My ideal school is described by the song "Heaven of Happiness," where there are tears and laughter, as well as moments of sadness, but we all share the same sunlight. People grow amidst laughter and tears, and that sunlight represents a culture of personal growth for everyone. Immersed in such a culture, everyone naturally challenges themselves and expands their boundaries of learning and growth. But how can we establish such a culture? For me, activating intrinsic motivation and fostering a growth mindset are the keys. Therefore, we continue to explore the question: "How can we cultivate intrinsic motivation and a growth mindset?" My answer is through experiential learning and connecting with the real world.

I constantly ponder on how to provide children with authentic learning opportunities.

In 2007, I organized a learning trip to Sydney, Australia for the students of Chung Cheng School. The children took charge of every aspect of the trip, including booking flights, arranging accommodations, creating itinerary handbooks, and managing their daily needs while in Sydney. At the train station in Sydney, I witnessed the student with the weakest English skills tirelessly navigate the process and successfully secure discounted group tickets. I heard her softly whisper to herself, "Yes, I made it!" In that moment, I was certain that this child would carry the confidence of "I am capable of solving problems" throughout her life's journey.

Between 2012 and 2015, under the guidance of Principal Filly Chien, Mr. Tsai, who currently teaches at Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School and I established a Globalization Class. With design thinking as the core methodology, we empowered our students to observe and attempt to solve real-life problems using critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As we progressed through the curriculum, we constantly questioned how we could expand our classroom. Could our "real world" become even broader? Thus, we moved our classroom to the streets of Tokyo. In Tokyo, we guided the children to observe our learning from a different perspective.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the students and I also participated in international work camps in India and Sri Lanka, where we redefined learning in unfamiliar environments. For me, internationalization is not merely about boarding a plane and arriving in another country. It is a journey of self-exploration, a reexamination of oneself from a fresh perspective, and an understanding of one's relationship with others and the world. Through the process of exploring and understanding "who I am" and "my relationship with others and the world," we generate intrinsic motivation and a desire for self-actualization. And that is what we call intrinsic motivation!

I consider myself fortunate to frequently witness educators from different countries attempting to cultivate a culture of personal growth through the power of systems.

As an advisor for Taiwan NPDL (New Pedagogies for Deep Learning), I have had the opportunity to engage in exchanges with educators from Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, Australia, and other places. Together, we contemplate how to activate systems with students at the core, continuously assess, design, implement, and reflect on improvements, and nurture future talents equipped with the 6Cs (character, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking). In every meeting and discussion, I have witnessed exceptional educators from around the world integrating the 6Cs with the real world, creating authentic learning opportunities for students.

In early December 2022, I had the privilege of visiting the four campuses of High Tech High (HTH) in San Diego, California, invited by Cheng-Chi and the Advantech Foundation. At HTH, I witnessed a school that focused solely on one thing: student learning. I observed how teachers ensure that students' learning is connected to the real world, how deliberate physical planning, such as spatial arrangements and interdisciplinary subject designs, creates a high-quality learning environment and conditions for students. I also saw how HTH supports teachers' professional growth, fosters a culture of personal growth for everyone, and integrates this culture into classrooms and curriculum design, making student agency and initiative the focal point. All learning starts with a question: "Who am I? Why do I need to learn this?" At HTH, the mindset of personal growth is reflected in sincere feedback exchanges, with teachers providing feedback to one another, students participating in curriculum design and providing feedback to teachers, and students occasionally giving positive feedback to their peers. At HTH, personal growth is not just a theoretical concept; it is a tangible practice and atmosphere.

Kang Chiao Linkou Campus is an international school. Our "international" aspect does not solely rely on a high proportion of students studying abroad; it lies in our students' mindset of personal growth and their ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with top global citizens, constantly engaging in self-exploration, self-actualization, and growth. And this is also my commitment to this educational work.