By Lu Yue | TFT ER Team
Have you ever felt that when responsibility becomes too heavy, it turns into pressure?
Or that in caring so deeply for others, you sometimes forget to care for yourself?
At Teach For Taiwan, we believe these questions matter—not only for teachers but also for the children they serve. Every year, TFT supports around 120 teachers who dedicate themselves to rural and underserved communities. Each carries a story of challenge, growth, and transformation.
Today, we’d like to share one of them with you—Joy Jhuo’s journey.
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A Vision That Lit Up My Life
Can a single sentence reshape a life?
Nearly ten years ago, I came across a message on social media:
“May one day, all children in Taiwan—regardless of background—have access to quality education and opportunities for self-development.”
Those words struck me like a ray of light. From that moment, I felt as if an ocean had opened inside me. I became like a humpback whale, swimming in the ecosystem of Teach For Taiwan, diving into the sea of educational equity, and following my own path toward the light.
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When Responsibility Turns Into Control
In my early teaching years, I believed quality education meant setting one high standard and expecting every child to meet it. To me, education was like climbing a mountain: since I had seen the breathtaking view from the summit, I wanted my students to experience it too.
So I became their guide, pushing them upward with everything I had. But I didn’t notice when my sense of responsibility quietly turned into control.
I will never forget the fifth grader who, overwhelmed with frustration, shoved over his desk and left the classroom in tears. Nor will I forget standing there—angry, helpless, and lost.
It was only after studying Satir’s communication model that I began to see more clearly. I realized I had been a “super-reasonable” teacher—so focused on outcomes and responsibility that I ignored my students’ emotional needs, and even my own. Beneath the surface, we actually shared the same longing: the desire to become better versions of ourselves.
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Learning to Allow—For Them, and for Myself
What if true growth means allowing space instead of pushing harder?
After eight years of teaching, my vision of education hasn’t changed—I still want every child to have more choices than their parents once did. But I have learned to allow more room for flexibility and humanity along the way..
I allow each child to grow at their own pace—in their own “learning time zone.” Some may turn back halfway up the mountain—that’s okay. We can always try again. Some may reach the summit earlier—we celebrate together.
I also allow myself, as a teacher, to be imperfect. To place feelings—my students’ and my own—on equal footing with responsibility. And in that space, I discovered something precious: a more genuine and free-flowing connection between teacher and student.
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The Highest Quality of Education
So what does the highest quality of education truly look like?
To me, it is not found in grades or perfect outcomes. It is found in the quiet, ordinary moments when emotions flow naturally between teacher and student.
Even now, I still receive messages from former students and parents—updates about their lives as they journey through middle school, high school, and even college. We have become the gentle wind passing by one another on our separate mountains, reminding us that we are not climbing alone.
The best education is not about pushing students upward at all costs. It is about walking alongside them, shouldering life’s weight together,and sharing the quiet, invisible current of love along the way.
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Your support makes this possible. Every contribution ensures that more children in Taiwan—regardless of background—can find someone to walk with them, not just push them. Together, we are building an education that is not only equitable but deeply human.
If this story resonated with you, we invite you to stay with us—through our website, Instagram, and Facebook—where many more journeys of learning and growth continue to unfold.
Links:
By Hung, Yueh-Fang | Teach For Taiwan 10th Cohort Fellow
By Chih Hsien Yu | ER volunteer
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