Starting with “Who I Am,” Building Genuine Connections
The training began with new teachers writing their names and representative keywords on name cards, allowing them to quickly get to know each other. Afterwards, the school distributed a carefully designed set of “Potential Exploration Cards” to each teacher, covering six major categories: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Structured, and Enterprising. Through a process of gradually selecting the three cards that best represented themselves and sharing their reasons in small groups, the teachers not only deepened their self-awareness and mutual understanding but also felt the school’s respect and appreciation for individual differences.
As the founding principal shared during the presentation of the school’s story and culture: “We believe that the foundation of education is understanding and trust. Every teacher is unique, and their passions and strengths should be seen and inspired.” This philosophy is ingrained not only in the teacher development system but also in the school’s daily practices of nurturing student potential.
Team Building: Experiencing the Power of Support Through Collaboration
A half-day of fun team-building activities further enhanced mutual understanding and trust among the teachers. Games such as finding teammates blindfolded and without speaking, language-guided challenges, and collaborative tower-building with rubber bands were not only enjoyable but also prompted teachers to reflect on the importance of communication, collaboration, and trust. These experiences also inspired them to incorporate similar experiential methods to help students understand the significance of communication, reflection, teamwork, and trust.