The Differences Between Korean & American Education

 (The Assignment II of Writing V)

                                               

  Lecturer: Nina Fatriana, S.Pd.

By

Revi Kurniati

13111027

HIGHER SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE

TEKNOKRAT

2015

 

Abstract

Education is very important purpose for the government of a nation. They know that to be a good country, it is necessary to have an adequate educational system. Each country made their own education systems in concordance with their economic, politics and social needs. For this reason, a comparison of school systems between the America and Korea would give us an idea of which things are the same or are not. I choose "Education system between Korea and America" as my topic because I already knew many differences between South Korea education and America education. And I also want to find more information about Korea and America education system. Each education system has the advantages and disadvantages. Most interesting one is America education and Korea education have opposite education system each other. Both education system look like a mirror. Nowadays, presidents in America and Korea discuss about other countries' education system to improving their own education.

Korea's education system has caught the interest of many because of its high rankings in international comparisons. The school system in Korea that achieves these results is structured quite differently from that in America. The school year is longer, the school day is longer and the pressure from parents and competition among peers are intense. Whether the US has the most diversified education system in the world, with public and private schools (‘school’ usually refers to everything from kindergarten to university) at all levels flourishing alongside each other.

Keywords       : Education; Education System; Korea; America;

                       I.            INTRODUCTION

The United States is one of the most developed countries of the world. Even though this country ranks top in some of the things, it seems like the education is not one of the best things about this country. In this paper, education system of United States is going to be compared to the education system of South Korea. Education system in South Korea is arguably one of the best, or even the best, in the world. Education system in South Korea is better than the education system in the United States due to more public expenditure, lower unemployment rate, more schooling hours and better treatment of the teachers.

The public expenditure on education as a percentage of total government expenditure in South Korea is 15.7%, whereas in the United States, it is 13%. The education system of South Korea is divided into private and public schools. The parents spend out of their pockets for their children’s education. There is no concept of charter schooling etc. When parents spend out of their pockets, the kids are more motivated to learn. So, all in all, parents pay a monthly fee to the school as opposed to in America where most of the students study for free. Also, government in South Korea pays a special importance to the development of technology in all the schools. South Korea was the first country ever that provided high speed Internet to all levels of schooling. In the United States, schools that do academically better on the standardized tests usually get more funding and better technology. This focus on standardized tests makes schools worst than they already are. Therefore, the United States should focus funding all the schools almost equally and make the parents involved to make the schools over all better just as in South Korea.

In this paper, I will discussed the comparison of education in Korea and America that happened in the school and student activities.

           II.            DISCUSSION

There are some differences between Korea and America education, such as:

1.      School Organization and Calendar

    The Korean school year runs from March to the following February, with short vacations in the summer and winter and a break for national holidays. Korean students are only required to attend school through grade nine, but attendance through grade 12 is almost universal. The first nine years of schooling are free, but the last three are not. Roughly 10 percent of Korean students attend special-purpose high schools that focus on arts, foreign languages, or science; 30 percent attend vocational schools; and the rest attend regular senior high schools. The central government directly controls public schools in Korea. In contrast, the American school year generally runs from September to June, with short winter and spring breaks and a long summer break. Schooling in America is compulsory until age 16 or 18, depending on the state, and public schools are free from first through 12th grade. The federal government provides policy leadership and some funding for schools nationwide, while states decide how to implement policies and collect local taxes for schools.

2.      Daily Time Spent Studying

    Korean students average 13 hours a day studying. They attend regular school classes, and most attend "cram" schools for further study. High school students study from 7 a.m. to midnight to prepare for the college entrance exam. In America, cram schools are rare. Students usually spend roughly seven hours a day studying. In addition to attending classes, according to a report by MetLife, 77 percent of American students are assigned daily homework. The amount of time spent on homework varies by grade level, with 37 percent of elementary school students and 50 percent of middle- and high-school students doing at least one hour of homework each day.

3.      Extracurricular Activities

    Although some extracurricular activities are available in Korea's elementary and middle schools, the amount of time spent studying for the college entrance exam leaves little or no time for high school extracurricular activities. American high school students, by contrast, often spend up to four hours per day fulfilling commitments to clubs, sports and charity organizations. College admissions officers often view these activities as evidence of teamwork or leadership abilities.

4.      Getting Into College

    In Korea, college admission is largely based on the College Scholastic Ability Test, offered in November each year. Although essays, grades and extracurricular activities may be weighed for college admissions, the most important factor is a student's score on this test. Korean families consequently spend a lot of money on tutors and cram schools to prepare their children for these exams. American universities also require standardized test scores such as the SAT or ACT. However, applications also require essays, grades, recommendations and records of extracurricular or volunteer activities, leading to a holistic approach to university admissions.

5.      Other Differences

    As many as 200,000 Korean families send pre-college-age children abroad to study while their father stays in Korea to work, according to a report by the World Education News & Reviews website. Mothers either accompany children abroad or remain in Korea to work. Gaining English fluency and escaping Korea's competitive school system are cited as the major reasons for this decision.

                        III.            CONCLUSION

Korea caters to the mean, while the U.S. caters to the extremes.  While the average student in Korea may test better, the top students in the U.S. have almost unlimited resources at their disposal.  This is largely explained by the need for Korea to elevate an entire nation since it has many limitations:  lack of geographical size, lack of energy/natural resources, history of subjugation.  The U.S. knows none of these limitations.  The U.S. has the resources to attempt the extreme, and champions individual rights.  In general, Korea does not know these concepts.  This may change as Korea has risen from one of the world's poorest nations to one of the richest.  We cannot know this.  We also cannot suggest changing Korea to mimic the U.S. would be a positive for Korea as a whole.  It would be convenient to pick and choose the best aspects of each system, but each system, its strengths and its weaknesses, reflect the nation's history and political influences.  In short, there are small aspects in which the Korean system can and should be emulated, but the entire system cannot be duplicated.
However, there is no doubt that students in the U.S. would perform better if not ingrained with attitudes such as "I am no good at math" as if that was a blessing or gift:  Korean students know and have proven that just practicing more diligently will largely compensate for any slight differences in natural ability.  American students give up well before they will ever know if they could have attained any goals. 

On the other hand, Korean students need to learn the American saying "It is not how you begin, but how you finish."  Those Korean natives who know this are currently trailblazers in their fields.  Hopefully, Korean students will learn from their example in the future.

REFERENCES

BBC: South Korea's Schools: Long Days, High Results

Economist: Exams in South Korea -- The One-shot Society 

ICEF Monitor: High Performance, High Pressure in South Korea’s Education System

International Student Guide to the United States of America: The American Education System

Just Landed: The American School System

Nuffic Evaluation of Foreign Degrees and Qualifications in the Netherlands: South Korea           

Peterson's: Your College Application -- Key Elements         

University of Minnesota International Student and Scholar Services: Guide to the U.S. Education System          

U.S. Department of Education: Organization of U.S. Education

World Education News & Reviews: Education in South Korea