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This study extrapolates upon the Character Education Promotion Act implemented by the Korean government in 2015. The Character Education Promotion Act is a national mandate that seeks to plant and foster a sense of moral responsibility and social skills within the students enrolled in public educati...

This study extrapolates upon the Character Education Promotion Act implemented by the Korean government in 2015. The Character Education Promotion Act is a national mandate that seeks to plant and foster a sense of moral responsibility and social skills within the students enrolled in public education. This paper suggests that, by combining children's poetry with primary school education, character education may maximize its full potential. To do so, I look at Joseon-era character education traditions, compare it to that of the present, and finally integrate the two through the incorporation of poetry.
First, I examine the traditional Joseon-era traditions of character education. Historically, personality-molding exercises began at the pre-natal stage. Sajudang Lee's "Taegyoshingi" theorizes that parental education would pass down to future progeny, as any children would resemble the values of their birth mother. The Donggyupyeon of "Sassojeol" similarly prescribes eight virtues and values necessary to raise children. These Joseon-era moral codes have since spilled over into today's character education policy. The Character Education Promotion Act echoes the eight virtues of the "Sassojeol": etiquette, filial piety, honesty, responsibility, respect, consideration, communication, and cooperation.
In contemporary Korean character education, I then compare the divide between character education at home versus that in school. The 7th curriculum serves as my primary case study. In comparison to others, the 7th curriculum focuses on living a morally sound lifestyle, and is furthermore reflective of institutional character education today. The curriculum incorporates the 2009-mandated integration of creative activities as well, further contributing to existing character-building modules today. This overview provides a glimpse into Korean character education programs today.
Finally, I examine the conceptual and literary legacy of poetry within contemporary Korean character education studies. I highlight poetry's educational value through an experiment with primary schools. In this experiment, teachers in charge of the character education curricula select morally-upstanding poems to convey the values taught. The selection criteria sought to represent and reflect the values taught within the character education syllabus. Contemporary poems were also included, especially those that purposefully and clearly convey the eight Joseon-era virtues. The poems’ full effect was evidenced through through simultaneous recitation. Seven activities – including word play, drawing illustrations, children's song appreciation, writing letters, list-making, mind map drawing, and creative story development – all contribute to the poems' full impact on character education.
Overall, I argue that poetry more fully enforces character education. Through this study, I prove that integrating poetry into existing character education studies advances institutional goals. Both older and more contemporary forms of poetry are appropriate mediums to convey Joseon-era values. Ultimately, this study hopes that poetry should benefit character education. Through poetry, national character education should more effectively contribute to the moral, creative, and social endeavors of generations to come.

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