A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the lives of students struggling with grades and their families appeared on Channel A's 'Please Help Me with My Grades: Teachers2' with the youngest third-grade challenge student on 'Teachers.' The 'T-Bengers' Jung Seung-jae, Jo Jeong-sik, and Mimiminu presented elementary school study methods for the first time.
On the broadcast of 'Teachers2' on the 6th, the first elementary school challenge student on 'Teachers' visited. Now in third grade, the challenge student was a language prodigy who learned Hangul at age 4 and mastered fluent English and even Chinese characters. Furthermore, at 8 years old, they dominated a Go tournament, achieved a certified rank of second class in Go, and ranked 5th in a world children's Go competition, earning the nickname 'Little Lee Sedol.' The challenge student came to find the 'T-Bengers,' revealing their immense intellectual curiosity by saying, "I love studying and have so many questions. I can't communicate with my mom and dad, so I want to ask the teachers many questions."
The challenge student woke up at 6 a.m., went to their desk, and started the morning studying Chinese characters. During breakfast, they memorized the value of Pi to the 50th decimal place as if it were a game. Additionally, when borrowing books on the way to school, they returned them at lunchtime, and when they left school, they returned them and borrowed more books, reading several books a day.
Watching the challenge student, who learned Hangul at age 4 and is an avid reader at 10, Han Hye-jin, the wife of soccer player Ki Sung-yong, expressed envy by saying, "My daughter learned Hangul at 7…" Jang Yeong-ran also remarked, "Let's not compare. I am also enduring a lot," feeling a sense of crisis regarding the challenge student's abilities. Regarding the challenge student choosing to read books instead of playing games, the challenge student's mother explained, "Whether it's studying or reading, he has a personality that digs deep when he becomes interested, so I limit him from starting games because I worry he might get too absorbed in them," indicating that she is forming habits suited to her son's disposition.
In addition to reading, the challenge student also showed remarkable strides in mathematics. At age 6, the challenge student recognized the need for a math academy, and their parents bought them a math workbook. Within a week, the challenge student grasped basic operations independently. As a result, the challenge student was already doing advanced work intended for middle school first-year and second-year students. Furthermore, they solved problems through mental calculation, stating, "There's no reason to make mistakes," and maintained this approach. 'Math's best' Jung Seung-jae conducted a math reasoning test, and the challenge student demonstrated exceptional understanding and reasoning abilities by correctly solving even the 'difficult questions' that high school seniors struggle with.
Additionally, the challenge student had an IQ of 143 and was so advanced in spatial perception that it was deemed immeasurable, placing them among the top 0.1%. However, their exceptional abilities made it difficult for their parents to guide their education, and they faced challenges in friendships. Jo Jeong-sik noted, "Social-emotional skills are important for gifted individuals. Without them, their giftedness may fade away," urging caution. Fortunately, the challenge student was attending a gifted program and building social-emotional connections with similar peers. The 'T-Bengers' recommended that, considering peer relationships, they should pursue admission to gifted high schools.
The challenge student's mother had already explored the world of advanced study by inquiring about elementary consulting programs, such as elementary medical school classes and M.M.I medical school interview preparation classes. However, Jo Jeong-sik remarked, "It's nonsensical to have an admissions roadmap during elementary school. It's rare for a challenge student to discover their talent so early. Additionally, while the challenge student may be underestimated based on the standards of their district, their reasoning ability might surpass that of district students," cautioning against following a uniform admissions roadmap that could hinder their exceptional talents. He advised setting a roadmap that fits their temperament.
Meanwhile, some incorrect aspects of the challenge student's study methods were observed. Although the challenge student studied English by memorizing words, example sentences, and translations, they often avoided writing and simply read through materials with their eyes. In an English reasoning test, Jo Jeong-sik confirmed the challenge student's remarkable language sensitivity, stating, "If he were my son, I wouldn't make him memorize words. Reading widely will help with vocabulary, and he could recognize English not as something to memorize but as the language itself." Mathematical calculations also had issues due to the habit of mental calculations, affecting the formulation of equations. Jung Seung-jae emphasized, "The key to elementary mathematics is step-by-step reasoning training. That's essential for helping with middle and high school math. Merely advancing is not the solution; it's necessary to learn properly and build fundamentals as per the textbooks," highlighting the urgency for solutions for the third-grade challenge student, who is at a critical juncture in determining their educational direction.
First, Jung Seung-jae engaged the challenge student in 'equation formulation' practice. Facing difficulties from the start due to lack of experience, the challenge student promised, "Even if I get the problems wrong, I will formulate the equations," and followed through with the solutions. Furthermore, for the intellectually curious challenge student, Jung Seung-jae conducted a special lecture titled 'Tasting Middle and High School Mathematics.' During a session filled with laughter, Jung Seung-jae and the challenge student discussed math. However, Jung Seung-jae emphasized, "Deep understanding of the middle school second-year, third-year, and first-year high school curricula is far more beneficial than simply advancing beyond the current level," stressing the importance of structured learning.
Jo Jeong-sik brought original books from the challenge student's favorite fields, suggesting that they read interesting books and create daily questions in English. He also provided a solution to inquire about these questions from an AI to resolve curiosities. The challenge student adeptly handled 'English presentations' by compiling the questions they had accumulated, which added excitement to their study instead of viewing English as mere memorization. Concerned about the exceptionally gifted challenge student, the 'T-Bengers' advised that they focus on direction rather than speed, encouraging gradual growth in their elementary study methods.
The program airs every Sunday at 7:50 p.m.
[Photo] 'Teachers2'
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