Namhae Bomulseom High School Operates Career Experiences and Community Education Designed by Students

Namhae Bomulseom High School, located in Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, operates a curriculum where students explore their fields of interest and directly design their own learning processes. In an interview with Spring of Education, Principal Kwon Seong-gye introduced the school's educational direction, LTI activities, and cases of student autonomy management.

Namhae Bomulseom High School is an alternative school and a various-type school with 45 students. The curriculum is centered around basic literacy education through common subjects, student-selected subjects, individual career activities, and club activities. Principal Kwon explained the values the school holds dear as "the treasure within me, the treasure of relationships, and the treasure of the world." The intention is to use student self-exploration, community life, and experiences regarding the region and the world as the pillars of education.

The core competency identified by the school is student self-determination. Principal Kwon said that rather than deciding the career and learning direction for students, teachers play the role of waiting until students find and attempt their interests. The school conducts evaluations centered on performance assessments without written exams, stating that they emphasize the learning process and reflection over grade competition.

LTI is an activity where students plan field experiences and internships according to their interests or career paths. It is operated primarily on Wednesday afternoons, and once a month, it is conducted as a full-day schedule. First-year students engage in activities following their interests, such as bread making or woodworking, while second and third-year students increase experiences linked to their career paths. Students find local experience sites and conduct activities with school support as needed. Students who do not wish to participate may engage in activities they choose within the school or simply rest.

Activities for one semester are shared with students, parents, teachers, and local residents at a presentation session. Students organize their activity processes and what they learned into materials to present, and other students listen and share feedback. Principal Kwon explained that the presentation process serves as an opportunity for the community to understand each student's individual experience together. This method is distinctive in that it includes not only the activity itself but also the process of recording, presenting, and listening to the stories of peers in the curriculum.

Fair travel for first and second-year students is also student-led. The schedule involves first-year students visiting Namhae and Jeju, and second-year students visiting Ulleungdo and Seoul, with students deciding the themes and travel routes and researching materials. After the trip, they share impressions and evaluations. Overseas mobile learning is operated once every two years, and in 2024, they visited Vietnam. At the time of the interview, students were preparing for a planned visit to China, focusing on Shanghai, Wuzhen, and Nanjing to explore history and culture.

During Climate Justice Week, students form task force teams to plan discussions and environmental activities. Programs include collecting marine debris, campaigns, and watching movies and discussing them; students decide the themes, and teachers assist the proceedings. In the school community meeting, living rules such as mobile phone usage and communal events are discussed. Principal Kwon introduced this meeting as the school's major decision-making body, stating that even matters decided in teacher meetings are difficult to proceed with if they are not accepted at the community meeting.

The curriculum that expands student choice relies on the continuous support of teachers and the experiential resources of the region. The school's case shows that education emphasizing autonomy does not stop at simply providing choices, but must have a structure where students make plans, reflect on experiences, and share them with the community.

Read the original (Korean)