Research-based Creative Teaching Strategies had its first international presentation in December 2009. The target audience was educators in Seoul, Korea and they responded to the program with rave reviews. Adrianne Roggenbuck, Master Trainer for The Bob Pike Group, provided the training to two different groups of educators representing classroom teachers and administrators from all grade levels.
The groups were very responsive to the strategies and techniques as they are encountering many of the same challenges that are familiar to US teachers. Their students seem less respectful and disengaged in their schoolwork. They don’t bring back their homework assignments and they all have cell phones and are constantly texting in class. Sound familiar? The teachers were hungry for strategies to get their students’ attention and keep them engaged for an entire lesson.
One of the major differences between Korea and the United States is the overwhelming emphasis Koreans place on education and student outcomes on national tests. South Korea has a 97 percent graduation rate. Parents of all socio-economic status expect their children to achieve high scores on the national exams and to go on to college. They are so committed to their children’s academic success that they hire tutors to work with them after the regular school day. These tutoring sessions often add up to six additional hours of study, four to five days a week. This is equivalent to another full day of schooling after the public school day and leaves little time for any nonacademic pursuits or sleep. As a result, there is a major problem with students falling asleep during their daytime classes.
During the two-day RCTS program, teachers experienced the instructor-led/learner-centered model of instructional design and delivery. All of the techniques were modeled first by Adrianne before the teachers were expected to design a plan for one of their own lessons. There was a high level of engagement and laughter which transcended the language barrier. The teachers left the sessions with new tools to implement and a renewed enthusiasm for designing engaging lessons to keep their students awake and ensure their academic success.
