Tiger
is obscene, libelous, or invades privacy. We refrain from publishing material that creates a clear and present danger or the immediate material and substantial physical disruption of the school.
On Jan. 13-14, SIS’s speech and debate teams traveled to Korea International School (KIS) to participate in the last conference tournament of the school year. For close to a decade now, SIS and KIS have consistently been neck and neck by the third tournament of the school year, battling it out for the conference championship. Going into the tournament, SIS was only five points behind KIS in the race for the Forensics Conference Champion and finished first place in four of the seven total speech categories. Though SIS was unable to secure the spot as conference champions, it still brought home second place.
“It sucks that we lost to KIS after doing really well on the first day,” Henry Hatridge (11), winner of the Extemporaneous speech and Parliamentary debate categories, said. “But it is what it is. There’s still one more tournament left so we just have to do well there.”
On Jan. 28, SIS hosted the Academic Quiz Team (AQT) tournament. SIS’s B team ranked fifth in the tournament, while the A team ranked seventh. Some notable individual performances included Woojune Kim (12) and Donghyun Han (10), who notched the sixth and fifth best individual performances respectively. This was the first offline AQT tournament that SIS had hosted in over three years, and brought in 13 teams from schools such as SFS, YISS, and KIS.
“I feel like we actually did quite well even though we had quite small teams,” Russell Jin (9), a member of SIS’s A team, said. “Everyone in the tournament was super engaged, and even people from other schools were inclusive, so it was really fun to have gone and met and played with other people.”
On Feb. 3-4, SIS hosted the AISA Math Mania and Leadership Conference events. It was the first iteration since 2020, and the first time that SIS hosted since 2019. Teams from AISA, including KIS, KIS Jeju, Yokohama International School, Kaohsiung American School, and Osaka International School, attended the conferences. The leadership conference was hosted by the HSSC and brought together students from all across Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. At the conference, each school’s student council leaders learned how to be a better leader, and how they could actualize their visions for change. In Math Mania, SIS also was the best performing team. Joseph Chun (11) was named the best performing student of the event.
“I think that the AISA leadership conference went really well,” Steven Kim (11), President of the HSSC, said. “Everyone was super engaged with the leadership activities that we held, and also participated well in some of the more ‘fun’ activities that we planned like laser tag. Everyone was also super friendly with people from other schools or countries, and were willing to make new friendships.”
Volume 54
Issue 5
February Seoul, South Korea TTONL.org
a free publication of Seoul International School
Tiger Times Staff
By: Jason Lee Sophomore, reporterPaper Editors-in-Chief Aimee Choi Skylar Peck
Website Editors-in-Chief Jordan Kim Woojune Kim
Paper Managing Editors Rachel Yoon Rosa Suh
Website Managing Editor Daniel Shin
Production Editors Bona Suh Alice Lee Yuzine Yi
Assistant Layout Editor Hannah Kim
Social Media Manager Katelyn Oh
Website Design Editor Minjae Chun
Paper Copy Editors Grace Lee
Junseo Lee
Website Copy Editors
Joey Chun
Cherlin Kim
Brandon Choi
Layout Artists Eric Kim
Yoon Choi San Schwede
Reporters
Hugo Lee
Erin Choi
Jack Lee
John Kim
Grace Lee
David Kim
Gyusung Lee
Ian Park Sophie Choi
On Jan. 21, members of the SIS MUN club and its publication club, Seoulite, went on an eight-day trip to the Netherlands to attend the 55th iteration of the annual The Hague International MUN (THIMUN), the first international MUN trip in three years. Taking place in the World Forum Convention Center in The Hague, THIMUN is one of the largest MUN conferences in the world, with more than 3,000 participants.
From presenting speeches at the podium to sitting together to draft resolutions with other delegates during lobbying time, participants fully engaged in their longawaited in-person MUN experience. No longer having to click through different buttons of Zoom meetings, delegates physically raised their placards to vote or make a speech and passed notes to other delegates via administrators.
“In-person conferences are unique because people are more open to sharing ideas,” Sahngwon Lee (11), THIMUN delegate, said. “While online MUN conferences have an unseen barrier in communication as people can simply mute themselves, in-person conferences are more social. The friendships you make in in-person conferences with people across the globe are also a lot stronger than those in online conferences, which was the most valuable experience for me in THIMUN.”
The return to in-person conferences brought back THIMUN’s grand ceremonies, with not only vocal and drum performances but also chosen student ambassadors entering the World Forum auditorium while waving the flags of their delegation.
“I was really impressed by the number of students who helped put this conference together when I got a full view of the crowded auditorium as I stood on the stage,” Bin Ma (12), student ambassador at THIMUN, said. “I really value the casual aspect of the in-person MUN experience, which makes it really easy for me to interact with others especially during lobbying sessions. Attending THIMUN— perhaps my last MUN conference—made me appreciate MUN processes such as lobbying and debate a lot more, and understand what MUN is really about.”
THIMUN was filled with constructive lobbying and debate among delegates, with 77 resolutions passed within its four days. Though the committee size of around 200 delegates made it difficult for SIS delegates to give
Andrew Shin
Jason Lee
Jason Shin
Danny Kim
Hannah Yi
Eric Cho
Waan Choi
Adviser Ms. Wendy Grant
speeches frequently, they participated with enthusiasm and professionalism, with five SIS delegates becoming main submitters of their resolutions.
“Seeing MUN club members in action, accomplishing everything they have been working on for months was a highlight during the conference,” James Kowalski, MUN adviser, said. “Apart from the conference being successful, I hope that this trip was also a meaningful cultural experience for students, being exposed to new experiences, new people, fascinating history, and great art and architecture.”
Meanwhile, five members of Seoulite worked behind the scenes as a part of the THIMUN press team by editing articles, designing layout, and taking videos of the conference. Tiger Times co-editor-in-chief Aimee Choi (12) even served as the co-editor-in-chief for the THIMUN press team.
“When we got there on the first day, we found that it was a paperless conference,” Eunice Rhee (12), layout editor of THIMUN press, said. “In school, I was used to the paper magazine layout, but here, the publication was an online word press layout, so I had to adjust to that as a layout editor. As part of the press team, which was a smaller group separate from the rest of the conference, I had more freedom and got to interact with diverse people, and everyone was very welcoming and willing to socialize.”
Students also had the chance to enjoy their trip with various sightseeing opportunities. They walked around the cities of Utrecht and Delft, as well as touring Kasteel de Haar, the largest castle in the Netherlands. During the days of the conference, students used their free time to explore The Hague in the evening and participated in activities that the advisers planned, including a trip to Mauritshuis—an art museum featuring renowned works such as “Girl with a Pearl Earring”—and an escape-room. In Amsterdam, students had an evening canal tour and visited the Anne Frank House. Such recreational activities during the trip served for students to expand their horizons and cultivate valuable memories that they will continue to treasure.
By: John Kim Junior, reporterexercises the right to report on and editorialize all topics, events or issues, including those unpopular or controversial, insofar as they affect or interest the school, community, nation, and world. We refrain from publishing material that advertises illegal products or services,Listening closely to delegates from other schools around the world, Junseo Lee (11) discusses resolutions during lobbying at THIMUN 2023. Photo by Alice Lee (12) Photo by Gyusung Lee (11)
The college admission process is certainly a demanding and somewhat confusing process, requiring hours of preparation and work. Without a doubt, the avenues to acceptance are often perplexing.
Beyond the regular admissions process, two popular options to consider are early decision (ED) and early action (EA).
From Feb. 2-5, the varsity basketball teams and the varsity swimming teams participated in the AISA tournament, one of the highlights of the winter sports season. The varsity boys basketball team competed at KIS while the varsity girls played at Senri & Osaka International Schools (SOIS) in Osaka. The swimming team, meanwhile, competed at KIS Jeju. After pouring in hours of effort and practice, fueled by enthusiasm and excitement for the games, basketball players and swimmers alike enjoyed substantial success in their respective tournaments.
“I have always wanted to participate in international tournaments throughout high school,” Eric Chang (12), varsity boys basketball player, said. “This AISA tournament was the first one I have had in high school. Although I was somewhat disappointed that the varsity boys basketball tournament was not overseas, this was one of my most memorable high school experiences to date as I got to spend meaningful time with my teammates and friends.”
The varsity boys basketball team, coming off of a close 3 point loss to Chadwick last Friday, was more motivated than ever to compensate for the loss with the AISA tournament. Every training session, the boys practiced to perfect their dribbling and shooting while also improving team chemistry. The varsity girls basketball team, coming off of a 20-13 victory against Chadwick, aimed to capitalize on the confidence boost. Similarly, the varsity girls swimming team, fresh off of two wins against GSIS and KIS, focused on continuing their ascent at KIS Jeju while the varsity boys used their losses in the latest swim meet as motivation for achieving different results at AISA.
“Our swimming team really put in a lot of effort to get ourselves back on track in the AISA tournament,” Jay Park (12), varsity boys swimmer, said. “Instead of being distraught by the recent losses in the KAIAC swim meet, the boys used them as motivation to excel in AISA and put their best into every stroke during practice.”
The athletes’ efforts paid off in the AISA tournament. The varsity boys basketball team
repeated as AISA Champs with a victory over Yokohama International School in the finals. The swimming team was also crowned AISA champions after the boys finished second and the girls won the tournament. Although the varsity girls basketball team suffered a narrow loss to SOIS, the eventual champions, they still managed a third place finish.
“The main factors behind the success of the swimming team in this AISA tournament were the good physical condition of the swimmers, their continuously improving technique and building confidence, and most importantly, their dedication,” Tim Gardes, varsity boys swimming coach, said. “I am proud of how the swimmers continued to push themselves despite their fatigue from racing in so many events over the two days of AISA.”
Results aside, the athletes as a whole were unified by an enthusiasm for the tournament. For the varsity girls basketball team and the varsity swimmers, the overseas trips to Osaka and Jeju provided opportunities to further develop their bonds and make lasting memories while for the varsity boys basketball team, the tournament constituted a pivotal cornerstone for getting back on track to their overall successful season. For seniors, the tournament was a memorable experience as their first international AISA tournament since the outbreak of COVID.
“International tournaments like AISA provide students with valuable opportunities to interact with student athletes from different cultures,” Jonathan Ames, Athletics and Activities Director, said. “Often students not only develop tighter bonds with their teammates but also form long-lasting relationships with people outside the SIS community through these tournaments. For seniors, this formerly COVID-restricted experience can form lifelong memories.”
By: Hugo Lee Senior, reporterThe first official digital SAT occurred on Jan. 28 as a pilot test. Because of this, the test was free and cancellable for anyone wishing to register.
“There were quite a few considerations that influenced our decision,” Chris Del Vecchio, High School Assistant Principal, said. “The College Board first informed us about the pilot test in November with little information, and asked for an immediate commitment. That timing fell during Christmas, adding difficulty for communication.”
Mr. Del Vecchio added that since the pilot was announced late, many events had already been scheduled for Jan. 28. Already having confirmed to host three digital SAT dates this spring with plenty of seats, SIS deemed it unfair and unnecessary to add another test on such short notice.
SIS decided not to provide a testing center. Many students expressed their discontent with finding and going to a different testing center, especially because of the distance: the closest testing center was at Chadwick.
“It was annoying to go so far,” Sean Kim (10), digital SAT taker, said. “I live near the school in Wirye, but I had to go all the way to Chadwick, which is in Incheon, just to take the test.”
Because of such difficulties as well as students’ inexperience with the digitized SAT, most students opted out of taking the test.
Despite those difficulties, many of the questions about the new testing system have been answered with the first official digitized SAT in Korea having taken place.
“The digital SAT can help reduce cheating,” Nadia Kim, previous SAT proctor, said. “For instance, test takers can easily be restricted from going back to a previous section. With the paper-based tests, however, there is a chance that someone might go back to a previous section without the proctor noticing.”
Such elimination of cheating will foster a more fair testing environment where the focus is on the pure skill of the students, not tricks that boost grades. Furthermore,
ED and EA can be useful admissions strategies, but only if students know how to navigate them. The first step starts with understanding the differences.
So, what are early applications?
ED plans are an option for students who have carefully considered their college options and are willing to commit to a specific institution. ED plans are binding: a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college and withdraw their other applications.
On the other hand, EA plans are non-binding: students receive an early response to their application but need not withdraw their other applications nor commit until May 1, the normal reply.
One special case of EA is also worth noting. Restricted early action (REA) allows you to apply to a school early with a non-binding commitment. Simply put, this option restricts you, meaning you cannot apply ED to any other school or EA to a non-public university. Even after acceptance, it is recommended that those students apply to few to no additional schools in the regular round.
Hence, students opting for the ED route can only apply to a single ED school. It is important to keep in mind, also, that ED is compatible with public school EA programs and that those taking the EA path may simultaneously reach out to other institutions (though both routes are not compatible with REA).
The number of schools offering REA is small: this choice is offered at Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Georgetown, and the University of Notre Dame.
“The students in the class who will have a slight advantage are those who use their early applications strategically by choosing a school where few to none of their peers apply,” Kelcey Edwards, college counselor, said. “The historical pattern at SIS, however, is that the majority will apply to five to seven of the most selective schools. We’ll have seven to ten seniors applying early to any one of these schools, of whom zero or one will be successful.”
For those who have a definite firstchoice college, applying early can benefit them by not only reducing the stressful decision-waiting time but also saving application expenses. But there are other reasons why students opt to take on the extra work.
“Honestly, I think most of it is out of the fear of not wanting to miss out on a perceived advantage—real or not,” Ms. Edwards said. “But it’s also fairly rational when you look at the fact that many of the schools that our families aspire to attend fill an extraordinary portion of their class through early applications.”
Students commonly believe applying early increases chances of acceptance. However, this is not always true. Colleges generally only admit a handful of applicants at this time, and the early round often attracts stronger profiles, such as athletic recruits and full-pay students. Hence, it is not appropriate to conclude that it is “easier” to get in early.
So, how should students select which colleges they apply to early?
Think strategically. Focus on schools that others overlook; this means branching out beyond colleges like Brown, Cornell, and Stanford. Do you want to stand out as the single applicant or get lost in a sea of talented peers? Anticipate what the regular decision pool from SIS will look like, and assume that approximately 80 percent of the class will be unsuccessful in the early rounds. With this knowledge, make more strategic early choices.
correct bubble shading has also become an issue of the past with the advent of the digitized SAT. Oftentimes, issues would occur regarding bubble shading: if a student shaded the wrong bubble, the student must erase it thoroughly and color in another bubble expending much time; students had to make sure they shaded bubbles thick enough so that the machine registers; and the possibility of No. 2 pencil tips breaking coerced students to sharpen numerous pencils. With the digitized SAT, students can now change and submit answers with just one click.
Many also wanted to know whether or not they could go back or forward after each question. Fortunately, within a single section, it works identically to the paper SAT: students can flip through questions of the same section during that section’s designated time.
As students speculated, the questions on a digitized SAT are specialized for each student according to the accuracy of answering
the previous questions. Not only does this prevent cheating, but this also allows students who face difficulties with the paper or find the paper version far too easy will have further appropriate difficulties. Further benefits emerged regarding the length, arguably one of the most positively viewed benefits.
“I liked the new digital version more than the paper version,” Alex Cho (10), January Pilot SAT taker, said. “Instead of answering multiple questions after reading a long text, the paragraphs were shorter, and there were fewer questions.”
SIS not being able to provide a testing center was a one-time occurrence. For the upcoming three tests in March, May, and June, SIS will be a testing center for students wishing to take the SAT.
By: Eric Kim Sophomore, reporterOn Jan. 9, CBS News reported that President Joe Biden’s attorneys found classified documents in his old office in Washington D.C. The reports dated back to Nov. 2, when approximately 10 classified documents were found. Biden took documents during his vice presidency. It was later revealed that Biden’s personal counsel found additional classified documents in his Delaware home on Dec. 20, 2022, and another inspection conducted on Biden’s home on Jan. 11 found six more classified documents in the same residence.
According to CNN, these documents included US intelligence memos and briefings regarding Ukraine, Iran, and the UK. These investigations resulted in the Department of Justice opening an investigation into the potential
mishandling of classified documents and the breaking of federal law.
“It will be interesting to see how this case will turn out,” Tobias Choy (11), Government and Politics student, said. “As more information is released, I think people’s viewpoints on Biden and the trend of politicians taking government documents may shift.”
The Biden administration has been seemingly cooperative with the handling of the situation. On Jan. 14, the White House confirmed the discovery of classified documents in his Delaware home, and Biden’s lawyers returned the documents to the National Archives. However, the conflict has risen again, as Richard Sauber, the General Counsel for the Department of Veterans Affairs, reported that
In December 2022, after three years the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) lifted most of its zeroCOVID restrictions. Zero-COVID was China’s policy that required strict pandemic restrictions, by having lockdowns, mass testing, and tracking apps.
The most populated areas of China relaxed their mass testing and quarantine requirements, and the CCP announced that restrictions on international travel would be reduced this year, allowing travel to countries such as Thailand, Japan, and South Korea. This decision will likely have a substantial impact on South Korea’s healthcare system and economy.
“I was initially very shocked when I heard that China will repeal its zero-COVID policies after the white paper protests happened,” Tim Gardes, former resident of China, said. “Just within 24 hours of it being announced, the nation’s quarantine facilities were being taken down and lockdowns were being lifted.”
The repeal of the zero-COVID policy occurred because of the white paper protests that took place in large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. These protests gained traction in November 2022 when Chinese citizens grew frustrated by the strict policy. Some were starving as they were not allowed to exit their apartment buildings or access online delivery services, and there were cases of residents dying because they could not leave their apartment buildings during a fire.
“China’s decision to suddenly remove the zero-COVID policy made me question the CCP’s transparency and consistency in addressing the pandemic,” Bin Ma (12), a Taiwanese MUN member, said. “It changed from strictly regulating COVID-19 to just allowing everyone to travel. This could put a strain on their healthcare system.”
A concern that has arisen from this change is the rise of COVID-19 cases. Countries
layout by San Schwedeacross the globe are now rushing to place restrictions on Chinese travelers to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The US and France have announced that they will require pre-departure negative test results from Chinese travelers, while Spain and Italy require the same, in addition to proof of vaccination.
“I think lifting the policies was a good decision because it helped reduce pressure on Chinese citizens,” Eddie Chu (11), MUN member, said. “At the same time, I’m kind of worried about how this will affect COVID-19 cases in South Korea. In places like the Netherlands, there are consistently fewer than 1,000 cases each day, while here we still have around 30,000 cases daily. We might start having strict policies again if the virus spreads.”
This policy change has also worsened relations between China and South Korea. After the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency reported in January that up to 80 percent of “imported confirmed cases” in Korea came from China, the government limited short-term visas, decreased the number of flights allowed to come from China, and required pre- and post-departure COVID-19 PCR tests. The Chinese embassy responded by claiming that the rules were “discriminatory” and announced that they would stop issuing short-term visas to Korean nationals.
“I think the travel restrictions are already causing a lot of tensions between China and Korea because of all the tests they are requiring,” Steven Nave, Contemporary Asian Studies teacher, said. “However, I think after this initial wave of tension everything will smooth out. After the COVID19 situation becomes stable in China, tourism will increase again and they will improve each other’s economies.”
BY: David Kim Junior, reporteradditional documents were found in the same home during a search on Jan. 20.
“I was very surprised when I heard about classified documents being found in Biden’s home,” David Kim (10), politics enthusiast, said. “After the Trump scandal last year, I thought other politicians would have learned their lesson. Whether for positive or negative reasons, it’s undeniable that this scandal has caused controversy between both political parties.”
Members of Congress and US citizens have had mixed reactions toward the situation, especially due to its similarity with former President Donald Trump’s case in early 2022. While many Republicans have used this opportunity to criticize Biden, Democrats have generally remained optimistic,
praising Biden for his more cooperative stance compared to Trump.
“Although it may seem unfair, I think the discrepancy in treatment towards Biden is justified.” Steven Nave, World History teacher, said. “From the news that has been put out, Biden has been much more accepting of his scandal, as I assume he would want to try not to magnify the situation. Trump, on the other hand, was much more secretive and uncooperative, so I think the difference in treatment is rational.”
This case has potentially put the Biden administration and the Democratic Party’s political stability at risk. Biden’s approval rate has decreased to 39 percent, while Donald Trump has continued to be politically active and could possibly be a candidate for
the 2024 presidential election. However, the divergence in votes from the midterm election and the release of other similar scandals may prove that this event will not be as impactful as it may seem.
“I doubt this will have much impact on the upcoming election,” Morgan Miller, Government and Politics teacher, said. “We’ve also seen other figures go through the same scandal before, and it has become unsurprising at this point. People already seem polarized in their votes, as seen in the midterm elections, and I think this event won’t sway their opinions much.”
BY: Yoon Choi Sophomore, reporterOn Jan. 4, the Korean government announced the removal of the 5.18 Gwangju democratization movement from Korea’s history textbooks, sparking significant public backlash. The Gwangju Uprising was a violent protest that led to the death of thousands protesting against the government’s oppressive martial law at that time and remains as a significant event in Korea’s history as it is reflective of its political past.
Although the Yoon administration claimed that the removal was to provide more autonomy to textbook writers and history teachers, the administration was condemned for denying the right to a complete education, considering the historical significance of the 5.18 event.
“The decision of what students are required to learn in the history classroom, and what they are allowed to learn, has a tremendous influence on shaping the hierarchy of values in a society,” James Kowalski, history teacher, said. “It seems to me that if there is no mention of the Gwangju Uprising, a very important turning point in modern Korean history could become increasingly unfamiliar, if not lost.”
While much of the dissent was brought by people who were concerned about its implications on
education, others feared a larger political agenda by the current administration.
“Because of the deep political implications this event had, I believe that the Gwangju Uprising held a deeper political agenda, beyond the protest.” Sean Kim (10), Korean politics enthusiast, said. “The event’s removal makes me think that there might be other political factors that were operational at that time that current political parties might not want to expose.”
Due to recent discoveries that further implicate the government at that time for more misdeeds during the uprising, many politicians and people have concluded that the government is attempting to cover up a tragedy to not damage the government further.
In response to these criticisms, the Yoon administration stated that the decision for upcoming textbooks in future years has not yet been decided and that although the event is removed from textbooks, opportunities to inquire and learn about the event are still open, refuting the claims that free education is obstructed.
“I think that this removal is useless,” Junho Lee (10), former Korean school student, said. “They stated that even if they remove it, you can still learn about the inci-
dent in class, which makes me wonder: why would you remove it in the first place? Regardless of what the reasons were, it just seems to me that it is ineffective.”
Because many other significant political movements similar to the Gwangju Uprising are still being kept, people are left wondering why the Gwangju Uprising in particular is being removed, and what the purpose of the removal is if it is going to be reconsidered in the future.
“I think that Korea has a deep relationship with the government after the events of what happened many decades ago,” Chloe Cho (10), Korean media enthusiast, said. “In my opinion, there will always be a certain layer of concern and a degree of discomfort by the citizens. But then it is also the responsibility of the government to take that into consideration and act accordingly.”
Through the controversy, many are wondering about the deeper implications that this removal carries. The fact that the government is still trying to contain certain information from the public only intensifies the sensitivity regarding that topic.
BY: Jason Shin Sophomore, reporterYour Classical Contemporaries explores the field of contemporary classical music, which may be relatively unknown but is truly distinctive as you dive more into the array of unique compositions. In each article, I provide a musical description of one contemporary classical music piece and connect it to our lives. Please listen to each piece via the QR code while reading my article, and I hope you can appreciate the creative and colorful direction that classical music is taking in the contemporary era.
With the beginning of a new semester, we often form numerous new goals and picture what the new semester will bring. Similarly, a starburst rapidly creates countless new stars, embellishing the galaxy with twinkling lights.
Jessie Montgomery––a 21st-century American composer known for her works that are “turbulent, wildly colorful, and exploding with life,” according to the Washington Post––composed “Starburst,” a one-movement orchestral work for string instruments. The three-minute piece perfectly encapsulates the capriciousness of star formation and the grandness of galaxies, as well as conveying a unique mix of uncertainty and excitement, similar to how we feel about the new semester.
The irregular musical dialogue that vividly embellishes this piece represents our conflicting emotions for the semester laid out in front of us. The piece begins with a lively yet uncanny ascent of notes, followed by dissonant chords common in many contemporary classical music pieces.
Cellists, violinists, and violists alternate a series of fast melodies, mimicking the rapid flickering of stars in the night sky, eventually coming together to play a phrase in unison like a constellation. The musical back-and-forth of different instruments constantly oscillating between clashing and unity reminds us of our changing visions and our attempts to tune our inner conflicts into harmony.
Crescendos, decrescendos, and subito pianos—an abrupt drop in volume—highlight the colorful
dynamic range of this piece. Syncopation and uneven entrances of different instruments underscore the piece’s rhythmic versatility.
Despite the sharp dynamic contrasts and uneven rhythms, the melodies flow seamlessly, creating a long musical phrase throughout the piece. Though our lives constantly fluctuate between high and low points, developing a broader outlook on our lives instead of focusing too much on small details can help us lead our lives with more ease and stability.
At the piece’s end, the orchestra plays a unified series of fast melodies and holds out a final note, just like a pause in a meteoric formation of celestial bodies. Yet, its crescendo and discord indicate the unresolved nature of a starburst, similar to how our goals continuously grow over the course of the school year.
Above all the minute musical details, the overarching spirit of the piece seems to elicit feelings of curiosity and optimism, which keeps the listeners constantly engaged, drawing parallels to our excitement amid our chaotic school lives.
As the new semester starts, we are faced with both the joy of returning to school life and the fear of handling the responsibilities that come with it, ranging from tests to extracurricular activities. Similar to the explosive notes illustrating the spontaneous creation of enormous stars, new difficulties that rapidly intrude into our lives may appear insurmountable in the moment. While overcoming such hurdles, however, we can gain energy from the little joyous moments in between our hardships, just like the inharmonious yet hopeful moments of “Starburst.”
Though up close a starburst may appear explosive, from far away stars create a beautiful constellation in the night sky. Approaching the disharmonies in our lives with positivity and a more expansive outlook may be the key to painting our new night skies for 2023.
On Jan. 11, Coachella announced BLACKPINK as one of the three headliners for its 2023 lineup. This year’s festival will be held in Indio, California for two weekends: April 14-16 and April 21-23. BLACKPINK is the first K-pop group to headline the music festival, and were the first K-pop group to perform at Coachella in 2019.
“I first found out about them when my sister was looking at their teaser photoshoots after they were first announced by YG,” Lauren Kim (12), longtime BLACKPINK fan, said. “When their songs came out, they were really different from those of other entertainment companies because they had strong beats and were more like hip-hop.”
First rising to fame after their debut from YG Entertainment in 2016, BLACKPINK is one of the most popular K-pop groups in the world. The girl group, consisting of members Jennie, Rosé, Jisoo, and Lisa, has since released countless hit singles like “DDU-DU DDU-DU” and “Kill This Love,” which they performed at Coachella in 2019, a monumental feat as it was the first time a K-pop group took to the stage at a US music festival.
Their appearance at Coachella 2023 will be during the world tour for their second album, “Born Pink.” They have not had an international tour since their 2018-’20 “In Your Area World Tour,” which featured their extended plays, “Square Up” and “Kill This Love.”
“I felt like the concert was good, but it was shorter than we expected,” Rachelle Park (12), “Born Pink” concertgoer, said. “Also, their performances were kind of sloppy because they were making mistakes while dancing the choreography. Still, the people in the crowd enjoyed it because they have good visuals.”
The group has gained international fame through their music and maintained it by branching out of music and capitalizing on their individual styles. For instance, all four members have struck brand deals with famous com-
British tabloids have a long-standing culture of scrutinizing celebrities and spreading rumors. Their operation has been condemned by many as dangerous and oppressive, and led to the proliferation of invasive paparazzi and secret recordings, with some tabloid newspapers even facing lawsuits on defamation and evidence tampering. However, this negative practice still remains prevalent in the British media, mainly through the coverage of the Royal family.
panies, fashion houses, and more. In 2020, Rosé notably became Saint Laurent’s first global brand ambassador in 59 years, while in 2021, Jisoo became a global ambassador for Dior. Members have also successfully released music as solo artists, like Lisa’s “MONEY” or Jennie’s “SOLO.”
“BLACKPINK being the first K-pop group ever to be at Coachella is really impressive,” Yenna Ko (12), music lover, said. “It shows how significant they are to both the K-pop industry and the music industry in general. They are making so much progress within themselves and they’ve come so far as to headline. A lot more people are going to start knowing them now.”
All of this year’s Coachella headliners have attracted attention, as all three artists—BLACKPINK, Bad Bunny, and Frank Ocean—are the festival’s first all-non-white headliners, with Bad Bunny also breaking barriers as the first Latin American artist to do so. People are highly anticipating Frank Ocean’s appearance at Coachella, as he has not released a full-length album since 2016.
Started in 1999, Coachella is one of the most popular music festivals in the world and has become an important cultural event. Due to the fashion, surprise performances, and “party vibe” of the festival, it attracts both music fans and famous celebrities.
“Festivals are an amazing opportunity to see different bands in one place, although sometimes the vibe can be less about music and more about the experience of being there,” Chris Bracciano, music festival frequenter, said.
“I think Coachella is kind of famous for amplifying both of these things. A lot of people go to Coachella to say they went to Coachella and be seen at Coachella, which is a different vibe from a crowd at a concert.”
BY: Rachel Yoon Senior, Managing editorfamily. It signifies the duty that members of the royal family have in representing the country, and the attitude that they must have to maintain in public. With Prince Harry having to carry that attitude through troubling times of his life–his mother’s death, his time in the military, and the controversy with his marriage–many people are starting to sympathize with his unorthodox method of trying to complain and explain to the public through his book.
vate information of the royal family. An interview by Sky News with a former security expert from the royal family revealed that this could pose a security threat to the royals as information about personal locations were leaked, such as places of residence and hotels. Moreover, many claim that the book will have an effect on how the public views the family in general.
Since the announcement of his relationship with Meghan Markle, Prince Harry has been subject to critical judgment by the media, which only intensified after the release of his recent memoir “Spare,” published on Jan. 10. The book addresses controversies regarding his life, and even delves into his personal difficulties with the British press from his time in the military, his marriage, and even his relationship with his family.
The press’s criticism of Prince Harry is not unique, and has been
rather experienced by many members of the royal family of England.
“The British tabloid tends to pick and choose who they like and who they dislike, and it’s all very negative,” Ross Atkins, UK citizen, said. “And especially with the royal family, there’s usually an agenda that is being pushed. I saw news coverages by the British press, and it was the exact opposite of what I was experiencing personally. It was almost like they were trying to direct the narrative of how things should be.”
“To think about how much privacy was breached to get some of the information that some articles have is something you really have to think about,” Iain Cowieson, Scottish citizen and witness of the British media, said. “The stuff that the British press will print is horrendous, and the number of things that they get called out for is tiny. And because it sells more papers to write horrible things, they called [Meghan] unimaginable things. So I think he is due his opportunity to tell his side of the story.”
“Never complain, never explain,” is the unofficial motto of the Royal
However, despite the support, there are also criticisms and concerns about Prince Harry and his memoir.
“There have been multiple backlashes on the internet over the security and privacy violations that [Spare] achieved that I have seen in just Instagram alone,” Stella Chae (11), Royal family enthusiast, said. “I think that Prince Harry still has a responsibility as a member and the potential damages that he has caused to his family were irresponsible in my opinion.”
Many controversies of the memoir came from the leaked pri-
“Many people regard the British Royal family with respect because most of us were raised that way and with the British monarch being on the British currency and all, they were established to us as prominent individuals,” Yuha Jeon (10), UK citizen and former resident, said. “I think that because of that, whatever Prince Harry has to say, it will be greatly significant to the rest of us and how we see the Royal family in general.”
Prince Harry’s book can ultimately be a symbol against the media and his official leaving of the royal family.
BY: Jason Shin SophoMore, reporterAs the bright and bulbous moon begins to wane, the start of the Lunar New Year has now passed, with the memories of meeting family and other rituals celebrating the coming of the Year of the Rabbit now slightly faded. Children have waved enthusiastic hellos and forlorn goodbyes to their wizened grandparents, while parents too have been overjoyed to return to their hometowns amidst hectic schedules. And, of course, children love sebae—the tradition of handing out generous sums of money in red envelopes. Yet, though the fundamental spirit of family gatherings has stayed the same, the same cannot be applied to other traditions, which have lost their hold on the event and have slowly been forgotten or discarded over time.
Traditionally, the Lunar New Year consists of several different events. The most well-known event is jesa, a memorial service for past generations meant to show respect and thanks for good fortune. Families lay out several different traditional dishes such as ddeok-guk (rice cake soup), hwang-tae-po (dried pollack), and dried jujube on a low wooden table for ancestors to sample. While the practice of respecting ancestors and asking for their blessings has not diminished, because of time-intensive practices like the painstaking insertion of pine nuts into dried jujube, many families often scale down the number of dishes they prepare and forgo the minor details altogether.
Another tradition that has seen a decline over the past decade is the wearing of traditional Korean clothes known as hanbok, which consists of colorful silk or cotton layers of skirts with baggy sleeves for women and puffy pants for men. Although hanbok is usually reserved for special occasions such as the Lunar New Year, purchases have fallen and family gatherings now more often consist of formal wear. Though there are many reasons behind this change, part of the reason is financial—hanbok is expensive to make and thus expensive to buy, especially considering that the garment is worn only a few times a year. Though there are some hanbok rental services that keep the garment accessible, many of these services often cater to tourists rather than Koreans preparing for a ceremonial event. Thus, Lunar New Year is now characterized by Western formal wear rather than tradi-
tional outfits.
Part of the compounding factors behind why this has happened is the gender norms enforced by Lunar New Year. Food is time-intensive to cook, prepare, and garnish, and because cooking is delegated to the women of the household, women are often huddled in the kitchen while the rest of the family enjoys the holiday. As younger generations are now more aware of stereotypical gender norms and steer away from them, traditional home-prepared food is also declining in a society where conveniently pre-packaged Lunar New Year dishes wait in department stores. After all, pre-made dishes have a reliable taste, are easily prepared or reheated at home, and are often much cheaper overall.
Some, however, are alarmed over the disappearance of the Lunar New Year they celebrated even just a decade prior. The Sungkyunkwan Confucian Association Headquarters, a group of Korean Confucian scholars, have even simplified Lunar New Year “rules” in an attempt to draw in more celebrators and have acknowledged the heavy burden of traditional rites. Despite the toil associated with the holiday, many still champion traditional celebrations as valuable cultural heritage that must be preserved. Others argue that the interaction of old Korean roots with modern culture is representative of the natural shift of culture—for instance, couples visit in-laws and blood families indistinctly, which has lifted part of the social pressure that comes with deciding who to visit first.
In the end, the Lunar New Year is still the same—it has just shifted the way all things have done as the world continues to develop. Though some lament the past, for others it may be a step forward in casting aside gender norms and impractical traditions. But as long as the new year is celebrated with joy for all, 2023’s Lunar New Year was the same as ones from past years in spirit—which is remarkable considering the drastically shifting times. Whether celebrating festivities with multiple relatives or a small one with close family, remember to simply treasure those moments.
After the last day out as the old me of the old year, people think New Year’s celebrations are all done and over. Well, that is often the case—in the West.
In many Asian countries, the end of January marks another new beginning: the Lunar New Year. It is the time for family gatherings and warm greetings for the next zodiac to bring on blessings and fortunes.
But today, people often opt to enjoy their Lunar New Year holiday overseas. Though the tradition of families gathering has yet to become outdated, the globalization of international travel has spurred a modern twist to the holiday, where people find different ways to spend their week off.
Nearing the end of the COVID-19 era, countries such as China and Korea have lifted the majority of their quarantine requirements for inbound travelers, ending almost three years of self-imposed isolation even with surges in COVID-19 cases.
The pandemic has clearly changed the attitudes of many young people toward living. For them, the Lunar New Year is no longer about collecting packets of “lucky” money as they did as children, wearing new clothes, or even returning to their hometowns.
Some may associate such a phenomenon with the younger generation’s reckless tainting of the traditional holiday, but it certainly does not allude to the destruction of culture. Gen Z’s enthusiasm for tradition manifests in many ways; in fact, people have found alternative means of celebration. Often to enjoy their days off to the fullest, people are not going home; they are going on vacation.
Here, however, a problem arises: as the first proper reunions since COVID-19 come to life, many have expressed concern for whether the chaos at the reopening of airports will be replicated in celebrating nations such as Korea and China.
In fact, endless queues, a lack of airport staff, and insufficient luggage handlers were common complaints worldwide once people took to the skies as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. While there are no reports of such severe issues in Korea or China, mayhem could still ensue as office workers pack their bags and people gain more interest in international travel.
According to Trip.com, flight bookings increased by 15
percent this Lunar New Year from the last, while scheduled inbound flights for the first quarter of 2023 have increased by almost 150 percent compared with that of 2022, as shown by data from aviation analytics company Cirium.
Overseas travel skyrocketed after China reopened its borders, and 2.88 million trips were made across borders during the holiday, marking a 120 percent increase from last year, according to the Chinese National Immigration Administration.
Such changes could be attributed to the coming end to COVID-19 policies, but considering that not all restrictions have been lifted and traveling populations are yet to rebound to past pre-pandemic heights, it is certainly fair to say that this phenomenon is a representation of today’s shifting travel patterns.
Korean online e-commerce company Interpark announced that its number of reservations for international tours and flight tickets have increased by 3,187 percent and 3,135 percent, respectively, from last year’s Lunar New Year.
And, according to the Incheon International Airport Corp., over half a million passengers flew out of Incheon International Airport during the three days of holiday, and the number of travelers has increased by almost 1,300 percent compared to this time last year. The Korea Airports Corp., which is in charge of 14 airports across the country excluding Incheon, also mentioned that around 155,000 passengers flew internationally via its airports during the long weekend.
Going home and enjoying the traditional time with family and friends are, needless to say, popular options. With the modernization of traditional holidays, new customs and ways of celebrating have surfaced, and nothing has changed the world’s love and yearning for family.
Nonetheless, a new trend of spending national holidays without visiting one’s hometown to get together with family has been impacting such decisions too, as many families have grown used to spending time apart due to social distancing measures. The post-pandemic sparks of interest in international travel seem to persist, slowly permeating even through places with the toughest walls of conventions and norms to break.
Layout by Yuzine YiInternational teaching has enabled Rose and James Tyvand, along with their children Talin (12) and Alma (10), to visit the four corners of the world. This close-knit family is an active part of the SIS community, from coaching and participating in sports to academics. The family has had various experiences in schools around the world, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, and China. This year marks their final year at SIS.
Talin and Alma find that being in the same school as their parents has both disadvantages and advantages. For instance, Alma has never gone to a school where their parents have not been teachers. Despite that, the situation where Dr. Tyvand and Mr. Tyvand get to teach their children has only occurred once. Mr. Tyvand teaches Alma in US History class, where Alma calls Mr. Tyvand “dad” and treats him as they would at home. However, Talin has never been taught by her parents in any class.
layout by Eric Kim“My parents are friends with my teachers,” Alma said. “They know when my tests are and how I should study for them because they know the curriculum. The disadvantage is that they always know my grades. I can’t get away with missing any work or getting any low test scores because not only will my parents find out about it through PowerSchool, but the teachers can also tell them personally.”
When asked about memorable experiences, Mr. Tyvand says he treasures the many opportunities he has had to visit historical sites, especially for teaching students lessons. He particularly noted his experience living in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he would bring his students to the site of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination—the trigger for World War I.
Before Mr. Tyvand was a teacher, he worked in industry and business, around the time
when Talin was a toddler. He had to travel often for work, so work became very separate from home. He finds that now because the family is constantly together, there is a lack of escapability.
“Now, it is 24/7, maybe that’s the biggest disadvantage,” Mr. Tyvand said. “Though, one of the reasons I quit my job in industry is because I was away from home so much. I got exactly what I asked for, which was more family time and a more close-knit family.”
The Tyvand family does not think there are many downsides to moving around the world. Alma and Talin think that living in different countries has made them more adaptable to various cultures, and the family has always made good local friends. These friendships have helped Dr. Tyvand go beyond her comfort zone and challenge herself to build relationships in foreign languages.
“What I really like is that I can work full time and pursue my
career, but I never miss anything that’s important to our family,” Dr. Tyvand said. “I don’t see a disadvantage, but I do wonder if my kids would have enjoyed having a little more privacy. I know all their friends and interact with them. Sometimes people ask me what my husband and I even talk about, because I live, work, and spend all my time with him. For me, it is the best thing in the world to work with your spouse. We have so much in common that I don’t have to explain certain things to him. It’s like if someone asked you if it would ever get boring going to school with your best friend.”
Not only has the family had the chance to explore cultural and historical sites, but being in the same school has also allowed both parents to watch their children compete in sports. It is easier for them to attend their matches and cheer for them, which is something they value as a memorable experience. Talin has always wanted to com-
pete as an athlete and even though she moved every couple of years, her love to be a part of a team has always stayed consistent.
Despite always being far from home, they do not consider it difficult to visit their relatives, as they go back every summer to meet up with their extended family.
“The most memorable experience I have had would probably be the fact that I have traveled all my life,” Talin said. “Growing up overseas, I have honestly had the most culture shock when traveling back to my own country, America. I think this is due to the fact that I spent most of my life in other countries, and that going back to the states really is not my norm. For instance, I find when going out with my cousin back home, I am not as accustomed to the daily life they are used to.”
BY: San Schwede Sophomore, reporterThe cold winter breeze begins to recede as the lights turn back on at SIS, the campus filled with bustling crowds of students and teachers coming back from their very own winter wonderlands. As the SIS community returns for the second semester, many are attempting to transition back to their academic lives, trying to find the urge to study and work hard once more. To ease this transition and bring back some winter break spirit, we asked the SIS community to share something fun they did over winter break, whether it be traveling abroad or meeting up with friends and family.
“Our United Youth Service Club went to Cambodia on Dec. 15 and visited schools to teach local students English and Korean culture. We bonded with one another by playing traditional Korean board games, ziplining, cooking, and hiking. We also went to see a circus as a club and spent some time relaxing and having fun. The whole trip meant a lot to me, as I got to teach kids in need and get closer to my peers.”
- Alexis Choi (11)“My favorite memory over the winter break was when I went glamping in Chuncheon with my family. During the two days that we stayed there, I went hiking up a mountain and swam in a massive lake with my sister. All the activities were really enjoyable, but I think my favorite experience throughout the entire trip was on the first day, when I cooked marshmallows over a campfire and made s’mores with my family.”
- Brian Ryu (9)
“Over the Christmas holiday, my wife and I journeyed to Italy. The trip was one of the richest cultural experiences we’d had in years, getting to immerse ourselves in centuries of great art and architecture. In particular, the work of Gian Lorenzo Bernini made a profound impact on us; being able to see his sculptures and artistic expression in person was one of the most significant experiences of the entire trip.”
- James Kowalski, social studies teacher
“During the break, I traveled to Hawaii with my family. I got to explore the island and even went to an animal farm with my son, where he got to pet all sorts of animals such as goats, pigs, and turtles. We also went body surfing and tried out a bunch of different Hawaiian foods. The trip really gave me time to catch up with my son and make meaningful memories with him.”
- Morgan Miller, social studies teacher
“Over the break, I got to spend some time with my friends and catch up with my relatives on Christmas after not seeing them for months. The break also gave me time to study for a competitive mathematics exam in February that is important to me. In the last few weeks, our family visited Okinawa, Japan as well. It gave our family an opportunity to catch up with each other and take a break from our busy lives.”
- Kaden Lee (10)“I was pretty busy over the break because of my college applications, so I wasn’t really able to do much fun stuff outside of my house. But the break did give me the chance to hang out with my dogs a lot. I think they were pleasantly surprised that I was staying at home more often again, so I got to cuddle with them and walk them a lot more.”
- Eunie Choi (12)
BY: Junseo Lee & Gyusung Lee JuniorS, Copy editor & reporter
The lifting of the indoor mask mandate has made school feel entirely different. It marked the end of an unforgettable three-year era where mere eye contact constituted most of the physical interaction present in classrooms and elsewhere. At the same time that we celebrated this freedom, however, at the back of many students’ minds was likely a mix of unfamiliarity and insecurity about “exposing” their faces to others in person. Though this may have been a universal experience not exclusive to SIS, much of this unease may be because this change in policy marks a symbolic erasure of the cornerstone of SIS culture: privacy.
Privacy does not permeate all aspects of SIS life. In fact, many seem open to sharing snippets of some of their most personal stories on the most public social media platforms. But the mood takes a quick turn when we transition from the social world to the academic world; the gap between the two is more than stark.
The general academic atmosphere of the school seems to have submerged under a thick air of secrecy and boundaries. It has become an uncommon counter-culture move, one that feels morally ambiguous and almost wrong, to ask your best friend about their extracurricular activities; to reveal which summer program you have signed up for; to ask your fellow seniors which colleges they have as their dream choices.
It is certainly common to help friends with homework or prepare for tests together, but anything beyond that is prone to drawing visibly awkward facial expressions and polite rejections. This widespread hesitance to share information only adds to the stifling atmosphere, where students are in a silent agreement that sharing any information runs the risk of others using it for their “advantage”—that others might apply to the same summer program, for instance.
But it would be absurd to place all the blame on students for upholding this culture: when there is a systemic problem, you blame the system, not the individuals. In the current system known for its ruthless competition and widespread academic pressure, it is understandable that students wish to minimize their stress by any means, even if that means keeping the most trivial details of their academic lives hidden.
Despite its protective functions, privacy can easily approach the realm of unnecessary defensiveness and passive aggression. Yet, as easy as it would be to tell students to collectively let their guards down a little, such a suggestion will likely be dismissed as naive. A change we should attempt to make, then, is the amount of thought we give to considering which things are genuinely worth keeping private.
When you feel the urge to evade someone’s simple question about academics, consider: is there a real, valuable reason to actively conceal this information? Or are you making secrets just for the sake of being “private,” the seemingly wiser choice at SIS? With a little more willingness to embrace the concept of transparency, you will quickly realize that the consequences of sharing more about yourself are harmless after all—almost as harmless as the consequences of finally exposing your maskless face to the school.
Let yourself be heard. If you have any responses to articles published in the Tiger Times or original contributions, please send them to tigertimes@gmail.com
On Jan. 6, 2021, the world watched as thousands of radical Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol. The attack resulted in five deaths and dozens more injuries, but once the riot had been quelled, those watching from the sidelines breathed a sigh of relief. “This,” they thought to themselves, “is where people acknowledge that politics has become too polarized. This is where we can start to come together again.”
Since the Capitol insurrection, however, global politics has been anything but unified. Just last month, after far-right-wing Jair Bolsonaro’s loss to Lula de Silva in the Brazilian presidential elections, Bolsonaro supporters stormed the Brazilian Congress, mirroring the horror of Jan. 6. Even outside of the Western hemisphere, Israel saw the formation of the farthest right parliament in its history last November.
The divide in politics seems to be worsening as more radicals lock arms and push their agendas in extreme ways and more moderates decide not to engage in politics than ever before. How did we get here, and what can be done to make politics a less divisive, more productive place?
A large part of this problem can be attributed to the increasing role of social media in political discourse. Social media platforms allow individuals to follow politicians and journalists and participate in discussions about current events and policy issues. This has made it easier for people to stay informed and engaged in the political
process. However, the algorithms that social media employs trap people in echo chambers, where users are only exposed to viewpoints that align with their own. When one likes, say, a post ridiculing Kamala Harris, they will continuously see recommended posts belittling the Vice President on their feed. While this may be useful to maximize user engagement, it inadvertently narrows the scope of political discourse, as individuals are less likely to encounter and engage with dissenting opinions. This process creates more polarization, making it more difficult for individuals to find common ground and work together toward solutions.
The nature of social media to create such echo chambers directly refutes the common argument that social media is beneficial to politics because it supposedly creates a platform in which dissenting opinions can clash. In fact, social media has often had the direct opposite effect—as echo chambers encourage the harassment and abuse of marginalized groups, particularly women and people of color. For example, in a far-right echo chamber, a misogynistic radical’s comments on women will go largely unchecked, and can continuously inspire hateful sentiment. This toxic environment can also have a chilling effect, in which people are discouraged from participating in political discourse insofar as they are afraid of being harassed for their opinions. Scaring people from voicing their opinions limits healthy debate.
Another common belief is that social
media creates healthier politics by mobilizing social movements. While this is true to some extent—it is easier than ever for political movements to reach the masses—this often devolves into armchair activism. For example, when the Black Lives Matter movement was at its height following the death of George Floyd in 2020, millions collectively took to Instagram to repost a black square with the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday.
While this trend allowed anyone, even SIS students thousands of miles away, to engage in educating themselves and others on the effects of police brutality in America, it also unintentionally created a facade of solvency. That is, when people think it is enough to repost a mere Instagram post without taking the effort to push for more legitimate legislative change via petitions or by participating in protests, it creates the illusion that this is all they have to do to contribute to the cause.
The tendency for social media to create political echo chambers, exacerbate political radicalism, and create a sense of complacency in the everyday person shows that it has done more harm than good for the current state of politics. So if you are looking to play your part in real-world issues, simply retweeting the next Greta Thunberg tweet you see is not enough. Put down the phone, and engage in a healthier form of discourse.
by: Jason Lee Sophomore reporterpurpose. Schoolwork allows teachers to educate their students and test their abilities, allowing them to both keep track of which students need more help in specific areas and understand how to best match their needs.
Not only does exploiting an AI program to complete such assignments completely negate the benefits of schoolwork, but it also forces teachers to focus less on their students’ education and instead turn their attention toward finding preventative measures for ChatGPT.
Though most teachers use this reasoning to argue that the use of ChatGPT and similar AI programs should be abolished from schools, it is also important to consider the potential benefits that AI may have for a student’s learning experience.
The integration of technology in education has become a hot topic in recent years, and one development that has caught the attention of many educators and students is the use of ChatGPT. This advanced form of artificial intelligence (AI), developed by OpenAI, has the ability to understand and respond to natural language input, making it a powerful tool for students and teachers alike.
However, considering that even this article’s introductory paragraph was written by ChatGPT, the AI program has clearly developed to the extent that it is practically indistinguishable from genuine student-written work.
As a result, several teachers have shown concern over the potential for ChatGPT to undermine the educational system, while most students have instead hailed the program as a miracle that they should be free to use for all school assignments.
Though this issue may seem to be a distant subject for some, several SIS students have also reported using the ChatGPT program for various purposes.
An anonymous SIS student reported that they have used the AI program to complete assignments such as essays and
layout by Bona Suhlab reports that they felt were a waste of time to do by hand. Others claim that it provides them with useful, specific information that a simple Google search may not be able to provide them. On the other hand, others claim that it is simply fun to “play around with,” and that the program does not necessarily have to be used for schoolwork at all.
Though most students seem to overwhelmingly favor the free use of ChatGPT, the program can easily undermine the learning experience that is provided by school assignments.
Teachers across the world have reported that students have begun submitting assignments written by ChatGPT. As a result, teachers have become increasingly focused on ways to detect and prevent AI bot usage in their assignments, such as having students explain each step of their essay-writing process, forcing them to write it in front of them in class, or even using GPTZero, another AI program that detects AI-generated text.
Students who use the AI program to generate entire essays for them seem to be unable to understand nor care that schoolwork does serve a definite
The very same educators that changed their curriculum to prevent their students from using ChatGPT also found the program to be useful in implementing modern technologies into their lessons. For instance, one such professor created assignments in which students evaluated the chatbot’s responses to better understand how an AI could respond to human requests, as well as its limitations in understanding them. Such educators argue that because AI will likely be a major part of their students’ futures, it is the responsibility of educators to ensure that students are familiar with the technology and learn to wield it effectively.
The rate at which AI technology develops seems to only be accelerating, so it is likely that teachers will be unable to prevent students from completing assignments using programs such as ChatGPT in the future. Instead of resisting the wave of technological advancements and allowing it to wreak havoc on the current educational system, a solution would be to instead alter school curricula to allow for the effective use of such technologies in a way that enhances, rather than undermines, a student’s learning experience.
by: Junseo Lee Junior, Copy editorThe SIS math curriculum, which is largely based on the CPM system, does not provide sufficient support for students. To ensure that students can have a better understanding of concepts, the class structure could be modified to include lectures before the group problem-solving, provide sufficient time for individual work time, and implement lecture content from other instruction-oriented textbooks.
What are the problems with the current class structure and the CPM curriculum?
What are some modifications to the class structure that can be made to better support students?
Struggling to tackle homework problems, understand the content, and display a full understanding on tests, students often enter and leave their math classes lacking confidence in their mathematical abilities. While this may seem like a challenge for individual students to overcome, a significant part of it can be attributed to a system outside of students’ control: the College Preparatory Mathematics (CPM) curriculum, which every math course offered in SIS from middle school to high school, with the exception of statistics classes, follows. Teachers could modify CPM’s main principles of group work learning and include more lessons beyond the textbook in order to better support all SIS students’ learning.
CPM is a highly developed and complex curriculum that has a strong orientation toward college math and communication skills for problem-solving. It cannot be denied that CPM has some positive qualities such as its spiral review system, which involves revisiting concepts that were covered earlier on in the curriculum through frequent review homework. This part of the CPM system is seen positively by students and teachers, as it emphasizes learning as a continuous, recursive process instead of falling into the undesirable cycle of testing and forgetting previously learned concepts.
Yet, the class structure created by the curriculum could be more effective. Each section in the CPM textbook is usually structured so that students solve the first few problems in small groups. These questions progress throughout the section so that at the end of the problems, students will have gained an understanding of a new concept for the unit. Afterward, teachers review the answers produced by the groups and summarize findings or key takeaways.
While collaborative thinking may facilitate some students’ learning, it can cause others to heavily rely on their peers when solving problems—and thus inadvertently
leave struggling students alone to grapple with the concepts. Essentially, the system does not provide time in class for students to internalize the concepts by themselves. As every student is different and learns at their own pace, allowing in-class time and opportunities for students to individually practice, review the concepts, or solve problems again will make internalizing content easier.
Students who are faster learners, on the other hand, find themselves having to teach their peers how to approach problems when working in small groups. While it is proven that teaching concepts to others can help cement students’ own understanding of those concepts, students often feel uncomfortable about doing so if they themselves do not feel that they have a strong grasp over the content—especially since teachers would have better knowledge and explanations through their expertise. In the end, the complete responsibility of teaching the application of math concepts should not be up to the small groups.
These aspects of SIS’s math curriculum are unique to CPM: new students coming from different backgrounds such as public schools particularly struggle to adapt to the CPM curriculum. They frequently view CPM as more of a workbook that most often requires students to have prior knowledge. Again, the process of solving questions before learning the content deepens the gap between new students and students with support from hagwons.
Along with the structure of classes, the structure of the textbooks could be made more effective by detecting the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum. For each new section or chapter, the equations, concepts, and theories are often not the first things students see—they see a long detailed story or description of a real-life situation related to the chapter that needs to be solved. While this format can stimulate
critical thinking, there is often a lack of adequate explanations, definitions, and proofs to guide students when solving problems.
Especially in AP Calculus, some students have expressed discontent with the order in which concepts are taught, noting difficulty in seeing logical connections between different chapters. For example, other calculus textbooks put differentiation in consecutive units with integration following in another set of consecutive units, but CPM intersperses these concepts bit by bit throughout the chapters, making the flow of the course confusing.
As a result of the need for more detailed lectures and lessons on the content, students would also turn toward resources such as Khan Academy to get additional help outside of school.
Compared to the CPM curriculum, other textbooks such as “McDougal Littell” for Algebra and Geometry and James Stewart’s “Precalculus: Mathematics for Calculus” for precalculus, and “Calculus: Early Transcendentals” for calculus, focus on providing detailed explanations at the beginning of each chapter and then giving problems related to the chapter to solve for practice.
In addition, James Stewart’s math textbooks are used widely in many universities for calculus courses. Yale, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, and many other universities use James Stewart’s calculus textbooks for their introductory, applied, and advanced calculus courses. “Calculus: Early Transcendentals,” which is widely used for AP Calculus, even encompasses multivariable calculus. By adopting some of the lessons from Stewart’s curriculum, there will be a sequence in place that will help high school students continue their mathematical studies further in college.
The school should also look into other curricula, and create a program that balances teamwork, individual work, and lectures. While the ideal solution might be
to replace the CPM curriculum, a smoother one would be using CPM along with excerpts from other textbooks, to combine the critical thinking element and the lessons required to understand the basic concepts.
As summative math tests aim to assess students’ knowledge of mathematical concepts and their ability to apply these to complex problems rather than their team working ability, the disparity between the class structure and the tests can easily lead to poor performance. By adjusting the curriculum and class structures to put more emphasis on individual learning than teamwork, students from all levels of math would be able to more effectively follow the courses.
To make small groups more beneficial, first, everyone should be put on an equal footing. This can be done by providing certain lessons and concepts before having students solve a problem. Then, allowing students to apply the concept to the problems as a group will make learning a collaborative experience with equal participation. Group work could also be dedicated to solving challenges and problems that go one step beyond the concept, but only after the basics are initially covered as a class.
After concepts are covered through the lessons then the group work, the rest of the class time could be allotted for individual practice for students to further their skills.
Overall, the current CPM curriculum should be modified to emphasize a more lesson-focused class structure than group work. Students will be able to develop more intuition, curiosity, and passion for math when they comprehend the concepts by learning from lectures and then develop their critical thinking through collaborative work.
by: Saewoong Ian Park Junior, reporterOfficer K walking alone through a futuristic Los Angeles at night. The Joker slow-dancing in the bathroom of an abandoned building. Patrick Bateman telling his girlfriend that he “wants to fit in.” Under posts of these lonely or psychotic characters often are numerous users commenting that these characters are “literally me.” Although the joke may seem strange and even uncanny given that these characters are mentally disturbed, the “literally me” joke has become one of the most empowering memes for the male audience.
The “literally me” meme itself is quite simple—it ridicules the people who believe the extreme, unrealistic personas of fictional characters have similar traits as them. The meme depicts a skinny teenager sitting in front of a laptop and comparing themselves to such romanticized characters. Some would choose to personify the charismatic Harley Quinn from “Birds of Prey” or the narcissistic Homelander from “The Boys,” while others would even adopt the personality of these characters because they believe the characters are unique and interesting. Since it sounds delusional for people to genuinely relate to superheroes or psychopaths, the meme became very popular.
Recently, another variation of the meme emerged on platforms such as TikTok, where people began making edits of “literally me” characters, consisting mostly of male characters who suffered through some ordeal and
became broken by it. For example, one of the most popular edits depicts Officer K, the bioengineered human from “Blade Runner 2049”, who has an emotional breakdown after finding out that the traumatic memories he had believed were fake throughout his entire life, were actually real. With recent movies such as “Joker” in 2019 and “The Batman” last year, more young men started to relate to such characters. The Joker’s speech about how society abandoned him, Batman’s trauma of losing his family, and Officer K’s nights spent with no one but an artificial machine as his lover—all of these characters’ pain are ultimately tied together through the theme of loneliness.
This alienation from society is so compelling to young men because many have experienced similar frustration with society. Causes of it vary, including frustration at unrealistic dating standards for men, conflicts with their family, a bad breakup, the materialistic lifestyle that our society constantly promotes through advertisements, or society’s fake promises of happiness and solace. Along with this, modern society continues to promote toxic masculinity, which pressures men to follow stereotypical male behaviors for approval, including self-reliance and emotional repression. As young men know that they would be ridiculed if they try to seriously convey that they see themselves in these characters, they instead use the lighthearted phrase “literally me” to subtly relate to the frustration and exhaustion the characters portray.
Of course, the trend still seems like an attempt to
make fun of people who say “he’s literally me.” However, it is becoming clear that a lot of these comments are now mostly unironic. Under such comment sections consisting of “literally me” comments there would usually be discussions among young men who are suffering, trying to help each other out, or using the videos as an outlet to discuss their problems. Hundreds of comments talk about the loss of a friend or family member, feeling burnt out from school, or being lonely and unable to find a partner. Although it may not solve their problem, knowing that others are experiencing similar feelings of pain and sometimes even receiving advice for their situation can help these young men a lot. This is especially important and valuable considering that men make up 80 percent of the global suicide rate.
What started as a meme to make fun of people saying they relate to these characters who in most cases went through a much larger ordeal, became a trend that empowered a lot of men to express their emotions and find comfort in each other. They became an outlet for the pain that a lot of these young men could not describe just through words, as well as a way to call for help while circumventing their fear of society’s often harsh and critical judgment for opening up to others.
Courage is the ability to stand up to your fears. What makes people fearful can be as small as the little spider that crawls through their imagination or as pivotal as moving to a new country. We all face our fears in one way or another, and the following documentaries are realistic reflections of courage from which we can all learn. These three unique documentaries shine a spotlight on the various ways people display courage.
In the 2017 documentary “Icarus,” Bryan Fogel documents the unveiling process of Russia’s Olympics athlete doping scandal through interviews with Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Russia’s National Anti-Doping Laboratory. To reveal the truth to the world, Rodchenkov left behind his family and his work to blow the whistle on Russia and the doping plan he helped cover up.
Rochenkov’s courage to speak out in spite of extreme pressure from the Russian government is commendable. Even though he could have been assassinated for telling the intricate doping process he himself helped create, he stood his ground to fight against injustice. Rodchenkov demonstrates how an individual could show courage by standing for what is right and sticking to one’s morals even when it can be nerve-wracking.
fully understand him, Oppenheimer gives Anwar the opportunity to recount them through self-directed gangster, western, and musical films.
Throughout Anwar’s experience in portraying the victims in his films, he realizes his wrongdoings little by little. Finally, his guilt explodes as he vomits out of disgust after he demonstrates how he executed people by portraying a victim on the same rooftop where hundreds died by his hand. The act of killing transforms him to realize the dark history he has taken part in. Anwar demonstrates the courage to reflect on one’s actions even when they are unbearable.
The jaw-dropping documentary “Free Solo” features Alex Honnold, a professional free soloist, a climber that climbs without any protective equipment, who made history by becoming the first person to successfully free solo El Capitan. To just imagine the process of climbing El Capitan, a 900m vertical cliff located in Yosemite can be mind-blowing, but to really do it requires another level of courage.
The gruesome and horrifying documentary “The Act of Killing,” released in 2012, introduces one of the individuals who was responsible for the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-’66 that targeted members of the country’s communist party. The director, Joshua Oppenheimer, met with a man named Anwar, who personally killed 1,000 people—and is proud of it. To
Numerous obstacles encumbered Honnold’s journey including injuries, trauma from falls as he prepared for his final free solo, and giving up at one point. This makes Honnold’s journey a story of perseverance, as he overcomes every obstacle. Honnold’s free solo climb portrays how overcoming internal turmoil through perseverance can be empowering.
Conformity and silence can sometimes prevent us from making brave choices. However, by realizing that courage is more than the glory of the concept or the challenges we face, and is instead about self-development, the experience of courage can change our lives for the better.
The complex history behind ‘literally me’Reaching up with his hands, Philip Ham (12) sprinkles a note of kindness to his classmates. Photo by Hugo Lee (12) photo Rosa Suh, David Kim
Leaps of courage of a whistleblower, a murderer, and a rock climberSaewoong Ian Park layout by Hannah Kim