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The perspective of teachers born in the 80s“Where is education going in this era?”

-High School Episode-  

 As the World Educational Cultural Aid has been supporting the education of many children at home and abroad, I wanted to get to know the thoughts of children more closely. What do domestic children near us think about their lives? Also, how do teachers in the educational field achieve harmony with our children and share each other's thoughts? I decided to ask myself various questions that came to mind, such as: So, I listened to the story of a teacher born in the 1980s who is the most active in the current education field and is at the starting point of the millennial generation that has experienced rapid changes in IT technology. 

Q. Please introduce yourself.

- hello. Currently, I am a first-year homeroom teacher at Y High School located in Seoul and teach English. 

Q. How is life as a teacher these days?

- Actually, at first I thought it was not my job, but as time went by, I realized that it might be the right job for me. What I consider important in my career values ​​is a sense of accomplishment and reward, and I feel happy when students say they have changed or gained strength. It's a story about the results, but I'm very satisfied for now.

Q. How are high school students these days?

- hmm. Socrates also said that students these days have no manners, right? Hohoho~ I’m so jealous, it’s so cool and cute. While teaching first-year high school students, I often recall memories from 20 years ago. Compared to our days without smartphones, individualization is clearer, but it is the same as it was 20 years ago. I am extremely sensitive to friendship, love, and academics, and at the same time, I seriously worry about my career path. Dreams are very diverse, and since we are doing experiential learning or experience-oriented learning, I think our dreams are more specific. 

 On the other hand, there are quite a few students with depression. In our time, there were 700 students per grade, but now there are about 230. Although the number of students has decreased, the number of students complaining of mental pain has increased. As a teacher, I think it is important to look into each student's situation and provide comfort. 

“With blind hands I touched life. It was full of thorns. So many thorns that a rose would soon bloom.” 

- Seunghee Kim, Roses and Thorns -

​Q. Can you get a glimpse of the thoughts that students have on average when looking at the school life culture or class culture? 

- It's openness. I like foreign media and stars, learning English, and absorbing cultures from around the world like a sponge through streaming apps. I am also a fan of American dramas and English dramas, but I tend to lag behind trends compared to students. I think the attitude of always approaching culture with an open mind is something to emulate.

Q. So what do students think about in their lives?

- They are trying to find their own color. Comparing doesn't mean you'll be compared to others. Teachers also don't necessarily judge students based on grades. Because each person has different potential colors. 

Q. What do the teachers think as they look at it?

- We respect all thoughts and opinions of students. When expressing a logical opinion, listen carefully and make corrections where necessary. Adults' thoughts and existing customs are not always correct.

Q. How is your relationship with students?

- I try to memorize the names of all the students in my classes, build rapport, and teach through pleasant conversations. If you were to indicate your level of closeness from 0 to 10, would you say 7? It's just my opinion... hahaha~

Q. Is there a student you particularly cherish or give a special difficult time to?

- There are many students whom I particularly cherish. He is a friend who always shares his difficult situations with me and tries to solve them. They are also my students who always support me. I think having great students is the greatest luck.

Q. Is there a reason for such a relationship?

- They say that when marathoners run, they reach a dead point where their heart feels like it will explode. I think the same applies to the profession of a teacher. Of course, it wasn't physically difficult, but there were times when I was mentally blank. These are my students who gave me strength when my passion for education disappeared. They looked at me, supported me, and encouraged me on a human-to-human basis. In fact, considering my age, I was in a situation where even if I did that, it would not have been enough, but he gave me great courage and encouragement.

Q. Education in Korea these days. Where do you think you're going?

- Just going in a direction that sparkles like a star and is flashy is not the right answer. Rather, I think the goal of education is to provide an environment where children can spend their daily lives safely, happily, and happily with their friends, as they do now. I think it is a good direction to help teenagers become happy in the here and now through mindfulness.

Q. If you think direction is desirable, why?

- All teachers are working hard. There are many teachers who work with a sense of duty even at a young age, and there are many veteran teachers who have not lost interest in their students for 30 or 40 years. I think the students are receiving a happy education thanks to the efforts of the teachers. There are many teachers who give kind words to their students!

“Nothing much happened. This is not a special modifier.

Even if it's only for a day or three, I feel curious and sad,

This extremely ordinary word

Overflowing with affection, like spring water pouring into the spring rain...

This simple, clear and sincere word

The whole world feels like I ate gobongbap without eating,

The sound of the drums is exciting and immediately brings tears to my eyes.

Love is painful, common and precious,

Nothing much happened"

- Nothing much happened, Byun Young-sook -

​Q. What if I could change education policy or structure at will?? What do you think I should do first?? 

- I want to invest heavily in one-on-one care. Each student has a different learning style, psychological flexibility, and ability to cope with stress, so it is unfortunate that they provide standardized classes and guidance. Of course, the situation is improving a lot due to the decrease in the number of students. In the future, I hope that a one-on-one student psychological care system will be established more specifically and institutionally.

Q. As someone born in the 80s, is there anything you wish for me as a teacher?

- It is a metaphor for the sharp temperament of a teacher. When an egg is about to hatch, it pays attention to the sound it makes and the chicken immediately pecks at the shell to break it open. As a teacher, I want to listen more carefully to the voices of my students and help them. I want to help you grow by sharing not only your studies, but also your career path, peer relationships, psychological difficulties, etc. 

Q. Any last words?

- Grandma Park Mak-rye said, “Why are you trying to match the rhythm to others? If you play the drums and janggu and play whatever you want, people who want to match the beat will come and dance.” As she said, I think the best way to live is to do what you want to do. However, in the flood of information, students sometimes fall into a dilemma of choice, such as having opportunities and regrets about not choosing. In times like these, I think the most important thing is to listen to your own story rather than the story of others. In the future, I will strive to become a teacher who can listen carefully to what students want and hope for and share their thoughts. thank you 

high school student

In general, their ability to notice is better than middle school students, and most boys are not completely out of puberty by the time they reach the second year of high school, but they are past the peak of puberty, so they are less rebellious than middle school students. However, although there are cases where they mature in their first year of high school, there are many cases where they are middle school seniors who only wear high school uniforms. 

‘High School Student’ Overview_Source from Namu Wiki

Following last month's interview with a middle school teacher, which gave us a glimpse into the thoughts of middle school students, this month we listened to a glimpse of the thoughts of high school students. During the interview with the high school teacher, I was naturally immersed in the conversation as if I had returned to high school. Compared to middle school students, aren't we at an age where we are a little more relaxed, know how to distribute our energy a little better, and have a slightly broader perspective? At the same time, even though I appear mature and my thoughts have grown, isn't I still at an age where I am still delicate and can be hurt more easily or deeply? I also thought: In addition, as children who are a little older than middle school students, we applaud and support the high school teachers born in the 80s and the high school students born in the 00s who are able to communicate with children with a slightly deeper bond and share their time and stories each day at school!!

​-College Edition- To be continued next time...