A passionate elementary school teacher who wanted to do everything well
A rainbow-colored story of happiness found anew at school after cancer surgery.

In the winter of 2023, elementary school teacher Yoo Young-mi was diagnosed with cancer during a health checkup she had been putting off for so long.
A life that had been going smoothly and without any major incidents up until now suddenly had a red light turned on.
Although she had many concerns while recovering from the surgery, she ultimately chose to go back to school.
He said he was happy just to have the option of going back to school, rather than retiring or taking a leave of absence.
The question of whether I could walk 'back to school' again was in itself a hope and a possibility.


The days when going to school was so natural and everything was smooth sailing are over, and a new season has arrived.
There are more things to be careful of and to cover, and the speed and power are not what they used to be.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid of going back to where I was before.
School remains unchanged.
School is always a place where problems arise.
Students and parents appear who no one has ever encountered before, and unforeseen situations arise.
In a school where only change remains constant, what has changed is her perspective.
Just as she needed others to wait and care for her when she returned to work after battling cancer, she also began to look at her colleagues and children with those same eyes.


Before she was diagnosed with cancer, she had a hard time finding time to even get a health checkup, so she didn't give up on a single one of the countless things that made her breathless.
It's just that my attitude towards the task has changed.
Writing a book, which I had been so obsessed with, was also one of the bucket list items that I could not put down.
Her writings are filled with rainbow-colored happiness, filled with moments spent with colleagues sharing tens of thousands of new experiences at multicultural schools and with special children who show us new sides of themselves every day.
It is a lovely reminder that the red traffic lights that stop our busy steps at the crossroads of life are not there to block the road, but to allow us to cross safely.

One day I feel confident because I know all the names, and then another day I lose all my confidence.
For example, when I call him 'Daniel', the interpreter rolls his tongue and says 'Danille'.
I'm also wondering if I should call him 'Danny'.
When I go into the NEIS system to input my semester grades, their names written in capital letters look unfamiliar.
So, we need both a Korean alphabet list and a Korean + alphabet list.
Additionally, if your friend has a nickname, you should also write that down.

--- From "What's Your Name?"

“The Korean kids bullied me.”
“You’re Korean too, so what do you mean ‘Korean kid’?”
“I’m a naturalized citizen.
“Strictly speaking, I am not Korean.”
I suddenly remembered something that happened a few days ago.
“Do you remember what you said to Aidar last time?”
"korean."
The student was changing the standard of 'Korean' to suit his own taste.
When it is advantageous to oneself, one identifies as Korean.
So, they belong to a group of Koreans and look down on non-Koreans.
Then, when the situation becomes unfavorable, they voluntarily escape the 'Korean category' and move to a non-Korean group.
Then he curses Koreans to his heart's content.

--- From "Hatred and Loathing"

“Guys, we all have days when we don’t want to come to school or days when it’s hard, right?”
"yes!"
The children responded loudly, showing warm empathy.
“I do that every day.”
I wanted to say to my child, "How hard must it be for your mother to take you to school?" but I held back.
“Yeah, you’ve had a hard time.
But the same goes for teachers.
There are days when I especially don't want to go to work.
At times like that, teachers think of school as an amusement park.
I came here today with that kind of feeling.
“Talking to you guys like this is fun for me.”
“Teacher, does that make sense?”
--- From "This is an amusement park"

“Be honest with me.
“Aren’t you scared of your teacher?”
"no."
“It’s okay, since it’s just us, you can be honest.”
Before I knew it, I had transformed into a spy, offering candy and urging people to reveal secrets.
“Our teacher may look like that, but he’s not scary at all.”
“If you don’t listen, won’t you yell at me like I did?”
“Our teacher doesn’t raise his voice.”
“You’re so big, it would be really scary if you shouted loudly. Why don’t you do that?”
“Because our teacher is really cool.”
--- From "In His Classroom"

“Do we have 6 periods every day when we become third graders?”
“That’s a very good question.”
The student who asked the question blushed in response to the third-year class president's praise.
“There is a 6th period class every Tuesday.
But there is one really important thing.
“6th period isn’t something that just anyone can do, only the really cool ones can do it.”
"why?"
“Only those who are capable of completing the 6th period will become 3rd graders.
“6th period is not something that just anyone can do.”
“Teacher, I like the 4th period.”
“4th period is good, but 6th period is even better.
“I really want you to get to third grade quickly so you can experience how great sixth period is.”
--- From "Waiting for 6th Period"

On my way home from work, looking out at the ocean as the snow fell heavily, I thought of the 'infinite positivity, burning passion, and sense of responsibility' I witnessed today.

'Ah, so that's how classes should be conducted!'
I have decided that the motto for my classes going forward will be 'Positivity, Passion, Responsibility'.

--- From "Yeonsu on the Day the First Snow Falls"

On weekend mornings, I sleep in late and then prepare a cup of perilla tea.
It is a truly amazing experience to leisurely watch the stray dogs floating around like small dots in a teacup.
Perilla powder turns into the faces of the children I met over the past week.
Children who subtly infiltrate my life, children who, once I give them love, return it in abundance to the point of becoming burdensome, children who, even when I promise to stop thinking about them, somehow fill my head.
Those children, with their subtle adhesiveness, dance endlessly in my head.

--- From "Love is like perilla powder"

'The world gives birth, Korea raises it.'
This is the fate of multicultural schools.
It is inevitable that students will return, but the hearts of the teachers who have to send them off without a word are filled with pain.
Ironically, that hole is quickly filled with other multicultural children.
There are many student transfers and exemptions, but there are also a lot of transfers.
In the meantime, I truly respect all the teachers who manage their classes without wavering.

--- From "Come Back to Incheon Airport"

“Kids, the teacher is upset because of my son today.” This is the kids’ favorite thing to say.
When I tell a story about my son that makes me sad, the children in the classroom have particularly bright eyes.
“Teacher, what made you angry today?”
The children ask me questions like a loving counselor.
I let out a curse at my son as if I had been waiting for it.

“No, I told you to clean up the room because it was so dirty!”
“You held out without cleaning, right?”
The children accept my words as if it were something that could easily be expected.
“Well, it wasn’t that I was persistent, it was just too sloppy.”
“Teacher, even if you just pretend to do it, it’s still good.”
--- From "The Classroom Where Puberty Blossoms"

Jia, who had been listening to me, thought for a while and then opened her mouth again.
“Teacher, I think you’re right.
I feel like there's a child living in my mother's heart.
It seems like he only cares about himself and he's always annoying.
Actually, I hated and disliked my mother.
Now I thought I should try to comfort that inner child.”
“Thank you, Jia.”
I was moved to tears for a moment.
I was grateful that you listened to my story and that you discovered my 'inner child'.

--- From "The Classroom Where Puberty Blossoms"

It may seem cruel to line up children, but soldiers try to keep their emotions out of it as much as possible because the primary goal is to achieve a balanced distribution.
The general (head teacher) carefully checks each class for the presence of identical names, twins, and the ratio of male and female students.
“Is there anything else you need to adjust?”
"hey."
A soldier raises his hand slightly.
The sensitive general looks at him.
“Could it be that ‘love’ could be a consideration?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t consider that part.
We have too much to do to worry about their love.
“You can consider it later when you have time.”
The pink opinion failed to be implemented in front of the general's defense-colored conclusion.

--- From "Caffeine Time"

“Guys, there’s a guy named William Glasser who said that there are five desires deep in the human heart.
“The need for survival, the need for love, the need for power, the need for freedom, and the need for pleasure.”
“What does that have to do with us?”
“If I know this, I can understand myself and others.”
“Then what do you like?”
The children still looked at me with their heads tilted.
“For those who understand people deeply and broadly, life becomes easier.
“In terms of games, it’s like getting a good item.”
"ah!"
--- From "Tell Me What You Want 1"

Korea is now an officially multicultural society.
Foreigners and their children are not 'people who will return someday', but rather our neighbors who will live with us and are part of us.
A heart that is wide open to multicultural children, a heart that wants to learn new things through these children and grow together with them.
I think this is the next story that K-Teachers should embrace.

--- From "Epilogue"