In this blog post, I’ve refined and organized the answers to the four questions on the personal statement for applicants to the Department of Education at Daegu National University of Education (Academic Efforts, Campus Activities, Examples of Compassion and Sharing, and Personal Growth and Strengths) to make them easy to read.
Academic Efforts and Learning Experiences
During high school, I developed study habits centered on setting clear plans and consistently following through, rather than choosing subjects impulsively. At first, I made plans on a daily and weekly basis, assigning a different subject each day; however, because the number of subjects and the volume of material didn’t balance out evenly over the week, I often ran out of time. To solve this problem, I switched to a monthly plan; after setting learning goals for each subject, I broke them down into weekly and daily plans to achieve them.
For example, if I decided to finish the midterm exam material for math within a month, I would divide the workload so that I completed two chapters each week, and I would specify the daily study volume and the number of problems to solve in my workbook. By following this detailed plan, I was able to ensure I didn’t miss any parts of the exam syllabus, and once I became accustomed to this approach, I was able to set long-term goals for the entire semester, allowing me to study consistently with patience. Setting broad-stroke goals enabled me to maintain my personal learning objectives even after exam periods had passed.
Extracurricular Activities: My Experience in the Life Arts Club
I enjoyed the process of creating handmade projects and finished products while participating in the Life Arts Club. Having previously knitted scarves and gloves to give to people around me, I joined the club to develop my craftsmanship and learned various disciplines, including clay art, cross-stitch, balloon art, paper crafts, and beadwork. Professional instructors assigned projects that allowed for ongoing practice and provided opportunities to exhibit my work, enabling me to steadily improve my skills.
Since cross-stitching builds on knitting skills, I adapted to it relatively easily, but it required keen observation and perseverance due to the need for precise stitching with thin thread. On the other hand, clay art and balloon art were new to me, and since I have a younger sibling at home, I took a special interest in learning these crafts and often gave the pieces I created as gifts. While teaching clay art to my younger sibling, I reflected on teaching methods and lesson planning. In paper crafts and egg shell crafts, I strove to express my unique creativity by cutting and gluing materials.
Examples of Practicing Consideration, Sharing, and Cooperation
As my skills improved through these arts and crafts activities, I teamed up with colleagues from my department to organize a volunteer program at a nearby elementary school, where we shared the skills we had learned. I led the egg craft class, guiding students in decorating eggshells as planters and planting and caring for flowers. When planning the class, I broke the steps down into smaller stages, taking into account the elementary students’ level of understanding and the challenges they might face, and selected safe materials and methods.
During the class, I provided hands-on assistance when the children accidentally broke eggs or struggled with finishing touches, and I encouraged their creativity while guiding them as they drew. As a result, I felt a deep sense of fulfillment seeing the children complete their unique planters and express their satisfaction. Through the process of teaching while showing consideration for others, I developed a sense of responsibility and improved my communication skills.
Strengths in My Development and Teaching Practice
The experiences I gained through creative experiential activities in high school serve as practical strengths for my goal of becoming an elementary school teacher. Amid the exam-focused general curriculum, the Life Arts department classes provided opportunities to exercise creativity and practice designing lessons, which allowed me to develop practical classroom management skills and the ability to structure assignments.
My experience planning lessons and volunteering my skills to teach elementary students through department activities aligns with my goal of devising teaching methods and developing education programs based on the five senses. Drawing on my experience guiding students to create and nurture projects on their own while finding joy in the process, I am determined to become a teacher who can plan and implement education programs that engage the five senses across various subjects.
