중학교 (Middle School)

I attended a middle school that produced about the same number of graduates students as my elementary school, but they were all girls.Theschool had a similar structure: one teacher was responsible for each unit. However, the teacher did not teach every subject. There were subject teachers at this level. I remember having only two art teachers for the entire school. At this level, some teachers, parents, and students would start talking negatively about keeping art in the required curriculum because of the pressure of the high school entrance exams.

After three years of study in the middle school system, students were taking exams to enter various types of high schools; two main types were a college preparatory high school and vocational high school. The national exam was held once a year for all the third-year middle school students, which created big pressure for many students and their families. Since studio art was not on the exam, some thought that it was not necessary to spend time learning studio side of the art. At this point, I saw some students losing their interest in art quickly due to the overwhelming exam preparation that was produced by weekly quizzes and monthly exams in all subjects. My art teacher often had to struggle to keep the studio art open. Otherwise, the school administration would strongly suggest that those hours be used to prepare for weekly and monthly school-wide exams. Looking back, the female art teacher had a great passion for art and act out her beliefs despite the pressure from the administration and parents. I think this was possible only because of the culture that respected teachers.

In the middle school, we were expected to work on drawing and painting from perception, which shows the emphasis on the hand-eye coordination. We also worked various materials and techniques, such as clay modeling, collage, soap carving, and cardboard sculpture. Art classes were demanding. We were expected to complete assignments and in-class projects that required 4-5 out-of-class hours each week on average.

The education system made it clear that the top-ranked students were those whofocused on the technical matters, matters that could be measured quantitatively. I admit this competitive environment encouraged students to try harder because of the quantitative measurement in outcomes that many preferred in other subjects. I also believe that this type of educational structure discouraged some individuals from pursuing or enjoying art further, encouraging students to keep their passion for art as a secret.