A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the life of a student struggling with grades and their family, on Channel A's "Please Help with Grades: Teachers 2," a first-year high school student who was previously struggling with math regained their confidence in studying after receiving solutions.
On the episode that aired on the 10th, a first-year high school student who had lost their confidence in studying came seeking help. The student stated, "Until 8th grade, my internal grades were 50%, but in 9th grade, they rose to about 77%. I don't know what to do." They confessed that their confidence and self-esteem had further declined since entering high school and sought assistance. The student unexpectedly declared that they would choose "Physics" and "World History" as elective subjects, suggesting that their friends seemed to choose "Physics" frequently. Additionally, they mentioned Busan National University, one of the top regional national universities, as their target school. However, their grades were around level 3 in the newly revised 5-grade system, and their homeroom teacher emphasized that with such grades, university admission would be quite difficult. Jeong Seung-jae diagnosed, "Physics is generally not an elective that is chosen. I think there is a lack of awareness about the college entrance process," while Jo Jeong-sik commented, "It seems like there is no thought process involved."
The student's internal grades were in the 40s for Korean, English, and Math, resulting in a level 3 in the 5-grade system. When converted to a 9-grade system, they were in the lower tier, at levels 5 to 6. Their scores from the mock exam in March were 6 in Korean, 6 in Math, and 4 in English. Jeong Seung-jae remarked, "Both the internal and mock exam results are dismal. The March mock exam covers middle school-level content, and a level 6 indicates a lack of fundamental knowledge." Jo Jeong-sik noted, "Even though the March mock exam was relatively easy, achieving a low level 4 is concerning. I have never seen a student get the listening questions wrong, and yet this student has," expressing doubts about the student's low English score despite having lived in Canada.
The student's mother, a university professor, was providing exceptional support by passing on her note-taking skills from her school days. She also demonstrated her dedication by writing study tips and notes for final exam preparation in her son's textbooks. However, the student became increasingly intimidated when comparing himself to his younger brother, who was three years younger and had managed to enter a gifted education program through self-study, solving math problems that the student could not. Jeong Seung-jae asked a few definitions to gauge the student's current state and noticed gaps in his 8th-grade math knowledge. He expressed sympathy for the student, stating, "You are completely clueless about this. Just imagine how painful that must be. You're in a position where you're only struggling to keep up." Jo Jeong-sik also critiqued, "Just looking at the exam papers, it is clear that this student isn't performing well academically. The problems are solved in a chaotic manner, not in order. The ability to think systematically is incredibly important. There might have been underlying habits or issues since childhood that have led to this situation."
The student struggled to grasp even the basic concepts in Korean and showed a tendency to simply memorize the solutions to the wrong answers instead of understanding the material. Jo Jeong-sik emphasized the importance of fundamental training, stating, "Training to understand written material is urgent. You should start reading from the middle school textbooks and be able to explain what you read to others." He also noted, "The student's mother did all the corrections for the mock exam. In order for your grades to rise, there must be a deficiency," and requested the mother to stop her support. In a state of unprecedented cluelessness in math, the student became anxious when faced with lengthy passages. However, after a thorough explanation, the student showed potential for mathematical thinking. Jeong Seung-jae remarked, "It is my job to prove that if someone knows the right study methods, anyone can achieve a level 2 in high school math. I want to show hope to the public through this 'National Project' to find hope for those struggling in math."
When the focused solutions began, Jeong Seung-jae faced the student, who had no prior knowledge at all, stating, "It's better to be clueless than to have a superficial understanding." He acknowledged that the student's state was emblematic of the struggles faced by students who struggle with math, noting, "Students who struggle with math often have 'ignorance of terms,' 'lack of basics,' 'quick to give up,' and 'math anxiety.' This student exhibits all four characteristics." Ultimately, the student embarked on a journey to conquer math by rooming together for 24 hours with Jeong Seung-jae in his office. However, the student stumbled on comprehending problems rather than concepts. Given the difficulty of understanding long passages within problems, Jeong Seung-jae spent an entire hour repeatedly explaining the problems. Finally, to improve comprehension, he began training the student using sixth-grade elementary school problems for easier initial understanding.
Jeong Seung-jae also traveled to Busan, where the student lived, for additional support. Jo Jeong-sik praised Jeong Seung-jae's dedication and determination, saying, "Now I understand why he is considered a savior. I don't think I could have been so patient until the end myself." After the solutions, the student was called into the faculty room by their homeroom teacher, who noted, "The difficulty of this test was high. Your score is unusual." Amid rising tensions within the 'T-Bengers,' the student celebrated after receiving a score of 57.5 points, marking a significant improvement from the previous 44 points. Notably, the student overcame their fear of math, even answering problems that they had previously found difficult.
[Photo] Captured from Channel A's "Please Help with Grades: Teachers 2" broadcast.
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