Start-up funds for School of Fish

Hello, my name is Felicia McGowan—but most people know me as Fish. The nickname started in high school when I worked as a babysitter. Every day, I took two buses to help a mother with her infant and toddler. My job was to care for the toddler, who was shy and hesitant around new people.

So I took a different approach: no pressure, just presence. I’d sit a few feet away and quietly play, hoping she’d feel safe enough to join. One day, I was painting handprints. She watched, curious. Slowly, she joined me. After a few attempts, she beamed and said, “Fishy, I did it!”

That moment shaped everything.

Over the next 10 years, I worked with children as a nanny, photographer, and teacher. I’ve studied child psychology, play therapy, and play-based learning. But no experience has stayed with me quite like my time with Ella, that little girl who taught me the power of patience, play, and trust.

For the past 6 years, I’ve been teaching English to young children in South Korea. I’ve worked at three different “play-based” schools—none of which truly embraced play as a pedagogy. That dissonance pushed me to learn more, and I fell in love with the Reggio Emilia approach—a world-renowned philosophy grounded in creativity, exploration, and child-led learning.

Sadly, despite its global reputation, there are very few Reggio Emilia kindergartens in South Korea. I want to change that.

My Dream: School of Fish

I’m working to open a Reggio Emilia-inspired, play-based kindergarten in Seoul that also serves as an immersive English-language environment.

The school will serve two core age groups:

Ages 2–4 (4–5 Korean age)

Ages 4–6 (6–7 Korean age)

We’ll use mixed-age classrooms to encourage peer learning—a foundational aspect of the Reggio approach.

Our younger group will build fluency through listening and speaking, while the older children will engage in academic exploration through project-based learning. Every day will be shaped by the children’s interests, creativity, and curiosity.

Why I Need Your Help

While I have the experience, passion, and plan—I don’t have the funds.

Despite being a head teacher, my salary over the past six years has never exceeded $21,900/year. South Korea values education, but unfortunately, teachers are still widely underpaid—especially foreigners like me.

To open a business in my name, I need a D-8 visa, which requires $75,000 in a business account (this cannot come from a loan). Additionally, commercial rentals in Seoul require key money deposits ranging from $15,000 to $75,000.

My fundraising goal is $100,000 to cover:

D-8 visa requirement

Commercial space deposit

Basic setup costs (licensing, furniture, learning materials)

How You Can Help

I truly believe School of Fish can change lives—not just for children, but for families who want a more human, joyful, and meaningful start to education.

If you can donate, I am deeply grateful. If you can’t, please consider sharing this campaign with someone who might believe in this vision.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support.

With love,

Fish (Felicia McGowan)