assignment 2-Taught how to be a fool

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Title: Taught how to be a fool

It was a warm, sleepy day when Mr. Garrioch turned on the video related to the education. I'm pretty concerned about the education and how it should be developed, so I was somewhat interested what Ken Robinson was talking about. He contended that current education is killing children's creativity, which is extremely important and valuable for society development. He stressed that the world is leveling the children with one standard, 'academic study'. He keep pointed out that most part of the world is neglecting the significance of arts and sports that are essential to our lives and other ways to succeed after profound research. Even though my suggestion about education is somewhat different than the perspective he looks into it, I mostly agreed to his opinion.

It is obvious that current education system, especially in Korea, needs to be modified. Lots of Korean teachers are pushing their students into assignments and exams by just cramming the knowledge into children’s head. But cramming information is meaningless and a big waste of energy since students’ won’t remember as time passes and not be able to practically use what they learned. Also, questions and exams based on only ‘academic knowledge’ will make students’ do hasty preparation right before the tests, which cannot be evaluated as desirable study method. In addition, they will be bothered due to lack of experiences because teachers forcibly put the information into the heads, not help them to learn through body and mind.

Advocates of present education method believe that input of theoretical knowledge and memorization of information are indispensable for somewhat degree. It is true that having basic level of knowledge is essential, however, use of ‘cramming method’ is being already overused in Korea. Moreover, proponents of current Korea education claims that classes are working well based on textbooks which have accurate analysis about phenomena and detailed explanations. However, the contents included in textbook are too decisive and firm so that students’ imaginations or creation of new solutions to solve the problems may be impeded by those inflexible concepts or inelastic solutions toward questions.

Now, the government should help students to learn academic things by experience so that they won't forget information. For instance, schools have to arrange more facilities in science laboratories and gymnasium. Second, teachers must consider the new curriculum with extra hours of physical education, art and music. Teachers should encourage the students to improve their talents, not obligating them to study. We have to show that there are diverse ways to succeed and be happy. I wish the government to admit that every subject is equally valuable so that they should support and encourage students to be specialized and creative in their favorite fields.

Ken Robinson emphasized that “If you are not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” Children have infinite possibilities and potentials. Contemporary generation should build up conditions that can encourage children to fulfill their destiny through talents and efforts. Let’s not limit or try to manage them, but stimulate to go forward. We should teach them developing slowly isn’t a thing to be embarrassed, but quitting the work that they were doing is the real thing they should be embarrassed.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity | Video on TED.com

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity Video on TED.com


Free writing
Past: Education>creativity
Future: Education = creativity

It was a warm, sleepy day when Mr. Garrioch turned on the video related to the education. I'm pretty concerned about the educations and how it should be developed, so I was kind of interested what Ken Robinson said. He contended that current education is killing children's creativity, which is extremely important and valuable in society. He is stressing that the world is leveling the children with one standard 'academic study'. He keep points out that most part of the world is neglecting the significance of arts and sports that are essential to our lives and other ways to succeed after profound research. Even though my suggestion about education is somewhat different than the perspective he looks into it, I mostly agreed to his opinion.
It is obvious that current education system, especially in Korea, needs to be modified. Lots of Korean teachers are pushing their students into assignments and exams with cramming method of teaching. But cramming the knowledge against students' will is meaningless to be called as education. Students will forget the information that they've learned after few weeks. In addition, they will be bothered when they practically try to make use of knowledge since students are lack of experiences because teachers forcibly put the information into the heads.
Now, the government should help students to learn academic things by experience so that they won't forget information. For instance, schools have to arrange more facilities in science laboratories and gymnasium. Second, teachers must consider the new curriculum with extra hours of physical education, art and music. I wish the government to admit that every subject is equally valuable so that they should support and encourage students to be specialized and creative in their favorite fields.

Hyunseok Lee as a writer

Assignment #1

“Just…write as you feel.”

To be frank, I’m not a good writer. Although I’m somewhat enthusiastic in speaking, I don’t like to write. When I was in 9^th grade, I was so worried about my writing skills and asked to one of my friends who write great. And above quotation is the answer that I got from him. He didn’t even try to edit awesome essay, but he never fabricated or deceived his feelings about the topic. Therefore, his articles were genuine and touching. After I grasped the way how I can write better, I started to write the essay truthfully and accurately. As time passed, I developed my own style. Teachers or peers who ever evaluated my essay always told me that my sentences are very concise and objective, therefore, they were easy to read along and understand.  I was surprised that most of the reviewers liked the way I wrote because I don’t use complicated and impressive phrases which usually catch readers’ eye.

Although I haven’t met many people who dislike or seriously criticized my writing style, I usually cannot satisfy or feel comfortable toward my essays. I believe it’s because of use of language. I’m not word-smart and unfamiliar with using high-ranking figurative languages. As a result, I found myself putting the same vocabularies and phrases over and over again. In addition, on the ground that my construction of a sentence is simple, I sometimes feel difficulties gratifying the minimum quantity that I must write to submit the essay. With classmates and Mr. Garriochs’ help, I wish I could able to write lengthy and profound essay.

For the best work of mine, I remember the term paper for Mr. Johnson’s class. I consider this paper to be the most meaningful article that I’ve ever written not because its quality or contents. But I’m quite of proud of it since I put my best efforts in the paper. Even though five-page essay wasn’t that burdensome, I really focused on the paper and searched out for several methods to get information. Furthermore, I had some hardships about citing other works in appropriate way since it was the first time writing the term paper based on official format. However, I learned a lot about citations and avoiding plagiarism so that I could regard about original idea-producer and do better work on next paper. I will paste my paper at the very end of this essay.

I received unsatisfactory score in English last semester. And, in my opinion, I failed to achieve memorable performances in Ms. Choi’s class. During vacation, I deeply thought about how I can improve my English, especially in writing. In Mr. Garrioch’s class, I will endeavor to advance my language usage and try to include nutritious data which can assist readers to develop their own idea and theories. I hope that self-revision and tutoring to be the main methods that students make the progress on their essays. I’m really looking forward to English class in this semester.

<Advantages of neoliberalism and how it should be improved >

May, 16,2011(1^st Term Paper)

By Hyunseok Lee (International 10b4)                                    For: Mr. Carlton Johnson

0. Introduction

             It has been almost 30 years that neoliberalism had been the mainstream of world economy. Despite neoliberalism ruled our one of the most sensitive aspects of life, most of the people do not know about the effects or the problems incurred by neoliberalism and some of the people even don’t know what neoliberalism is. In this article, I will introduce about the concept of neoliberalism and analyze about it so that controversy over neoliberalism can be completely organized to the readers. 

1. Emergence of Neoliberalism.

                  After Adam smith claimed that government should not take care of economic market and flow of economy must be circulated through movement of ‘invisible hand’, capitalism was the mainstream of world economy. However, numerous nations faced great economic depression in 1930s and recognized extreme monopolies in the market and gap between rich and poor. Therefore Keynesian economics, modified form of original capitalism had risen. But Keynesian economics were also destroyed when one more big economic depression devastated many countries in the world and incurred inefficiency in the flow of market economy. As a solution for problems of Keynesian economics, neoliberalism was introduced in 1980 (Kwon).

2. What is Neoliberalism?

             To be simple, the main idea of neoliberalism is “the economic policy related to the claim that the flow of the market economy should be maintained through the desire to intensify and expand the market, by minimizing the intervention of government and reinforcing the efficiency in the market” (David 174~183). According to neoliberalism, government should take care of very limited range of nation economy such as security, restrictions for extreme monopolies. In addition, free world trade without harsh restrictions, liberal movement and atmosphere in labor-force market, unlimited freedom given to enterprises are being supported from advocates of neoliberalism.   

3. Advantages of Neoliberalism

                   Supporters of neoliberalism contend that neoliberalism amplifies the efficiency of market economy. On the ground that policies with neoliberalism reduce the influences from governmental managements, companies, the group of producers, can gain tremendous power in the market. Enterprises will produce goods more actively to increase their profits. As a result, interactions between consumers and producers will be revitalized and size, efficiency of market will be maximized. During above process of development, the competitive power and creativity of companies will be dramatically developed too. One of the greatest examples that neoliberalism facilitated the liberal flow of economy can be FTA. FTA, which stands for Free Trade Agreement, is the form of transaction that induces abolition of tariffs or international limitations related to trading goods between two countries. For instance, after FTA was signed up between Republic of Korea and United States of America, both of countries are expecting better products in the market with higher competitive power because their products will fascinate consumers with lower tariffs (Kim). Furthermore, neoliberalism is considered to be the main power of globalization. Since neoliberalism encourages free trade between nations and integrity of markets, globalization has been accelerated by the name of ‘realization of neoliberalism’. That is to say neoliberalism boosted the exchange of information and cultures around the country.

4. Problems of Neoliberalism

             Unlike the advantages shown above, Neoliberalism seems to be the main cause of several treacherous problems these days. Opponents of neoliberalism strongly urge that neoliberalism is the main cause of increasing gap between rich and poor in modern society. In these days, only top 1% of world population is taking 40% of finances in the world. Since neoliberalism expands efficiency in the market through limitless competitions between individuals, it raised gap between rich and poor. Riches are becoming much richer based on their original properties while poor people are ‘sinking down’ and suffering great economic hardships in their lives. This phenomenon occurs not only between individuals but also between companies. According to statistics provided in newspaper, BMW sold 9249 cars in Republic of Korea this year while Subaru sold 236 cars (Kim). As shown in this statistics, competitions without governmental controls are causing increases of economic gap between individuals and enterprises. Moreover, unemployment rate can be augmented because of neoliberalism. In the world of neoliberalism, a person with less ability is the target of unemployment or fire since a person with diverse and intense ability will get the job. There is no care from government related to unemployment, therefore, neoliberalism incurred depression on many families’ budgets. Lastly, antagonists of neoliberalism tell that globalization, which is the phenomenon deeply associated with realization of neoliberalism, cannot be considered as positive status quo. They claim that over-globalization provoked destruction of some folk cultures in each nation and forced developing countries or poor countries to follow developed countries’ economic pressures or mechanisms(Jang,203~244).   

5. Solutions for the problems (How neoliberalism can be ideal)

             There are three main problems which are occurred because of neoliberalism; Increases in gap between rich and poor, incremented unemployment rate and side effects from globalization. However, those three hot issues can be solved with one big solution; Government should take somewhat care of the market. First of all, government should concern about welfare system so that poor people can get enough financial support to lead safe life. If the world is only sustained by laws of neoliberalism, poor people cannot earn any chance to success or improve their economic conditions, however, they will get opportunity to enlarge their family budgets and go forward for their dreams when government provides financial back-up to them. I strongly believe that it’s nation’s duty to assist members of society and stimulate them to reveal their potentials for nation and themselves. Next, the legislative council should think about how government can aid jobless people. Recently, some of the nations are helping unemployed people by offering living expenses and find the jobs for them. As a result, the unemployment rate in those countries had evidently decreased and livelihoods of the public were stabilized (Kim). Finally, nation must manage how much the country should be globalized. Under powerful phenomenon called ‘Globalization’, people might lose their own cultures, which are developed through ancestors and themselves. Therefore, government has to supervise the balance between folk cultures and new cultures that came into because of globalization.    

Works Cited

1.      Kwon Eunjoong, “지금 경제상황은 3차 대공황”(Ji geum gyeongjaesanghwangeun samcha daegonghwang, Present world economy is in 3^rd depression) Seoul: 한겨레(Hani) newspaper published in 2011.05.13/15^th page

2.      Kim Jongmun, “수입차 판매는 양극화”(Suibcha panmaeneun yangukhwa, Sales of transported cars are being polarized between companies) Seoul: Joongang-economy newspaper published in 2011.05.11/11^th page

3.      Jang Ha-joon, <Bad Samaritans>, Seoul :Booki, 2007

4.      Kim Suhyoung, “[한미 FTA 타결] 한 미 FTA의 A to Z: FTA의 의의부”([Han mi FTA ta gyeoul] han mi FTAe A to Z: FTAe uiuibu, FTA between Korea and USA iss signed up. Everything about Korea and USA: meaning of FTA) 6 December 2010  <http://blog.naver.com/fss2009?Redirect=Log&logNo=140119324917>

5.      Kim Daeyoung, “신자유주의의 문제점과 그 해결방법”(Shinjayoojuiui munjaejumgua ge haegyeolbangbeob, Problems of neoliberalism and solutions for those) 2 September 2006 <http://blog.naver.com/davidpaulkim>

6.     David Harby, <Neoliberalism> Seoul: Haneul, 2007