ITP - 132: Project-Based Learning and Teaching in Taiwan

Kent:
Welcome to the International Teacher Podcast with your hosts—Kent the Cat Guy, Jacqueline from JP Mint Consulting, Darian the Family Guy, and Greg the Single Guy—bringing you episodes from around the world about the best-kept secret in teaching: international education. Welcome to the show.

JP:
Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of the International Teacher Podcast. My name is Jacqueline, and I’m here with Greg the Single Guy. Hey Greg.

Greg:
Howdy, howdy.

JP:
And I’m very happy to say we have a guest calling in from Taiwan. His name is Tristan Reynolds. Hi—good morning and good evening, Tristan.

Tristan Reynolds:
Good morning and good evening, and thank you for having me on.

JP:
So Tristan, we usually start with this—can you give us a quick overview of your experience and how you got overseas?

Tristan Reynolds:
Yes. The basic story is that when I was in high school, I went to a small Catholic school in my town. For a lot of historical reasons, it ended up being more diverse than the public school system. So I got what I like to call a “small-town version” of an international education.

When it came time to start my career, I wanted to continue that kind of international, cosmopolitan experience. So I did Teach for America and then moved into teaching abroad—mainly in Taiwan, which is where I am now. It’s a great place if you enjoy interacting with people from all over the world.

JP:
You mentioned Taiwan—can you explain a bit more about what makes it so international?

Tristan Reynolds:
Sure. A big part of it is the semiconductor industry. I won’t pretend to understand the science behind it—I usually have to ask my head of science for that—but economically, it means Taiwan is a hub for global tech production.

So you have engineers, finance professionals, construction teams—people from all over the world coming here to build and support that industry. That creates a very international environment, and that extends into schools as well.

JP:
So Taiwan has been your main teaching experience?

Tristan Reynolds:
Yes. I’ve done some online teaching with students in South Korea, Japan, and China, but Taiwan is my main long-term post.

JP:
You mentioned project-based learning—tell us about your school and what you’re doing there.

Tristan Reynolds:
One of the things I love about international education is that it allows for a more focused vision of what education can be. Public education has to serve everyone, which is important, but that can make it a “jack of all trades” system.

At my school—VIS Experimental International Junior and Senior High School—we have the flexibility to define what high-quality education looks like for us. For us, that means a strong emphasis on project-based learning.

Tristan Reynolds:
Because of the tech industry in Taiwan, many parents work in highly technical or managerial roles. That means students are already familiar with professional language—project management, collaboration, workflows.

We can bring that directly into the classroom. For example, we might invite a parent who works at a company like Google to talk about Agile project management with students. That connection between school and real-world work is incredibly powerful.

Tristan Reynolds:
When we talk about project-based learning, we’re asking students to create something real. Not just sit in a classroom and take notes, but actually produce work, collaborate, and solve problems. That requires a much deeper level of interaction between students.

JP:
So it’s not just individual projects—it’s collaborative?

Tristan Reynolds:
Exactly. We start early—around grade six—with structured group work. Students are assigned roles and responsibilities, and they practice giving feedback and reflecting on their work.

As they move into high school, we remove some of that structure. Students begin organizing themselves—deciding roles, managing tasks, and leading projects.

Tristan Reynolds:
This shifts the teacher’s role. Instead of delivering content, we become facilitators. For example, instead of telling students how to collect data, we might ask, “Is a note on your phone the best way to do this? Should you use a shared spreadsheet?” Then a student who knows how to do it teaches the rest of the class.

Greg:
That’s something I’ve always believed—if a student can do it, they should be doing it.

JP:
And students often learn better from each other.

Tristan Reynolds:
Exactly. It creates ownership and makes learning more authentic.

Tristan Reynolds:
One of the best parts of international education is working with teachers from different backgrounds. You realize that people may call things different names, but often they’re doing similar things in the classroom. That’s both reassuring and inspiring.

JP:
How long have you been at your school?

Tristan Reynolds:
This is my third year. It’s a relatively new school—we started in 2019.

Tristan Reynolds:
We have about 120 students in grades 6–8 and about 167 students in grades 9–12, so just under 300 students total.

Tristan Reynolds:
Because we’re small, we can be flexible. For example, in my English classes, I might have students from grades 9–12 together based on ability rather than age. We also offer courses tailored to student interests, like scientific writing for students interested in engineering.

Greg:
That flexibility is exciting.

Tristan Reynolds:
It is. My job is often just getting smart people in a room and figuring things out together.

Tristan Reynolds:
International education also shapes how you interact with the world. You get comfortable being in new environments and not forcing everything to match your expectations. That openness is a defining feature of international teaching.

Greg:
What’s it like living in Taiwan?

Tristan Reynolds:
Taiwan is fascinating because it’s a relatively young democracy. It transitioned from martial law in 1991, and since then it’s been developing democratic systems. People are very engaged in society.

For example, I attended a vote count at a local polling station, where ballots were counted by hand in front of the public. There was a real sense of transparency and civic participation.

Tristan Reynolds:
Students are very aware of the world around them. They’re engaged in discussions about politics, society, and global issues. That makes teaching here incredibly rewarding.

Tristan Reynolds:
In my classroom, students come from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. For example, one student from Hong Kong talked about language shifts there, and another Taiwanese student discussed generational language differences. Those perspectives enrich classroom discussions in ways you can’t replicate in a monocultural setting.

JP:
Do you have a police story?

Tristan Reynolds:
I actually have the opposite. I once saw a chaotic traffic situation—scooters everywhere, cars stuck, complete gridlock. There was a police officer standing nearby, so I asked him if he was going to do anything.

He said, “No, that’s not my job. My job is to write the report after the accident happens.”

Greg:
What are three things you bring with you when you move?

Tristan Reynolds:
I actually do the opposite. Every time I move, I try to adopt something new into my daily routine from that place. In Taiwan, it’s a small clay teapot I use every day. That’s how I connect to the culture.

Tristan Reynolds:
My advice for teachers is to be open to new experiences. Don’t try to force everything to match what you expect. International teaching is about adapting and learning from the world around you.

JP:
It’s been great hearing about Taiwan and your experiences.

Greg:
And your school model—it’s exciting to hear how it’s developing.

Tristan Reynolds:
Thank you. It’s been great to talk to people with more experience and reflect on what we’re doing.

Greg:
Thanks everyone for listening. We’ll see you on the next episode.