Concluding Post: An Open Letter to My Students

Dear my students,

How are you doing all? I hope all is well with you. I’m writing this letter after reflecting on my teaching I have been doing so far. Although I don’t remember all the things I’ve said or done, I do remember what I was thinking while I was with you. I really want to meet all of you in person and hear what you felt during the time we shared together. Did you know that I was concerned about what if I taught you something wrong? Even if I tried my best to fulfill what I thought I had to, there must have been mistakes and errors on what I said to you. Discovering mistakes and discussing together was also the part of our class. Sometimes we had to face our differences and tried to understand why they existed. It was natural that we thought differently because we were of different ages and had different backgrounds even though we shared the same time and space. Sometimes I struggled to adjust myself from time to time to see through your eyes. Let’s say, we all are riding in a different boat with a variety of sizes, colors and materials. Besides the tide and current where we are situated has its own level and velocity. That’s what I have in mind whenever I meet you. In fact, that’s one of my perspectives of life by which I understand people. Some of you may be riding in a fragile boat, while others are riding in a bit tough one. I try to grasp what kind of boat you are in as specifically as possible, because I would need to adjust myself between you and me, ultimately understanding better about you. Many of you often graciously invited me to your boat and we were headed toward the same direction. I remember saying good-bye when the time came and we both knew how hard it was to do that after sharing our time of life. Thank you for welcoming me to your life. I hope I could be of great help and guide in your journey of life.

I’ve always thought that a teacher is not just a job, but a calling. You know that how many great people had their own great teachers who had inspired and helped them to reveal their true beauty. Teaching comes with responsibility, commitment and blessing. By the way, I’d like to tell you how I became a teacher. I started teaching English when I was a college student. Since then I never stopped doing it, so it has been more than 15 years. I’ve experienced joy, frustration, excitement, disappointment, hesitation, pride, shame, confidence, regret, hope and so on. But most of the time, I feel deep gratitude for the time I’ve had. I think it wonderful meeting so many different people with different lives and learning from each and everyone. I didn’t think this way from the first place. I’ve been shaped and honed to have this perspective influenced by my life time mentor, Maureen Cameron who was a principal of a small independent school in West Vancouver, Canada. It was a huge blessing to me to meet such an inspirational person. I loved her so very much, so much. Her philosophy of education was “Love to Learn, Learn to Love”. She was the philosophy itself. I was deeply moved and inspired by her life. Her philosophy became a legacy to me and it still lives in me way after she passed away. I’ve wanted to live by that philosophy and I will. I want you to know that you are the ones who have given me strength and comfort to move forward with willingness whether you knew it or not. Your sincere words truly touch me and make something I took it for granted sparkle. I think that’s true for everyone. When they are true and sincere in their minds, then the truth and love will definitely inspire anyone who passes through.

Do you remember what I shared with you in class from time to time? I introduced all kinds of English-related materials: New York Times, Harvard Business Review, movie scripts, videos, great quotes by renowned scholars and the list goes on. We met people on the opposite side of the world through TED talks and discussed the meaning of life. Sometimes we enjoyed AFV(America’s funniest home videos) laughing hard and blowing away our stress. I feel really blessed to be an English teacher because our subject matter was not necessarily limited to linguistic aspect alone. Science, history, culture, arts, economics, politics, psychology, philosophy and the like were our playground. Our cross-topic discussion was the gem of our time. Even when we learned English grammar, it was another precious opportunity to learn the way of thought and logic in different culture in which the rules are embedded. I tried to tell you what’s important about learning. Another philosophy of education. “Learn to Think, Think to Learn.” For very long time, we have been “educated” through constant meaningless repetition, inculcation, and conformity to forced “truth”. We are independent and autonomous people only when we can think for ourselves and decide on our own. Well, to be honest, I cannot say that I have always been that self-fulfilling person. I’m trying to become closer to that, like I told you, paddling my boat.

   For me, learning is life. We are born imperfect and grow and mature to be more complete. What you need to remember is that we can learn something from anyone, anything in the world during our journey of life. That can be applied to you as well. You have something valuable inside of you. I thought my job is to make you feel and realize that. Let me tell you about a short anecdote when I was a high school student. There was a teacher of Chinese character who told me the difference between “teaching” and “learning” by using two Chinese characters symbolizing them. He emphasized the importance of “learning” saying this: “Look at these two letters.” He then wrote these two characters 敎(teach), 學(learn) on the board. To make the long story short, here’s his explanation.

It may sound like a similar situation but there’s a fundamental difference. Learning takes place in a more self-directed way. He stressed the point that we should be able to teach ourselves, not just awaiting something to be taught. This simple idea surely makes sense. Where there is “teaching”, “learning” does not necessarily take place. That is, learning will never happen until students try to discover and exert their efforts to know by themselves.

There have been countless moments that I feel blessed as a teacher. Among them, the most grateful moment would be that when you told me I am your role-model. How wonderful! But that made me think if I deserve to be called that way. It’s overwhelmingly amazing. I came to realize that when I strive to be a good student, then you I could be regarded as a good teacher. We are living in a world where education has become inseparable from our lives. For some it might mean a tool, others would think of it as a purpose. Whatever meaning people have for education, it definitely means part of a life. I’d like you to cherish your life as a learning opportunity to be a happy, self-fulfilling person. You have taught me that through your life. Thank you again, and love you million times. Take care my dear students and hope you find your dream!

All the best

Jihyeon Kim