Jounal 2

Sera Jung Tue Apr 01 2008, 20:26

In a class room, a teacher is writing down notes on a blackboard in front of 30 or more students who got so bored and were dozing off without their participation or attention. Many of them languid about what the teacher says are waiting for him to finish the boring and ununderstandable lesson as soon as possible. This is a typical situation in a classroom.

When I　was a middle school and high school student, I wasn't satisfied with my school life. As the score of KSAT is an important factor to enter a good university, I　always felt the pressure of studying hard. While studying, I often felt that I am became a studying machine. Personally, I　graduated from a dormitory high school, spending interesting time and building newer experiences than those in middle school, But still there are many things left to be changed for a better educational environment, I think.

First, it is not a good way to select students by the KSAT score. Each student has his or her special talents in a certain field and the score of the exams does not represent their ability at all. Studying hard and getting good grades might be a kind of ability, but not the ultimate way of measuring one's ability. By selecting students in that way, students who lack the ability of studying can give up every thing easily at an early age, not having a chance to display their own potentiality. Also because of this system, many teachers are teaching same things to their students in disregard of student's individuality and characters. Their main goals lie on letting students enter a distinguished university with great marks. This may lead them to fail attaining the real goal of education and deprive students of ability to progress in the originality and creative talent required for development of our society.

Second, there are so many students in one classroom. For one teacher, 30 students are too many to teach, know and have a close relationship with. Because of this it’s hard for students to share their opinions and have discussions. The cramming education takes away students' curiosity and participation, letting them memorize certain information without fully understanding it. The teacher is not a carrier who only delivers his knowledge to students but also an adviser and an assistant who affects their values and guides students' lives in positive ways. So having a close relationship with students and staying attentive to their school life are very important and these attitudes will make it possible for students to discover and develop their interests and attributes. By maintaining a class with fewer students and building an intimacy between a teacher and students, a teacher can change a strict atmosphere and trigger students' academic motivation.

Third, a school should have its own control over making policies and systems. Schools are often affected rules and curriculums proposed and designed by society and government. The too much governmental engagement can act as an obstacle to teaching since it is teachers who are aware of students' needs and demands. Government often does not have clear idea as to how some students undergo difficulties in adapting to a new system and unpredictable circumstances. Schools need to claim their rights to teach students more effectively.

And the role of teachers who are liable to offer good quality of lesson can not be ignored. Keeping this fact in mind, teachers should try to do their best to improve students' personality and knowledge. Compared with other countries' education systems, there are many things to be changed. Education is a very important activity as it is the process of learning society and the human power for developing the country. By learning from good examples of other countries and debating seriously with a critical mind, everyone needs to try to set up better the educational environment for students.

Jung namsook Wed Apr 02 2008, 11:17

Thank you for your sincere essay for Korean education. When I was in elementary, middle and high school, there were filled with students, over 55-60. It used to be, so I had hoped if I could have a little smaller class. If so, I could have had more rapport and intimate relationship with my homeroom teacher. At that time, I would sometimes doubt if the teacher was being aware of my existence under his charge. Korean education is, in fact, getting improved, it still has a lot of problems, though. Unfortunately, there's no big difference except for visually smaller class than before. That's why I am so sad. Our government has been raising voice to innovative education system as it has every turn-over of political power. Besides, new government always emphasizes to focus on more individual education for each student. However, it doesn't last so long even though it shouldn't be overlooked. Teachers must be great resources when challenging for the future and studens although each teacher is not so powful to manage and control our school education. I think Sera and I also should play a role for better education.

I'm expecting your next journal!
Take care,

Namsook

Inkab Thu Apr 03 2008, 03:42

Dear Sera,

I was impressed by the way you delivered your ideas in the last group discussion. And I am also surprised that you think KSAT is not at all sufficient assessment method for the college entrance exam although you might be the best benificiary of the test. (you must have obtained very high score in the test to get into our department Cool

) Yet, I am glad to see you have insightful perspectives towards lots of educational problems, and it encourages me to think about the better ways to modify our educational system.

As Namsook mentioned, i also liked your essay, and expects the next one

see you~

Kanghoon Jang Thu Apr 03 2008, 20:54

I think I have seen you this class even others but I didn't say hello to you. First of all, I am really sorry about that. Please forgive a shy guy... hahahahaha..

well, concerning your Journal...
I am totally agreeing with your opinions because I have been there for many years. However, we didn't change at all. we just followed the suit that other peopel already made for us. Many people already knew that our education system need to change but we just still do not know how to change about that. Everyone knows how important English is and we need to be able to speak English as much as possible as international people.
However, no one knows how to change. If lawmakers try to change some parts of that, there are other problems coming out unconsciously. That's why we always are stuck in difficulty.

Let's think about it all together! Now, I think this is perfect timing to change our education system

Best wishes,

Kanghoon

Younghee choi Thu Apr 03 2008, 22:00

I was also impressed by your critical description of current Korean education system. You elaborated several problems very clearly into rather long passages.
It is true that Korean students are suffering from cutthroat competition to enter a prestigious University at the cost of their aptitude and talent. I believe this is because Korea is a society based on academic success.
In my opinion, we need to change our way of thinking and try to think over what really leads us to a happy life.

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