"The interest in our program keeps growing, but the cost of attendance is a major stumbling block for most families," Feng said.
A semester at Forest School comes in at NT$150,000. Parents must first be willing to spend that kind of money, but must also be willing to accept the school's quirky curriculum. For the most part, this has meant that the parents are highly educated with hefty incomes. Many also harbor bitter memories of their education and refuse to submit their own children to the constant testing and drilling at public schools.
The students at Forest School don't seem preoccupied with the differences of their education as compared with children at public schools, but they are well aware that they live in a special place.
One student this week was taking time out from his natural sciences class to sit alone under a tree. When asked if he felt bored sitting alone, he turned the question around by saying: "No. I was bored, that's why I came here to be alone." A minute later he walked back to his class being held on the grass. There was no teacher chasing him down and no one appeared shocked that he wanted some time alone. Class just continued as usual.
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