My Experience With Teacher Appreciation An

Matt Binfield is a second grade teacher at Humphreys Central Elementary School and has been teaching for twenty-three years. He has been teaching in Korea for 13 years, and previously taught for three years in Okinawa and seven years in the United States, in Omaha. In Omaha, Binfield taught kindergarten and first grade. In Okinawa, he taught first and fourth grade. When he was hired by DODEA in 2011, he was hired to teach second grade and that is where he has dedicated himself. We caught up with Binfield at the PX where he took a moment to step in and buy cotton balls for his students’ school project. Here, Binfield shares with United on the RoK why he has stayed in Korea and why we should take every opportunity to lift each other up in the spotlight.

● Why did you decide to stay in Korea?

So when I first came to Korea in 2007, I was working in the Korean schools and it was very easy, it was an easy way of life. It wasn’t difficult to learn the language, you learn how to cope with the things you miss. In 2011, I was offered a position to teach second grade in DODEA. I stayed. I like the food, I know the language, I have a lot of Korean friends, so when I have problems, it’s a very easy, quick phone call to get whatever support I need, which makes it fairly easy for me to live here.

Then was also the change with DODEA. Until 2018, DODEA offered transfer rounds which meant you could apply to go to a different school or area. They don’t do that anymore so it’s best to accept a position where you see yourself being happy for a while.

● What is a special experience you have had at USAG Humphreys?

A couple years ago, the second graders at Central Elementary were given a prompt as part of their Opinion Writing Unit, to write about a favorite teacher. Their writings were put on display in the hallway and a bunch of the kids had written about me.

One day, I was teaching science, when I noticed two Military Police (MP) walking in our hallway and pacing back and forth. I stepped out to ask if they needed help and they asked if I knew a Mr. Binfield. I replied that it was me and they handed me an MP badge in recognition of the students' writings about me.

For the MPs, whose main job it is to protect our community, to read some opinion writings by 7 and 8 year-olds and celebrate the teacher who works with those students, it was a feeling of appreciation I hadn’t felt before.

Teachers love their students and their families. We are always grateful when we are appreciated, but when it’s from an outside source, it’s even more impactful. It’s not just teachers who need that feeling of appreciation, though. Our MPs, our first re- sponders, retail workers…everyone needs that feeling.

● How can we show appreciation?

Some ways to show appreciation to those around you without having to spend money include giving a heartfelt thanks, using basic pleasantries like please and thank you, giving compliments, a pat on the back (with permission) and the list can go on. February is Random Acts of Kindness Month and November is World Kindness Month — these are great reminders but you can show gratitude and kindness anytime!

As spring is beginning to bloom, use this time to bloom yourself and become more appreciative of those around you, no matter their job.

● Why does showing appreciation matter?

It is really important to show appreciation to people in our community because in this day and age, feeling appreciated and valued in our work space is a highly coveted feeling. In my field, education, that feeling is one that many teachers don’t get too often.

I have been nominated for Teacher of the Year a couple of times, but that also involves a lot of paperwork, and then that goes up to the district and the district makes the final decision. So receiving the MP patch was the most visible recognition that I have received here. It also gave me a small town feeling.

Having grown up in a small town, there’s the idea that things don’t change. For someone like me who likes change, being on Humphreys where things are constantly changing gives it a nice big city feel.

But then there’s the other small town feel, where people know you. Like the PX employees. One day there was a nice woman who said hi as I first walked in. She was one of my students in 2011 and she graduated last year. She was one of my favorite students. I got to see her grow up and graduate. It was really cool. So, when you are here for a long time, and you have students who are here for a long time, you get to see them grow up.

● What is your message to newcomers or people who are having a hard time getting settled?

I grew up with the mantra that misery is optional and if you are miserable, what can you do to make things not so miserable? There are plenty of things to go out to see and explore. If you are not comfortable going off base, there are things to do on base. Go to the shops, go to the movie theater, go bowling, go to church. If you really want to get out there and just try to do something else, I mean take a day and go hop on any bus, let it take you a few stops, get off and explore the area. If you can’t figure out the bus back, get a taxi, they’re easy to get around in. There’s always stuff going on like the international film festival coming up in early June that usually has a big K-pop concert. There is the sand sculpture festival in Busan this summer (Haeundae Sand Festival). There are places like Gyeongju. There’s so much to go out to see. The 63 building in Seoul is one of my favorite places to go. In my 13 years here, I’ve been in that place probably 25 times. Go and enjoy this wonderful country!

Have you ever walked into a new place, greeted an unfamiliar face and were met with pure warmth and kindheartedness? That warmth and emanating glow is Ellie. Ellie teaches cooking classes for both amateurs and professionals at the Food & Culture Korea in Seoul. My friend and I found her class by chance while searching online for one to take. Despite our tardiness (we felt awful), we were met by an extremely gracious Ellie who immediately made us feel at ease and donned us with our class aprons.

The Class

We opted to start out simple and chose to learn how to make Bulgogi, a pretty basic but delicious Korean dish. Ellie spoke to us about the choice of ingredients, how to ask for the sirloin to be cut at the