you need more space at any point on the questionnaire, please write on an additional piece of paper. Your evaluation will be very helpful in order to thank our sponsors and speakers and improve our programs. Your responses can be brief, but specific. If you apply to LAUSD 1 salary point, you HAVE TO write your name on the right top of the evaluation form.  Five-day attendance and evaluation submission are the requirement of LAUSD salary point.  We cannot process your salary point without your evaluation.

 

Monday, June 22^nd

1. Do you think Mary Connor’s lecture, What Americans Need to Know about Korea lecture, will provide a foundation for deepening your knowledge of Korean history and culture? Respond briefly.

• Mary Conner’s lecture was both informative and inspirational. She provided a great introduction to the seminar. Her deep interest and respect for Korean people and culture was powerfully communicated.
• Mary Conner has done an excellent job in covering the major pinpoints of Korea’s history and culture. I really liked the fact that she took her time to compare not only North and South Korea, but with California as well.
• Mary’s lecture was great in providing strong foundation for deepening my knowledge of Korean history and culture. I knew Korea had a majority of Buddhists in the country, but it was surprising to hear that Korea has one of the largest economies and exportations in the world.
• Her lecture helped is to understand the relationship between the US and Korea much more in details.
• The presentation answered many questions that I’ve had about Korean culture and history. I can absolutely use this information as a foundation of its history in my classroom.

 

2. Evaluate the morning session (Early Korean History and Culture) with Professor Jennifer Jung Kim. Several sentences or more will be sufficient. What was particularly interesting? If you have recommendations for the future, please indicate.  

• It was so interesting learning about King Sejong. What an amazing leader! I was particularly interested in the fact that Korea was part of the Silk Road since they have found remnants in the Middle East of Korean items.
• Professor Kim’s lecture was very easy to understand and to follow along, especially with the pictures and thorough explanations. I am very grateful for her lecture as I learned a lot about Early Korean history. I also loved the way she constantly made connections on how we can take back what we learned to our classroom.
• Her powerpoint presentation with visuals and pictures really assisted well with the lecture. I loved hearing and learning about the Three Kingdoms period.
• I was particularly interested in the changing class structure of Korean society, the role of slavery, and the changing states of women. Professor Kim was extremely adept at synthesizing so much history down with relevant historical comparisons to help situate what was happening in Korea within a larger regional context.

 

3. Evaluate the next session (Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Korean History) with Mary Connor, Advisor of National Korean Studies. Several sentences or more will be sufficient. Comment on one or two of the following questions or statements: What was particularly interesting? If you teach history-social science, do you see possibilities from the California History-Social Framework that you might use in your classroom? If you have recommendations for the future, please indicate. 

• I was most struck by the Japanese occupation of Korea. I know virtually nothing about this incredibly impactful period in Korean History. I was particularly moved to learn about the “cultural genocide” that the Japanese attempted to impose on the Koreans.
• Mary brought up the importance of documents when teaching history. I don’t teach history but I agree that students should and can learn to analyze them so as to get comfortable with the language of the material. Mary also mentions the heroic 16 year old and also what happened with the 1919 Declaration of Independence and how many died during the time. I can see Dokdo Island is something to be aware of in the news which could create problems with Japan again.
• One recommendation is to have participants take a more active role to engage by giving opportunity for participants to read DBQ documents or plan a lesson around this or model a DBQ lesson for participants to experience it as a student or analyze how this is aligned with the common core.
• I really liked the way that Mary began this lecture with the overview of the social studies Framework for every grade level. This was extremely helpful because not only did we get to see the new changed in the draft but also a sample of literature to go along with the standards. As our district just implemented the CSS this past year, I am constantly researching for core ways to integrate contents together as a cross-curricular lesson. For my grade level (1st), the “Korean Cinderella” would be a perfect way to integrate social studies and language arts. Thank You!
• I lied how the History-Social science standards were listed on the handout. As a Kinder teacher, it was great in seeing it visually. Also, it listed ideas and links for teachers to use and incorporate with our lessons. I am definitely going to utilize these standards and resources in my history/social science teaching. As a Kinder teacher in a Korean Dual Immersion program, this will be an excellent tool to support ideas of good citizenship and introducing stories, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes using Korean folktales that reveal Confucian value.

 

4. Evaluate the quality of the food at lunchtime. Do you have suggestions? Was this the first time you have eaten Korean food?

• I appreciate the explanation of the various components of lunch. It was very helpful. I had not eaten Korean food before.
• Thank you for providing us with such high quality food!
• It would be great if each different type of food can be explained in the beginning. The food was excellent. It would be great if classical music can be played in the background while we are eating, so it’s not too quiet.
• No, it wasn’t the 1st time. However, the difference of this meal was that we got to taste a little bit of everything. I also enjoyed the fact that an explanation of the food was part of it.

 

5. Evaluate Dong Suk Kim’s lecture and performance with traditional Korean instruments. If you have Korean students we are hoping that you will find a way to introduce Korean music to your school.

• I would love to have him as a special guest at my school to introduce Korean instruments and singing.
• His lecture of court music vs folk music vs Western music was interesting. I was also surprised to hear how North Korean folk music has changed words.
• It was very interesting to learn the difference of the American way of singing versus the Korean way, and I learned that it’s because of the accents in each language.
• He explained very well historical aspects of the instrument as well as how the arts are regarded now and on the past.
• Dong Suk is very talented and he shared a lot of information about the instruments and musical patterns. He discussed the difference between Chinese, Japanese, North, and South Korean styles.
• Prof Dong Suk gave us a clear interpretation on how Korean language and music work hand on hand.

 

6. Evaluate Won Il Kim and Sue Hee Ko’s Pansori Performance and “Arirang” lecture and performance with traditional Korean instruments. If you have Korean students, we are hoping that you will find a way to introduce “Arirang” to your school.

• The costumes were very bright and elaborate. I would also like to incorporate these into dramatic performances of Korean folk tales. To further add to the ambiance, I can have the students make their own Korean drums with craft materials provided in the videos and guides. I would also like to incorporate the lesson on Pansori in my musical theatre unit to demonstrate emotion in singing.
• It would have been a lot better of we had a translated material in English on a handout.
• I really enjoyed his pansori performances! I noticed that it was also like story-telling and this is something that I can try in my classroom to integrate music and language arts. It’s also very fascinating how emotions can be delivered through Pansori.
• The instruments were an excellent asset to the performance! “Arirang” is one of the songs we teach our kinder students at our school for their Children’s Day performance in our Korean Dual Immersion Program.
• Storytelling through song is a wonderful bridge, I love to make these connections for students. A short video leading students through call and response style singing would make this usable in a classroom.

 

7. Comment on your experience playing the Changgo and/or Barrel drum.

• Powerful, powerful, powerful! The instruments were visually striking and a great pleasure to play. A truly amazing and enlightening experience.
• This activity was physically demanding and I found myself to messing up the beats often.
• It was really fascinating but difficult. I wished we had little more time to practice. There was not enough time to catch up with the lecture.
• I loved it and thought it was something I could do with my students a lot.
• I truly enjoyed playing the drum! As we teachers know, hands-on learning is the best wat to learn.

 

8. Evaluate your experience on the tour of the Korean Cultural Center’s museum. Was there anything in particular of interest to you? Many students in the LA area participate in tours of the Korean Cultural Center’s museum and the Korea Center. The Korean Cultural Center will pay for the bus for L.A. students. Do you have any comments in order that I might write a specific thank you to the people at the Center? There are usually free buses to the Korean Cultural Center for field trips. The phone number of KCC is (323) 936-7141. Contact Rick Phillips.

• Although brief, Rick Phillip’s tour of the Korean Cultural Center’s museum was very informative.
• The demonstration of combining consonants and vowels to form Korean sounds/words was very interesting. I’d love to arrange a field trip to Korean cultural center Museum for my class for the upcoming school years,
• Phillips explained the periods and showed photos, timelines and artifacts. Very enjoyable. I would have liked some free exploration time in the museum, and time on the art floor exhibit.
• I look forward to taking a new group of students to learn about Hangul and explore the lifestyle and culture represented on the center’s museum.
• The tour of the KCC museum was good but too short of time to see and study information. Need more time.

 

9. On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how would you rate today’s learning experience?

• Almost every participant wrote 10.

 

10. What will you particularly remember about today and/or what was helpful personally and/or professionally? Are there lessons or Power Points you might use that relate to today’s schedule? If so, please indicate.

•  Overall lectures on Korean history helped me better understand Korea and as a result I am able to distinguish Korea from those neighboring countries like Japan and China. If there’s any power points introducing Korean Cultural Center, I’d like to share that with my school administrators and PTA Board members.
•  Today I came to the realization that at almost 50 years old, I was terribly uninformed about the Korean Peninsula and the wonderfully interesting and multi-dimensional people who inhabit it. I would like my Kindergartens to learn about Korean folktales.
•  I will always remember the drums lesson and the information from the lectures. I teach 7th grade history and I could use parts of the information. Definitely, I could use the powerpoint lectures and books in High school someday soon.
•  Specifically, I was interested in the historical narratives “When My Name was Keoko” and “Lost Names.” As a drama instructor and former English teacher, I believe narratives and dramatic interpretations of those narratives is an extremely effectively and meaningful form of making history visceral and relevant for students.
•  For my grade level, I’m interested in the stories of Korea such as the Pansori, the story of Hanbul and Nobu, Korean Cinderella, and the drumming. The customs of Korea such as bowing and using two hands are things that my students should understand. Also the story of Yu Kwanson who fought for independence.

Tuesday, June 23^rd

1. If you wish to respond to the brief talk of the Consul General, please do. Your comments will be helpful in writing a thank you note of appreciation to him.

•  Consul General’s talk was insightful and inspiring. I agree that cultural diversity is what makes America so wonderful and unique. I enjoy learning about other cultures, which is why I am taking this course. I want to share what I learned with my students so that they too can learn about this culture.
•  It was very encouraging as an educator to hear the positive impact of education in Korea.
• Thank you for taking your time to give us a wonderful introduction to today’s seminar. I especially loved the way you said, “the world is changed by people, and people are changed by education.” I will mention this quote to my students.
•  Korean Consulate General, Hyun-myung Kim’s words of encouragement was aspiring, motivating, and powerful.
• Absolutely wonderful! Thank you for the many quotes that are life-changing. This presentation was inspiring and believe I will always look back at the notes he gave me today.

 

2. What seems to be the most important to remember from Gi-Wook Shin’s lecture? Evaluate.

•  Korea has a long history of conflict and the division of Korea is going to be difficult to solve.
• The history of the animosity between Korea and Japan because it still has such a powerful impact even today.
•  Unification may be possible, but it is not easy to achieve. The conservative Koreans have the opinion that Korea is supported by American military and the progressive Korean wants to unite the two Koreans.
•  He used lots of examples on the controversy of the atrocities Japan did to Korea during the Colonial Rule. he also mentioned that Japan hasn’t apologized enough to Korea due to the fact that Japan haven’t recognized their mistakes.
•  The importance of understanding the past to inform future generations and to influence future relations.
•  Some highlights or at least facts and issues I found noteworthy were Korea’s identity as both an ethnicity and a race. It helped me understand Korea’s relationship with Japan and the implications of how these attitudes affect Korean communities even in the states.

 

3. Evaluate the lecture on the Korean Wave, Hallyu. Please comment on the content and delivery of the presentation and what you now know that you did not know previously.

•  I found that the correlation between the rise of K-pop and the growth of the Korean economy very interesting. The corporate/industrial element of creating K-pop groups is nothing how they do it in the states.
•  I didn’t know that K-pop was a global phenomenon. It was great to see and hear how Psy mixed Korean pop and American pop and how the differences between Korean Pop and American pop are disappearing.
• Interesting that it is called a “product” rather than an art.
•  I enjoyed this lecture on the Korean Wave. I see many young kids try to be involved with K-pop through the media as well. It would have been a little better if the lecture was a little bit more smooth in delivering the message(it was a little choppy).
•  Youngdae did an excellent job in presenting how and different ways Korean music has innovated the genre and made a great impact throughout the last several decades. I loved the great impact throughout the last several decades. I also loved the videos and the songs that were also part of the presentation. Great visuals!

 

4. Evaluate the Hanbok Show. What part did you enjoy the most?

•  I loved seeing all the different styles of hanboks. They were very colorful and beautiful.
• I loved seeing all of the different kinds of Hanbok! The explanations made it even better to understand. I especially enjoyed watching teachers involved in being models for this fashion show!
•  I thought the hanbok were so rich in color. I enjoyed seeing all the students wearing them.
•  Seeing actual participants of the seminar participating as super models was the most delightful part of the show.
• The hanbok show was lovely. I was so impressed with all the participants. The clothing was beautiful and the information provided was very interesting.

 

5. Evaluate Meher McArthur’s lecture, “Art and Architecture of Korea and Comparisons with China and Japan. What did you enjoy/appreciate the most?

•  Meher McArthur’s lecture was very informative and inspired me to do further research on my own. I really loved the final artwork she presented, the lovely wrapping cloth made by women of low income. it was colorful and beautiful.
•  Meher McArthur’s such a compassionate artist herself. She prepared her power point presentation in a way that you were able to compare 2-3 images of the same object from different countries. Her focus of comparing the Art of China, Japan, and Korea was well executed.
•  I appreciated the beauty of the Celadon pottery and the simplicity of the Korean porcelain compared to the more decorated Chinese style. I know want to know more about Korea and the Silk Road.
•  I was very grateful for Meher’s clear and detailed explanations on Korea’s art and sculptures. It was very easy to understand and I got a better understanding on why certain things had different decorations, like the long parts of the crowns representing deer antler. She is very knowledgeable and professional.
•  It was all well-explained, but I’m personally most attracted to the Buddhist art. The comparisons of the works in the Ayanta Caves in India to the Korean pieces is a fascination transmission of spirituality and art.

 

6. Evaluate the session on Korean Folk Art and Kite Making. What was the best part of this session? You will receive a lesson on The Kite Fighters (by Linda Sue Park) and folk art for your classroom in the resource book you will receive Thursday.

•  Kids would be thrilled to do this assignment/project. My favorite part was seeing all of the wonderful variations in participant’s art. However I would have appreciated some technique instruction.
•  I really loved and enjoyed this fantastic hands on experience of doing art. I loved painting the fan using vibrant colors by looking at the art work. I also liked painting the kite with paint of South Korea’s flag colors.
•  I didn’t realize how much time and effort it took to paint a small fan! It looked easy but I learned that it took a lot of careful and meticulous effort to create the beauty of MiHwa. It was fun, educational, and memorable!
•  It was great that during the fan/kite making activity not only were all the materials prepared in advance, but also there were a lot of volunteer teachers on site to offer necessary helping hands. Wish there’s a quick step by step demonstration on how to paint the gradation effect.
•  Excellent way to incorporate arts through language art or literature. It’s something we can certainly do in primary grades.

 

+++++ If you attended the Korean Gallery tour at LACMA, please comment. We would like your thoughts in order to thank Mariana Linker-Israeli for volunteering her time and for any recommendations for the future.

• I appreciate the explanation of the various components of lunch. It was very helpful. I had not eaten Korean food before.
• Thank you for providing us with such high quality food!
• It would be great if each different type of food can be explained in the beginning. The food was excellent. It would be great if classical music can be played in the background while we are eating, so it’s not too quiet.
• No, it wasn’t the 1st time. However, the difference of this meal was that we got to taste a little bit of everything. I also enjoyed the fact that an explanation of the food was part of it.

 

Wednesday, June 24^th

 

1. Please comment on Elena Paul’s presentation on implementing a Korean Online Course.

•  Very informative. we all hope this program gets online soon. Because of this lecture, I wondered how valuable Rosetta Stone would be in learning Korean.
•  I thought it was an interesting lecture. The idea of offering it online as well as all of the problems you have implementing it, I think it should be open to adults as well who would like to learn the language.
•  Excellent overview of background of the development of Korean dual language programs!
•  It appears that it has been very different but will be useful when fully implemented.
•  It will be very interesting to see how this project evolves. I hope it goes live and world-wide soon.
•  Paul gave a fantastic presentation on implementing the Korean Online course in LAUSD and other districts. Since I am a Korean dual Immersion teacher, this info will be great for our coordinator to know of for the future.

 

2. Sung Kim introduced the audience to Hangeul, the Korean writing system. Please evaluate.

•  She did a wonderful job introducing the teachers to learn Hangeul. The IKEN website is an awesome resource that I can have some of our teachers at my school use with Korean language.
• Sung did a great job showing us the Korean sounds for vowels and consonants. Websites that she used were very useful and will be an excellent source to use for teaching and in the classroom.
• Using the body is a great way to engage students as well as activate the brain. the songs are helpful, too.
•  Mrs. Kim was having technical difficulties with her computer. She is a resourceful woman and still taught us by the handout and body language.
•  I know we’re on a time crush but it was a bit fast. I did enjoy it though. I want to see if I can take a class and learn more.

 

3. Sung Ok Sohn provided you with an introduction to speaking the Korean language for everyday conversation. Please make comments on her presentation.

•  It was presented well and it was good she let us practice. having some English under the Korean alphabet would have helped since sometimes it was hard to hear the pronunciation correctly.
•  I really appreciated the video example. I think next time on the handout you should have the Korean example phonetically spelled so people can pronounce it and it’s English meaning.
•  Enjoyed the interactive parts and the videoclips that demonstrated the phrases in everyday conversation.
•  Good brief lesson, but it’s hard to remember what I learned. I need to see the pronunciations for the Korean phrases in English in order to practice.
•  It was difficult to learn because I think she did not break it down by syllables. She would have the sentence in English and then in Korean, but not the pronunciation phonetically in English which made it difficult to memorize the phrases.

 

4. Write about your experience in the cooking class.

•  Chef Rock was fantastic. He’s a master chef artist, I liked the way he explained the difference between Gimbab and Japanese sushi. I’m proud of Korean Heritage.
• It was the first time making any kind of rolls and it was easier than I expected. This is my favorite class so far! Chef Rock was great!
•  I had so much fun making my gimbap. Anything interactive is fun, plus the surprise of what it looked like when opened was great.
•  First time I made Gimbab and it was interesting and fascinating. I was really impressed with Gimbab art especially using various healthy organic ingredients. I will definitely try this with my Korean class when I go back.
•  I want to learn more about it. Rock Kim made it fun and easy. The flowers looked so pretty and even students could easily do it.

 

5. Lucy Park introduced you to her organization’s website and the Korean poetic form, sijo. Please comment on her session.

•  Dr. Lucy Park introduced us Sejong Cultural Website where we can find various resources for Sijo. I think it is a good idea to collaborate Sijo with english class. I learned various themes of Korean Sijo and the format of it.
•  Sijo is a very interesting form of poetry and the website introduced to us was a helpful resource center that explains many poets from Korea.
•  I think it is a great way to introduce to Korean poetry and the artform. I will tell students and teachers about the contest.
•  Accessible form of poetry, neat alternative to haiku and others currently taught. I liked how she snapped pics of participants’ poems with her ipad and shared it on the big screen.
•  Dr. Park did a wonderful job in introducing us to “Sijo.” Her powerpoint slides were very informative and educational. I loved seeing and hearing different sijos from around the world.
•  I loved seeing the student samples of Sijo competition winners. I liked the way she took her time to explain about Sijo and gave us time to come up with our own. I enjoyed listening to fellow teacher’s samples.

 

6. Helen Yu explained how to organize a school-wide multi-cultural day activity. Please comment on her presentation and the ideas conveyed for this type of school activity. Do you have suggestions or ideas for this type of activity in L.A. area schools?

•  I think it’s great that Ms. Yu’s school is celebrating diversity in many various ways (fashion shows, choral competitions, school-wide projects). I agree with her saying that dual-language schools tend to weigh more heavily on the program because I think that’s how it is with my school. As we focus and emphasize living in 21st century, it is important to have students be exposed to multiculturalism and I think it’s a great that it’s seen in her school.
•  Ms. Helen Yu did a great job in presenting how her school does in the dual program and with school-wide multi-cultural day activity. Powerpoints slides were informative and pictures were great.
•  I thought her presentation was interesting because she broke us into groups by order in our family (youngest, middle, oldest) and discuss it. She pointed out how the groups could also be broken up by income, parent’s education, etc. She then discussed cultural activities at her school and she wanted the other groups represented besides the Korean and Latinos.
•  Helen Yu did not explain in detail on how they organized the multi-cultural day activities. I wanted to have more examples and resource information.
•  Her presentation did not really talk about organizing school-wide multicultural day activities. She focused on the different programs at her school and how she manages the programs to create a cohesive school.

Thursday, June 25^th

1. Jennifer Jung Kim lectured on keeping the peace in East Asia. What was particularly interesting about her talk? Evaluate.

•  It was very interesting to learn things about North Korea. I had never seen pictures of North Korea, and I appreciate Professor kim for showing and explaining the pictures. I learned quite a lot about North Korea during this lecture.
•  Professor Kim did a great job presenting the topic by using powerpoint slides and real pictures. I didn’t realize that Korea President’s residency is a 5-year term. Visual of important events in a timeline were very informative.
•  How the Korean peninsula has been maintaining its Cold War status was intriguing and sad at the same time. It was quite an eye opening experience to learn what had happened and the all processed involved up to date.
•  Dr. Kim pointed out themes among politicians (family,treaty, signings) which helped me with political content. The photos she included enhanced her points and made excellent connections.
•  I thought it was interesting when Mrs. Kim told us about the industrial area a few miles north of the DMZ, Paseung which created many jobs and trade with South Korea.

2. Frederick Higgins lectured on Daoism, shamanism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity. What was of particular interest about religion and philosophy in Korea? Please comment and evaluate.

•  I am familiar with everything he brought up except shamanism. I still thought his presentation was still informative. He did a good job given he had limited time to present five religions for thousands of years.
•  Fascinating overview of philosophy and religion. I know a bit about Buddhism and Christianity, but very little about shamanism. Also, the information about Confucianism helped me understand the mentality. For example, he made a connection about how he learned to respect and how to treat his parents while living in Korea.
•  Frederick did a wonderful job in informing us about different religions that are promoted in Korea. He was very detailed and informative. I especially learned a great deal of info on Daoism and Shamanism and the similarities and differences between the religions.
•  Frederick Higgins did a wonderful job introducing and explaining the religious aspects of Korea. His explanation on Confucianism was particularly interesting to me because I got to understand where certain Koran behaviors come from such as respect for elders, men and women roles, etc.)
•  I enjoyed learning all the different religions and philosophies but was the most fascinated to know that shaman could communicate with spirits and ancestors through “Kut.”

 

3. The time in the Buddhist temple is usually evaluated very highly as many of the participants have not had the opportunity to have this experience. Comment on this experience and evaluate Jongmae Park’s presentation.

• What I found the most interesting element he mentioned is “Nothing is permanent. Everything changes and suffering is one that we must overcome.” I loved the fact that I was able to experience about one of the most important religions, Buddhism.
•  I thought the experience was beautiful. I loved the bell and clacking of wood. All of the buddhas represented was powerful. I enjoyed the leaders’ talk about the “middle path.”
•  As a Christian, it was a very interesting experience to visit a temple. I respect all people’s rights to believe who they choose to believe, and Mr. Jongmae Park did a superb job in introducing what Buddhism is.
•  Mr. Park’s presentation was welcoming and engaging. I really appreciate the fact he walked us through a pleasant, peaceful meditation session.
• Very informative. Mr. Park has a charming personality and a very engaging way of explaining the principles of Korean buddhism. I would have liked an explanation of the songs, prayers, and drumming but I’m aware that our time was limited.

 

4. The trip to the Friendship Bell in San Pedro was a new component of the seminar program last year. Since it was very meaningful to everyone, we wanted to offer this opportunity again. Please comment on this experience from being at the Friendship Bell, listening to the veteran of the Korean War, the kite flying, and the lunch.

• This was a pleasant outing to a beautiful spot. It was more meaningful with the comments of the veteran and the opportunity to ring the bell.
• I really enjoyed everything . It was really moving to hear from a real veteran and hear his first hand experience in the Korean War. I was amazed when he said some of his fellow soldiers didn’t know where Korea was prior to the war. The Friendship Bell was beautiful. The knit flying made me feel like a child again. It was so energizing.
• It was a great honor to hear history from another perspective (primary source) and be able to ring the bell. Weather was beautiful and got to fly my kite.
• It was amazing and should stay in the component of the seminar. The last time I saw the Friendship Bell was during my 5th grade field trip. Now as an adult I see the meaning of the bell differently. This is an experience for a local and out of state person to see and be exposed.
• Please do this every year! This was just fabulous. A beautiful site and very meaningful speakers and presentation. Kite flying was fun and lunch on the cliffs overlooking the seas was just so memorable.

 

5. When you returned to the KCC after the field trip, Ernest Lee spoke to you about the Friendship Bell. Please comment on his presentation.

• His presentation was amazing. He answered many questions that I had with the bell. Seeing the bell first before a lecture allowed me to connect to the powerpoint images.
• Ernest Lee did an excellent job in explaining more thorough details about the Friendship Bell. I loved the way that he inserted videos to support his explanations. I wished we could have seen the rare videos he had. Ernest is very knowledgeable and I can tell that he truly loves what he is able to do. I am truly thankful for Ernest and other members for voluntarily serving the Friendship Bell.
• Ernest is a clean and forceful speaker. It is a pleasure to listen to him and hear of his dedication to the Korean Friendship bell.
• I learned the story behind the gift of the bell and the details on the challenges of making it. I would have preferred the presentation before the visit and I wish the old new footage had worker.
• Mr. Lee’s presentation was very informative. He gave further background and history about how the bell was designed, built, and finally housed in San Pedro. He informed us of the restoration project and the dedication of the Korean artisans in creating such as beautiful monument.

 

6. Christopher Mora of the Korea Tourism Organization spoke to you about travelling to Korea. Please comment on his talk.

• His presentation made me want to fly to Korea right way! I loved the way that he used his own pictures and his own experiences to explain about the unique features of Korea. I loved seeing his love and passion for Korea. And I especially enjoyed the last video that we saw.
• Christopher did a great job! I loved all the information on the famous sites and their pictures. I’m planning to go again next summer and visit all these places.
• Mr. Mora’s presentation on Korea had added to my already existing desire to visit Korea. I enjoyed seeing video footage of UNESCO sites. Busan and Jeju Island are definitely on my list of places I’d like to see. I am also interested in the Hanok and temple stays and will definitely consider this when I make my way to Korea!
• I thought his pictures and video were excellent. It was good that he is a non-Korean and he gave his first-hand experience because then he is more convincing to others to go to Korea.
• Korea looks like an amazing place and I absolutely want to visit. I haven’t been to Asia (other than India) yet, but i can tell from this seminar that Korea is full of wonders – history, art, morality, and of course, delicious food. Korea is a place I would feel comfortable traveling with my family.

 

Kyung Pak, the Director of the Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project showed selections of the organization’s documentaries on South Korea. What was of particular interest to you? We hope you will take time to examine the books that this organization provides.

• The documentaries was so educational and eye-opening. I had no idea Koreans pre-dated the Europeans when it came to discovering and documenting the constellations. I am going to do more research on the subject.
• I found the fact that Korea has emerged into this strong economically developed country in such a little time keeping its culture, philosophies, and traditions very interesting.
• The astrological technologies of ancient Korea and the intricacies are amazing! It changed how I perceive sciences because we always tend to think of “Western” and european efforts and advances. I also thought that the ship building was very amazing.
• I enjoyed the documentaries. It is amazing what the astronomers created. I feel sad that the U.S. is so far behind with our technology. It’s appalling that only 20% of our schools have internet. That is just not ok.
• The documentaries were very informative and I was very interested in the Korean Food. I would like to take a Korean cuisine class.

 

8. Please comment on the publication celebration event and the Korean dinner that was provided by the Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project. We know that the day was a long day for everyone and hope that this extension of the program was a worthwhile experience for you.

• It was a wonderful event. I did not think it was a tiring day because I was energized by the Friendship Bell and kite flying. It was nice to hear the positive comments about Mary Connor and to hear Mary Connor’s story how she got involved with the Korean culture. The dinner was delicious.
• It was a real honor and treat to be at the event. I enjoyed listening to the different speakers, especially William Lim. It was encouraging to see how the Korean community here and abroad are so invested promotion of the Korean culture. The dinner was delicious and the books are not only informative by the dedication and passion that Mary Connors has for the Korean Culture. She is truly an inspiration!
• It was truly an exciting and interesting movement. I am so glad that I stayed for this wonderful opportunity of publication celebration event. The Korean dinner was excellent. Even though it was a long day for us, I really enjoyed every moment of it. Thank you.
•  It is a fantastic resource that has been created by so many people. I have truly felt and seen the collaboration of so many organizations and individuals. The effort, the hours spent, research, to provide US educators with a broad understanding of the Korean people and culture is evident in the details of the decorations, food and special speakers. Thank you so much.
•  The dinner and the presentation was lovely and I enjoyed talking to various participates to learn more about their role in the publication. Thank you for the delicious food and drinks!

Friday, June 26^th

1. Please comment on Ellen Parks lecture on starting and sustaining dual-language programs.

•  I taught dual language for eight years (English/Spanish). This lecture was really interesting and I learned things I hadn’t heard before. I didn’t realize that there was a Dual Language Program offering Mandarin/English that began in Florida in the 1960’s – wow!
•  This was a very general presentation on dual language programs. Because I work in a dual language program none of the information she was presenting was useful or new to me.
• It was useful to hear what students need in order to successfully attain language (dual) literacy skills. I also appreciated grasping a better understanding of what is necessary in order for a dual immersion program to succeed.
• Ms. Park had excellent information. Even though I am not in the position to be starting or running a dual-language program, I found it interesting. However, to me, this lecture represents the worst possible use of powerpoint. The slides were just full of text that the presenter then just reads in their entirety. It is infantilizing and very dull.
• I was not very familiar with dual-language program. It seems very promising and positive. I am glad that I heard her presentation. I was impressed by her ability to increase these programs and API scores wherever she goes.

 

2. Edward Park provides his audiences with background on the Asian American experience in the United States. In the past we are aware that this information is new to many of the educators who have attended our programs. Please evaluate his presentation in terms of content, your understanding of the Korean American experience, and the L.A. Riots. The resource book will provide you with information on how to order “Arirang,” the documentary on Korean American history and a website that provides excellent background and lessons on Korean American history.

•  The anecdotes about immigrants, such as Mr. Charr, helped give insight and perspective to the Korean American experience. The LA riots was not discussed, nor did we watch the video clip. I did not know about Asians immigrating to Latin America and Canada and then coming to the US.
• I enjoyed Dr. Park’s lecture on Asian American experience in U.S. I liked the way that he took his time to thoroughly explain about the historical part of Asian American experience. I was hoping we had more time to discuss more about the LA riots.
• Even as a Korean-American, I learned a great deal of information that I haven’t known already. I was very fond of his powerpoint presentation.
• Mr. Park’s lecture was very informative. I liked that all week we’ve heard about Korea’s history and I really appreciated how his lecture brought us to contemporary Korean history and how its interconnected to American history.
• I am disappointed that we did not have time to view the video esp. since I grew up Korean American. Dr. Edward Parks lecture was so interesting on many levels because I relate personally to the Korean American experience. I am interested to read more about the Immigration Acts of 1965 and 1990.

3. Two experienced Korean American educators gave a presentation to help you understand your Korean American students and their families. Please evaluate. What did you learn that was particularly helpful?

• Dr. Suzie Oh’s presentation helped me to learn the importance of understanding and involving Korean American parents. Jung Hae Kim’s presentation was informative about the different sub-groups among Korean Americans.
• What a dynamic team of Korean American educators. They were informative, knowledgeable, and very entertaining. It was very insightful and I enjoyed learning about 3-gap components between Korean-American parents and students groups, and the 4 A’s that those students need to succeed – attention, acceptance, affection, and approval.
• The insights the principals gave was helpful and informative. I’m glad they spent some time talking about the students who aren’t “successful” – the silent sufferers because they are often forgotten and neglected.
• Dr. Suzie Oh’s presentation was very powerful. She gave us excellent insight on today’s Korean Americans. Jung Hae Kim also did an excellent job in presenting about Korean Americans. I never knew there were varieties of 1.1, 1.2 – 1.5, etc. for Korean American generations. Her powerpoints slides were informative and I loved the photos.
• Dr. Oh had given us a wonderful time going over experiences dealing with Korean-American students and parents. I liked it when she was going over what Korean parents expect because it’s so true and I actually experience it. Mrs. Jung Hae Kim also did an excellent job going over and comparing Korean vs Americans views on various aspects. I loved the way she constantly made connections with her own family and her own experiences.

 

4. William Yoon is new to our seminar program. Please evaluate his presentation. What did his presentation add to your understanding of the Korean American experience?

• I loved the way Mr. William Yoon prepared a hard copy of his family photos so that we can all have something to take back home. And I liked the way that he was casually presenting about the pictures and his family’s experiences. It was interesting to find about how his family settled down in America.
• William’s presentation about his family was really fascinating. I appreciated hearing about his family’s history and anecdote stories. They were funny, heart-warming, and very touching. I’ve never met a 3rd generation Korean, so I’m glad Mr. Yoon was a presenter today.
• I think history comes alive with personal accounts. His family history is fascinating and offers a peek into the Korean American experience over three generations.
• I found Mr. Yoon to be a fine addition to the program. He was an excellent contrast to the more academic speakers. It is always valuable to have a first-person experience/viewpoint. The convoluted and complex paths his grandparents on both sides took to come to America and to establish their lives here really stressed for me what a complicated thing immigration is and reminded me that each immigrant has his/her own story, and I must remember this when dealing with everyone of my students
• William Yoon didn’t need a powerpoint and he projected very well and his stories had me on the edge of my seat. From his presentation, I learned that Korean culture had been mistreated not only from the Japanese by my other countries.

5. The Taekwondo performance has always been a successful component to the seminar program. To understand the philosophy of Taekwondo, do read the information in the handouts on this martial art. Please comment on the presentation and what you learned about self-defense techniques.

• I loved their performance! It was very entertaining and they did an awesome job of allowing non-Koreans to experience punching and kicking Taekwondo skills.
• The Taekwondo performance was outstanding! I love the way that they made it fun and entertaining by adding music to the background. I also loved how the age, gender, and the ethnicities were very diverse. I also learned the meaning of Taekwondo.
• It was a great show. Taekwondo means the right way of life. I would have prefered to involved the entire class instead of just a few teachers.
• This was very entertaining and exciting. They did a great job with the limited space available. It was great that the master gave a brief history and explanation, but the performance spoke for itself.
• A lively and thrilling demonstration. It was great to see colleagues go up there. It also made me want to start a club for Taekwondo at my school.

 

6. Sung Kim introduced you to some of the Power Point lectures that we have developed over a period of ten years or more. Time constraints do not allow us to introduce you completely to what is available to you and members of your school community. We hope in the coming weeks that you will study what is available to you and that you will share these resources with members of your faculty. Please comment.

•  I adore Ms. Sung Kim! But honestly, there is just on need to make a presentation about the PPT slides at all. We are teachers and we are excited about receiving this information and will look at it carefully, believe me. Still, I was very interested to hear Ms. Kim say that textbooks will be changed to reflect the “new” idea of the path of the Silk Road!
•  Great way to refresh all the information. I am looking forward to open each of these power points and get my hands on to apply it to my classroom and share with my colleagues. Thank You.
•  Thank you so much much for all the powerpoint lectures! These are going to be super helpful for all of us! I will make sure to go through every single one during my summer break.
•  I will definitely go over these PPT lectures over the summer and share great information with fellow colleagues at my school. These sources will be great for our teaching.

 

7. Even the younger generation of Korean Americans have rarely experienced a Korean Tea Ceremony, so this is a special opportunity to participate in an ancient and beautiful Korean tradition and to bring closure to our week together at the Korean Cultural Center L.A.

•  It was a great experience seeing the Korean Tea ceremony on the stage. I have never seen it before so it was awesome to see an actual one. I loved the teacup we get to take home.
•  It was my first time finding about the Korean Tea Ceremony and seeing how it’s done, and I really enjoyed it! It was nice to have two volunteers join the experience. And I loved the way they prepared for us to taste and experience it too! I didn’t realize how powerful drinking teas can be! Thank you for providing us with a cute souvenir!
•  What a perfect way to end the seminar. The relaxing music, the careful arrangement of the teacups, tea snacks, and every item on the ceremonial mat, the beautiful colors of the hanbok, and the rhythmic, careful, and deliberate movements of the tea master were so soothing and pleasant.
•  What a wonderful way to end a truly special week. The beauty of the Korean Tea Ceremony was very touching.