i was initially worried about blacklisting/lawsuits (against me. Taiwan laws can be whack 
), but I suppose I straight up called out the fake schools, so I might as well post the ones that are closest to being “real”.
There’s a school in Tainan called “Harvard”. Yes, they are a montessori school that named themselves after an Ivy League university, but they have some seriously wonderful children. ALL of them are incredibly respectful to themselves, one another, materials, etc. There was NO fighting or bad language among anyone and they would be very careful about taking exactly the amount of paper, glue, tape, etc. that was needed to complete whatever it was they were doing and they cleaned up their work when they were done. That’s the side of montessori that I value far more than the academics. (This is accomplished by focusing on teaching the children how to respect the environment from the beginning, with all adults modeling proper behavior at all times. Children involved in any violence are sent home immediately). There were a few special needs children (autism spectrum). While I didn’t see people actively seeking to work with them (they did work with them if the teacher called them over to work as a group), it was clear everyone knew not to be mean or pick on or make fun of them, which is something I’ve never really seen in any school anywhere. Unfortunately, this school is still stuck with parent demands. A montessori classroom should have an uninterrupted three hour “work cycle” every day, wherein children can do whatever they are driven to do. While it was clear they were working a lot on things they wanted to do, along with following the MOE curriculum (yes, they had textbooks…no, that’s not montessori, but they work on completion in their own time and in relation to the montessori materials), there were a lot of interruptions to the work cycle — an English teacher who came from outside to teach two hours of English each week, two of music, an hour of theater, PE class, etc. But if I knew anyone in Tainan, I would be begging them to let me go work for them. An overall great school, even if not “Montessori” per se.
In Taipei there’s a school called “Taiwan Montessori”. That’s mostly foreign/mixed children with foreign teacher(s?) (who I think had AMI training? Not that that means anything, as Taipei Montessori, aka “長華” is all montessori trained and that school is an absolute mess. Anything in the “Ms Lam” or “Taipei Montessori” category should be avoided at all costs). Not sure what the current situation is, as they’ve had some changes since I saw the school, but the owner has his head on straight — focus is on getting the children to be respectful of their environment and one another so they can actually be prepared to learn what they’re driven to want to learn. Families who send their children to cram schools are asked to stop (or even leave and send their kids to traditional schools??).
There’s a school near Xinyi Anhe that I think is called “utopia”. I know the former upper class teacher and he talks a lot about how the teacher has to start from zero with all students — teaching 9 year old boys how to aim when peeing and then mopping up the floor when they miss sorts of very foundational “life skills”. They were a very quiet and almost passive group of kids though. Not really in line with what you want for elementary children, who should be constantly arguing in order to learn how to work together and solve problems. Last I heard there was only one girl in the upper class and the lead teacher left to teach at a public montessori school in Zhongshan district (no idea the school name and I’m not in touch with the teacher anymore). I neither recommend nor don’t recommend it.
There’s also Acton Academy in Beitou. I know someone in the US who’s montessori-trained and ended up at an Acton Academy, as the owner of the montessori preschool he’d been (a trained/licensed Montessori guide) at thought that would be a better solution for elementary than a proper montessori elementary. He said the entire concept is a nightmare — the kids basically play various “educational” games on their personal laptops and if they complete enough tasks, they get to work with their friends. This is contrary to montessori elementary, where “freedom of movement” means you’re free to work with whoever you want, as long as you’re not disruptive (in which case, you get to talk to your teacher about what is appropriate behavior in the classroom, not get your “work with your friends” privileges taken away). I can’t speak for the Acton academy in Beitou. I think they were expanding. I know Acton is something of a franchise, so it’s possible the one in Taipei (which I think is run by a foreign couple? A mixed couple?) is more in line with “follow the child” and accommodating “exceptionalities”.
Theres a school in Dazhi that’s inside a public elementary school that’s super secret. I met the lead teacher and he is very clear on what is montessori. He was quick to pounce on any “in my child’s school they do xx. Is that montessori?” Questions. But I don’t have any idea of what goes on in that school. I don’t even know what the school’s name is. I imagine they are not very active in their recruitment because they have the students they need, perhaps?
No matter what you choose, make sure your child’s teachers are trained/licensed teachers. It’s kinda scary to me to see how many private schools are like “hey yeah just need to have a passport from an English-speaking country yo”. Or for the local teachers, any sort of “teaching assistant” experience is sufficient. Those teachers will NOT have the skills that are needed to work with your child.
Also, As someone who probably also has adhd, I think everyone probably has adhd. I mean, who doesn’t get easily distracted when asked to do things they’re not interested in? It’s your brain’s way of saying “this isn’t interesting. Find something meaningful to pass your time with!” So I would say that regardless of where you send your “adhd” child, it’d be helpful if your child is able to engage in tasks that are meaningful to them when at home. If they love sweeping the floor, let them do so until they are content. If they love to wash the dishes, let them wash the dishes. If they are constantly trying to draw shades from lightest to very dark with a colored pencil, let them have at it. The brain didn’t evolve to sit and do mindless workbook pages every day!
