America Education and Korea Education

By Gabi Kim

             What do you think about a high school education in own country? Each country has unlike methods to educate students, yet they have a same purpose to educate. I want to discuss about the high school education between Korea and the USA. Education in Korea and education in the USA have some similarities, but there are many distinct differences. First of all, two countries have mutually alike things. Both are similar class size in school. Each class has 30-40 students in one class. Not only Korea students but also the USA students go to school by school bus, foot, and parent’s car for transportation. Mathematics, Sciences, social studies and English are generally considered to be the most important subjects in Korea, likewise in the USA. Especially, both have a sex education subject in school, but school in Korea take a sex education class once a month. In the other hand, they are mutually dissimilar each other. First, most high schools in Korea start at 7 a.m. and finish 11 p.m., while schools in America start at 8 a.m. and finish 3 p.m. From 7 am to 6 pm, we take regular class and then we study whatever we want until 11 pm. When I was high school student, I usually couldn’t meet my father in home because I arrive in the home almost midnight while father is sleeping. In contrast, students in the USA do variety activities after school. Second, all of students in Korea must wear uniform although only private high school in the USA wear a uniform. In Korea, people think that students who wear uniform look neat and efficient. Third, teaching methods in Korea is different from the USA teaching methods. Most of classes go along by teacher’s unilateral explaining and that effect on restrict student’s creative thinking. However, the USA classes are leaded by discussion or presentation. Students usually talk their idea and share their opinion with classmates. This teaching method makes independent thinking, so I think teaching methods in Korea need to renovate. Finally, rules in school are strict in Korea, but, in the USA, school doesn’t care about too much. In my case, my school has really strict regulations; I couldn’t wear colorful outers, bags, and shoes. Only black and white colors are allowed to our school. Not only accessories but also hair length was limited, so we couldn’t let our hair grow long. We could grow only three centimeters under ears. Besides, we couldn’t bring our cell phone and we couldn’t date with someone in school. As you can see, there are many differences between them. For these reasons, many students go abroad for studying because they don’t like Korean education policy such as cramming education, the high costs of private tutoring and the competitive atmosphere in schools. Education in South Korea is viewed as being crucial for success and competition is consequently very heated and fierce. In conclusion, I prefer the USA education to Korea education, so I am satisfied with this education style in USA.