During the presidential election campaign, watching TV shows and reading some books and newsletters from my children’s school, I realized differences in political education between America and South Korea.
In Korean, at the beginning of school year, every class elects class president and every school elects school president. Especially for the school president, some candidate can campaign for 2-3 days before the election day and 5th and 6th grade students directly elect their president by themselves using ballot paper and ballot box. Through the event, they learn how to choose their leader. However, during real presidential election period, they are not actively involved in the election. Schools do not educate them much about the candidates because people think voting is just for adults’ job.
In America, during the real presidential campaign, students actively involve themselves in voting. Every student is encouraged to vote for president at their school level as a mock election. The mock election gives each student the opportunity to experience the voting process as well as their rights to choose candidate of their choice. Some schools prepare real voting paper and voting booth and some schools use computer system to vote or use school blogs. Through the activities of registering, checking their names on the registration rolls and voting, students learn how to choose their leader. Before the mock election day, students bring home some newsletters or paper books from book company. They teach students about candidates and election process. Even Kindergarten students bring those stuffs home which are easily explained how to vote and who candidates are. Some schools hold a mock presidential debate. Some students represent candidates and students in the audience ask the candidates questions and hold signs to show who they support. Learning occurs in real life.
People say that learning occurs best by doing. American students experience and learn how to choose their leader before they vote in their real life. Those experiences teach students being interested and wise in choosing their leader. Korean school should adapt this kind of mock election so that students learn that they are one of the precious voter and use their vote wisely and being proud of citizen of South Korea.
In Korean, at the beginning of school year, every class elects class president and every school elects school president. Especially for the school president, some candidate can campaign for 2-3 days before the election day and 5th and 6th grade students directly elect their president by themselves using ballot paper and ballot box. Through the event, they learn how to choose their leader. However, during real presidential election period, they are not actively involved in the election. Schools do not educate them much about the candidates because people think voting is just for adults’ job.
In America, during the real presidential campaign, students actively involve themselves in voting. Every student is encouraged to vote for president at their school level as a mock election. The mock election gives each student the opportunity to experience the voting process as well as their rights to choose candidate of their choice. Some schools prepare real voting paper and voting booth and some schools use computer system to vote or use school blogs. Through the activities of registering, checking their names on the registration rolls and voting, students learn how to choose their leader. Before the mock election day, students bring home some newsletters or paper books from book company. They teach students about candidates and election process. Even Kindergarten students bring those stuffs home which are easily explained how to vote and who candidates are. Some schools hold a mock presidential debate. Some students represent candidates and students in the audience ask the candidates questions and hold signs to show who they support. Learning occurs in real life.
People say that learning occurs best by doing. American students experience and learn how to choose their leader before they vote in their real life. Those experiences teach students being interested and wise in choosing their leader. Korean school should adapt this kind of mock election so that students learn that they are one of the precious voter and use their vote wisely and being proud of citizen of South Korea.
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