First, a quick update on the transition to ICS-Pyeongtaek:
1 - The moving date for my belongings from my apartment and office has been set for June 4. I will head to Pyeongtaek a few days later on the evening of June 8. The dreaded packing has begun! :-)
2 - Things are looking better for the renewal of my Visa. I just need one more official document and then on the morning of June 9 will head to the Korean Immigration Office in Pyeongtaek with the ICS-P Administrative Assistant, Helen Lee. Thanks for continuing to pray that all will go smoothly and that I will be able to have the necessary documents returned to me so that I can head back to the States on June 22 for a brief respite.
3 - Between June 9 and 22, I will be able to spend time with the current Director at ICS-P, Mr. Bob Newman. I am praying that this will be a profitable time and a time that will answer many questions and allow me to prepare for a smooth beginning and transition with the staff at ICS-P.
4 - God continues to provide each step of the way and I appreciate your prayers and support.
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Second, I will try to briefly share some of the highlights of this past week at YISS:
* Quarter Four Progress Reports were sent processed, checked, and sent home to parents.
* This past week at YISS was Celebrate Korea Awareness Week. So many activities took place for our students in the elementary school. There was something for some certain grades each day. Kindergarten cherubs made Kim Bop! Grade One students were involved in learning and playing traditional Korean games! Grades 3, 4 and 5 each took field trips to various historic and traditional Korean landmarks. Grade 5's trip was an all-day Seoul City Bus Tour. I wasn't able to go, but I have heard so many great reports from students and teachers that I want to take one of these some day. You get on the bus and travel to numerous historic Korean landmarks. You get off the bus and spend some time there and then get back on to travel to another sight! I wish I could have attended each of the special trips, but that was not possible with everything else this past week. Below are some pictures of Grade 1 students learning and playing some of the Korean traditional games.
Grade 1 cherubs listening to parents explain the various Korean
games that they would be playing.
Gonggi!
Some cherubs playing Gonggi!
The famous Yut-Nori! This is one of the first Korean games I learned back in 2008!
The two pictures above are of some first graders playing Yut-Nori!
Instructions for Tuho!
Cade trying his skill at Tuho!
Directions for Gul Lung Shui!
First Grade students trying the game of Gul Lung Shui!
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* A celebration lunch for our Elementary Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Yoo on Tuesday! The elementary principals took our wonderful administrative assistant out to lunch on Tuesday and then on Wednesday (actual day of Administrative Assistants' Day), teachers and students brought cards, gifts, and songs to the office to thank Mrs. Yoo for all of her excellent work! She is the best!!
Here we are leaving YISS and heading to enjoy our celebration lunch for Mrs. Yoo at Thai Garden.
Another picture of us preparing to enjoy our yummy Thai feast of goodies!
Some of the beauty that surrounds the YISS walkway and driveway!
More of the beauty.
Two fourth grade students brought this wonderful drawing with some
great thank you notes from their class for Mrs. Yoo.
Here is our delightful secretary, Mrs. Yoo, with her new BIG computer monitor! She loves it!
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* A very busy day on Friday as I was invited to several special happenings around the elementary school and high school!
To begin Friday, I attended the 2nd Grade "Poetry Picnic," a celebration of the unit on poetry reading and writing for grade 2 students. What a great group of creative second grade teachers we have! Parents, grandparents, teachers and principals were invited to the Poetry Picnic that was scheduled for four different hours for each of the four classes. What a fantastic time I had interacting with these cherubs as they presented their books of poetry (using many forms and styles), including illustrations, and shared what they have been learning. I was very impressed!
Entrance to the 2nd Grade Poetry Picnic!
Some of the parents, grandparents, and teachers who stopped by this class to enjoy the Poetry Picnic!
This little man, Uluc, is so proud of his work!
David captured my attention with the title of his poetry book, Baseball Top! We had a great time reading and interacting together!
I love the Simile Self-Portrait that Elias wrote! :-)
I had a most enjoyable time with this little guy, Aahan! He
loved sharing his Poetry Book with me! Here he is reading to
me his funniest poem! :-)
This little lady was such an articulate young lady. We had soooo much fun with her poems! Her teacher told me that this little lady's favorite part of the Poetry Picnic was when I stopped by and read with her!
This young man had both Mom and Dad present. He has grown sooo much since his year of kindergarten! So excited!
Tyler was so happy that both his Mom and his grandmother surprised him on Friday when they both came to the Poetry Picnic!
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Then I went to buy some real estate in the ELL (English Language Learners) class for third grade students. In Quarter 3, these third grade students were given a challenge by their ELL teacher, Mr. Lantz. Each was to design a dream house for Mr. Lantz and his family to live in. They had to write descriptions of each part of the house. In Quarter Four , the students wrote a persuasive essay trying to convince Mr. Lantz that he should buy their house. Mr. Lantz invited several of us to come as real estate buyers and listen to their persuasive speaking presentations. Then each of us decided (Mr. Lantz had given us the name of the student's house we were to buy) to purchase one of the houses for $1,000,000. We listened and asked questions and then after each student presented, we shared what we liked about the presentations and scored a rubric for them. Then we presented our seller with a "check" for $1,000,000! I was sooooo impressed with what Mr. Lantz has done with these students who were struggling to speak any English when they arrived at YISS, but were now able to give a presentation that I told them was better than some presentations I have heard from high school students! What a great time!
Above are three of the Grade 3 students in the ELL class who were trying to sell their dream homes! From left to right: Eric, Suoying, and Levin.
This is Eric trying to persuade me to purchase his dream home!
One of the main reasons I bought it was the "transforming bed!"
Here I am presenting Eric with his check for $1,000,000 and his Rubric!
All three sellers with their checks with their ELL teacher, Mr. Lantz and their classroom teacher, Mrs. Hannah!
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Then, in between some Poetry Picnic presentations, I went to hear a couple high school students present in their poetry recital in their English class. I have been building relationships with two of the Muslim boys in this class + another Korean-American young man. I was able to be present to hear Mohammad and Robert share their poems. My other young man, Saoud, had already presented his by the time I was able to get there so I was a little disappointed. Each student was to develop a poem using the theme "Reaching Forward." I was very impressed. Mohammad and Saoud always try to find me during the day to say hello and let me tease them. Robert and I have been building a relationship ever since he was in elementary school. I was delighted that in Robert's poem that he gave a clear poem about his faith in God and Jesus Christ without being offensive to the Muslim students in the class. Please pray for all three of these young men as I continue to get to know them. Please pray that Mohammad and Saoud will see Jesus in my life and want to accept Him. So sorry the two pics are not very clear. I didn't want to distract these young men while thy were reciting.
Above is my buddy, Mohammad, as he recites his poetry!
This is my friend, Robert, as he recites. To Robert's right is the back of Saoud's head. :-)
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* Friday evening Third Book Launch by Darren Farrell! My friend and author, Darren Farrell, had his book launch for his third children's book, Stop Following me, MOON!, on Friday evening at my favorite bookstore in Itaewon, "What the Book?" Darren has been to YISS for all three of his books. The last time he was there was when he had finished the final draft of this book but wanted to get involvement from our Kinder - Grade 3 students on illustrations. Our kids were actually the first group to have this third book read to them. Many of our students were in attendance at the Book Launch on Friday. Darren is excited about coming down to ICS-Pyeongtaek to do some author visits!
A couple of the cherubs posing with Darren Farrell at his Book Launch on Friday!
Darren autographing one of the three Stop Following Me, MOON! books I purchased.
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* After School Activities continue in full swing! Quarter Four After School Activities continue to take place. So many activities this quarter and the kids seem to be enjoying each of them. Our Grade 2A teacher, Ms. Kara Minor, teaches two after school activities: Math Games for Girls in Grade 2 and Mathe Games for Boys in Grade 2. The kids absolutely love increasing their skills in Math with Ms. Minor's creative and fun games! I stopped by the Math Games for the girls on Tuesday and took the following picture. I am not sure of all the rules of this game, but I will be returning to find out. These cherubs were having a grand time learning and they didn't even know they were learning!
Ms. Minor and two girls playing a Math Game on Tuesday!
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OK, I need to stop for now. Please continue to pray for me as the month of May is going to be VERY busy! Pray that I will take a day at a time and not stress about the packing. I really appreciate all of your love, care, emails, encouragement, prayers, and support. Thanks so much! Enjoy a great month of May!
Love, Gregg
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