The 'Pheasant Teacher' of South Korean children's education
Do you have a teacher who stands out in your mind? Whether you are an adult or a student, an American or a South Korean who is now reading this, we all have memories that we will never forget. I had one teacher that I think was great. His nickname was Mr. Jedi ('cause he looked like a Jedi, and that's what his students called him), but sadly, I was told he passed away due to a serious illness.
Nevertheless, he remains in the back of my mind because of how he changed my sense of values with his powerful words that I hadn't even thought about at the time. “You can do whatever you want” was what he always used to say. I was a struggling student when I was in middle school, often ignored by teachers and students alike because I was always at the back of the class and never did my homework. But thanks to this teacher, my life totally changed.
Well, I'm going to talk about Korean literary figures. It seems to me there aren't many websites where you can find information about South Korea in English. That is why I have decided to introduce some Korean literature in my blog from now on.
Oh-duk Lee, born on November 14, 1925, is a South Korean elementary school teacher, children's literature writer, and language activist. When Korea was under Japanese rule, Koreans used to speak a mix of Japanese and Korean words. As part of the effort to purify the language, He started a movement to make Koreans use their beautiful language. Now in the 21st century, it's said many aspiring writers in South Korea still read Lee's “Writing Our Own Sentences” and “Proper Writing in Our Language‘’ to write an article or to improve their writing. He was also very insistent on using the Gentle Korean Language. (It's slightly nuanced.) He tried to bring back what he called the “natural writing” principle, which people often forget.
Since the original text is too long, I briefly summarized and translated it into English, so I would like you to read it. If you feel that some of the expressions are awkward, please leave a comment.
Summarized and translated by Changyong Im
Feeling embarrassed about carrying other kids' book-wrapping cloths, I decided not to go to elementary school anymore. Although I did feel ashamed about carrying those books for my dad who was working as a farmhand, I was really glad to hear he was going to stop doing that work, and that's why I could set off for school again. Ah, today, the kids on their way to school were throwing their bundles at me like they used to.
"Let's just get through this year," I told myself. I carried them and climbed up the hill. Thinking about having to carry those bags made me feel so exhausted. The kids' whispering really got on my nerves sometimes. I wanted to stomp on those book wraps, but I had to hold back. I felt so upset that I threw a stone, and the way a pheasant suddenly flew up felt like it was crying out for its life, which gave me a burst of courage.
Soon after, I tossed them away and climbed to the top of the hill. The kids asked me where I had put them and started to chide me.
"I threw them under the big toad-shaped rock down there," I said confidently. They didn't know how to deal with me standing up to them, so they couldn't fight back and went to look for their bundles. As I watched them head down, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.
"No more being the underdog for me!" I thought. When I watched the pheasant take to the skies, I saw my own spirit soaring with newfound strength.
