Taipei American School is an innovative 21st century learning community. Our mission is to inspire each student to be a confident, creative, caring, and moral individual prepared to adapt and succeed anywhere in a rapidly changing world. We provide an American-based education with a global perspective that results in a love of learning, academic excellence, a balanced life, and service to others.
Taipei American School offers opportunities for students to reach their full potential to become caring, competent, knowledgeable young people who are dedicated to making a positive difference anywhere in the world.
Editor-in-Chief & Artistic Director
BY LINDSEY KUNDEL, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER BY ALFREDO PAPASEIT, LOWER SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY & DESIGN
YOUSSIF
BY AUDREY H. (‘23) & AMBER W. (‘23), THE BLUE & GOLD
BY BETTY CHANG, MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER
BY LINDSEY KUNDEL, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
BY DR. RICHARD HARTZELL, FORMER UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
They say that home is where the heart is, but what do you do when your head, heart, and home are not in the same physical space? At the beginning of every new school year, our community welcomes new people into our home, where our hearts most assuredly are. However, we would be remiss to forget about the many newcomers, both young and old, who are walking in our hallways, learning in our classrooms, working in our offices and settling into our neighborhoods who have not yet engraved Taipei American School onto their hearts. While we know that this will soon become a true home for them, we should also not be afraid of remembering that they probably still consider somewhere else their true home, at least for now. This year, as we welcome these strangers, strangers who will soon be dear to us, I want us to think about what it means to welcome.
I will admit that I first began thinking about this after reading a few passages on the idea of “welcoming the stranger” from the Bible. This may be where my thoughts began, but this same sentiment is echoed countless times throughout history and across various schools of thought. In the Old Testament, those of the Judeo-Christian faith are told, “When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong.You shall treat the stranger with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were once strangers in the land” (Leviticus 19:33-34). While this passage is literally meant to teach the Israelites to not oppress foreigners, the command continues that just refraining from oppression is not enough: we must love and welcome these new people — described as “strangers” — as we would ourselves. In this case, we are told not just to not do something; we are told to refrain from doing something bad AND commanded to actively do something good: to love these new people, people who need welcomed into our fold. Passivity is not enough, this year, or any year.
This idea of welcoming others in an
active way is repeated in many other world religions and philosophies. Immanuel Kant saw hospitality as the defining element that brings people of different cultures together in a political context. For Kant, hospitality is a “natural right” possessed of all human beings, “by virtue of their rights to communal possession of the earth’s surface.” Kant believes that our newcomers, our strangers, have a right to a strong welcome from us simply because they are human. If we, the hosts, deny them their proper welcome, aren’t we, in this vein, potentially denying their own humanity?
Jacques Derrida comes at the idea of hospitality from a slightly different angle. For him, it is not one’s humanity that demands a welcome — it is the fact that we share a common language: “We only ever speak one language — and, since it returns to the other, it exists asymmetrically, always for the other, from the other, kept by the other. Coming from the other, remaining with the other, and returning to the other.” At Taipei American School, while we know that there are MANY languages spoken both in school and at home, we do share two common languages: English and a less concrete language, one that is a habit of heart and mind more than it is a literal spoken language. We share the pursuit of personal and academic excellence in all that we do, and this language is a bridge that can surmount even the most challenging linguistic or cultural barrier that we might face within our community. Civility, respect, responsibility, kindness, honesty, and courage are our unifying language in this community, where we care for one another with compassion and love.
In Islamic thought, the concept of hospitality is also clear. The Prophet, Muhammad, is reported to have said, “There is no good in the one who is not hospitable.” In Islam, hospitality is also a right, not a gift, and to be hospitable is a triangular relationship between the host, guest, and God. In this thought, it is morally imperative to be both a good host and a good guest, since we will both
occupy both roles at some point in our lives. Our ability to both give and receive hospitality, then, becomes a way of measuring our worth as individuals. Think about this the next time you see a new friend in our hallways!
The last quote that I want to leave you with is one from The Buddha: “When watching after yourself, you watch after others. When watching after others, you watch after yourself.” I love this quote because it reminds me that the good that we do in this world is repaid to us in kind. When we take care of our own needs, we help to make sure our community will thrive. And when we take care of other people, we also are helping to take care of ourselves. But there is another way to read this quote — and that is that when we look after ourselves or other people, it is the same thing because we are all one. One community with the same goal. So what do we have to lose? Nothing.Your welcoming will not tax you, will not burden you — it will only bring more good to you and to our shared world.
A community is only as strong as each individual within it. So at the beginning of this school year, please, reach out to one another. Encourage your children to have play dates and make relationships with new children. And parents, remember that you, too, are part of our community and can help to include our new adults just as our students will be encouraged in the classrooms. While many of our students have been physically located in Taipei, Taiwan, or Asia for their lives, not all of them have been here within our specific family. Please think of the people who have left their friends, families, pets, and bring them into your own circle of friends and families. We may not all speak the same languages, but a warm smile and a welcome can work wonders in this world.
Dr. Sharon D. Hennessy Head of School們說家就是心靈之所在，
但當您的頭腦、心和家都
不在同一個形體空間時，
您會怎麼做？在每個新學年開始
時，我們的社群歡迎新人進入我們 心中最確定的家。然而，我們有時 會疏忽地忘了許多尚未將台北美 國學校刻入心扉的新來者，無論長 幼，他們走在我們的走廊裡，在我
們的教室裡學習，在我們的辦公室 工作，並正在我們的社群中安頓下 來。雖然我們知道這裡很快就會成 為他們真正的家園，但我們也不應 怕記得他們仍然可能認為其他地方 是他們真正的家，至少目前如此。 今年，當我們歡迎這些即將成為我 們寶貴的陌生人時，我希望我們考 慮一下歡迎的意義。迎接的社群對 新來者的道德義務是什麼？ 我承認，在閱讀了幾篇關於“ 歡迎陌生人”的經文後，我才開始 思索這個問題。這可能是我的思緒 開始的地方，但同樣的情緒在歷史 和各種思想流派中無數次地呼應 過。在舊約聖經中，猶太基督徒信 仰認為：“當一個陌生人在你的土 地上與你同住時，你不應該虧待
許多其他世界性的宗教和哲學 都重複了這種以積極方式歡迎他人 的想法。伊曼紐康德將好客視為在 政治環境中將不同文化的人聚集在 一起的決定性因素。對於康德而 言，熱情好客是所有人擁有的“自 然權利”，“憑藉他們共同擁有地 球表面的權利。”康德認為，我們 的新人，我們的陌生人，有權受到 我們強烈的歡迎。因為他們是人， 如果我們這些東道主拒絕恰當地歡 迎他們，我們是否會因此否定他們 自己的人性？
Jacques Derrida從一個略微不 同的角度來看待熱情好客的想法。 對他來說，不是人性需要受歡迎 - 而是事實上我們有一個共同的語 言：“我們從來只說一種語言 -因 為它回歸到另一種語言，它不對 稱的存在，總是為了他者，起自他 者，由他者保持。來自他者，與他 者留存，並回歸他者。”在台北美 國學校，雖然我們知道在學校和家 裡都有很多語言，我們分享兩種常 用語言：英語和不太具體的語言， 一種心和靈的習慣，多過一種字面 的口語。我們在所有工作中都追求 個人和學術上的卓越，這種語言是 一座橋樑，可以克服我們在社群中
供和接受好客的能力，成為衡量我 們個人價值的一種方式。下次您在 我們的走廊裡看到一個新朋友時想 想這個！ 我想給您留下的最後一句話是 佛陀的一句話：“當照看自己，你 照看著別人。而照看別人時，你正 照看著自己。”我喜歡這句話，因 為它讓我想起我們在這個世界所做 的好事，會同樣償還給我們自己。 當我們照顧自己的需求時，我們會 幫助確保我們的社群能夠蓬勃發 展。當我們照顧其他人時，我們也 在幫助照顧好自己。但還有另一種 方式來閱讀這句話 - 那就是當我們 照顧自己或其他人時，這是同一回 事，因為我們是一體。一個目標相 同的社群。我們賦予任何其他人的 好處與為自己做好事完全相同。那 麼我們必須失去什麼？不會。您的
此關懷。 在伊斯蘭思想中，好客的概念 也很清楚。據報導，先知穆罕默德 曾說過，“不好客的人沒益處。” 在伊斯蘭教中，好客也是一種權 利，而不是禮物，好客是主人、客 人、上帝之間的三角關係。這三者 都是必不可少的，這種關係有多種 方式。在這種思想中，成為一個好
We all need to keep learning, and to continue growing as professionals. It’s why, as a school, we take professional development for our teachers, administrators, and other staff members so seriously.
And the same is true for our Board of Directors.
A highly effective Board is key to the health of a school. Being a member of the Board is a vitally important job. And so, just like any other job, being successful requires extensive, ongoing training, reflection, and development.
Fortunately, our Board recognizes that need and takes their own professional growth as seriously as they do that of our staff, faculty, and administrators.
That’s why they recently spent three days working with John Littleford, arguably the top independent school board governance consultant in the world. Mr. Littleford, who started his consulting firm in 1994, spent 18 years as a head of school, 25 years as a teacher, and has also served as a board member and chair of both schools and other nonprofits. It’s no surprise, then, that Mr. Littleford now has hundreds of clients, including the best independent schools in the United States and around the world.
The Board’s goal for their three days of workshops was to ensure their understanding of best practices for school boards, so that they could support the school in the best possible ways, and therefore help ensure students have the best possible experiences on campus.
To achieve that end, Mr. Littleford used the case study method to discuss common problems in school governance, and to therefore develop shared understandings of how the best boards add value to the experience of their
schools’ students. That is why individuals serve on a school’s board, after all: to serve both the students of today and those of tomorrow.
One of the key takeaways for the Board was the importance of taking the long-term view. Even though most members of our board are elected parents, they are chosen to represent the school as an institution. That’s why so many schools refer to this group as a “board of trustees:” board members hold the school in trust, respecting the school’s traditions while ensuring the best possible education for both current students and generations to come.
Their job is ultimately to ensure we are the same great school, not only for their children, but for their children’s children, and even that generation’s children as well.
As a result of their work with Mr. Littleford, the Board now has an even better understanding of their three jobs:
First, to hire, nurture and evaluate the Head of School. Second, to ensure the School’s fiscal health. Third, to ensure the School remains mission driven.
That is, they know their job is to set the School’s direction, and to ensure the Head of School is the right person, and has the resources she needs, to achieve those goals.
It’s a challenging job. It’s hard to set aside one’s own personal interests when, as parents elected by the community, they have students of their own enrolled in the school. But we are fortunate to have a Board that gives generously of their time to ensure they do just that, to ensure their job is done well, including by making sure they get the training and professional development they need.
By relying on Mr. Littleford’s expertise, the Board ensured they were in good hands. And that will help ensure that, by selecting this Board of Directors, Taipei American School is in good hands.
LINDSEY KUNDEL
BY LINDSEY KUNDEL, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
In late August, TAS was fortunate to welcome back world-renowned independent school consultant Mr. John Littleford. Mr. Littleford, whose extensive client list includes many of the top independent and international schools in the world, has been visiting Taipei American School for over 27 years. This year he focused his presentation on the need to define “excellence” in the world of the great independent schools. Reminding his audience that while many public schools can be good, those who attend the finest independent schools have a myriad of advantages. He believes Taipei American School, given its history and its mission, combines the best of American independent schools, public schools, and international schools, and results in a unique definition of what an excellent independent school can and should look like.
Littleford is a firm believer in the power of independent schools, having attended both public and private schools as a student himself. The difference between the two types of schools, to him, is that truly great independent schools make students feel valued: “no matter how small you are, or how athletically poor you are, [they teach students] that you can do anything you set your mind to.” With missions that fuse academics, extra-curriculars, athletics, and character development in radically intentional ways, the schools he believes best serve students owe their greatness to the ability to make students feel valued, cared for, and recognized.
Another important part of his discussion of excellence rested on the need for
a school community to understand the mission of the School, be sure it is reflective of what the majority of families seek, and then take steps to support retaining institutional memory. To Littleford, great schools have both “long term leadership” and “consistency of mission,” and those two things are interrelated. When crucial positions of school leadership have little turnover, schools flourish due to the symbiotic energy among the leaders as they enact the school’s mission—one for present day community and one for the future generation of students. Citing years of research, he noted that when a school has to “constantly redefine the same issues,” it is inherently regressing and not progressing in its mission. Institutional memory, consistency and continuity of leadership, and strong administrative and Board partnerships are hallmarks of the more successful schools.
Lastly, Littleford suggested that an independent school can look to its teachers to figure out whether it meets his definition of excellence: “Did you ever have a teacher who made a positive and dramatic impact on your life?” Most people will answer yes to at least one teacher. It is the responsibility of those who recruit teachers to assure that every student will one day be able to say “Yes, I remember that teacher, and he or she made a big difference in my life.” If TAS is to continue to pursue excellence, always supporting and nurturing those memorable, impactful teachers is essential.
"Great schools are led by great leaders who hire great teachers, who have a magical ability to ask children to give every single bit of the God-given talent that they've inherited and grown up with, without asking more of them than they can possibly get. In other words, that delicate tightrope between saying I know you can do it, versus making them feel they can do it when they can't, and thereby damaging their confidence for the rest of their lives. That delicate balance is what a great school is all about." -John Littleford
A: Mr. Littleford is the founder of Littleford & Associates, an international management consulting firm, specializing in advice for independent and international schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations. Prior to his career in educational consulting, Mr. Littleford served as Head of School for 18 years, a teacher for 25 years, and a board member and chair of schools and nonprofit agencies. According to a former independent school board chair and client, Mr. Littleford’s “caring, passion and enjoyment fill up a room and infect everyone in it.”
Mr. Littleford travels around the world, over 320 days per year to over 1700 different clients, because he strongly believes in the power of independent schools to support students.
Q: Who is John Littleford? Why does TAS keep inviting him back as a consultant and parent speaker?BY JOSEPH HWANG, BOARD GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR
月下旬，TAS很幸運地迎 接世界著名的獨立學校 顧問John Littleford先 生。Littleford先生的廣泛客戶 名單包括世界上許多頂級的獨立 學校和國際學校，他已經造訪台 北美國學校超過27年。今年，他 的演講重點是在優異的獨立學校
世界中定義“卓越”的必要性。 他提醒聽眾，大多數學生就讀可 能是優良的公立學校，但那些就 讀最佳獨立學校的學生有很多優
勢。他認為台北美國學校根據其 歷史和宗旨，結合了美國最佳獨 立學校、公立學校和國際學校， 並產生一個優秀的獨立學校可以 和應該是什麼樣子的獨特定義。 Littleford作為曾就讀於公立和 私立學校的學生，他堅信獨立學 校的力量。兩種類型的學校之間 的區別在於，真正優秀的獨立學 校讓學生感到受到重視：“無論 你多麼小，或者你的體能多差，[ 他們教學生]你可以做任何你決心
重要部分，在於學校社群需要 了解學校的使命，確保它反映了 大多數家庭尋求的東西，然後採 取措施以支持保留機構記憶。對 Littleford來說，優秀的學校既 有“長期領導”又有“一致的使 命”，這兩者是相互關聯的。當 學校領導階層的重要職位幾乎沒 有人員流動時，學校就會因為學 校的使命 - 一個是現在的社群， 一個是下一代的學生 - 的共同能 量而蓬勃發展。他引用了多年的 研究，指出當一所學校必須“不 斷重新定義同樣的問題”時，它 本身就是在回歸並且沒有在其使 命中取得進展。機構記憶，領導 力的一致性和連續性以及強大的 治理/董事會合作夥伴關係，是更 成功的學校指標。 最後，Littleford建議一所獨立 的學校可以讓老師知道它是否符 合他對卓越的定義：“你有沒有 一位老師對你的生活產生積極和 戲劇性的影響？”大多數人會對 至少一位老師回答“是”。招募 教師的人有責任確保每個學生有
The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a nonprofit membership association that provides services to more than 1,800 schools and associations of schools in the United States and abroad, including more than 1,500 independent private K-12 schools in the U.S.
Starting in 1902 at a country school that had an enrollment of fourteen, Frank Boyden built an academy that has long since taken its place on a level with Andover and Exeter. More than simply a portrait of the Headmaster of Deerfield Academy, it is a revealing look at the nature of private school education in America.
Independent School is the awardwinning quarterly magazine published by the National Association of Independent Schools. It provides thought leadership for education leaders, administrators, and practitioners on topics that range from operations and administration to teaching and learning to student wellness to governance—and more.
Several days ago I watched a clip forwarded to me by a dear friend, in which Oprah Winfrey spoke about empowerment to a charity group in the U.S. She stated, “Every life you touched is enhanced by giving what you have been given.” She continued by reminding her audience to ask themselves “...How will you use your talents and strengths to serve that which is greater than yourself to be truly, authentically empowered?”
I count my blessings every day, arriving at an institution that includes “service to others” as part of its mission statement. To be worthy of serving our students and their families in various capacities for over two decades, I have had the honor and privilege to sponsor the Middle School Community Service Club that later transformed to what is currently known as the Middle School Remote English Mentoring (REM) Club, focusing on providing online English instructions via Skype to local Taiwanese students. Thanks to the ongoing support of the Middle School administration, the schools and groups with whom we have worked with over the years range from aboriginal regions to church-sponsored after school programs, from public schools in the TAS neighborhood and to schools in other cities. Just last spring, the Middle School REM club was given the opportunity by a TAS alumna to help prepare a group of high school students from a renowned culinary school in Taipei shortly before they departed for a competition overseas, where they would be required to introduce themselves in English.
As I reflected on the lives my students have touched and impacted in the past, naturally I couldn’t help but look inward to see if my own children have managed to embed the concept of “利他”, for the betterment of others, as part of their characters. While attending a teacher seminar at Stanford during the summer break, I was thrilled to hear that my older son (‘17) had been accepted to be part of the year-long mentorship program at his college. He is now looking after a fellow TAS graduate. I am equally delighted to learn from my younger son (‘21) about his desire to continue the “Boyle Brothers Home Services” that they started a few years back that provides house sitting and pet care to TAS teachers during the summer months, so he can continue to donate the proceeds to a private foundation that provides autistic young adults with job training.
Equally rewarding it has been for my own professional and personal growth, I often refer to the saying in Chinese, “教學相長”, that is, “ I learn as I teach.” As I strive to instill in my students and my own children a sense of responsibility both in school and beyond,I am grateful for the countless opportunities over the years to meet service-minded individuals and foundations, who with their vision and passion for service continue to challenge and inspire me as a teacher, a parent, and a citizen of the global community.
As our School celebrates its 70th birthday this year, I believe what Confucius once suggested—as he always had something wise to say—that is befitting to this joyous occasion: “人生七十才開始” , Life only begins at the age of 70. So, here is to continuous learning, authentic empowerment, and our next 70 years of excellence to come!
Q: What is the difference between TigerNet and PowerSchool? Why do I need two different websites for finding out information about my student?
A: Mr. Dan Hudkins explained it well at the recent New Parent Welcome Coffee: PowerSchool contains all the information pertaining to your child’s academic journey within the school (i.e. grades, attendance, medical alerts). Tigernet is the platform for everything else and is the platform for community communication and activities (i.e. signups, athletic games, performances).
We’re working on architecting both systems to use the same login information and will have good news in later this fall!
— Mr. Samuel Quek, IT Associate Director
Do you have a question that you think other parents also have? Feel free to email us at communications@ tas.tw with your question and we’ll help you find the right answer.
Mindfulness expert Dr. Craig Hassed, speaker at the 2017 TAS Wellness Convention, returned to Taipei American School for three days to work with parents, upper school students, and faculty from March 13-15, 2019. He works at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia at the Department of General Practice and is the coordinator of mindfulness programs. His teaching, research, and clinical interests include mindfulness-based stress management, mind-body medicine, meditation, health promotion, integrative medicine, and medical ethics.
Dr. Hassed is regularly invited to speak and run courses in Australia and overseas in health, educational, government, and corporate contexts and has collaborated with a number of national and international universities helping them to integrate similar content. He serves as a media commentator, writes for medical journals, published thirteen books, and co-authored a free online Mindfulness course in collaboration with Monash University and FutureLearn. In 2019, Craig was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to Medicine.
His practical tips and updates on the positive impacts of mindfulness made a deep and lasting impression on the community. He shared that people are happiest when they are in the present moment; “a wandering mind is an
unhappy mind.” Fortunately, feeling more relaxed and calm is a side effect of being present. Mindfulness involves a combination of attention and attitude, with the ability to accept things that are uncomfortable and choose to be disinterested in them so that we are not controlled by our emotions. Dr. Hassed encouraged mindfulness as a way to increase mental and physical health; stress is meant to be good for human health as a survival mechanism, without the allostatic load of anxiety causing wear-and-tear on our bodies.
Since a child’s attention span is the greatest predictor of success in life, Dr. Hassed expressed that we as adults must model mindfulness by staying calm when they feel anxious. Students have the ability to become less anxious about exams and common stressors through mindfulness training, which helps with their personal awareness while increasing their care for others and the world around them. Informal mindfulness, which is feeling engaged in daily activities and work while living in the moment, works hand-in-hand with formal mindfulness/meditation practices that were illustrated through exercises during the presentations.
When asked why the discussion of mindfulness remains so important, he shares, “It is important because we are becoming increasingly distracted these days. Distracted and disconnected, and also stressed.” He adds that through mindfulness, “We are learning how to rediscover ourselves,
rediscover our connection with each other and the world and life. This is a very direct way of doing that.” As interest in mindfulness grows, as evidenced by over 1,210 papers on mindfulness published in peer-reviewed scientific journals in 2018, it is getting incorporated into more corporate environments and educational systems, from primary education up through universities.
Although interest in mindfulness continues to grow, the concept remains timeless and the basics are the same. Dr. Hassed maintains, “What’s joined together is the wisdom of the great world’s traditions with the elaboration of modern science; these days we are just talking about it in different ways. The language is different so we are talking about stress and depression and coping with chronic pain and coping with major illnesses and improving performance and efficiency and better executive functioning and decision-making and working memory.” He further states, “I describe it as life’s most important life skill because if we can’t get the attention right, to be
present, to be focused, to be on task, to be mindful –if we can’t get that right it’s hard to get anything else right.”
Communication and compassion provide additional reasons for cultivating mindfulness. “It’s not about being selfabsorbed, which is a common misperception about mindfulness, but it’s about being aware. When people are more aware they are more aware of the people around them and become more considerate of them. When we are selfabsorbed and lost in our own thoughts and worries we stop noticing how things are for other people and we stop caring about them.” At a higher level, Dr. Hassed says, “it’s really important not just for us as individuals but as a glue in our society that helps to bond people together.”
Like most visitors to the school, Dr. Hassed was thoroughly impressed with the TAS community. “The welcome has been so warm from the people I’ve met here.” His low-key demeanor and comfortable presenting style kept students, parents, and faculty engaged throughout his presentations. He added, “There’s an enormous amount of caring about the students and I get a real sense that the school tries to embody the values they talk about.” He encourages TAS to take the embodiment of mindfulness and wellbeing even deeper into the curriculum, noting that it is already visibly well underway, so “it becomes part of the fabric of the school.”
“We are becoming increasingly distracted these days. Distracted and disconnected, and also stressed.”
念專家Craig Hassed博 士，2017年
TAS健康促進會的發言 人，最近回到台北美國 學校停留三天，與家 長、高中生和教師一起 合作。他在澳洲墨爾本 的Monash大學一般醫 學系工作，是正念計劃 的協調員。他的教學、 研究和臨床興趣包括基 於正念的壓力管理、身 心醫學、冥想、健康促 進、綜合醫學和醫學倫 理。 Hassed博士經常受邀 在澳洲和海外的健康、 教育、政府和企業環境 中講學和開設課程，並 與許多國內和國際大學 合作，幫助他們整合類 似的內容。他擔任媒體 評論員、為醫學期刊 撰稿，共出版了13本 書，並與Monash大學 及FutureLearn合作， 共同撰寫了一個免費的 線上正念課程。 2019
年，Craig被授予澳洲醫 學獎章。 他有關正念的積極 影響之實用技巧和最新 資訊給社區留下了深刻 而持久的印象。他認為 人們在現在的時刻最快 樂；“一個恍惚的頭 腦是一個不快樂的頭 腦。”幸運的是，感覺 更放鬆與平靜是存在的 副作用。正念包括注意 力和態度的結合，能夠 接受不舒服的事物，並 選擇對它們不感興趣， 這樣我們就不會受到情 緒的控制。 Hassed博 士鼓吹以正念作為一種
增加身心健康的方法； 壓力意味著有益於人類 健康的一種生存機制， 沒有焦慮的調適性負 荷，會導致我們的身體 磨損。 由於孩子的注意力 是生命成功的最大預測
越心不在焉。分心、疏 離、還有焦慮。”他補 充地說通過正念，“我 們學習如何重新發現自 己，重新發現我們彼此 之間以及世界和生活的 聯繫。這是一種非常直 接的方式。”隨著對正 念的興趣增長，正如 2018年在同行評審的科 學期刊上發表之攸關正 念的1,210篇論文所證 明的那樣，它正在融入 更多的企業環境和從小 學教育到大學的教育體 系。
儘管對正念的興趣在 不斷增長，但這個概念 仍然是恆常的，基本原 理是相同的。Hassed 博士堅持認為，“正念 是偉大的世界傳統的智 慧與詳盡的現代科學相 結合；現下我們只是以 不同的方式談論它。語 言不同，所以我們談的 是壓力和憂鬱，並對應 慢性疼痛與重大疾病、 提高績效和效率、以及 更好的執行功能、決策 和工作記憶。”他進一 步指出，”我把它描述 為生命中最重要的生活 技能，因為如果我們不
DR. CRAIG HASSED & DR. RICHARD CHAMBERS, MONSASH UNIVERSITY on FUTURELEARN.COM
on UDEMY.COM
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA on COURSERA.COM
“The Miracle of Mindfulness: an Introduction to the Practice of Meditation” by Tich Nhat Hanh (available in both English and Traditional Mandarin).
“Mindful Teaching and Teaching Mindfulness: a Guide for Anyone Who Teaches Anything” by Deborah Schoeberlein Daivd and Suki Sheth, Ph.D.
This September, TAS hosted renowned psychologist, researcher and author Lea Waters, PhD. Dr. Waters is a Professor in Psychology at the Centre for Positive Psychology, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne and the former president of the International Positive Psychology Association. Prior to her arrival, parents and TAS school counselors KA-12 read and discussed her book: “The Strength Switch: How the New Science of Strength-Based Parenting Can Help Your Child Thrive.”
Dr. Waters explained that all strengths have three components: they are things that we do well, enjoy doing and that energize us. She addressed a concern she hears expressed often, that if we focus “too much” on a child’s strengths that this could lead to complacency or laziness. Dr. Waters explained that the more strengths-based we become as parents or educators the more we can focus on areas for growth. Children of all ages need to know that the adults in
their life see their strengths and the good inside of themselves.
Dr. Waters’ visit engaged our whole school community. She held two inspiring parent meetings with an impressive turnout. Student representatives from all three divisions met with Dr. Waters. She first led them in group exercises to help them identify their core strengths; they then brainstormed what strengths they would like to see enhanced in the lower, middle and upper school communities. In addition to her time with parents and students, Dr. Waters met with all faculty to explore the importance of identifying student strengths.
Our community was encouraged to engage in “strength spotting” to make our strengths more visible. This can help all of us to “flip the switch” and focus on who we all are at our best, first. Dr. Waters’ visit reinforced TAS’ ongoing commitment to the wellbeing of our students, parents, faculty and community. Thank you, Dr. Waters for sharing your strengths with us!
9月4日，TAS接
待了著名的心理
學家、研究人員
和作家Lea Waters博 士。Waters博士是墨 爾本大學墨爾本教育研 究所正向心理學中心的 心理學教授，也是國際 正向心理學協會的前主 席。在她來前，家長和 TAS KA-12輔導老師閱 讀並討論了她的書：《 長處轉換：以長處為基 礎的新育兒科學如何幫 助您的孩子成長》。
表會見了Waters博士。 她首先帶領他們進行小 組練習，以幫助他們確 定自己的核心長處，然 後學生集體討論了他們 希望在小學、初中、高 中社群中看到哪些長 處。除與家長和學生在 一起的時間外，Waters 博士還與所有教師會 面，探討確定學生長處 的重要性。 本社群鼓勵我們的 孩子、學生、同事和朋 友一起進行“發現長 處”，以使我們的優勢 更加明顯。這可以幫助 我們所有人“翻轉開 關”，並首先關注我們 每個人都能處於最佳狀 態。Waters博士的訪問 強化了TAS對我們的學 生、家長、教職員和社 群福祉的持續承諾。謝 謝Waters博士與我們分 享您的長處！
PHOTOS:
What does innovation look like? Ask someone who has spent a little time in the lower school floor of the Solomon Wong Tech Cube, and you are likely to get a very inspiring answer. This new state-of-the-art facility is part of the Lower School’s natural progression and evolution, and at its heart, it is a direct extension of our mission statement: “to inspire each student to be a confident, creative, caring, and moral individual prepared to adapt and succeed anywhere in a rapidly changing world.”
The Solomon Wong Tech Cube is not a science lab, a woodshop, a computer lab or an art room, but it contains elements found in all of these familiar spaces. Diversity and cross-pollination of activities are critical to the exploration and making process, and this is what sets this space apart from single-use spaces. One of the highlights of the year always is the upper school robotics mentoring program, where a group of students in Grades 3 and 4 are mentored by a group
of upper school robotics students. The semester of robot designing and building will culminate in our first ever on-campus lower school robotics celebration in early December. Over the course of the program, lower school technology coaches taught upper school students how to become effective mentors. These skills will not only help when working with elementary students, but will also transfer into the school year to create students who are better leaders and team members.
Since its inception, the Solomon Wong Tech Cube has offered an ideal homebase for our STEAM program, which is truly about being innovative and “thinking outside the box.”
We ask students to look at problems and empower them to believe that with hard work, they can find solutions to these problems. Therefore, it has been designed and equipped to accommodate a wide range of activities such as cardboard construction, prototyping, woodworking, electronics, physical computing, robotics, and digital
fabrication.
Through a constructionist approach to education, our STEAM program provides a framework for students to design, experiment, build and invent as they deeply engage in math, science, engineering and technology. Computer programming, making and physical computing are paving the way for endless inquiry and cross-curricular integration.
Beginning in Kindergarten, students are taught coding as a form of literacy, use fabrication tools such as laser cutters and 3D printers to bring their ideas to life, and are encouraged to think like engineers through the Engineering Design Process
As part of a science unit focusing on engineering, Grade 3 students investigate ways to improve their classroom environment. They use their understanding of the basics of circuitry, sensor technology, and programming interfaces to brainstorm ideas and create an invention for the classroom of the future. Students use defined constraints and criteria for success to test
and then iterate upon their invention to improve its functionality.
In Grade 4, students take time to research the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and choose one goal to focus on. Students consider possible innovations, inventions, or educational initiatives which could help address their chosen goal and develop a prototype of a possible solution using modern technologies and computer controlled fabrication techniques.
The lower school STEAM program is a program built on passion, but goes beyond that. It encourages students to be bothered by problems that don’t seem to be easily solved, and work towards finding solutions to these problems. Students are encouraged to set their minds to magical, seemingly possible ideas and bring them to reality. That sets their minds on fire and makes them think that things they thought were impossible are actually accomplishable.
If we successfully ignite this passion in all of our students, the possibilities are endless.
科技館不是科學實 驗室、木工室、計算機 實驗室或藝術室，但它 包含所有這些熟悉空間 中的元素。活動的多樣 性和交叉作用對於探索
為未來的課堂創造發 明。學生們使用定義的 約束和成功的標準來測 試，然後重覆運用在他 們的發明以改進其功 能。 在4年級，學生需要 時間研究聯合國的可持 續發展目標，並選擇一 個目標來關注。學生可 以考慮可能的創新、發 明或教育計劃，這些計 劃有助於實現他們所選 擇的目標，並使用現代 技術和計算機控制的製 造技術開發出可能解決 方案的原型。 小學STEAM課程是一 個建立在激情之上的課 程，但不僅限於此。它
The morning of Saturday, April 27, Mrs. Darby Sinclair headed the opening ceremony for TASMUN 2019 at the Guy Lott Jr. Auditorium. Mr. Andrew Lowman, Associate Principal of the Upper school welcomed attendees and shared his personal history with MUN. Following his remarks, the event continued with the Deputy Secretary Generals, who introduced what TASMUN will try to accomplish this year and they later introduced all the chairs.
After that Mr. Ji SeongHo, the conference’s keynote speaker for this year’s tenth TASMUN meeting took the stage. Mr. Ji told us that he was just a street boy in North Korea with his family working hard to feed themselves. He went on to recount the harsh life he had in that country, where people starved despite the government claiming it was for the good of the nation. In particular, it was shocking to learn
that Mr. Ji had an accident and lost his left arm and leg, which he described in great detail.
The keynote speaker did a really good job telling everyone his story because he gave really specific details and he was clear on what happened; there was no hesitation when he talked and everything he said sounded correct and true and the way he said things made his story sound fascinating and made us all feel inspired.
Everyone who was listening to his speech was moved, as his words reminded us of how lucky we are to live in free nations where we can prosper. After he was done speaking, with the help of his translator, Mr. Ji received a standing ovation.
The TASMUN Press Team was very lucky to also have the opportunity to meet our visiting speaker, and he allowed us to ask him some questions: What inspired you
to speak against North Korea?
Every time I give a speech, every time I do a presentation, I think this is the last speech I will give in my life. That place, that podium, that stage, is meant to represent all the people living in North Korea, the 23.000.000 people. Why did you decide to become human rights activists?
It wasn’t an easy choice, to lead as a human rights activist. I actually thought that I didn’t want to walk this path because I never wanted to look back on North Korea after my escape, and because of all of the pain that I and my family had to endure. But I had a moment in my life where I decided to become a human rights activist. I met a missionary friend, who is an expat living in the US and that person actually heard my story and he himself became a human rights activist, and he convinced me that by becoming a hu-
man rights activist myself I can do more by leading this movement, but I remember still that I didn’t want to do anything with North Korea, I hated North Korea, and I was afraid of North Korea.
There was a moment in my life where I was full of certainty, it was in February 2010 when I was going to university in South Korea and at that time I had the opportunity to visit Tucson, Phoenix, AZ [sic] in the US, and I was giving a speech and many people were very moved by my speech and they were shocked to see that these kind of things were happening in the 21st century. And they believed we must do something to stop this. Many people participated in these campaigns and I was quite surprised to see all these people participating. There was a young kid, even younger than you, who participated in this campaign and I asked that person “why are you here?” And the person told me, “I saw you talk about
the ggotjebi, the street children in North Korea who pick up trash to eat and who don’t have even shoes, and it was saddening, and that’s why I participated in this campaign.” And then I felt ashamed of myself. Ashamed because I wanted to forget my past, and I didn’t even remember that a few years back I was that ggot-jebi, that street child. I knew then… even for me to escape North Korea, somebody made efforts, somebody made sacrifices, and then I decided to do it myself.
What specific steps can North Korea take to demonstrate that it is trying to be a fair country?
I believe that first of all, North Korea should be a democratic country like it is said in its name, DPRK, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. There are many things that need to be improved, for instance, we need to have the right to vote, and we need to vote for a person, a candidate that we want to vote [for]. It’s not only about politicians, but also the leader. The leader should be within the democratic system and obey to democratic rules.
Do you think that the situation in North Korea has gotten better ever since you escaped?
The situation in North Korea is the same. In the past, and now also. However recently with Kim Jong-un coming to power, we have seen more oppression, and they even stopped
North Korean defectors from running away from the country. But more importantly, I believe that the consciousness level of North Korean people has made some improvement because in order to not starve to death they are making efforts, and they created a market called chang-madang, a black market. The government has decided to approve it despite the fact that they began to stop the establishment of this market, so North Korean people can do economic activities in this market and I believe that this is a result of North Korean people making efforts for change.
The North Korean government tried to make that market disappear because people are starting to believe in money, that is to say, Capitalism rather than their God, their leader. They even went through the effort of doing a currency reform. Starting from the morning, the money
that the people had had no value at all, however, still people use these market to survive.
What questions would you ask if you were to meet with the North Korean leader?
I’ve thought about it, actually. I don’t think it’s actually 100% impossible to meet him one day, during my living time. If I meet him I want to recommend him first to establish a democratic system in the country and to allow democratic elections, because if he maintains the current regime, he will become Saddam Hussein. If he doesn’t want that, then I would suggest him to exile, to run away from North Korea. Because I am a believer in God, I would also suggest him to have a religion and to believe in God.
Mr. Ji’s visit reminds us to be grateful and happy with what we have. It was an honor meeting him.
“Every time I give a speech, every time I do a presentation, I think this is the last speech I will give in my life.”PHOTOS: CAROL C. YOUSSIF
4月27日星期六上 午，Darby Sinclair夫人領導在 Guy Lott Jr.大禮堂舉行 的2019年TASMUN開幕 式。高中副校長Andrew Lowman先生歡迎與會 者並與MUN分享他的個 人歷史。在他的發言之 後，副秘書長繼續進行 了這次活動，副秘書長 介紹了TASMUN將在今 年嘗試完成的事情，他 們後來又介紹了所有的 主席。 之後，今年第十屆
TASMUN會議的主講 人Ji Seong-Ho先生登 場。Ji先生告訴我們，他 在北韓只是一個街頭男 孩，和他的家人們努力 養活自己。他接著講述 了他在該國渡過的艱苦 生活，儘管政府聲稱這 是為了國家的利益，但 人們仍然挨餓。尤其令 人震驚的是，Ji先生發生 意外並失去了他的左臂 和腿，他詳細地描述了
也成了一名人權積極份 子，他說服我，通過自 己成為一名人權積極份 子，通過領導這一運動 我可以做得更多，但我 還記得，我不想和北韓 有任何關係，我討厭北 韓，我害怕北韓。
我生命中有一刻是
充滿了確定性的，那是 2010年2月我在南韓上 大學的時候，當時我有 機會訪問了美國亞利桑 那州鳳凰城的圖森，[ 原文如此]我正在發表 講話，許多人對我的演 講感到非常感動，他們 震驚地知道21世紀有這 些事情發生。他們相信 我們必須採取措施阻止 這種情況。許多人參加 了這些活動，看到所有 這些人都參與其中，我 感到非常驚訝。有一個 甚至比你們還年輕的孩 子，參與了這次活動， 我問那個人“你為什麼 來這裡？”這個人告訴 我，“我看到你談到
Last spring, TAS faculty, alumni, and Upper School students competed in the 2019 Touch Rugby World Cup in Putrajaya, Malaysia. From April 28 to May 4, TAS members Mr. Ting Fan, Ms. Judy Fung, Sebastian Town (‘11), Kayleigh Chen (‘18), Jesse Whiteford (‘20) and Senen Fernandes (‘20) represented Chinese Taipei along with 10 other players in the first time Chinese Taipei took part in any Federation of International Touch sanctioned tournament.
Through a rigorous fitness and
skill based tryout process, 16 players were selected to represent the team. “We had tryouts back in June and then we just had training once or twice a month. The final team was selected in the second week of January,” said Mr. Fan, one of the coaches of the team.
Although no games were won, everyone was honored to represent the team. “It feels pretty cool honestly,” Jesse said. “ I never participated in a world cup tournament.”
However, with great honor comes pressure. “There [was] pressure from myself in wanting to represent Taiwan and Chinese Taipei well as well as representing TAS,” Ms. Fung said.
The team faced challenges in the tournament. “One of the biggest challenges is that Chinese Taipei [has] pretty weak [skills compared to other teams] because touch just came to Taiwan 5 to 6 years ago [so we didn’t have that much experience]. [However], we learned a lot [from the tournament],” Sebastian said.
Also, the physicality of some players were challenged as they played at high intensity for two games a day. “It’s tough. It’s just a game of sprinting up and down the field, trying to
maintain [strength and energy] was very physically challenging because by day three and four your body is tired but you just have to keep going,” said Ms. Fung.
Near the end, things were heated up. “People were getting tired, injured, sore and cranky. [We were] yelling at each other on the field.” said Jesse.
Despite the challenges, happy memories were made as a result of this experience.“It felt like old times! I was back playing with my old teammate Jesse, and it was really nice to play alongside someone who I knew personally, and have trained with before,” Kayleigh said. “It is always a great experience playing with Coach Fan. He is by far the best touch player and most patient coach I’ve ever had, and I really enjoyed being part of his team. I loved having so much TAS pride.”
Overall, being on the team bonded members of the TAS community.“I think TAS has a very good athletic mindset and a lot of people take athletics seriously [and they are] always trying to make themselves better. Go Tigers!” Senen said.
“It is always a great experience playing with Coach Fan. He is by far the best touch player and most patient coach I’ve ever had.”
TAS athletics programs are in full swing following a highly successful 2018-2019 academic year in which varsity teams earned a school-record 16 medals, surpassing the previous high of 13 achieved on four separate occasions. Come out and support your Tigers at the following competitions taking place at TAS this school year:
Sept. 20-21: IASAS Soccer Exchange
Nov. 22-23: IASAS Rugby Exchange
Mar. 13-14: Tiger Classic IASAS Track & Field Exchange
Stay up to date on the achievements of our student-athletes by visiting the TAS athletics website (www.tas.edu.tw/athletics) and following TAS athletics on Instagram (@tas_athletics) and Facebook (@tasathletics). GO TIGERS!
sound when I was nine years old, in class. Our school was next to some railroad tracks and in the middle of class I found my snare sound. Out of excitement, I made the sound out loud and was immediately sent outside for disrupting the class.’
The community celebrated our time together with a sold-out twilight concert on August 23, 2019, featuring our MS & US choirs with The Idea of North. Highlights of the evening included invited audience participant, KJ, and his “live DJ session”, some theatrics from The Idea of North in their song F Sharp, as well as the entire auditorium singing Shower the People in four-part harmony.
BY BETTY CHANG, MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHEREvery TAS school year begins at a fast pace. This year we ‘turbocharged’ the first week of school with a visit and concert from the renowned Australian vocal group, The Idea of North.
When we invited them to TAS we knew we were in for a treat. What we did not anticipate was how quickly they empowered our student musicians using exercises and activities focused on vocal tech-
nique, breathing, vocal percussion, timbre, and performance technique. It is clear Naomi Crellin, the music director, arranger, and group’s alto, Nick Begbie (tenor), Luke Thompson (bass), and Emma Rule (soprano) are all educators in addition to being excellent performers.
Kai Kitamura, their newest member, not only added the ‘wow factor’ to The Idea of North with his vocal percussion but also taught students basic sounds so they can explore this art themselves. While working with the students Kai said, ‘I found my
Through insightful student reflections and feedback, it is clear the work The Idea of North did with our students impacted their understanding of vocal health, performing on stage, vocal tone color, the diligence it takes to be successful, and the idea that mistakes are a vehicle for learning.
We would like to especially thank our Administration, the Advancement Office, and our parent community who continually enhance our already rich education for our student body. We also want to invite singers in our community to join us as part of the Community Choir starting in December as we prepare to sing the Mozart Coronation Mass with Kirt Mosier, the Joanna Nichols Artist in Residence, at the Upper School Arts Festival Finale Concert on April 25, 2020.
North增添了“讚賞聲”，而且 還教給學生基本的音色，以便他 們自己探索這種藝術。Kai在與學 生合作時說：“我九歲的時候在 課堂上發現了自己的聲音。我們 學校靠近某些鐵軌，在上課中我 發現了中鼓聲。出於興奮，我大 聲地發出聲音，並立即因為擾亂 上課而被趕到教室外面。” 本社群於2019年8月23日舉行 了一場票房完售的暮光音樂會， 慶祝大家的歡聚時光，重點是本 校初、高中合唱團與The North of Idea一起演出。晚上的亮點包 括受邀上台的觀眾KJ和他的“現 場DJ時段”；來自The Idea of North的歌曲F Sharp的一些戲 劇效果；以及整個大禮堂以四部 和聲演唱《 Showing the People》。
Ifirst heard about TheStudio from Cesar Reyes last spring while at dinner with friends. Reyes, a Middle School Art + Innovation teacher at Taipei American School for the last 14 years, is an animated speaker who grows even more animated when discussing his subject: art. Over a plate of enchiladas, he described how a series of dinner parties he had been hosting for the last few years had slowly evolved into something more: TheStudio, a private kitchen, art gallery, and Socratic Seminar for the less-than-artistically inclined. As a teacher, I was fascinated. As a foodie, I grew hungry. As a writer, I smelled a story.
The summer flew by without my pursuing the story any further, but just when school started up again, Reyes sent me a small reminder that he had one of these special art dinners planned for early August. I eagerly signed up — with a colleague from TAS — to learn more about how The Studio would help this art-novice feel comfortable enough to speak knowledgeably about the works I would see. The bookworm in me was tempted to research some terms beforehand, but I eventually talked myself out of it. I’m glad that I did.
TheStudio, owned and operated by Reyes’s friend, Chef Jessica Lin, describes itself as a space “dedicated to everyone who loves creative practice and good food.” Although Reyes is not an owner or employee, he describes himself as a “creative adviser” for Lin because the project initially grew out of simple dinner parties that he used to host. TheStudio has quickly evolved from its humble beginnings to a company spanning several different
markets: special art events, a private kitchen, artist meet-and-greets, happy hour events with live jazz, and public dining hours. Its goal is to provide a physical space for any person who appreciates food, art, and meaningful conversation.
My friend and I were a little disconcerted when we first arrived at TheStudio’s event entitled “Portraits: The Way In.” We entered into an unassuming building and climbed the stairs to the second floor, where a charming wine cellar, bar, piano and lounge were set up. We were greeted with a smile, a selection of canapes, and a glass of champagne — and a pleasant surprise: Reyes was seated at the piano, singing and playing soft jazz numbers.
After a brief social hour where guests mingled and listened to music, the 20 guests made their way to the fourth floor of the same building, where a private dining room had been set up for the evening’s entertainment. We walked into the room and were greeted by faces on every corner of the dining room-turned-gallery. I made eye contact with the likeness of a young woman so realistically and painstakingly painted that it looked like a digital photo. I observed a monochromatic painting of a woman — blue background, blue body, blue clothing — as she walked away from the artist. I giggled as I saw a painting that at first glance looked like it belonged in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, painted by one of the Dutch masters — until I noticed that what should have been the figure of baby Jesus was in fact the face of a humanoid pig.
“These were portraits?,” I asked myself. “These were ‘the way in’?”
Everyone in the room was abuzz
with conversation. What did you think of this piece? What about the color in that piece? How is that one a portrait? What is the artist trying to say about him or herself with this choice?
Or, most pressing of all, are we seated next to one of the artists?
These questions that my colleague and I asked, answered, and overheard are the goal of each and every event, no matter the theme or location of the event. Reyes says that TheStudio’s goal is to “democratize” the art scene in Taipei through events like this. Each event is “a way for people to engage in a creative experience without being an expert in any of it,” said Reyes. “We want people to know that art is accessible.”
TheStudio’s events are, in some ways, the antithesis of what Reyes sees as the plague of the “VIP” events across the art world. “People often complained to me that the VIP events were always boring,” Reyes said. “They were confused why that happened, since these events, in theory, should be great instead of formulaic.” In contrast, TheStudio designs the dining experiences to be positive and engaging; a place where people come away having learned something about art and food
TAS art teacher turned art curator opens up about his newest series of interactive dining projectsReyes mingles with guests before dinner is served. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE STUDIO
with a sense of gratitude for the efforts put in.”
Reyes laughingly says that his official title is probably “piano player,” but it’s clear that his artistic knowledge extends beyond his musical abilities in TheStudio. His main role is to advise and help curate the special art dinners, like the one I attended in August. “I consider my work at TheStudio to be my current art form,” Reyes said.
Although Reyes currently teaches art and innovation at TAS, but he is also an artist in his own right. He used to work primarily in one discipline: ceramics. “Ceramic sculpture has always been my traditional method of art-making, but I have always seen it as static, only part of the story.”
While he says that he does still love ceramics, he came to realize how static it is, “as are all of the traditional artistic mediums.” When an artist creates one object, he says that the object cannot change shapes and presents a problem to the viewer because “maybe we can engage with it. Maybe we can’t. It all depends on if we happen to like that specific piece.” Instead of creating pieces, Reyes is now trying to create art by helping to curate these events: “I’m trying to make art more of an interactive experience and less of an object, so that literally anyone who walks in is a participant in the artwork - the live event - rather than admiring something or somebody else.”
Over the years, Reyes has become acquainted with a variety of artists who focus on experience as a medium, artists with whom he has developed a friendship over the years: Lee Mingwei, Olafur Eliasson, and TAS alumna Cynthia Sah (‘71). Mingwei is a Taiwanese international artist who, according to Cesar, has “transformed the way art is
“Art is simply an expression and reflection of one another, and if we can allow for creative expression in our lives, I think we’re all more likely to be genuinely innovative and think for ourselves.”
conceived and perceived.” Mingwei is known for creating what he calls participatory installation, “where strangers can explore issues of trust, intimacy, and self-awareness, and one-on-one events, where visitors contemplate these issues with the artist.” Eliasson also explores multidisciplinary art with works spanning across sculpture, painting, photography, film, and installations. Sah, who primarily works with largescale marble or bronze sculptures, creates art that is accessible to all, including works that are on display here in Taipei at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and even closer to home outside the Middle School Library. Reyes says that his art dinners attempt to convey the story that these three artists share, one of “inclusivity and generosity in their works,” regardless of medium.
Reyes’ next collaboration with TheStudio will be a special dining event entitled “Landscape.” Reyes describes this event as an “interesting window into Taiwan” because the event itself is a collaboration with Weightstone Vineyard Estate and Winery, one of Taiwan’s closely held secrets located about 45 minutes outside of Taichung. “The owner is a third generation owner who collaborated with us on [another] project earlier this year,” Reyes said. Diners will be in for a treat because instead of having the art and food experiences separate, the venue itself will be transformed into a work of art - a miniature version of a valley landscape inspired by the vineyardwith tapas style food interwoven into the model land.
As an educator, Reyes is excited by the ways in which his teaching life intersects with leading dinner conversations between strangers. The conversations at these events are exciting for him because he is a teacher: “I want people to learn from their experiences together, rather than to say this piece of art is good and this one is bad, which is a natural tendency for everyone,” Reyes said. “I don’t want that to be the only goal people have when they go to TheStudio.”
He believes that his teaching helps him to lead these interactive events, but he also acknowledges how the events themselves have reinvigor-
ated his teaching in his middle school classroom. Recently, with the support of his middle school visual arts team members, he was able to help to redesign the team’s curriculum to follow a thematic approach, instead of simply teaching units that isolate specific artistic mediums e.g. a drawing unit, a photography unit, or a ceramics unit. The themes that his team teaches - including the five senses or the concept of “the artist” - mirror the types of themes that he helps to curate for TheStudio. Recent themes from the studio include “Portraits: the way in,” “Do it,” “The Light Project,” and “My Tribe,” all of which could have been taken from his middle school syllabus: “For me, it’s all connected. My work with TheStudio is an extension of the way I teach here,” Reyes said. “I want every single student to walk away feeling like they have access to art, that being an artist is not impossible...My work is to help break down that barrier and make art accessible for everyone. Art is simply an expression and reflection of one another, and if we can allow for creative expression in our lives, I think we’re all more likely to be genuinely innovative and think for ourselves.”
TheStudio consists of both a private kitchen located in Songshan District and these special exhibitions, like the one I attended, which travel around to various locations around Taipei. Reyes welcomes any and all people, regardless of experience, to stay in touch and participate in their events. “TheStudio is a wide platform, open to everybody of almost any age. We have events on Sundays. We have art education events. We have cooking classes. We offer chances to meet artists, we offer chances to meet chefs.” Whether you would simply like to eat, drink and be merry with local artists - or if you would like to submit an artistic work yourself - you can find out more on TheStudio’s website, which is available in both Traditional Chinese and English: https://www.thestudio-invite.com/?lang=en
自己描述為Lin的“創意顧問”， 因為最初該計劃源於他曾經在朋友 間舉辦的簡單晚宴。TheStudio已 經從簡陋的起點，迅速發展成為跨 越幾個不同市場的公司：特殊藝術 活動、私人廚房、藝術家見面會、 以及現場演奏爵士樂的快樂時光活 動與公共用餐時間。它的目標是為 任何欣賞食物、藝術和有意義對話 的人提供實體空間。 當我們第一次參加TheStudio的 活動，名為“Portraits：The Way In”時，我和我的朋友有點不安。 我們進入一個不起眼的建築物，爬 樓梯到二樓，那裡擺設著迷人的酒
藝術家，根據Cesar的說法，他“ 改變了藝術的構思和感知方式”
。 Mingwei以創造他所謂的參與 性裝置而聞名，“陌生人探索信 任、親密和自我意識的問題、以 及一對一的活動，觀眾可以在這 些活動中與藝術家一起思考這些 問題。”Eliasson還探索多學科藝 術，其作品涵蓋雕塑、繪畫、攝 影、電影和裝置。Sah主要從事大 型大理石或青銅雕塑作品，創造了 所有人都可以接觸的藝術品，包括 在台北美術館、甚至在更近的初中 圖書館外展出的作品。Reyes說， 他的藝術晚宴試圖傳達這三位藝術 家分享的故事，無論媒介如何，都 是一個“包容性和慷慨的作品”。 Reyes與TheStudio的下一次合 作將是一場名為“風景”的特別 餐飲活動。Reyes將此次活動描述 為“進入台灣的有趣窗口”，因為 該活動本身是與重慶石垣葡萄莊園 和酒莊的合作，這是台灣嚴實守住 的秘密之一，位在離台中約45分 鐘之處。Reyes說：“業主是第三 代業主，今年早些時候曾與我們合 作過另一個計劃。”用餐者將享受 款待，因為不是將藝術和美食分開 體驗，而且場地本身將轉變為藝術 作品 - 一種受葡萄園啟發的山谷景
這對每個人來說都是一種自然傾 向，”Reyes說。“我不希望這是 他們去TheStudio的唯一目標。” 他認為他的教學有助於領導這 些互動活動，但他也承認這些活動 本身重新活化了他在初中課堂上 的教學。最近，在他的初中視覺 藝術團隊成員的支持下，他可以 幫忙重新設計團隊的課程，以遵循 主題而不是分離特定藝術媒介的教 學單元，例如繪圖單元、攝影單元 或陶瓷單元。他的團隊教授的主題 - 包括五種感官或“藝術家”的概 念 - 反映了他幫助策劃TheStudio 的主題類型。該工作室最近的主題 包括“肖像：進入的方式”、“著 手做”、“光的計劃”和“我的部 落”，所有這些都可以從他的初中 教學大綱中取得：
對我而言，一切都是連結在一 起的。我在TheStudio的工作是我 在這裡教學方式的延伸”。Reyes 說。“我希望每個學生都能帶著他 們有辦法接觸藝術，作為藝術家並 非不可能的感覺離開。...我的工作 是幫助打破這個障礙，讓藝術對每 個人來說不是遙不可及的。藝術只 是彼此的表達和省思。如果我們能 夠在生活中有創意地表達，我認為 我們更有可能真正地創新並為我們
Good afternoon, everyone. Da jia hao! …. As you can tell, I’m setting an informal tone for a formal talk—my last at TAS. The talk is entitled, “Bad Advice.” It is a tradition at graduation ceremonies for an old person to give advice to young people. So, I have gathered the 3 best examples of the worst advice I’ve ever heard at graduation ceremonies so that I can share that wisdom with you today.
Let’s begin with our second runner up: Don’t listen to what everyone else has to say; listen to your own heart.
What romantic rubbish! In the previous century, there was a bumper sticker—okay, first of all, there were bumper stickers!!!--there was a bumper sticker that read: “Hire someone who knows it all. Hire a teenager.” In this century, if there were bumper stickers, instead of memes, there would be a bumper sticker that says, “Hire someone who knows it all. Hire a Millennial.” First of all, no single person knows much at all. Second of all, hearts pump blood-they don’t think or speak.
“Learning something the hard way” is…hard. And often unnecessary. By listening, one picks up all sorts of useful information about what to do…and what not to do. Why should you be doomed to make completely avoidable mistakes? Only a fool doesn’t listen to others.
Of course, it is also true that only fools follow blindly all the advice they hear. The process should be fairly simple: listen, think, make your choice, and act accordingly. Simple. The problem comes with the second step: Think. Have you noticed that, slowly but surely, the verb “to think” has been replaced by “to feel.” Listen— yes, listen — to public discourse, and
hear how often people say, “I feel that….” instead of “I think that….”
Ah, poor Descartes. “I think, therefore, I am” has become “I feel, therefore I am.” Animals feel….. Before I drop this point, remember that listening can be useful in unexpected ways. For example, in the good ol’ days when Dr. O’Rourke was here, I could ask for his advice, listen carefully, and then do the exact opposite. And my decisions were always spot on! Some argue that, these days, it is extremely useful to listen to American presidential reasoning; then, you can logically conclude that the opposite line of reasoning must be true. Listen.
Runner up for worst graduation advice ever: Be yourself.
In fact, this advice bombards you even in the hallowed halls — stairs, actually—of TAS. If you look carefully, you can find a poster that reads, “Be yourself — all the other people have been taken.”
Be yourself? I love you guys, but is this all there is? Is this all the world is ever going to get? There isn’t any more? I hope not. Do not settle for being yourself. Being yourself is easy. Become yourself. Becoming yourself
is difficult — it’s difficult because, first, you have to know yourself; after that, you need to figure out who you want to be; finally, you need to figure out how you will enable that change while, at the same time, all the variables around you change. I can see several of you out there thinking, “Multiple variables? Life is just like Multivariable Calculus? Great! I aced Multivariable Calculus!” Ah, but the limits of life are like the limits in Multivariable Calculus--there is no continuity. Depending on what route you follow, the result will be different, even if you end up at the same place. Difficult.
Unfortunately, life is not like Algebra I. Socrates, who gave lots of good advice, was correct to point out that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” You need to examine and reexamine your life as often as possible. Just the other day, a TAS graduate from the Class of 2018 came by to visit with me… yes, hard to believe, but not ALL students hate me. Anyway, she came to see me, and, at one point, she said: “College changed me — for the better, I think.” Wow! She noticed that she had changed, and she examined the quality of that change. Try to know the person you are and the person you are becoming. And always strive to become more than yourself.
And now, the worst advice ever: Follow the customs and traditions of your culture.
Okay, there is some truth in that statement, but therein lies the problem--and the danger. We are trained to believe that challenging ONE tradition is necessarily a rejection of tradition as a whole. I have seen young people — like you-briefly question individual traditions, but, eventually, we all get swallowed,
“Do not settle for being yourself. Being yourself is easy. Become yourself.”
digested, and excreted from the gargantuan, amorphous blob of custom. One of the most infuriating aspects of tradition is the insidious, seemingly invincible negative consequences for women.
Let me begin by addressing the young women out there. You may NOT whine about inequality in public life, if you are going to kowtow to inequality in your private life. Let me begin with a brief look at Latin America. You might have heard of machismo? Some try to palm off machismo as “masculine pride” because that sounds nice and innocuous. Actually, machismo is much more than that, but I want to move on to a term you might not know: hembrismo, which comes from the word “hembra”, which means female animal. Hembrismo is a traditional code of customs that women should espouse. And guess what? The customs for being a man are WAY better than the customs for being a woman. But--and here’s the great tragedy — almost all women, in at least some ways, in their private lives, adhere to the customs of hembrismo!!! In other words, women participate in their own inequality. For lack of time, I am
not going to do an around-the-world analysis of this kind of phenomenon; so, let’s move around the world to East Asia. I’d love to talk about crazy rich Asians — the movie, that is — but let’s cut to the chase. I am advising — no, I am TELLING you young women out there that if you are going to enter a permanent private relationship, you must make sure it is clear to EVERYONE — including your future mother-in-law — that you will settle for nothing short of absolute equality. If not, you will help perpetuate the unequal treatment of women in the public world. In other words, you cannot change your world without breaking away from the cozy, comfortable traditions of being a woman. Do you have the courage to break with tradition? I can assure you that the inequality will not simply disappear on its own.
And you young men out there think that I’m not talking to you. Ha! It’s not our fault, is it, that we have it so good? We didn’t come up with the traditions that make us first, and not second-class citizens! Sorry--you may not just sit back and complain about a feminist attack on the revered, centuries-old citadel of tradition.
Wake up! Don’t be cowards. Don’t leave the task of equality to women. This has to be our fight, too! Some wise person said, “When men are oppressed, it’s a tragedy. When women are oppressed, it’s tradition.” What is missing from the quotation is that, ironically, women share in preserving the traditions.
Listen. Profit from the experiences of others. Confucius was right: learning from your own mistakes is usually the worst way to learn.
Become yourself. Know who you are and who you want to be.
And if you want meaningful change, change the traditions that stand in the way. There are good traditions. There are also bad traditions.
Normally, I’d be through now, but I cannot end my time with you without saying something about…wine! I’m going to take a fresh approach, though.
Wine is not like life.
You should consume wine in moderation, but you need to drink life in excess. In fact, I hope you will go out and get drunk on life.
Drain each glass of life to the very last drop. Gan bei!
Budde, Josh Middle School Principal 初中校長
Educational Background MA: Education, Pepperdine University BA: Davidson College
•Josh is entering the international school world for the first time after close to 30 years in education. •He worked in schools all over the United States including Asheville, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. •Along with teaching math throughout his career, Josh played a season of semi-pro soccer in Sheffield, England as well as four years of professional soccer in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
•Josh is accompanied by his wife Becca who will work in our Communications office and their three children – Lucy (Grade 9), Molly (Grade 7), and Henry (Grade 5).
•Josh enjoys playing squash and woodturning.
band Josh, the new middle school principal, and her three children who are entering the upper, middle, and lower school divisions. •Becca 來自費城的SCH學院，她是該校高中的學術輔導老 師，並教授物理和化學。
Brits, Marissa Lower School Music Teacher 小學音樂教師
BM: North-West University, Potchefstroom
•Marissa is returning to TAS where she taught in the early 2000s.
•Marissa’s recent career has included elementary classroom music teaching in international schools in South Africa, numerous years teaching Kindermusik, and most recently teaching and administering her own early childhood music school.
•She is a passionate music educator whose experiences include extensive work in the process of Orff-based instruction, elementary choirs, and piano.
•Marissa will come back to Taipei with two teenage daughters who will also attend TAS. •Marissa回到了她在21世紀初授過課的TAS。
be entering her 16th year as an educator.
programs, trained teachers in Readers and Writers workshop, as well as Guided Reading.
•She spent the majority of her life in Maryland in the U.S., where she also taught for 12 years before deciding to move to Morocco to teach at an American School.
•When not at work, you will find her at a yoga class, reading, enjoying the sunshine, or traveling.
•Jennifer在紐約市和位於華盛頓特區郊外的維吉尼亞州亞歷 山大市生活和工作，在那裡她教授1年級、2年級和5年級。
•從維吉尼亞州，她與丈夫和兩個兒子一起前往中國上海， 在那裡她教授一年級、六年級，並獲得另一個諮詢心理學學 位。
•Jennifer喜歡與丈夫和孩子一起烹飪、聽音樂、閱讀和看電 影。
Chan, Helina Lower School Reading Support Teacher 小學閱讀支援教師
MA: Speech Language Pathology, New York University
BS: Teacher of Speech Hearing Handicapped, New York University
•Helina has worked extensively in the elementary school environment providing language-based enrichment and speech therapy to students.
•For fourteen years Helina worked in the New York City public schools averaging caseloads of 40 students.
•Most recently Helina has worked in Hong Kong. Helina and her family are excited to be joining the TAS community. •Helina在小學環境中開展廣泛的工作，為學生提供基於
Fisher, Jennifer Lower School Counselor 小學輔導老師
EDSP: University of Missouri MS.Ed.: Elementary Education, University of Pennsylvania BA: College of William and Mary
•Jennifer has worked in education for twenty years both as a classroom teacher and as a counselor.
•She has deepened her knowledge of best practices in counseling by actively working with the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence and attending numerous professional development training sessions on growth mindset, resilience, and emotional competency.
•Jennifer lived and worked in New York City and Alexandria, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C where she taught Grades 1, 2, and 5.
•From there she traveled with her husband and two sons to Shanghai, China where she taught Grade 1 for six years and earned another degree in Counseling Psychology.
•Jennifer enjoys spending time cooking, listening to music, reading, and watching movies with her husband and children.
Fisher, Stefan Lower School Gr. 3 Teacher 小學三年級教師
MEd: Educational Leadership, George Mason University
MEd: Elementary Education, Howard University
BA: Howard University
•Stefan has worked in education for over twenty years both as a classroom teacher and as a science coach for Grades K-5.
•He has attended several institutes on Next Generation Science Standards, Harvard Maker Space, Innovative Learning Spaces, and Professional Learning Communities.
•Stefan lived and worked in Alexandria, Virginia where he was a teacher for Grades 2-3 as well as a science coach for Grades K-5.
•Stefan is adventurous and enjoys the outdoors and sports. He is always ready to play baseball, basketball, or any other competitive sport.
•作為課堂教師和K-5等年級的科學教練，Stefan在教育領域 工作了20多年。 •他曾在幾個關於下一世代的科學標準、哈佛創客空間、創 新學習空間和專業學習社區的研究所進修。
•Stefan在維吉尼亞州亞歷山大市生活和工作，在那裡他是 2-3年級的教師、以及K-5年級的科學教練。
•Stefan喜歡冒險、喜愛戶外運動。他隨時準備參加棒球、 籃球和任何其他競技運動。
Hendrickson, Beth Lower School KA Teacher 小學部 KA教師
MA: International Education, Framingham State University
BA: Northland College
•Beth has 25 years of teaching experience, all in early childhood education at five international schools, three U.S. public schools, and one U.S. Department of Defense school.
•For the past 2 1/2 years, Beth has lived and taught in a small town in Michigan’s unique Upper Peninsula. She grew up in this same area and continues to spend summers there enjoying friends and extended family.
•Beth is married and has two grown children.
•Beth enjoys cycling, hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and reading.
Hung, Ling
Lower School Mandarin Teacher (Part-Time) 小學華語教師（兼職）
MA: Teaching Chinese as a Second Language, National Tsing Hua University, TW BA: Chinese Culture University, TW
•Ling will join the dynamic TAS lower school Mandarin team next year.
•She has been a trusted teaching assistant in Grade 3 for two years. Before joining TAS, Ling taught Mandarin in two primary schools in New Zealand and a community college in Australia.
•In her free time, Ling enjoys cooking, baking, crafts, and traveling.
•A lover of languages, she can speak Mandarin, Taiwanese, basic Korean, and a little Japanese.
•Ling Hung將於明年加入充滿活力的TAS小學華語團隊。
她在三年級已經成為值得信賴的助教兩年了。
•在加入TAS之前，Ling在紐西蘭的兩所小學和澳洲的社區 學院教授華語。
•她擁有台北文化大學英國文學學士和清華大學華語作為第 二語言的碩士學位。 •在閒暇時間，Ling喜歡做菜、烘焙、工藝和旅行。作為 一個語言愛好者，她會說華語、台語、基本的韓語和一點 日語。
Lin, Rosalind Lower School Mandarin Teacher (Part-Time) 小學華語教師(兼職)
MS: Multidisciplinary Studies, SUNY Buffalo MA: Journalism and Communication, Ohio State University BA: National Cheng-Chi University
•Before returning to Taiwan, Rosalind worked at Lincoln Middle School in Gainesville, Florida as a Mandarin teacher.
•She also dedicates herself as a volunteer teaching Mandarin in India during the summer with hopes that language education will open up doors for underprivileged people in India.
•She learned to speak Spanish, Italian, and French in order to appreciate more of the world when traveling.
•Rosalind is a world traveler, nature lover, yoga prac-
titioner, and flamenco dancer. She also loves to read, watch movies, and listen to music.
•返回台灣之前，Rosalind曾在佛羅里達州蓋恩斯維爾的林 肯中學擔任華語教師。
•夏天，她還致力於在印度教授華語，希望語言教育為印度 貧困人口敞開大門。
•她學會說西班牙語、意大利語和法語，以便在旅行時欣賞 更多的世界。
•羅莎琳德是世界旅行者、自然愛好者、瑜伽練習者和佛萊 明哥舞者。她也喜歡閱讀、看電影和聽音樂。
MS.Ed: TESOL, University of Pennsylvania
BA: Bethel College
•2019 marks Mayuko’s 13th year of classroom teaching.
•In addition to being an English language specialist, Mayuko has worked as an ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) program coordinator serving students from Grades K-8.
•She is fluent in English and Japanese and is developing her Mandarin skills.
•Mayuko taught at a public charter school in Philadelphia’s Chinatown in Pennsylvania and from there moved on to Shanghai, China for four years to work with students in Grades 2-6 at Shanghai American School.
•Mayuko is passionate about exploring new cuisines and restaurants with her husband Lloyce on weekends and during vacations.
•2019年是Mayuko第13年的課堂教學。
•除了擔任英語語言專家外，Mayuko還擔任ESOL（英語 為其他語言者）課程協調員，為K-8年級的學生服務。 •在掌握華語技能的同時，她能說流利的英語和日語。
•Mayuko在賓州費城唐人街的一所公立特許學校任教，並 從那裡前往中國上海四年，與上海美國學校2 - 6年級的學 生一起工作。
•Mayuko熱衷於在周末和度假期間與丈夫Lloyce一起探索 新的美食和餐館。
Reynolds, Kate
Lower School EAL Teacher 小學EAL教師
BA: Elementary Education, Rhode Island College
•Kate began her career as an educator six years ago at an urban school in Providence, RI.
•She has taught students from Grades 1-3 who have moved to the U.S. from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Cambodia, among others.
•Kate enjoys exploring new cities and wandering through old bookstores and libraries.
•When the weather is warmer, she can be found beach hopping with several books and her new husband, Dave.
•六年前，Kate在羅德島Providence的一所城市學校開始
了她的教育工作。
Reynolds, Kerali Lower School Gr. 1 Teacher 小學一年級教師
MEd: Curriculum and Instruction, George Mason University MA: Education, University of Alabama BA: Brigham Young University
•Kerali joined TAS in 2019 as a Grade 1 teacher. Prior to coming to TAS, she taught EAL at Frankfurt International School and Grade 1 at the International Community School of Addis Ababa.
•Kerali grew up in New Mexico but has lived in China, India, Panama, Colombia, Germany, Ethiopia, and Taiwan. •She speaks Spanish and values the growth and perspectives she has gained through the opportunity to live and travel internationally.
•Kerali is mom to six wonderful humans. The four oldest are pursuing their educations and careers in the U.S. while the two youngest are attending TAS. •Kerali於2019年加入TAS，擔任一年級教師。在加入TAS之 前，她在法蘭克福國際學校和Addis Ababa國際社區學校 一年級教授EAL。 •Kerali在新墨西哥州長大，但曾居住過中國、印度、巴拿 馬、哥倫比亞、德國、依索比亞和台灣。 •她會說西班牙語，重視她通過國際生活和旅行的機會所獲 得的成長與觀點。 •Kerali是六個精彩人類的媽媽。四個大的正在美國繼續他 們的教育和職業生涯，而兩個最小的正就讀於TAS。
Scherphorn, Lisa Lower School Learning Support Teacher 小學學習支援教師
MS: Psychology, Southern New Hampshire University BS: New York University
•Lisa has worked in the field of education for over ten years.
•She has experience as a Grade 2 teacher, an academic intervention teacher, and running a tutoring company in which she worked with students in need of academic, social, and emotional support.
•Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lisa has since enjoyed living in New York City, Maryland, and Germany.
•Lisa loves taking adventures with her four kids and husband, hiking, relaxing at the beach, and cheering for her children at their various sporting events.
Tan, Johanna Lower School Gr. 5 Teacher
小學五年級教師
MEd: Moderate Disabilities, Boston College BA: Boston College
•Johanna has worked in education as a Grade 4 classroom teacher and an upper-elementary special educator.
•A “third-culture kid”, Johanna spent the early years of her childhood growing up in Singapore. Eventually, her family moved to Shanghai, China, where she attended and graduated from Shanghai American School.
•Johanna loves being at home with her family, traveling to places she has never been to before and searching for new experiences to try.
•Johanna is joined in Taipei with her husband (Nick) and their beagle (Bagel).
•Johanna是位四年級課堂教師和高年級特殊教育工作者。
•Johanna是一個“第三文化的孩子”，她的童年初期在新 加坡長大。最後，她的家人搬到了中國上海，在那裡她就 讀並畢業於上海美國學校。
•Johanna喜歡和家人一起待在家裡；前往她以前從未去過 的地方；以及尋找新的體驗。
•Johanna和她的丈夫（Nick）以及他們的小獵犬（貝果） 一起來台北。
•Amy is a native southern Californian, but she has called the Seattle-area of Washington state home since 2000.
•She began her career in 1998 working with deaf children and then moved into elementary education.
•From 2010 to 2013, she worked at the Mont Kiara International School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a Grade 5 teacher.
•She has been back in the U.S. for the past six years and is more than excited to be moving back overseas to teach internationally. •She is most happy out on a trail hiking and backpacking, but she also loves being close to the water and scuba diving.
Wang, Karen
Lower School Mandarin Teacher
(Part-Time)
小學華語教師 (兼職)
MA: Education Technology, UBC (expected in 2020)
BA: Fu Jen Catholic University
•Karen is a TAS alumna.
•She taught Mandarin to Grades 3 and 4 in San Francisco and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge.
•Karen is currently completing her master’s in Education and Technology as she feels it is important to always stay up-todate with the latest techniques and philosophies in education. •Karen is a keen traveler who has been to many countries and always enjoys experiencing the local culture. •She also loves reading and is writing her own children’s e-book for young students with Mandarin as their second language. •Karen是TAS校友。
初、高中學術支援教師
MS: Special Education, Arkansas State University
BA: History, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
•Douglas was born and raised in the Hudson Valley of New York State and has taught in Washington, DC; Florida; and most recently at the Canadian Academy in Kobe, Japan.
•Douglas will join the Middle School to teach Grades 8-9 academic support.
•He has previously coached soccer and basketball and has been actively involved in MUN.
•Douglas loves fitness, traveling, movies, chocolate, and looks forward to learning Mandarin.
•Douglas在紐約州哈德遜山谷出生長大，並在華盛頓特 區、佛羅里達、最近在日本神戶的加拿大學院任教。
•Douglas將加入初中部，擔任8、9年級的學術支援。
•他之前曾擔任足球和籃球教練，並一直積極參與模擬聯 合國。
•Douglas喜歡健身、旅遊、電影、巧克力、並期待學習華 語。
MA: Math Education and Bilingual Extension, The City College of New York BA: Boston University
•Robert Espinal will join the middle school math department teaching Grade 7 math.
•He has taught high school math in the New York City Public School System, a variety of grade levels within the IB/MYP math curriculum at the KAUST secondary school in Saudi Arabia, and the last six years at Shanghai American School.
•While working internationally, he coached boys’ soccer at the U19 and varsity levels.
•Joining him are his wife Debbie Huang and two daughters, Kadence and Sophie, who will enter Grade 2 and Kindergarten respectively.
•In his spare time, he is an avid cyclist and always loves to make and eat fresh pizza. •Robert Espinal將加入中學初中數學部門，教授7年級數
Huang, Debbie
Middle School Math Teacher 初中數學教師
MA: Secondary Math Education, The City College of New York BS: Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University
•Debbie joins our middle school faculty as a Grade 6 math teacher.
•She is excited to come home to her parents’ native country. •Since 2006, she has taught a range of middle and high school classes, such as Grades 6 to 8 gifted and talented courses, MYP Extended Level Mathematics, and IB Higher Level Mathematics. •She enjoys spending quality time with her husband Robert, and two daughters Kadence and Sophie, through adventures in reading, cooking, and traveling around the world.
Ceramics, Tainan National University of the Arts MA: Ceramics, Minnesota State University
Minnesota State University •For the past four years, Matt has been in high demand in various roles at TAS. •This year Matt will teach Grade 8 EAL. •Prior to TAS, Matt taught ESL at Kadena High School in Okinawa, Japan and the Head Start school in Taipei. •Outside of the classroom, he is a long-time practitioner of ceramics and likes to create new works in the studio in his free time. •He is an avid traveler, enjoys taking his dog for hikes, and going to the beach.
Middle School students play a “Guess Who?” style game with the new middle school administrator and teachers to find out more about their history and achievements.
Middle School Science Teacher 初中科學教師
GradDip: Education, University of the Sunshine Coast BS: Exercise Physiology and Science, University of the Sunshine Coast
•Blake has most recently taught science and math at Noosa District High School on the Sunshine Coast of Australia and will join TAS teaching Grade 8 science.
•He has served as the year 7 coordinator and has been actively involved in coaching soccer and sponsoring a student-run radio station.
•Blake’s background prior to returning to education included working on a radio show and as a television host.
•Blake likes adventure and enjoys surfing and diving.
•Blake近期在澳洲陽光海岸的努薩地區高中教授科學和數 學，並將加入TAS教授八年級科學。 •他曾擔任7年級協調員，並積極參與足球教練和輔導學生
Velasquez Melara, Elisa Middle School Spanish Teacher
初中西班牙文教師
•Elisa is originally from Honduras and grew up speaking both Spanish and English; she will teach middle school Spanish at TAS.
•She has taught Spanish using English and Chinese; Chinese using English and Spanish; and English using Spanish and Chinese.
•She served as a translator during the Presidential dinner when President Tsai visited Honduras.
•She lives with her husband and younger sister and enjoys walking around Taipei city, reading books, and cats.
Clarke, Beth MS/US Political Science & Forensics Teacher/Speech & Debate Coach
初、高中政治科學與辯證教師/演 講/辯論教練
MS: Pastoral Studies, Loyola University
MEd: Secondary English Education, Northern Arizona University
BS: Illinois State University
•Beth is a Chicago native and current Arizonan.
•She joins TAS after sixteen years of teaching speech, debate, English literature, and religious studies at Brophy College Preparatory (an all-boys Jesuit prep school) in Phoenix.
•A national championship speech and debate competitor and coach, Beth’s undergraduate work and her two master’s degrees have been in pursuit of her passion: being an outstanding educator.
•At TAS she will be doing what she does best: teaching and coaching speech and debate.
•Beth是芝加哥本地人，現在為亞利桑那居民。
College Preparatory（一個全男孩
•在衛斯理學院期間，他與參加足球、排球、船員、田徑、
Edwards, Takisha (TK)
US Assistant Athletic Trainer 高中運動助理訓練員
MS: Kinesiology, Texas A& M University
BS: Texas State University
•TK Edwards has previous international experience as the athletic trainer for Shanghai Community International School-Pudong.
•Before moving to Asia, she worked for BHS Healthlink Outpatient Rehab clinic in San Antonio, Texas where she assisted in the physical therapy department.
•While studying in Corpus Christi, she served as the athletic trainer for the university’s NCAA Division I women’s volleyball and golf teams.
•Additionally, TK holds certifications in ImPACT concussion baseline testing and the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
•In her free time, TK enjoys a variety of activities that include playing board games, trying her hand in the kitchen at new recipes, and staying active by playing recreational basketball and sand volleyball.
•TK Edwards曾擔任上海社區國際學校 - 浦東的體育教 練。
Davis, Conor US Assistant Athletic Trainer 高中運動助理訓練員
BS: Athletic Training, The University of Vermont
•Conor has been the athletic trainer for two Massachusetts junior hockey organizations and served as the assistant athletic trainer at Wellesley College.
•During his time at Wellesley, he worked with studentathletes who participated in soccer, volleyball, crew, track & field, fencing, and many more sports.
•Additionally, Conor spent time working with Boston College’s NCAA Division I men’s baseball and women’s lacrosse and softball teams.
•In his free time, Conor enjoys traveling and is thrilled to come to TAS following a year in the south of Vietnam.
•Conor also enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle outdoors including hiking, swimming, and discovering quirky new areas in the neighborhood.
Hamre, Melanie Director of College Counseling
MEd: Higher Education Administration, Harvard University BA: Harvard University
•After graduating from Harvard University with a cum laude undergraduate degree and a Master of Education, Melanie spent several years working in the Harvard Admissions Office. •She then spent six years working in various leadership capacities, including Vice President for Recruitment and Admission, with City Year, a not-for-profit focused on improving education in high-need urban areas.
the past three years, Melanie has worked as the Director of Admissions and College Counseling at the United World College - USA in her native New Mexico. •In addition to overseeing the college placement of the seniors at UWC - USA, Melanie worked with 159 national committees to select students for UWC - USA as well as to support the applications of over 50 students looking to study at UWC campuses. •以優異的本科學位和教育碩士畢業於哈佛大學 後，Melanie在哈佛招生辦公室工作了數年。
Hsu, Jonathan Upper School Science/Scientific Research Teacher 高中科學/科研教師
PhD: Biological Sciences, Northwestern University BSc: Johns Hopkins University
•Jonathan had a passion for biology ever since taking his high school AP Biology and DNA science classes.
•In addition to his research on how the interactions of specific proteins can lead to cancer, Jonathan worked as a teaching assistant and a mentor to undergraduate and high school students in the laboratory.
•With a strong desire to apply his scientific background to real-world applications, Jonathan joined a biotech company in Taiwan, helping to research and develop pharmaceutical drugs for treating diseases like cancer.
•After five years of managing the business and scientific aspects of pharmaceutical drug development, Jonathan decided to bring his business acumen and strong technical expertise in biological sciences to TAS.
Heslar, John Upper School Chemistry Teacher 高中化學教師
PhD: Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence BS: Northeastern State University
•John has been a Postdoctoral Research Associate at National Taiwan University (NTU)Department of Physics since 2009 and in 2017 was promoted to an Assistant Research Fellow/Assistant Research Professor at NTU-Department of Physics.
•John has twenty publications in the research areas of Strong-Field AMO Physics, including two invited Book Chapters explaining new developments in ultra-fast science and technology.
•In 2014, John and his collaborators made NTU headline news for their publication in Nature Photonics, which is the No. 1 ranked Optics Journal in the World.
•He has taught undergraduate and graduate level courses in Chemistry and Physics at KU and NTU, and also trained and mentored numerous master’s and Ph.D. students, research assistants, and post-doctoral researchers in the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering (CQSE) and NTU Physics Department.
•He has also been heavily involved in Taiwan’s Attosecond Laser Science community, in which he has been an invited speaker at workshops in National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), and NTU.
•John自2009年起擔任國立台灣大學（NTU）- 物理系的博 士後研究員，並於2017年晉升為NTU物理系的助理研究員/
of Admission with a specific focus on the East Asia region.
7 years in Boston, Shanice is looking forward to moving back to Asia to continue her work with college counseling, this time on the upper school side of the desk, with her perspective as an international student. •Shanice出生於馬來西亞，在移居美國攻讀大學本科之前
•由於對教育感興趣，Shanice畢業後留在母校擔任入學申 請助理主任，並特別關注東亞地區。 •在波士頓工作了7年之後，Shanice期待著回到亞洲繼續 她的大學諮詢工作，這一次是在學校的高中階段，她的前 身是國際學生。
Leu, Mike
Upper School Visual Arts Teacher 高中視覺藝術教師(兼職)
MFA: Animation and Visual Effects, Academy of Art University BFA: Academy of Art University
•Mike found his passion for 3D computer graphics during an introduction to computer graphics class at TAS.
•After graduating from TAS in 2003, he went to San Francisco and earned two degrees in Animation and Visual Effects at the Academy of Art University.
•Upon graduation, Michael has worked on documentaries on the History Channel and several films including The Avengers, Titanic 3D, and Kung Fu Panda 3D.
•While working in Los Angeles, he worked on many commercials for clients such as Toyota, GMC, Chevy, and Apple.
Bound, is a collection of interconnected personal essays on family and cultural identity.
• Brenda has taught adult writing workshops here in Taipei and continues to write and to publish short stories and essays in various literary magazines.
•Brenda於1994年畢業於台北美國學校，在瓦薩學院主修 英語，後來又獲得哥倫比亞大學非虛構寫作藝術創作碩士 學位。
•她的第一本書“Wealth Ribbon：Taiwan Bound，America Bound”是一系列關於家庭和文化認同 的相互關聯之個人論文集。
•Brenda在台北教授成人寫作研討會，並繼續撰寫和發表 各種文學雜誌的短篇小說與散文。
MA: Interdisciplinary Studies In Educational Leadership, The University of Texas at Dallas MA: English, Texas Woman’s University BA: North Texas State University
•Jacqueline’s long career in education led her to TAS from Johns Hopkins University where she taught graduate level secondary literacy courses.
•Prior to this role, she held multiple positions in diverse educational spaces that support all educational stakeholders from teacher to specialist to the executive director while teaching all grade levels.
•At one time as the founding principal of a combined middle and high school, she was able to see it become nationally recognized by fostering a culture of excellence that permeated throughout the entire tapestry of the school (students, families, and staff).
•She is currently working on her doctorate and holds two master’s degrees, one in English and the other in educational leadership, and is trained in the use of restorative practices in school settings.
Town, Adrian Upper School Film Studies Teacher
高中電影研究老師
BA: Film Production, Emerson College•Adrian graduated from TAS in 2013 and went on to earn a BA in Film Production from Emerson College in just three years.
•He began his professional career as an intern working in development for the Warner Bros. Studio in Los Angeles during his last year of college.
•He has worked in a range of freelance commercial and narrative film positions for companies such as Time Inc., Weed Road Pictures, other small companies/businesses, and independent projects.
•His work has taken him from Boston, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Beijing, and lastly to British Columbia where he was working toward full membership in the Director’s Guild of Canada.
•He is also currently pursuing a Master of the Liberal Arts degree at the Harvard Extension School for Creative Writing and Literature.
•Adrian於2013年畢業於TAS，並在短短三年內從愛默生 學院獲得電影製作學士學位。 •他在大學的最後一年擔任洛杉磯華納兄弟工作室的實習 生，開始了他的職業生涯。 •他曾擔任過Time Inc.、Weed Road Pictures、與其他小 公司/企業和獨立計劃的各種自由商業和敘事電影職位。 •他的工作使他從波士頓、洛杉磯、上海、北京、最後到不 列顛哥倫比亞省，在那裡他正在努力成為加拿大導演協會 的正式會員。 •他目前還在哈佛大學創意寫作與文學院攻讀文學碩士學 位。
Williamson, Andrew Upper School English Teacher 高中英語教師
PhD: English, Princeton University MA: English, University of Cambridge BA: Yale University
•Andrew’s passion is, to quote one famous thinker, “words, words, words.”
•His first teaching job was Grade One Lower School Intern at the American School in London.
•After that, Andrew served as a Substitute Teacher in the High School English Department at ASL, before returning to New York City to serve as a mixed-level tutor for the past six years.
•Andrew promotes diversity in secondary school and university education through his extensive engagement with Prep for Prep and Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America.
•Outside of the library and the classroom, Andrew has a number of hobbies: speaking French, cycling, playing squash, and pulling for his all-time hero, Roger Federer.
•引用一位著名的思想家的話，Andrew的熱情就是“文 字、文字、文字。”目前，他正準備在2019年4月為自己
的論文辯護（關於現代美國詩歌中的沉默話題）。
•他的第一份教學工作是倫敦美國學校小學一年級的實習 老師。
•之後，Andrew在ASL的高中英語部門擔任代課教師，之 後回到紐約市擔任過六年的混合年級導師。
•Andrew通過他廣泛參與多元化美國和企業領導力的準備 工作，來促進中學和大學教育的多樣性。
•在圖書館和教室外，Andrew有許多愛好：說法語、騎自 行車、打壁球、以及為他最喜歡的英雄羅傑·費德勒加油。
Principals and the Head of School select two teachers from each division annually as recipients of the Joanna Nichols Professional Excellence Award. These teachers demonstrate commitment to excellence in their classroom and have exceptional student performance data and feedback surveys from parents and students.
The 2019 recipients are Liwen Chao, Jenessa Van Schooneveld, Peter Stanley, Drew Williams, Stephen Abernethy, Michelle Bruce, and Brandon Maguire.
John VandenBoom also won the Outstanding Service Award in recognition of his 32 years of excellent service and contributions to the TAS community.
During the 2018-2019 Upper School Awards Ceremony, former Principal Dr. Richard Hartzell, the associate principals and the upper school department chairs suprise Stephen Abernethy with the final Joanna Nichols teaching award by dedicating a game of “Priest of the Parish” to the long-time game announcer and judge.
PHOTO: LINDSEY KUNDEL
Brandon Maguire poses with Upper School principal Richard Hartzell.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Michelle Bruce poses with Upper School principal Richard Hartzell.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Stephen Abernethy poses with Upper School principal Richard Hartzell.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Upper School associate principal John VandenBoom accepts a surprise award at the Upper School Awards Ceremony.
PHOTO: LINDSEY KUNDEL
Do you know that TAS parents are all members of our Parent Teachers’ Association?
Drop in to the PTA Office (open afternoons) or the Parent Lounge (open all day) to learn more about the activities we organize: parent seminars and book fairs, Spring and International Food Fairs, student parties and booster club events (just to name a few), and the grants and scholarships we support.
At the start of our 70th Anniversary school year, what better time to talk about our PTA and how you can get involved.
This year the PTA has a new President, Sandy Chung. We spoke to Sandy about the PTA, its role in the school and why she decided to take on the task of leading a group of volunteer parents in this somewhat daunting role.
QUESTION: Sandy, it’s hard to imagine, but there was a time before TAS had a PTA. Can you tell us a little about the history of how and why the PTA was established?
SANDY: The PTA began in 1982 - 37 years ago and 33 years after TAS was founded - by a small committee of parents led by the first PTA President, Cynthia Hall. They created the PTA Calendar and organized the first International Food Fair and Spring Fair. We’ve had twenty Presidents since then and have added the Bookstore and two annual Book Fairs. All the funds we raise are used to support the five key PTA-sponsored programs: author visits, PTA grants, parent seminars, the New Family Connections Program and the PTA Scholarship Awards.
QUESTION: Have the objectives of the PTA changed very much since 1982?
SANDY: Our core mission has always been to support the school’s values and objectives. Our capacity to do this has grown as the school has grown, thanks to the efforts of many parents, alumni and our close cooperation with school faculty and administration. These days we can provide events and facilities (like the parent lounge and wellbeing events) as well as lines of communication between our parents and school (like the LS, MS and US connections) which support the whole school community.
QUESTION: Do you think people understand the difference between what the PTA does and what the
school itself does?
SANDY: There is so much going on it can be confusing! We organise the big fundraising events like the Food Fair, the Spring Fair and the Book Fairs, but we also support events in collaboration with the school. Anyone, including parents, school faculty and administration, can apply for a PTA grant. Last year we brought authors Ying Chang Compestine and Matt Phelan supported to TAS and supported visitors invited by the school including by Dr. Grant Hassad, an expert on Mindfulness, and Roxanne Browne.
QUESTION: Finally, why did you decide to take on the PTA Presidency and what are your goals for the year ahead?
SANDY: We’ve been at TAS for 17 years and my whole family has benefited from belonging to the school community. My children are receiving a first-class education and have access to great facilities. And when my children
have needed extra support, the school has helped them overcome their difficulties. This type of support meant a lot to me and showed me how much the school has our children’s interests at heart. So when I was asked to take on this role, I thought a lot about what being part of the school meant to my family and how I could make a contribution. I’d never been on the PTA Board before and until now I honestly haven’t fully understand what the PTA does! I’ve found such a positive mindset amongst the parents and a strong spirit of teamwork that I feel very happy to have taken on the role of President. As for my goals for this year, I want to ensure that everyone feels welcome to be a part of the PTA and willing to help when they can to support the school. We may not be perfect but if we work together I think we can really help our kids reach their full potential. And as a parent that is what I want most.
獎學金。 在本校70週年的學年 之始，還有什麼更佳時間 來談論本校的PTA以及如 何參與其中。 今年PTA有一位新會長
Sandy Chung。 我們與 Sandy談論了PTA、它在 學校中的作用，以及為什 麼她決定承擔領導一群家 長志工，這個有點令人生 畏的重責大任。
問：Sandy，很難想 像，但是在TAS有PTA之 前還有一段時間。您能否 介紹一下PTA成立的歷史 和原因？
SANDY：PTA始於 1982年 ─ 37年前，即TAS 成立的33年之後─ 由第一 位PTA會長Cynthia Hall 領導的一個家長組成的小 委員會開始。他們創立了 PTA行事曆，並組織了第 一屆國際美食節和春季園 遊會。從那時起，我們歷 經二十位會長，並增加了 書店和兩個年度書展。我 們募得的所有資金都用於 支持PTA贊助的五個關鍵 項目：訪問作者、PTA補 助款、家長研討會、新家
Hassad博士和Roxanne Browne。 問：最後，您為什麼決 定接受PTA會長一職？您 未來一年的目標是什麼？ SANDY：我們在TAS 工作了17年，全家都從 學校社群中受益無窮。我 的孩子們正在接受一流的 教育，並可以使用一流的 設施。當我的孩子需要額 外的支持時，學校幫助他 們克服困難。這種類型的 支持對我來說意義重大， 並向我展示了學校對孩子 有多關注。因此，當我被 要求擔任這個角色時，我 想到了很多關於做為學 校的一份子對我的家庭的 意義，以及我如何能夠做 出貢獻。我從來沒有進過 PTA委員會，直到現在我 還沒有完全理解PTA的作 用！我在家長中找到了如 此積極的心態，並且具有 強烈的團隊合作精神，我 覺得很高興能夠擔任會長 的角色。至於我今年的目 標，我想確保每個人都感 到成為PTA的一員是受到 歡迎的，並願意在他們能 夠支持學校時提供助力。 我們可能不完美但如果我 們一起工作，我認為我們 可以真正幫助我們的孩子 充分發揮其潛力。而且我 最想要的是當父母。
Geo Lee (‘03) and Chuck Ma (‘03) became fast friends when Lee moved to Taipei American School in Grade 7. But unlike many of the middle school relationships that drift apart over time, Lee and Ma’s lives only became more tightly intertwined after their graduation from TAS.
The duo attended colleges only half an hour apart—the University of California, Irvine, and Chapman University, respectively—and spent hours driving to stay connected over the course of college.
In 2016, more than 20 years after their first meeting, they started a comedy duo called SeventhGrade. A series of humorous videos primarily centered around Asian identity, the group’s most popular videos have garnered up to 350,000 views on Facebook.
In an age where meme groups like Subtle Asian Traits dominate the internet, Lee and Ma are part of a recent trend in exploring pan-Asian cultural expression. From videos on white people who get Chinesecharacter tattoos to tackling stereotypes about the “dateability” of Asian men,
their videos are a refreshing take on what it’s like to be an Asian-American in the 21st century.
“We hope to continue to make the best videos that we can make, hopefully, so that it can become a positive representation of Asians and Asian Americans in the entertainment industry,” said Lee. “Especially this year with ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and a bunch of other milestones, we [Asian-Americans] have been finally breaking in into the Western entertainment industry.’
SeventhGrade is not their first venture to-
gether: In 2013, nine TAS alumni started a breakdancing crew called Instant Noodles, which was founded in 2003, and the group danced together for over ten years in shows like MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew.
As the dance group fizzled out, the duo eventually grew interested in a new iteration of the dance group. “As we grew older, dancing becomes tougher on your body,” he said. “Making videos seemed like a natural extension of our art.”
Q: In honor of the Class of 2019 who are now leaving for college, our first question from Amanda C. ‘21, is, “What is it like to make friends in college, and how is it different from the friend groups in TAS? How did TAS impact the way you made friends in college?”
“Students of TAS are generally foreigners in a foreign land who bond over a common identity of relating to each other’s experiences. The bonds you make with those friends at TAS will stand out for a lifetime. Upon graduation when everybody scatters to the ends of the globe, you’ll be lucky to be in physical proximity to any of the friends from TAS but you’ll maintain contact. In this day and age of digital media staying in touch is even easier. You’ll make new friends at college/university but you’ll never forget those you made at TAS. It’s like no other feeling in the world to remember those years and those people. You’ll cherish them forever even as you go on to build more relationships and a future.” - Scott Bielarczyk, ‘90 “Making friends in college is so exciting! You’ll realize that TAS is actually a very small school and campus. You’ll be going from a class size of about two hundred to a class size of thousands. So you’ll have the opportunity to meet so many different people from all walks of life and also many people who share the same background, life experiences, and interests as you. Some of my closest lifelong friends were made in college, so embrace this new experience and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!” - Jane Lock, ‘08
Caroline Chou ‘02成功地融合設計與美食
BY CONNIE MA, ALUMNI AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH OFFICER
For most people, running a restaurant and a design studio would mean taking on two separate full-time jobs. For Caroline Chou ’02 and her husband Kevin Lim, it is a serendipitous combination that enables them to fully flex their creative muscles as co-owners of OPENUU Design Studio and Mean Noodles.
“My first encounter with architecture and design was in our 8th grade woodshop class at TAS. I found it wonderful to work with my hands and to design and produce something,” Caroline recalls. At Wellesley, Caroline studied computer science, but kept a focus on design, and after graduating, she earned a Master’s degree in Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). In Boston, Caroline met her future husband, Kevin, a native of Hong Kong with roots in Malaysia, who had degrees in culinary arts and architecture. In 2012,
the couple moved back to Hong Kong.
“We came back to start a design business here, because it’s easier than setting up shop in the U.S., and there are more opportunities in Asia,” says Caroline, echoing a common sentiment among TAS alumni and Asian entrepreneurs. At first, OPENUU, the husband-and-wife collaboration took on every available project, including warehouse conversions, restaurants, and offices. Soon, they came up with the idea of an operating restaurant which would double as a showroom for their design studio. Together, Caroline and Kevin created a Malaysian noodle shop called Mean Noodles (麵佬到), a play on the Chinese character mian, or noodles. While Kevin and his kitchen team primarily run restaurant operations, Caroline works on social media and marketing. Caroline and Kevin’s hard work has landed
them the 2019 Will Ching Award from IIDA, which “celebrates originality and excellence in commercial design from firms with (5) five or fewer employees,” and received coverage from Interior Design magazine in June 2019.
Designing and running the restaurant has been a useful combination for Caroline and Kevin. “Many restaurant owners encounter problems because the designers don’t understand restaurant operations. For kitchens, the workflow is really important, so how they do service, where to locate the cashier, it’s all key to the operation of the restaurant,” Caroline explains. Mean Noodles also reflects OPENUU’s work with current trends in design. “In this style called modern industrial chic, we use a combination of different materials. The floors are concrete and industrial, but the tiles are modern and updated, giving it a more stylish look,” explains
Caroline. “We even found this tile pattern that was inspired by batik, which is a traditional floral fabric motif in Malaysian culture.”
With its laksa noodle soup and stir-fry noodles, Mean Noodles belongs to the trend of fast casual cuisine, which is often accompanied by Instagrammable, stylish settings. “People want to try a new place, and then turn around and post it online for other people to see,” Caroline explains. “So it’s great to have a setting which creates those sorts of Instagram or 打卡 moments.”
Caroline and Kevin have big dreams for OPENUU, including three new restaurants in Zhuhai and a new hotel project in Hong Kong. They are also working on gaining visibility and are always eager to grow and learn. “You can only achieve so much, and then you need to talk to people who have more experience,” reflects Caroline.
The American Chemical Society recently accepted the abstract of Jonathan (Jack) Bruce ‘21 for inclusion in the upcoming Publications Symposium: Innovations in Materials Science and Technology held in Singapore Nov. 17-19, 2019. Jack will be one of 50 researchers chosen to present their research at the conference. He will almost certainly be the only high school student. The ACS Publications Symposium brings together the world’s leading researchers for three days of innovative, scientific exchange.
2016年以來，ACS刊物講座將來自亞洲和世界各地的數百名科學家聚集到中國的 頂尖研究所。
Congratulations to the two co-winners of the 2019 AMIS Young Composers’ Competition: Tai O’Malley from Taipei American School and Thomas Neocleous from the American School of Paris. The Association for Music in International Schools is an organization that brings together students of schools worldwide who excel in musical achievements for days of music practice and then conclude with a concert. In this competition, professional adjudicators encourage quality entries that demonstrate excellent idiomatic instrumental writing; understanding of musical structure; creativity and development of musical ideas; and detailed notation.
Lindsey Kundel recently achieved the status of Certified Journalism Educator through the Journalism Education Association. This certificate recognizes her commitment to journalistic training. While certification for journalism teachers remains optional in most U.S. states, this achievement helps to recognize journalism teaching and advising as an academic field worthy of professional status. She will be recognized at a ceremony honoring newly certified educators at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Convention in Washington D.C..
Lindsey Kundel最近通過新聞教育協會獲得了新聞教育者的認證。該證書表明了 她對新聞培訓的奉獻。雖然新聞學教師的認證在美國大多數州仍非強制性的，但 此成就有助於認識新聞教學，並能建議出學術領域的專業地位。她將在華盛頓特 區JEA/NSPA秋季全國高中大會頒發教育工作者的新認證儀式上獲得認可。
Chase Williams of Taipei American School High School was selected and served in the final round judge pool of the 2019 National Speech & Debate Tournament, the largest academic competition in the world. Serving as a final round adjudicator is one of the greatest honors that can be bestowed on an individual attending the National Tournament.
台北美國學校高中部的Chase Williams入選2019年全國演講與辯論錦標賽的最後 一輪評委，這是世界上最大的學術競賽。作為最後一輪裁判，是參加全國錦標賽 的個人可以獲得的最大榮譽之一。
The Taipei American School student short film, “Portraits,” has been included as an official selection for the 2019 All American High School Film Festival, the largest high school film festival in the world. As an official selection, the film is eligible for the awards and will be showcased at the AMC Theater in Times Square on October 10, 2019. Twelve of our film students were accepted as one of the 50 teams that will compete in the three-day competition, also hosted in New York City, from October 7-9. 台北美國學校的學生短片“Portraits”被列為2019年全美高中電影節的官方評 選，這是世界上最大的高中電影節。作為官方評選，該電影有獲獎資格，並將於 2019年10月10日在時代廣場的AMC劇院放映。我們的12名電影學生被錄取為將 參加為期三天的50支隊伍之一，比賽於10月7日至9日在紐約市舉行。
This year’s NOVA Entrepreneurship Competition involved 15 teams from TAS, Asia American International Academy (AAIA), Dominican International School Taipei, and Kaohsiung American School (KAS). The challenge this year was to create a solution that will address one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s winning team from AAIA pitched a novel idea to clean up oil spills using human hair waste, and KAS was the runner-up based on their idea for a new app and website that could help curb human trafficking. A TAS team and another AAIA team placed in the top 4. 今年的NOVA創業大賽包括來自TAS、亞洲美國國際學院（AAIA）、台北 多明尼加國際學校和高雄美國學校（KAS）等15支隊伍。今年的挑戰是創
Every issue, we focus on a different Essential Capacity. In this issue, we explore examples of COMPLEX COMMUNICATION, found across all three divisions on campus.
speaks in front of 31 visiting teachers and principals from all across Taiwan at an informational session about the TAS Computer Science and Robotics program inside the Solomon Wong Tech Cube.
On the first day of school, Grade 7 homerooms needed to communicate and execute a plan to create a paper airplane that would travel farther than the other teams’ airplanes.
Grade 5 students discussed the character strengths that they most identify with in small groups, building a shared understanding of themselves and other students who identified with similar traits.
Contributions to TAS Annual Giving support designated initiatives not covered by tuition. Special projects receiving support through giving have included: Building Excellence such as the new Solomon Wong Tech Cube, Upper School Science and Technology Building, the Liu Lim Arts Center, the Upper School Gym, the Tiger Health and Wellness Center, and the renovation of the Guy Lott Jr. Auditorium; Program Excellence such as the Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholars, the installation of state-of-the-art science and robotics equipment, and the renovation of the Joanna Nichols Memorial Upper School Information Commons; and Professional Excellence, such as professional development for faculty, staff, and the Board.
Gifts may also be designated toward the Hope N. F. Phillips Scholarship Fund which provides temporary tuition support to families experiencing financial difficulties. This scholarship fund allows students who would otherwise have to leave the school because of financial hardship to continue their education at TAS. Finally, your gift to Endowment helps assure long-term financial stability for the school, ensures that future generations of TAS students enjoy excellence in education, and serves as an emergency reserve.
Please consider a gift to the Annual Giving Program this year. When you choose to support Taipei American School with a donation, you choose to support an institution that puts students first in everything it does.Your gift will benefit all TAS students.
To make a donation, please use the enclosed giving envelope and return it to the Development Office at 1B62. You can also give online at www.tas.edu.tw/give.To make a gift claimable for tax deduction in Taiwan, please contact the Development Office at development@tas.edu.tw or by phone at 02-2873-9900 ext. 512 or ext. 821.
On September 26th, we gathered as a community to celebrate 70 years of Taipei American School by reflecting on both our rich past and our bright future.
From the basement of a seminary in 1949 with eight students in attendance to our modern, 21st century campus with an enrollment of nearly 2,400 students, our school has evolved dramatically over the past 70 years.
The first graduating class of 14 seniors in 1956 went on to become business, civic, and government leaders around the world and in Taiwan itself, just as the graduates of 2020 will do.
As a community, we have come so far and continue to expand the options and opportunities for every TAS student. By planning for a school that meets the needs of our students today, and those of their children’s children for generations to come, our evolution influences us as we strive for excellence in all that we do.
PHOTOS: LINDSEY KUNDEL
