Not All Schools Are Equal
Hello all! I'm trying to catch up and get as much done this morning before heading out to my last Art History class. I'm wrapping up my visit and there's so much I want to share that I'm having some trouble organizing the information. Nothing new, as well all know my brain connections never run in a straight line.
In China, I have found it very difficult to introduce proper education to the parents. New concepts or new ideas are not the norm. Tried and copied are the norm. If the school is successful in one area then the norm is to copy the name and set up another thinking it will be equally successful without any concern to what is actually being taught or what kind of education is being administered. For me, the struggle is real. I have more paper following me around then I even remember, I find a new certificate each time someone wants to see my credentials. I do not care to keep up with the paper trail, because I have never let that define who I am. I have found this to be problematic when approaching the Chinese parents to attend a new center. Another area that is problematic, is that I tend to want to introduce the real educational program to the students and not just buy or borrow a name. I find that perhaps, if I didn't want my own trademarked center, I would have been successful by now in opening the center to capacity. Now, I am in limbo once again between waiting and promoting and simply closing and moving on, after all, in America I have no problems with getting students. I could open two such centers and be full daily. I also feel that when I visited Mexico, I had opportunities there too. So, as daddy would say, "What's the problem, Christina?" The problem is the price and location, plus it's not a well-known concept; just an overused term to describe an expensive center.
Today, we are talking about Montessori Centers in China. In China, Montessori is a name that attracts wealthy parents. The concept is not well known and even less used properly. It only matters that Montessori brings in money because the concept is so famous over the seas in other countries. So, by all means, I should be doing a booming business! Actually, no. When I say that not all schools are equal, that's what I mean. I can promote Home Away From Home, but it's a new name, I can then add the Montessori and Curiosity Inspired Education to the promotion, but this is not understood, so I can drop it all and say Montessori Center and get a ton of questions, but the location is not ideal and even though there is interest, there is not the idea that it is important to travel for the center when there are others locally. If I changed the name to Montessori International Kindergarten, I could get more interest, but then if the price is too low for everyone to afford it, then I have an issue of parents thinking it is low quality and if I charge too high of a price, the locals may not be able to afford it. So, as you can see, I'm in a pickle. Once I do get parents to ask questions, they think this is not an education place, but simply a play place because all schools in China, sit all students in chairs and memorization is the key to learning. Yes, even in schools proclaiming the name Montessori. It's not illegal, because Montessori is not a trademarked name, it's a researched based teaching theory, free for people to follow.
In order for me to open a successful center, I have to change the name, change the curriculum and change the set up to match all of the other institutions and raise the price. None of this has to do with proper education or educational foundations. This is all outside appearance for marketing.
Like I said, All Education is Not Equal. I can choose Education, or I can choose Marketing. I choose Education, what would you choose? Take a few moments and leave your opinion for me on this form. I'm a ship just floating in the sea, do I pull up anker or just wait a wee bit more to find the right kind of parents and students to fit the true homebased Montessori program in China?
Reach out to me here! or feel free to scan the QR code.
