시각장애의 벽을 깨고 영어교사 꿈 이룬 김경민 동문
- 조회수 2097
- 작성자 커뮤니케이션팀
- 인터뷰자
- 작성일 2016-02-16
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[기/사/요/약]
보이지 않는 눈으로 꿈을 이룬 영어 선생님이 있다. 시각장애를 극복하고 단과대 수석으로 졸업한 일반학교 영어교사 김경민 동문(교육 10졸)이 그 주인공이다. 눈이 보이지 않는 김 동문이 7학기 만에 우수 성적으로 졸업할 수 있었던 이유는 일반 학생 보다 더 많은 시간과 노력을 기울였기 때문이다. 모든 수업 내용은 녹음하고, 다시 점자나 음성으로 변환이 필요했다. 교수님이 과제를 내주면 벼락치기가 불가능해 김 동문은 오랜 시간 본인만의 시각으로 주어진 과제를 풀어나가는 데 힘썼다. 이는 다른 학생과 확연한 차이를 만드는 김 동문만의 경쟁력이 되었다. 시각 장애를 가진 김 동문이 맹학교가 아닌 일반학교의 영어교사가 된 것은 장애에 대한 편견에 도전하고 싶었기 때문이다. 신체적 장애가 꿈을 실현하는 데 전혀 장애가 되지 않음을 미래의 꿈나무인 어린 학생들에게 보여줌으로써, 비장애인이 갖는 장애인에 대한 편견을 없애고자 했던 것이 김 동문의 바람이었다. 김 동문은 최근 영어 외에도 방과후 일반 학생들에게 점자를 가르치기 시작했다. 일반 학생들에게 마음의 눈으로 세상을 바라보는 방법을 알려주고 싶었기 때문이다. 마지막으로 김 동문은 숙명에서 장애의 벽을 넘어 진정한
행복을 찾는 방법을 배웠기에 보이지 않는 눈으로 더 큰 무대를 꿈꿀 수 있었다고 전했다. |
Who are the world’s greatest musicians, teachers, and preachers of positiveness? Were these people among the names that popped into your head: Beethoven, Helen Keller, and Nick Vujicic? These well-known people all lived with impairments yet succeed in life. However, there still exists some prejudice between people of non-disabled and abled. Somehow globally, people living with impairments suffer social oppression and as such are disabled people. There is one person in Korea who is trying to break these walls. She is trying to remove the barriers by teaching children to open their eyes. Middle school English teacher, Kim Kyungmin (KIM), is broadening Korean society day by day. The Sookmyung Times (SMT) met with her to hear the story.
SMT You have had your guide dog, Mi-dam, since entering SMU. It’s been six years now. There is even a book detailing your strong companionship. How much does she truly mean to you?
KIM Mi-dam is much more than just a dog. She is my friend. She is always there for me, and I accredit most of my glorious days to her. She is more than my eyes to the world. Mi-dam has helped me to take my first steps in society and to speak more comfortably with others. Even now, she is the bridge by which I get close to my students. Students gain a sense of closeness with me by playing with Mi-dam while conversing with me about her. I am what I am today because of Mi-dam.
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SMT Studying at SMU must have been several times harder than non-disabled students. Nevertheless, you graduated top of your department in only 7 semesters. How was that possible?
KIM Yes, I needed to put forth more effort than others. Even getting textbooks was hard. Although I bought course books, I couldn’t read them. I had to ask SMU student assistants or the Welfare Center to convert my textbooks into Braille. Also, research materials needed for reports were limited since very few were translated into Braille. Nevertheless, I was able to attain top grades by starting on work a lot earlier than other students. I did this because I knew that I could not benefit from cramming. Moreover, I thought deeply about each assigned project and added to my reports my own ideas since I had limited access to essential data like other students. This produced original and unique results, which my professors valued.
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SMT Currently you are working as an English teacher in a non-disabled academic school. Why did you apply for a teaching position at a non-disabled school rather than at a special needs school for people living with impairments?
KIM The biggest reason for my decision was to break stereotypes. Not only does the general public not know much about them, people with impairments also do not know much about non-disabled people. People with impairments also have many erroneous concepts like it is hard to get close to non-disabled people because they are constantly viewing us as disabled people and showing only pity for us. After all my experiences, including those at Sookmyung, I realized I had to break barriers. The best way I could think of was focusing on young peoples, the trees of the future. I want young people to understand that people who have impairments are not limited in life, but “disabled” due to society.
SMT From this year, you opened a Braille extra-curricular activity class for non-disabled students at your school. What do you hope students gain from this class?
KIM Frankly, it is hard for students to learn Braille in just a few classes. I didn’t open the activity dreaming students would actually learn Braille. I wanted to give students another perspective. On the first day of the activity, I discussed my impairment, blindness, and had one to one conversations through Braille. By this process, students were given the chance to “see” life from a different standpoint. They were able to understand what it’s like to live with blindness. I hope to give students the eye to “see” the world from someone else’s shoe.
“If I hadn’t lost my sight, I wouldn’t have realized how blessed I was to have seen the blue sky. Likewise, even the buzzing sound of a mosquito or a parent’s nagging could be cherish by someone with a hearing impairment.”
- From KIM’s Diary
SMT These days, some people are unsatisfied with their current state and feel unhappy. However, as your journal clearly states, you value every little thing in life and somehow found true happiness.
KIM “True happiness” is being grateful and enjoying what you have. If you are not truly thankful for the things you possess, you will never be happy ever. An unhappy person will only seek more. We need to think about what we already have. The things we take for granted are others’ lifelong wishes. For example, seeing the world through my own eyes again is my lifelong desire. Non-disabled people have so many precious gifts. They can hear their own voices, see the world, and hear others. How blessed are they! A person that is not grateful cannot enjoy life to the fullest nor feel happy.
What is SMU to you?
KIM Sookmyung is the stage upon which the second act from my life’s play raised its curtain. On that stage, I was able to inhale SMU’s fragrance, and I became more beautiful and happy than ever before. Now, I stand on a larger stage for act three to share that delicate scent with the world. Thank you Sookmyung.
Kim Kyungmin (KIM)
• Lost Eyesight at the Age of 13 Due to Innate Disease
• Graduated from Division of Education in 2010 as College of Liberal Arts' Top Student
• Passed Teacher Certification Examination in Half a Year
• Currently Teaching English in Inwang Middle School, Seoul
[기사출처] 숙명타임즈