Lesson 1: I am from Africa. I am African.

The first lesson in our 5th grade textbook is "I am from Canada".

The book lists quite a few countries (China, USA, Australia, India, etc) and does not mention the African continent. 

Not.  Even.  Once.

Well, I made sure to include the continent during my lesson today. The longer I am here, the more I feel the extreme need to teach my students what is so lacking in this society. Diversity.

I need to make sure that my students learn more about Africa than the commercials on Korean television that show people who look like me as diseased and needy. That is part of the reason the students call each other "Ah-pree-kah" as insults. You are dark, so you are ugly and dirty.

No, not acceptable. 

Not on my watch.

UPDATE:

I received many comments that my lesson should have referenced specific African countries instead of just the African continent. I was initially reluctant to do it during part 1 because the home room teachers were not in the classrooms to translate.  I do, however, agree and will add that to part 2 of Lesson 1 this week.