조선시대 서당에서의 교육방법은 학생들 개개인의 능력에 따른 눈높이를 맞추어 일대일로 완전학습 모형을 취하였다. 이는 서당이 학생 개개인의 잠재력이 발휘될 수 있도록 경험의 장을 만들어주고, 학습자의 길잡이, 조언자, 안내자로서의 역할을 했던 것이다.
공교육의 믿음이 무너지고 있는 현실에 서당식 교육방법을 응용하는 것도 교육적 의의가 있다.
서당은 향촌사회에 생활근거를 둔 士族과 백성이 주체가 되어 面 · 洞 · 里 단위로 설립한 초중등 단계의 사설교육기관이다. 이러한 서당은 삼국시대부터 현재까지 교육적 자생력을 지니고 이어왔다.
서당은 訓長과 接長 · 學童으로 이루어지며, 학습자의 개인차와 그 능력에 맞게 범위를 정하여 놓고 주로 개인적 지도방법에 의하여 학습이 이루어졌다. 따라서 서당에 똑같이 입학하였어도 그 능력에 따라 교육 내용과 진도도 달라 수준별 무학년제를 운영한 것이다.
서당의 교육 내용은 읽고 암송하여 문장의 뜻을 파악하는 講讀, 詩作活動인 製述, 쓰기인 習字의 三敎科이며, 이밖에도 놀이를 통하여 講讀外의 분야를 가르쳤다.
서당에서의 교수-학습 방법은 講과 更辛苦法, 循繩尺法, 놀이를 통한 교육방법 등이 있다. 講은 질의 응답법이며, 更辛苦法은 수준별 수업으로 스스로 문리를 트게 하는 방법이고, 循繩尺法은 반복을 통한 완전학습법이다. 이밖에 놀이를 통해 관직에 대한 체계적인 관념과 등급, 칭호의 상호관계, 서열, 명승고적, 풍토와 산물, 인물 등을 이해하였으며, 놀이의 과정 속에 표현력, 집단에 대한 소속감 및 협동심과 단결력, 준법성, 애향심 등을 기르도록 했다.
현재의 교육구조는 개인의 수준이 무시되는 획일적 교육방법이나 지나친 입시위주의 교육이다. 이런 상황에 학생들을 수업의 장으로 끌어들이는 한 방안이 서당식 교육방법이 아닌가 한다.
학계에 보고된 교수-학습에 관한 논문들을 살펴보아도 주로 수업의 효율성에 초점을 맞춘 연구들로, 지식과 인성에 있어 눈높이를 맞춘 개인별 교수-학습 방법은 적용된 사례가 드물다. 따라서 서당식 교육방법과 현대의 효율적이라고 보고된 교수-학습 방법의 접목도 교육적 의의가 있다고 하겠다.
가르치는 데는 왕도가 없다. 다만 왕도로 가려고 최선을 다해 노력할 뿐이다.
The educational method in Seodang(書堂-private village school) during Joseon Dynasty assumed the one-on-one perfect learning model in line with the eye level according to an individual's ability in students. This implies that Seodang played a role of a leading star, adviser, and guide in learners while making a place of experience that the potentiality of each individual in students can be exerted.
In the reality that the faith in public education is being collapsed, even the application of educational method to reality in Seodang has the educational significance.
Seodang is the private educational institution in the elementary and secondary stages, which was established in units of Myeon(面) · Dong(洞) · Ri(里) by being become the main body in noble family(士族) and the people, which did put the living ground in the country-village society. This Seodang has been followed with having educational viability from the period of the Three States to the present.
Seodang(書堂-private village school) is composed of village schoolmaster(訓長), Jeopjang(接長), and schoolchildren(學童). And, the learning was performed mainly by the individual teaching method with deciding on scope in line with learners' personal difference and its ability. Accordingly, even if having entered Seodang equally, the educational contents and the progress rate were varied according to its ability, thus the non-school year system was operated by level.
The educational contents in Seodang comprise three courses(三敎科) that are Gangdok(講讀-reading with comments) of grasping the meaning in sentence by reading and reciting, Jesul(製述), which is activity of composing poems, and calligraphy(習字) in writing. And, even other than this, the field except reading with comments was taught through a play.
The teaching-learning methods in Seodang include lecture(講), Gaengshingobeop(更辛苦法), Sunseungcheopbeop(循繩尺法), and educational method through a play. Lecture(講) is a method of question and answer. Gaengshingobeop(更辛苦法) is a method that allows a context to be learnt oneself with instruction by level. And, Sunseungcheopbeop(循繩尺法) is a perfect learning method through repetition. In addition to this, a play led to understanding about a systematic conception and grade on a government post, correlation in titles, rank, scenic spots and places of historic interest, climate and products, and figures. And, a play led to fostering the expressive power, a belonging sense to group, cooperative mind, combination power, law-abiding property, and local patriotism.
The current educational structure is the monolithic educational method or the education of excessively centering on entrance examination, in which an individual's level is ignored. In this situation, one method, which draws students to a place of teaching, might be probably the educational method in Seodang.
Even given examining theses on teaching-learning that were reported in academic circles, those are researches that focused mainly on efficiency in teaching. Thus, it is rare in the teaching-learning method by individual that focused on eye level in knowledge and human nature. Accordingly, even the integration in the educational method in Seodang and the teaching-learning method, which was reported to be efficient in modern times, can be said to have educational significance.
There is no royal road to teaching. Still, there is just effort by doing the best for going to the royal road.