Benjamin School for Character Education
Cultivating Gifted Character Based on Benjamin Franklin’s Exemplary Life
Benjamin School for Character Education, established in 2014 in Korea, is a future-oriented alternative school that models its educational philosophy after Benjamin Franklin, a respected American politician and exemplar of character development. It offers a unique educational environment known as the ‘5-Free School,’ where traditional elements like school buildings, exams, report cards, assigned subject teachers, and standard curricula are absent. The school’s core mission is to foster ‘Gifted Character’ with a focus on five essential virtues: patience, creativity, responsibility, tolerance, and concentration. Its key direction revolves around utilizing Brain Education to cultivate students’ capabilities as earth citizen leaders.
Empowering Students Through Project-based Blended Learning Model and Brain Education
The Benjamin School operates with a unique project-based blended learning model, similar to Minerva Schools. Instead of following traditional subjects, the school focuses on essential knowledge and skills required for the future generation, which is taught through a cyber university-level Learning Management System (LMS). This involves 100 hours of online classes and video conferencing discussions.
At the heart of the school’s education is the ‘Benjamin Project,’ where students choose and work on projects they are passionate about and that can make a positive impact on society. They receive guidance and support from mentors with expertise in various fields. The school has regional learning centers nationwide, where students meet both offline and online twice a week. Additionally, there are monthly 2-day workshops, where students experience the core principles of Brain Education’s Brain Operating System (B.O.S). Notably, the graduation ceremony is renowned for all graduating students performing a unique hand-walking performance.
Since its establishment in 2014 with only 27 students, the school has grown significantly and now caters to hundreds of students across the country. In 2016, a branch was opened in Japan. Moreover, the school actively embraces ‘Global Citizenship Education,’ aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) since 2015. It implements practical methods for education on a global scale.
