我們遇到的挑戰-哪個教育系統適合我的孩子？ Challenges we face - finding the right education system
當我們的第一個孩子在台北出生時，有個問題困惑著我：「他要上台北哪所學校呢？」
教育在我迄今的生命中扮演重要的角色，我也希望我的孩子能接受優良的教育。我小時候接受過亞洲傳統的中文學校教育。說實話，這太困難了。每當我想回顧小時候究竟在學校學了什麼，我什麼也想不起來！
我丈夫接受的是傳統的德國教育。他告訴我，小時候的他一直在幼兒園玩耍。他們在樹林裡奔跑，了解樹木和昆蟲；他們學習如何過馬路等等，我聽完之後，覺得相當嚮往。但是現在還不是送孩子去德國幼兒園的時候，因為我想藉此機會讓孩子體驗不同的文化。因此，我開始做功課，了解台灣的教育系統。
在我的初步搜尋了解之下，台北的教育系統有以下幾種：
-蒙特梭利教育（Montessori Education）
-華德福教育 （Waldorf Education）
-公立學校教育系統
-英語雙語教育系統
-其他實驗性教育系統
❖蒙特梭利教育：強調獨立自主；重視兒童發展階段，對幼兒來說涉及很多行為學習；老師是作為觀察員的角色；混合年齡學習；蒙特梭利的孩子似乎很獨立，也很批判地思考（有些人會說是難搞的孩子們）。
❖華德福教育：華德福教育起源自德國斯圖加特。我們住在德國時曾見過一些華德福的孩子，他們很有才華，很有藝術天份。因為我們對這個教育系統比較了解，深知這不是我們的教養方式，也不符合我們的教育風格，所以我沒有繼續深入了解其在台的發展。
❖公立學校教育體系：我個人經歷了亞洲的公立學校體系，我不希望我的孩子接受這樣的教育。
❖英語雙語教育系統：語言很重要，但我個人認為，如果有足夠的內在動力，即使年齡稍大，仍然可以學習語言。我個人就會四種語言：廣東話是我的母語。我在6歲時學了普通話、11歲學英語，32歲學了德語。年紀愈大，學習語言困難度當然愈高，但終究有方法的。老實說，在孩子還小的時候，我希望我的孩子能學習更多與生活密切相關的技能，以及與自己年齡相符的知識。
我對蒙特梭利充滿興趣，想要進行更多的調查與研究，所以這趟探索之旅便開始了。很幸運地，大兒子5個月大時，我們加入了蒙特梭利親子學習中心。身為母親的我收穫滿滿，這與我的教養理念不謀而合，讓我大開了眼界。隨後我參加了由AMS提供的蒙特梭利嬰兒和幼兒培訓，我有了更深入的機會了解關蒙特梭利教育的理念與細節。
大兒子15個月大時我帶他去了蒙特梭利托兒所。過不了多久我就懷了老二。我開始用蒙特梭利學習方法撫養他，我們常逗趣的稱他為「蒙式寶寶」。他現在才6個月大，我們開始讓他參加蒙特梭利親子中心。每天，看到兩兄弟的成長，讓我倍感欣慰。
教育是一個非常個人的選擇，應該與孩子的個性相符，更應該與家庭的養育方針、家庭計劃（財務規劃等）相呼應。這沒有絕對的對與錯，只需真誠地跟隨孩子與自己的心即可。
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When our first child was born here in Taipei, one question occurred in my mind:"What school will he attend here in Taipei?"
Education plays an important part in my life and I want my children to get a good-quality education than us. I attended traditional Chinese/Asian schools when I was child. It was tough, honestly. It was too hard. Now when I look back on what I have learned, I cannot recall anything. My husband attended traditional German school systems. He told me that he played all the time in the kindergarten. They went to the forest; they learnt about trees and insects; they learned how to cross the streets etc. It just sounds fantastic to me. But I do not want to send my children to the German kindergarten, at least not now, because I want to take the chance to let my children experience different cultures. So the searching journey for the education system in Taiwan started..
Summary of my initial search about education system here in Taipei:
- Montessori education
- Waldorf education
- Public school education system
- English bilingual education system
- Other experiential education system
❖ Montessori Education: Independent work; child-development phases are emphasized, so for toddlers, a lot of movement learnings are involved; teachers act as observers; mixed age classroom; It seems like Montessori kids are very independent and also think very critically (some describe "pain in the ass").
❖ Waldorf Education: Waldorf Education was originally from Stuttgart, Germany, where we lived back in Germany. I met some Waldorf kids before. They are very talented and artistic. Because we know this education system relatively well, and we know that it is not our parenting style nor our educational style, so I stopped my search here.
❖ Public School Education System: I personally went through the public school system in Asia, and I do not want my children to follow that.
❖ English Bilingual Education System: Languages are important, and I personally believe that you can still learn them when you are a bit older if you have the inner drives. I speak 4 languages: Cantonese is my mother tongue; I learnt Mandarin, English and German when I was 6, 11, and 32. Of course the older I am; the more difficult it is to learn a language, but there is a way. Honestly, I want my children to learn more about practical life and the skills related with the development of their own age.
I wanted to study more about Montessori, so the journey starts... We were lucky that we enrolled in the Montessori Parent-Child Learning Center when my elder son was 5 months old. I learned a lot as a parent and it was definitely a fit for my parenting style. It just opened my eyes. Later I decided to take the Montessori Infant & Toddler Training offered by AMS in order to learn more about Montessori Education. My elder son went to Montessori daycare when he was 15 months; and soon I was pregnant with my younger son. He was called "Montessori Baby" because I started applying my Montessori learning to raise him and now he is also attending the Montessori Parent-Child Learning Center since he was 6 months old. Every day I could not be more happier to see how they develop.
Education is a very personal choice. It should be fit with your child's personality, parenting style, and your family plan (financial plan etc.,). There is no right or wrong, just follow your child and the genuine self.