Humanities vs. STEM in Taiwan | Irene Lin – Grade 11

Humanities vs. STEM in Taiwan | Irene Lin – Grade 11

Parents’ expectations heavily influence students’ choices Many Taiwan graduates still find themselves unprepared to enter the workforce Selecting learning tracks is an important event during Taiwanese students’ high school lives. For many teens, it’s the first time they’ve ever made a choice about their future on their own. Unlike elementary and secondary education, college provides […]

Students should have iPads instead of textbooks at school | Estella Tong – Grade 8

Students should have iPads instead of textbooks at school | Estella Tong – Grade 8

Textbooks quickly become outdated iPads give teachers more control iPads are more convenient for projects As technology gets more and more important in our daily lives, schools are starting to buy iPads as educational tools. Teachers often use iPads to conduct their courses. Some believe that it’s easier to learn by using iPads, however, some […]

Why students shouldn’t go to international schools in Taiwan | Tricia Liao – Grade 11

Why students shouldn’t go to international schools in Taiwan | Tricia Liao – Grade 11

Without much free time, international students in Taiwan are often overly stressed Taiwan companies seldom offer internship opportunities Taiwanese parents believe more tests and homework are beneficial to students In order to have a strong educational background, studying abroad has become a trend among Taiwanese students. There were about 60,000 students who went abroad in […]

5 reasons why high school entrance exams are awful | Brian Tu – Grade 10

5 reasons why high school entrance exams are awful | Brian Tu – Grade 10

Pressure and stress the final year of junior high is incredibly high Exams don’t really teach students how to think outside of the box Late nights spent studying aren’t healthy for a growing teenager Being a student in Taiwan is already horrible, but the final year of junior high school is basically purgatory. And it […]

4 Differences Between Chinese and English | Lily Chen, Grade 9

4 Differences Between Chinese and English | Lily Chen, Grade 9

The most commonly learned second language in Taiwan is English In Chinese, the verb stays the same even if tenses are different Chinese is the most commonly spoken language in the world Language is the most important and basic aspect of human civilization; because of it, we have the ability to communicate with others, express […]

4 books every 7th grader should read | Claire Liao, Grade 8

4 books every 7th grader should read | Claire Liao, Grade 8

Every 7th grader should read The Giver because readers need to think hard to understand the story The Hunger Games shows the read how great their lives are without needing to fight to the death against strangers Hatchet teaches the value of not giving up Reading is very important for students because it can help […]

5 reasons why Taiwan’s education drives students nuts | Estella Tong – Grade 8

5 reasons why Taiwan’s education drives students nuts | Estella Tong – Grade 8

Tests don’t only waste students’ time, it’s torturous Long days force students to stay up late to study Teachers in Taiwan like to give students homework even after big exams Taiwan’s education is very different compared to America’s. It really drives students nuts. Some students even have to go to bed at midnight! Here are […]

How students volunteer needs to change: Lily Chen – Grade 8

How students volunteer needs to change: Lily Chen – Grade 8

In Taiwan, community service is a requirement for junior high students to graduate and apply for high school. However, many students cheat on their volunteering hours. Volunteering should not be tied to a student’s scores, as it encourages cheating. Volunteering is an important part of learning. Through volunteering, students gain new experiences and insights, improve […]

Why tests are an evil instrument of torture: Kyle Huang – Grade 8

Why tests are an evil instrument of torture: Kyle Huang – Grade 8

Tests are teachers’ secret weapons. Not testing well greatly diminishes students’ self-esteem. Testing takes up an inordinate amount of students’ time. Tests are incredible wastes of time for Jr. High students. They are useless sheets of old paper that torture our minds to answer completely out of topic questions. It depresses students and sucks the […]

Practical uses for subjects learned in high school: Raymond Hu – Grade 12

Practical uses for subjects learned in high school: Raymond Hu – Grade 12

School is a place full of wonderful knowledge and fascinating exploration, but students always think that it is a waste of time learning some of these subjects. They believe that they will hardly use any of this “knowledge” in the future. That is wrong. They just don’t know when to use it, and I am […]

5 Reasons to Join Biology Club | Kevin Chen – Grade 11

5 Reasons to Join Biology Club | Kevin Chen – Grade 11

Have you ever actually seen and made contact with animals, plants when learning about nature? If you haven’t had the opportunity in your everyday life, you should join the biology club. Here’s why: 1. Caring for animals that you are fond of For those who are not allowed to keep pets or go near them, […]

Differences Between AP and IB: Phil Wang – Grade 9

Differences Between AP and IB: Phil Wang – Grade 9

To go to a great college, you have to start working hard from when you’re in grade 9. Most people go to honors at grade 9 and 10. At grade 11, some people will go to classes called AP or IB. You might think that AP and IB are the same as the honor classes, […]

5 Differences Between Eastern Learning and Western Learning: Brian Tu – Grade 9

5 Differences Between Eastern Learning and Western Learning: Brian Tu – Grade 9

Do you think Western education is better than Eastern education? I totally agree, but both still have their strong points and weaknesses. Here are a few comparisons. 1. “Struggle” means different things Many researchers and psychologists, such as Dr. Jin Li and Dr. Jim Stigler say that many Easterners learn through struggle. On the other […]

School uniforms are the worst | Raymond Hu – Grade 11

High school students in Taiwan always wear uniforms. This has been a tradition for decades, a tradition that annihilates students’ self-esteem, a tradition that should be completely deleted. First, schools are already prison. Schools use classrooms to restrain students, take away their freedom, prohibit items unnecessary for learning, and even monitor what kids can eat. […]

New school, new life: Kevin Chen – Grade 10

New school, new life: Kevin Chen – Grade 10

As we get older we enter an environment where we learn to not only study, but also to have fun — this is high school. School is now a blank slate; new friends and new schedule, it all starts from zero again. At the end of junior high, we have an important test to judge […]

Testing in Taiwan: Irene Lin – Grade 10

Testing in Taiwan: Irene Lin – Grade 10

Tests are often used in our education system; they aren’t only used to tell how much we’ve learned but also to decide which schools we can attend. Testing has become one of students’ daily tasks and concerns. Many commentators claim that by taking so many tests students only learn things are put into tests, so […]

5 things you didn’t know about cram schools in Taiwan: Hanna Hsu – Grade 8

5 things you didn’t know about cram schools in Taiwan: Hanna Hsu – Grade 8

There are many cram schools in Taiwan. Families often send their kids there. Still, you may never know that these five things happen at cram schools. 1. You have to stay there for hours Parents send their kids to cram schools because parents don’t have time to pick them up when they finish regular school. […]

Subjects they should teach in Taiwanese high schools: Raymond Hu – Grade 12

Subjects they should teach in Taiwanese high schools: Raymond Hu – Grade 12

Taiwanese high schools are hell, made to make teenagers suffer. Students can do almost nothing they enjoy and have very little break time. Teachers teach topics that are not beneficial to students’ futures. High school has become a place to fulfill the government’s so-called “education requirements”. This needs to change. First, students should choose the […]