Interview with Y2MAC Teaching Team
It has always been an integral part of Y2’s plan to promote Montessori education by establishing a 0-18 Montessori school in Taiwan. This school would explore the possible ways the Montessori method, which has been practiced for over 100 years around the world, can be incorporated in the teaching environment in Taiwan.
After five years of purposeful deliberation and preparation, Y2 Montessori School - Adolescent Community (Y2MAC) assembled its initial faculty team in late 2021, and is officially established in September 2022!
photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
Y2MAC is headed by Jan Gaffney, who has over 30 years of Montessori teaching and training experience in New Zealand and Bali, Indonesia. With a head of blond hair and eyes emanating wisdom, the Program Director enjoys adventure, exploring different cultures, and learning different languages. “I don’t expect to undertake simple tasks. I like challenges and yearn to grow,” Jan said, as her eyes beams with over half a century of wisdom and curiosity. In fact, Jan’s whole family relishes exciting new opportunities and challenges. Jan’s children, who were educated in Montessori schools, also encouraged their mother to come to Taiwan to lead the new program, saying, “Now we have a reason to visit Taiwan!”
Education centered on the adolescent
Jan, the school principal of Y2MAC, mentions that adolescents (ages 12-18) go through drastic developmental changes. They individuate and ponder questions of their life. During this period, dread turns into confidence, and fear transforms into courage. (Image provided by Jan Gaffney)
The first step is always the hardest. Starting a Montessori school involves innumerable decisions, both big and small. Jan has faced all these challenges with a smile, which has left a strong impression on Fankan Hsu, a teacher on the Y2MAC faculty team. He recalls that “Jan’s starting point in any thought process would be to consider the conditions and needs of the adolescent, such as whether the environment is suitable for adolescent activities. This is in stark contrast with Taiwan’s usual education approach, which focuses on standardization and ease of management.”
Jan explains that children between the ages 0-6 begin to have their first opportunities to shape their self, and their second chance for self-formation is during the ages of 12-18. This is also the brain’s last opportunity to reset. At this stage, adolescents will gradually develop their sense of independence and evaluate their life goals, considering how they can contribute to humanity. This is also a time of tremendous change, where adolescents begin to shed their fears, develop self-confidence, and build courage against criticism.
Rates of depression and suicide among adolescents continue to climb. One of the reasons for this is the emphasis on academic performance as determined by exams and grades—much to the detriment of the students’ other, more important needs—in the traditional education system. The founding of Taiwan’s first ever Montessori middle school not only aligns with the explosive growth of experimental education on the island, it also brings with it more options and possibilities for middle school students.
For Jan, the time has come! Since moving to Taiwan, she has witnessed students spending long hours at school with no free time and not enough sleep. They don’t have time for themselves, much less think about who they will become. This type of education in traditional school settings is not suited to the student’s physical and mental development. Jan emphasizes that “physical, mental, and psychological health is the most important thing in a child’s growth.”
We must all face the challenges of globalization in our own ways. However, our education system has taught us to always be competitive and seek victory over others, even though this will never lead to the type of cooperation and collaboration that is needed more than ever. Jan’s sincere hope is that she can dedicate herself to this cause.
“It is important that adolescents learn to become independent human beings, building the foundation so that they may cooperate with others and work toward the common good in the future. I firmly believe that the Montessori method provides an excellent solution. Education centered on the adolescent allows students to recognize and respect differences in others and to collaborate based on one another’s strengths, rather than compete. Through more creative learning processes, they are better prepared to face the many challenges of tomorrow. The time for change is now!”
A learning method where students live, learn, and better together
Montessori education has always emphasized a connection with the land, a wide open space where adolescents can learn, work, live, and exercise. In Jan’s plan, this will be a space for students to live and care for plants and animals, operate shops, and have many other experiences—all the elements to aid the adolescents’ development. Fankan Hsu is eagerly anticipating building a wooden greenhouse with the students by hand. Everyone involved in the birth of this new school is abuzz with exhilaration.
What sets apart a Montessori middle school from others? Because adolescents are about to enter into adulthood, the school functions as a microcosm of society. They need an environment where they can take risks and try different things. The school’s farm and shops allow them to engage in production and business endeavors. Jan explains,
“A Montessori middle school provides a safe space where adolescents can realize their ideas and put them into practice. They need to prove that they can do it and discover who they are in the process.”
Why do the students need to reside at the school? Adolescents need to build their own community, language, and tribe. As soon as they’re home, they often revert back to being treated as children by their parents. In a Montessori environment, the students are treated as emerging adults, who are accountable for their own actions. Together with their community, they must prepare their own meals rather than being waited on by adults. When living with their own family, the family’s needs are a priority; in a Montessori school, the needs of the adolescent are at the forefront. Being immersed 24 hours a day with other students, the adolescent lives in a micro society. They must meet their own needs, abide by communal rules, practice problem solving, and learn to get along with others. These are all important skills as the students prepare to enter society in the not-so-distant future.
With clear logic and good humor, Jan is a person who already has a blueprint of the middle school in mind. However, she is in no rush. After all, it takes time to create the prepared environment that is a focal point of Montessori education. She good-naturedly explains that her role is not that of a manager. She is not in charge of anyone. She is there to ensure that the environment is prepared, to listen to teachers and students, and understand what is happening. “My job is simply to help everyone!”exclaims the ever warm and motherly Jan.
Jan is mindful of the limitless possibilities of adolescents. Her experience in New Zealand’s education system has shown her that, upon graduation, many of her young students focus not on achieving success and garnering accolades, but rather on their dedication to serving others in the profession of their choosing, such as immigration lawyer, starting a business, engineering, or in the field of medicine. She believes that adolescents, who have grown up in a Montessori environment emerge with hearts filled with curiosity. They find joy in working with others, are driven by a different sense of innate motivation, and go on to make a tangible change in society.
Becoming a teacher guiding adolescents on their path
Fankan hopes to develop close relationships with the adolescents and, at the same time, be the parents’ ally in the nurturing of their young adults. “I am confident because I have a breadth of life experience, which has more to do with the attitude one takes towards life rather than a person’s age.”
Y2MAC is led by a director with a wealth of experience and has also invited Fankan Hsu, who has received the Presidential Education Award, and Susan Chen, who comes with many years of experience in Montessori education, to serve as guides mentoring the adolescents on their journey of growth.
Sporting black rimmed glasses, Fankan conveys his zest for life when he speaks. When he was 15, he underwent a very dark period in his life. A bacterial infection caused him to suffer acute renal failure, suddenly plunging his young life into pain and turmoil. Days filled with medication and dialysis treatment pushed him to suicide ideation. However, his mother never gave up on him and cared for him at the hospital day in and day out; this made him build up the courage to choose life. After his brother donated a kidney to him and though still being sick, he gained entrance into Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School and later National Taiwan University and received the Presidential Education Award in 2013.
Recalling past life events, Fankan’s heart is full of gratitude.
“I once thought that I was the unluckiest soul in the whole world, but looking back on the span of over 10 years, I realized that I was very protected when I was most broken.” Instead of falling into despair, he found that he was cocooned in love. “Sometimes in your darkest moments is when you see the light.”
When he reached that point in his recovery, Fankan recalls asking his doctor when he would be well enough to help others.He decided to channel his energy into education. Fankan learned about different forms of experimental education in Taiwan through his participation in Teach for Taiwan and National Chengchi University’s Taiwan Experimental Education Center. In 2021, Fankan joined Y2 where Jan selected him out of scores of applicants. Finally, Fankan is now fulfilling his wish to support and assist others.
Having experienced life’s extreme highs and lows as a youth, Fankan, now in his 30s and is confident that he can relate to adolescent students. He says with a smile,
“I will share my story with them. Through the lens of time and the realm of possibilities, many things can be viewed in a different light.”
The Montessori method portrays his ideal education. It is not bound by tradition and is accepting of diverse and innovative thought processes. He passionately proclaims that this project is an “educational startup”, a community where students live, learn, and better themselves together, an environment that is centered on the individual and will instill a sense of social responsibility.
Fankan hopes that he can become an adult figure who has very close relationships with his students and works with parents to guide them on their journey.
“My confidence is not based on age, but on my attitude toward life and on the breadth and depth of my life experiences. An individual’s education has great effect for on his or her whole life. Although there are fewer adolescents now than before, our future lies in their hands 100%, so we cannot give them any less than 100%.”
Fankan vows to devote 100% of his love and energy to nurturing his students.
Life is a series of rebirths
Susan observes that children who have experienced a Montessori education are not only more independent, but they also tend to be more stable and wholeheartedly as well as naturally respectful of others.
Susan Chen, another guide at Y2MAC, also has an interesting life story. Unlike Fankan, who first learned about Montessori education after participating in Montessori teacher training upon joining Y2MAC, Susan is an experienced teacher who has worked in Montessori classrooms. She graduated from Cornell University’s Department of English and both lived and traveled in Malaysia and Europe. Susan started as a language teacher in 2007, but after nine years, she started to question the purpose of education.
Susan set out in search of answers. In 2019, she attended the one-year AMI Montessori 6-12 Diploma Course at the Washington Montessori Institute while receiving her Master’s degree. She recalls with excitement, “When I first stepped into the world of Montessori, it felt like a rebirth.” She discovered how different the Montessori approach was from traditional forms of education. For example, teachers should not heap exaggerated praise on their students but simply acknowledge their progress and achievement with a direct statement “You did it.” Thus, she gradually rediscovered the purpose of education.
After returning to Taiwan, she served as a full-time teacher at Taiwan International Montessori Experimental School. During this time, she traveled to Hershey Montessori School to receive the Montessori AMI 12-18 Orientation Course. She describes this period as her second rebirth, “It feels like new skin growing over an old wound. It feels like I’ve let go of the past and discovered my true self.” Each rebirth is a rediscovery of the self, just like students’ transformations over time while transitioning from the traditional school system to experimental education.
Filled with delight and positive energy, Susan explains how ready she was to take on the challenge at her old school when they set up a middle school, “We didn’t have a farm there, so we would hold classes in cafes scattered throughout the city. The students all have fond memories of that period.” Starting from scratch, the students learned solid life skills, such as how to set a budget and choose paint for the walls.
She observed that Montessori students tend to be more independent, self-reliant, and aware of who and what their needs are. If they get lost or confused, they know how to seek help. Their interpersonal relationships come from an innate understanding of who they are and respect for others, rather than a set of arbitrary social norms.
Some describe Susan as an inspirational teacher with a magic touch. She herself hopes to inspire students to live up to their full potential, saying “We are guides, not teachers. I will guide adolescent students, but in the end, they are the ones who must evaluate who they want to be, explore their possibilities, and get back up again after falling down.”
After her many rebirths in her own Montessori journey, in August 2021, Susan came across Y2, whose aims of affecting change deeply resonated with her. Change requires a community to encourage each other, to support one another, and to learn and grow together.
“I am honored to embark on this journey with adolescents, to help them discover themselves, and am ready to inspire and to be inspired.”
Learning in English to better understand the world
(Photo by Pixabay on Pexels)
As a graduate of Cornell University’s Department of English, Susan approves of Y2MAC’s plans to incorporate English in students’ classrooms and daily lives. She believes that it is indeed a challenge for the school to adopt English as the primary language for instruction but believes it’s better for Taiwan as a country in the long run. Students will be able to learn both English and Mandarin and switch between them naturally. More importantly, they will be able to view the world through the lenses of both languages. Each language has an innate worldview; for example, the Greek has different words for the various types of love one feels for a lover or family member, and the Japanese tends to omit the word “I” in favor of a more collective perspective.
For parents, who are worried about their child’s language abilities, Jan says reassuringly that “Children are more adaptable and have greater potential for learning than adults give them credit for!”
As Jan explains, “The time has come.” Expectations are high as preparations for the middle school are underway, with an internationally renowned director and two unique and inspiring mentors. “Although change is slow, we must act to affect change. To change the world, we must start by changing education!” says Jan with every certainty.
Written by Yu-Hisu Su
Translator: Jen Hsu / Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, NTNU
Images provided by Y2MAC
This article is an excerpt from Y2 2021 Annual Report.