“Not a fancy class, but a class that doesn’t lose me.
A class born from "questions," not technology, and "sincerity," not trends.

Self-esteem, design, execution, reflection and community
Rethinking the inner self of a teacher and the meaning of class.

"The Essence of Class" is a book in which bestselling author Taehyun Kim, a professor of education, discusses "classes and reflection" again after 10 years.
Previous works such as 『Teacher, Meet Myself in Class』, 『Teacher, Meet Myself in Life』, and 『Teacher's Perspective』 help teachers build their inner selves, reflect on their classes, and find themselves lost at some point by offering small comforts in the difficult daily routine.
A teacher who puts sincerity into small and ordinary things asked six questions: gaze, aesthetics, message, community, content, and design, leading us to look at and think about the essence of education in everyday life.
This book, which follows, asks me what kind of class I want to have, following the words self-esteem, design, execution, reflection, and community that fully embody the life of a teacher, and through those questions and reflections, approaches the essence of class.

Self-esteem does not come from fancy teaching methods or extraordinary knowledge.
It starts with asking yourself, 'Why did I become a teacher?' and 'What kind of classes do I really want to teach?'
But such questions are rarely asked in our busy daily lives.
In the midst of a breathless rush of life, it is common for even the echoes of our hearts to pass by without us even having time to listen.
So, ‘self-esteem’ begins with stopping.
A time to consciously stop and quietly listen to your inner self.
A time to put aside my weary mind between class and life and look at myself with sincerity.
Only when there is that time can the real questions be asked.
--- p.22

What kind of person is a teacher? I used to think of teachers as people who "teach well."
But now I want to say this.
The teacher is a 'swayable' person.
Here, 'shaking well' does not mean easily staggering and falling over.
Rather, it means that we are beings who look into our own emotions in the midst of that shaking, learn from it, and grow.
If you try hard not to be shaken, you may end up suppressing your emotions and eventually not being able to feel compassion for the pain of others.
In fact, when we look at overbearing leaders in schools, we often see that they are unable to read people's minds even though they were teachers.
That's because at some point, they stopped practicing looking into their own emotions, and instead, they started to focus on their strong self, losing the ability to empathize with the pain of others.
--- p.54

A good lesson always starts with a good question.
Questions move students' minds, encourage them to share their stories with one another, and move toward deeper thinking.
Technology can either facilitate this process or hinder it.
Ultimately, the direction depends on the teacher's choice.
--- p.164

These days, I find myself thinking more deeply about classroom design.
I thought that as I gained experience, my classes would become more and more perfect.
As I gained more experience, I believed that my classes would no longer be shaky.
But rather, the opposite was true.
Lesson design does not exist in a finished form from the beginning.
After living in the classroom for a long time with the lessons, I can now say this clearly.
The essence of design is not in a single completion, but in the constant 'reconstruction' and 'modification' within the classroom that we encounter anew every hour.
--- p.189

A teacher is always standing between tension and responsibility.
Every class, every moment, I try not to waver in front of the kids, but moments when I'm not perfect inevitably come.
But only when I have the heart to respect and accept myself in those moments does true flexibility begin to grow.
--- p.242

Sensitivity in the classroom goes beyond simply imparting knowledge.
It is a small but profound art form that quietly focuses on each and every student.
And this sensitivity doesn't always come from excellence.
Rather, it is clumsy, but because it flows from the heart, it is deeper and more human.
--- p.256

Ultimately, the teacher's words determine whether the class flows smoothly or comes to a standstill.
How you receive a student's words, how you wait for their silence, what language you use to respond in unexpected situations—all of these scenes are not simply about speaking, but rather a place where a teacher's communication skills are revealed.
Those words have the power to save students, get the class flowing again, and change the atmosphere in the classroom.
--- p.272

Sometimes the rhythm of rowing gets out of sync and the flow of the river sways unexpectedly.
But coaching is about enduring all those moments together, adjusting to them, and moving forward.
It is not a matter of giving the right answer, but rather of the teacher supporting the student so that he or she can trust in his or her own pace and find his or her own direction.
A path where we sit side by side in silence, respect each other's rhythm, read the current together, and move forward slowly.

--- p.401