2014
Our primary focus for 2014 is education. In December 2011, I assumed the role as Chairman of Junyi Experimental High School in hopes to form new values for education in Taiwan through innovative experiential learning, bringing in global resources, while offering youths from under-resourced rural and remote communities an equal learning opportunity. Since then, I have gradually guided our manpower, time and resources towards education. I look forward for the school to become an example for the possibility of successful education reform, particularly influencing rural and remote communities of Taiwan, as well as Chinese speaking communities worldwide that face similar issues.
From 2013, we introduced Waldorf education into Junyi’s primary school. Junyi School currently offers education to Grade 9. To provide students consistency throughout their primary and secondary schooling, we wish to be able to offer a complete secondary education by 2017.
We are currently in the second phase of Junyi School’s campus expansion; to build a multipurpose center by June 2016. The center, named Wonderland Center, will not only serve students and faculty of the school, but also of across the country and overseas. It will host experiential learning camps, training and workshop sessions for educators across the country particularly in under-resourced communities, and much more.
With lack of resources and employment opportunities in rural and remote communities, youths are often forced to find work outside of their hometowns causing an increase in separated and skip-generation families. In recent years, we have witnessed a positive change in the government’s education focus and policies in these regions; technical-vocational programs that contribute to the economic development have received an increase of support and recognition.
To date, we have developed technical-vocational programs in four of Taitung’s schools. To provide students a program that demonstrates most current demands of the industry, we engage industry leaders to develop our programs, to teach students whilst training teachers using state-of-the-art technology in hopes to set them at an advantage in their careers. Since 2013, we have established Ecotourism Program at National Taitung University Affiliated Physical Education High School, Sustainable Architecture and Design Program as well as Industrial Design Program at Kung-Tung Technical Senior High School (KTTSHS), Bed and Breakfast Management Program at Yu-Jen High School, and Enrichment Training for Bed and Breakfast Professionals at Cheng Kong Commercial and Aquaculture Vocational High School. The programs fit to industry needs of Huatung (Hualien/Taitung), and express the region’s individuality, character, and unique culture allowing youths to find career prospects in their hometown.
2014, teachers from KTTSHS underwent a month long modeling software training program in Wonderland Nurserygoods Co. Ltd.; the program has since been added to the school’s Industrial Design Program syllabus; presently, a KTTSHS graduate works in Wonderland Nurserygoods Co., Ltd. In addition, KTTSHS’ Sustainable Architecture and Design Program, once an after-school program, developed into a required course proving the success of the program and its value to the school.
Early 2014, after the official launch of Junyi Academy, a free Chinese online learning platform, we began actively promoting the flip-classroom philosophy. Our board member, Han-Wen Zheng, Principal of Taitung County Yanping Township Tao-Yuan Primary School, led educators and students to demonstrate its methods and results in remote regions of Taiwan including its offshore islands – Orchid Island, Green Island. By the end of 2014, over 140,000 users have registered to the website. We hope that in the future it will not only create positive results for education in Taiwan, but for Chinese speaking communities worldwide.
In 2015, to empower educators in rural and remote communities the tools to lead education reform, we will actively host innovative training sessions and workshops in Wonderland Center. We will also work to acquaint technical-vocational schools with respective businesses to continuously develop young talent, in hopes to help youths find their direction in their hometowns. To explore the potential talents and interests of youths in Huatung, we will continue to run our annual English and design camps, as well as partnering with non-profit, Harvest 365, to conduct the Huatung Choir Camp.
In our A New Vista for Children campaign, which supports photography lessons in schools located in rural and remote communities, we have successfully passed on our experiences to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Volunteer Group as well as Yue-Yuen Educational Foundation. These corporate volunteers are now teaching, accompanying, and caring for children from rural areas children. Through teaching with donated cameras, children from these regions learn to explore the world through the lens of a camera. Past exhibitions which received wide recognition for the children held in Taipei, Taitung, Tainan will continue.
We hope to provide educators from rural and remote communities with diverse resources to enable them to advance in time, lead an inspiring learning environment for the children. We hope to develop a new starting point for education, beginning in rural and remote communities, making education the most important foundation for sustainable development in Huatung and Taiwan.
From 2013, we introduced Waldorf education into Junyi’s primary school. Junyi School currently offers education to Grade 9. To provide students consistency throughout their primary and secondary schooling, we wish to be able to offer a complete secondary education by 2017.
We are currently in the second phase of Junyi School’s campus expansion; to build a multipurpose center by June 2016. The center, named Wonderland Center, will not only serve students and faculty of the school, but also of across the country and overseas. It will host experiential learning camps, training and workshop sessions for educators across the country particularly in under-resourced communities, and much more.
With lack of resources and employment opportunities in rural and remote communities, youths are often forced to find work outside of their hometowns causing an increase in separated and skip-generation families. In recent years, we have witnessed a positive change in the government’s education focus and policies in these regions; technical-vocational programs that contribute to the economic development have received an increase of support and recognition.
To date, we have developed technical-vocational programs in four of Taitung’s schools. To provide students a program that demonstrates most current demands of the industry, we engage industry leaders to develop our programs, to teach students whilst training teachers using state-of-the-art technology in hopes to set them at an advantage in their careers. Since 2013, we have established Ecotourism Program at National Taitung University Affiliated Physical Education High School, Sustainable Architecture and Design Program as well as Industrial Design Program at Kung-Tung Technical Senior High School (KTTSHS), Bed and Breakfast Management Program at Yu-Jen High School, and Enrichment Training for Bed and Breakfast Professionals at Cheng Kong Commercial and Aquaculture Vocational High School. The programs fit to industry needs of Huatung (Hualien/Taitung), and express the region’s individuality, character, and unique culture allowing youths to find career prospects in their hometown.
2014, teachers from KTTSHS underwent a month long modeling software training program in Wonderland Nurserygoods Co. Ltd.; the program has since been added to the school’s Industrial Design Program syllabus; presently, a KTTSHS graduate works in Wonderland Nurserygoods Co., Ltd. In addition, KTTSHS’ Sustainable Architecture and Design Program, once an after-school program, developed into a required course proving the success of the program and its value to the school.
Early 2014, after the official launch of Junyi Academy, a free Chinese online learning platform, we began actively promoting the flip-classroom philosophy. Our board member, Han-Wen Zheng, Principal of Taitung County Yanping Township Tao-Yuan Primary School, led educators and students to demonstrate its methods and results in remote regions of Taiwan including its offshore islands – Orchid Island, Green Island. By the end of 2014, over 140,000 users have registered to the website. We hope that in the future it will not only create positive results for education in Taiwan, but for Chinese speaking communities worldwide.
In 2015, to empower educators in rural and remote communities the tools to lead education reform, we will actively host innovative training sessions and workshops in Wonderland Center. We will also work to acquaint technical-vocational schools with respective businesses to continuously develop young talent, in hopes to help youths find their direction in their hometowns. To explore the potential talents and interests of youths in Huatung, we will continue to run our annual English and design camps, as well as partnering with non-profit, Harvest 365, to conduct the Huatung Choir Camp.
In our A New Vista for Children campaign, which supports photography lessons in schools located in rural and remote communities, we have successfully passed on our experiences to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Volunteer Group as well as Yue-Yuen Educational Foundation. These corporate volunteers are now teaching, accompanying, and caring for children from rural areas children. Through teaching with donated cameras, children from these regions learn to explore the world through the lens of a camera. Past exhibitions which received wide recognition for the children held in Taipei, Taitung, Tainan will continue.
We hope to provide educators from rural and remote communities with diverse resources to enable them to advance in time, lead an inspiring learning environment for the children. We hope to develop a new starting point for education, beginning in rural and remote communities, making education the most important foundation for sustainable development in Huatung and Taiwan.
Stanley C. Yen
Chairman
Chairman
