Student Voice at the Center

In this follow up Voice of TIE conversation about the International Montessori School of Hong Kong’s new middle school program, Stacy returns to speak with Kyle Wagner, this time joined by four Grade 7 students. While the first podcast introduced the vision behind the program, this episode focuses on student perspectives to better understand what the experience actually feels like for the learners living it each day.

Together, the students share what makes this Montessori middle school different from more traditional settings, highlighting the role of hands-on projects, exhibitions, inquiry-based learning, and authentic choice. They reflect on experiences such as running a student café, pursuing independent study, presenting to others, and taking on greater responsibility for their own learning. Along the way, they speak candidly about growth in leadership, collaboration, confidence, resilience, and independence.

Kyle also reflects on the realities of launching a new program, including both the challenges and the exciting momentum beginning to take shape. The episode offers listeners a valuable follow-up to the first conversation, moving from program design to student voice. It is an honest and inspiring look at what can happen when young people are trusted with meaningful responsibility and given the space to help shape their own learning experience.