Leading hundreds of thousands of students annually, Shin Seung Bum (’90, Mathematics Education) is an online star-lecturer of high school mathematics of Junggye Cheongsol ETOOS Math Academy. Appreciated not only for his well-organized and well-delivered lectures but also his charisma that tends to overwhelm students over the computer screens, Shin is often referred to as an idol by his students. While his performance in on- and off-line mathematics lectures is widely acknowledged, Shin displayed infinite humbleness during the interview.

Q: What drew you to the College of Mathematics Education?

Shin: Actually, I dreamed of getting into the College of Computer Science until second grade of high school. I was interested in the Operating System (OS). It was only when I became third grade that I started considering Mathematics Education. I did not have any specific reason, but I had a strong feeling it suited me well―it was almost instinctive. After entering KU, I realized more clearly that I was not the kind that was designed to study math. Many people think I must be good at math since I am a good teacher, while in fact that is a misconception. While high school math teaches visible math, college math teaches invisible math; it is impossible to draw graphs when math advances to the university level. So unlike what many people expect, I was not that talented in college math―I happen to be a good teacher.

Q: What extra-curricular activities did you take part in during your years at Korea University (KU)?

Shin: I participated in a club within my department that published journals. We wrote articles and edited newspapers. I did not realize then, but the activities created a firm basis for my future career. The activities enabled me to design, edit and print high-quality materials myself. Today, I personally design and edit the sourcebook for briefing sessions on the admission requirements of colleges.

Q: Since when did you decide you wanted to be an online lecturer rather than a school teacher?

Shin: It was during my sophomore year that I started considering the path as a lecturer. I went to private institutions to teach since then, and it was a lot of fun. I also worked at a school for a while but I found out that there was less flexibility and more required apart from mere teaching. I decided that I wanted more freedom at workplace and realized that the former would better suit me.

Q: What do you believe is the most significant qualification for being a good teacher?

Shin: A teacher must like kids, and that affection must be sincere. Many lecturers consider them as suppliers, and claim, “My lectures are great and yet why don’t you listen?” However, I believe that is a wrong way of dealing with students. A teacher must learn to think from the students’ perspective. If he or she does, the students feel that, and there is no doubt they will respect and listen to the teacher.

Q: What do you put at top priority as a teacher?

Shin: Helping students gain autonomy―that is at top priority. What is unique about my off-line classes is that we do not check homework or take tests. I believe coercing students to study is not only meaningless but useless. Students must learn to have autonomy in their lives, and I believe the only way to help them gain autonomy is to allow them to be in full control of what they are doing. I feel that students these days are clever, but they tend to be dependent. Even the most elite students ask their parents, “Would doing this help me?” Those students, will continue to have uncertainty bother them every time they make a decision in their lives, and I feel responsible of raising students as independent beings.

Q: What are some hardships working as a teacher?

Shin: Honestly, I have never felt that my job was hard from any aspect. I love my job so much, and I have never regretted becoming a teacher, so there has been no hardships. Even when I am in a gloomy mood, the moment I enter a classroom to give a lecture, I feel delighted all of a sudden!

Q: What advice would you give to students who dream of becoming a star-lecturer like you?

Shin: I would advise them to invest enough time. When one starts teaching in an academic institution, the person will start from the first grade and advance to second and third. From my experience, teaching skills improve when a person completes three cycles of rotation. In other words, experience is the road to improvement and success. I may be better at teaching than students in the College of Mathematics Education now, but after 10 years and 20 years, the students can definitely get better than me with repeated practice and experience.

Q: Do you have further messages you would like to share with your students at KU? 

Shin: People consider me as successful, but I want students of KU to understand that that does not mean all the decisions I made were perfect and right. If I had made ten decisions for instance, six of them were right decisions while four of them were wrong ones. In order to succeed, one must take risks; one’s decision cannot be perfect all the time, so he or she must prepare back-up plans. There is no shortcut to that. After all, it is only the four years at college in which one can be protected by the school fence even in face of repeated failures. Therefore, keep challenging yourself and learn from your experiences until you find the activity or work that most fits you.

While Shin is a respected teacher and also a successful man, his life stories show that none of his career path was planned from the beginning. It was all about risk-taking, learning from infinite challenges and the experiences that came from them. He is a teacher who teaches that there is no decided road map to success, and that people must learn to lead their life, because the destination of one’s life is completely up to the person.

▲ Shin Seung Bum (’90, Mathematics Education) displays a warm smile holding The Granite Tower (GT) magazine. Photographed by Lee Hye Min.