US History/US History (Bureau Development Inc.)(1991).ISO/dp/0139/01398.txt

Text File | 1990-12-23 | 52KB | 874 lines

$Unique_ID{USH01398}
$Pretitle{123}
$Title{Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America
Chapter 4   The First Korean School, Silver Spring, MD.  L. M. Long}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Bradunas, Elena;  Topping, Brett}
$Affiliation{Library of Congress}
$Subject{korean
school
students
children
language
teachers
first
classes
american
church}
$Volume{Studies in American Folklife, No.4}
$Date{1988}
$Log{}
Book:        Ethnic Heritage and Language Schools in America
Author:      Bradunas, Elena;  Topping, Brett
Affiliation: Library of Congress
Volume:      Studies in American Folklife, No.4
Date:        1988

Chapter 4   The First Korean School, Silver Spring, MD.  L. M. Long

     In 1982 an estimated 600,000 Koreans and Korean-Americans were living in
the United States, congregated in three major population centers: Los Angeles
(with about 200,000 Korean residents), Chicago, and New York.  San Francisco
and Washington, D.C., have the next largest Korean populations. The Korean
Embassy estimates that between 35,000 and 40,000 Koreans live in the
Washington metropolitan area, the locale of the school in this study.

     The majority of the Korean population in the United States arrived after
the 1950's.  The Washington, D.C., population is even more recent - there
since the 1970's.  The first generation of Koreans born in America is now
coming of age, and the problems they face are new ones for the Korean
community.

     Many Koreans immigrating to the United States do so for occupational or
educational reasons.  Others want to escape what they feel is an overly
competitive and restrictive society in Korea.  Still others come to provide
their children with opportunities they might not have in their homeland.  By
emigrating, many give up established careers, social status, and economic
security.  Their first years here are often a struggle for survival, full of
long hours at low paying jobs.  Even so, most Korean immigrants succeed
financially in the United States, often achieving economic stability within
five or ten years.  Many of them own their homes and businesses and send their
children to the best schools and colleges.

     Koreans have a great deal of pride in their heritage.  Their history,
which extends back five thousand years, has been a continuous struggle to
maintain an identity distinct from that of Japan and China.  The small country
has nurtured many scholars, artists, and inventors.  A respect for tradition
and the past, which is reinforced by the contemporary achievements of Koreans,
is an integral part of Korean culture.  On the whole, Koreans living in the
United States have retained their cultural pride; they maintain a distinctive
personal ethnic identity and express a community identity through numerous
ethnic organizations.

     Christian churches, particularly Presbyterian and Baptist, function as
the central social organization in many Korean communities.  Washington, D.C.,
has over sixty Korean churches, many of which have their own buildings.  They
offer a variety of services to the Korean community, including Korean language
classes for children.  Approximately twelve Washington-area churches sponsor
such classes.

     In some respects, the Korean population in the Washington metropolitan
area is not typical of other Korean communities.  Its members have a higher
level of education and income than Koreans in other parts of the country, and
they tend to be more recent arrivals.  They also appreciate the need for
language and culture maintenance, supporting a total of twenty-four language
schools.

History of the First Korean School

     The First Korean School was established on June 5, 1977, by the First
Korean Baptist Church of Silver Spring, Maryland.  The school became an
incorporated institution within the state of Maryland separate from the church
on April 10, 1979.  As of spring 1982, it maintains relations with the church,
but is growing increasingly independent in financial and policy matters.  It
is also growing in size and reputation.

     The school is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, in the annex and
basement classrooms of the First Korean Baptist Church.  Situated on Georgia
Avenue, five miles beyond the Washington, D.C., beltway, the church is
surrounded by Maryland suburbs.  Korean lettering on a sign in front of the
building is the only indication of the church's ethnic identity.

     Over 150 kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and high school students
attend the First Korean School.  A faculty of thirteen teachers and two
administrators teach the classes in Korean language, music, dance, and martial
arts.  The primary emphasis is on Korean language (both reading and speaking),
but other subjects are included to attract the children's interest and to
expose them to Korean culture and values.

     Classes meet every Saturday from 9:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. and follow the
American public school calendar, with summer and winter vacations.  The school
celebrates most American holidays, as well as selected Korean ones. Students
enroll by semester and receive report cards and certificates of achievement at
the end of the school year.

     Although the school is nominally independent of the church in which its
classes are held, members of the First Korean Baptist Church play important
roles in the school's administration.  The church also provides classroom
space and utilities, but in all other ways the school is self-supporting,
earning funds for faculty salaries and supplies from the students' tuition
fees.

     The First Korean School was created by a small group of Korean immigrants
living in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C.  Mr. Han-il Lee, the
current principal, initiated the idea and spearheaded the organization of the
school, aided by church and community leaders.

     Before starting the school Mr. Lee sought advice from a number of people
involved in ethnic language education.  The Washington Korean School created
in 1970, the oldest Korean school in the Washington metropolitan area,
provided an example of an established school.  The Korean Embassy's office of
education, which works with Korean ethnic schools throughout the country,
supplied other models, as well as official support and a representative to the
school board.  Mr. Lee also drew ideas from other ethnic communities
specifically, Finnish, Polish, Jewish, Chinese, and Japanese - and their
organizations.

     Mr. Lee also organized the original financing of the school.  He obtained
approximately one-third of the funds for supplies and administrative expenses
from the First Korean Baptist Church, which considered this aid to be part of
its Christian service to the Korean community.  The rest was paid for by
students' tuitions.  The church also provided free use of their facilities and
utilities.

     The Korean Embassy gave the school free textbooks.  Although the embassy
provides funding for administrative costs to language programs requesting such
aid, the First Korean School was ineligible at first because of its connection
with the Korean Baptist Church.  The embassy cannot support church-sponsored
schools since the Korean government claims to have no official religion.  When
the school later became independent, its administrators did not request
funding from the embassy because they felt the tuition payments sufficed for
the school's administrative needs.  The embassy later donated a library of
some ten thousand books of Korean literature to the school for use both by
children and adults.  The school plans to organize a national library-loan
system by which Korean schools in other areas can borrow from their library.

     In the first years of its existence the school was run primarily by Mr.
Han-il Lee.  He designed the curriculum, class structure, and school schedule.
He also printed the handouts used by all classes to supplement their texts in
his own print shop in suburban Maryland.  He prints all materials for the
school at cost.

     Mr. Han-il Lee was principal of the school during its first two years.
His official duties included budget matters, policy decisions, and faculty
hiring.  Dr. Lee, associate pastor of the First Korean Baptist Church,
replaced Mr. Han-il Lee as principal in 1979.  After one year Dr. Lee returned
to Korea to a university position; his place was filled by Mr. Hee-Kyu Park,
former chief of education at the Korean Embassy.  Mr. Park was principal for
several months.  Then Mr. Han-il Lee returned to the post and remains school
principal.

     Mr. Lee is currently seeking another principal.  He feels that the
position should be filled by someone with academic degrees from a prestigious
institution, who enjoys community status and respect.  He sees the principal
as a figurehead who will lend his status and reputation to the school.
Although he has been principal several times, Mr. Lee's lack of a university
degree makes him uncomfortable in the role.

     The job of vice-principal was not formally established until the 1981-82
school year, when Mr. Han-il Lee requested it.  The faculty then elected one
of its members, Mr. Koh, to the position.

     Since its creation the Korean School has had a governing board that makes
policy decisions.  Mr. Lee and the leaders of the First Korean Baptist Church
chose the first board.  They established a seven- to nine-member organization
that included three official church members: the pastor, the director of
Christian education, and the president of the parents association.
Representatives from the Korean community, some of whom were specialists in
relevant fields, filled the other positions.  About 50 percent of the board
were church members, and most were parents.  The board was also divided evenly
between United States citizens and recent immigrants.  Although board
membership has changed over the years, Mr. Lee has tried to insure a mixture
of backgrounds to obtain a broad range of opinions.

Purposes of the School

     While the First Korean School identifies itself as a language school for
teaching the "mother tongue" to Korean descendents, its administrators state
that its primary purpose is to create good Korean-American citizens. They
believe that the more a child understands and appreciates his ethnic heritage,
the better person he will become and the more smoothly his acculturation into
American society will be accomplished.  By giving him the opportunity to know
his background, the school provides the child with more options to choose from
when he begins to develop his own perspective on his ethnic identity.  These
goals can best be accomplished by teaching the Korean language, using it as a
vehicle for transmitting Korean values and beliefs, as well as knowledge about
Korean culture and history.

     Facilitating communication between generations is another major concern
of the Korean School.  Language is often a barrier between parents and
children, particularly since many Korean families are recent immigrants.
Because of their interaction with native-born English-speakers through their
schooling, the children usually learn English within a few years of their
arrival, while the parents take much longer.  Often parents and grandparents
never become fluent in the language and speak Korean among themselves and in
their homes.  As Mr. Noh, the sixth grade teacher and a board member, says:

Their mother tongue, Korean, is needed as a tool of communication between
generations.  Sometimes, the first generation and second generation . . . find
a gap [in] communicating with each other later on.  Then, make kind of tragedy
in the immigrant family.  So we worry about [it].  Their mother tongue is
basically a tool for communication in the immigrant family.  (ES82-LL-R7)

     The language barrier is particularly obvious in homes where grandparents
are living with the family.

     School administrators are also concerned that differences in values and
attitudes may create inter-generational barriers just as troublesome as
language.  Principal Lee described a representative incident in which a story
in a school publication was misunderstood by the students.  The study
concerned a famous Korean general who often visited a wine shop in his youth.
One day, while riding his horse, he fell asleep.  The horse continued walking
and carried him to the wine shop.  When the general awoke and found himself
there, he realized that he had become addicted to wine.  He then killed his
horse and began leading an upright life, eventually becoming a great hero.

     Mr. Lee explained that the moral of this story is that one must dispose
of bad influences if one wants to succeed in life.  The horse was aiding the
general's addiction and therefore had to be destroyed.  The Korean parents
recognized this moral and agreed with it.  Their children, however, saw no
nobility in the general's actions and felt that he was cruel for needlessly
killing his horse.  Such different interpretations reflect different values
and codes of behavior.  Mr. Lee hopes that the school will help the children
understand their parents' attitudes and values.  He recognizes that the
children may not agree with them, but at least they will know what the values
are, and may later choose to accept them.

     Many of the adult Koreans at the school have a strong sense of their own
Korean identity and heritage.  They are proud to be Korean and feel strong
emotional ties with their motherland.  They also feel that an appreciation for
Korean ways is a valuable and precious possession, one that should be passed
on to future generations.  Their involvement in the school is generated partly
by these attitudes.  "We don't want to forget [our Korean heritage]," explains
Mr. Noh.  "We don't have to get out of that kind of cultural resource.  That
means that [it] is a kind of mission of the first generation" (ES82-LL-R7).

     The administrators are concerned with both the immediate and long-term
welfare of the students and of the Korean-American community.  The school
offers the language classes not only to transmit knowledge of a cultural
heritage but also to provide a central place where Korean-American children
can be with others of their background, a place where they can feel
comfortable and have a sense of belonging.  School administrators hope that
the children will maintain the relationships that begin there, strengthening
their ties within the Korean-American community.

     The administrators are further concerned with the success of the children
in achieving their long-term educational and professional goals, most of which
are set very high.  Along with instruction and guidance at the school, they
try to provide role models by exposing the children to ethnic Americans who
are successful.  In terms of the future welfare of the children, the
administration believes that it can help most by encouraging them to set high
goals.  As Mr. Han-Il Lee says:

If you buy a ticket, airplane, bus, train - from here [Washington] to San
Francisco, you can get off anywhere along the way.  But a ticket to New York,
takes you only to New York.  In life, [one has] only one chance.  If [one has]
a big goal, [one] can go far.  If have small goals, only go a small distance.
So . . . Korean school tries to give students big goals.  (ES82-LL-R16)

School Administration

     The school's administrators include a school board, the principal, and
the vice-principal.  The board determines the overall budget and policy
matters, such as the purpose and emphasis of the school.  The principal
handles most administrative details - hiring, application of budget, class
schedules, school calendar - and develops a broad outline of the skills and
knowledge to be taught to each class during each semester.  The vice-principal
assists the principal in his duties.  An administrative assistant also aids
the principal, acting as secretary, treasurer, and substitute teacher,
preparing the students' morning refreshments, and keeping track of supplies.

     In 1980 the congregation constructed a new church building.  The
completed structure houses the main sanctuary, church administrative offices,
a kitchen, reception area, and classrooms for the school's upper grades.  The
old building was designated as the education building, to be used for Sunday
school classes, the Korean school, and other community activities.  In
addition to school classrooms, the building has a smaller sanctuary and a
kitchen.

     Having a place of its own has made a tremendous difference for the
school.  It has the space to accommodate the growing number of students.  It
can store its teaching and administrative materials there, and also has a room
set aside for the library donated by the embassy.

     The church grounds include an old house, where the library was stored
until fall of 1982, a small playground, and an extensive parking lot. Students
often use the basketball hoop and picnic tables by the parking lot during
their class breaks.

     Except for the facilities and utilities provided by the Korean Church,
the school is financed wholly by the students' tuitions.  Seventy percent of
these funds go to faculty salaries.  The remaining 30 percent covers supplies
and miscellaneous expenses, such as year-end awards - notebooks, pencils,
crayons, books, and certificates - and the handouts used as teaching aids.
The Korean Embassy donated the textbooks.  Students use them in class, but
cannot buy them or take them home.

     Each student pays $60 per semester.  Families having more than one child
enrolled receive discounts: 10 percent for two children and 30 percent for
three or more.  Scholarships or tuition remissions are available to needy
children.  Korean children adopted into American or Korean-American homes are
also eligible for scholarships.  Beginning next year Mr. Lee hopes to offer a
reduced tuition to children of mixed marriages.

     The school also charges a snack fee to cover the cost of the juice,
doughnuts, and fruit served every Saturday morning.  Children who ride the
school vans pay an additional fee of $5 to $10 each month, depending on the
distance from the child's home to the school.  Karate uniforms and dance
leotards are an additional expense.

     Teachers receive an average of $8 an hour for four hours of teaching each
Saturday.  A sliding pay scale reflects experience and training, but the
payment amounts to little more than an honorarium.  Some of the teachers
double as drivers for the three school vans and receive an hourly wage for
their additional work.

     The church owns one of the vans and lends it to the school.  The other
two are privately owned by faculty members.  The school also owns its own bus,
but uses it only when a sizeable number of students need transportation.

     The Korean school also runs Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation
courses for high school students.  American teachers brought in from a local
high school teach the courses in the evening at the church.  Students pay
$7.50 an hour for the two-hour sessions held twice a week.

Classes and Curriculum

     The focus of activity at the First Korean School is the teaching of the
Korean language.  Language exercises are, therefore, the most prominent part
of the curriculum.

     The school originally placed the students into three different levels in
accordance with their language skill.  The classes cut across age and school
grade, placing seventh graders with first graders.  The students disliked the
mixing, and the school subsequently changed to a system corresponding to the
childrens' age and American-school grade.  The new system has proven to be
relatively satisfactory, and nine grade levels now exist: kindergarten, first
through sixth grades, junior high, and senior high.

     Another class, the Special Class, provides children of any grade with
remedial help in reading and writing Korean and basic vocabulary.  Sometimes a
child will be placed in a higher or lower grade if he or she lacks certain
skills.  Some of the children were embarrassed that they were in a lower grade
- one said that she had flunked out of the other class.  Because the children
tend to interpret such actions in this way, the teachers try to keep the
children in their respective grades.

     No standard tests are given to students to assess their ability or
skills.  Each teacher is responsible for monitoring the progress of their
students.  The system of grouping the students results in a wide range of
abilities in each class and poses structuring difficulties for the teachers.
The school is still searching for a system that would better accommodate the
range of skills and abilities displayed by each age group.  The principal
hopes to get ideas from other ethnic schools.  In the meantime, Mr. Han-il Lee
has suggested that they divide the class into three levels and give separate
assignments to each level, but this is the teacher's option.

     These basic classes focus on Korean language skills: reading, writing,
vocabulary, grammar, and conversation.  Reading exercises are based on
handouts, textbooks, and sentences and phrases written on the blackboard.  The
students usually take turns reading out loud, although some teachers have
their students read out loud together.

     The reading lessons often include traditional Korean stories.  Students
in one fourth-grade class chose characters in a story and read those parts out
loud.  Teachers also use the stories for question and answer sessions to test
the students' comprehension.

     Writing exercises usually involve copying text from the blackboard and
from handouts.  Quizzes which combine dictation and spelling are a standard
part of most of the classes, and students often receive writing exercises for
homework.

     Once students have acquired the basic skills of reading and writing,
vocabulary and grammar lessons make up a major part of their class time.  They
receive vocabulary words to learn at home, which they practice in class.
Grammar lessons often involve building phrases and sentences out of the new
words.

     Korean conversation also figures in most of the classes.  Teachers often
generate conversation by asking questions in Korean.  They also encourage
students to speak Korean throughout the day, but the children invariably speak
English among themselves.

     All the teachers use standardized Korean textbooks donated by the Korean
Embassy, but most of them feel that they are inadequate for Korean American
children.  The students often use texts several grades behind them, since they
lack the vocabulary to understand the ones for their own age group, and the
subjects, people, and places mentioned in the texts tend to be foreign to
their experiences.  "Our situation is different - everyday life, thinking,
everything is different for students here from the textbooks.  So they need
something they know," says Mr. Noh. (ES82-LL-R8)

     Most of the teachers design handouts to supplement the textbooks.  They
also write their own tests and quizzes.  In this way, while helping the school
develop a reservoir of unique teaching materials, they can address the
individual skills and interests of their classes.  Each teacher also
determines the amount and type of homework assigned in class.

     From the beginning the school has included music and martial arts along
with its language classes.  Dance was added several years ago.  The evening
course to prepare students for the SAT college entrance exams got under way in
1979.

     The administration hopes that the extracurricular classes will entertain
the students and provide a break from language study.  They are concerned that
the children, finding the language classes too demanding and tedious, may lose
interest in Korean.  They also hope that the extracurricular classes will
expose the students to additional aspects of Korean culture and values.

     All classes informally include Korean history, literature, and culture.
Teachers sometimes give lectures on such subjects in the upper grades, but
teachers for the younger students try to incorporate history and culture into
reading and writing exercises.

     Some teachers also include discussions of ethnicity in their classes.
Ethnic topics are difficult to fit into the curriculum, since most of the
students lack the vocabulary to understand complex ideas in Korean.  The
administration also hesitates to emphasize such issues, feeling that it is
best to provide an environment in which the children can discuss their
ethnicity when they are ready and feel comfortable doing so.  As Mr. Lee
explains:

We cannot separate culture, or some history, or some custom [from] the
language.  So, basically, we teaching for Korean tongue.  Korean writing is
easy, so we push just for tongue.  But if we push too much, they hate Korean
language.  So, first time, I suggest to teachers that you have to do is
encourage in what is interesting.  Attending here, they make friend of same
skin or same color, so they enjoy school.  Then, they grow up.  If they have
good memory . . . just keep tongue . . . . (ES82-LL-R22)

     The principal has also found that the students are more receptive to
discussions of ethnicity when they come from outsiders rather than members of
the Korean community.  Accordingly, he has invited two men - one Finnish and
the other Polish - to talk to the students about maintaining their ethnic
identities.  In Mr. Lee's view the response was positive:

Kids are very interested about that.  Because if [I] push myself, they very
[much] hate or are against [thinking about Korean identity].  But the other
person, they [are] talking about themselves:  "We keep our own heritage, we
keep own language, then we [are] so proud."  [They say], "Why don't you keep
your own language and your own heritage?"  Then, a little bit, they [the
students] understand it.  (ES82-LL-R22)

     The school day is broken into five forty-five-minute periods, three of
which are spent in the language homeroom classes.  The other two are used for
music and dance or martial arts.  Usually girls take dancing and boys take
martial arts, but a few girls choose the latter.  Students are divided into
three groups for their extracurricular classes: kindergarten through second
grade, third through fifth grades, and sixth grade through high school.

     At the end of the school year, every student receives a report card.  The
teachers design their own methods for computing a grade, but all of them use
the following grade designations: excellent, good, satisfactory, and
unsatisfactory or needs improvement.  Most of them do not emphasize grades,
but feel that the students work harder if they receive grades.  The
extracurricular classes have their own reward systems.  Students who excel in
music can join the children's choir sponsored by the Korean Baptist Church.
The martial arts class follows a system used by all karate schools in which
different colored belts represent levels of achievement, the highest being a
black belt and the lowest being white.

     Students who have done especially well in their classes receive
certificates of achievement.  At the 1982 graduation ceremony the names of
those students receiving certificates were read to the audience while the
students stood and were applauded.  One child received an award for being the
best student in the school, and another for making the most progress.
Students graduate from Korean school when they finish American school,
regardless of their Korean language skills.  At that time they receive a
diploma stating that they have attended the language program.

     The school calendar parallels the one used by American public schools.
The First Korean School usually starts classes in early September and ends
them in early June.  The administration plans for forty Saturdays of school,
with five or six holidays.  American public holidays are recognized but not
celebrated by the school as a whole.  Christian holidays, Christmas and Easter
are usually marked by some classroom activities.  The only holidays celebrated
by the entire school are two Korean ones: Chusok, the fall harvest festival,
and Korean Independence Day on March 1.  The school holds assemblies and
parties to celebrate them.

     Two issues frequently mentioned by the faculty are the emphasis given to
the amount of knowledge a child should be expected to learn and the use of
English in the classroom.  Both are related to the school's desire to impart
an understanding and love for Korean heritage to the students.  Most of the
teachers feel that language is a way to transmit those feelings and should not
be an end in itself.  The amount and quality of language skills are not as
important as the attitudes a student has toward his ethnic identity and
heritage.  Classes, therefore, should be enjoyable, interesting for the
students, and not too demanding.  "They are so busy, and they are just little
children.  I don't want to give them too much work because, if I do, they will
have no time to play, and they will hate Korean school," says one of the
Special Class teachers.  The amount of English used in the classroom is
resolved individually by each teacher.  Principal Lee encourages them to speak
Korean at all times, but recognizes that the students' level of comprehension
makes it difficult:

If talk completely in Korean, they cannot catch [the meaning and] feelings.
So sometimes, [for] important things, we explain in American.  But, basically,
we have [emphasize] learning the Korean tongue, so, if possible, have to use
Korean.  (ES82-LL-R22)

     Most of the teachers try to speak primarily Korean in class, but find
that they need English to explain vocabulary words and ideas and, sometimes,
simply to keep the students' interest.  "When I speak only Korean, they don't
understand, and they get bored and don't learn," says Ok-Kyung Kim.  "But when
I use English, they are interested and can ask questions.  Then they learn."
(Interview 5/22/82)

     Mr. Lee also feels that it is more important that the students gain an
appreciation for their heritage than that they speak the language fluently.
As he notes:

Sometimes they [teachers] explain in English, because they [students] cannot
catch [understand], and they hate Korean.  So if youngest are this way when
they grow up, they cannot choose [to appreciate their heritage], and they will
always hate Korean.  So [we] have to pay attention to make [learning Korean]
interesting.  (ES82-LL-R22)

     Plans for the future of the school include adding more subjects to the
curriculum and expanding the extracurricular program.  Mr. Lee is presently
searching for someone to direct a school and community orchestra.  He hopes to
offer classes that would provide technical training and teach useful job
skills, such as automobile maintenance and printing, and is also interested in
starting hobby courses for adults and senior citizens.  Several members of the
school's faculty are presently working with a national association of Korean
educators to design textbooks suitable for Korean American students.  They
hope that the books will be ready for publication within the next two years.

Teachers

     In its first year the faculty of the First Korean School consisted of six
teachers, three of whom are still with the school.  The first teachers
included Mr. Han-Il Lee, Miss Kwak, Mr. Chang, and Miss Pak, all of whom
taught the language classes.  In addition, Mrs. Kwun taught music and Mr. Kim
taught taekwondo (Korean martial arts).  Mr. Kim continued with the school,
teaching the high school class, and Miss Kwak now teaches the fourth grade.
Mr. Lee, the principal, also teaches as a substitute.

     The faculty now numbers thirteen teachers, although the number tends to
fluctuate during the school year as teachers find they cannot afford the time
and energy required, or move away.  Appendix I provides information about the
teachers employed during the spring semester of 1982.

     A large number of the faculty and administration are members of the First
Korean Baptist Church.  While membership is not a requirement for hiring, the
administration is concerned that the faculty share their values, many of which
are based on a Christian belief system.

     The school does not formally train its teachers or set requirements
regarding the experience and background for hiring, but the administration
does try to select teachers with previous training and experience.  Most of
the teachers are highly qualified for elementary and middle school teaching.
At least seven have formal training in education from American or Korean
institutions, and most of the teachers have had some experience working with
children.  Those who lack formal training or previous teaching experience
compensate with understanding and concern for the students and with their
commitment to the school.

     Very few of the teachers have specific training for language education.
Mr. Park, the junior high school teacher, is the only one involved
professionally in teaching the Korean language.  Some say that their previous
teaching helps them in dealing with the children and structuring their
classes, but not particularly with teaching the Korean language.  Most find
that their task is further complicated by the need to teach cultural values
and heritage as well as language.

     The principal provides guidelines for the classes, but the actual class
development is left to the individual teacher.  The faculty meets occasionally
to plan the curriculum, discuss teaching methods, and gather teaching
materials.  The faculty usually meets with the principal briefly after the
morning assembly to discuss immediate concerns and to exchange information.
Teachers often gather informally during their morning breaks in the
administrative office.  This free interaction seems to create a good
atmosphere among the faculty and administration.  No single individual acts as
an authority or expert; rather, all work together to develop the best possible
teaching methods and materials.  The Special Class, for example, resulted from
the faculty's recognizing a need and designing a way to fulfill it.

     While teaching Korean language is the primary emphasis of the classes,
the more immediate concern of many of the teachers is maintaining the
children's interest.  Some do so by presenting lessons as games, or by
changing activities whenever they sense boredom or fatigue among their
students.  Others try to create a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere.  For
example, the junior high school teacher purchased Ping-Pong equipment for his
class to use during breaks, and another teacher periodically takes her class
outside for a change of scenery.

     Some of the teachers are concerned about discipline in the classrooms.
One felt that the children, particularly the younger ones, lack discipline at
home and in American school and need to receive a firm hand at the Korean
school.  Other teachers tended to be more tolerant in their judgments and
expectations.  Most agreed that the Korean language is demanding and that many
of the children find it difficult.  Their restlessness in class, they felt, is
due more to the nature of the subject and the fact that it is Saturday than to
a lack of discipline.

     The second grade teacher, Mrs. Kim, proposed another reason behind her
class' somewhat boisterous behavior:

They feel at home here.  They're with children who are the same color, and
many of them are their friends.  Everybody is speaking the language they hear
at home.  It's not like at American school, where they feel they're a little
bit different.  Here they can be themselves.  That's why they're a little
noisy.  (Interview 4/3/82)

     During my observations of the classes I felt that the teachers were
tolerant of students' behavior, but not lax.  They usually allowed some degree
of play and freedom among the students, but the classes never seemed out of
control.  If the class did become too noisy, the teachers usually quieted it
by clapping their hands and calling for attention, or by speaking directly to
the child.  Discipline was always administered with good humor and affection.

     The teachers' reasons for teaching at the Korean school are primarily
altruistic.  Some of the stated reasons include a feeling of responsibility
toward the next generation, concern for the ethnic identity of the youth and
the possible problems resulting from a lack of ethnic identity, concern for
the future economic, social, and emotional welfare of the Korean community in
the United States, and a love for Korean culture.  Also mentioned were a sense
of Christian duty to guide youth in the right direction, a calling to teach,
and a love for children.  Most of the faculty said that they consider their
teaching to be a service to the Korean community and that their job is a way
to provide role models for Korean values.  "The teachers are really
volunteers," says Mr. Lee.  "The salary doesn't pay for anything - except gas
money.  So the teachers have to have a real [commitment]."  (ES82-LL-R22)

Students

     Forty-five students registered for classes in the school's first year.
By spring 1982 a total of 151 students from 86 different families were listed
in the school directory.  All of the students live in Maryland, most of them
in middle-class, suburban areas fairly close to the school.  The student body
includes both members and non-members of the First Korean Baptist Church.

     Most of the students at the First Korean School are between the ages of
five and fourteen, although there were some who were older and younger.  These
ages correspond to American public school grades kindergarten through eighth
grade.

     A large number of the students seemed to be full-blooded Koreans.  At
least two were adopted and several came from mixed marriages.  Most of the
children who were not full-blooded Korean attended the Special Class, where
they were learning basic vocabulary and grammar.  Although no official count
has been made, most of the faculty agreed that all of the schoolchildren had
either been born in the United States or had spent the majority of their lives
here.

     All the children I observed spoke English fluently, and many of them
consider it their first language.  One teacher suggested that perhaps 50
percent of the children speak Korean at home.  He also observed that it is
more likely for a child to be fluent in Korean if the grandparents live with
the family.  Among themselves the students usually spoke English.  They also
called each other by their American names rather than the Korean ones used by
the teachers.  All of them wore American clothing to school.  I saw Korean
clothes only at special events, and only a small number of children (usually
girls) wore them then.

     In general, the students seemed very Americanized.  "The children look
Korean, have Korean skin color and eyes," says Mr. Kim.  "But their thinking
and customs are American.  [I] think these children [are] not Korean; they're
American."  (ES82-LL-R11)

     The majority of the students said they disliked attending Korean school,
claiming that they came only because their parents insisted.  Some complained
that school was boring; others that it was too difficult.  Several said they
were tired of classes after five days of American school, and some wanted to
watch Saturday morning television.  Others had conflicts between Korean school
and community activities, such as Little League baseball.  Nevertheless, most
of them have fun at school.  Many were friends with their classmates and
seemed to like their teachers.  They also appeared to enjoy the non-language
classes.  Martial arts, in particular, elicited keen enthusiasm.

     Most of the students seemed very aware of their "Korean-ness" and tended
to accept it matter-of-factly.  One teenager said that it was impossible for
him not to acknowledge his heritage because his looks are Asian.  He feels
like an American, eats American food, has American friends, and speaks English
fluently.  But he recognizes that some aspects of his life differ greatly from
the lives of his friends.  For example, he likes Korean food and wants to
marry a Korean girl so that his wife can prepare it for him at home.

     Another teenager wanted to learn Korean so that she could participate in
the Korean students' group at the university she planned to attend.  She
thought that she would feel more comfortable with other Korean and
Korean-American students, even though she spoke fluent English, because they
would share her cultural background and values.

     Korean and Korean-American children tend to fit easily into the American
ideals of behavior and success.  Many of them excel in American schools and
hope to continue their education at prestigious institutions, such as Harvard,
MIT, and Yale.  Of the Korean-American children I spoke to, approximately 90
percent said they make straight A's on their report cards for American school.
The same percentage said they plan on attending college.  About half the
children said they want a career in one of the medical professions.  Striving
for success is partly due to respect for their parents' wishes - many see
their parents sacrificing for the children's futures but it also reflects
Korean values that encourage hard work, achievement, and material and academic
success.

Parents

     The parents of the students at the Korean school represent a wide range
of professions, as well as economic and educational levels.  The school has
purposely structured its fees so as not to be a financial burden.  It also
offers conveniences, such as the van service, so that minimal effort is
required from the parents.

     The administration and faculty feel that one of their tasks is to educate
the parents about the need to maintain and transmit an appreciation for their
Korean heritage in the home.  The school cannot achieve its purpose without
the support of the parents; Korean language, in particular, cannot be taught
without some reinforcement in the home.

     Parents' involvement with the Korean school seemed to be minimal, often
because of conflicting work schedules.  According to the faculty, parents
often help the children with their homework, but relatively few assist at the
school itself.  Some help out by substitute teaching, bringing snacks, and
forming car pools.  A parents organization associated with the First Korean
Baptist Church exists, but is not very active.  Most of the parents are too
busy to participate.  Many of them hold two jobs, or run their own business,
often working twelve or more hours a day.  Some parents that I talked to said
they would like to be more active, but need to get financially established
first.  The church group meets about once a year to discuss the role of the
school and current concerns of the parents.

     The reason most often given by parents for sending their children to the
school is that it would be a shame for them to not know their own heritage.
They worry that the children will lack a strong sense of identity and pride in
their heritage, both of which may create obstacles for them in achieving a
successful and fulfilled life.  The parents are also concerned about the
maintenance of the family identity: they want the family name to be honored,
and they want the children to know their ancestors.  Communication between
generations is particularly important, and some parents felt that their
children were adapting too well to American values and customs.  While Koreans
do not officially practice ancestor worship, reverence for ancestors is an
integral part of the culture.

     Most Korean parents seem to demand a lot from their children.  Their high
expectations stem from several factors.  Traditional Korean values stress
achievement and place responsibility on children to bring honor and respect to
the family name.  Children are seen as the hope of the future; the child will
take care of the parents in their old age and will continue the family line,
insuring that the family name survives into the future.

     The parents recognized that the children complain about attending school
and learning Korean, but they felt that the children would appreciate the
training when they were grown.  Several parents who do not send their children
to the school said they were concerned about demanding too much from them.
Some felt that their children needed to concentrate on learning English,
studying for American school, and participating in other activities, such as
music lessons.  Others said that forcing their children to attend would
produce negative reactions to their Korean heritage.

Conclusions

     The First Korean School directly reflects the concerns of the adult
generation of Korean immigrants and Korean-Americans in the Washington area.
These concerns are not limited to transmission of cultural heritage, but
include the Immediate and future welfare of Korean-American children.  Nor are
the individuals involved in the school limited to a select group within the
Korean community.  The school's administrators and faculty hold a range of
educational and occupational credentials, and the larger community displays
its support through the continued enrollment of its children.

     Since its creation in 1977 the First Korean School has grown to
approximately four times the size of its original student body and faculty.
At least four factors are responsible for this growth.

     First is the commitment and determination of the individuals who
organized and developed the school.  Their continuing efforts to create an
effective educational program have attracted support increasingly from the
Korean community.

     Another factor is the continued support of the First Korean Baptist
Church.  The building added by the church in 1980 has enabled the school to
expand its classes and accommodate more students, while the free rent and
utilities provided by the church have allowed the tuition fees to be used for
other expenses.

     A third factor in the school's success is the nature of the Washington
area Korean-American community and its high degree of ethnic awareness.  The
community is proud of its heritage and has developed strong networks between
its members through a variety of occupational, social, and religious
organizations.  It has also been settled in Washington long enough for its
members to acquire a measure of economic stability, enabling the community to
support - both financially and socially - the maintenance of ethnic language.
Many have also been here long enough to realize that such language maintenance
is not a luxury but a necessity.

     A final factor is the school's concern with meeting the immediate and
long-term needs of its students by shaping them into good Korean-American
citizens.  It attempts to achieve this goal by instilling good values and
healthy attitudes, by encouraging the children to set high goals for
themselves, and by providing an environment in which they can confront and
explore their ethnicity.  The administration feels that possessing knowledge
of their heritage is essential for the children to develop strong, positive
self-images, which are vital to their becoming good citizens.  The school
emphasizes the Korean language as a means both of transmitting a cultural
heritage and maintaining strong family ties, which form the basis of social
responsibility.

     Being Korean in America requires more than simply speaking and
understanding the Korean language.  Most Koreans consider a degree of
acculturation to be inevitable if their children are to succeed in this
society.  They try, therefore, to expose them to the best of both worlds.
They consider an appreciation for the arts, both Eastern and Western,
important.  The school includes music, dance, and martial arts in its
curriculum.  The inclusion in the curriculum of such things as the SAT classes
demonstrates the value placed on achievement and success, an additional aspect
of the Korean-American identity.

     In conclusion, the school tries to instill a sense of ethnic identity in
its students, while simultaneously assisting them to adapt to American life.

     Rather than seeing these as conflicting goals, the school considers them
necessary and complementary processes in the children's development into
honorable individuals.  Furthermore, the school recognizes that the children
will never be wholly Korean nor wholly American, but will have to forge an
identity for themselves as Korean-Americans.  The school hopes its efforts
will provide resources for that task.

     Profile of Teachers at the First Korean School

     Mrs. Wol-Jin Ahn, the kindergarten teacher, has been a principal and
elementary school teacher for forty years.  She has lived in the United States
for four years.

     Miss Koh, who teaches first grade, has taught in a day care center and as
a substitute teacher.  She has been in the United States for three years and
is studying education at the University of Maryland.

     Mrs. In-Ok Kim teaches second grade and has previously taught in Korean
Sunday school.  She is a dental technician who has lived in the United States
over ten years.

     Mr. Young-Woon Koh, the third grade teacher, has taught Korean tub school
for twenty years.  He has a degree in math and is a teacher's aid by
profession.  He has been here three years.

     Miss Boon-Yi Kwak teaches fourth grade.

Miss Young-a Kim is the fifth grade teacher.

     Mr. Hwang Noh, who teaches sixth grade, taught previously in Korean high
school and has been affiliated with the Korean board of education.  He works
for a private trading company, had arrived in this country five years ago.

     Mr. Hee-Kyu Park teaches the junior high school class.  He is a teacher
by profession and is a Korean language Instructor at the Foreign Service
Institute.

     Mr. Dong-Yull Kim, the senior high school teacher, has tutored students
in agriculture in the past.  He is a veterinarian.

     Mrs. Ok-Kyung Kim teaches the Special Class.

     Mrs. Shin Kong Ki, the music teacher, taught music in Korea as well.  She
is a piano teacher by profession who has lived in the United States for two
years.

     Mrs. Chang Soon Lee is the dance teacher.

     Mr. Myung-Chul Choi, the martial arts instructor, taught martial arts in
Korea.  He has a B.A. in sociology and has lived here six months.