Program Shows How to Become Gifted

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

Being a mother in Korea requires many things. Not only do you have to be sure your kids get up early, eat breakfast and get ready to go to school, but you also have to check if they are keeping up with their studies. Institutes and tutors have helped such mothers in the education-driven atmosphere, but now they can tune into the program, "Tips to Become Gifted" every Thursday night for more advice.

Hosted by actress and celebrity mom Shin Ae-ra, the show depicts five children ranging from ages seven to 11 with different personalities and backgrounds, working to become a gifted child.

"I don't think starting early (to study) is good for children. The best environment we can give them is one that allows them to have fun freely. There are so many children who are great students, but then it hit me. Are they happy? From that moment, I tried to guide them to figure out what they wanted to do and to become more independent", Sin said during a press conference last week.

Every child is different, as is the child's mother and her method of care giving. The program picked five who may be able to represent Korean youngsters and gave them a timeline of 70 days. The children and their mothers will work with experts to examine their study patterns and personality traits so they can come up with the best way to achieve both their educational and personal goals.

Instead of focusing on the definition of being " gifted", the show is aiming to bring out the potential that each and every child has inside. For the makers of the program, it's not about creating cookie-cutter talents, but understanding that each child is different and is capable of succeeding by doing different things.

During the first episode, the students were given a writing test and sent to individual rooms with their mothers. Not knowing that they were being filmed, the mothers showed their true personalities and styles of upbringing. One mother constantly told her son what to do, while another didn't seem to care how and what her daughter was doing. While a working mom was increasingly impatient, another, in contrast, patiently waited for her daughter to make her own decision.

"This program will help mothers to discover their children's potential. I came to understand the dynamics of Korean mothers and their children through this program and now I realize what type I am", Sin, a mother of three, said smiling.

Along with samples of mothers and children interacting with each other, the show will offer tips and advice from experts, including a session on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, and how to guide a child to become gifted.

Many viewers may wonder about the most critical question of all: Will following such advice really make children become gifted?

"The program doesn't offer education tips to become gifted. We simply introduce how to bring out the potential hidden inside every child. I have faith as a director that every child is gifted. The way we define `gifted' is the difference, that's all", said Kim Chang-dong, director of the program.
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Actress and celebrity mom Shin Ae-ra hosts the new program "Tips to Become Gifted". The show that studies various Korean mothers and their children airs every Thursday at midnight on cable channel Storyon. / Courtesy of Storyon

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