Society in Taiwan puts paramount im-portance on academic advancement. The call for a balanced education, in which ethical, intellectual, physical, social and artistic development are given equal stress, has long been regarded as a far-off ideal that gets lip service only.
With a long-time overemphasis on IQ (intelligence quotient), children have become like "chickens being fattened for slaughter"-with huge waistlines and skimpy athletic abilities. They can cram for tests but can't get along with others or express their emotions. Young people's problems-illustrated by illegal motorcycle races, suicides, and drug use-are growing more and more serious.
Evidence is mounting to suggest that apart from sufficient IQs, people need adequate EQs (emotional quotients) and MQs (motor quotients) as preconditions to happy and healthy lives. Suddenly, EQ is all the rage, being discussed by people everywhere. One can partake in all sorts of EQ-oriented activities, such as EQ fairs and camps aimed at developing children's EQs. At the same time, new standardized physical fitness tests have been announced for all of Taiwan's elementary schools and junior and senior high schools.
So balanced education is no longer just a distant ideal. It has become a trend of the times.
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IQ is no longer the sole number by which to judge children's abilities. Training aimed at raising kids' MQs and EQs is putting them on a path toward more balanced development. (photo by Hsueh Chih-kuang)