[2020.04.18] Parent Newsletter (On/Offline class update)

뉴 잉 글 랜 드 한 국 학 교 

KOREAN SCHOOL OF NEW ENGLAND 

Dear Korean School of New England families, 

I can only imagine the difficulties each and every family is going through due to the current COVID-19  situation. 

First of all, I’d like to extend my wishes to all of our families and hope we all stay healthy and endure  through these trying times. On March 7, due to the prolonged impact of COVID-19, we switched to online  and offline classes. This week marks our 8th week of these classes.  

We would like to sincerely thank parents’ cooperation and generous understanding despite the difficult  environment, which made it possible for our teachers to diligently prepare and provide an education for  our students.  

We ask for parents to continue their extraordinary support of our teachers. The following is a progress  report of each course constructed after last week’s classes. 

Principal Il Nam’s Academic Calendar Report: The spring semester academic calendar has been decided  as follows. 

● Classes will be held on April 25 but not on May 23 (holiday) 

● Last day: June 13 

○ Each class will hold separate ceremonies  

○ Alternatively, we are currently discussing if it is possible to have a school-wide ceremony online ● Final Assessment Test: Each course will have its own testing method and schedule. We will notify  you again once final decisions on details are made. 

● 2020 Graduation Ceremony: We will produce commemorative yearbooks and once the fall  semester starts in September, we will set a date for the ceremony.  

<1> Basics 1, 2 Course Report (Leader Ms. Hee Hyun Kim) 

1) Byungarli Class (Ms. Hyun-Seok Lee): Video instructions for crafts are sent home weekly. 2) Haenim Class (Ms. Jin-Hee Jung) / Dalnim Class (Ms. Hyun-Kyung Lee)  

 - Due to the students’ young age and high numbers, they are split into 2 separate classes held  through Zoom  

 - Every other week, has music lesson through Zoom 

 - Considering having small group Zoom meetings for end-of-semester learning evaluation (check  students’ development with language comprehension, speaking, etc.) 

3) Toggi Class (Ms. Jina Kim) / Geobugi Class (Ms. Hee Hyun Kim) 

 - Produce videos of class content 

 - Holds weekly classes through YouTube at 9:30AM(recommended) 

 - Weekly 40-minute live music classes through Zoom 

 - The first 10 minutes of the Zoom music classes is devoted to the homeroom teachers to have two-way communication between teachers and students, and used as a riddles quiz and spelling test time as well.  - Final Assessment ‘Urimal’ Test:  

 - Numbers, colors, consonant spelling test through Zoom 

 - Under consultation with parents, the assessment will be given at home 

<2> Basics 3,4 Course Report (Leader Ms. Sung Hee Lee) 

1) Last week, Nolbu Class (Ms. Hye-Roun Kim) had a Zoom pilot class 

2) Writing class will start on April 18 through Zoom, and we plan to conduct a portion of Basics 4 Course 

class through Zoom right afterwards 

3) Basics-3 course (Geumdokki Class/Ms. Eun Ha Whang, Eundokki Class/Ms. Hye Jin Um):  Conducting video lessons. We plan to have homeroom teachers attend the bi-weekly music  classes to interact with the students 

4) We are currently still discussing how to administer the Urimal Test → We are considering  alternative methods such as reflecting class material and homework submissions in the  evaluation and replacing the test with a “Create Your Own Evaluation”  

5) After the Basics 4 course’s (Heungbu Class/Nolbu Class) writing classes (Ms. Seung Hyun Lee), we plan on having music classes in May.  

6) We are discussing moving the date for the June 13th Closing Ceremony. We are also deciding if the  ceremony will be held by individual classes through zoom or with the whole school conducted by the  principal. 

<3> Beginner 1~3 Course Report (Leader Ms. Min Jung Joo) & Writing Education Report (Leader Ms.  Katherine Lee) 

1) Goguryeo Class (Ms. Min Jung Joo): We started online writing classes, the students  enjoyed the class and the overall learning atmosphere was very good.  

2) Silla-1 (Ms. Soon Joo Hong), Silla-2 (Ms. Ji-Yeon Kim), Baekje-1 (Ms. Mi-Hee Park), Baekje-2  (Ms. Bo Ram Park) & Goguryeo Class: All class content, Teacher materials, and instructional  guidance are sent to teachers by email. The school website is being consistently updated.  

3) Both Beginner course classes and Beginner course writing classes (taught by Ms. Mi Sun Yu,  Ms. Ja-Young Kim & Ms. Jung Ja Kim) are conducted online. 

4) Beginner Course & Writing Education Department’s meeting on the Urimal Test   - Reflect attendance and material submission rate in evaluation  

 - Considering using alternatives such as using the Final Assessment ‘Urimal’ Test preparation materials  to make a project 

5) Writing Education: Decided to tally up the weekly writing homework submissions and scores and  include them in the Final Assessment ‘Urimal’ evaluation.  

6) Academic Calendar: We have decided to hold classes on 4/25, which was originally spring break.  

<4> Intermediate 1~3 Course Report (Leader Kim So-Hee) 

1) Joseon Class (Ms. Seung-Yeon Kang) & Hanguk Class (Ms. So Hee Kim): Zoom online classes are in  progress, with all students attending 

2) Goryeo Class (Mr. Jin Tai Cho): Class material & homework upload is currently through YouTube.  We will soon meet with students online through Zoom.  

3) Spring semester Urimal Test method discussions: Pass/Fail evaluation & plan to replace the test with  3 small projects per class 

 - Goryeo Class (Writing class essay, history questions through Google Forms, history essay)  - Joseon Class (Sculpture project, history essay, essay on class material) 

 - Hanguk Class (History essay, essay on democracy, Google Forms quiz on class material) 4) After following the progress of online classes, we are noticed the report card form needs to be simplified  based on online class participation and attitude. 

5) History class progress:  

 - Will finish important content up to King Cheoljong 

 - Gyeongshin famine 

 - Achievements of King Young/Jungjo, Tangpyeong Book, Jeong Yak Yong (Suwon Hwaseong Fortress,  Geojunggi) 

 - Emergence of new disciplines (Silhak, Catholicism, Donghak) 

 - Social culture (Korean novel Hong Gil-Dong, Pansori, Shin Yun-Bok, Kim Hong-Do, women’s rights)

<5> Advanced 1~3 Course Report (Principal Il Nam) 

1) Geumkang Class (Ms. Min-Hee Ryu), Halla Class (Ms. Eun-Ah Kim), Baekdu Class (Principal Il Nam):  Each class is holding efficient online classes for 3 hours from 9:30~12:40 

2) All 3 classes have 100% attendance and all students have been actively participating and adjusting well 3) Writing / reading & translating classes: Geumgang, Halla, and Baekdu Classes write, read, and  translate in class about realistic topics given  

4) Submission and evaluation of assignments: revisions and scores are reflected through Google Class  and Google Docs 

5) Baekdu Class (Graduating Class): Plan to produce a collection of Baekdu Class’s submitted writings  and translations to commemorate their graduation. 

<6> Sejong Course & Adult Class Course Report 

1) Apple Class (Ms. Ueda Tae & Ms. Eunsun Stearn):  

 - Learning vowels one by one every week. On the 11th, we will progress through “ㅠ"  - Emailing writing class materials 

 - Producing around 2 YouTube videos every week, that we recommend families to watch at home 2) Plum Class (Ms. Min Jung Kim): 

 - Learning double vowels and numbers, and using the textbook to send sentence and conversation  assignments through email  

 - YouTube video materials and storybooks related to double vowels are sent as well  - For activity material, we send Fun Korean materials 

3) Pilot Program(Podoh & Subahk Class (Ms. Sun-Hee Park, Miss. Ji-Yeon, Ms. Jonghyun Jo):  - Animals in the air: birds 

 1 Sparrow - tweet tweet Owl - hoot hoot 

 2 Eagle - Its wings are big Seagull - It lives at the seaside  

 - Sea animals 

 1. Fish - It has fins Whale - It is very big Shark - It has sharp teeth 

 2. Octopus - It doesn’t have bones Starfish - star-shaped  

 3. Penguin - waddle waddle Turtle - crawl crawl 

 Grouped up later to connect with material learned before 

 1. Birds fly. Birds have beaks 

 2. Fishes swim. Turtles crawl 

4) Adult Class (Mr. Cheol Lin Park): The adult class is planning to soon prepare online classes as well.  

<7> Culture Education Department Report (Leader Ms. Clare Sung) 

1) Basics 2: Rabbit / Turtle Class (Guided by Ms. Chae-Song Seo): Every Saturday, 45 minutes of  lessons are held through Zoom. 

2) Basics 1: Haenim / Dalnim Class (Guided by Ms. Younglong Chang): Each class has class every  other week though Zoom 

3) Basic 3: Gold Axe / Silver Axe Class (Guided by Ms. Young Long Cjang): Plan to have class every  other week through Zoom starting this week 

4) Pilot Program: Podoh & Subahk Class (Guided by Ms. Clare Sung): Online classes are held every  Saturday 

5) Samulnori Class (Guided by Ms. Kyung Sun Kim): Consulting with the Geumgang Class teacher 

Korean School of New England 

 

Principal Il Nam & Teachers’ Association