The Hong Kong Way

Teacher Training in Hong Kong

I have finally finished my two year, part time Post Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education. The second cohort of the course. Still guinea pigs to what seems to be a popular and worthwhile course for a rapidly changing culture committed to providing quality education to young children. Although, to me it seems overdue for Hong Kong's exam-based, academically focussed education system to realise the importance of training teachers to provide quality early childhood education. Recent change in legislation has lead to the need for all kindergartens to ensure that class teachers are qualified to at least 'QKT (Qualified Kindergarten Teacher) status' before 2012. A positive change towards a positive future for both kindergarten children and kindergarten teachers alike.

Although I had had a lot of experience working with young children before moving to Hong Kong from England in 2005, nothing really prepared me for the differences I would encounter in the next few years. Of course the language was a huge factor in the beginning. I remember when I had to take the register on the first day and tried my best to pronounce the names of the children, not without a few sniggers from the parents (they were there to help their three year old settle into school on the first day). Over the years I have come to understand more Chinese in the classroom, both Cantonese and Mandarin and can often repeat instructions given by the Chinese teacher, in English. (I am ashamed to say that I am still not confident to speak Chinese, especially outside of school, except when taking a taxi or buying fruit. But those who have ever lived in HK will know that there really is no need, and as English is widely spoken it is a good excuse not to make too much of an effort. Even the locals say that Cantonese is a very difficult language to learn).

Of course language was not the greatest difference I observed when I first started working in the Kindergarten, which although is named 'International', follows the strict local curriculum with the added component of a native English speaking teacher in each classroom. One of the things that baffled, but later after some thought, inspired me, was a statement from a parent of a three year old girl just starting her first day at school. She said something like this, “I'm happy my daughter has come to this Kindergarten because now I know she has a good chance of getting into a good University!”

Now, in my young, naïve frame of mind I immediately jumped to the conclusion that this mother was, for want of a better word, crazy. Why are you thinking about your daughter's University education already? Shouldn't you just let her be a child and have fun? Shouldn't you relax and let your child enjoy her first school year? Are you one of those pushy mothers? Just some of the questions that went through my mind at that moment and also for the next year to come, when I frequently heard similar remarks from parents. It wasn't until I learned a little more about the competitiveness of the HK education system, how important Kindergarten is for the following years into Primary school and how much emphasis there is on assessments and exams throughout HK childrens' schooling, that I realised this mother actually had a point.

My first inkling that HK Kindergartens are somewhat different to the free playing, creative, messy early childhood centres I had worked in previously in the UK was the time I first interviewed a 1 ½ year old child applying for a place at my Kindergarten. With only stories of the queue of 3000 applicants lining up outside the school gates on interview day, the interview procedure opened my eyes to what these young children would experience throughout their school career and after.

In HK the curriculum is structured, with book work and homework a prominent feature from 3 years up. Teaching is often very much the same as I experienced in my University lectures, with minimal participation and a lot of teacher directed activities. Coming from a different background with training in free play, child initiated and inquiry based learning I found I needed to be flexible and try and incorporate all aspects from both learning cultures. Even my current training in an HK context is significantly different to what is often expected in an HK classroom. I am now quite skilled at planning for interesting child initiated and inquiry based learning activities for the short time the children spend in the classroom (only 3 hours a day inc. outdoor play time, music lesson, teatime).

The children however, are amazing. Bright, happy and eager to learn, they rarely complain about their heavy workload, it seems they often enjoy the homework set and love to take part in all the activities. I have worked with children of many age groups and learning abilities in England, Malaysia and Thailand, but the children of HK are by far the smartest I have had the pleasure to teach. Their diligence, patience and keenness have provided me with the ambition and drive to teach them with all my devotion and love. I really should thank each and every one of them.