Home - Job Description - Students

The students studying at Kid Castle come in two varieties, Language School and Preschool. Language School students usually come to class after regular school and are typically in the age group 6-13. Kindergarten students (from 3-6 years old) usually attend all day, from 8am to 5pm.

You may be wondering how students in Taiwan differ from students in the West. In general, students in Taiwan are made to work harder than we had to. They attend elementary (primary) school for 6 grades. Grade 1 students are usually 6 years old and grade 6 students are 12 years old. Most students from grades 3 to 6 attend evening classes in many different subjects, including English. The Chinese term for these classes is buxiban (pronounced "boo-shee-ban").

As students enter junior high school (secondary school), the amount of homework increases, as does the pressure to do well. Once students reach junior high, the workload is intense, a typical school day lasting from 8am to 5pm. After school lets out, students usually go to evening buxiban, and then spend hours doing their homework. It's not unusual for a student to go to bed at 1am.

One perceived problem with the educational system is the way material is taught. The traditional method of teaching is to rote learn everything. Students have to remember a vast amount of information, but rarely have to think for themselves. Today the educational system in Taiwan is adapting. English and other languages (like Taiwanese and Hakka) are now part of the curriculum. This would have been unthinkable only 20 years ago.

Education plays such a major role in a child's life in Taiwan that students here are generally better behaved than those in the west. Teachers are respected more, both by students and parents. For foreign teachers however, the relationship between student and FT is less tense. We try to instruct the students in a manner they are not accustomed to - creatively.

As students get used to having to participate in class, and as their level progresses, you will get to know them better - their likes and dislikes for instance. This helps make the job more enjoyable.

Comic books, mostly from Japan, are also incredibly popular and students will grab any spare time to read them. There are also lending libraries devoted to them, where students can rent their favorite serials for a few dollars.

The next biggest craze is TV, closely followed by video and computer games, although a lot of students claim that "sleep" is their favorite hobby!

Taiwan is heavily influenced by American culture. Basketball, baseball, and Nike are everywhere, so a large percentage of your students will be sport crazy. McDonald's is quite popular too, not only for its French-fries but also because it provides late-night study space.

China has been more influenced by European culture than American, although that is rapidly changing. Football (soccer) is hugely popular in China, especially since China qualified for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Many of your students will be able to name all of the players on the China team. However, basketball is becoming more and more popular by the day.