뉴스레터

At the end of each year, teachers ask themselves: Did I try my best to teach my students well this year? Will I be able to teach new students well next year? We get particularly anxious when curriculum change is scheduled next year. It was the case when the government announced on December 17, 2009 that a new subject, "East Asian History", will be adopted as one of the elective history courses as part of "the 2009 revised curriculum."

Teaching Methods for East Asian History Classes

Up until now, it has been difficult for history teachers to just try to cover all the historical events and items when teaching world history classes. We could not attempt to introduce new perspectives to students, and could not help but to focus on Chinese history when teaching Asian history and place emphasis on dynasties when discussing individual countries' history. Taking these circumstances into account, "East Asian History" is a new and unfamiliar subject compared to other subjects in terms of academic background, reference, and teaching material. "East Asian History" will be included in the curriculum in 2012, and as history teacher, I was under a lot of stress and pressure, for I was not sure if I could teach it well.

Then, I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of participating in "the 2011 Winter Training Program for Teachers of East Asian History" supported by the Northeast Asian History Foundation. It was a well-organized program that provided teachers with useful suggestions for making the most of East Asian History textbooks (scheduled to be adopted in 2012). Also, I really appreciated that the Foundation staff was considerate to offer the training program in Daegu, encouraging teachers in local schools to participate. As you would imagine, high school teachers are tied to tight daily routines, and even taking online training classes is not easy. The Foundation's training program offered participants with meaningful opportunities to realize the importance of teaching East Asian History and to explore ways to deliver best education to students. I would like to thank the Foundation for providing such a great training program, and I am also grateful that professors and experts traveled a long way despite cold weather and provided us with interesting and useful courses.

This year's winter training program took place in Seoul and Daegu from January 10 to 28. I attended the program in Daegu from January 24 to 28, and ten experts taught 30 lectures, enhancing our understanding on the development of "East Asian History" curriculum and introducing main topics and items.
The first lecture, "Why should we teach East Asian History?", set the overall objective for "East Asian History" courses that we overcome historical conflicts in Asia and prepare a peaceful future for East Asia through "East Asian History" education. From the second to ninth lectures, experts helped us widen our horizons and have a deeper understanding of Vietnamese and Japanese history, and relations between countries. In the last lecture, "What to teach & how to teach in East Asian History classes", we learned that we need to encourage students to understand direct and indirect exchanges between countries and see the big picture, instead of focusing only on individual countries' history.

Both lecturers and participants were enthusiastic, and we had in-depth discussions on many issues. Some of my questions were answered as to how to teach East Asian History in school when academic background for East Asian History education is still weak. I think that we teachers should help students see East Asia as a community and enhance their thinking skills.

It is my sincere hope that the Foundation continues to pay attention to "East Asian History" education and provide support in this regard. I believe that thanks to the Foundation's efforts and support, "East Asian History" will be able to remain in the curriculum in the years to come.

Platform for discussions and exchanges among history teachers

Curriculum is an extensive account of "how to teach what and why". Still, it lacks explanation about "what" and "why" in schools. In education theory, teachers are expected to play a proactive role in developing and implementing curricula. However, most school teachers remain passive in the revision, announcement and application of new curricula. Teachers may be partly responsible for this, but it is also a problem that teachers are not given a chance to voice their opinions under the current centralized education system.

In schools, teachers understand their students better than anyone else. It is teachers that meet students and implement education curricula, and I think the Foundation's winter training program served as a very timely and useful opportunity to deepen their understanding on "East Asian History" and learn how to provide quality history education to students. History teachers who attended the program exchanged views on various issues and had in-depth discussions, and they will be able to draw on their experience when teaching classes in school.

Thanks to the Foundation's winter training program, I no longer have concerns about the new curriculum. Instead, my heart is filled with hope and expectations that I would be able to have more lively discussions with students in class and help them better understand "East Asian History".