10 Shocking Facts about Korean schools:
1. A 16-hour school day?
Just how strongly do Koreans feel about education? It would shock you. The average high school student generally has class from approximately 8A until 9:30P or 10P. With Koreans, the goal is to get into a good college and often, the competition is high. As a result, many students will also attend a private hagwon (afterschool learning program). After school programs reinforce education and English learning, so there is high demand for them; and for students, this is perhaps, their one social outlet and way to meet other friends. This means the average teen doesn’t get home until midnight; and lunch and dinner are served at the school! Middle school is a bit more lenient and holds class until around 4P, with a possible hagwon learning afterwards. But just when you think Korean teens have the weekend to be teens, they also have school on Saturdays! This means…
2. School on Saturdays.
Until recently, school days were Monday to Saturday. The school schedule since has changed as a result of disgruntled Korean teachers envying foreign EFL teachers’ Monday to Friday (only) schedules. Today, Korean teachers are much happier– they have TWO Saturdays a month off!
3. Oh Honorable Teacher
In Korea, the saying is “Teachers are as high as God“. You wouldn’t guess that from their pay scale, but teachers hold a valuable and high position in society. As mentioned earlier, Korea emphasizes education and schooling to the power of 100. As a result, Korea possesses a high regard for its Korean teachers. Retirement age isn’t until 65 years old. Seniority means increased pay and the hours are said to be better than regular jobs (although I currently find this hard to believe).
4. The Business side of Teaching
Powerpoint presentations, USB memory sticks are tools of the trade and office casual to professional attire is recommended (Elementary to High School). Classrooms are furnished with a computer (or computer/media podiums) connected to either an overhead projector system or an LCD flat screen. This doesn’t mean all teachers are tech saavy, though.
5. The 5-year Teacher Rotation Wheel
Teachers rotate schools every 5 years. This system is born to give each teacher a fair chance at working at a good or bad school.
6. Role playing via Hollywood style
Some schools have blue screen technology and/or rooms with “sets” for kids to role play or enact situations in. One class example we saw was a market checkout scene.. they had aisles, shelves and a real conveyor belt. I even worked at a Korean camp once and our “hospital” had eye charts, stethoscopes, height and weight scales, wheelchair and a doctor’s lab coat!
7. Corporal punishment is still in effect.
While in the U.S., corporal punishment of children blares “lawsuit”, the Korean educational system and childrens’ parents have no issue with physical discipline in school classrooms. It is allowed, although there has been news of the system tightening this up. Usually the disciplinarian is a male teacher. Click here for an additional article on the subject (although it is a bit dated)
8. Korean students with “English” names.
Ever wonder why some Korean people the kind of generic English names, which make you want to do a double-take and giggle because they just don’t fit the Asian face which owns it? For instance- Alice, Kate, even Angelina? Blame it on the foreign English teacher that gave it to them! Some school English programs in Korea suggest students be given English names for their English classes and occasionally it’s up to the EFL teacher to do so. One lecturer told us we might want to have a fishbowl of at least 25-100 English names for kids to choose from or to assign to students! This is all depending on the school regulations.
9. Students take responsibility for the cleanliness of their school.
The Korean school system teaches students to be responsible for the care of their school. While janitors tend to major chores such as tending to the bathroom, cleaning the hallways, classrooms, staircases and picking up trash on the school grounds are done by the students early in the morning before the morning bell rings.
10. Shoe Etiquette in the Classrooms
You know that Asian tradition of taking your shoes off when you enter a house? Koreans have something similar but seeing as they consider feet “dirty”, when they remove their outdoor shoes, they change into house slippers. How does this affect the classroom etiquette? Teachers and students must switch out of their street shoes and into their “school shoes” upon entering the school building.
What are some shocking things you’ve discovered in your foreign school?
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