TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Since it opened in early 2023, TCS Experimental Education has set itself apart from many other international and Western-style private schools in Taiwan with its unique curriculum that ignites a passion for learning.
The school on National Taiwan Normal University’s Linkou campus is an offshore school that is accredited by the government of British Columbia (B.C.) in Canada. It comprises a middle school and high school.
Instead of a national education ministry, each of Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories is responsible for its own education system.
Taiwan News talked to TCS Experimental Education Principal Grant Sundal, a Canadian national, to learn more about the motivation behind establishing the school and its goals for the future.
A school is born
Sundal said the idea of creating this educational institution began taking shape when he was unexpectedly stuck in Taiwan during the height of the COVID pandemic and noticed the many shared values between Canada and Taiwan. The two peoples are instilled with the spirit of caring about each other and working together to make things better, he said.
This made him decide Taiwan would be a great place to bring a Canadian-style education program. “It seemed like a natural fit to create a school with a strong Canadian flavor that is about the shared vision for quality education and bringing the best experience to kids here,” he said.
Sundal and the other co-founders chose to use a B.C. curriculum because it was “amenable to working with Taiwanese kids.”
To him, the B.C. curriculum’s focus on communication, collaboration, and critical and reflective thinking helps students “figure out their own identities as individuals and Taiwanese citizens.” This style of education also emphasizes personal and social responsibility and identity, Sundal said, which makes students stronger when they go out into the world.
Another benefit of the B.C. curriculum is that it allows students to choose courses that align with their interests and career aspirations. Students can choose from a variety of courses in subjects such as science, social studies, humanities, and arts, according to a school pamphlet.
Upon graduation, students receive both a B.C. and a Taiwan high school diploma.
Culture of 'care'
At first glance, the student body is small. However, this is actually an advantage, the principal argued.
The limited class size makes lessons and teacher-student interactions more “personalized and individualized,” Sundal said. All the teachers know the students, and vice versa, he said.
Sundal said that he personally interviews each and every applicant and meets with their parents. Of the teachers, the principal said he expects them to be passionate about helping students and able to find creative ways of applying the curriculum and inspiring students to do projects.
“Students know when they care,” he said. Teachers have to establish a sense of community in the classroom and facilitate a culture of care, which “goes a long way.”
School staff try to engage with the students in all aspects of the learning process, he said. This includes the clubs that have been established, such as a social service club, a cooking club, and an outdoor adventure club.
Each of these after-school organizations provides students with the resources and guidance to come up with their own ideas and plan their own events or activities, he said.
Educational excellence
By concentrating on core competencies and fundamental skills, TCS Experimental Education wants to create “well-rounded, engaged global citizens” who also have a strong sense of who they are, Sundal said.
In the future, the school wants to become the center of educational excellence “where students feel they are part of a learning community and have control and power and influence and autonomy in terms of what they learn and how they are learning,” the principal said. The ultimate goal is to have happy students who are engaged with their learning and feel that they’re improving and on the track to success, he added.
