The TICKET to global education
Mrs. Kahn’s second grade class was on the edge of their seats, waving their arms in the air in anticipation of being called on to give the answer to the math question. While these scene plays out in classrooms all over the country, what was unusual about this classroom is the lesson was being taught by a teacher certified in Korea who is student teaching in the Radcliffe School in Nutley. Jiyeon Park, a participant in the TICKET (Total Immersion Course for Korean English Teachers) program at Bloomfield College, taught the class in flawless English, displaying the patient and nurturing characteristics found in teachers everywhere. A few months ago, she arrived in the United States with a good command of the English language and now is teaching that subject in an American school.
Dr. Sung Guk Chung, deputy superintendent of education in Korea, was visiting and observing his teachers in action at both Radcliffe Elementary School and Spring Garden Elementary School. He is pleased with the reception by the district and students of his teachers and satisfied with the results of the TICKET program.
Joseph Zarra, superintendent of the Nutley School District is entirely positive about bringing the Korean teachers to his district. “This opportunity gives our students a global perspective and a chance to learn about another culture first hand. Pairing our teachers with their Korean counterparts shows that teachers have universal characteristics and helps break down the cultural barriers,” he offers. After observing a second and a third grade class he reported that both guest teachers did very well. “The students love this experience,” he says.
In Mrs. Hagert’s third-grade class, Seonghee Kim was teaching the students about plural nouns. Ms. Kim used several visuals and interactive learning methods to encourage the children to participate in the lesson. She praised those with correct answers and gently corrected those that were not, including praise when the correct answer was found.
According to Hagert, “Having Seonghee in my classroom is a wonderful experience for both my students and me. We have discovered similarities in teaching methods, dealing with children, and getting all the teaching in! The students are very accepting of her and it is helpful to have another adult in the classroom.” Mrs. Hagart participated in the same program last year and was eager to have a visiting teacher again. “We have gained so much by having our Korean guests in our classrooms,” she says. “Our students have received a very personal look at a culture half a world away and truly enjoy learning things like how to write their name using Korean characters.”
Radcliffe School Principal Michael Kearny fully approves of the TICKET program in his school. “This program offers benefits on many levels,” he explains. “The teachers have discovered universal characteristics of their profession and the students have become worldlier in their thinking – all of which leads to breaking down borders.”
Bloomfield College was asked by the Korean Ministry of Education to develop this program, which is the only higher education program in the nation of this intensity. The Korean teachers spend about five months, first in immersion-style English language classes, which include speaking, reading, writing, and idiomatic English and American teaching methods and then paired with their mentor teachers in several northern New Jersey school districts for practical experience. This is the second session of TICKET in which Nutley Public Schools has participated. Joseph Caporale, director for the American Language Center at Bloomfield College and the force behind the TICKET program, reports that the program has been so well received that it has been extended to other countries. “We are expecting a group of Chinese teachers soon and are looking forward to their experiences in American public schools,” he says.