Fucking learner centered education

I’m studying English education. I had no idea what education is and how it should be until recently. Nowadays I had some chances to read and study a few books about general education, especially about modern pedagogical paradigm. There was a principle “learner centered” which totally got my attention in one of these book I’ve read. Learner centered refers to curriculum which literally moving its focus to students from teachers whose role has been traditionally a leader of classrooms. So, in that curriculum, teachers are just facilitator of the classrooms and students have more control of what they learn, how they learn, etc. At first, I thought that was a really good idea. So I decided to apply it to my student who is 5^th grade in elementary school to motivate him. I started it by going to a book store with him to choose his textbook. We took a look at many books and discussed a lot and finally bought a book. During the course of study I kept asking him how he wanted to be taught and I really reflected his idea on the course to make it more interesting to him. He seemed to enjoy it and followed what he chose to do. By that way, we finished a book and still everything seemed to be ok, at least to me.

A month ago, I found out his listening skill wasn’t as good as his friends’. So I thought I had to train him with English dictation which requires high concentration of students. I knew that’s a really old method, but it could be the best way unless he goes abroad to study. It was so hard to make him understand that he needed to do that. And because of that fucking learner centered education I administered before, now he is always looking for something fun and keeps complaining. Now, I realized that I made a profound mistake which was allowing a leaf of freedom to a 12-year-old kid. Maybe, it was me who applied the learner centered method in the wrong way, so sue me!

A Strange Estonian Girl

I met a girl whose name is Ipi on the online language exchange site. Of course I was looking for someone I can practice English with. But she was looking for Koreans who can help her immigration to Korea. I was surprised. Why on earth, an Estonian 17-year-old girl wants to immigrate to Korea? Though we exchanged 4, 5 emails back and forth, I found out a lot about her. The more I getting to know her, the more I feel comfortable about her. Finally, I was shocked that there is a person who is a lot like me live on the other side of the world! From the personality, relationship with friends, perspective of beauty to a little bit bitterness which I could grasp from her writing, we have a lot in common. For now, I don’t want her to immigrate to Korean, because the information she has about my country is might not correct. And I’m also afraid that she would be disappointed about Korea.

Juju island, island of my soul!!

Nothing can make me forget what was the Jeju island like last winter. Everything was there for me. When I close my eyes on the bicycle, cold but gentle breath from the ocean softly touched my cheeks. Thinking that my best friend riding beside me would feel the same thing, feeling that my heart was beating with his one, my world inside was spreading its wings endlessly to the outside world making connections. 

Of course, it was not an easy trip. Obstacles come to me time to time and I got over it with my soul mate. Even though I made stupid mistakes that probably couldn’t be forgivable in Busan, there was no need of apology. If you can’t make it, then we can find another way. If you don’t want to see that, why don’t we just skip it? The time was ours. And I felt like there was nothing I couldn’t do.

Now I’m back here in Busan. Every time I feel lonely, feel like I’m so vulnerable, like I’m all alone in this devastating world, I look through these pictures from this special island. Then I suddenly feel warm as if I were in the island again and my body is already full of strength to live this world.

The Jeju island, the island of dream, peace, freedom and my soul!.

The first day of the semester is always exciting. Going to classes expecting new people, new professor and interesting subject which I am going to study replenishes me with will power. Not every moment, however, turns out to be great. Sometimes I meet professors who force their students memorize everything without any inquiry to the subject. And sometimes I meet someone nothing in common with so that I have nothing to talk in an English conversation class.

  When I’m feeling down, when people stress me out, I always play the piano. When I touch the notes on the piano, which carries my emotion, all the stress melts away. While I'm playing, I think of someone I love and someone who cares about me. You don’t have to be perfect to enjoy music. Just love it. And try to be part of it. And then you can find yourself live with it.