This blog post introduces 3-minute speech examples and structuring tips suitable for teacher seminars. Prepare a short yet impactful presentation.

Topic – The World Left-Handers Live In

Panic’s song “Left-Hander” features lyrics like: Looking closely at the lyrics, lines like “Sometimes the world feels upside down,” “A kid like me causing a ruckus,” “Everyone must raise the same hand,” and “Don’t look at me like that” appear. Though brief, these lyrics symbolically capture the perspective and wounds of those living as left-handed individuals. In a world where everyone is right-handed, left-handers are sometimes treated like ‘mutants’.
In fact, I too grew up left-handed since childhood. While I’m certainly not the only naturally left-handed person, if you were to name countries where it’s hard to live as a left-hander, ours would definitely be on the list. Society operates on the assumption that ‘right-handedness is the standard.’ But even if right-handedness is the norm, if left-handed people exist, shouldn’t facilities and essential daily items be provided accordingly? That’s common sense, isn’t it? The reality still falls short.
One of my friends, back in kindergarten, was scolded by their teacher and even had their hand slapped simply for writing with their left hand. I too once dreamed of becoming a shortstop and learned baseball, but after hearing the remark, “What kind of shortstop is a lefty?”, I had to give up that dream. The criticism and stares I received back then remain vividly etched in my memory.
Living as a left-handed person, like this, isn’t just a matter of simple inconvenience. Cutting with scissors or a knife is difficult, and since most everyday tools are designed for right-handed people, left-handers constantly endure inconvenience. Growing up, I was scolded by adults during meals, “You should use your right hand to eat,” and some even go so far as to say that naturally left-handed people lack proper home training. Isn’t the very existence of such attitudes the real problem?
Our society must change now. We need to move beyond a right-handed-centric perspective and provide institutional and environmental accommodations so left-handed people can live without discomfort. Schools must create educational environments where left-handed students aren’t disadvantaged, and everyday essentials must widely include products designed for left-handed users.
Rather than forcing left-handed people to use their right hand, isn’t understanding and accommodating the inconveniences they face the true meaning of coexistence? It’s time we begin to recognize, even just a little, the exhaustion of left-handed people who live by forcibly conforming to the lifestyle of right-handed people in unseen ways.
A society where both left-handed and right-handed people can live in their own way. Recognizing and respecting this diversity is the true consideration for everyone. It may be a small change, but it can be the starting point for making the world a warmer place.
Thank you for reading.

Topic – Let’s be role models for students through proper language habits

Hello. I am ○○○, the instructor joining you at the True Teacher Seminar. I understand that teachers from various subjects are gathered here today. Regardless of the subject we teach, all lessons are conducted through the language of ‘Korean’. Therefore, to properly convey the subject matter, the most important thing is the accurate and correct use of the Korean language.
However, in our society today, the practice of modifying Korean to suit one’s own preferences is increasingly common. Slang is particularly active among teenagers or within specific groups, and it is often used to form bonds between members. Additionally, shortening long or complex expressions has become almost trendy. For instance, I hear students sometimes call their homeroom teacher ‘damtaengi’.
Of course, we teachers are human too. Speaking perfectly every moment isn’t always possible. Sometimes we feel like using trendy words to communicate in a lighthearted and witty way. I, too, often observe teachers using expressions like ‘Hm, really scary’ or ‘Super cute’ in daily life. We cannot categorically label such language as inherently bad in everyday conversation. However, we must always keep in mind the unique nature of the ‘teacher’ profession.
Teaching is a profession that influences many people. Teachers are particularly in a position to have a decisive impact on the youth who will lead this country in the future. Because a teacher’s single word or action can leave a deep impression on students, our profession demands a corresponding sense of mission and responsibility. Students are always watching their teachers, unconsciously learning and imitating not only their tone and actions but even their outward appearance.
While standards for ‘proper’ behavior or appearance may vary and lack clear definitions, language is different. Everyone can distinguish between proper language and improper language. Therefore, we must be good role models for our students. Students naturally feel trust toward teachers with proper language habits and learn the importance of correct language use. Conversely, if language use is confusing, students will inevitably absorb that influence.
As you all well know, language is the most fundamental measure for evaluating a person. Isn’t it said that one’s speech reflects their character? Students learn more from the ‘speaker’ than from the ‘words’ themselves. Therefore, we must take responsibility for our speech and always lead students with exemplary language habits. Proper language use is not merely a matter of formality; it is the most fundamental starting point for earning students’ trust and respect.
I hope each of you will be remembered by your students as an outstanding teacher for a long time. Let us work together to create a healthier and more dignified educational environment through proper language habits. Thank you.

Topic: Student Depression – When a Little Attention from Adults is Needed

A recent ‘Youth Mental Health Screening Test’ conducted at 31 mental health centers nationwide revealed that approximately 5% of middle and high school students showed symptoms of depression. This may seem like a simple statistic, but it is a serious issue our society must address. Why are so many adolescents experiencing depression?
The first cause that comes to mind is academic stress. Students constantly competing under the pressure to “do well,” children juggling cram school classes and schoolwork while also bearing the expectations of their parents as the eldest son or daughter. The situation where studying is uninteresting yet forced upon them—all of this accumulates and acts as a mental burden. Within this daily grind, feelings of helplessness and depression gradually take root.
However, the cause isn’t limited to just studying. Another crucial factor is issues with relationships and communication. Conflict exists in any organization, including schools. Especially during adolescence, when emotions are heightened, conflicts with friends, exclusion, and being ignored can cause deep wounds. The problem is that there’s often no one to properly confide these complex emotions to. If it feels burdensome to talk to parents or teachers, and deep conversations with friends are difficult, children end up suffering alone, bottling up their feelings. Adolescents easily feel anger or frustration when their thoughts aren’t accepted or are dismissed. But without someone to vent those feelings to, that frustration quickly turns into isolation.
Ultimately, I believe the problem lies in adults’ lack of attention. One student I met through counseling was refusing to go to school due to the aftereffects of school violence. I visited their home and cautiously said, “No matter what happens, you absolutely must come to school.” The child then replied, choking back tears, “You’re the first person who’s ever given me sincere advice.” This single statement brought deep comfort to the child and led to their decision to return to school. That small act of care became the turning point that changed the child’s life.
Children need adult attention and support far more than we realize. Even students who speak of wanting to die gradually regain their bright expressions after a sincere conversation. Ultimately, if adults simply paid a little more attention, many youth problems could be prevented or mitigated.
What we need now is a social support system that links psychological counseling with treatment from specialized institutions. It is crucial for schools, families, and local communities to collaborate to help children grow in a healthy and stable environment. Adolescent depression is not just their problem; it is a challenge our entire society must collectively take responsibility for and solve. Adults’ small acts of care can protect children’s futures.

Topic – I Oppose Corporal Punishment

I believe those who argue corporal punishment is necessary must clearly answer at least two questions. The first is this: Why do we assume our youth will only listen when struck, when students in Europe, Japan, and the United States receive education without corporal punishment?
Corporal punishment is legally prohibited in most European countries and Japan. In the United States, it is illegal in most states, and even in states where some forms are permitted, explicit parental consent is required. Some places even mandate alternatives like suspension if a student refuses corporal punishment. Many parents endure the inconvenience and financial burden of sending their young children abroad for education precisely because they seek a better educational environment. Yet I’ve never heard of children being physically punished at school in foreign countries.
While there’s no reason to claim our youth are particularly superior to children in other nations, there’s also no basis to suggest they are falling behind. It’s difficult to argue that individuals educated in Europe or Japan are less capable than those who completed our formal education system. So why must we resort to the cane against students who are no less capable than their peers abroad, without even providing them a notably superior education?
Even without bringing up the painful memory of Japanese colonial rule, when teachers beat students while saying, “Korean bastards only listen when they’re beaten,” I cannot agree with education premised on corporal punishment because it stems from a lack of trust in students.
The second question is whether corporal punishment ultimately instills in children the idea that ‘if the purpose is just, it’s okay to use violence’. Let’s assume every teacher uses corporal punishment without emotion, wielding the rod solely for educational purposes. Even if the intensity never exceeds common sense and is administered fairly under consistent rules, the problem remains. Students would learn to predict which actions warrant punishment, and teachers would strike based on identical standards.
But wouldn’t children raised in such an environment instead come to believe that “there are things in the world that deserve a beating”? Seeing a friend punished, wouldn’t they think, “He deserved it for doing that,” or worse, feel compelled to step in and correct a friend’s mistake by hitting them? Might they even come to believe that if someone doesn’t learn their lesson after being hit, they need to be hit harder? Is there any misconception more dangerous and urgently needing correction than the idea that “it’s okay to hit someone who deserves it”?
Furthermore, repeated corporal punishment may gradually desensitize children to violence, leading them to crave increasingly intense stimuli. A prime example illustrating this cycle of violence is William Golding’s novel, Lord of the Flies.
This novel depicts a group of boys stranded on a desert island after a nuclear war. Initially striving to build a democratic community through consensus and rules, they gradually split into two factions, descending into conflict and violence. Ralph advocates waiting for rescue, while Jack seeks to establish power through hunting. The process of lighting a fire using Piggy’s glasses, caught between them, reveals a world where children choose conflict over cooperation. What begins with breaking a single eyeglass lens escalates into spear-wielding combat and murder.
From Jack’s perspective, Ralph might seem like an incompetent figure who demands obedience while issuing orders but fails to secure meat. This is why Jack believes Ralph must be corrected, even if it means beating him or using violence. The author does not explicitly state the fundamental cause of the children’s descent into violence. It could be the influence of the adults who started the nuclear war, or it could be an issue of human nature. But one thing is clear: violence is the most fundamental evil created by humans.
Corporal punishment instills in both the person administering it and the person receiving it the message that “violence is acceptable to achieve a goal.” And the memory of violence etched into the body does not fade easily. Even if it’s called a ‘loving rod’ devoid of emotion, the result is the same. I, too, hold gratitude and respect for all the teachers who guided me during my school days. But looking back, not a single rod ever truly steered me onto the right path. And in truth, every single one of those rods was invariably tinged with emotion.
How about you? Was it truly a ‘loving rod’? Was it truly for the child’s sake?
Now is the time to save children from violence. We have a responsibility to protect them so they don’t come to accept violence as normal, and so they don’t become perpetrators of violence themselves. The starting point is to stop corporal punishment.
Thank you for listening.

Theme – Education is Hope

Children from the top tier attend autonomous private high schools (APHS), while those from the upper class go to specialized schools like foreign language high schools or science high schools. Children from the middle class attend regular high schools, and those from the poor often go to vocational high schools or drop out altogether. Imagine someone in such a society becoming a judge or prosecutor. Whose help do you think got them there?
Many might attribute it to their parents’ unstinting support, or to their own blood, sweat, and tears and exceptional talent. But I see it differently. Perhaps the reason they reached that position was actually thanks to their peers who had no choice but to abandon their studies long ago. Those who undoubtedly possessed outstanding talent and lofty ideals, yet were inevitably pushed out of the competition by poverty.
Competition has never been fair, and it grows increasingly unfair with time. Yet those who believe their success stems solely from their own ability and effort, under that conviction, encourage fiercer competition and deepen the unfairness. They even say, “If you feel wronged, win in competition,” claiming that is the way of the world and the truth. But I don’t see it that way. The most realistic and powerful means to escape inherited poverty is education. It cannot be overstated: education is an urgent and precious opportunity.
Today, many parents and students trust and prioritize private tutoring over public education. It’s now a familiar reality: during school hours, textbooks sit on desks, but beneath them lie private academy assignments. Students prioritize the homework assigned by cram schools over what they learn in school, focusing more intently on cram school lectures to get a few more questions right. No matter how passionately we, the test creators, teach in the classroom, students actually find the correct answers at cram schools.
Teachers’ lectures are sufficiently excellent. However, for students who cannot afford private tutoring due to their family’s financial circumstances, school classes are their only opportunity. Therefore, I believe systematic support for these students is even more crucial. Practical alternatives like after-school programs or intensive academic management programs must be backed up. We must provide fair opportunities to passionate children, and witnessing their growth will be immensely rewarding for us as well.
Teachers are like ‘arrowheads’ for students. They point them in the right direction and guide them to reach a little higher. I firmly believe teachers are the second most important people after parents. If our teaching can change a child’s life and help them escape inherited poverty, what greater reward could there be?
Today, because there are teachers who steadfastly walk forward believing in the value of education, and children whose eyes sparkle before learning, we can speak of hope once more.
Thank you for listening.

Theme – Self-Realization and Summer Vacation Memories

A cicada clings to the persimmon tree in the yard, wailing “mimimim” as summer reaches its peak. Soon, the leaf-cutter beetle will take its turn with a “chiiik.” Then, the grasshopper will begin its “tsurum-tsurum” song, and before we know it, summer will quietly fade away.
Over forty years ago, when the cicadas’ chirping reached our ears, children grew busy as the new school term approached. We scrambled to fill in the ‘Weather and Activities’ section at the front of our ‘Vacation Diary’ all at once. “Did it rain the day before yesterday? What about a week ago?” they’d ask family members, piecing together vague memories to jot down rough answers. So the kid next door wrote ‘rain,’ the kid behind wrote ‘sunny,’ and no one had the exact dates. After a month and a half of frantic play, the memory of that back-to-school morning is vivid—the schoolbag felt awkward yet welcome.
But it’s truly sad for kids these days. Even elementary students go to school during vacation to prepare for standardized tests, and their days are packed with cram school. How dull and faint will their memories of summer vacation be? Instead of discovering themselves through play and leisure, they’re cramming themselves into endless study schedules.
Perhaps all these changes are due to the system called ‘capitalism’. Back then, whether it was the child of the richest family in our school, who owned a soy sauce factory, or any other friend, we were all pretty much the same. The accumulation of capital wasn’t as vast as it is now, and the influence of money wasn’t as overwhelming, so we could get through the entire vacation forgetting about our math books. I remember when my homeroom teacher in freshman year said, “These days, some students study past 10 PM,” and most of the class reacted with surprise: “What? 10 PM?” Back then, most of us drifted off to sleep around 9 PM.
Now it’s different. Children start learning English conversation at five or six years old, and even during vacations, they juggle supplementary classes and cram school schedules. These days, you have to diligently build up your ‘specs’ just to get a job, start a family, and barely make ends meet. Other choices are disappearing, and children grow up without even being granted the freedom to stray from the prepared path.
Is that why? I wonder if it’s truly fair for the generation that experienced those leisurely times to call today’s youth selfish or conservative. Capital has multiplied the number of university students several times over, and the human type demanded by corporations and the market—diligent, compliant workers—has been set as the goal of education. Those who rebel against money and speak of public values, those who aspire to creative and autonomous lives, or even slightly eccentric ‘oddballs’ are gradually losing their footing.
Seeing my daughter, who joined a large corporation three years ago, makes this reality hit home even harder. Her once rosy, plump cheeks have grown gaunt, her cheekbones prominent, and her once bright smile and vitality have vanished. When I think of friends still unemployed or bouncing between non-regular jobs like cram school instructors or telemarketers, quitting is unimaginable. Even if the salary is high, if the work lacks autonomy or creativity, self-realization through labor becomes impossible. In that sense, it feels no different from being unemployed.
In a capitalist society, the purpose of labor is not ‘self-realization’ but ‘making money’ itself. Thus, humans become increasingly instrumentalized, and the meaning of life grows faint. Yet, I still want to hold onto hope. The wheel of dialectics keeps turning, and I believe that capitalism will eventually collapse under its own contradictions.
When that day comes, perhaps we might see a return to the days when children built walls with their math books, played freely with friends, and fully enjoyed summer vacation to the sound of cicadas. It might be overly optimistic, but I still dream of such a world.

Topic – A Classroom Without Corporal Punishment: Is It Really Possible?

Recently, diverse opinions on corporal punishment have been pouring in. What do you think?
Corporal punishment doesn’t end as mere momentary discipline. According to experts, it makes children perceive violent methods as legitimate solutions in human relationships. In fact, research shows that individuals who were frequently hit by their parents during adolescence are four times more likely to abuse their spouses than those who weren’t. Furthermore, men who experienced severe domestic violence are six times more likely to assault their wives. The same holds true in schools. The negative impact on children exposed to violent environments is by no means trivial.
If we dream of a ‘school free of corporal punishment and classroom breakdown,’ we must first change how we view children’s problematic behavior. We need an attitude that seeks to understand their circumstances and feelings, not just see them as objects of discipline. Why not take a moment to consider our children’s situation? In truth, children are already trapped in the vast swamp of entrance exam competition from kindergarten. For them, the classroom is not a space for voluntary learning, but merely a stifling place where they must repeatedly complete assigned tasks under the teacher’s control, without much interest. With 30 to 40 energetic children tied to boring lessons, teachers inevitably spend 75% of class time doling out punishments or enforcing rules. In this environment, children must study for the longest hours in the world. The result is a horrifying reality: one in five adolescents has contemplated suicide.
In such a suffocating situation, expecting that children with ADHD, learning disabilities, or behavioral issues won’t emerge is an unrealistic expectation. Children’s misbehavior and defiance are not merely problematic actions; they are desperate struggles to overcome unmet needs and repeated frustrations. It can be seen as a kind of distress signal, an attempt to draw attention and reveal their suffering. However, a ‘happy school’ free of corporal punishment and classroom breakdown is not an impossible ideal. Various domestic and international cases demonstrate its feasibility.
Change is entirely possible even in regular public schools, as seen at Samwoo Elementary School and Jinan Information High School. The 2006 KBS documentary ‘Heart’ documented how teachers at Jinan Information High School respected students as precious beings like angels, and how the students themselves came to recognize their own worth. Within months, the students’ self-esteem noticeably increased, their classroom attitudes transformed beyond recognition, and ultimately, their academic performance significantly improved. At the American alternative school ‘Freeschool,’ students with ADHD had existing controls removed and were allowed to create their own rules. Reports indicate this led to heightened self-esteem and a natural reduction in hyperactive behavior.
These examples demonstrate that respecting children and nurturing their self-esteem is far more effective than repressive control methods like corporal punishment. It also has a greater impact on reducing problem behaviors and enhancing learning outcomes. We must now move beyond the outdated notion that ‘children cannot be managed without control.’ Trusting and respecting children, encouraging their potential and waiting patiently for it to unfold—this is the true beginning of education and the fastest path to creating a happy school.
Classrooms where children learn with smiles, schools where everyone respects each other. Such classrooms are not far away. If our perspective, attitude, and educational philosophy change, we can start right here, right now.
Thank you for reading. Imagining classrooms filled with laughter alongside children, we take one more step forward today.

Topic – We must all strive to help children develop proper language habits

Recently, so-called ‘insult battles’ have gained popularity online. It’s a game where participants exchange insults via chat or messenger, with the winner being whoever spouts the most provocative and intense insults to silence their opponent. Among smartphone applications, ‘insult apps’ that play various insults voiced by professional voice actors are also popular. The biggest consumers of this ‘insult culture’ are none other than teenagers. For them, swearing is no longer seen as shameful language to avoid, but simply accepted as play and part of daily life. The situation is so serious that there’s even a joke: “If you think ‘X나’ is a swear word, you’re old-school; if not, you’re a teenager.”
A recent government survey has once again confirmed the state of language among our youth. Seven out of ten respondents reported using profanity several times a day, with similar levels observed across all grades and genders, from elementary to high school students. Many even feel that “conversation is difficult without using profanity,” a problem commonly pointed out not only by students but also by teachers and parents. At this point, we cannot blame the children alone. Adults, who have neglected to prevent teenagers from becoming steeped in profanity, must first reflect on their role. To correct this problem now, accurately diagnosing its root causes must come first.
According to survey results, the internet is the biggest trigger for youth’s easy exposure to profanity. Especially when exposed to online games from kindergarten or early elementary school, they naturally learn swear words. In this process, children repeatedly use profanity without even understanding its meaning, and as a result, it becomes ingrained as a language habit. Furthermore, many children mimic profanity out of fear of being bullied or excluded if they alone use proper language in situations where all their peers use profanity. Thus, profanity is not merely a linguistic issue but has expanded into a problem of peer culture and belonging.
Therefore, urgent measures to clean up language on online games, portal sites, and communities frequently used by youth are essential. Beyond simply prohibiting profanity, both homes and schools must educate students on the meanings behind swear words and the impact such language has on others. In fact, fewer than three out of ten adolescents accurately understand the meaning of the profanity they use. The ‘Honorific Language Campaign’ underway at Shindang Elementary School in Seoul is a commendable example worth considering. At this school, students are encouraged to address each other using honorifics, calling one another ‘○○-nim’. While it felt awkward at first, over time, the children themselves have noticed positive changes, saying, “Not swearing actually made us closer friends.” It’s even said that some children who transferred to other schools found it unbearable there and returned, showing just how significant an impact this campaign is having.
Ultimately, the path for our children to return to using polite language lies in the hands of adults. Children’s language develops within the environment shaped by society, home, and adults. Proper language habits aren’t formed overnight, but they can be changed through consistent attention and practice. Even at this very moment, children are observing and learning from our speech patterns, attitudes, and language. It is time for all of us to make greater efforts so that they can naturally acquire warm and polite language instead of harsh and provocative words.
Thank you.