Back in 2019, a kind-hearted American grandfather traveled across Changhua, school by school, to meet our children and share a love of English. His name was Michael Dishnow — but to the children of Changhua he was simply “Grandpa Mike.” That autumn, he came to Hsinmin, and the warmth of his visit has stayed with us ever since.
Grandpa Mike (1943–2025) was a retired American educator who flew to Taiwan again and again, at his own expense, to volunteer in Changhua’s schools. Working alongside My Culture Connect (人師教育協會) and the Changhua English Resource Center, he gave his time freely so that children in towns like Tianzhong could meet the wider world right inside their own classrooms.
What he gave the children of Hsinmin was more than English words. He gave them his patience, his laughter and his belief in every one of them — the simple, lasting message that they matter and that the world is wide and welcoming. Many of the children who met him that day still remember the kind grandfather who came all the way from America just to say hello.
Grandpa Mike passed away in 2025. We share this 2019 film of his visit in loving memory — so that his warmth, and the gift of his generosity, will live on at Hsinmin for the children still to come. Press play below to watch.
Grandpa Mike toured the whole county in 2019. His films and his story are gathered on his memorial page.2019 年麥克爺爺走遍彰化各校，他的影片與故事都收錄在紀念專頁。
See all of Grandpa Mike’s films · 看麥克爺爺完整影片紀念 →2019 年，一位慈祥的美國爺爺走遍彰化，一所學校接著一所學校，只為見見孩子們、分享他對英語的熱愛。他的名字是 Michael Dishnow，但彰化的孩子們都親切地喚他「麥克爺爺」。那年秋天，他來到了新民國小，這份溫暖一直留在我們心中。
麥克爺爺（1943–2025）是一位退休的美國教育工作者。他一次又一次自費飛來台灣，在彰化的學校裡擔任志工。他與人師教育協會（My Culture Connect）以及彰化縣英語資源中心攜手，無償付出自己的時間，讓田中這樣的鄉鎮裡的孩子，能在自己的教室裡與更寬廣的世界相遇。
他帶給新民孩子的，不只是英文單字，更是他的耐心、他的笑容，以及他對每一個孩子的信任——那份簡單卻深遠的訊息：你很重要，而這個世界既寬廣又溫暖。許多當天見過他的孩子，至今仍記得那位遠從美國而來、只為打聲招呼的慈祥爺爺。
麥克爺爺於 2025 年辭世。我們在此分享這段 2019 年的訪問影片，以表懷念——願他的溫暖與慷慨的身影，能在新民、在往後一屆又一屆的孩子心中延續下去。請按下方播放鍵觀看。