Book: Gong Hyo-jin’s Notebook

My addiction to Korean Dramas continues. I am presently watching “Pasta” which stars Gong Hyo-jin (공효진). Great series for me since I enjoy anything featuring restaurants, food and cooking.

This led me to “Gong Hyo-jin’s Notebook” which I understand to be a collection of essays about her personal viewpoints and practical efforts regarding environmental sustainability. I’ve tried to see whether this book can be purchased in the US and whether there is even an English language version – but I did not find any leads. I certainly would like to be able to read it. [10/30/14 Found a way to get this book. Looking forward to getting it. Memo to self: add photo of the book to this entry when I get it.]

I will instead rely on a couple of articles to base my thoughts as to how it connects with YCISL.

1. From http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/12/135_78554.html: “It may be hard to think of the environment when you talk about actresses. But I thought the small steps I take with other people can become a great achievement in the future,” King [sic] wrote in the preface.

2. From http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/02/25/2011022501237.html: In a conversation with the author in a theater on Feb. 19, Kong said, “I felt that if someone who likes what I do tries to do the same even just a little bit, the world can change. I hope there’ll be more consensus about environment protection in Korea so that I can publish sequel after sequel.”

Connections to YCISL: From both these quotes, emotional intelligence is evidently growing; there are strong indications of personal awareness and personal management. Her statements speak to her desire for social awareness and social management. She is particularly skilled at Reflection, and Your Personal Story. I also see an aptitude for Problem-solving and her embrace of a life purpose. Her concern for environmental protection aligns well with our YCISL sustainability platform.

I am also curious about whether this book will be a good model for the YCISL workshop photo essay exercise.

Her Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gong_Hyo-jin) also mentions a part of her life (high school age) in Brisbane, Australia. I wonder how that might have influenced her to be reflective and grateful. I lived for 2 years  (grammar school age) in Melbourne, Australia and that had a tremendous influence on me.

Update 11/11/14: The book arrived from Aladdin (http://www.aladin.co.kr). Fortunately, a colleague will help with translation but just from browsing the photos and drawings, the depth of critical thinking and personal reflection is apparent. I’ve flagged several sections for translation and look forward to learning her ideas.

Exercise: Fast Ideas from User Frustration

Grab any item. Try to use it. How could it be better? If nothing comes to mind within 15 seconds, move on to another item.

In everyday use of many items, we often wish that our experience could be better. From things in the house such as getting nice sheets from the plastic wrap roll (I just tried this morning and the cut is never clean, and sometimes I cut my fingers) to things outside such as elevators. I particularly dislike using virtual keyboards on the iPhone, Apple TV and devices with similar interfaces. Also on this list is how often keys and remote controls get lost.

So has any solution come to mind when you are in such a situation? Also think about whether the same solution has come to mind each time you’ve used the same product. If no solution has flashed to mind, ask yourself why. Keep a list of these items and your findings.

Chosun Ilbo: High-Schoolers Say Money Key to Happiness

I have recently been developing an interest in South Korean culture especially how it might relate to the YCISL principles. Thinking back, there was a Time magazine article (“Teacher, Leave Those Kids Alone” by Amanda Ripley) from 2011 that first pulled my attention to the life a South Korean student might have; it was about the influence of hagwons (after-school tutoring programs). Around the same time, I was in discussion with an organizer to bring a group of South Korean high school students for a YCISL workshop. More recently, I entered some thoughts on the mindset of Ku Hye-sun (구혜선) and how it relates to the YCISL model.

The article discussed here is “High-Schoolers Say Money Key to Happiness” (no author attributed) published on The Chosun Ilbo website on June 6, 2014 (http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2014/06/06/2014060600493.html). The title ties in well with YCISL’s focus on high school and happiness, but the article also cites data for elementary and middle school students. The article describes the results of a poll of 6,946 students on the most important factor for happiness (let’s assume this question was posed as pertaining to personal happiness):

Elementary School Students: Harmony in the family 43.6%, Good health 20.6%, Freedom 13%
Middle School Students: Harmony at home 23.5%, Good grades 15.4%
High School Students: Money 19.2%, Good grades 18.7%, Harmony in the family 17.5%, Freedom 13%

I feel that these results are a reflection of the strong shared family values in Korea and perhaps also the result of the practical “fear” mindset that takes hold as youth get older. The encouraging side is that the younger students held “harmony” highest which sets up the challenge as one of preservation as opposed to substitution (similar to how we wish to preserve creativity in youth in YCISL). It would be interesting to also know whether “Money” stays a top factor (or even stands out more) to happiness into tertiary education ages and beyond. Then again, the idea of money leading to happiness is not unique to South Korea. It is also a major perception problem in the US and other countries; the family or societal pressure might be different, but the message is still the same.

Let’s also consider information from OECD PISA on student happiness. Referring to Figure III.1.2 on page 32 of “PISA 2012 Results: Ready to Learn (Volume III): Students’ Engagement, Drive and Self-Beliefs” (DOI:10.1787/9789264201170-5-en), we find that Korea (let’s assume South Korea) ranks lowest out of 65 participating countries at just below 60% on this chart of “Percentage of students who report being happy at school.” [For context, note that PISA participants are between the ages of 15 years 3 months and 16 years 2 months, and the chart totals the students who answered “Agree” or “Strongly Agree” to the statement “I feel happy at school.”] Is this surprising? Not really because I think Koreans are very honest with their familial emotions and are not “happy” because they have less time to be in “harmony” with the family – and so the data should not be construed as showing that the students are un-happy with the school, just un-happy when they are at school which deprives them of time with the family to fulfill filial needs. We can speculatively contrast this with the US which ranked just 16 spots higher at about 80% and in the below average section along with Korea. What reasons do US students have to be un-happy about school? There is likely to be a wider assortment of reasons as compared to Korea because there is less purpose emphasized about secondary school education in the US, and so the reasoning and reference standards behind answering this question is likely different. More significant to consider is whether a lack of happiness at school correlates with motivation.

Malaysia is ranked 6th and Singapore 12th on this chart – relatively high. Using my Malaysia and Singapore background, I can see how these two countries ranked relatively high. In Malaysia, pressure on school grades to get into university is only moderate (low compared to Korea, Taiwan, China, India, US, etc); so a student has opportunity to think about life and their expectations. In Singapore, anxiety about school performance is intense but there is less anxiety about life, tertiary education and career opportunities as compared to other countries.

So the lesson for me to learn here is that youth need to be coached to better understand happiness (and positivity) and to develop exercises towards this aim. This should be tied in to intrinsic motivation practices which de-emphasize the growth of money-related fears.

“Turn that frown upside down.” Let me start by thinking about the song “Happy (행복했을까)” by my latest favorite artiste Ku Hye-sun. Except for the “사랑” which I have learned from Korean dramas, I repeatedly listen to this song not for its lyrics but because of its soothing and hopeful feel. You could contrast this to the so popular “Happy” by Pharrell Williams or “Koi Suru Fortune Cookie” by AKB48. I’m not sure presently where to start on developing the practical exercise, but I have ideas on what the ingredients should be so that it has lasting flavor and healthy benefit. Let the experimental design begin!

Related Articles:

“Korean Children Unhappiest in OECD Despite Material Wealth” (no author attributed) published on The Chosun Ilbo web site on May 7, 2012 (http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/05/07/2012050700775.html)

“An Assault Upon Our Children: South Korea’s Education System Hurts Students” by Se-Woong Koo published on The New York Times web site on August 1, 2014http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/02/opinion/sunday/south-koreas-education-system-hurts-students.html?_r=0)

“Korean students least happy in OECD” by Lee-Hyo-sik published on The Korea Times web site on May 4, 2011 (http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/05/113_86432.html)

“Poll: Are Singaporeans least happy?” by Alexandra Hoegberg published on the CNN web site on December 21, 2012 (http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/21/world/asia/singapore-least-happy/).

China Daily: Inspired mother pioneers freestyle education

The YCISL concept positions personal development education in tandem with traditional memorization-based mass youth education. The article “Inspired mother pioneers freestyle education” written by Deng Zhangyu and published October 7, 2014 in the China Daily (http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/epaper/2014-10/07/content_18702170.htm) shares perspectives in the development of the Ririxin School in Beijing.

This school was spotlighted in 2011 in various articles (e.g., http://english.sina.com/china/p/2011/0922/399232.html) as a growing home school phenomenon offering priorities that align with personal development and growth as opposed to test-based gated streaming schooling.

I have known families who have chosen to home school as well as schools that support home school families. There are also schools that position themselves away from a rat race mentality and emphasize personal well-being and life purpose. It is fortunate to have these options to the mainstream number-based (your identification number, zip code, test scores, GPA, fiscally-dependent and extrinsically motivated) factories.

I hope to establish contact and exchange ideas with the leaders at Ririxin School.

Key Lessons (quotes from the news article and my comments):

– “Playing is the way children get to know the world.” (Quote of Zhang Dongqing). Play is a great way to promote learning (even memorization) – perhaps as a supplement. As an example, . In YCISL, we see play as a great way to explore creativity and fast thinking. When we think of play, we usually think of freestyle play (e.g., at a playground), but we can also benefit from formalized play such as that in the Gamestorming model or sports or games.

– “…staff at Ririxin are friends with their pupils.” The relationship between teacher and student is complex, especially in Asian culture. Even in mainstream schools today in several Asian countries, teachers are almost like (understanding) parents to their students. In YCISL, I portray myself as a parent and coach. Friendship is something that potentially develops as a result but I feel is not a necessary starting ingredient.

– “Kids are like seeds.” This idea sets the stage for organic growth where students discover their individual potential and ability to rise to challenges and occasions.

– “Zhang’s mission is to help make children become what they want to be instead of modeling them into a same person.” For anyone who tends a garden, you would understand that you can focus your good intentions to help shape good outcomes but there is little hope in planning every detail in growth.

– “…they imposed ideas on them and killed their creativity.” This is consistent with the messages we are hearing about US and European as well as Asian schools. And how this continues today as common practice shows we need to actively intervene in this loss. Our YCISL program therefore emphasizes simple exercises that can be practiced routinely to build strength for personal development…and ultimate retain facile creativity.

– “…her second daughter knows who she is and what she wants, is more confident and has a passion for art.” In our YCISL framework, knowing yourself should be coupled with composing and maintaining your personal story.

– “A better education enables a person to be a more complete one, rich in emotion  and creativity.” (Quote of Zhang Dongqing). I think a better education is a more complete one. Education today satisfies its mission of identifying the best memorizers. It is due time to re-scope the meaning and goals of education and implement the means.

– “…but today it’s easy to get knowledge.” Unfortunately, institutional knowledge isn’t pure (even textbooks) and has a tendency to be misunderstood and misinterpreted. And with many forms of the same knowledge, it’s not easy to efficiently gain knowledge. The challenge is to invest time to gain experiential knowledge, and cultivate a love for lifelong learning. Knowledge will have the most value under these circumstances.

http://www.ririxinschool.com/#
Ririxin School, 日日新学堂
Woquyuan, Xiaoshahecun, Shahezhen, Changping District, Beijing, China, 102206
地址：北京市昌平区沙河镇小沙河村渥丘园
Email: ririxin@126.com

Straits Times: Prolonged use of mobile phones bad for school test scores: Japan study

Saving this article as a potential discussion point for problem identification. May be particularly appropriate for our students from Japan, but there may be a problem-adaptation opportunity for students from another country.

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/asia/east-asia/story/mobile-use-bad-school-test-scores-japan-study-20140826

This would be an opportunity in YCISL workshops to practice:

– empathy

– turning a problem into an opportunity

– agreeing or disagreeing with an adult view

– brainstorming

– prototyping

– developing an elevator pitch (e.g., to encourage youth to use smartphone more smartly)

– using youth as an advantage (smaller age gap)

WSJ: Fighting the Internet Invasion of Childhood

This entry refers to the article “Fighting the Internet Invasion of Childhood” by Martin Kutnowski in the WSJ on Wednesday September 10, 2014 on page A13 (Opinion section).

Reading about the efforts that Kutnowski has made to ameliorate the negative impacts of accessing the Internet is interesting and sparks my empathy as a parent. From my perspective, the Internet, especially in its early adopter days, was a research and academic tool with its main feature being communication innovation. These were its best days which are now faded because of the extensive pollution that it now carries – like river basins overcome by industrial waste. The Internet poses relatively minuscule benefit today thanks partly to the push to monetize its access and use. That is a major reason why the Internet is a negative factor in childhood development – in academics, family and social ways.

I like how Kutnowski describes his strategy to program his wireless modem (router actually, I would presume) to set access enabled times. Hopefully, he has learned how to program restricted web sites and read router logs too. I’m not sure why he uses “hacking” to describe what he did with the modem; perhaps its because he was not aware this was necessary in the parenting skill set.

I like too that he shares his experiences upon returning home, at dinner, and play time. This is really good insight into the parent experience and can help youth appreciate the experimental nature of parenting. As we read about the experimental trials in this story, we learn that the parent needs to build and maintain intrinsic motivation. But what’s important to remember is that intrinsic motivation comes from advancement in mastery, autonomy and purpose. An empathetic positive and growth mindset also helps with sustaining this motivation between the parent-child pair.

What is concerning though in this story is the fear (as suggested by words such as “parasitic”, “zombies” and “shudder”) that is cast over the condition of internet addiction, and it would be far more beneficial if the parent could, using intrinsic motivation, make childhood far more resilient by enhancing the positive mindset in his children so that the internet is supportive rather than invasive.

Creativity Exercise: Composing the next installment

This is an idea to include an exercise where students compose a followup to a story. This exercise would involve imagination, creativity, active listening, storytelling and growth mindset elements. It is a YCISL workshop variation on improvisation such as one can view on the television show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”

There are several ways that this exercise could be set up:

1. Use a passage from a book. Good starts might be a mystery that reveals a setting at the start. Another might be from a biographical story where life path choices need to be made.

2. Have students tell a part of their personal story and others would compose a story about how the future turned out.

3. Create a Mad Libs type of passage and have students fill in the blanks. Then the students would have to continue the passage using the context created by the Mad Libs part of the exercise.

4. Use a cartoon strip and blank out the last frame. Have students create that frame on their own.

Option: this could also be made to be a PostIt brainstorming (divergent thinking) exercise with participants coming up with as many continuations to the story as they can.

WSJ: The Best Language for Math

This entry refers to the article “The Best Language for Math” by Sue Shellenbarger in the WSJ on Wednesday September 10, 2014 on page D1-D2 (Personal Journal section).

Misguided “glass half empty” mindset comes to mind when I read this article. Building “numeracy in small children” is not to be admired – it is another one of those despicable pressures that deprives children of their creative opportunities and development. Think about it: who is concerned? It’s adults. Do children care? Not one bit.

People who cite rankings in international achievement tests are similar to those who care about and cite university rankings. Both types of rankings are trivial and lack meaning. They are multivariate sets of functions with inconsistent variable sets. As if the education paradigm is the sole predictor of academic achievement. As if a top-ranked university is suitable for everyone.

Researchers should be looking at the needs for customization in education – especially in cores subjects such as math and language – rather than choking creativity out of early childhood education. Such customization should promote finding learning PREFERENCES, and after that, it’s PRACTICE that makes the difference (this is greatly affected by the availability of tutoring and after-school programs in the countries compared in the article).

How much does it matter that 27 is written as twenty-seven in English? How do YOU add two numbers? “32+17=49” or “thirty-two plus seventeen equals forty-nine”? The difference between these two approaches reminds me of the consequences of the shift from numerical math lessons to verbalized math lessons.

Move along. Nothing to see here.

WSJ: “Teens Need Later Start to School Day, Doctors Group Says”

This entry is about the article titled “Teens Need Later Start to School Day, Doctors Group Says” by Sumathi Reddy. http://online.wsj.com/articles/teens-need-later-start-to-school-day-doctors-group-says-1408939263

The article starts with this main idea… “High schools and middle schools should begin the day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. to help teenagers get more sleep, the American Academy of Pediatrics said Monday in its first policy statement on the issue.”

The article continues by providing support for this idea. However, the correlation-causation case seems like it needs more consideration. Here are some of my thoughts on this issue:

– A fixed time such as 8:30 am seems unnecessary. We know that the circadian rhythms are biologically connected to sunrise and sunset times. Perhaps a more sound idea is that school should start at least 60 minutes after sunrise; and homework should be completable preferably by sunset (understandably impractical in general, and teachers should account for differing performance expectations after sunset – i.e., the amount of work that can be done in one hour during daylight time is less than that after dusk). So the solution – for optimization purposes – will differ based on latitude as well as daylight savings shifts, if applicable.

– A way to expand the timing benefit may be to not allow any college prep class in the first period (i.e., schedule PE, library, electives and other special courses). An alternative is to bring back a 20-30 minute home room period instead (Asian schools still have this, by the way).

– The article mentions the effect of blue light from electronics. There are also just routine home-based neurological stimulation factors – not just visual but with all other senses. A correlation-causation question arises around the influence of household evening settling time (sleep preparation) and bedtime on the lateness to which teens will go to sleep. Are parents sensitively aware that any noise during the desired sleep time could disrupt sleep? Laundry noise, television noise, working on computers, talking on the phone, etc. What about households which have pre-teens as well as teens?

– What recommendation can be made for weekends? Did the study follow the sleep patterns of the students on weekends? What about sleep patterns during holidays (both long and short)? Did sleeping in on weekends affect performance during the week?

– What is the effect of school-impacted sleep patterns on growth and body repair? Sub-optimal sleep is a chronic as well as acute health issue.

– This is not just a health problem, it is also an education problem (the article does suggest it). Educators need to be at the forefront as well. Educators control the settings and can have first-hand observations; health practitioners observe the after-effects and have little to no control over the settings. Parents should collaborate with both educators and health practitioners. Government should stay out of it.

– Are school hours set for adult convenience as opposed to educational optimization? If so, which is the priority? It’s not clear to me.

– There should be a no-caffeine rule prior to the start of school – and that includes educators as well as the students. I have observed teachers getting to school and starting the day with coffee. This is artificial stimulation and prevents teachers from being empathetic and sensing the appropriate pace to teach. Students (those not similarly caffeinated) cannot be expected to “connect” with the caffeinated teachers – and follow the teacher as they swing between caffeine hits. If caffeine is so necessary for teachers to get going, then it is quite apparent that school start times are inappropriate. [As an extension of this, perhaps teachers should not be allowed to intake any caffeine within 30 minutes of starting a class].

– I would suggest exploring the idea of inserting mindfulness or meditation times into the school schedule so that lack of focus due to disrupted sleep can be managed at school. You know the “power nap” idea, right? What are the heart rates of the students throughout the day? Is the pattern influenced by the amount of restful sleep?

So how does this relate to YCISL? It relates to some of the core ideas including:

– Use “youth” as an empathy advantage. Can our students incorporate sleep-related issues into their problem statement or solution? Can they be creative enough to develop a solution that would work for youth? Can youth see a solution that adults cannot otherwise see? Would students be able to persuade other students to adopt solutions that adults would otherwise not do so well?

– Mindset. Students need to understand the impact that sleep is having on their mindsets as well as performance. Without good sleep, can the mindset be positive? Without good sleep, can the mindset be attending to growth?

– Leadership. This is an opportunity for youth to speak up and be heard. Adults like to prescribe solutions that affect others but not necessarily themselves. Youth need to take a leadership role in ensuring a youth-centered and youth-accepted solution.

– Sustainability. What is needed is a sustainable solution that has a long-term beneficial influence and causes minimum inconvenience. Schools are forever experimenting with digressive and disruptive changes. This is unsustainable and confusing.

People: An Amazing Youthful Growth and Emotionally-Intelligent Mindset – Ku Hye-sun

Few things in life resonate so powerfully.

My curiosity started out from the luminous talent I observed on the Korean tv drama “Boys Over Flowers” – not just acting, but also other remarkable talents, skills and traits that I could see – it drew my attention to actress Ku Hye-sun (구혜선) whereupon I learned of her record of creative skills and accomplishments. From this, I also am sensing her high emotional intelligence that has led to her continuing leadership experience and growth (e.g., sign language, music and art abilities). What setting and circumstance gives rise to such a meaningful personal philosophy and mindset? Most relevant to YCISL, she appears to be a person who is highly attuned to the “Your Personal Story” concept which serves as an exceptional example for our students.

The following is the information I found on the web that to me demonstrates her youthful growth-driven and intrinsically-motivated mindset.

1. Quoted from the Wikipedia entry for Ku Hye-sun (August 24, 2014):

“What is most important is to become the winner at the end/ultimately/finally. Right now is not the time to feel accomplished for what project is doing well or making that as a life’s goal. To me, what is more important is what kind of person I will live as and remembered. In my 20’s, a big hit came my way through BOF. But, I cannot be just stuck there. I felt that I need to mold/make myself even better and live my life even better. That is my life’s goal.”

She truly embraces the idea that success is a continuous journey (credit to Richard St. John for this idea). Her growth mindset is particularly clear and impressive. And she masterfully does it through intrinsic motivation.

2. Quoted from an article titled “More Than Just a Pretty Face” written by Claire Lee on WSJ.com (http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2012/12/28/more-than-just-a-pretty-face/) based on an interview with Ku Hye-sun:

“I’m obsessed with documenting my ideas—all of my ideas. Whenever I get ideas for my art works, I either have to write them down or draw something right away. When I think of random melodies, I have to write a score on the spot. Otherwise I’d soon forget, and that’s the last thing that I want.”

“Everything that I do aside from acting and directing—painting, composing, singing and writing—is in fact what I’ve been doing all my life, ever since I was a kid. I started painting lessons when I was 6. Throughout my childhood I thought I’d become an artist one day. When I was in high school, I’d send scores of my own music to entertainment agencies in the hopes of becoming a singer. I had about 100 songs written when I turned 20. One of the reasons why I enjoy filmmaking is because I get to incorporate all of these things, music, art and writing, into one piece of work.”

She is a skilled practitioner in creativity and reflection, and her advantage is that she started from young and has managed uncertainty very well.

3. I listened to some of her musical composition from her Sketchbook “Breath” release – particularly the instrumental piano piece “The Sound of Rain at Night” which to me is an interesting aural parallel to the (visual) photo essay activity that we do in YCISL workshops. [I have also now listened to her “Happy” song many times too]. The focus that comes with her emotional artistry is remarkable. She shows mastery at the integration level of the YCISL leadership stage model.

To date, this is the first person I have found to embody the personal strengths discussed in YCISL. I hope to find more instances of people so exemplary in the YCISL ideals, especially those who possess youthful optimism like Ku Hye-sun. Having references such as this will be very beneficial to our young students.

4. [Added October 16, 2014] More of Ku Hye-sun’s positive and growth mindset is evident in an interview for Woman Chosun (original Korean source: http://woman.chosun.com/magazine/viewArticle.do?atCode=1650; English translation available at http://loveghs.wordpress.com/2013/05/28/interview-woman-chosun-interview-with-ku-hye-sun/). Several of her thoughts stand out:

“I don’t think I get special inspiration. I just get it through my daily life.” Ideas come to us often times when we’re not focused on a particular problem and are more involved in routine activities. I get ideas when driving on the freeway. From this, we understand that inspiration is accessible by all.

“But, since I was able to tell my story, I felt I should take some losses.” Being able to share your personal story is an opportunity and victory in itself. Whether the storytelling influences the person hearing the story is not the only measure of success.

“But, for me, just the fact that something that I made came out to the world feels successful.” Simply going through the creativity and innovation process can yield the intrinsic motivation to continue. Valuable lessons in leadership can be added to the personal story.

“I am just going on my own path.” One’s personal story is like walking a path. There may be company along parts of the way while some parts might be travelled alone. What is observed or experienced is deeply personal, and a mindset that accepts that yields the positivity and growth one needs to feel intrinsically motivated.

“I give myself chances and I forgive myself.” Make the choices with confidence and feel that you are your own best leader understanding that mistakes can happen along the way.

From the above (translated) quotes, it is clear that she is intrinsically motivated to develop her personal story. What a remarkable role model for youth.