Features of Tzu Chi Senior High School Affiliated with Tzu Chi University 

Tzu Chi Senior High School (TCSH)  is characterized by Tzu Chi’s emphasis on humanities and international education. It is a school integrating a 15-year program based on character education. It effectively integrates the four major missions of the Tzu Chi Foundation: Charity, medical care, education, and humanities with government resources. Through systematic courses and activities, TCSH strives to cultivate students to become caring global citizens who embrace the world.

① Vision for the school and students

The ideal TCSH students are expected to have the four qualities of "international care, humanistic literacy, technological innovation, and multidisciplinary cooperation". To uphold the school’s vision of “Unbounded learning, unlimited humanities” and the nine core literacies in the general curriculum guidelines of the 12-Year Basic Education, the teachers focus on the six core literacies of international mobility, systematic thinking, scientific and technological exploration, aesthetic appreciation, character practice, and team innovation through co-creation and their respective competency indicators.

② Curriculum Highlights – School-development Required Courses

With the goal of cultivating students to become caring global citizens who embrace the world, the school has planned a dual-track curriculum. A series of global citizenship courses are designed for first and second year senior high school students, to develop their international humanistic literacy and cultivate understanding of international trends through innovative thinking. A series of critical thinking and expression courses are designed for third year students, to prepare them for the future by cultivating their ability to solve complex problems through multidisciplinary thinking.

③ Multiple Elective Courses

The curriculum is planned in terms of the International College, Broad Thinking College, and Science Innovation College to allow students to choose appropriate courses according to their talents and future aspiration. In the first year of senior high school, courses are mostly general education courses to help students explore learning possibilities. In the third year, courses are based on advanced placement courses and specialized knowledge courses, to connect students to their plans and help them lay a foundation for their future.

④ Becoming a leader in innovative curriculum

In the 2018 academic year, TCSH became a leader in innovative curriculum for senior high schools in Taiwan. Connecting with high schools in Keelung, Yilan, and Hualien, TCSH developed an innovative curriculum that is based on the principles of school autonomy, inter-school interaction, and regional co-prosperity to deepen regional cooperation, exchanges, and connections.

⑤ Flexible six-year curriculum

With its advantage of being a comprehensive high school, TCSH has been actively developing a series of 7th-12th grade courses on global citizenship. Based on the three core themes of “People and Self”, “People and Environment”, and “People and the World”, the school offers courses such as Aesthetics for Life, Qilai Mountain and Sea, Exploring Astronomy, Service and Welfare GO, Sailing the Ocean, Tracing the Port and the City, Beauty of the Heavens, and Innovative Technology.

⑥ Implementing Advanced Placement courses

In addition to extending the curriculum downwards, TCSH also strives to provide students with opportunities for advanced placement courses. Students can take courses offered by National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Tzu Chi University, Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, and National Dong Hwa University, so that they can experience the academic atmosphere of a university.

⑦ Developing distinctive courses and activities

Seeing and Learning about Eastern Taiwan: The unique terrain and ecology of the eastern coastline, the unique prehistoric culture of eastern Taiwan, and the developmental context of humanities and history in Hualien and Taitung are incorporated into the learning content and integrated with the first-year senior high school courses. Through the implementation process, students can gain a better understanding of the relevant issues in eastern Taiwan and further explore the local culture.

Astronomy Camp: By preparing and holding the annual astronomy camp, students learn specialized knowledge and camp planning and cultivate their systematic project planning and leadership skills. In addition, the astronomy education strengthens the science literacy of rural schools and cultivates future talents in the region.

⑧ Comprehensive independent learning planning

Cultivating lifelong learners is a core value of the innovative curriculum, and independent learning is one of the key strategies. TCSH comprehensively implements independent learning. In the advanced placement courses, students are guided to complete their independent learning plan and application. They are then guided and supported in their independent learning so that they can reflect and progress through the process.