For a beautiful student

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Opinion

Wed, November 29, 2023 | 17:45

Thoughts of the Times

For a beautiful student

Posted : 2023-09-18 16:30

Updated : 2023-09-18 16:30

By Lee Eung-tae

I was so delighted when you called last spring to tell me you had passed the teacher employment test. I was almost in tears learning that you were going to be an elementary teacher in Busan. I could picture you smiling in a classroom full of happy kids, your dream come true. Your former high school homeroom teacher couldn't have been prouder.

But I started to worry about the numerous obstacles you would face even as I knew how well you would cope with them, just as you had in high school. You were very intelligent and at the top in almost every subject. You were kind, responsible and insightful as class captain for two years in a row. In difficult circumstances, you never gave up and always greeted whoever came to you with a lovely smile.

I remember the day when I counseled you about college admission applications. You said you wanted to enter teachers' college. At this, I objected and tried to persuade you to apply to more prestigious places because your grades were excellent enough to get you into those top universities. I rambled on with hundreds of reasons why teaching is a hard job. But you said your dream was to teach elementary students. Hearing you, I felt my face burn with shame for my duplicity: how could a teacher try to discourage any student from becoming a teacher?

But you need to consider that in no way will what you did in high school determine how successful you will be in teaching elementary students. Reflecting on more than 30 years of teaching experience in various schools, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to overcome hardships arising from numerous hostile situations.

The news of a young female teacher's suicide plunged me into a profound depression. Who and what drove her to it? Now I am fearful for all young teachers. You might think that all the kids and their parents today are the same as yourself: innocent, and as grateful to teachers as your mom was when you were an elementary school student years ago. If you think this, I'm afraid you are deluded. Just as our society is demoralized and polarized, our educational environment is more and more rotten. Every day brings us cases of teachers being despised in almost every school.

Not a day passes without us being angered at the news of teachers being mentally and physically abused by their students and also their parents. They are humiliated, harassed, disrespected and abused just for correcting the bad behavior of their students.

In such a harsh environment, I feel disheartened. And how many of you feel frustrated when you realize that teaching elementary students in school is totally different from what you imagined? And how many of you are even driven into the corner of thinking of ending your precious lives due to the incessant harassment of students and parents?

I think your situation may be intolerable as a young female teacher. But still my dear student, I believe you can overcome this reality with your kind and loving nature. And I am sure that, just like you, all our devoted teachers will go on teaching their students with love and passion for their futures despite this hostile teaching environment.

There is still a majority of parents who respect and encourage their kids' teachers. So, please, don't despair. I am always on your team, and we, all of us, everywhere, support you with our love.

Lee Eung-tae (eungtae@gmail.com) is a former high school teacher who taught English for 35 years.