Korea, US agree on school bullying study

[benihime99.livejournal.com]

By Na Jeong-ju

Top educational policymakers of Korea and the United States agreed Monday to conduct a joint study on bullying at schools as part of bilateral cooperation programs on education. Under the agreement, Korea will study U.S. programs on school brutality and its efforts to strengthen community activities to provide a better learning environment, the education ministry said.

Education, Science and Technology Minister Lee Ju-ho and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Anthony Miller discussed a wide range of educational issues at their bilateral talks, held on the sidelines of the APEC Education Ministerial Meeting in Gyeongju. The meeting, one of the world’s largest educational events, kicked off Monday for a three-day run.

Lee and Miller exchanged views on the plight of schools in their respective countries. Lee introduced Korea’s efforts to reduce violence at schools, which has become a key social concern here following a series of suicides by students due to bullying. The government announced a set of measures in February to root out bullying, which includes empowering principals to suspend violent pupils from school and launching an alert system for organized student gangs. The policymakers agreed to cooperate in collecting and analyzing data on violence as well as developing related policies, the ministry said.

Miller expressed interest in Korea’s programs to nurture teachers and educate children, saying the U.S. wants Korea’s advice for its ongoing “turnaround program” for under-performing schools. It is currently seeking to help schools employ better teachers and principals by establishing a fair evaluation system that values and authentically measures teaching skill and effectiveness.

They agreed to boost teacher exchange programs between the two countries. The two nations will hold a joint seminar on turning around under-achieving schools at the Koreana Hotel in Seoul, Thursday.

Lee also shared his view that U.S. President Barack Obama’s positive comments in recent months on Korean teachers and parents have enhanced the international recognition of Korean education, the ministry said. He also held talks with Brunei’s Education Minister Pehin Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong on Friday. The ministers signed an agreement to boost cooperation in the development of a technology-based educational system in Brunei.

Pehin Abu Bakar showed keen interest in Korea’s smart education initiative, under which the government plans to digitalize hardcopy textbooks, reference books, dictionaries and other teaching material. It also plans to set up wireless networks at all schools to create an environment in which teachers and students can access information, anytime and anywhere, and engage in more creative activities. Under the agreement, Korea will provide necessary technology and equipment to Brunei to help it create a technology-based learning environment, the ministry said.

Source: Koreatimes

Comments

[my-faux-pas.livejournal.com]

My mother's actually a local politician in our province and she passed an ordinance about school bullying as well. As of this month, it's been passed to our national Congress for review. School bullying should be taken seriously and should definitely be stopped whatever the country is, especially in Korea where school bullying is one of the factors of young people taking their own lives.

[k0dama.livejournal.com]

In order to decrease the instances of bullying, I think parents need to be taught to raise their kids differently, not teachers taught how to control their students differently.

Unfortunately no one wants to blame the parents these days.

[modernabsurdity.livejournal.com]

Are kids just meaner nowadays or is it a matter of there's new ways to do it (online, etc)? I remember bullying back when I was in elementary and middle school but nothing like what I read about today. :/ I hope some good comes of this.

[evilsupergirl.livejournal.com]

Parents and teachers need to incorperate more lessons in which their children/students won't be graded for. "Treat others as you want to be treated" shouldn't only be seen in the form of after school tv specials. Examination of one's behavior is a taught skill.

[lainmyownworld.livejournal.com]

augh i hate digital textbooks. ALL of my fucking work is on the computer now.

[deerlike.livejournal.com]

You know what? Parents and other adults need to call out assholish behavior when they see it. None of this, "oh, but my kid is a good kid! he gets good grades and helps elderly ladies across the street!" If he's disrespecting the personal rights of another individual, he's an asshole, and he should be made aware of that sharpish. It's this attitude of "boys will be boys", "teenagers will be teenagers" that allows bullying to persist. Nip that shit in the bud and make it unacceptable behavior in any circumstance, and no matter who is perpetrating it.

[ari-meh.livejournal.com]

empowering principals to suspend violent pupils from school

wtf, so they weren't entitled before february? baffling.