Afraid of the Outside? Then Play with This... Dongmyeong University Early Childhood Education Department's 'Good Teacher' Talent Donation

Doing at the University of Practice: Forgetting the Heatwave by Making and Gifting Play Kits

Play Education Kits for Young Children with Intellectual Disabilities Delivered to Sohwa Young Child Rehabilitation Center

Good Teacher members creating play kits.

Play kits created by Good Teacher members.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Infants and toddlers with intellectual disabilities and autism are about to receive heartfelt gifts from college student ‘teachers.’

The day is approaching when play toys, painstakingly handmade to ease the difficulties faced by these young children, will leave the hands of the ‘good teachers’ and be delivered to young patients.

The shared name of the college club members and alumni is ‘Good Teacher’.

This summer’s heatwave did not melt the passion of the Good Teachers. Members of the Dongmyung University Early Childhood Education Club ‘Good Teacher’ took on the role of toy makers during the summer.

Participants included first-year students Kang Yu-kyung, Kim Se-young, Kim Yoon-jung, Kim Han-ul; second-year students Kim Min-kyung, Kim Ji-yeon, Nam Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-ho; third-year students Jang Soo-yeon, Kim Min-kyung; and alumna Heo Min-hye.

The club held frequent ‘lightning meetings’ throughout the month despite the sweltering heat.

They began with production meetings to create play kits for infants and toddlers with disabilities. They designed and made four types of teaching aids and educational tools that allow children to engage in play using both gross and fine motor skills in various ways.

With outdoor play becoming more difficult due to COVID-19, new play tools were even more necessary for young children.

The play kits completed in one month are scheduled to be donated to educational facilities for young children with disabilities. Their talent donation activities are nearing completion.

The day when the infants at the rehabilitation center will return bright smiles, as if fully aware of the love and care given by the ‘Good Teachers,’ is just one day away.

The delivery event will be held at 1 p.m. on the 20th at the Sohwa Infant Rehabilitation Center in Gamman-dong, Nam-gu, Busan.

Jang Soo-yeon, president of Good Teacher, said, “We gathered with the hope that children, whose outdoor activities have become more difficult due to COVID-19, will relieve stress by playing happily with the play kits. Seniors and juniors from the Early Childhood Education Department came together during summer vacation to make these gifts.”

The Good Teachers unanimously expressed, “We are happy to deliver the teaching aids we learned about in class to infants and toddlers who really need them.”

One student said, “It’s even more enjoyable because an alumna participated in the play kit gift plan.”

Alumna Heo Min-hye, who has occasionally served as an advisor for the club’s talent donation activities, said, “I will work together with juniors who seek and practice helping others to move even more hearts.”

The Early Childhood Education Department club Good Teacher has been volunteering annually since 2016 at the Busan Naeum Pediatric Cancer Center, donating educational talents for young patients who cannot attend kindergarten due to reasons such as cancer treatment.

Club advisor Professor Yoon Jung-jin said, “I expect that the sincere and passionate sharing by Good Teacher will bear greater fruit at the ‘Do-ing College’ to be established at Dongmyung University next year.”

Dongmyung University’s newly established Do-ing College implements a 3-no (no credits, no grades, no teaching) practical education system to cultivate practical intellectuals (Do-ing talents) who possess the ability to live in any world.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.