Your Local Independent - The Hastings and The Macleay
Thursday 7 January, 2016
A global circle of friends “
Her students never fail to be impressed by the big night sky, seeing the Southern Cross, the beautiful beaches and the amazing amount of wildlife
Top photo: (L to R back) Korean teacher Jihye Ahn, teacher Lina Jackson, Korean students Da - in Jung, Ji-yeon Kim, Ga Hyun Ahn, Ji-yun Lim, Ha-ram Go. Tacking point students (L to R front) Ava Globits, Monique Fonyodi, Aiden Jones, Alex Zavone, Harper Murray and teacher Karen Jones. Bottom photo: Tacking Point students Bella Riches, Paxton Lane, Charlotte Memmott and Bailey Stevens learn a Korean tea ceremony with Korean teacher, Jihye Ahn.
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By CHRISTINA PARKIN A RECENT visit to Tacking Point Public School by a South Korean teacher and five Year 5 and 6 students for a homestay and school visit, was officially recognised by a signing of a Sister School Memorandum of Understanding via videoconference and a South Korean tea ceremony. It is the third year a party from South Korea’s fifth largest city in Daejon have spent time on the coast. Hakha Elementary School teacher, Ahn Jihye, said her students never fail to be impressed by the big night sky, seeing the Southern Cross, the beautiful beaches and the amazing amount of wildlife, like koalas and birds, in the school area. Ms Ahn said the Korean students found some things very different, like Australian school and study hours and contending with insects in the home. Ms Ahn presented the school with a traditional South Korean tea ceremony set and enjoyed displaying how tea is served in a Korean
setting to the young students. Tacking Point Public students are yet to take the flight north, but through regular videoconferences they are developing a strong bond with their sister school partners and have an understanding of Korean culture and some words of the Korean language – Hangol. Tacking Point Public Asian Connexion coordinator, Karen Jones, said her rural students enjoy comparing their hometown with the surrounds of Hakha in Daejon, which crams together 1.5 million people, mostly in skyscraper apartment blocks. “The students are amazed by the city of Daejon and are inspired by the many projects and technology presentations through the year,” Ms Jones said. “We have cooked different foods, compared recreational activities and sports, chatted and presented and shared our similarities and differences. “Music is often performed and shared between
the schools on videoconference and our school band learned to play the South Korea National Anthem.” Ms Jones said that as well as building a better appreciation of each other’s cultures and opening
their minds to other people, students were developing confidence to converse through a live camera, to relax with distant friends and present different topics. When asked to identify differences that were remarkable to her, Ms Jones highlighted the personal discipline displayed by the Korean students and how much they highly value their teachers. “Korean schools have a focus on numeracy and literacy and any learning about arts or music is done after they have finished school for the day,” remarked Ms Jones. “Many of the students find it fascinating and personally connect to the point that many have kept in contact – the equivalent of an electronic penfriend.” South Korea ranks third in nations taking Australian exports, sixth delivering imports to Australia and is our fourth strongest trading partner. Ties between Australia and the emerging economic superpower are expected to strengthen further following the signing of the Free Trade Agreement by both nations.
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