This 8-week course introduces Korean students and adults to the foundations of American civic life—focusing on law, rights, systems, and the role of informed citizenship. Lessons are taught in English and draw from real-world examples, institutional comparisons, and guided discussion. The aim is to help students not only understand how systems function, but also reflect on how civic awareness shapes individual dignity and national direction.
Week 1: What Is Civics? How Systems Shape Daily Life
We start by defining what civics actually means—not as a school subject, but as a tool for understanding how rules, roles, and systems shape our everyday choices. Students are encouraged to think about their own place within the systems they live in.
l What’s one system you deal with every day that most people don’t even think about?
Week 2: U.S. Government Structure: Three Branches and Checks and Balances
This week covers the basic structure of the U.S. government and how power is divided and limited across branches. We compare it with Korea’s system and ask why separation of powers matters in a working democracy.
l What happens when one branch of government becomes too powerful?
Week 3: The U.S. Constitution: Foundation of Legal and Civic Order
Students are introduced to the Constitution as the backbone of American law and political culture. We look at why it was written, what it tries to protect, and how it influences real-life legal and civic decisions.
l Should a country’s constitution change easily or be hard to change?
Week 4: The Bill of Rights: Protecting the Individual and Due Process
This week focuses on the first ten amendments to the Constitution and how they protect personal freedoms. We connect these rights to modern issues like speech, religion, policing, and due process. One landmark case we highlight is Miranda v. Arizona (1966), which required that individuals taken into police custody be clearly informed of their rights—a crucial protection of due process.
l When, if ever, should the government be allowed to limit someone’s rights?
Week 5: Informed Citizenship and Civic Awareness
We discuss what it means to be an informed citizen—someone who not only knows their rights, but understands how systems work. The goal is to help students recognize the difference between living under a system and participating in it.
l Can someone be a “good citizen” without knowing how the system works?
Week 6: Mental Health Law and Dignity: Institutional Power vs. Individual Rights
Using real examples, we explore how legal systems handle mental health, especially involuntary hospitalization. We ask where the line should be drawn between protection and coercion—and how laws can balance safety and dignity. One landmark case we discuss is O’Connor v. Donaldson (1975), which established that mental illness alone does not justify involuntary confinement without evidence of dangerousness.
l Who should decide if a person is too mentally unwell to make their own choices?
Week 7: Comparative Civic Identity: The U.S. and South Korea
This week looks at how each country defines citizenship, government responsibility, and public trust. Students examine the cultural and historical reasons behind each system’s approach—and reflect on their own civic identity.
l What do you think your country expects from you as a citizen—and is that fair?
Week 8: The Future of Civic Life: What’s at Stake, and What Comes Next
In the final week, students reflect on everything covered and discuss the future of civic life. What topics will shape the next generation—technology, trust, inequality, mental health—and what should we work toward?
l What’s one civic issue you think will define your generation?
Note:
I spent a sizable portion of my life in Korea and speak fluent Korean. If you’re worried about your English, don’t be—Korean will be used as needed to help you understand the material, communicate comfortably, and stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.
The blurbs and discussion questions below are designed to show the structure and intent of the course. In class, they are simplified and adjusted for Korean students who are still building confidence in English. The goal is clarity, not complexity.
Lastly, this site is primarily built to support the content outlined in the curriculum. However, having lived in Korea for many years, I understand that studying abroad, preparing for exams, and building English fluency are major concerns for many Korean students and adults. This course is not designed around test prep—but I do believe that through these lessons, students will naturally strengthen their English, critical thinking, and global awareness while engaging seriously with the material presented here. I’m not naive; I understand the pressures and circumstances many of you face. Whatever your goals may be, you’re welcome here.
한국 학생들, 학부모들, 성인들을 위해:
저는 한국에서 오랜 시간을 보내며 살아왔고, 한국어에 능통합니다. 영어가 부담스러우시다면 걱정하지 않으셔도 됩니다. 수업 중에는 필요한 경우 한국어를 사용하여 내용을 쉽게 이해하고 편하게 소통할 수 있도록 돕겠습니다.
아래 수업 설명과 토론 질문들은 이 커리큘럼의 구조와 방향성을 보여드리기 위한 것입니다. 실제 수업에서는 학생들의 영어 실력을 고려해 보다 쉽게 조정하여 진행합니다. 수업의 목적은 복잡한 영어가 아니라 명확한 이해입니다.
이 웹사이트는 기본적으로 커리큘럼 내용을 중심으로 구성되어 있습니다. 하지만 한국에서 생활하며 느낀 점이, 유학 준비, 영어 공인 시험 대비, 영어 실력 향상이 많은 학생들과 성인분들께 중요한 과제라는 점도 잘 알고 있습니다. 이 수업은 그런 측면들을 목적으로 설계된 것은 아니지만, 여기서 다루는 내용을 진지하게 배우는 과정에서 영어 실력, 비판적 사고력, 글로벌 감각이 자연스럽게 함께 길러질 수 있다고 믿습니다.
저는 이상적인 이야기만 하는 사람이 아닙니다. 현실적인 고민과 상황도 잘 알고 있습니다. 여러분의 목표가 무엇이든, 저는 열린 마음으로 환영합니다.