1. What is the goal?
This is the SHORT ANSWER. Check below for the LONG ANSWER.
Teacher Kelly’s goal for the student is:
- to be more patient with themselves and others,
- to reveal to them the cultural differences in respect and consideration toward others,
- to teach critical thinking skills by questioning everything,
- to assist them in becoming a productive member of society,
- to encourage them to see their own power,
- to help them distinguish intelligence from wisdom,
- to guide them to choose good morals over bad morals,
- to motivate them to become active lifelong learners,
- to acknowledge what they can and can’t control,
- to guide them to use logic, not rationalization, to efficiently work through emotions,
- recognize and be comfortable with objective truth,
- to judge how they may trust their own senses and other people, but leave room for doubt,
- to promote wonder by teaching the lessons of Western and Eastern philosophers,
- to enable them to accept responsibility and accountability,
- to be graceful in the mistakes they make,
- and to invite them to think from higher and higher perspectives.
(Press “OPEN +” ⬇ to see the long answer!)
Long Answer
By introducing students to guiding philosophies, the teacher prepares the student to overcome real-world problems, not multiple-choice test questions. Having taught for as long as I have, I can recognize that schools try their best to prepare students for life academically, but not necessarily fundamentally. Schools focus on test score results, not emotional stability, worldly understanding, social- or self-awareness, or even critical thinking. The resulting student of such schools is often able to provide answers for questions they've studied, but they are left on their own to respond to situations that were not tested. This is true today as it was true when I was in high school. I want to make a difference a student's life by enabling them to see their own ability to overcome obstacles even if they are a surprise encounter. I don't want to be part of a standardized education model that fits profitability more than education. I want to teach the student to see themselves reflected in everything, to look for similarities in others first rather than differences, and to feel everything as part of themselves. The student is all, and I cherish the connection I have with each student. My job as a teacher is to teach myself out of a job: to educate the student on how to educate themselves.2. What will the student be able to do by the end?
Students will be able to:
- use their logical mind to solve problems they didn't prepare for in schools,
- be more confident in themselves and their abilities,
- approach life with a wide, open-minded, and humble perspective,
- use self-discipline to make the right choices,
- be resourceful with information that can be of great help in critical moments,
- use emotional intelligence to see the world and the people in it,
- have the wisdom to seek help without shame when they need it,
- know more about self- and social-awareness, especially when in a different culture,
- use philosophical analogies and classic idioms to apply wisdom to their circumstances,
- be self-reflective on their behaviors with a determination to improve,
- see and value the strengths and weaknesses within themselves and others,
- use risk-management skills to become more responsible and accountable for their actions,
- be a positive influence to themselves and on the world,
- and to accept what they cannot control but have enough foresight to know what they can control.
Long Answer
Life is choices, consequences, and limitations. It's the ultimate teacher because its lessons are subtle but consistent. It doesn't teach actively; it teaches passively in reaction to what students choose. Students are limited in what they can choose to do not only by their physical ability, but also their mental capacity. A student cannot execute a solution they never thought of doing. My goal is to teach the student to adopt so many different perspectives it becomes a habit. In being a perspective collector, the student gains more and more information on what's really happening. All the while, they keep in mind that maybe their vantage is wrong. We are all limited, and in the survival of day-to-day life, it can be difficult to derive meaning from the repetitive actions we do. We can feel like we are slave to a system rather than an independent agent. My objective is to teach that life means however the student defines it. I try to embolden the student to see things from a universal perspective so that they know how their choices might affect not only their lives, but others around them.3. Who can be a student?
The best potential student:
- can understand simple English already,
- wants to be more confident in their all their abilities, not just English,
- wants something different than what schools traditionally offer,
- wants their teacher to be a caring learning partner, not just another person,
- is motivated to learn about themselves, the world, and how to manage problems well,
- is willing to understand learning requires trying and mistakes,
- understands that learning a language is an every day lifestyle choice, not a trend,
- is diligent and hard-working in all their efforts,
- wants to have an open mind capable of facing harsh truths,
- and wants to see the world and their part in it from a positive place.
Long Answer
The simple answer to this question is "anyone", but there must be a limitation. Let me explain. Love is the highest power I understand because it accepts everything and everyone. All is included in love, and it's from this position I live my life and teach my students. I try to impart this philosophy in my lessons, but students are free to choose. Fear and all the other emotions are useful teachers that should be faced as peers in order to learn the lessons they offer. This is one subject schools fail to pass on to students. When there is knowledge, all should be free to learn it. When there are resources, all should be free to share them. However, I am but one person whose time is limited. I can teach grammar and writing, but those roles are already filled well by local teachers. I think I can share more than grammar and writing lessons, and it's where I am most passionate: philosophies about life, culture, and awareness. While the world enters into darker places, I hope I can do my part to start a place of light.4. Will there be Chinese translation?
Unless I get a volunteer to help me, I’m afraid I can’t offer translations for the whole website.
Long Answer
Since I can't speak or read Chinese, I can only offer translation on the pages specifically for parents. I don't want to provide translation for students because most students want to learn English first and life skills second. Using one's own language to learn another is a bad habit that won't help. It teaches the brain to think in the first language, translate into the second language, then speak. A better way is to think in the second language, then speak. Thinking in a second language is challenging, but it can be easier by starting the learning process correctly. With this in mind, I purposely excluded Chinese translation to help the student learn to think in English, not because Chinese isn't important, but because the goal is to learn English. I hope everyone can understand the reason for this decision!2026-05-16 18:30