Friday, April 6

We started the day with a visit to a private school near Seosan.  The school has 900 students from first grade through high school.  (Note: Koreans count their years of school differently than in the US.  They count from grade one to whatever the last year of a particular level of school is.  For example, school begins with the first grade and continues through 6th grade in elementary school; when the students start middle school, they start again with "first grade," then again in high school.)  We started the day with a visit to a private school near Seosan.  The school has 900 students from first grade through high school.  (Note: Koreans count their years of school differently than in the US.  They count from grade one to whatever the last year of a particular level of school is.  For example, school begins with the first grade and continues through 5th or 6th grade in elementary school; when the students start middle school, they start again with "first grade," then again in high school.)  It has 85 teachers (compare that ratio to the ratios Virginia public school teachers must contend with). Technology in the school was state of the art: tvs in most rooms, computers and projectors as teaching aids, a golfing center with virtual golf, etc.  The school was modeled after Eton prep school in England, a very ambitious model.

We enjoyed seeing artwork done by the students (very impressive), participating in a martial arts class, and seeing some of the teaching methods.  We met upper school students, who were able to ask us some questions in their very best English...they did well, though they weren't always easy for us to understand.

We had a delicious lunch in the school cafeteria, then departed for a visit to the Seosan post office.  We met the postmaster, got some explanation about the Korean postwl system, and got a tour.  We didn't see much evidence of high technology being used in the system...not sure if that happens elsewhere, or they just don't use technology as much in the sorting of mail.

Next we visited a space technology museum.  After some explanation, we looked through two telescopes at the sun, one to see sun spots and one to look for solar flares.  We then watched a movie on the solar system (I THINK, since I dozed off through much of it!), followed by a virtual roller coaster ride through space, which was pretty cool.

We finished the day with a Korean dinner, then all the team members moved into new digs at the Lee's country house. s (compare that ratio to the ratios Virginia public school teachers must contend with). Technology in the school was state of the art: tvs in most rooms, computers and projectors as teaching aids, a golfing center with virtual golf, etc.  The school was modeled after Eton prep school in England, a very ambitious model.

We enjoyed seeing artwork done by the students (very impressive), participating in a martial arts class, and seeing some of the teaching methods.  We met upper school students, who were able to ask us some questions in their very best English...they did well, though they weren't always easy for us to understand.

We had a delicious lunch in the school cafeteria, then departed for a visit to the Seosan post office.  We met the postmaster, got some explanation about the Korean postwl system, and got a tour.  We didn't see much evidence of high technology being used in the system...not sure if that happens elsewhere, or they just don't use technology as much in the sorting of mail.

Next we visited a space technology museum.  After some explanation, we looked through two telescopes at the sun, one to see sun spots and one to look for solar flares.  We then watched a movie on the solar system (I THINK, since I dozed off through much of it!), followed by a virtual roller coaster ride through space, which was pretty cool.

We finished the day with a Korean dinner, then all the team members moved into new digs at the Lee's country house.