Zhong Keng Elementary School: Emerging Metamorphosis (2-2)

>>ZHONG KENG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: EMERGING METAMORPHOSIS (2-1)

The transformed mixed-age classroom for ages 6-9 is a relaxed environment, where children can freely focus on becoming the primary agents of their own learning.

Placing teachers in their most effective role

Though parents were supportive, Ms. Chang knew a bigger challenge lies ahead: teachers would need to receive Montessori teacher training or at least understand Montessori concepts. How to go about building a consensus amongst the teaching staff? "First of all, read the books!" Having benefited from Montessori literature herself, the principal encouraged Zhong Keng teachers to read The Secret of Childhood. The faculty formed a reading club that helped provide a step-by-step guide into the world of Montessori.

However, reading in and of itself was not enough. During the 2021 winter break, Ms. Chang invited the teaching staff to Taipei Montessori International School (TMIS), where they observed a Montessori classroom for the first time. The teachers were astonished: "Who knew the classroom space could be used like this!” one exclaimed. "So, this is how mixed-age education works!" said another. Countless small shocks rippled through the faculty, generating a beautiful vision of an educational landscape that proved to be a powerful inspiration for Zhong Keng’s transformation into a Montessori school.

Ideally, all the teachers would undergo Montessori teacher training. In reality, however, some teachers want to wait and watch at the sideline; some want to learn by doing, while others devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the method. Giving teachers free rein to express their values proved to be a test of the principal’s wisdom.

Classroom reorganization was the school’s first priority. Zhong Keng followed their reviewed and approved experimental education plan. For the first two years, the school maintained mixed-age classes for the lower, middle, and upper grades, while preparing two Montessori classrooms for the 2022-2023 year (one classroom for ages 6-9 and another for ages 10-12). Teachers were the next step. Professional teachers who had received Montessori teacher training serve as primary instructors; teachers learning on the job act as assistant teachers; and those who have received only basic training make up the administrative team, who support and assist classroom instruction.

Each of these three groups has its own strengths. Ms. Chang intends for assistant teachers to continue to learn and grow and one day become primary instructors. "In its Jena Plan, Zhong Keng had two different worlds in one classroom. This is no longer the case!" says Ms. Chang with a smile. Today, teachers teaching in the same classroom have also changed how they interact thanks to the Montessori educational concept. They’re more willing to reflect on their actions and have become more conscientious toward each other. Ms. Chang couldn’t be more pleased: "The atmosphere on campus has become even more harmonious!”

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If the environment isn’t ready, keep making adjustments

The campus is near an equestrian school, making the "equine studies" class a unique feature of Zhong Keng's practical life education.

Montessori education emphasizes a "prepared environment.” That’s a tall order for Zhong Keng Elementary School, which is located in a remote area, has limited resources, and has experienced the devastation of the 921 Earthquake in 1999. For example, when the school was rebuilt after the disaster, planners based the size of classrooms on small-sized rural schools. The resulting classrooms were comparatively small for Montessori teaching and could not be easily expanded. Other than redesignating the auditorium as an open classroom space, learning space expanded outdoors. In the end, the original facility, which would be too crowded to house mixed-age students, was fully utilized - every  available corner inside and outside the confines of the classroom are all part of the learning environment.

What’s more, there’s an equestrian school nearby. One of the “work” for these “cosmic children” is to learn about horse-related knowledge, such as horse health and diet, how to curry a horse’s coat, how to clean stables, precautions for riding and leading a horse, horse mathematics, and even the relationship between horses and human history and culture. Teaching from the perspective of cosmic education expands children's learning and broadens their horizons. The "equine studies” class has unexpectedly become a unique feature of Zhong Keng’s life education.

For Accessible Montessori education to succeed, relying solely on the strength of the school itself is not enough. With the support of a dedicated group of parents and a teaching team unafraid of challenges and committed to continuous learning, Montessori can be implemented step by step, which in the case of Zhong Keng, has allowed Montessori education philosophy to take root.

"No environment can ever be fully prepared. There are always constant adjustments and adaptations.” Zhong Keng’s transformation has just begun, says Ms. Chang. She hopes that after the process has been completed, Zhong Keng Elementary School will truly become "a school that "connects all things with love," where teachers and students will inwardly explore how to become warm and loving human beings!

Written by Yu-Hsiu Su
Translators: Robert Fox, Jen Hsu／Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, NTNU
Images provided by Zhong Keng Elementary School

Zhong Keng Elementary School: Emerging Metamorphosis (2-1)

interview with Ching-Wen Chang, Principal of Zhong Keng Elementary School, Taichung

I walked into Zhong Keng Elementary School in Taichung City’s Heping District on a warm winter afternoon. There were no sounds of students reciting lessons on the quiet campus – all that could be heard was the wind blowing on treetops. In such stillness, it wouldn’t be unusual for one to think the students are sleeping. Peering through a clean and clear window pane on the first floor, I saw children in the middle and lower grades concentrating on completing the tasks at hand. They were orderly and relaxed, an utterly captivating sight of one of the nation’s first public Montessori experimental elementary schools.

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The decision from Jena Plan to Montessori

Inspired by the beauty of the Montessori concept, principal Ching-Wen Chang says she hopes that teachers will no longer have to walk the road of educational transformation alone thanks to the professional development and support provided by TMEC’s Accessible Montessori Program.

Before switching to Montessori in 2020, Zhong Keng was already an experimental elementary school, which followed the Jena Plan educational system and adopted mixed-age teaching. However, it was relatively difficult to grasp Jena Plan’s core spirit. Most instructors had to rely on personal experience alone to resolve challenges of teaching students at varying levels. "We didn’t completely understand the Jena concept. We were mixing ages just for the sake of mixing ages,” said Zhong Keng principal Ching-Wen Chang, who took office in 2019.

Seeing the teachers’ and students’ predicament, Ms. Chang wondered whether change was possible. Her internal voices must have been heard, for an opportunity soon appeared.

Proactive and conscientious, Ms. Chang was studying Adler's positive psychology when the school was about to apply for a continuation plan that required them to delineate their education philosophy. Seeking advice, she consequently spoke with Professor Tung-Lian Cheng of National Chengchi University.

After reading Montessori Today, a book the professor had recommended, she was moved by the Montessori approach to education. "This beautiful concept is worth trying," she said.

Never one to sit idle, the principal immediately packed her bags and travelled with a colleague to Taipei, paying their own way, to attend “Montessori Education in Public Schools,” an experiential camp hosted jointly by the Y2 Foundation for Future Education and the National Chengchi University -  Taiwan Montessori Education Center (TMEC) in August 2020.

They also attended “Accessible Montessori Education Program,” a seminar that explained its application process. Ms. Chang continued to hold discussions with teachers, parents, and scholars, working hard on weekends and holidays to draw up a plan. The school passed the preliminary review in September of the same year.

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Empowering parents to be strategic partners in change

The school’s parent association and volunteer group played a key role in bridging Zhong Keng’s smooth transition to Montessori education.

The law of attraction worked its magic at Zhong Keng. The "Accessible Montessori Education Program " cultivated a new direction for the school. No more would the teachers vacillate between traditional and experimental methods. More importantly, TMEC provided the teachers with professional training and support so they would no longer feel isolated or hesitant in the practice of their profession.

Change takes a commitment to teamwork and planning. Despite Ms. Chang’s enthusiasm, transitioning to Montessori education was no simple matter. It meant re-empowering teachers and spending more time training them. Moreover, teachers also needed to change their attitudes and values. They also need to effectively communicate with parents; none of these changes came easy.

How was all this to be done? After much thought, Ms. Chang approached it from two angles. First, she sought out parents supportive of the concept, with whom she shared Montessori’s educational philosophy. She also explained the changes it might bring to the children and what adjustments teachers would have to make. After obtaining the parents' association’s approval, a LINE group was formed, and the association president and other members assisted the school in communicating with all parents in answering their questions. The parent group's efforts smoothed the transition from Jena Plan to Montessori. "We helped the school provide answers to some preliminary questions, which allowed teachers to focus themselves on improving their teaching methods,” said Guan-Yin Liu, the vice president of the parents’ association.

How would the school assure parents? Ms. Chang believes that: “Children’s changing behaviors is the best way to convince parents.” When children no longer say profanity, run out of class for no reason, and proactively asks questions and tries to find answers when they go home from school…all these seemingly minor changes gradually convince parents to feel at ease to leave their children’s education to the teachers. Not only did new students enroll in the school, there are parents, who drive 40km daily to send their child to Zhong Keng. Currently, the lower elementary class is at full capacity of 30 students, which is an all time high for the school.

Moreover, Zhong Keng’s Facebook posts give parents peeks into their children’s school lives. Ms. Chang believes in the concept that "the best ideas need to be disseminated." Using Facebook to document and share the results of Montessori education is an open and transparent way to relieve any concerns parents might have.

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Parents' True Confessions

The importance of Zhong Keng parents for the school’s successful transition to a Montessori educational program cannot be overstated. Countless parental concerns needed to be discussed: "Why do you want to transform the school? What will happen after the transition to Montessori? How will it impact will the children?" Zhong Keng Experimental Primary School’s parents' association and the volunteer group were crucial for bridging the gap between the parents’ concerns and the school’s objectives, reducing considerably the time administrators would have had to spend answering parents' questions individually.

Parents’ association head Sheng-Hung Liao is a Zhong Keng local opposed to the idea of rote learning. He bases this attitude on trust and letting go. He notes how traditional learning relied on repetition and drilling, whereas Montessori education uses cross-subject projects for learning. More importantly, Montessori schools empower children to find solutions on their own. “When we don’t have an answer to our children’s questions, they will go to their teachers for help or learn to solve them on their own. Parents need to be patient and let it play out,” Liao says and then suggests with a smile that we also need to remind grandparents from time to time to be hands off on academic learning but keep their eyes on their grandchildren’s behavior.”

Zhong Keng Parents’ association’s vice president Guan-Yin Liu, whose children were recipients of Waldorf kindergarten education, notes: "In experimental education, parents must be willing to give up drilling and repetition and let their children educate them." Because the Montessori teacher's materials and methodologies are entirely different from how the parents learned in school, mothers and fathers become very anxious when faced with this new approach. Guan-Yin Liu believes in the need for them “to have trust in both the school and the teacher." Even though the initial transition from Jena Plan to Montessori was a bit chaotic, Principal Chang, nevertheless, still set aside considerable time and is dedicated to communicate the process to the parents: “They just want to see the changes Montessori education can bring their children and hope that experimental education is not an experiment on their children.”

Parents’ association’s vice-president Tsui-Ying Hung stresses that parents need to have faith in the school's professionalism, even if parents sometimes do not understand how the curriculum is organized. For instance, a first-grade material was covered one week, but switched to a second-grade material the following week. It is only after seeing how their children became more immersed in the material did parents realize the teacher’s intent. The parent group ultimately decided it be best to "go with the flow" and refrain from interfering with the methods or progress of teaching.

>> Zhong Keng Elementary School: Emerging Metamorphosis (2-2)

Written by Yu-Hsiu Su
Translators: Robert Fox, Jen Hsu／Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, NTNU
Images provided by Zhong Keng Elementary School

KNOCK-KNOCK, OPEN THE MYSTERIOUS DOOR OF A MONTESSORI MIDDLE SCHOOL (2-2)

>> KNOCK-KNOCK, OPEN THE MYSTERIOUS DOOR OF A MONTESSORI MIDDLE SCHOOL (2-1)

Susan pays meticulous attention and records the small details of students' daily activities. "Observation is a crucial part of Montessori education, and I guide students based on their interests," she explains.

Observation and companionship

What is most impressive about Y2MAC is the level of dedication shown by the guides. They hold nothing back and invest almost all of their energy into the students, observing them with a level of detail that even the students' own parents might not match. The guides are constantly thinking about how to help the students with their self-development and growth as well as how the curriculum plan should be adjusted accordingly.

Susan keeps a notebook that is almost the size of an A3 paper, in which she writes down her daily observation of each student. She notes every detail, whether it be related to their learning or interactions with others. "Observation is an essential part of Montessori education," she explains.

After observing the students' states, what should or should not be done is a big question. For example, Fankan noticed that some students would feel proud and superior because they finished their work first or thought they knew more than others. He chose to observe further and understand the student's "pride." He found that the sense of pride was a learning motivation for one student. It did not lead him to look down on others, and he would help other students who did not understand. Therefore, Fankan said, "I'll leave it alone for now," and if it does not cause trouble for other students, he will continue to observe and see how it goes. Leaving things alone for now is also a kind of wisdom.

In Y2MAC, how does the team ensure that all the adults know the status of every student? To ensure all information about student affairs can be kept timely and transparently, the team cleverly uses “Notion,” a software where records of individual students can be searched easily for further analysis and around which discussions can be centered in the curriculum meetings.  "We conduct a comprehensive assessment for each student every term, and there will be two assessments for math goals, mainly to help students set up their goals. We usually help students think about the issue by designing some questions for them to better understand themselves, which is more important than achieving any goal," said Fankan.

Apart from observing and recording from the sidelines, teachers and students spend a lot of time together in their daily life. Since students are not allowed to bring mobile phones, everyone gathers in the living room for free activities after school, such as playing the guitar, reading, and playing board games - the enjoyment of real interaction amongst each other.

Jan shares the importance of this after-school time at the residence: "We hope that adolescents have more opportunities for face-to-face communication. Real friends are better than virtual friends. Because there are no smart phones here in our school, attention will naturally be focused on the "people" in front of them. Adolescents need close and deep interpersonal connections, to share their feelings with friends. Whether it is joy or fear, knowing that they are not alone, even if they are comfortable and quiet together."

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The administrative team is the strong support

It is the whole-hearted care for each student that allows for such meticulous observations and adjustments. "The teachers work extremely hard and have exceeded my expectations, which makes me proud ," says Jan.

For parents, whose children are attending the first boarding Montessori middle school in Taiwan, are living in the residence away from home, and cannot be contacted by cellphone anytime, there is bound to be some concern. Jan, Fankan, and Susan are grateful that the parents choose to trust the school. Fankan jokes that the parents are really brave. This trust comes not only from detailed parent briefing during in-depth sessions before enrollment and monthly parent-teacher meetings, but also from the administrative team who constantly handles numerous details and communications behind the scenes. Freya, who is responsible for operations, has all the parents' contact information in her phone. If parents have any problems, they can contact the school immediately. "At the beginning, everyone messaged me frequently. As the understanding between parents and teachers gradually grew, it has become much less now." Freya's high EQ and patience have become the guides' big assistance, allowing them to focus on the needs of the students and curriculum planning.

Freya, who is responsible for operations, has all the parents' contact information in her phone. If parents have any problems, they can contact the school immediately.

From small things like electricity and water bills, it is the work of the administrative staff to ensure the school can operate smoothly. Fortunately, with the assistance of project manager Amy, the system can be built from scratch, allowing Freya to have time to think about the future growth of the school. At this moment, she is also thinking about how to better support the development of every team member, how to attract more adventurous people to join the team, and how to make the workplace more female friendly and inclusive !

During the interview, it was strongly felt that the principal, guides, and administrative staff have fully dedicating themselves, putting all of their hearts and minds into the students. Behind the seemingly relaxed classroom scenes, there are countless meticulous plans and preparations. How can students who want to learn erhu and play guitar take music classes together? What are the meanings conveyed in drama? How can the adolescent community prepare lunches that everyone can enjoy within the budget?

For every on the team of Y2MAC, which was established just a year ago, it is a learning experience. Jan pointed out that in New Zealand, it takes adolescents about one to two years to truly adapt to Montessori education. Considering the more authoritative education system in Taiwan, she estimated that students may need two years to truly get used to asking questions and engaging in self-directed, project-based learning.

In a blink of an eye, new students are about to join the Y2MAC family for the upcoming school year. The current 7th graders will become seniors. Their new task will be to guide visitors and new comers and to introduce the adolescent community to them. Jan has already begun planning her new project, with a focus on the recent COVID-19 pandemic, guiding students to learn about the history of plague and epidemics. In addition, students will start new small businesses, including making organic soaps and selling them to learn business logic in the real world. Those of you reading this article may be the audience, to whom they intend to sell!

A brand new Montessori middle school landscape is unfolding in Zhudong, with each person holding a different paintbrush yet working together to create the future - a future where students can be themselves, be independent, be willing to take risks, explore the unknown, and be happy to work with others!

Written by Yu-Hsiu Su
Translators: Robert Fox, Jen Hsu／Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, NTNU
Images provided by Y2MAC

Knock-Knock, Open the Mysterious Door of A Montessori Middle School (2-1)

Interview with Y2 Montessori School – Adolescent Community (Y2MAC)

This is a story about love and growth, exploration and trust, waiting and understanding.

The story takes place in a school surrounded by greenery in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The protagonists of the story are nine adolescents, three guides (teachers), and the administrative staff who support them from behind. This is the story of the birth of Taiwan's first Montessori boarding middle school. Everything is still taking shape, constantly evolving, and being created...

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Every step is a new attempt

Arriving at Y2MAC from Hsinchu High-Speed Rail station takes only about 15 minutes, and it is only about a three-minute drive from Baoshan Reservoir. What catches the eye is a vast residential community surrounded by peaceful and soothing greenery, including cherry blossoms, maple leaves, olive trees, and coconut palms.

As soon as it's time for school, the students proactively head towards the spacious community center classroom from their four-story residence. Some prefer to walk, some like to ride their bicycles, and some adolescents are asking the principal, Jan, to borrow her electric skateboard. "Why do you need it?" The principal leans against the stairs, casually yet seriously asking for the reason for borrowing. The adolescent scratches his head and tries to explain the reason with basic English vocabularies, hoping to get Jan’s approval. After two or three minutes of conversation, he finally receives Jan’s nod and "OK." The adolescent excitedly rushes out of the residence and slides towards the classroom, looking cool.

Such small stories are common in Montessori middle schools. “What do you want to do? What interests you? What don't you want?” All of these can be freely expressed. This group of seventh graders are expected to learn to how express and discuss in English; of course, this wasn't the case in the first term when the Montessori middle school first opened.

For those students accustomed to traditional directive teaching, it is not easy to learn without textbooks and to think about what they want to learn. When the teachers ask, "What topics are you interested in?”, the response they get is often a pair of confused and puzzled eyes. Those adolescents have never thought that they can customize their learning topics, so the teachers at the Montessori middle school have to guide them patiently and indirectly, using various methods to encourage them to explore and think about the topics they want to delve into.

After two terms, some students have gradually entered a better state, knowing what topics they are interested in, while others are still exploring. However, the teachers are not in a hurry because, for Montessori middle school, every student is unique and at a different pace. Even if they observe certain characteristics in a student, the teachers will not openly reveal them, but will, instead, quietly observe and carefully make a record, waiting for the adolescents to grow and change gradually.

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Waiting for adolescents to discover their inner beauty

"Waiting" is a deeply rooted belief for Y2MAC teachers, who always wait for adolescents to discover their own inner beauty. Jan, the principal with over 30 years of Montessori education experience, says that waiting is key. Adults must wait for children to be ready, to "discover their inner beauty, and then be willing to share and show that beautiful self to the world."

Therefore, in a Montessori middle school, you won't hear reminders like "Wake up! It's time for class! It's time to eat! It's time to take a shower! Bring out your dirty clothes to wash!" Instead, teenagers complete their daily tasks at their own pace and speed. All of these daily tasks are part of Montessori education, because developing independence is the most important task for teenagers aged 12-18.

One of the guides, Fankan Hsu, echoes the importance of waiting by explaining: “Because adolescents at this stage are going through a transformation, their body and mind are in turmoil, as they are practicing and preparing to grow into adults."

"So, if an adolescent doesn't want to wear dirty clothes, they must learn to wash them because there are no adults here to help with laundry," Jan winked and said with a smile. When a student takes too long to shower, others will complain. Fairness and justice are the values they prioritize most at this developmental stage. Naturally, with the influence of peers, adolescents learn to be responsible and respectful of others' needs. This is why boarding is emphasized in Montessori middle schools. Here, adolescents are seen as independent individuals; at home, they are seen as children who need to be taken care of by their parents.

What makes Jan most pleased and satisfied is that the students are more willing to try now. Adolescents become more independent and take care of each other. “From knowing nothing, they naturally become capable of doing everything!”, explains Jan.

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Changes in adolescents convince parents to trust the school more

The adolescents usually go home once a week, and parents can see the transformation from their once-pampered children who were used to having everything served to them, to mature and considerate young people who are willing to help out with chores in the kitchen and to openly share their school experiences with their parents. These changes are evident to parents, who feel more at ease knowing that their children have grown and matured. "The changes in their children are the best proof that they can trust the school," says Jan.

Before enrollment, the parents already knew that a Montessori middle school did not follow the traditional exam system, but instead focused on various learning projects. All the parents agreed that it was not about getting high grades, but rather what the students learned. As the math guide, Fankan sees his role as that of a "tour guide," leading the students to turn math concepts learned from elementary to middle school into a map of math. The students can then choose which areas they want to explore. Because every student has a different starting point for math, there are no unified learning goals here. Instead, learning is based on the students' interests and areas of exploration, with the guide helping them assess if they have reached their own learning goals. Both teachers and students need time to adapt and prepare for this learning style. The guide provides the direction, allowing students to follow the path and discover the beauty of the journey for themselves.

In addition, as English is the instructional language of the school, and as each student has a different language level, it is a challenge for English Language Arts (ELA) guide Susan Chen. "I guide students based on their interests. If they like to write poetry, we start learning English from poetry.” She thinks the biggest challenge is encouraging students to speak English to each other. However, because the principal and house parents are foreigners, students automatically switch to English when they see them. After two terms, Susan plans to adjust the ELA curriculum to include an English supplementary class in the morning. "We want to try to activate the English mode early in the morning and see if students will be more willing to speak English throughout the day," she shared.

It Is the guides’ whole-hearted care for each student that allows for such meticulous observations and adjustments. "The guides work extremely hard and have exceeded my expectations, which makes me proud,” says Jan.

>> Knock-Knock, Open the Mysterious Door of A Montessori Middle School (2-2)

Written by Yu-Hsiu Su
Translators: Robert Fox, Jen Hsu／Graduate Institute of Translation and Interpretation, NTNU

The Birth of a Montessori School

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!”

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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

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This article is an excerpt from Y2 2021 Annual Report.

Every child is a genius

Adolescence is a time when the human body and mind undergo tremendous change. The million-dollar question for middle school teachers is how to balance high academic pressures and children’s developmental needs.

Fortunately, a group of children under the guidance of Montessori-trained educators are working to achieve that balance. These children have developed almost computer-like ability to sift through and synthesize information. Moreover, they have the opportunity to learn the art of socializing through the experience of boarding. According to Chen Hui-Chun (Chen), director of the Green Shepherd Montessori Elementary School in Taichung, “conventional education focuses on the assessment of teaching results through homework and exams. Montessori education works through teacher demonstration and group discussion of a concept. It doesn’t offer one correct answer to any question. On the contrary, students are encouraged to find their own answers through the process of preparing oral presentations, in which students can share their findings with others.”

Montessori is an aid for neurological development

 “Every child is a genius. It’s just that often times, different education methods may overshadow their brilliance,” describes Chen. When Chen’s son was in preschool, he questioned why Seran wrap clung to surfaces but not to hands. When a six year-old child asks a question, which requires high school physics to solve, Chen explains that as the adult, she cautiously & closely worked with her son to discover the answer together. In order to provide her son with room to learn more freely, Chen begins to explore Montessori elementary school education. Little did she know that this choice will later change the path of her career.

At the time, Chen was working as a medical technician specializing in cytopathology. When her son received Montessori education in early childhood, Chen recognized that this type of learning clearly aided neurological development. In 2013, she funded her own tuition and attended the AMI Montessori Elementary Teacher Training program, diving into the field of education.

“Initially, there weren’t any organizations like Y2 Foundation for Future Education. Most teachers took out loans to pay for their training,” expressed Chen. She decided to take the elementary Montessori course, because she was interested in its core concept of “cosmic education.” She wondered how the teacher can, at each stage of development, motivate the students to willingly learn through repeated practice—all the while engaging the children’s learning and interest to build a solid academic foundation. This way, the students can make a smooth transition to secondary school, where learning is much more abstract.

Different goals for different stages of education

 “Fortunately through the Foundation’s sponsorship, I am able to attend the AMI/NAMTA Orientation to Adolescent Studies program in 2018, which enabled me to have a more comprehensive and macro level understanding of the Montessori Method. Through discussions and working with teachers at the Green Shepherd Montessori Elementary School, we made adjustments to how to implement Montessori theories. Whereas in elementary school the goal is to inspire interest, in the middle school curriculum, we incorporate interdisciplinary and practical application of various subjects to project-based learning, where students can practice and participate in civil society.”

During her time training abroad, Chen saw that the children of Taiwan will face global competition. Both the challenges and opportunities awaiting them are unknown. According to Chen, “adults, therefore, should be guides rather than teachers.” Dr. Montessori believed that every child has an inner teacher, who guides the child to self-learn. Teachers are encouraged to spend more time to observe children and provide only the necessary guidance and resources.

Montessori education has been practiced around the world for over a century. Today, it offers the gift of enabling children to develop the ability to identify resources and acquire a macro perspective within their own surrounding environment. Through ”place-based learning,” the Montessori Method prepares children’s character and skillset so that they are ready for globalization in the future.

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This article is an excerpt from Y2 2019 Annual Report.

Child-centered education promotes independent thinking

The teacher of a child-centered approach to education attends to each child’s own skill level and pace of learning. An elementary school teacher must consider this aspiration in conjunction with preparing the students to transition to middle school. If you are an elementary school teacher, how would you manage a mixed-age classroom, while ensuring the curriculum truly matches the learning needs of every child?

Teaching & learning: for children to be proactive

“Going to school is so much fun, like going on holiday!” It is because of this declaration from his daughter that Lee Hsien-wei (Lee) decided to train as a Montessori teacher.  Lee is now a teacher at the Harvard Montessori Elementary School in Tainan. When Lee’s daughter first began kindergarten, she was often reluctant to go, but her resistance went away completely when she moved to a Montessori preschool a year later. Inspired by the change in his daughter, Lee accepted the invitation of Hsieh Fu-chue (then director of the Harvard Montessori Preschool) to co-found a Montessori elementary school.

Montessori elementary school teachers need to have many skills up their sleeve. “Thanks to the grant provided by Y2 Foundation, I was able to attend the 2017 AMI Montessori Elementary Teacher Training program in the US. When combined with my experience of working in the new elementary school project during its first two years, the training is extremely helpful to my teaching. I am truly convinced that if you give children freedom and respect, they will be proactive learners.”

As the AMI elementary training takes three summers to complete, Lee found that the training broadened his horizons even further each year. From the initial focus on teaching aids, the course gradually expanded to a deeper understanding of the Montessori philosophy.

 
“Teachers need to know how to make good use of the teaching aids and understand how these materials can help turn abstract concepts into something concrete,” Lee explained. “But more importantly, it’s about the balance between teaching and learning. Teachers need to give just enough information to stimulate students’ interest but not too much that they get bored. It’s about how to motivate the students to do more research and to dig deeper.”

During the history lesson, for instance, after Lee made a brief introduction to the history of Taiwan, some students became interested in and proactively began to study the names of roads in Tainan before turning their attention to the historical city walls and gates. The students discovered there were remains of old city walls within Tainan Park and about the relocation of the Lesser West Gate. “The children understood how hard our ancestors worked to build the city walls and the love and heritage that have been passed down from generation to generation. While they felt sad about tearing down the old city walls due to practical necessity, the children also had an opportunity to reflect on the trade-off between the preservation of history and culture versus economic development. This kind of appreciation and critical thinking can’t be learned from textbooks or lectures alone.”

Self-directed learning vs. rote memorization

In order to transition to the next level of education, Lee believes Montessori elementary school teachers have the responsibility to help children learn, at a minimum, all the skills conventional elementary schools deliver. To help ensure children can smoothly move from Montessori elementary to secondary school, Lee attended the AMI/NAMTA Orientation to Adolescent Studies program (for ages 12–18) in 2019.

For Lee, guiding children to think critically about What is the purpose of learning? What is meaning of life? is much more important than the mere transmission of knowledge. He has seen many children, whose smiles are stifled by exam pressures, even to the point that some say they no longer know what they’re living for. This is why Lee is more convinced than ever about the importance of Montessori education.

“Artificial intelligence is bound to replace many skills that we teach in traditional education. We have to go back to the basics and foster children’s self-driven interest and motivation for learning,” according to Lee. “More importantly, we have to enable children to appreciate all aspects of what they inherited from nature and all of the love and cultural heritage of our ancestors. This is so that children can begin to think about what it means to be human and the role they each can play. I believe this is the true purpose of education.”

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This article is an excerpt from Y2 2019 Annual Report.

A Montessori preschool in Wanhua － A new kind of education blooms in the old quarters of Taipei

What comes to mind when you think of Wanhua? A historic neighborhood? Longshan Temple? Snake Alley?What do you imagine a Montessori school would be like? Expensive? Lots of teaching materials? Different from traditional schools?

A new type of education is flourishing in the old neighborhood of Wanhua. Children, parents, and the local community are all benefiting from Montessori philosophy in ways that are gradually bringing change.

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From failing to star preschool

 
Back in 2012, after integrating its kindergarten and nursery school, the Taipei Municipal Wanhua Preschool was left with unfilled student vacancies. Things began to change after Hui-Ling Lu was selected by the Taipei Department of Education to be the new director. The once unpopular preschool now has hundreds of families on the waiting list. The preschool’s transformation results from integrating the Montessori Method into the existing curriculum. The key to the school’s success was Director Lu’s commitment to create a prepared environment for the children and to prepare teachers during the change.

Upon walking into Wanhua Preschool, the bright, spacious rooms feel like a private preschool. The children are all busy doing something: some squeezing lemon juice to share with others, another concentrating on the Addition Snake Game, while a group of children are working on a geography jigsaw puzzle. The teachers are not shouting “Quiet!” or “Sit down!” Instead, there is a serene learning atmosphere. Here, learning to live and learning knowledge are one in the same, as order, logic, and life skills are all integrated.

Education absolutely changes children

 
Director Lu of the preschool has gotten used to visitors being astonished and moved by what they see. “Because of where we are, half of the children in our preschool come from underprivileged families. As we transitioned to the Montessori model in 2015, our biggest challenge was to help these children enjoy learning and to help children with special needs find their place in the educational system.”

In fact, many of these “special needs” children simply lacked cultural stimulus. To help them, Director Lu applied for assistance from special education professionals, who’d come in to support these children and to assist their smooth transition to formal elementary school education. “This situation is just like when Maria Montessori set up the first Children’s House in Rome,” remarked Director Lu. Montessori believed that education can change children. Education provides children from disadvantaged families with more cultural stimulus, while other children have the opportunity to learn even more. Education is not about requiring all children to reach the same standard.

Putting children at the center of learning

At the Municipal Wanhua Preschool, teachers are always attentive, observing children as they progress through different stages. For example, once the teachers overheard children talking about how eggs hatch into chicks. The next day, without saying anything, the teachers placed five eggs in the classroom. The children who found the eggs were delighted and started to talk about how to hatch them, coming up with lots of ideas, including lamps, thermometers, and chicken nests. In the end, three chicks hatched.

But what next? The teachers followed the children’s curiosity and responded by asking all sorts of questions: How should the chicks be raised? Where should they live? What do they eat? What if there are rats? The children wrecked their brains and tried to find solutions together. They even used Lego bricks to build a model chicken coop and asked the Director to find a carpenter to build it. Now, the third generation of chicks have been born.

“I think what’s great about Montessori education is that it respects children and doesn’t have standardized teaching materials,” explained Director Lu. “Teachers provide education that suits each child’s individual needs. But it’s very important to have teachers who are prepared, because they have to observe, wait, and think about when to give, what to give, and how to prepare children for what’s next.”

Teachers impact children’s lives

At first, the teachers were uncertain about integrating the Montessori Method into the curriculum, but Director Lu encouraged them to try. “The teachers love the children as much as I do,” illustrated Director Lu. “At the end of the day, we all just want to do more for them.”

Director Lu continued to motivate the teachers by assuring, “You can impact the children’s lives.” Because of these teachers, who are not afraid to try new things and willing to spend their own holidays doing 360 hours of local Montessori teachers’ training, many underprivileged children now have the opportunity to benefit from this change. What’s more, the affect upon the children has also led to changes in their families. “Our child learned to clear the table and even reminds us to do it now!” exclaimed a parent with a smile.

“The Montessori Method is actually an education model, not a technique. Children are born with the innate disposition to self-learn, and they can expand their intelligence through learning, as long as we’re willing to offer them the opportunity,” according to Director Lu.

The success story of the Wanhua Preschool exemplifies the change Montessori education can bring, regardless of families’ socio-economic status. A new kind of education continue to flourish in an old neighborhood.