2nd-graders video chat with S. Korean pen pals

by Daniel Bell Second-graders in a classroom at Unity Christian School had the unique opportunity to meet their pen pals face-to-face Thursday night, even though the youngsters they had been swapping letters with were thousands of miles away in Mokpo, South Korea.

Thanks to the wonder of high-speed Internet and webcams, two classes a world apart realized they had more in common than they would have thought. The video chat was a result of a pen pal program between the class of UCS teacher Ginger Slaughter and her sister-in-law Pam Weeks’ English class in South Korea.

“They have loved it,” said Slaughter. “When they got all the stuff in the mail that they sent us they really got excited.”

In addition to the letters, the Korean students sent photos, calendars, money, postcards and a copy of their alphabet. Students said they were excited to learn about students on the other side of the planet.

“I think it’s really cool and exciting to see people from across the world,” said Claire Sentell while holding a letter from her pen pal Minsu.

Claire said she told Minsu about her school and that her favorite food is macaroni. Minsu, in return, told Claire that her favorite food was pizza, her favorite animal is the squirrel and that her favorite story to read is “Beauty and the Beast.”

Slaughter said the main goal of the project was to expose the children to another culture. She said the students have had lessons in language and geography, but their exchanges with their fellow students have also taught them about traditional dress and customs.

Weeks said via video that her students have learned a lot during the project and had fun, too.

“This is a wonderful experience for my children,” she said.

Weeks told the UCS students Thursday night (or Friday morning her time) that students in South Korea go to school for 16 hours a day, year-round, and even on weekends. Weeks, a native of Cedar­town, said Mokpo reminds her a little of Fish Creek in Polk County. She teaches English and arts at the school in Korea.

Also during the chat, students from either country asked questions about sports, food and school. The Unity students were surprised to discover the Korean students liked some of the same things they like. Since many of the Koreans said their favorite food is kimchi, a pickled cabbage and pepper dish, the American second-graders asked for the recipe.

Unity Christian School teacher Ginger Slaughter and students Frances Davis (from front center to back), Claire Sentell, John Landrum and others chat with students in Mokpo, South Korea, via a live video connection. (Daniel Bell, RN-T)