Case study 4: Chongqing Yucai Middle School

Chongqing Yucai Middle School was founded in 1939. Yucai's founding principal was Tao Xingzhi, a prominent educator in China, who studied with John Dewey at Columbia University in the 1910s. The origin of the school has influenced Chongqing Yucai Middle School since its establishment. The school motto is 'Truth, Action, Communication, Creativity'. The goal of Yucai is 'to cultivate students to live, to experience, to have initiatives, and to have democratic spirits'. Reflecting Tao's philosophy that 'life is education' and Dewey's philosophy that 'education is life', Yucai's motto and goals set the foundation for a nurturing learning environment.