The artifact that holds deep sentimental value for me and symbolizes my passion for teaching is a bookmark given to me by my Korean language professor during the final week of my exchange program at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. My professor gave it to me, not only as a souvenir but as a reminder of my perseverance in the program and my continued motivation to learn the language even after returning to Canada. This bookmark is more than just an object; it represents the pauses, patience, and reflection required in both teaching and learning.
Before my exchange, I had been working with three children from South Korea, helping them with English reading, speaking, and comprehension. During our sessions, they taught me the Korean character system and basic vocabulary. Like placing a bookmark between pages, these moments with my students encouraged me to pause, reflect, and appreciate the reciprocal nature of teaching. They inspired me to approach learning as a shared journey, one where both teacher and student leave their mark on each other’s growth. This reciprocal exchange deepened my interest in both language learning and teaching and became a key factor in my decision to apply for the exchange program. It was as though each session with them added a new chapter to my understanding of ELL education and language structures.
Drawing inspiration from this experience and Parker Palmer’s chapter The Heart of a Teacher, I have come to see teaching as a metaphorical bookmark. It requires patience, pauses, and trust in the process. Just as a bookmark holds your place in a story and allows you to return with fresh eyes, teaching requires us to pause with our students, guide them through challenges, and celebrate the growth they achieve over time. Parker Palmer writes, “As I teach, I project the condition of my soul onto my students, my subject, and our way of being together” (Palmer, 1). In this way, the bookmark reminds me that teaching is not just about moving forward—it is about being present, pausing when necessary, and trusting that the story will unfold in its own time.
Had I not been collaborative and open about my interest in learning Korean with my students, and had they not been willing to teach me in return, I might never have considered moving to South Korea. This bookmark continues to serve as a reminder of the pauses and connections that make teaching so powerful. It highlights the importance of patience and reflection in both teaching and learning, showing that progress often comes in small, meaningful moments. Like using a bookmark in a book, teaching invites us to pause, trust the process, and eventually witness the story of growth that unfolds in our students’ lives.
