Professional Educational Consultant... Sooseon Kim

Hi...International students who are currently studying in the U.S.

I'm here for you guys!~

My name is Sooseon Kim.

After having graduated from Yonsei University with a major in Mass Communications, I worked for the Monthly Magazine, “Small and Medium Enterprise Information” as a reporter and the National Council of Saemaeul Undong of Korea as a staff of the department of Public Relations for about 7 years. My duties included news coverage, drafting of report articles and public relations. The memories of writing articles, interviewing public figures who I respected during the period of my first career still makes me feel proud, with much contentment of the work I performed. However, I had to quit the job after I delivered my second baby because raising two children while working became too difficult. Following my resignation as a reporter, I taught elementary and middle school students how to read and write logically as a part-time job for about 4 years. In order to become more specialized in teaching essay writing and reading, I completed Korean language education, which is one year training course at the Graduate School of Education at Korea University. Furthermore, I have acquired certification of qualification as a reading instructor issued by the YWCA and qualifications for essay writing by the School of Continuing Education at Ewha Woman’s University. It was an excellent experience that enabled me to confirm my talent and aptitude not only as a news reporter but also as a teacher.

As the need for foreign language study in Korea continued to grow further, I began to foster a desire to pursue formal studies in English that I had a strong affinity for since my school years. I wanted to teach how to read and write in English logically and seek effective and efficient ways of learning English as a foreign language in a Korean educational setting. Therefore, I decided to go to the United States and stayed there for 2 years and a half in order to learn American culture and language in an authentic atmosphere. During my studies, from September 2001 to February 2004, I participated in voluntary service activities not only at elementary, middle and high schools but also at a 2 year college in order to more intimately experience and learn about the educational system in the USA. I also worked for the Edu Times, a subsidiary company of Segye Times, as a foreign correspondent with the task of conveying actual circumstances of public education in the USA for about a year. I put my utmost efforts in my studies and successfully achieved an amazing academic record and a GPA of 3.92 out of a possible 4.0 at the master’s degree course in TESOL at Seattle University. Furthermore, I put much effort into establishing amicable interpersonal relationships with professors and fellow students while pursuing my studies.

I presented my thesis under the title of “Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition in a Second Language” at the 2nd Asia TEFL Conference in 2004, and jointly drafted thesis, “The Nativization of English in Korea,” with Professor Jian Yang of the Graduate School of English Education (TESOL program) at Seattle University.  Upon returning to Korea in 2004, I gave English related (elementary, story and academic writing) lectures at the Pagoda Foreign Language Academy for 4 years until last May. While providing lectures to large numbers of adults, I sought means of enhancing effective delivery techniques in addition to the quality of educational contents. Furthermore, I lectured on the area of TESOL by participating in English training for elementary school teachers at the School of Continuing Education at Daejin University from 2004 to 2005. During the period from July to October 2008, I was put in charge of overall tasks including management of native speaking lecturers, development of curriculum and programs, and student consultations at the newly opened Global TESOL College as an academic director.

While studying and teaching English as a foreign language, I came to sincerely realize that there is no such thing as a perfect theory or method in foreign language education. Rather, optimal effect will be achieved when such theory or method can be applied appropriately in accordance with the characteristics and aptitude of individuals being taught. I have long dreamed of running my own business in an area related to English education based on the working experience of delivering English lectures for adults, teacher training and management of language academy over 5 years by integrating English teaching theories and practical methods that I studied in USA. I also believe the variegated experiences of employment in the publications and public relations area utilizing my undergraduate major in Mass Communication helped me to build up entrepreneurship spirit. Therefore, I am highly motivated to study in the master program of media and professional communications in FDU in order to apply what I am going to learn into my specific career setting in the future. Actually, I am currently writing an article about American education in Women’s monthly magazine, Yeoseong Donga in Korea.

Although it was based on Korean cultural perspective, I was bombarded with comments such as “it is an impossible task at your age,” and “why are you trying to live your life more difficult than it would be?” when I carefully disclosed my decision to pursue further studies overseas in 2001. Studying in a foreign country was not easy; however, I was able to put my utmost efforts into it because it was the path that I chose on my own will. Eight years have passed since the first decision to study abroad was made; I have chosen to embark on further studies in 2009 in the USA once again and have been studying in the graduate program, “Media and Professional Communications” in Fairleigh Dickinson University.

I am planning to gain my second master degree in 2012. I hope I will have some working experience as a communication consultant in the education field here in New Jersey or New York area for at least one year and go back to Korea in order to dedicate what I have achieved through my study and work in the United for the development of English Education in Korea.  I have decided to muster my courage as I have realized the truth through experiences in my life that if I were to sincerely deal with the tasks given to me under the circumstances I am confronted with, then the results will always be greater than what I have expected. I will continue to put efforts in accomplishing the best that I could no matter what position I would be in with a humble state of mind.

                                                        Sooseon Kim (09/11/11)