Category: School Visits

On Saturday, February 4, 2012 The Korea Society’s Korean Studies department visited The Dalton School in Manhattan for the Living Folklore: Rooted in Our History multicultural festival. In the Korea Room, children learned the classic folk tale Heungbu and Nolbu, made craft puppets, practiced calligraphy, and witnessed taekwondo and drumming demonstrations. This school visit was made possible with the generous financial support of The Freeman Foundation.

On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, The Korea Society’s Korean Studies department visited The New Preparatory Middle School in Jamaica, Queens. Two classes of 57 6th and 8th graders, currently studying Korean language, were introduced to the historical and cultural significance of Korean masks. The children then painted their own unique versions of the yangban 양반 (aristocrat) and pune 부네 (young woman) masks. This school visit was made possible with the generous financial support of The Freeman Foundation.

The Korean Studies team took the exciting Once Upon A Time in Korea… storytelling and crafts program on the road this summer and fall. Stories based on traditional Korean folktales were narrated and acted out with puppets for children throughout New York City. Children learned Korean values, such as filial piety and selflessness, as well as a few Korean words for the animal characters. The team worked with the young students to make fun masks and puppets. The program venues and dates were as follows: Loves A Lot Pre-School (August 15), Baby Moves NYC (August 18), Stuyvesant Heights Montessori School (October 12), The Geneva School of Manhattan West Side Campus (November 17), and The Geneva School of Manhattan East Side Campus (November 18).

Artist and Calligrapher Sungsook Hong Setton visited five schools in the greater New York area to introduce students to the art of Korean calligraphy and brush painting. At her workshops, Setton provided students with Korean rice paper, brushes, and ink, and taught Korean calligraphy and painting to accompany the calligraphy. The students were excited about the new material, and, by the end of the session, were able to write such expressions as “blue mountains and clear rivers,” and “opportunity only comes to those who are ready.” The program venues and dates were as follows: Bellport Middle School (April 29), Commack High School (May 5), Wood Road Elementary (June 2), Lynwood Avenue Elementary (June 3), and Korean School of Long Island Catholic School (June 5).

November 22, December 4, 11, 12, 2008

Artist and calligrapher Sung-Sook Hong Setton visited five schools in the greater New York area to introduce students to the art of Korean brush painting and calligraphy. At the workshops, students were provided with rice paper, brushes and ink and instructed in traditional Korean brush painting and calligraphy. Students learned how to use basic Korean brushstrokes and by the end of the session were able to paint pine trees along with the Korean characters for the phrase “only when winter comes do people really realize the pine tree is green.” The program venues and dates were as follows: Clinton Avenue Elementary School (November 22); John F. Kennedy Middle School (December 4); Norwood Avenue Elementary School (December 11); Half Hollow Hills High School West (December 11); and Comsewogue High School (December 12).

March 5–12, 2008

Professional storyteller Cathy Spagnoli visited seven schools in the greater New York area to entertain and educate students with folktales from Korea. Spagnoli started each session with a personal introduction on how she became a storyteller and how she came to be interested in Korean folktales. Multiple sessions were held at each school, ranging from small classes to large assemblies. The program venues and dates were as follows: M.S. 142 John Philip Sousa School (March 5); P.S. 81 Thaddeus Stevens School (March 6); PS 205Q Alexander Graham Bell School (March 7); McGoldrick Library (March 8); P.S. 24Q School (March 10); P.S. 26Q School (March 11); and P.S. 159Q (March 12).

January 31, February 1, 2, 2007

Professional storyteller Cathy Spagnoli visited three schools in the New York area to entertain and educate students with folktales from Korea. Spagnoli started each session with a personal introduction to how she became a storyteller and how she came to be interested in Korean folktales. Multiple sessions were held at each school, ranging from small classes to large assemblies. Programs were conducted at P.S. 32 Elementary School in Flushing (on January 31), East-West International High School in Flushing (on February 1) and Flushing High School (on February 2).

April 4–7, 2006

The Korea Society’s School Visit Program arranges semi-annual visits by authors, musicians, storytellers, dancers and other experts on Korea to primary and secondary schools throughout the greater New York area. This spring, choreographer In-Young Sohn and her dance group performed a series of traditional Korean dance routines at five schools. Students were taught the basic movements and meanings of traditional Korean dance. The schools visited were: PS 119 and PS 75 in Brooklyn, New York; Martin Van Buren High School and Flushing High School in Queens, New York; and Anna C. Scott Elementary School in Leonia, New Jersey. Pattie Hart, a teacher at PS 75 whose class took part in the program described it as “ absolutely wonderful. It was great to see the awed looks on the children’s faces as they watched and participated. It was definitely a beautiful cultural experience for all.”