True Life: I'm a Korean H.S. Student

So two weeks ago, I was forced to seriously improvise.  On Friday, October 14th, I started teaching a lesson about high school culture.  First, I began with 2 Truths and a Lie about American high schools to squash myths like "American high schoolers can take any classes they want" or "They rarely get homework."  Next, I used a PowerPoint to show pictures of my high school and illustrate some differences between Korean and American high schools.  After that, we moved on to a creative project, entitled Dream High School, which is a popular activity that has been recycled throughout the Fulbright online forum.  For this project, students work in small groups to brainstorm ideas for their ideal, dream high school (e.g., the attire, required classes, rules, class size, school clubs, etc).  Finally, each group presents their ideas and then the class votes on the best dream high school.

Overall, the lesson went smoothly - students seemed engaged and generally more responsive than usual.  However, halfway through that day, I learned that the Fulbright teacher placed at my school last year already did the Dream High School activity with these students.  Of course, none of the students bothered mentioning this to me.  They all went with it, as if, it was brand new and exciting.  To this day, I am unsure whether they just respected authority and obeyed my commands or simply forgot that they'd seen this lesson before.  Regardless, I felt rather foolish and decided to think of an alternative (and better) activity in between my second and third classes.

As back-up, I had downloaded Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" music video onto my laptop.  I decided to turn the song into a listening exercise, in which students had to fill in missing lyrics on a given worksheet.  Then, we watched the music video and identified the high school stereotypes in the video (i.e., band geek, popular cheerleader, and handsome jock).  We continued the discussion on stereotypes and talked about how one's interests, hobbies, and dress all dictate how one is perceived.

Next, I introduced the idea of how wearing a varsity letterman jacket is a way to not only identify oneself as a member of a particular social group, but it also helps commemorate one's high school experience.  After that, I presented students with an empty silhouette of a letterman jacket and asked them to fill it with drawings and phrases that represent their high school life.  Finally, I called upon several students to present their jackets to the class and describe the things that they will remember most from their high school years.

Here, I will attempt to provide an overview of Korean high school life, using drawings complied from my students' classwork.  Disclosure: My students were given a completely open forum to draw or write things that they will remember from their high school experience.  Naturally, this means that a few of the images portrayed are quite critical of the Korean education system.  In no way, does this reflect upon my personal beliefs, that of the Fulbright Korea program, or any of its associates.  Also, note that these reflections may not be representative of ALL Korean high schools.  Nonetheless, I think this project provides useful (and entertaining) insight into the life of a Korean high school student. ^^

Students that attend my high school live all around the city of Daejeon. 
Many of them take a bus to school every day.  However, if they're running late,
they will take a cab (oh, city life) or beg their parents to drive them.
Korean school buses aren't like the run-down, old-fashioned ones that
you'd find in America.  Instead, they are charter buses with
all the amenities of your average Greyhound.

Students are required to be seated in their homerooms promptly by 7:40am.
That means that most students are at the bus stop by 7:00am, if not earlier.
If they are late, they will bear the wrath of the intimidating traffic guard
in front of the school.  And let me tell you, you don't wanna mess with him!

Students at my school are CONSTANTLY running.  Running to school in the morning,
running to lunch, and running to class.  The easiest way to get in trouble at my school
is by being excessively late to class or failing to make it to homeroom on time.
In Korea, being late for an appointment  is simply inexcusable.

There are certain aspects of Korean schools are so foreign to me.  First, every student keeps a blanket, seat cushion, and pillow at school.  I suppose that makes sense, considering that they're there for nearly 15 hours a day.  But I am still not used to seeing full-grown teenagers proudly carrying around blankets.  Being that it's Kute Korea, most of these items have adorable animal faces or cartoons on them.  Also, Korean schools do not provide toilet paper in the bathroom so students and teachers must keep a secret stash at their desk. You have no idea how many times I've walked all the way to the teachers' bathroom, only to realize that I forgot to bring "hu-gee" (tissue) with me!  I guess this helps the school save money.  But it's terribly inconvenient!

Bear pillow

Treasured toilet paper

Korean high school students are also responsible for cleaning their school.  Talk about taking advantage of Korea's collectivist values.  Each student is assigned to a particular room or hallway.  Between 6th and 7th period every day, there is a 20-minute block of time, in which they must mop, sweep, take out garbage, or at least look like they are contributing.  Outside every classroom, there is a little cabinet, where students can store their brooms and dustpans.  If they tried to implement mandatory student-cleaning time in America, I swear there would be protests against underage labor.  But count on Korean students to be disciplined enough to abide by this expectation and keep their school tip-top shape.

Since cleaning is a daily communal ritual, outdoor shoes are forbidden inside the school.  Instead, every student and teacher has a pair of slippers that they change into when they arrive in the morning.  Right by the front door, there are cubbies where teachers can swap out their outdoor shoes, in exchange for slippers.  Most teachers opt for classy, understated slippers like Birkenstocks or simple slides.  I, on the other hand, bought obnoxiously cute ones with little cartoon bunnies on them.  Most students wear knock-off Adias sandals in pastel colors.  Sometimes they trade with a friend and wear mismatching colors.

Students and teachers also store toothpaste and a toothbrush in a cup at school.
They brush their teeth immediately following meals and in between classes.
I'm convinced that some students brush their teeth 7 times a day.
There's even a sink in the teachers' office that I swear, was just installed to
 facilitate this obsession.  I've given into peer pressure and
now I, too, brush at all hours of the day.

Here's an overview of some of rules and punishments at my school.  Students are forbidden from having long hair or coloring it.  They have monthly hair checks in their homeroom, which usually results in half of the students having to schedule hair appointments.  For high schools students, their hair cannot be longer than 5 cm past the shoulder, which is a significant improvement from middle school, where it's restricted at 5 cm past the chin.  In addition, students cannot wear any outside clothing.  However, students always try to break this rule.  Often students will wear sweatshirts over their uniform or keep their gym sweats on long after P.E. class is over.

While it's technically banned on paper, corporeal punishment is still a reality in many Korean schools.  In my school, it is not uncommon for teachers to carry around wooden sticks for intimidation purposes or dole out ear-twistings and arm-pinches.  I have yet to see a teacher actually use a wooden stick to hit a student but I know that it happens at other schools.  Teachers at my school are much more fond of prolonged punishments rather than a quick beating.

For example, students late to school may be forced to run several laps around the track, while keeping their heavy backpack on.  Excessive talkers will sometimes be sent out into the hallway to do 50 squats to the ground and then all the way back up.  Those with a bad attitude may be banished to the back of the room, where they must remain kneeling with their arms in the air for the rest of the class period. 

My students always look forward to meal time. 
As soon as the bell rings after 5th period, a stampede breaks out and
students swarm towards the cafeteria.  Recently, there have been some injuries
as a result of this mass rush.  Several students are now on crutches
because they were pushed aside during the stampede. 
It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. 
Within 2 minutes, there's a line out the door of starving students.

One thing that's different about Korean schools is that everyone
eats the cafeteria food, rather than bringing their own meal from home. 
This is what the school lunch tray looks like. 
Rice goes in the bottom left compartment; soup in the bottom right compartment. 
In the top left, goes the kimchi, followed by the protein in the middle
and the daily veggie in the top right.

Koreans are obsessed with their fitness and health.
This is especially true for my students, who always concerned about gaining weight.
After every meal, students walk several speedy laps around the track.
I can't help but think that they look like little hamsters.

From my experience, Korean high school students are ALWAYS hungry - and I teach at an all-girls school.  God only knows how ravenous Korean boys are.  Aside from studying, food is their top priority.  Not a day goes by where I don't hear a student yell down the hallway "I WANT PIZZA!" or "I WANT CHICKEN!"  I suppose it's a good thing that they're doing all those laps around the outdoor track.  ^_~

This is the ONLY thing that this student drew on her jacket.
Apparently, chicken is sole defining factor of her high school life.

In between classes, students have 10 minutes to do as they please.  They regularly visit the 매점 (maejeom), or convenience store in the basement.  There, students can purchase a wide range of chips, snacks, and beverages.  Many students tell me that the maejeom is their favorite part of school.  Fittingly, it was the most popular thing that students listed for this assignment.  Apparently, the woman who works there has short curly hair and is beloved by all the students.  Sorry, principal and teachers.  Students may eventually disregard your existence.  But the maejeom lady will not be forgotten!

The life of a Korean high school student unquestionably revolves around studying.  In order to be successful in Korean society, one must have a good job.  In order to have a good job, one must attend a good university.  In order to attend a good university, one must do exceptionably well on both national and school exams.  This, of course, requires countless hours of hard work, memorization, and private tutoring.  Formal classes officially end for the day at 6:10pm.  Then, students have 50 minutes for dinner.  Next, students have a supplemental class for 60-80 minutes.  These classes can range from advanced chemistry lab to my English conversation club class to an extra art class for exceptionally talented students. 

After that, students have 2 hours of mandatory night studying, which students often refer to as "hell."  There, they work on their homework, cram for an upcoming exam, or try to get ahead for next week.  Korean high schoolers typically don't leave school until at least 10pm.  A couple nights a week, they may also attend 학원 (hagwon), a private tutoring academy for additional help - that is, AFTER their long day at school finally concludes.  Needless to say, the life of a Korean high schooler is extremely stressful.  This is especially true at my high school, which is one of the best in the city and annually sends students to the Korean equivalent of Ivy League universities.  Every once in a while, I will see a student crying in the hallway, simply overwhelmed by it all.  It absolutely breaks my heart.

As a result, Korean high schoolers get maybe 5-6 hours of sleep a night (assuming it's not exam season).  I'm lucky in the fact that I rarely have discipline problems at my school.  By in large, students have a good attitude and are motivated to learn.  The only issue that I have to deal with is sleeping students.  There really is no good way to handle this situation.  If I see a student dozing off, I will usually pat them on the back (or mess up their hair for perpetual sleepers) to wake them up.  Unfortunately, it's likely that they will fall asleep again.  In some ways, I totally understand what they're going through.  In college, I would sometimes nod off in class.  Not because the professor was boring or I wasn't interested, but solely because I was so overcome by sleep deprivation.  Clearly, Korean high-schoolers are going through the same thing (x1000000).

That being said, they are still teenagers with the same interests and pastimes as their American counterparts.  They LOVE nifty gadgets and makeup.  Likely because they're cooped up all day and forbidden from using either during regular school hours.  In addition, they are boy-crazy.  I suppose that's not a surprise, considering that they're 16 years old.  But the few who have a boyfriend, spend all day dreaming about them (instead of studying) and those who don't, desperately wish to find one. 



HA, what kind of boys are you dating!?!

I truly believe in the power of an all-girls education.  In this kind of environment, girls can learn to be comfortable with who they are, confident in speaking their mind, and empowered by a strong sense of camaraderie.  These are the things that drew me to Smith and have undoubtedly shaped my life to where it is today.  I can see these same bonds forming amongst my students.  The reason why Korean high schoolers are able to endure "education fever" is because they are going through it together; because they are all struggling to pass the same tests and can rely each other for moral support.  The following pictures only begin to touch the surface of how important friends are to them.

Last but not least, several students told me that they will always remember me and my weekly class.  One low level student summarized it best: "Korean students are very sad, but you always smiling and laughing.  Only time we can have fun; not be zombie robots."  Mission Accomplished...