KOREAN NET

A second-year middle school student at Sanjeong Middle School in Gwangju on May 21 in English describes playing petanque, a traditional French sport similar to lawn bowling, in a physical education class to students at Theodore Monod Middle School in Seine-Saint-Denis, France.

By Charles Audouin

Photos = Charles Audouin

"What animal is the mascot of a pro baseball team based in Gwangju?"

"The tiger."

"Correct."

A classroom on the afternoon of May 21 at Sanjeong Middle School in Gwangju's Gwangsan-gu District has 22 second-year students holding a videoconference with 15 counterparts in their first year at a school in Seine-Saint-Denis, France. Each side introduced their country and culture as part of the 130 Schools Project.

The educational project was arranged by the city council of Seine-Saint-Denis, located northeast of the French capital, and the organizing committee for the Paris Summer Olympics ahead of the upcoming competition. Its purpose is to teach the spirit of tolerance and solidarity to students ahead of the upcoming competition.

Through the project, a combined 130 middle schools in the Seine-Saint-Denis region learn about the cultures and sports of 130 countries competing in the Olympics.

Sanjeong is Korea's lone school participating in this project. It partnered with Theodore Monod Middle School in Seine-Saint-Denis to hold three joint online classes through next month.

In their first class last month, both schools devised customized curricula for students from both sides to experience each other's country and culture. French students learned about Hangeul (Korean alphabet) and taekwondo, while those in Korea were taught the traditional French sport petanque, a form of lawn bowling.

Due to the time difference, the online class is the final one for Sanjeong students and the first for their Monod counterparts. The students in their first class last month introduced themselves and became pen pals.

Their class on May 21 was the second of the project.

French students introduced their nation's leading athletes from past Olympics such as swimmer Laure Manaudou and judoka Teddy Riner.

Sanjeong students shared a video of themselves playing petanque in physical education class and showed it to Monod students. They also explained in English about the Kia Tigers, a pro baseball team based in Gwangju.

A quiz based on the students' presentations followed. A correct answer from either side immediately drew passionate applause and cheer.

"Taking a video class with French students was new, but I also learned more about French culture and felt a sense of solidarity," Sangjeong student Yoon Yong-seong said. "I want to show them traditional Korean clothes in our next class."

"At first, the class was for Class 1 of our school's second grade, but students from other classes wanted to join, so we held the class with students from Class 5 as well," said Sangjeong teacher Kim Yu Jin, who prepared with her French counterpart from January for the project.

Kim called the class atmosphere "very good" perhaps because her students were so interested in joint classes with their French counterparts.

The third class of the project is scheduled for June 25, a month before the opening of the Olympics in Paris. For this, students will explain the patterns and symbols of previous Olympics held in each other's countries.

Monod students will visit Gwangju in October.

Students at Sanjeong Middle School in Gwangju's Gwangsan-gu District on May 21 say bye to their counterparts at Theodore Monod Middle School in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, after their joint online class ends.

caudouin@korea.kr