Welcome to the Humanities Department!

Joseph Song | December 12, 2022

Photo courtesy: Yena Kong

If you’ve been at SFHS for some time, you may notice a few new faces. Well, actually, old faces (because they’re teachers, haha). With the routine departure of teachers last year, their vacant seats

have all been filled by a fresh roster. Though there are new teachers in all the various sections of high school, one group that looks especially new is the Humanities faculty. Fortunately, I've had the opportunity to learn about the latest additions to the Humanities teaching department.

Mr. Timothy Fuller Bazin teaches MYP Humanities and DP Economics at SFHS. He and his wife, Ms. Bazin came to SFS in July and has been setting in quite well. They also have two children embarking on their academic journeys at SFES. Mr. Bazin taught in many different countries worldwide before coming to Korea. He has taught in the Latvian capital of Riga, Shanghai, and Wuhan. Through these diverse experiences, he’s learned Mandarin and is also in the process of

learning Korean. However, teaching intentionally does have its negatives, with one being that "you don't get to see your parents as they grow older." Mr. Bazin also enjoys running during his free time and coached the Cross Country team this year. He also participated in the half-marathon this November for the Oak Tree Project.

Another addition to the school is Ms. Andrea Plakmeyer, who also teaches MYP Humanities, DP Psychology, and DP History. This year is her first time in Korea and she is already delving into the culture by exploring the city streets and eating Korean food. Similarly to Mr. Bazin, Ms. Plakmeyer has also taught around the globe, with experience in the United States, Ghana, China, Tanzania, and Azerbaijan. With this background, Ms. Plakmeyer finds that "seeing all the different perspectives the students have makes the international teaching experience "fascinating," especially with the subject she teaches. When asked what made her want to teach psychology and history, she explained that she appreciates how "the two subjects link together in finding why people do the things they do." Ms. Plakmeyer also enjoys reading and completing little puzzles such as Wordle during her free time.

I hope this article helped you learn more about some new additions to the SFHS teaching staff. Don't be afraid to stop by their rooms to say hello or strike up a conversation.