In this blog post, I’ll summarize the effort I put into my studies in high school, my school activities, my experiences with compassion and giving, and my career preparation process.
Academic Experiences and Reflections
In middle school, I generally maintained top-tier grades. I performed particularly well in subjects that required a lot of memorization, so I was accustomed to rote learning and felt confident in that approach. However, things changed when I entered high school. My school grades began to place greater emphasis on understanding and application rather than memorization, and my grades started to decline, especially in subjects like math and science that required a deep understanding of underlying principles.
Throughout high school, math was a major stumbling block for me. I found that simply memorizing theories or formulas and applying them directly to problems had its limitations when dealing with challenging questions. Therefore, I attempted a step-by-step, analytical approach to solving problems. First, I identified my learning style and weaknesses, and then went through the process of finding solutions tailored to them.
I realized that my learning style involved attempting to solve problems first and only referring back to the theory when I got stuck. While this method saved time in familiar units, it actually became a weakness in subjects like math, where a solid conceptual foundation is crucial. For example, in the sets unit, if I could solve a problem easily, I wouldn’t review the theory; conversely, in the functions unit, a lack of understanding meant I spent too much time on the theory alone, leading to weaknesses in specific units.
To address this issue, I decided that, at least in math, I would prioritize understanding the theory evenly across each unit. I repeatedly reviewed and summarized the theory sections in my textbook and reference books, and carefully examined the solution processes of easy examples, focusing on the reasoning behind the solutions rather than simply getting the answers correct. For instance, I copied the theory sections from ‘The Essentials of Mathematics’ multiple times and organized the solution processes for basic examples in my notebook.
As a result, my math grades—which had consistently hovered around a Grade 3—gradually improved starting in my sophomore year, rising to Grade 2 and then Grade 1. Through this experience, I realized the necessity of an analytical approach and a step-by-step strategy in learning, and I learned that the process of arriving at the correct answer is just as important as the result itself.
Major School Activities and Reflections
During my freshman year of high school, I joined the school library club, where I was tasked with introducing various reading programs to my class. Our school operated a variety of programs to promote a culture of reading, and the library club was responsible for planning reading discussion sessions, as well as selecting and distributing the weekly required reading. The structure was such that upperclassmen primarily submitted proposals, while underclassmen took on the role of conveying the content to their classes and guiding the sessions, thereby learning a sense of responsibility.
Once the weekly required reading list was finalized, I would first share the book titles with my class and check the number of copies against the class size to ensure we had enough. On days with designated reading time, I helped move the books from the library to the classroom during lunch break, and during reading time, I introduced the books and distributed them—a role that made me feel a sense of responsibility, as if I were a “reading teacher.”
During discussion classes, I guided students in selecting discussion topics for their groups, distributed discussion worksheets, and explained how to take notes. Watching the students actively discuss the topics based on my instructions and ask questions about the procedures made me realize just how important the role of a facilitator is. I also experienced firsthand how reading discussion activities positively impact not only the development of critical thinking but also task completion skills and academic performance.
On one occasion, the book ‘The God of Studying’ was selected for our reading discussion, and I gave a presentation on its contents. The book covered various learning styles, study methods, and examples of overcoming challenges, and I actively recommended the effective study methods outlined in it to my classmates, drawing on my own experience of improving my math grades. Our group’s discussion topic was “Is there a universal study method that works for everyone?” and this topic left a particularly deep impression on me.
Personally, I don’t believe there is a single learning method that works for everyone, but I felt that developing a systematic learning approach that can be universally applied is a challenge for public education. So, when I summarized our group’s opinions and presented them, they were adopted as the class’s official position and submitted to the library committee; our group was even featured in an interview in the library committee’s newsletter. This experience sparked a concrete interest in education and inspired me to set a goal of researching and developing universal learning methods in college.
Examples of Compassion, Sharing, and Cooperation, and My Reflections
One particularly memorable event during my time in the Library Club was the book donation drive for a daycare center near our school. We planned this event together with my classmates, and it was especially meaningful because everyone participated with such enthusiasm. I was in charge of collecting the donated books. With the help of the broadcasting club, I promoted the event and encouraged people to donate books they no longer read at home.
After the broadcast began, more than ten donated books arrived every day, and in just one month, we collected over 200 books. I was deeply moved by the students’ voluntary participation. After reviewing the collected books, I selected a total of 60 titles that were appropriate for the children at the daycare center. For some of these books, I planned storytelling sessions and individual reading guidance programs and visited the orphanage in person.
When we arrived at the orphanage and handed the books to the children, the teachers expressed their deep gratitude, and my heart warmed as I saw the children’s joy at receiving them. As I presented the storytelling sessions prepared with my club members and provided one-on-one reading guidance, I felt a small sense of fulfillment as an educator. This experience made me realize that planning and preparing for others directly leads to the joy of teaching.
The opportunity to collaborate on creating and sharing a meaningful program remains a cherished memory. In particular, seeing firsthand how the content I planned provided tangible help to someone further strengthened my resolve to pursue a career in education where I can make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Efforts and Preparation Related to Motivation for Application and Career Plans
Growing up in a small island village in ○○○, I did not have much access to private tutoring. Unlike my peers, I grew up surrounded by nature rather than attending cram schools, so when learning resources were scarce, it was difficult to study the subjects I wanted to the extent I desired. Even before I developed an interest in education in high school, I often felt frustrated by the lack of available information on the subject.
Because of this background, I wanted to provide my younger sibling with a better learning experience. My younger sibling was seven years younger than me; since they were in elementary school while I was in high school, I naturally began tutoring them and guiding their studies. My sibling wanted to improve their grades, so they would often bring their textbooks over and ask questions, and I became accustomed to teaching as I answered their questions.
At first, I explained things from my own perspective, which often led to my sibling not understanding, and I felt frustrated. So I analyzed why he wasn’t understanding and changed my approach. I structured the lessons to stimulate his curiosity at his level, and by first showing examples using picture cards or toys before explaining the theory, his rate of understanding improved significantly.
Through this process, I developed an interest in teaching, which led to a deeper interest in teaching methods and educational psychology. Through school activities such as in-school reading discussions and book donation drives, I gained hands-on experience with the practical aspects of education. This solidified my career goal of pursuing a degree in education in college and becoming an educator who designs educational programs. Moving forward, I plan to focus on researching universally applicable learning methods and developing programs that can be implemented in real-world educational settings.
