In this blog post, I’ll provide sample answers for each section of the personal statement required for admission to the Department of Music Education at Gongju National University of Education, with refined phrasing and improved flow.
Academic Efforts and Learning Experiences During High School
The secret to my excellent grades is “class time.” I have consistently maintained high grades, and when friends ask me for my secret, I always point to class time. I never doze off during class; instead, I focus intently on the lesson, taking thorough notes without missing a single word the teacher says. I’ve been so focused that my friends jokingly say, “You look like you’re about to write down even the teacher’s jokes.” I don’t believe that solving a lot of problems, choosing good workbooks, or getting help from private tutors or cram schools is the be-all and end-all of managing my grades. Since teachers are the ones who set the exams, the most important information comes from classroom instruction. Although I’ve taken short-term special courses or private lessons to fill in gaps in my knowledge, I devoted most of my time and effort to listening carefully to every word the teacher said during class and committing it to memory. By staying focused in class, I was able to earn the teacher’s trust, and that trust sometimes allowed me to get hints about exam questions ahead of time.
I made it a rule to practically memorize my class notes and review everything I learned that day on the same day. I divided the day’s material into manageable portions that I could review within the same day, and since I believed that failing to do so was due to laziness rather than a lack of time, I made sure to review during self-study periods. When time was tight, I would even cut back on sleep to fully absorb the day’s lessons. Thanks to this determination, I was able to maintain top-tier grades, and I believe that managing my academic performance brought me one step closer to my dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.
School Activities: School Music Competition, Mural Painting Volunteer Work
I once mustered the courage to participate in the school’s regular music competition. While it was typically attended by students aspiring to attend music colleges, the purpose of the competition was to share the value of music widely, relieve student stress, and provide an opportunity to showcase diverse talents. I’ve loved the piano since I was young, and in high school, I enjoyed playing classical pieces and jazz. Although jazz was often unfamiliar to my friends and not a mainstream taste, I wanted to show that it is a genre anyone can enjoy. Driven by a sense of responsibility to introduce the music I love, I carefully selected my pieces and practiced diligently. By choosing jazz pieces that were accessible to my friends and preparing thoroughly to perform confidently on stage, I won a special award for my jazz piano performance at the school music competition. I felt a great sense of pride when I received the award in recognition of introducing new music—it felt like my efforts had truly paid off.
As part of my school volunteer work, I once participated in a mural-painting project to breathe new life into a neighborhood. There were a few elementary school students living in that neighborhood, and I became friends with them through the volunteer work. I was assigned to paint a mural at one child’s house and wanted to create a design that suited their tastes. Since that child loved ‘Detective Conan’, I painted several of the main characters on the wall. Upon seeing the mural, the child said, “I think coming home will be more fun because of this mural.” I was deeply moved by those words and was very happy to feel that the spirit of my volunteer work had truly been conveyed.
Examples of Consideration, Sharing, Cooperation, and Conflict Management
At the school festival, I was asked to provide musical accompaniment for the dance department students’ performance. Usually, music department students preparing for college entrance exams were asked to do this, but I heard there were frequent conflicts between the dance department and those music students over the piano accompaniment. The reason was that if the accompaniment sounded too loud on a stage where the dance was supposed to take center stage, it would become a problem. When I asked why they had asked me, my friends explained that there had always been conflicts, but they had always asked me kindly. At first, I felt burdened and afraid, but I couldn’t turn down their earnest request, so I accepted. I was worried that a mistake might hinder my dance friends, but during rehearsals, rather than getting upset when I made a mistake, they were considerate, telling me, “It’s part of the rehearsal process, so it’s okay.” Seeing that consideration made me feel an even greater sense of responsibility, and I threw myself into practicing my performance. In particular, since it was crucial to match the tempo and rhythm to the dance choreography, we needed time to rehearse together rather than practicing alone. Every time we practiced, we communicated thoroughly to share our musical intentions, and in the end, I was able to deliver a flawless performance that made my friends’ stage presence shine. After the performance, my friends expressed their sincere gratitude, and I realized that the consideration and trust I received then were an opportunity that helped me believe in myself more strongly. Through this experience, I learned how important communication is when working in harmony with others.
Why Kongju National University of Education Should Admit Me
From a young age, I have developed various skills through activities such as piano, art, and physical education. These experiences were made possible thanks to my parents’ educational philosophy; they believed it was important for me to discover my own aptitudes and abilities through diverse experiences. Thanks to this, I gained more experience than my peers and discovered my dream of becoming a “teacher” at an early age. While consistently maintaining my academic performance, I have cultivated and sustained my artistic and musical abilities, and I have nurtured a humanistic worldview by reading books on philosophy, the humanities, and sociology. This background has allowed me to establish the philosophy and values one should possess as a person. Therefore, I believe that as an individual with diverse values, I can fully demonstrate my talent as an elementary school teacher.
I believe that an elementary school teacher is not merely someone who excels at teaching a single subject, but rather someone who possesses a broad understanding of various subjects and plays a role in helping students discover their aptitudes and dreams. To develop such abilities, a teacher must possess a well-rounded set of diverse skills. I have already acquired these abilities and will strive to continue developing them. Furthermore, to guide elementary students in forming sound values, one must possess moral character as well as social qualities fostered through humanistic and philosophical thinking. I will do my utmost to exemplify morally commendable qualities and will continue to strive to develop the social qualities expected of a mentor who helps shape students’ values. Since becoming an elementary school teacher has been my dream since childhood, I have consistently cultivated the necessary qualities and accumulated diverse experiences. Now, as a student at Gongju National University of Education, I aim to absorb all the knowledge in my major and gain even more experience to demonstrate my value as a teacher.
