✏️ 영어 조기교육과 사교육 과열에 대한 한 학부모의 생각
Korea’s education system for children causes serious problems for most households. It is said that the cost of private education accounts for 30 to 40% of household income, and this cost tends to increase as children progress to higher levels of schooling.
Money is not the only issue. In Korea, notorious for its intense education fever, enrollment in top-tier universities — mostly located in Seoul — or in medical schools, including Korean medicine, dental, veterinary, and pharmaceutical schools, is regarded as a golden ticket to a more stable life.
To enter these fields, living in Seoul or a metropolitan area is considered more advantageous than living in rural regions. The gaps between urban and rural areas, between Seoul and other regions, and between Gangnam and non-Gangnam areas, are widening.
Personally, I did not receive any form of private education such as prep schools or tutoring. I studied on my own, using a free public educational broadcasting program. However, studying without private instruction seems harder today for students aiming for top universities compared to when I was in high school.
I think English is just a foreign language — a useful tool, not a goal in itself. There are many things to learn besides English. I want my children to develop their own outlook on life first. To achieve this, cultivating good habits — such as reading books, exercising regularly, listening to others, writing a diary, volunteering, and learning how to save and invest money — is more important for living a better life.
🌱 참고한 글
워싱턴 포스트의 한국의 유치원 관련 기사를 보다가 위의 글을 적어 봤습니다.
유치원부터 의대진학에 명문대 입시반 등등 한국 뉴스에서만 보다가 이게 워싱턴포스트에 까지 기사화될 만한 일이란 걸 보고 좀 씁쓸함을 느끼게 되네요.
참고로 원래 제가 쓴 영어는 이렇습니다. AI로 첨삭을 받으면서 영어 공부를 하니 괜찮네요.
Koreans education for kids causes serious problems to most households. It is said that the cost of private education consists of 30 to 40% of household incomes and the cost tends to get bigger as the kids entering higher level of school. Money is not the only matter.
In Korea, notorious for its insane education fever, the enrollment in top-tier universities mostly located in Seoul or medical school including Chinese medical school, dental school, 수의과대학 and pharmaceutical school, is regarded as a golden ticket to enable more stable life.
To get into those area, living in Seoul or metro city is better than living in rural area. The gaps between urban and rural area, in Seoul and out of Seoul, Gangnam and non-Gangnam are deepening. I did not have any kind of prive education including prep schools or tutoring, I studied by myself, referring to a free public education media program.
However, studying without tutoring seems to be harder when a student wants to enter into a top-tier university, compared to when I was in high school. I think English is just a foreign language. It is a useful means, not a purpose. There a lot of things to learn 영어 이외에도. I want my children to have their outlook on life first. To get it, having a good habit such as reading a book, working out regurarly, listening to others, writing diary, volunteering, saving and investing money etc is more significant to live a better life.
