Taiwan academic assists troubled youths

2015-04-17

An unorthodox educator is helping Taiwan’s traumatized youths back on track through an alternative learning program involving visits to some of the world’s most exotic locations.

Hsieh Chih-mou, associate professor at the Department of Civic Education and Leadership at National Taiwan Normal University, has championed adventurous education since 2005, training numerous psychiatrists, school counselors and social workers in the process.

According to Hsieh, many of his students come from dysfunctional families, suffer behavior or mental disorders or are on probation. “I can relate to these troubled youths because I was one of them,” he said.

A victim of domestic violence, Hsieh was a high-school dropout and small-time gangster on the road to nowhere. “This all changed when a teacher took a special interest in me and turned my life around,” he said. “Knowing that someone had not given up on me really made a difference.”

Hsieh never forgot the kindness of the teacher, vowing to make a difference in the lives of similarly troubled youths. His therapy sessions, which include biking in New Zealand, canoeing in Alaska and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, quickly became a thing of legend. And recent endeavors like community transformation programs in Nepal and northern Thailand are proving equally appealing.

This successful combination of adventure therapy and experiential learning was highlighted in Hsieh’s popular book “Reaching the Summit: A Leadership in Action Class to Change Life and Explore the World.”

“Such overseas activities proved especially inspiring to those youths because they never could have made them on their own,” he said. “Even the less fortunate in society have the right to realize their dreams.”

Through these unique adventures, the students learned to develop team work spirit and the capabilities in anger management, communication, leadership and problem solving. “These skills will help them go a long way in life,” Hsieh said.

“By leading these young men and women in the conquest of daunting outdoor challenges, I show them how to make peace with their pasts and transform negative experiences into positive.”

While Hsieh believes his program can instill ambition and broaden vision in the participants, he cautions against wrapping them in cotton wool. “An aquarium is perfect for keeping beautiful fish, but whales need the challenges and freedom of the sea,” he said.

“In my experience, imagination is key to fulfilling potential. If you have faith in a person and genuinely care for their well-being, then the conditions are in place for boundless achievement.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=229389&CtNode=413)