Over the 7 or so years that I have taught in Korea, I have taught quite a few teacher training programs for Korean elementary, middle, and high school teachers. I've always enjoyed teaching these programs. The teachers are generally smart and keen, and their English is often quite good. And yet...the Korean school system is almost universally despised by Korean parents, teachers, and students. As a result, thousands of students are sent abroad to study every year. My present interest in this was piqued by two friends who teach elementary school in Canada. They have often asked me why/how Korean parents can send their children (often frightened and unhappy) to schools in Canada. My friends say that these very young children who are sent to Canada to live with relatives or friends and really, REALLY don't want to be there. This is not like university aged students who can appreciate a new and exciting experience and who may, in fact, like the opportunity to be away from their parents for a few years. And, I don't understand it. Korea has good teachers. Korea has enough money in the country to fund good schools. Korea parents spend thousands of dollars every year sending their children abroad, and, if they can't send them abroad, they spend thousands of dollars every year to send them to private institutes at night. If that money was funneled into the Korean education system through taxes, they could have a first rate system. The teachers are there.
From another blog, I found a link to this news item, "New Immigration Strategy: Koreans Send Children to America for Adoption." I find this extremely disturbing. I often think that I will never understand Korean culture, and their attitude towards education is mind boggling to me. I don't understand how screwing up the important bond that should develop between parents and children can be compensated by get a degree at a university in Canada or the U.S. and then, someday, becoming a successful doctor. I don't think that any Korean can convince me that the parent/child relationship will ever be "normal." Will the success of the child bring face to the family? Is that enough? Is that the most important thing? Will the bond between parents and children ever be strong? What kind of parents will those children become someday? They won't have had a model of good parenting.
I know that the boarding school phenomenon is not limited to Koreans. I have had many British friends who attended boarding school. They didn't seem to be anymore screwed up than me. However, their relationships with their parents were very cool. Is this normal? Is it okay? I'm not sure, but I'd like to say to Koreans, "Your kids need you. Are they really better off if they spend years without you?" And for those Koreans who think that putting their children up for adoption is OKAY - no way. I doubt that those children will ever forgive their parents.
The social issues in Korea that lead parents to drive their children so hard to get into the SKY universities (Seoul, Korea, Yonsei Universities) need to be addressed. Everyone could do with a little lightening up. Please.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Having kids graduate from top universities and not maintaining the kinship just doesn't sound right... Hope they figure it out some day.
From my limited experience here, Wanderer, I'd say some people, like many people everywhere, are simply breeding. They have weak family relationships with their spouses and children. I've also met many others who would never even think about sending their children away. There's a streak within the culture here that does not value family (e.g., note the popularity of "swapping"--in Canada, I never heard anyone talk about it, but I've heard it mentioned many times here).
Like you, I've taught Korean teachers, and I've also found that most of them seem to be great people. Quite a few, however, said they didn't like their jobs.
Post a Comment