Final Essay
"If you were a school principal, what would you do?" My
professor of ‘성균논어(Sungkyoun Confucian Analects)’ asked
students this question in the last lecture, and it is also my interest because
I want to open my own school in the future. So in this essay, I would like to
share my answer, especially regarding the school curriculum, using 3 articles
about Finnish school system, Youth Conservation Corps program, and swimming
lessons in Vanuatu.
First of all, I want ethics to be taught in collaborative
environments like in Finland, as the article chosen by Kim Kyung Jae ‘Happy
Teaching, Happy Learning: 13 Secrets to Finland’s Success’ said. The article is
about 13 factors in Finnish education, which the writer identified during attending
the Oppi Festival in Helsinki, such as ethics curriculum, evaluation of early
learners, and emphasis on collaborative environments. According to the article,
all students learn their ethics curriculum through religion class or take a required
ethics courses for nonreligious students in Finland, in addition, evaluation of
early learners until 4th grade focuses on metacognition and learning
how to learn not giving grades. Kim Kyung Jae points out some differences
between Finland and Korea education according to him it is because Korea
society requires highly competition among students. I agree with his opinion
that such competition makes students recognize their friends as their opponent.
Further it may cause some social problems like bullying or corruption, I think.
If students learn ethics then they would know what they have to do and what
they must not do, also in collaborative environments they recognize their
friends as their partner. So taking ethics curriculum in collaborative
environments would make students learn and practice how to live with other
people in community.
Second, I hope students could take some lifesaving skills in school
by a kind of swimming skills stated in the article ‘First-ever swimming lessons
trying to prevent high number of drownings in Vanuatu’ which Lee Hyun Oh cited.
According to article, a three-month pilot project is teaching children swimming
skills by several Australian volunteers. The project is trying to promote water
safety because in Vanuatu boat travel is an essential part of life but exposed
to water-related deaths, during classes children would learn the basic strokes
as well as floating techniques. As Lee Hyun Oh wrote, he hopes to do a real volunteer
work to serve society not just making a donation. I don’t feel just great
because although swimming skill is necessary for Vanuatu children to ‘survive’ but
this is the first project aimed at Vanuatu. Therefore, in my opinion, if some
skills such as a cardiopulmonary resuscitation are really needed because of the
threat of life, then they have to be in mandatory curriculum for everyone.
Lastly, using the article ‘National Park hires youth for summer
projects’ in blog of Lim Jung Hyung, I suggest that school give students a
chance to get job experiences in work. According to the article, the National
Park of American Samoa has hired 16 local high school students to participate
in its Youth Conservation Corps program for two months providing youth with
opportunities to work and learn together on Tutuila and in the Manu’a Islands. The
participants will complete several challenging projects with park staff. As Lim
Jung Hyung said, this project is helpful for youth to understand its natural and
cultural resources and have a career. In this case, the project is provided by
National Park, so introducing youth to careers only related to the protection
of their heritage, but if a similar program is provided by a variety of
companies, then students could expand their horizon building skills that will
be required in real work conditions. Therefore I hope youth to get an
opportunity by working program to know what people do in work, what kind of job
exists, or what they do well to prepare for future career.
So far, I mentioned three articles about Finnish school system,
Youth Conservation Corps program, and swimming lessons in Vanuatu to suggest
that school curriculum need such courses. For the primary grades, it is good to
teach ethics particularly in collaborative environments. Moreover, some
lifesaving skills could be taught in local school to decrease a variety of sad
cases. Lastly, I suggest that schools and local companies give their youth an
opportunity to experience in work. By these courses, my own school would give
youth strength and knowledge how to live in real world, and make youth prepare their
real life.
Sources
1a. Kim, Kyung Jae. “Happy Teaching, Happy Learning: 13 Secrets to
Finland’s Success.” KJ Kim. Blogger, Web. 11 July 2014.
1b. Faridi, Sophia. "Happy Teaching, Happy Learning: 13 Secrets
to Finland's Success" Education week. N.p., 24 June 2014. Web. 11
July 2014.
2a. Lee, Hyun Oh. “First-ever swimming lessons trying to prevent
high number of drownings in Vanuatu.” skku summer class. Blogger, Web. 11 July
2014.
2b. Graue, Catherine. “First-ever swimming lessons trying to prevent
high number of drownings in Vanuatu.” Australia Network News. ABC, 27 June 2014.
Web. 11 July 2014.
3a. Lim, Jung Hyung. “National Park hires youth for summer projects.”
Summer2014. Blogger, Web. 11 July 2014.
3b. “National Park hires youth for summer projects.” samoa news.
Osini Faleatasi Inc., 26 June 2014. Web. 11 July 2014.
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