Matthew Fennell arrived in Korea in 2007 to further his career as an educator having taught at the secondary school level in the United Kingdom since 2005. Matthew graduated with a Post Graduate in Education (PGCE) from Liverpool Hope University where he achieved a distinction in the theory of education. He lived in the southern part of Korea teaching in the public school system before moving to Seoul in 2011 to work in the undergraduate department at Hanyang University. During this time, Matthew furthered his education by completing his second graduate degree, an M.Ed. in TESOL. He currently works in the Hanyang TESOL department where he trains both native and non-native English teachers. Alongside this role, Matthew works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and is also a contributing writer for the Asia Society Korea Center. On a professional level, he is actively interested in second language teaching methodology and motivation in the classroom.
I am often asked about the best way to carve out a successful career here in Korea and if I have any advice for people hoping to do just that. Obviously, hard work and dedication are fundamental characteristics of success, but having a sound network of people to offer support is equally as important. Personally, my progression from a public school teacher to teaching graduate courses at the university level owes a lot to being surrounded by good people who helped guide me along my career path.
Having left my job as a geography high school teacher in England, I came to Korea to experience teaching abroad. I settled into Korean life pretty quickly and within two years I was lecturing for the National Institute for International Education. It was here that I met many good educators and my career really started to take shape. One such person was Nick Mitchelmore, a prominent teacher trainer who was working at Hanyang University at the time. In the spring of 2011, Nick encouraged me to apply for a vacancy at Hanyang and after getting interview tips from Joshua Davies and Peter DeMarco, two other teacher trainers I met while lecturing for NIEED, I was offered the job.
The people I met through lecturing for EPIK not only helped me get a position at a university, but have also provided me with a range of employment opportunities over the years. These include training Korean teachers across the country, editing public school textbooks, and writing articles for the Asia Society. This network that I developed through being part of the NIIED team has provided me with the foundation to which I have been able to grow my career. I would like to think that I would still be where I am now without that support, but it is highly unlikely that would be the case.
I am often asked about the best way to carve out a successful career here in Korea and if I have any advice for people hoping to do just that. Obviously, hard work and dedication are fundamental characteristics of success, but having a sound network of people to offer support is equally as important. Personally, my progression from a public school teacher to teaching graduate courses at the university level owes a lot to being surrounded by good people who helped guide me along my career path.
Having left my job as a geography high school teacher in England, I came to Korea to experience teaching abroad. I settled into Korean life pretty quickly and within two years I was lecturing for the National Institute for International Education. It was here that I met many good educators and my career really started to take shape. One such person was Nick Mitchelmore, a prominent teacher trainer who was working at Hanyang University at the time. In the spring of 2011, Nick encouraged me to apply for a vacancy at Hanyang and after getting interview tips from Joshua Davies and Peter DeMarco, two other teacher trainers I met while lecturing for NIEED, I was offered the job.
The people I met through lecturing for EPIK not only helped me get a position at a university, but have also provided me with a range of employment opportunities over the years. These include training Korean teachers across the country, editing public school textbooks, and writing articles for the Asia Society. This network that I developed through being part of the NIIED team has provided me with the foundation to which I have been able to grow my career. I would like to think that I would still be where I am now without that support, but it is highly unlikely that would be the case.
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