Is Early Education Needed by Children?

By Jung Moon-Young ("Katy")

Potentiality '98, Daejin University, English Department, pp. 98-99, 1998.


        As the society in which we live developed and changed, the same was true of the education in Korea. Nowadays, the life of the people has become better than in the past, so people have many chances to get education. Particularly, the people in Korea are much more concerned about education than people in other countries, because generally, Korean people have the fixed idea that study is the best way to success. So even now, Korean parents want early education for their young children, because they expect that their children will do better than others if they receive it. But that early education has many demerits.
        First, children don't have much time to play with their friends, because they have to study subjects like math, science, English, piano, computers, sports and so on, as their parents want. Their parents send their children to a preschool and many educational institutes. Children must learn English, how to play sports, and take lessons on many musical instruments, though the children do not want to learn these things. Sometimes, children have to learn beyond their ability. So they lose their time to play with their friends.
        Second, as children learn many things, sometimes they begin to look like adults. Children's knowledge is improved by this education, and they mature in their thoughts and attitudes. Furthermore, as children learn many facts, they seem to become more imaginative rather than realistic. Children must have many dreams, even though they are impossible dreams, and see everything through children's eyes. That is, they shouldn't have to become realistic people yet. They are losing their purity more and more.
        Finally, early educated children don't take an interest in their classes in school, because they already know what they are learning. The lectures in their school are not new to children who have already learned those lectures in many institutes. They are bored in their classes and their levels are high compared with other students. Also, teachers feel difficulty to teach two kinds of students because they have to teach different levels in one class.
        I think that children have to grow as children and enjoy their right to play as they want. Parents should not feel that they must send their children to a lot of institutes rather than giving their children a chance to play with their friends and in nature and to enjoy forests, streams, insects and flowers in the mountains. Parents should not look at children through adult's eyes, but find out what children really want to do. Also, children must be educated by their school teachers in natural ways and regular courses like other children who do not receive any early education.


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