Greetings from Toronto.
My name is Lu. My husband just accepted a job in Taipei as a corporate executive, and we’re looking forward to the move next spring and the adventure ahead .
Needless to say, the preparation will be chaotic and overwhelming with all the unknowns . One big decision for us is to find a school for my 13-year-old son. He will be going to Grade 9 next Sep, and I would greatly appreciate any thoughts/advice on international school in the city.
I was born and grew up in mainland China, lived in Canada for the past 20 years, and have no knowledge of the international school system in Taiwan. My initial research showed a few options but I’m hoping you could kindly share your experience and insights as parents/teacher/ staff to help me make an informed decision . I’m not a “tiger mom”. We’d like our son to be a well-rounded, open-minded global citizen . We value a learning environment that focuses on academic performance , but also fosters , encourages creative, critical thinking, and personal development. My son is also very athletic. He plays in an elite provincial baseball league , and AA hockey. Hopefully there will be opportunities for him to continue his passion in Taipei…Thank you very much in advance. Much obliged ! Lu
Kangchiao is around the 3rd or 4th best school, but if you’re booking for an active school, that would be your best bet. I think the 9th graders are biking around the entirety of the island in a week or two…
…
As far as I know, all the international schools suck at baseball. HS varsity teams scrimmage against local middle school teams and lose. I don’t think anyone of them even have a real field. Local teams are legit here.
Follow the simple flowchart of every expat parent;
- apply to the American School,
- if you can’t get in, apply to the European School,
- if you can’t get in, apply to Kangqiao (you will get in).
Thanks for your reply and information… appreciated! Will certainly check it out. Are you a parent of a student in the school? How do you like it?
That’s disappointing to hear … but good to know . We haven’t told the kid about the move yet, was hoping to use the active baseball scene there as part of the bribe … darn . Any baseball league for his age and level in Taipei you know of ? Thanks Andrew !
Really?
I have two third graders at the American School and I am generally satisfied. The curriculum makes sense, the teachers are proactive, supportive, and positive, my kids are challenged academically and creatively, there are tons of extra curricular options and the facilities for them are great. The worst thing I can say is that the administration isn’t as organized or as good at communication as they could be.
Also, the Chinese classes are much better than what I previously experienced, but I have no knowledge of how good they are at other international schools in Taipei.
I don’t know about baseball, but I think they practice and play games at the Tianmu Baseball Stadium, which is a few minutes walk from the school.
Yes really.
Alternatively, If you don’t mind Christian flavoured education you can look at Dominican (Catholic in name only), one of the Adventist schools (teachers are religious, not pushed on students though), or Morrison (your child will be taught abstinence, and that fornication is a sin).
Kueishan is Christian flavoured, but not as extreme as Morrison.
Also look at the new American School in Linkou AAIA, copycat of Kangqiao.
My SO works there in the high school social studies department. It actually annoys them how much emphasis they place on the health philosophy of the school. The head of the school is a health nut so he expects the same amount of vigor from the staff and students.
That said, I do know a fair amount of the high school teachers, and they are all excellent educators, and actually give a crap about their students. The school of course has a majority of Taiwanese students, but there are Korean, Japanese, Indian, and white kids there that I’ve seen when I toured the campus a few months ago.
Caveat: Tienmu is the usual spot for the foreign CEO types and Kangchiao is about as far as you can get from there and still be considered to be in the same town. (Not really, it’s in Xindian…) TAS and the European school are in Tienmu, so your son would have a much easier commute. That said, there are multiple school buses from Kangchiao that provide transportation for the students in different parts of Taipei. As for the matriculation, there was a kid last year from Kangchiao that went to Yale.
I would recommend the American school. it has a more convenient location compared to European school, has a good reputation and a very good sports education program. If your work pays for tuition (which is quite expensive) it is a very good choice.
it has a reputation of being full of spoiled rich kids, but that is the stigma for most private schools i guess.
hockey is not really popular here, there is only 1 skating rink in Taipei. Baseball is not a problem.
I went to law school with someone who graduated from Morrison. She was as delightful and intelligent a person as could be, and she loved her time there.
I’m sure that’s the case. It’s important to point out the differences in schools so parents know what they’re getting themselves into. Some parents prefer these stricter style of education, others don’t.
Some Christian schools have a live and let live attitude to religion, but I’m preeeetty sure Morrison will try and convert you.
Does anyone know the fees for studying at Kangchiao?
I can’t find anything about it on their English website.
starting just under 20,000 USD a year for the IB programme.
That’s the same as a real international school like TES or Morrisons. Why so expensive?
If you’re including Morrisons as a “real” international school, then by that respect, shouldn’t Kangchiao be called that as well?
Are you sure? A colleague sends his kid there and I recall him telling me it was half that.
Morrisons is legally registered as an international school, which means only foreign children (i,e. kids with a foreign passport) can attend.
Kangchiao is a regular Taiwanese private school, Taiwanese children can attend.
There’s a big difference.
that is why the school is so expensive. Rich taiwanese kids with no passport go there.
Iirc, tuitions of TES and kangchiao are almost the same