Let's start with the basics. Korean schools are similar to American schools in that they are divided among elementary, middle, and high schools. However, they are different in that elementary school has grades 1-6, and then middle school and high school each have three years. So essentially, what is their last year of middle school here would be our freshman year of high school in America.
Another important thing to note about the Korean school system is that high school is not technically compulsory, but most students do attend all three years of high school. In fact, Korea has an extremely high graduation rate. I think it's somewhere around 98%, but I haven't checked that statistic, so don't quote me on it.
Korean high school students attend different schools depending on their academic ability. I don't know for sure how this is determined, but I would guess testing has something to do with it. There are technical high schools for the lower level students, other assorted level high schools, and then the more elite high schools that have the top students. I work at one of the "high performing" schools--I am regularly reminded that it's the "best" school in the area. Of course, I put all of these things into quotations because I in no way think that the students in the technical schools are less intelligent than the students at my school--I highly suspect that they type of education in Korea really caters to the students 1) with money and 2) who can test well.
Education is a top priority in Korea. Today this country is one of the most modern in the world, but it wasn't long ago that it was completely destroyed by war. If you look at pictures from even twenty years ago, you can see how drastically this country has changed in a short amount of time. Sixty years ago, people here were living in extreme poverty and therefore Koreans saw education as the foundation of their country's reconstruction. In many ways, the emphasis of education is in fact what has made this country so prosperous over the past few decades. However, Korea has also had to compete with the education systems of its neighboring economic powerhouses--Japan and China. For this reason, the intensity of the education systems of these countries is very similar.
Students in Korea go to school all day, every day. Younger students go to school during the day, then go to hagwons, or private schools at night. At the hagwons, students will take additional math, science, english, or even music classes. These schools are expensive, but many parents see it as absolutely essential for the success of their students, and therefore shell out tons of money to hagwons every year.
By the time students get to high school, they are in classes all day (8-6), then they have mandatory study time until 10:00. Many students then go back to their dorms and study for a few hours after that. So, you might think, "well that sucks, but at least they have the weekends!" Well, no. When I ask my students what they did on the weekend they tell me they either had classes or studied. Even over Chuseok break (Thanksgiving), my students told me they would only see their family on Chuseok, and they would then spend the rest of their break studying. They either have classes at school over the weekends or they go hagwons for extra classes.
In one of my culture classes, I did a lesson about American high school. When the students saw all the vacations that American students have they were completely envious. They also couldn't believe that school is done so early in the afternoon, students can play on so many sports teams, and that students can CHOOSE some of their classes. Students in Korea don't get these options, and while American students love to complain about what they have, there are millions of students in Asia who would love to have the American school schedule.
So why do these kids study so much? The answer is simple: testing. Korea (along with other Asian countries) have an education system that is purely driven by testing. The Korean college entrance exam, or the Korean SAT, is the single most important factor to determining a student's future. A student's entire education comes down to a single day. If he/she gets a poor score on the test, they will have no shot at getting into a top school, regardless of how well they did over the past few years. Having a bad day on CSAT day could quite literally ruin your plans for your future.
Teaching in such a test-driven educational environment has been quite the learning experience for me. While many schools in America are moving towards competency based grading and performance assessments, testing is still the be-all- and end-all in Asia. Education systems in America are valuing depth over breadth of knowledge, and skills over the recall of information. However, in Asia, it is primarily about recall, and education is about being able to remember AS MUCH as possible.
I don't believe this type of education system is best for the students, but it's not my place to think that I can change a whole country, especially since Korea is trying to stay competitive with the rest of Asia. While I think it's really unhealthy for students to spend so much time studying, I do think that the students learn how to work hard. I think that many American students are losing the ability to study at all, but I would never in a million years hope to have a system like the one in Korea. With that said, I really appreciate how much Koreans value and support education. If people in America also cared so much about their education system, I think we could solve a lot of the problems that we are currently facing.
Below is a picture of my class schedule. In Korea, students stay in the same classroom with the same group of students (separated by gender) for all of their classes. This is called their homeroom. The first number tells you which grade they're in, and the second number tells you what classroom they're in. For example, 2-1 would be second grade first class, and 1-3 would be first grade third class.
I see first grade boys the most--4 times a week. First grade girls I only see once a week, and I see every second grade boys and girls once a week. That's a total of 21 classes a week, but I only have to prepare a total of five, fifty minute lesson plans a week--a lot less than I had to do in the US. Although, as I've mentioned I find planning difficult because of the lack of any type of solid curriculum for me to follow.
I teach from 9-5 everyday (8:30 start time on Monday/Tuesday), which is nice because I don't have to wake up disgustingly early like I did last year, but by the time I get home the day is pretty much winding down. I have way more downtime than I did teaching in America. Tuesdays are my busiest days because I teach five classes, but then I also teach a night class. I don't leave school until after 9:30 PM on Tuesdays, which is gross, but gives me insight to how the students and other teachers feel. Most teachers stay at school until at least 10 most nights, and some nights they are required to stay until 11. It's insane. I am so tired by the time Tuesdays are done that it takes all my energy to come home and put on my pajamas. I can't imagine doing that daily. Additionally, I only have to teach three classes on Wednesdays, so at least after having such a long day I have a less stressful schedule the next day.
So, there's a little insight into school in Korea. It's really different from the US, but that's part of what is making this whole experience so interesting. I will be happy to one day return to teaching in the US, but for now, this experience is certainly opening my eyes.
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