Heesook Kim
Korean Language Program Teacher
PROFILE:
Heesook originally began working at the Korean Center as a Youth Program Coordinator in 2018 before learning about the King Sejong Institute. The moment she learned about KCI’s Korean Language Program, she knew she wanted to teach. While working as the Youth Program Coordinator, she got her Korean Teacher Certificate and started teaching afterwards.
Heesook a mother of two boys and has lived in San Francisco since 2003. In her free time, she enjoys helping with her sons’ sports games, crocheting, embroidering, reading, and has most recently began gardening.
What has been your experience teaching with KCI?
When I started teaching, it was in-person classes. Students were getting off from their work, rushing into the classroom tired and hungry, but they are very excited about learning Korean. By looking at those students with positive energy, I was very motivated to do my best to teach them. When the pandemic started, KCI was very quick to switch classes from in-person to online. It was hard at first. As a teacher, I had to learn and adjust to an online setting, and create class materials suited for online classes. Our students are very motivated and hard-working. They submit assignments on time, no missing classes and ask a lot of questions in class. I try my best to make their time worth it.
What do you think is the key to success when learning Korean?
We, students and teachers, are all adults. We know how to study and how to study better. I just want to add one thing on top of what the students are already doing: don’t be shy when speaking. For many of you, this three-hour class a week is the only chance to speak Korean. So, read out loud and speak Korean in class.
What do you think students struggle the most when it comes to learning Korean? Do you have any advice on how to overcome that?
When the level goes up, there is even more vocabulary to learn. For example, we learn numbers in Korean, both Sino and Native, in Korean Alphabet class. With these numbers, we learn dates, time, duration and so on. If the numbers are not in your head, it takes more time to say, “Two cups of coffee, please” (커피 두 잔 주세요), in the next level.
Memorize vocabulary!
As a teacher, have you yourself discovered or learned anything new about Korean language and culture while teaching?
King Sejong Institute has a great education program for teachers. I took advantage of that scholarship program, and took a two-year online course to obtain my Second Degree Korean Teacher Certificate. Besides Korean, that program gave me more in-depth knowledge of Korean cooking, history and music as well. Through this, I learned that language can not be explained without the culture around it.
Do you have a favorite Korean phrase or word?
‘배움에는 끝이 없다 – there is no limit on learning. We learn new things everyday whether we notice or not. There are always new fun things to learn. So don’t stop learning new things.
What is the most rewarding part of teaching Korean?
I really enjoy meeting my past Korean Alphabet class students after they reach a higher level. It’s great to see the progress of my students from the first class, and what they’ve learned by the end of semester. And when I receive an email from my previous student saying “Thank you for teaching me”.
We’re so glad to have Heesook as a teacher in our Korean Language Program! If you are interested in learning with Heesook, check out our classes and schedule.