어린이를 위한 죽음교육의 가능성과 필요성

Abstract

In modern society, death education for children is recognized as an alternative way to overcome diverse problems in education, and is actively implemented in such regions as Europe,the U.S., and Japan. In Korea however, death education for children is relatively inactive and the reason for this is the lack of understanding that children are also mortal beings closely related to death. Armed with this critical thinking, the purpose of this study is to present the necessity and possibility of death education for children through new understanding that children are closely related to death. First, children are not disparate beings inevitably distinguished from adults. The distinction between children and adults is artificially made in order to protect children and children's right to receive education, so it does not mean that children are inferior to or more defective than adults. Children are holistic perfect humans in themselves, and are beings not merely developing by stages but also having the possibility of rapid and vertical growth. Recent research has revealed that children around the age of nine not only understand the meaning of death, but also agonize over encountering death existentially. Analysis of children proves that they have a close relationship with death and highlights the fact that providing death education for children is not only possible but also necessary. Above all things, it should not be forgotten that the issue of death is an existential task which children have already faced with all of their heart and strength, long before institutional death education is given.