Siuyu (Lee Oi yee), the principle of TC Gaia School
Siuyu has been the principle of TC Gaia School since 2014. The school is located in San Hui, Tuen Mun, close to Tuen Mun Town Plaza. She teaches Art and Chinese, loves reading, cooking and hiking. She graduated from Social Work Department and is a tutor at Gaia.
Siuyu remembers that the concept of the school was discussed in 2000, to form the gathering of Gaias, collaborating the same goal. They gave up their jobs, then started new lifestyles, such as farming. It has inspired her so profoundly to rethink the meaning of life that she gave up her social work job of eight years to join Gaia.
Her ideal school embraces the idea of freedom for students. They are free to do whatever they like to, running, laughing or crying. Everyone can negotiate what to do and what not to do The school’s original concepts are based on nature, human-being, and self-orientation.
The school is radically different from others in its articulation of the relationship between humans and nature. Its major uniqueness lies in green life experience, whereby the school caters to activities such as green eating, living, playing, buying, etc. That way students can learn the most basic important things in life and to be thankful for what they have. It also emphasizes the importance of being part of a group.
Every child can choose a nature name, for instance, Rain, Bee, Rainbow, etc. Such non-mainstream learning approach can change the pupils’ minds about animals and wildlife.
This post is also available in 简体中文.