Vivi Teng, Founder & Director, GMIS
I was born in the country side of Taiwan (Hsin-wu) where I spent the first 16 years of my life with my farmer parents and 8 siblings (I am the youngest one!). Living with nature allowed me to enrich my life with an appreciation and love for the people and environment. As a child, my teachers played a tremendous role in nurturing my passion for learning. Because of the influence from my teachers, I took it upon myself to make a difference in the lives of young children – a goal which serves as one of my top priorities in my teaching career.
After I graduated from Taipei Teachers University, the first school I taught at was a bilingual international school in Tangmu. After two years, I moved to Tucheng (20 minutes away from Taipei), where I was the academic director of the Ming-Ren Bilingual Preschool. I was also the owner of Ming-Shine English Language School, where I developed the first English program and established the first bilingual school in the Tucheng area.
After 1998, I moved to the U.S. and started my Montessori certificate training. I taught at Bayside Montessori School in Alameda as a preschool teacher for one year. I earned my Master’s degree in Montessori Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Saint Mary’s College and continued my teaching career at Pacific Rim International School as the Elementary Chinese teacher. In May 2004, I established an English language program, located in Berkeley, for college students who come from around the world to study.
I garnered valuable experience in both Taipei and the United States, which has allowed me to familiarize myself with different personalities and learning styles. I dreamt that one day I would open a bilingual Montessori school that incorporated the values of the Montessori philosophy and emphasize the value of a demographically diverse community. Thus, I have dedicated my time and efforts to the Berkeley community through various projects and businesses.
