A word from the Founders - Y2 2024 Annual Report
Have you ever thought about your motivation for going to school, studying or learning?
Most people may probably instinctively reply it’s all about getting into the best schools.
And what about after getting into a good school? Then, it’s about finding a good job.
And after that? Securing a well-paid career in order to start a family.
And besides all of this? “Why do I learn? How exactly do I want to live my life? What kind of person do I really want to become?” In the course of growing up, these questions get far too little attention.
(Images provided by Y2 Montessori Parent-Infant Community)
Education, career, and family . . . these are just parts of life, yet they are all too often seen as the end goal, but are they all there is to our short lifetime?
The Oxford Dictionary defines education as, “a process of teaching, training, and learning, especially in schools or colleges, to improve knowledge and develop skills.” However, we believe that education should transcend the mere transfer of knowledge and at its core inspire the potential for goodness within a child. Learning exists in each of life’s moments, where the self and one’s place in the world become valuable. In this way, each human being will be able to not merely adapt but to contribute to the environment and society as a whole. This is what most attracts us to Montessori education—the true connection of learning to living, for living is not simply the passage of time but rather the meaning that comes from developing, thinking, and seeking to understand life under the contraint of time.
The great American sociologist, historian, and civil rights leader W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) once said: “Education must not simply teach work – it must teach life.” We cannot agree more with this phrase.
Education Takes Place in the Home, School, and Greater Society
During 2024, in collaboration with the employee welfare committee of Tyson Bioresearch Inc. (Tyson Bio)—a long-time supporter of Y2 over the years—we officially opened the Y2 Montessori Casa (Y2MC) kindergarten in Tyson Bio’s Corporate R&D Building in Zhubei. Y2MC joins corporate resources and the proximity of busy parents’ workplace and their children’s school to promote a family-friendly workplace. Moreover, we also hope that our “live-to-learn, learn-to-live” environment will help impart Montessori philosophy in early childhood education and families’ ways of life.
At the same time, Y2, along with the Taiwan Montessori Education Center (TMEC) at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University, jointly sponsored a tuition-free Montessori elementary school teacher training program. With the support of Ms. Lam, founder of Taipei Montessori International School (TMIS), and Master Hui Men of the Viriyachan Monastery, the program welcomed the final year of training, at the conclusion of which teachers, who completed three years of training, will return to their own schools and bring Montessori philosophy to Taiwan’s public elementary schools.
Living to Learn: Opportunity for Growth in Each and Every Moment
As each of Y2’s projects are implemented, we have come to appreciate even more deeply the meaning of “live to learn, learn to live.” When witnessing a small child concentrate on a task, whether it be focusing on keeping their hands steady while pouring a glass of water or trying to wipe the top of their tables with a cleaning cloth, these small details of daily life not only help children strengthen their developing muscles but also plant the seeds of “I am capable of contributing” in their hearts.
As Y2MAC's adolescents take their first timid steps into dorm life, we celebrate as they gradually develop their confidence and competencies and adapt with their classmates to a new learning and living environment...all the while building partnerships of mutual reliance that form lasting memories and become the building blocks for their growth.
Learning: Humanity’s Most Precious Ability
Whether it be the tentative steps of children, adolescents, or the adults in their lives, everyone puts forth effort to live to learn and learn to live. This is encapsulated in Montessori education’s guiding principles: Give children ample opportunity to explore on their own, enough space to express themselves and think independently, sufficient experience cooperating with others and the environment for greater good, and continuous practice in the art of resilience and adaptability.
The development of these unique traits prepares them to face the challenges and uncertainties of life with confidence and more importantly, guides them toward being benevolent and competent contributors to society. In this age of rapid technological change, shouldn’t these be the guiding principles to help prepare future generations for life?
Montessori education’s human-centered approach guides, awakens, and illuminates our children’s inner beings. By igniting their curiosity for the greater world and by stoking their drive to learn, children can become lifelong learners. We are deeply grateful to all the frontline educators, planning partners, and corporate supporters who have walked with us on this journey. It is through your generous contributions that this vision to empower every life to harness the transformative power of education continues to take shape.
Founders of Y2 Foundation for Future Education
Andy Chen
Cynthia Hang