Good Schools Guide June 2017

Good Schools Guide

Feature Fighting words: into battle with student debaters

School visits Elsa High School and Catiline Kindergarten

Entrepreneurship Nurturing innovation among HK’s youth

Purpose Built Facilities Specialists in Primary Education Innovative Teaching Methodology

852 2480 1500

Exceptional People • Outstanding Opportunities • Academic Excellence

CONTENTS

6 20 24 Main photo: Paul Yeung

30 34 38

FEATURE The value of a good argument Debate culture is rampant among Hong Kong secondary schools, and universities are starting to take notice — John Brennan

PARENTING Children and the great outdoors Research indicates that playing outside is as important for young children as any classroom-based activities — Chris Davis

SCHOOL VISITS The authentic ‘Chinese’ kindergarten Catiline Kindergarten helps children learn the fundamental values of Confucianism while developing a global outlook — Andrea Zavadszky

A unique distinction Elsa High School stands out as the only Jewish international through school in Asia — John Cremer

ENTREPRENEURSHIP Starting young Hong Kong maintains its reputation as a startup-friendly city by harvesting entrepreneurial talent at a young age — Ben Young

EVENTS Kindergartens Festival 2017 An occasion which brought together parents and representatives of top kindergartens under one roof — Chris Davis

p.20 3

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

Nurturing Inquirers from 8 Months to 6 Years Old Victoria Educational Organisation has been a leader in early childhood education in Hong Kong since its establishment in 1965. It offers a total immersion language environment though its effective "one teacher-one language" model. VEO is the only Columbia University “Teachers College Reading and Writing Project” preschool in Hong Kong that is also accredited

by IB. It has a strong, well-established presence throughout Hong Kong with nine nurseries and kindergartens located around the city.

42 46 p.46 EDITORIAL Editor: Ginn Fung Assistant Editors: Ben Young (Project Editor), Sophia Lam Community Editor: Daisy Fung Feature Editor: Samuel Lai Art Director: Candy Lai Assistant Art Director: Ming Freelance Designer: Elaine Tang ADVERTISING Assistant Sales Director Alex Wong (852) 2680 8984 alex.wong@scmp.com

50 52 54 58 62

LITERATURE The Hong Kong Young Writers Awards 2017 An event that inspired young aspiring journalists and authors across the city — John Brennan

PROFILE Times are changing For writer, photographer and television personality Sean Lee Davies, Hong Kong schools need to focus more on important environmental issues — Ben Young

SPORTS NBA star visits primary school The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Enes Kanter visited Rosebud Primary School in his first visit to Hong Kong — Ben Young

EXPERTS The end of classrooms As we enter a new era of digitalised education, the classroom becomes obsolete — Henrik Hoeg

Importance of service learning It is time to start teaching kids the value of social responsibility from an early age — Ron Roukema

Inclusive education – Why is it important?

Every child has the right to an education that fits their specific learning needs — Brian Cooklin

Why do we test students?

Assessment is a relatively small aspect of a high-quality education — Malcolm Kay

Senior Account Manager Stella Chung (852) 2680 8377 stella.chung@scmp.com Account Manager Jacko Man (852) 2680 8702 jacko.man@scmp.com CONTACT US Editorial: editor@educationpost.com.hk Advertising: advertising@scmp.com Reprint: reprint@scmp.com Good Schools Guide is printed and published by South China Morning Post Publishers Limited, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. Tel: 2680 8888. Printed by Apex Print Limited, 11-13 Dai Kwai Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, Tel:2660 2666. © SCMPPL

5

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

p.50 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

FEATURE

The value of a good argument Debate culture is rampant among Hong Kong secondary schools, and universities are starting to take notice, writes John Brennan

L

ast year at the World Schools Debating Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, the Hong Kong National Debating Team registered its best ever result on the global stage.

Taking fourth place in a field of 53 national teams, and punching so far above its weight in terms of relative population size, was a huge achievement.

But the National Debating Team represents only the

6

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

upper echelon of a very lively local debating scene. Not only does the Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition provide a range of structured inter-school contests, but prominent organisations, such as the Hong Kong Bar Association, also run their own “war of words�.

Success in a debate depends on a number of particular talents: the ability to speak clearly and concisely; to reason and persuade; to sift

and assimilate key facts; to remain calm under pressure as these facts are deployed; and to plan ahead, listen and adapt.

Debaters must stay abreast of current affairs and topical issues, as these - and often the most contentious aspects usually form the basis of the motions to be argued over.

exciting cut and thrust of competition. However, as we head into a future that will see an increasing number of jobs and tasks automated and handled by machines, many of these uniquely human attributes will become even more highly prized.

The value of these skills becomes clear in the

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

FEATURE

It is the students who genuinely enjoy debating and have fun doing it that succeed KRYSTYNA BUTCHART

Maintaining a healthy debate culture This May, in the High Court Chambers, a venue familiar with verbal sparring, the German Swiss International School (GSIS) debating team won the finals of the English section of the Hong Kong Bar competition. The team comprised captain and Year 11 student Rachel Lee, Thomas So of Year 11, and Year 10 student Karl Lam.

The fact the GSIS team had done its homework prior to the event was key. “All of the arguments made by the other team were ones we had anticipated,” So said. “Part of our preparation included putting ourselves in the mindset of the opposing side and trying to come up with arguments.”

Up against a Year 12 team from St Paul’s Secondary School, the trio from GSIS successfully argued against the motion “This house believes that Hong Kong ought to impose an ‘optout’ post-mortem organ donation scheme”. Lam was also selected as the best speaker during the debate.

So, who only started debating in earnest about six months before the contest, was delighted with the win. “I was quite surprised and excited, as this was my first debate competition,” he said.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

7

FEATURE

GSIS took part in a number of debating competitions over these years.

The team’s strategy was centred on the notion that the opt-out scheme was a limitation to citizens’ free choice. “Personally, I think that when it comes to dealing with such sensitive issues - like one’s cultural, religious or personal views - it is best to allow people to make an empowered choice, rather than presuming their consent,” So said.

The Hong Kong Bar competition is just one of the contests GSIS debating teams have successfully taken part in this year.

At Easter, three students from the school were also members of the Hong Kong team at the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking 2017 Championship in Sydney.

GSIS debate coordinator and English teacher Krystyna Butchart noted that some students who did not start 8

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

out as natural debaters in Year 7, have earned a place on the inter-school team through hard work.

“We have over 100 debaters in our extracurricular debate programme, so there is a lot of competition for places on the interschool teams,” she said.

“Significantly, it is the students who genuinely enjoy debating and have fun doing it that succeed.”

While proud of the teams’ successes, Butchart believes the value of the activity extends well beyond competitive triumphs.

She said it improves participants’ public speaking abilities and enables them to read and think critically and develop their analytical, research and collaborative skills.

“Our debate programme also aims to increase the

students’ awareness of local, regional and global issues, as well as significant historical events, and make them care about what happens around them.

Hopefully, the programme makes them more confident, poised and knowledgeable for when they leave school and enter university.”

In Lam’s view these goals are being achieved. “Debating nurtures our ability to argue a case and persuade while also fostering the public speaking skills needed to communicate ideas to an audience,” he said.

Lee said she used to be very shy, afraid to look people in the eye when talking to them, and mumbling instead of speaking clearly.

“Since joining the debate team, I have become more confident in terms of participating more in class, and in voicing my opinion SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

FEATURE and speaking up for what I believe in.”

the debate community at large.”

On occasion, Lee has had to argue in favour of a motion she didn’t believe in, or rebut one she did.

Unfortunately, not all of the school’s debaters are able to experience inter-school competition. However, DGS runs junior and senior training sessions every Friday to give everyone the opportunity to take part in shadow debates and help the competing teams with their preparation.

“While it definitely makes the debate more challenging, it is actually one of my favourite aspects of debating,” she said.

“Arguing for a side that you disagree with means you have to look at other perspectives, delve deeper into the issues and do more research. It is also a lot of fun to try and look at a subject from another point of view.”

A convincing case Inclusiveness is an underlying principle of the debating programme at Diocesan Girls’ School (DGS), and this policy has been a spur to competitive success.

For Cho, solid preparation is the most important aspect of success in competition.

“Sometimes, 12 hours before the match, you see the students editing team arguments and uploading large swathes of their cases on their Google documents.”

The motions the teams have to debate in inter-school contests don’t shy away from

contentious topics. At the Hong Kong Schools Debating Competition, the proposal the DGS team had to oppose was “This house endorses the use of virtual reality to fulfil socially taboo fantasies”.

“We argued that for potential paedophiles, satisfying their fantasies with virtual reality would only exacerbate their indulgence in the fantasy, normalising it in their minds and thus, reinforcing their need to indulge,” explained DGS team member Tsang.

“We also argued that it might give rise to a VR industry featuring socially tabooed fantasies, which would further promote these crooked values and legitimise this as a proper industry in society.”

Lo admitted that Island School’s counter-argument

In April, the DGS team won the Hong Kong Schools Debating Competition 2017 Senior Division - for Years 10 to 13 - overcoming Island School in the finals. The team was made up of four S4 debaters: Vennese Chan, Jessie Lo, Jocelyn Tsang and Chloe Yeung.

DGS English teacher Joan Cho has been in charge of the school’s English debate team since 2013.

“Our school currently has more than 70 people in the English debate team, with even more in the debate club,” Cho said. “Although we are a large programme, we want all 70 of our girls to feel they can contribute to FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

9

FEATURE

DGS was the winner of the Hong Kong Schools Debating Competition 2017 for the Senior Division.

that consideration had to be given to the mentally ill who needed VR to keep their hallucinations under control had caught her and her teammates momentarily offguard.

“For junior tournaments, our seniors not only coach but also serve as judges,” Cho said. “We also sometimes send swing teams to tournaments whenever needed.”

“This debate wasn’t about the mentally ill at all, and we didn’t expect this argument to pop up,” she said. “However, we did respond by saying that the mentally ill were outside the scope of the discussion, and this debate should be about the majority of the population who are mentally stable and healthy.”

In the coming school year, Chan, Lo, Tsang and Yeung will be moving into leadership roles in the team, organising and training the DGS juniors.

While Cho considers success in the big interschool contests to be a great motivator, she also believes the junior debaters learn even more by observing how the seniors behave in competitions.

10 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

“The team as a whole will continue to take part in the competitions we have contested this year and, hopefully, our juniors can sustain the good work of their seniors,” said Cho. But, in her view, there is much more to be gained from participating in debates than just trophies.

“We believe that the three skills needed to prep for a

debate - motion analysis, research and delivery - will be invaluable for students in the future,” Cho said. “They will learn to think about a topic from the point of view of all stakeholders, learn about critical topics like the Syrian refugee crisis or reclaiming brownfield land in Hong Kong, then speak about these issues in a persuasive manner.”

The power of persuasion Joyce Lo, one of the debate team moderators at Maryknoll Convent School, finds it easy to pick out some of the qualities that have made her group of debaters successful.

“They love English and are passionate about debating,” she said. “They particularly enjoy answering ‘point of information’ (POI)

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

FEATURE

contributions, which add excitement and spontaneity to a debate.”

The team’s skill and enthusiasm enabled them to hold off the challenge of Good Hope School in the Hong Kong Secondary Schools Debating Competition Enhanced Format Grand Final, held in May. Maryknoll Form 4 students Tiffany Fung and Rachel Tong were part of the winning team.

Though modest about the achievement, Fung couldn’t hide her delight at the win.

“I think we did well in the final match and we had a lot of fun answering the POIs,” Fung said. “When we were announced as winners, we were, of course, absolutely thrilled. I was really grateful

to the teachers for their guidance and support, and I remember that I couldn’t wait to tell my family about the win.”

Tong echoed her teammate’s thoughts, and added: “I felt very grateful for the opportunity to work with different people and to push my boundaries.”

Neither Fung nor Tong previously had a long track record in competitive debate.

“I started becoming more seriously involved in Form 3,” Tong said. “Now, my passion for debating has become palpable.”

Fung joined the team in the same school year and, though she soon began entering tournaments, she had other goals besides

winning. “I wanted to develop my critical thinking skills and become more eloquent,” she said.

Their example, and that of the other team members, has helped inspire the school’s next generation of young debaters, according to Lo. “They are now very keen on taking part in various debating tournaments,” she noted.

These juniors can also learn from Tong and Fung’s ability to analyse their own strengths and weaknesses.

Tong said she has developed a more logical mindset that helps her tackle challenges - whether these occur in debates or in the real world.

“If the path ahead of me becomes shrouded with mist, having a clear mind enables me to know what I

I started becoming more seriously involved in Form 3. Now, my passion for debating has become palpable RACHEL TONG

Maryknoll’s debate team ups its game with exceptional skills and enthusiasm.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 11

FEATURE

In a debate, the biggest challenge lies in identifying the critical points and offering effective rebuttals JOYCE LO

want and helps me stay on track.”

When it comes to debating, however, she feels she still needs to work on categorising her arguments and expanding her bank of examples.

While Fung believes she’s learned a lot about structuring arguments and devising strong rebuttals, she has also, honed her public speaking ability.

“I would like to further develop my case-building skills, though,” she added.

Effective debating requires expertise in a number of areas, and preparation can only get you so far. Lo expects her students to learn how to analyse issues, develop sound arguments, and speak with clarity and confidence. However, she explained that the ability to think on one’s feet while on stage is a key attribute.

12 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

“In a debate, the biggest challenge lies in identifying the critical points and offering effective rebuttals, which requires the debaters to listen intently to their opponents and come up with counter-arguments on the spot.”

The Maryknoll teams have had a number of other opportunities to hone their skills this year.

Among the contests they’ve taken part in are the Hong Kong Schools Debating Championship; the Hong Kong British Parliamentary Debating Championship; and the New York Times Debate Challenge.

But the programme at Maryknoll is not just about finding a few particularly talented public speakers to represent the school in inter-school competitions.

Lo would like to see as many students as possible develop the skills and confidence that debating can help to promote.

Multi-lingual discourse In today’s world, where careers can span continents, polyglots are valued more highly than ever.

The ESF’s bilingual and trilingual debating programmes aim to improve students’ English, Putonghua and Cantonese skills, and help them reason and argue in these languages. At the AsiaPacific Chinese-English Festival held in Shanghai in May, the eight-strong ESF team put all they had learned to good effect, ranking first for average individual points, third for the team’s points grand total, and taking a bronze in the Chinese-English bilingual debate category.

Up against a field of schools drawn from Hong Kong, the mainland and Taiwan, Belle Ho of Sha Tin College also won the Best Student Leadership Award. And,

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

Sponsored Feature

T

he Independent Schools Foundation Academy (The ISF Academy) is a non-profit private independent primary and secondary school providing a unique inquiry-based Putonghua and English bilingual immersion education. We are a Chinese school with a global perspective.

We believe learning is the active construction of knowledge best experienced through meaningful activities that foster exploration and creativity. Our students’ learning is best expressed through probing discussions, passionate debates, and free thinking. ISF learners are culturally agile and confident communicators. As cheerful high achievers, ISF learners exude a joy of learning that drives the development of the social, creative, critical thinking skills necessary to succeed and lead in a complex world.

2202 2028 admissions@isf.edu.hk academy.isf.edu.hk 1 Kong Sin Wan Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

We are a strong proponent of learning by doing. Our hallmark Experiential Learning Program immerses learners in unfamiliar settings to engage in novel challenges that build character and confidence. An ISF learner is at home building a school hall in Yangshuo, researching ancient texts in Cambridge, or exploring the rich history of the Silk Road.

We are an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World school. Our Diploma results place us in the top tier of Hong Kong IB schools. Each year, 100% of our graduates receive the IB Diploma, with more than two thirds achieving the coveted Bilingual Diploma, twice the global average. The 31 graduates in the Class of 2016 received 218 offers from the world’s most prestigious universities.

Rolling Applications for selected grades for the 2017-18 Academic Year are now open. Applications for all grades for the 2018-19 Academic Year will commence on Monday, August 14, 2017. To submit an application or to register for a visit, please go to the Friends of The ISF at www.admissions.isf.edu.hk/.

FEATURE

Michael Dai from South Island School enjoys his accolades.

and language skills,” he explained. “Both types of skills were equally weighted in the judging criteria.”

in the age 10-12 category, Peony Sham of Sha Tin Junior School won the Bilingual Story Telling Gold Medal, as well as the Silver Medal for Bilingual Speech.

The other members of the successful team were Stephanie Wong from Sha Tin College; Andrew Chan, Michael Dai and Grace Yin, all from South Island School; and Miriam Lo and Amos Zhu of Renaissance College.

Ho said there were times when she and her teammates thought they were definitely going to lose to a stronger team, but were able to edge ahead through trying their best and having perseverance.

14 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

“I think the highlight of the contest was the entire package: the extraordinary experience throughout the two days, the friends, the lessons and the skills gained during the contest,” she said.

Acknowledging the achievements of his team, ESF Chinese adviser Dr Wang Xiaoping pointed out that, as in each of the previous five years, the standard of the competition had risen and the overall level of bilingual abilities was higher.

“As most bilingual debaters were quite confident in both languages, winning really depended on both debating

Though the development of language skills was the primary reason for ESF’s promoting a ChineseEnglish programme, it was also pleasing to see the students improving their debating skills.

“Students had some preparation, but the timeframe was very tight,” Wang said. “They are generally confident in public speaking, but some still feel tense before major competitions, such as the final round of the bilingual debate.”

Chan recognised team spirit helped him through the difficult moments. “The support of my teammates encouraged me to keep preparing diligently and achieve more in a limited amount of time.”

But, as Wang also recalls, the team had plenty of fun along the way. “Travelling was certainly exciting, with singing and laughter all the way to and from Shanghai.”

Yin certainly felt that buzz.

“I remember the first night we were in Shanghai we slept at 3am.”

The ESF team in Shanghai was building on its success in other contests, such as the Bilingual Gala in March, which marked the ESF’s 50th Anniversary. This event featured both PutonghuaCantonese and PutonghuaEnglish debates.

The success of the ESF teams at high-profile events has also inspired other young debaters, according to Wang.

Lo’s interest in debating was ignited when she first saw an inter-school match. “I was stunned by the knowledge and thought behind each and every word that came out of the speakers’ mouths,”

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

FEATURE

she said. “Now, taking part in such a meaningful activity has definitely broadened my perspective and my opinions.”

Despite her personal success, Sham still thinks she has room for improvement when it comes to her ability to improvise.

“Although some of us have developed this skill, we need to be able to think on the spot because we may not have enough time to prepare beforehand, or an unexpected question may be asked by the opposition team,” she said.

Hard work pays off Christy Chan, Niki Cheung and Melody Choi readily admitted they felt nervous before May’s Senior Standard Format Grand Final. Not only were they appearing before a large audience, but this was also their last secondary school debate for Our Lady of the Rosary College (OLR).

However, the three Form Five students were announced winners over the team from HKMA David Li Kwok Po College and, afterwards, they said they were delighted their hard work had paid off. They were humble in victory, taking

the chance to express their gratitude to everyone who helped them along the way.

Chan explained she and her teammates had honed their skills ever since they first took up debating at OLR. “We’ve learnt how to write better speeches and how to deliver our ideas clearly through the use of articulation, pace and body language. Most importantly, through practice, we’ve learnt to think faster and more critically.”

Winnie Tam is the coach of the OLR debate team. “As the school team has grown from one group of three debaters to now six teams, spanning S1 to S5, I invited

Dr Vinton Poon from Hong Kong Baptist University to help as our chief coach and give intensive training to our senior teams.”

Tam said perseverance, or grit, is the main strength of her team. “Our winning team this year lost every match when they were in S3, but they didn’t quit,” she said.

Instead, Tam explained, they learned from their mistakes and came back stronger in S4. “Finally this year, in S5, they won nearly every match. The time and effort they have spent improving their debate skills, in addition to staying on top of their schoolwork, is immense.”

Cho recalls being scouted to join the team when she was in S3. “We thought it would be a really good opportunity to learn and improve our English, and that’s when we first became more seriously involved in debating.”

16 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

FEATURE

[Debating] cultivates the arts of critical thinking and public speaking, which are of tremendous benefit for students WINNIE TAM

Tam said one of the key reasons the school encourages students - and not just those who will eventually make the team - to engage in debating, is because the activity can make a meaningful contribution to the successful acquisition of English language skills.

The junior team members, she added, look up to

their “big sisters” and the confident way they speak in front of a large audience.

“Debating requires that you read extensively and write persuasively, and a lot of learning takes place throughout the preparation process,” Tam said. “Most importantly, it cultivates the arts of critical thinking and public speaking, which are of tremendous benefit

for students when they take public exams, in their future careers, and for understanding the world they live in.”

Even so, the members of the triumphant OLR team acknowledge there’s still room for improvement.

Cheung admits they weren’t that good at improvising rebuttals, and they sometimes depended

too much on those had prepared beforehand.

“Sometimes, our opponents come up with arguments that we never thought of. So, we think we need to work on impromptu speaking and how to organise our ideas clearly and deliver them on the spot.”

Tam pointed out the OLR senior teams are taught to study the motion of the debate from the inside out, with the goal of destroying the opposing team’s line of argument. “But I do believe on-the-spot wit is important. It’s something that is built up through experience and there isn’t one formula that fits all motions.”

OLR students believe debating helps academic performance.

18 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

http://www.kingston.edu.hk

Kingston International School

Kingston International School strives to ensure that all of our students become fluent in both English and Putonghua by approaching challenging and engaging content bilingually. Our small-community environment and our embrace of Chinese language and culture distinguishes us from many international schools.

THE POWER OF BILINGUALISM We approach education through the IBPYP while our students remain immersed in local tradition and culture. The Kingston student experience bridges both worlds without forcing families to choose between them. We value inclusive learning, which is reinforced by our approach of keeping class numbers low and teacher numbers high. All of our teachers are fully qualified native speakers of their taught languages.

Our primary school is spread over two quiet and cozy campuses, located very near each other along Waterloo Rd. in Kowloon Tong. As the first authorized IBPYP school in Hong Kong, we remain committed to the transdisciplinary approach to education, to innovation and to a lifelong learning journey.

We accept applications for all grade levels. To apply, visit our website at www.kingston.edu.hk. We welcome prospective families to book a school tour.

Bookings may be made by calling 2337-9031.

105 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, HK 113 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, HK

Admission Enquiries: 2337 9031 / enquiry@kingston.edu.hk

PARENTING

Children and the great outdoors Research indicates that playing outside is as important for young children as any classroom-based activities, writes Chris Davis

R

Photo: Wilderness Kindergarten

unning, jumping and skipping outdoors while making plenty of high-spirited noise might, at first glance, seem incompatible with academic learning and good test scores. But all the evidence suggests that children, especially those in the preschool and kindergarten years, perform better in class if unstructured outdoor play is an integral part of the curriculum.

Educators, doctors and sociologists have long understood that play contributes to physical well-being by helping the development of muscle group and motor skills.

But it also assists in the development of language skills, creativity and problem-solving abilities, and an understanding of different emotions.

As a result, Hong Kong’s Department of Health recommends at least three hours of physical activity a day for pre-school children and at least an hour a day for those at primary school and above.

However, a combination of factors including inadequate space, busy school timetables and an increase in structured activities mean that doesn’t always happen. Many children in Hong Kong have limited opportunities to play at home and at school. Indeed, a study conducted by the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong (PFA) of nearly 15,000 children at 89 local kindergartens found that almost none have the recommended time for play and exercise during the school day. In fact, in most half-day and full-day kindergartens, children get, respectively, less than 60 or 120 minutes a day to play outdoors.

That said, a growing number of pre-schools

20 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

PARENTING

Children need to climb, jump, run outdoors, pick up leaves and, occasionally, fall and get hurt CANNIE BENNETT

and kindergartens are taking steps to correct that situation. They include Malvern College Preschool, Garden House in Sai Kung, English Schools Foundation (ESF) Tsing Yi International Kindergarten, and Wilderness Preschool.

All are making sure there is plenty of time in their earlyyears learning programmes for outdoor activities and games.

they find sticks, stones, grass and whatever is available to make all sorts of imaginative things.” She believes the creative skills learned through play are crucial for healthy development and for future academic success.

“When playing, children’s minds are free to explore without interference from teachers or parents. They often end up with some very creative results.”

“We think of children playing outdoors as being in a classroom without walls,” says Vicky Bewsey, principal of the ESF International Kindergarten at Tsing Yi who endorses the view that play is a child’s work.

“Our children love playing outdoors where they are free to run around, shout and sometimes even get dirty or wet.”

Jacqueline McNalty, founding principal of Malvern College Pre-school Hong Kong, believes access to an outdoor environment is as important to children’s well-being and education as a conventional kindergarten classroom. “Through learning in the great outdoors, children have opportunities for hands-on, physical learning, which engages and stimulates all the senses,” says McNalty, who outlined Malvern’s upcoming Forest School programme for parents attending the recent Education Post Kindergarten Festival.

Bewsey subscribes to the principle that early childhood education needs to nurture the whole child and see everything as a chance to learn. “Even if they are not playing games,

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

Scheduled to start in September, its basic philosophy centres on childled learning. Originally developed in Scandinavia in the 1950s, Forest School programmes are now popular in Canada, the United States and Britain.

There is an emphasis on active, play-based enquiry using all the senses.

Research shows this helps to develop skills, knowledge, concepts and confidence in ways not always possible in a more formal classroom setting.

The programme will see children spending a morning or afternoon every week or so in a woodland setting in Sai Kung. Playing outdoors also helps to develop critical thinking skills.

“It provides great scope for problem solving with new materials and resources, encouraging children to be inventive and allowing for better understanding and ways of doing things,” McNalty says.

Although Forest programmes can be used for all age groups, they have proved especially popular with pre-school children. In Hong Kong, in particular, it takes kids out of the usual urban environment and gives them a new sense of freedom.

Separately, the American Academy of Pediatrics also emphasises that play is essential for children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical well-being.

They state that social and emotional learning should not be seen as distinct from academic learning. Proper integration of the various aspects only enhances the child’s ability to learn.

In noting Albert Einstein’s observation about it being a miracle curiosity survives formal education, Connie Kenny, director of Wilderness Kindergarten, emphasises that children learn best through doing, not as passive, inactive receivers of information.

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 21

PARENTING

She adds that children need what the school refers to as “vitamin G”, for garden, to promote intellectual growth and a healthy lifestyle. This concept is understood and appreciated by parents who see how outdoor activity improves physical health and encourages a sense of inquiry.

Cannie Bennett, founder of Garden House Pre-school and Kindergarten in Sai Kung, says children connect with the world through first-hand experiences.

Therefore, early learning should not be all about acquiring information from books, but should include exploring nature, growing plants, and getting your hands dirty.

“Our children have an interest in outdoor activities, and this is part of our curriculum,” Bennett says. “This approach is very relevant to our times.

Practical work is essential for healthy development.

Through outdoor activities such as gardening, children can become fully engaged with their surrounding by

22 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

Photo: Garden House

“We create an environment where children can be constantly thinking and making sense of their world and their environment,” Kenny says. “Our curriculum is certainly rich in literacy and numeracy. But it is in our garden that they can engage, experiment, and touch sand, soil and plants. They observe caterpillars, make friends, explore, invent, socialise and enjoy life to the fullest.”

A benefit of outdoor play is that children become more in tune with nature.

using their senses.”

Bennett believes this is a key step to becoming resilient, intelligent individuals, something parents may impede by being too protective.

“Children need to climb, jump, run outdoors, pick up leaves and, occasionally, fall and get hurt,” she says.

“These are all natural and necessary experiences that will help develop a healthy sensory system which is fundamental to learning and accomplishing many of life’s goals.”

As vice principal at Fairchild Kindergarten, which follows the Reggio Emilia approach, Betty Yau says that inquiry-based, playfocused learning allows children to be knowledge maker, collaborator and communicator. Using a

water-play area and one for creative arts, teachers at Fairchild have the space and materials needed to “bring the outdoors in”.

“Children take ownership of their learning activities, for example by counting pebbles or pine-cones, but in an authentic and developmentally appropriate way,” Yau says. Encouraging youngsters to interact with natural elements creates endless possibilities for discovery. “Play is a crucial vehicle for exploring and learning, developing new skills, building relationships, and connecting with others,” Yau says.

taking her daughter to parks at the weekend to reinforce lessons learned at school.

Heather Lin, whose son also attends FJA, has noticed clear benefits from the approach of bringing the outdoors in. “My child’s days are filled with examining seashell specimens, cataloguing exotic stuffed animals, discovering the laws of physics, and studying the behaviour of his fellow adventurers,” she says.

Gynis Lo, whose daughter attends Fairchild Junior Academy (FJA), notes that many children in Hong Kong have too few opportunities to explore nature. She, though, addresses this by

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

Why Choose Our School?

As part of an international family of 43 schools, and exposure to our unique Global Campus, we give your child access to unparalleled learning experiences and resources.

Taught by outstanding teachers, and underpinned by our Be Ambitious philosophy, we empower students to succeed both inside and outside of the classroom.

Combined with our exclusive collaborations with two of the worlds most prestigious organisations, The Juilliard School, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), your child will be engaged, challenged, and inspired throughout their educational journey with us. Students at NAIS follow the EYFS framework, IGCSEs and IB Diploma. With a focus on individualised learning, our rigorous curricula ensures that students have a creative and challenging learning experience.

Applications are now being accepted for Primary and Secondary. With the opening of our dedicated Early Years campuses*, expressions of interest for Nursery, Lower and Upper Kindergarten (age 3 - 5) are also being accepted.

To find out more, email the Admissions Team at admissions@nais.hk or attend one of our Parent Information Sessions. *Subject to receipt of customary regulatory approval

www.nais.hk

+852 3958 1428

11 On Tin Street, Lam Tin

SCHOOL VISITS

The authentic ‘Chinese’ kindergarten Catiline Kindergarten helps children learn the fundamental values of Confucianism while developing a global outlook, writes Andrea Zavadszky

The essence of education should be character building and the inculcation of traditional virtues and fundamental values K.H. WUN

24 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

SCHOOL VISITS

S

For that reason, the curriculum is based on the Confucian principle of the six skills. These include character and etiquette, fine arts, physical training, the use of tools and technology, literature and mathematics.

“First and foremost, the essence of education should be character building and the inculcation of traditional virtues and fundamental values,” says K.H. Wun, director of Catiline Kindergarten and International Preschool.

“Nowadays, some educators get side-tracked.”

The children learn to read and recite some Chinese classics, for example Three Character Classics, used as teaching material since the Sung dynasty in the 13th century.

Other works such as Manners for Youngsters and the Thousand Character Classic have been used to teach Chinese characters since the

6th century.

“Children are like sponges; they have a tremendous ability to absorb and retain,” Wun says. “We create the environment for them to be exposed to the classics, after which understanding the texts in-depth is really a lifelong process.”

To help in learning, the children play different games, perhaps passing a ball or taking turns at musical chairs, with one of the classmates then reciting a line or reading a sentence.

Along the way, teachers will

Photo: Michael Azim

tating its mission as a “quest for characterbased excellence”, the 28-year-old institution currently runs five schools and kindergartens teaching a total of close to 1,300 pupils.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 25

SCHOOL VISIT VISITS

Education should not end in the classroom.

Children should also learn to care for other people in the community K.H. WUN

also explain and reinforce the importance of traditional values like filial piety; which means respect for one's elders, loyalty, honour, and respect for others within a modern context.

According to Wun, children who practise reciting the classics when young develop a higher level of concentration and stronger memorisation skills and, generally, show a more in-depth understanding of Confucian values.

The kindergarten also encourages the children to put these values into practice in the real world.

For example, children with birthdays in the same month invite their parents and grandparents to the school as a gesture of appreciation.

They entertain them with musical performances and a martial arts demonstration, and serve tea to their guests as a sign of gratitude.

The standard school day includes classes in English, Putonghua – with qualified native speakers – and Cantonese. There are specialist instructors to teach art, singing, qi gong and

26 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

martial arts. Children also get the chance to plant their own vegetables at the school farm to learn more about sustainable environmental practices.

“Education should not end in the classroom,” says Wun, noting that some pupils make regular monthly visits to elderly centres, where they sing and show off their martial arts skills. “Children should also learn to care for other people in the community.”

Close cooperation with parents is important in order to achieve consistency in teaching certain values.

Therefore, the school arranges seminars, newsletters and other opportunities for parents to be fully aware of what each class is doing and why.

Catiline recently opened a playgroup and a pre-school for children aged three months to three years. It follows the UK’s Early Years Foundation Stage goals and the Reggio Emilia approach to learning.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

Brought to you by Capstone

Nurturing debating skills and academic excellence

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

Founder and Managing Director of Capstone, Ronald Po

C

apstone Prep Education Center has been quickly growing over the past three years - expanding to three offices in Causeway Bay, with satellites in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. This should come as no surprise to parents in Hong Kong, who associate Capstone with renown in debate. Indeed, over the past decade, the centre has produced many of the city’s world class debaters.

Last year, Capstone trained two of the top five debaters at the World Schools Debating Championship. Four Capstone students achieved top speaking honours in the Harvard World Schools Debating Invitational. Some students also were finalists in the Oxford and Cambridge School Debating competitions.

“We have had many successes in these competitions because we have such a dedicated programme,” says founder and managing director of Capstone, Ronald Po.

Over the years, Po has found that debating is correlated with students’ overall success in school and beyond. “Debate, of course, is not the end-all and be-all for every student. But what is good about debate is that it requires you to have not only the basics of effective leadership and very intelligent quick thinking, but also persuasion. If you are applying to a university or are running for some kind of an office, intelligence and presentation skills matter.”

One of the immediate benefits of being very good in debate is that it easily opens doors to universities. “Schools love strong debaters because they have proven themselves to be effective communicators both in and outside of the classroom. The best debaters often end up going to Ivy League universities and Oxbridge,” Po says.

Capstone’s top debating students also receive assistance with their university

K

applications, and in recent years, Capstone students have excelled in the admissions process. Last year, 80 per cent of the company’s consulting students who applied to top American universities received offers at highly selective colleges such as Stanford, Columbia, University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins, and all those who applied to British universities received offers from top-ranked institutions including Cambridge, Oxford, the London School of Economics, and University College London.

When asked what sort of students would be perfect for debating courses, Po’s response is: “If you have ambition and you have foundational logic and critical thinking abilities, Capstone specialises in cultivating these qualities and makes you a stronger student.”

And Capstone isn’t just another education centre when it comes to debate - students of all levels come to Capstone to train with the best. Po says, “If students are serious

about debate and want to do well, our centre will offer a few other things to position them for success. Firstly, there will be ample debate practice with excellent classmates. Secondly, stronger students will receive opportunities to fly around the world to compete in various competitions.

Lastly, we have some of the best coaches in all of Asia.”

Since its inception in 2003, Capstone now has dedicated programmes in competitive debating from Grades 5 to 12. The curriculum is based on the British Parliamentary (BP) format - currently considered to be the world’s most prestigious debating style. Here, students will be taught how to adapt their speeches and deliveries according to BP guidelines on style, substance, and strategy.

Coaching focuses primarily on persuasive communication skills, the intellectual basis of ideas, and the organisation and delivery of an argument.

They will also be taught presentation skills. “Once students get over the discomfort and intimidation of public speaking, teachers will help them fine tune their style, which includes voice and the use of body language,” Po explains.

Po expects that by the time students complete the program, they will be able to articulate their ideas with confidence and poise, master the art of persuasion, and ultimately, be ready to compete in major debating competitions.

Having good debating skills can also increase a student’s employability. Many

Capstone graduates have found jobs in management consulting, banking, private equity, finance and law, or according to Po: “basically in jobs where intelligence and presentation skills are in high demand.”

Po believes that Hong Kong’s youth is highly intelligent and full of great ideas, but many do not know how to express themselves well.

He recalls an experience with one of his students some years back: “He had lots of ideas but he was rather reserved and not always willing to share his thoughts. But eventually, we managed to coax him out of his shell.”

The coaching paid off as the student ultimately received an offer to study business at the prestigious University of Virginia in the US. He is now working in Dallas with a private equity firm - which is the student’s dream job.

Po also notes that some of Capstone’s students are now pursuing entrepreneurial ambitions, which, according to Po, is another good indicator of effective leadership and management.

“What makes us stand out from other education centres is that we focus more on long-term goals,” he says. “On top of that, we are always upgrading the curriculum, and we believe we have top-class coaching personnel, many of whom are experts recruited from overseas.

“The numbers speak for themselves. If you look at our results and track record of success, I am confident that we are undoubtedly one of the strongest companies in Asia when it comes to nurturing successful students,” he adds.

Capstone, together with its partner Cambridge Union, have created the Asian Schools British Parliamentary Championship - the qualifier debate rounds for the Cambridge Schools Debating Competition.

Qualifying rounds this year will be held in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai. It will be one of the largest high school debate competitions in terms of the number of participating schools and countries. The finalists will represent Asia at the University of Cambridge.

SCHOOL VISITS

A unique distinction Elsa High School stands out as the only Jewish international through school in Asia, writes John Cremer

A

long with high academic standards and an extensive choice of extracurricular activities, the best schools in Hong Kong look to offer something extra.

In the case of Carmel School Association’s Elsa High School in Shau Kei Wan, that distinction comes from being part of the only Jewish international through school in Asia, with a stream for pupils to study Hebrew language and culture besides the other subjects required or available under the International Baccalaureate (IB) secondary-level curriculum.

The school opened on its current site in 2009, having

evolved from an initial intake of just 11 pupils back in 1991. At that time, a group of largely American parents had seen the need for a syllabus which could include the key aspects of a traditional Jewish education, yet was also built on inclusivity and the best principles of modern-day international learning.

“In many ways, the school was pioneering,” says principal Rachel Friedmann, noting there are now close to 400 pupils aged from 18 months to 18 yearsold, when also taking into account those in pre-school, kindergarten and primary classes at separate locations.

“From the outset, the aim was to promote excellence, community and tradition

in delivering a high-quality education and that remains the case today.”

The founders’ basic intention was to cater to the needs of children from families representing every strand of Judaism, from Orthodox to secular.

But, in tune with the times, Elsa High School now also invites applicants from other backgrounds and faiths as part of a student body which currently includes almost 20 different nationalities.

“The addition of an international stream, which accepts students on merit, has undoubtedly enhanced the school,” Friedmann says. “Overall, though, what differentiates us is the Jewish setting, which provides the ethical base and moral core for everything we do.”

The majority of classes are conducted in English, with an intensive and well regarded programme in EAL (English as an additional language) to help non-native speakers reach fluency as quickly as possible. However, due

30 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

SCHOOL VISITS

Overall ... what differentiates us is the Jewish setting, which provides the ethical base and moral core for everything we do

Photos: Michael Azim

RACHEL FRIEDMANN

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 31

SCHOOL VISITS

Elsa students may become proficient in Hebrew as well as other languages.

Kyle Ford, Elsa’s director of art and design.

emphasis is also placed on all pupils reaching a high standard in Putonghua and, as appropriate, Hebrew or another option, such as French or Spanish, to ensure they achieve proficiency in at least three languages.

grade take most subjects as a single group. In fact, the two streams are only separate for eight lessons a week, where one does Hebrew language and studies and the other takes alternative options.

“We believe language is hugely important, but then so are science and maths,” Friedmann says.

“To encourage excellence, we promote friendly competition within the school. And we take steps to offer opportunities children may not have elsewhere through things like our links with a top science and technology university in Israel.”

To broaden perspectives and provide other types of experiential learning, guest speakers are invited from all walks of life and all over the world. Recent visitors, for example, have included someone running a trauma hospital, an anchor for an Israeli broadcaster, and the young winner of an international piano competition. All tell their personal stories and share reflections on what it takes to overcome challenges and succeed in one’s chosen field.

Small class sizes allow for a high teacher-student ratio and mean pupils in each

32 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

In other respects, cocurricular activities geared to different age groups include the usual range of sports, with cross-country running and sailing as recent additions, plus music, arts, drama, debating, design and technology.

Linked to the “service and action” element of the IB curriculum, there are also regular community-focused initiatives. Led and inspired by students, these raise funds for particular projects or favourite charities, thereby drawing attention to worthy causes and having an impact on issues which

concern society at large.

“Jewish tradition holds that you have a responsibility to educate yourself and to heal the world,” Friedmann says. “So, we encourage our students to know themselves and contribute to society. By doing that, they are also able to access the best universities when they leave us.”

Annual overseas trips, particularly for the senior grades, are similarly designed to provide new insights and greater selfawareness. Some are week-long trips to work

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

SCHOOL VISITS

Elsa High School is part of the Carmel School Association.

as volunteers on social development projects in China or Thailand. Others, though, to destinations in Europe and Israel, have a historical and cultural focus and, in the latter case, may even include a short army training programme specially adapted for youngsters.

“Overall, we give students an environment where their aspirations can grow,” Friedmann says. “Teachers collaborate to put the learner at the centre of the process, so that abilities are developed, interests are fostered, and individuals gain from each other.

I passionately believe the focus of education should be on communication, collaboration and critical thinking skills and, as

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

part of that, I’m planning constant development and additions to the curriculum.”

Recently, for example, that has meant a new course in theatre arts and, next year, another is planned in sports science, along with a “maker space” for more general experimentation.

Other initiatives are designed to encourage more interdisciplinary projects since, ultimately, a 21st century education has to give students the skills needed to take on unfamiliar challenges and, in essence, be ready for jobs that may not yet exist.

“I’m interested in a holistic approach to education and our smaller, familylike community makes

that possible,” says Kyle Ford, the school’s director of art and design. “Our student-centred learning model and small class sizes allow for more mentorship.

Teachers have the capacity to engage with students and to understand their desires, shortcomings, what they are passionate about, and what they can attain in life with our help and support.”

With the allied junior section currently a candidate school for the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), a medium-term ambition is to become one of the few fully accredited “through train” IB schools in Hong Kong. As a nonfor-profit institution, there are also ongoing efforts to ensure financial stability and independence.

“From a parent’s perspective, I know what the school can offer in terms of value-added experience,” says chairman of the board Shay Razon, three of whose children are currently moving up through the grades. “Education is not just about success in exams.

It is also about producing individuals who can influence others and care about the environment.

Any school like ours is built on community values and proving opportunity through the variety of programmes for the kids.”

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 33

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Starting Young Hong Kong maintains its reputation as a startup-friendly city by harvesting entrepreneurial talent at a young age, writes Ben Young

H

ong Kong has long had a reputation as one of Asia’s major entrepreneurial hubs. So it’s no surprise that there’s a selection of top-notch courses and programmes to encourage the city’s youth to carry on this tradition of innovation.

The Young Founders School (YFS), which calls itself “a start-up boot camp for high school students”, is a perfect example. Designed

34 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

for those aged 12 to 17, the school recently completed its first year of operation, during which it ran four weekend boot camps and hosted a demonstration at the entrepreneur clubhouse Metta.

“When we looked at the market, we noticed there were a good number of startup learning opportunities for adults, but very little being done for students,” says chief executive and founder Billal Naveed. “This

Billal Naveed

Crispian Farrow

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

ENTREPRENEURSHIP was a gap, as the students we work with have proved more than capable of benefitting from an entrepreneur’s mindset and toolbox.

They are creative and see opportunities that adults often miss.”

YFS had a resoundingly successful first year, with 400 student participants.

What’s more, over 50 per cent of them were female.

“We’ve run 160 hours of learning and have a pool of more than 130 mentors who support our events,” Naveed says.

While not everybody fits the archetype of a successful business founder and operator, programme director Crispian Farrow believes that the young participants all benefit from understanding the entrepreneurial mindset.

The programme also teaches them to develop important skills, he says.

The Node organises the MIT Entrepreneurship and Maker Skills Integrator (MEMSI), a fully immersive programme for aspiring entrepreneurs in various industries.

“We teach our students about measurement, how to run experiments, and how to iterate to find

product-market fit,” he says. “We teach students that although ideas are cheap, it requires a lot of hard work, dedication and hustle to create something meaningful. These lessons can be as easily applied in the corporate world as the start-up world.”

Farrow and Naveed believe that educational systems, particularly in Asia, fail to nurture children’s entrepreneurial qualities.

In fact, they stifle them.

“Parents and schools are obsessed with grades and university applications to the detriment of everything else,” says Naveed. “While these things are important, they are not the be-all and end-all of what employers look for in graduates. The world of work has moved on, and many organisations are now looking for talent markers which are more important than grades and which school applicants went to.”

Parents and students are aware of the value of the

innovative qualities YFS fosters, and its courses have become very popular after just one year of operation. “We are currently overwhelmed with demand, with over three times the number of applicants than places,” says Farrow.

There are expansion plans in place to meet this large and growing demand. “Our vision is to build a global network of young entrepreneurs and to provide a full range of education about entrepreneurship and beyond,” says Naveed.

“In terms of geographic expansion, we are launching our first international boot camp in Shenzhen in August, and we plan to expand to Singapore by the end of the year. In 2018, we hope to be live in six to eight cities in Asia and possibly testing a programme in Europe.”

YFS is also the official education partner for RISE, which Farrow describes as the largest and most important tech conference

Designed for those aged 12 to 17, the YFS recently completed its first year of operation, during which it ran four weekend boot camps and hosted a demonstration at the entrepreneur clubhouse Metta.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 35

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

in Asia. The Road to RISE Challenge will take place at the ESF school Sha Tin College on June 23, when around 100 students will showcase their business plans in an effort to win VIP tickets to the conference.

The MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Hong Kong Innovation Node is another entrepreneurshipbased initiative in the city.

One of the most innovative schools in the world, MIT established the Node in response to Hong Kong’s abundance of business opportunities.

The Node organises the MIT Entrepreneurship and Maker Skills Integrator (MEMSI), a fully immersive programme for aspiring entrepreneurs in various industries. The programme is a two-week long, fully immersive boot camp for aspiring hardware system innovators from universities in Hong Kong and from MIT. MEMSI aims to give students with engineering, science and technology

36 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

backgrounds the skills and business knowledge necessary to become successful entrepreneurs.

Business students are also included in the programme, creating a variety of partnership and networking opportunities.

Brian Yen, executive director, MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node, says MEMSI was set up to help prepare new graduates for the fast-changing workplace.

“Due to the rapid advance of technology, from the internet to manufacturing, a small number of individuals now have the ability to bring about monumental disruption for existing industrial giants,” he says.

“We’re at a tipping point where David is wielding an ever-sharper sword against Goliath in every industry sector.”

MEMSI has a balance of students from MIT and Hong Kong universities, with a range of age groups and academic backgrounds.

We’re at a tipping point where David is wielding an eversharper sword against Goliath at every industry sector BRIAN YEN

The first cohort in January 2017, saw a total of 30 students, with 67 per cent undergraduates and the rest graduate students.

Sixty per cent came from engineering and science backgrounds while 27 per cent were studying business, and 13 per cent were design students. The second boot camp is taking place in June.

“Increasingly, students around the world find that traditional monodisciplinary education does not adequately equip them to tackle this new and rapidly transforming work place,” Yen says. “Thus, education in innovation and entrepreneurship becomes critical, where students learn the importance of technical skills and business acumen.

Students now desire multi-disciplinary skill

sets to tackle their chosen industry head on.”

To this end, MESMI combines MIT’s worldclass experience in entrepreneurship with regional expertise in manufacturing to deliver an unforgettable learning experience. “We use some of the curriculum taught at the Martin Trust Centre for MIT Entrepreneurship, while also teaching important elements of advanced manufacturing,” says Yen. “We also go on a Shenzhen factory tour to complete the two-week high-intensity boot camp experience.”

Hong Kong students looking to apply to the programme must complete an extensive application process and produce a two-minute video explaining why they should be selected. “We value interpersonal skills as much as technical skills, and we don’t look at grades,” Yen says.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

EVENTS

Kindergartens Festival 2017 An occasion which brought together parents and representatives of top kindergartens under one roof, writes Chris Davis

38 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

EVENTS

Pre-school learning certainly benefits numeracy and literacy later in school life ABIGAIL CARR

M

ore than 2,000 parents, many accompanied by their children, discovered a wide range of early-learning options at a one-stop Kindergartens Festival organised and hosted by Education Post, with co-organiser, the education consultancy Top Schools Hong Kong, and with HSBC as main sponsor.

The festival took place on May 27 at the Cordis Hotel in Mong Kok. Principals, school representatives and education advisors from more than 50 international and local kindergartens and early-learning schools were on hand to provide advice and information.

They answered inquiries from parents about teaching philosophies, language education, and future opportunities for

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

their children. In addition, attendees gained specific insights from leading education professionals during a series of information sessions and panel discussions covering a diverse range of education topics.

have to worry about making an immediate decision.”

Kyung, a Korean national, and her Japanese husband said they are keen to enrol Yui in a school that offers a combination of Chinese and English-language learning opportunities.

For the parents of eightmonth-old Yui, the Kindergartens Festival provided an opportunity to compare the different types of early-learning options available for their daughter, and allayed concerns they had left it too late to find a suitable pre-school for her. “We had been told by some people that waiting until our daughter was eight months old, we had left it too late to arrange her pre-school learning,” said Yoonie Kyung, Yui’s mother. “Happily, after talking to really helpful teachers and principals, we were reassured that we don’t

Ko Hon-lam, father of sevenmonth-old Kayla, said he and his wife had attended the festival to compare schools that use English as the medium of instruction.

“As Chinese parents, we are not too worried about our daughter learning Chinese, so we wanted to find out about the different types of international schools and the best way that Kayla can achieve a good standard of English,” said Ko. The value of play-based learning is increasingly recognised by researchers for the benefits it provides in areas such as intellectual

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 39

EVENTS

curiosity and critical thinking. Vicky Bewsey, principal of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) International Kindergarten at Tsing Yi, said play is an essential learning tool for young children. “In our kindergarten, the children play in the garden, they play with water, they get dirty and they have fun while they are exploring,” Bewsey told parents during an information session.

According to Jillian McCormack from Wellborn Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten, part of the Deborah Education Institute which operates 22 kindergartens and international pre-schools in Hong Kong, a lot of parents asked questions about curricula that include English and Chineselanguage learning. “Parents were interested in how our international-based curriculum combines English and Chinese, which meets the expectations of many Hong Kong parents,” 40 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

McCormack said. “Parents appreciate the idea that their children are ready to go on to either a local or international primary school when they leave us,” she said. That flexibility means parents have options when deciding which education path best suits their children.

Karen Chan, senior marketing officer at Autism Partnership (AP), said the Kindergartens Festival provided a valuable platform to educate both parents and teachers about the different services AP provides.

“Teachers were able to find out about the services and resources we provide if they need to help families of a child with autism,” said Chan, who stressed that AP is not a day-care centre and that parents of children with autism need to commit to join training and therapy classes and meet with AP consultants once a month.

Meanwhile, citing a pre-kindergarten

The “How to Prepare Your Child for an International Primary School” panel discussion.

interdisciplinary task force report produced by scientists in the US, Abigail Carr, head of pre-school at Mount Kelly School Hong Kong, said convincing evidence shows that preschool prepares children socially and emotionally for primary school.

“Preschool learning certainly benefits numeracy and literacy later in school life,” said Carr, who emphasised that while the role of parents is to facilitate learning for their children, it should not involve a schedule of back-to-back learning. “Reading a book with a child and spending time doing fun activities are very important ways in which parents can support their child’s learning,”

Carr stated during her presentation.

The transition from kindergarten to an international primary school represents a major change for many children.

During a panel discussion moderated by Ruth Benny, former teacher and founder of Top Schools Hong Kong, parents were given insights into how to prepare their children for the next step on their education journey.

The panellists were Wil Chan, founder and director, Kendall International Pre-school; Ben Keeling, principal, Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong; Kate Gower, head of lower school, Harrow

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

EVENTS International School Hong Kong; and Anne Sawyer, co-founder, International Montessori School. They offered tips and suggestions including how to help one’s children become more independent so they can adjust easily to a new learning environment.

During a discussion entitled “Signs of Something Special: Individual Learning Needs”, moderated by Education Post assistant editor Sophia Lam, a panel of medical and education experts outlined the various ways Hong Kong schools accommodate and provide specific or modified education programmes for students with special education needs. The panel included Dr Yvonne Becher, head of Psychological Services, Child Development Centre; Franky Poon, viceprincipal, HKRSS Tai Po Secondary School; Dr Jadis Blurton, founder and clinical director, Blurton Family Development Centre; and Karin Wetselaar, principal at the English Schools

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

Foundation, Jockey Club Sarah Roe School.

The panellists highlighted the procedures for identifying children who might have learning difficulties or special educational needs (SEN).

They also outlined different levels of SEN support, which can include attendance in regular classes with some additional support, small-group learning with a modified curriculum, or a highly individualised curriculum. Parents were also informed of measures being taken to increase the amount of “inclusive” classroom learning where children with and without SEN participate and learn together in the same classes.

With the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB) promoting the need for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning, Lydia Ng, principal of Hong Kong Nobel Preschool, said parents were interested in discovering how best to incorporate STEM and elements of higher-order thinking into early-learning teaching. She said this has to involve more than memorising facts, even for very young children.

“We have developed higherorder thinking programmes to nurture children’s innate talents, such as using objects that children can categorise, manipulate and put together in new or novel ways,” said Ng.

The “Signs of Something Special: Individual Learning Needs” panel discussion.

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 41

LITERATURE

The Hong Kong Young Writers Awards 2017 An event that inspired young aspiring journalists and authors across the city, writes John Brennan

42 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

LITERATURE

This year’s competition winners understand the magnitude of their accomplishments.

wall, the Old City continued to be the seat of Chinese authority even after foreign powers took control of parts of Shanghai in the 19th century.

T

he Hong Kong Young Writers Awards have sparked the imagination of the city’s young wordsmiths for the past eight years. And, maintaining that high level of interest and enthusiasm, this year’s contest attracted a record 990 entries across the various age groups in categories for fiction, non-fiction, poetry, digital storytelling and cover art.

The writers and artists were set the theme of “New Tales of Old Shanghai”.

Surrounded by a defensive

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

The subject inspired everything from epic tales to sharply focused pieces packed with descriptive detail. From a shortlist of 112 young authors, the panel of judges led by Nury Vittachi, one of Hong Kong’s leading literary figures, had the difficult task of choosing the 19 winners announced at a ceremony held in March at Cyberport.

Repeating her success in 2016, this year’s overall winner was Gabrielle Tse Mei-ying. The 17-year-old student at Carmel Pak U Secondary School wrote Siege, a romantic tale of nameless young lovers caught at a crossroads in history.

“It is set in the final years of the golden age of Shanghai,

right before the SinoJapanese War,” Tse says.

“I wanted my lovers to resemble the background characters in an oil painting - you want to guess what their story might be.”

She was inspired by Taiwanese author Pai Hsien Yung’s descriptions of old Shanghai.

“Another inspiration was the poetry of Yu Kuang Chung.

I chose an excerpt from his poem The Double Bed as the epigraph of my story. The title Siege comes from that as well.”

Tse plans, one day, to write a full-length novel. “That’s always been my dream,” she says.

Arista Lai, a 15-year-old student at the German Swiss International School, the joint overall winner for 2017, has already started on a fulllength work.

Her entry, Reimagining

History, which won the Fiction - Group 4 award, centres on a venerable pagoda about to be swept aside for property development.

In her story, an artist is commissioned by a historian to visit the pagoda, delve into the different rooms and, thereby, explore the different eras of Shanghai’s history, she explains.

Given her own love of history, Lai wanted her story to show how important it is to remember where we come from. “As a Chinese person, I’ve always loved traditions and the pagoda is a fundamental facet of Chinese culture,” she says.

Other writers examined real-life events, places or characters in their submissions.

Building a Metropolis by 16-year-old Elin Chan Yi-lin, a student at Sha Tin College, took the prize in the Non-

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 43

LITERATURE

Fiction - Group 5 section.

She chose to write about a broad spectrum of events affecting Shanghai.

“There’s more to the city than just finance,” Chan says. “It is filled with history and very colourful. There’s the art, the nightlife, so many things that make Shanghai.”

She made reference to past events, going back to when the city was first subject to western influences, to show how Shanghai became the place it is today.

“I started to get very interested in writing when I was in Year 6,” Chan says.

“I’ve now started to look deeper into my thoughts and emotional experiences and am writing about that.”

Clara Bunting, a nine-yearold student at Kau Yan School, took first prize in the Non-Fiction - Group 1 category, with her piece entitled, “An Old Shanghai that is fading away…”.

She describes how, along with its old buildings, other signs of Shanghai are gradually disappearing.

“The people who used to live in the buildings have been forced to move away and are losing their friendships,” she says, noting that their experience resembles that of her own family.

“My mother used to live in Beijing and saw lots of buildings being knocked down. We live in an old building in Sai Ying Pun and, when I walk to school, I

44 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

see many old shops - one has a cat in it that is very cute.”

The Poetry - Group 1 award went to Cheryl Trinity Lai, a seven-year-old student at St Paul’s Co-educational College Primary School, for her poem Wishing Tree in Old Shanghai.

“It’s about a plane tree seed being brought to Shanghai a century ago,” Lai says. “The seed was planted in a garden and slowly grew bigger and stronger, as did Shanghai.”

Despite surviving a civil war and a world war, the tree is now threatened with the axe.

“I wanted to tell everyone that, when we are expanding our economy, we are also destroying our environment and nature,” Lai says.

She cites The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein as a source of inspiration.

The poem New Tales of Old Shanghai won eight-yearold Lily Mei Peckham first place in the Poetry Group 2 category.

“My poem is about Shanghai, and how the city has changed,” says the Kennedy School student.

“It is about youth and age.

In the poem, a young girl’s grandmother remembers what Shanghai used to be like.”

Obviously serious about her work, Peckham tries to write in her diary every day and plans to make a book of her poems.

All those who made the shortlist for their writing or artwork had the thrill of seeing their work published in an anthology titled New Tales Of Old Shanghai.

One of five finalists in the Fiction - Group 1 category was Cyrus Chu, an eightyear-old student at Sha Tin Junior School. In The Battle of Shanghai, he tells the story behind the construction of the Old City’s huge defensive wall.

A fan of martial arts stories, Chu recalls how proud his mother was on receiving the email to say he had been shortlisted.

There’s more to the city [Shanghai] than just finance. It is filled with history and very colorful ELIN CHAN YI-LIN

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

PROFILE

Times are changing For writer, photographer and television personality Sean Lee Davies, Hong Kong Schools need to focus more on important environmental issues, writes Ben Young

46 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

S

ean Lee-Davies’ career has spanned many types of media.

He worked as editorial director of Asia Tatler, he’s been a producer, writer, director and host for television, a writer and photographer for magazines, and he’s the founder of Awethentic Studio, a digital content marketing agency. Now, he has shifted his focus towards turning Hong Kong

into a more environmentally friendly city.

Lee-Davies hopes to educate the city’s youth about important environmental issues such as recycling, energy consumption, and preserving endangered wildlife. Although he believes schools have done a good job of raising awareness about these issues, he says getting the public to implement real lifestyle changes is a far greater challenge.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

PROFILE

“I think the younger generation is much more plugged into environmental issues than adults,” says Lee-Davies. “When I go to schools, I see posters everywhere telling kids not to eat shark-fin soup and encouraging recycling.

Overall, public awareness about these issues is getting better. But I don’t think the government is doing enough to lead the way in terms of sustainability and adopting more sustainable practices.”

He notes that the government rarely takes action unless provoked, so it is important to educate the public in order to pressure them into adjusting policies. “We have a huge wastage problem in Hong Kong,” Lee-Davies says.

“If everybody in the world consumed what the average Hongkonger consumes, we

Photo: Shuttlestock

Photos: Awethentic Studio

Lee-Davies attended Eton College, a prestigious English boarding school for boys.

would need three planets to sustain the world. Clearly, it’s not a sustainable way of living.

Hong Kong also has more ivory items on sale than any other city in the world.

There is no reason the ivory trade should be allowed when we know the negative effect it has on wildlife,” says Lee-Davies. “It also puts money into the pockets of criminals in the black market. We need to stop consuming shark-fin soup, stop killing rhinos for their horns, and this all starts with the government.”

Lee-Davies is currently spearheading Project C:Change , with “C” standing for climate, conservation, and consciousness. He says its objective is to build a social enterprise and media platform dedicated to generating awareness in China and Asia about global environmental degradation, climate change, and preserving resources.

Lee-Davies recently spoke about the project while delivering a speech at the University of Hong Kong.

He has also given TED talks

If everybody in the world consumed what the average Hongkonger consumes, we would need three planets to sustain the world SEAN LEE-DAVIES

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 47

PROFILE

Hong Kong needs to diversify its output, and encourage kids to try a greater variety of professions SEAN LEE-DAVIES

about his other projects, including one in which he travelled around Asia using bio-diesel, a sustainable fuel source.

“We go directly to schools to help raise awareness for our campaigns,” says Lee-Davies. “We are trying to educate the public, and, obviously, schools are a big part of that.”

Lee-Davies strongly opposes Hong Kong’s ivory culture, which results in elephants being killed for their tusks.

Lee-Davies attended Eton College, a prestigious English boarding school for boys. Although he did not particularly enjoy his time there, he believes the education system in the UK and other western countries does a better job of nurturing characteristics like creativity and innovation than Hong Kong schools.

“In the UK, there is more of an emphasis on creative thinking, lateral thinking, and doing things differently,” says Lee-Davies. “You don’t

48 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

have to be a lawyer or accountant to survive.

You can be a designer, artist, a scientist, or an environmentalist. Hong Kong needs to diversify its output, and encourage kids to try a greater variety of professions. Families have to do more to help with this as well.”

Lee-Davies believes that technological developments in virtual and augmented reality will change the education landscape, as students will be able to receive a world-class education remotely without having to attend schools in person. He also thinks this technology can be used to further educate students about environmental awareness.

“With the implementation of augmented reality and virtual safaris, we want to get kids from the age of five or six to come and explore and see these animals for themselves,” he says.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

SPORTS

NBA star visits primary school The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Enes Kanter visited Rosebud Primary School in his first visit to Hong Kong, writes Ben Young

N

ational Basketball Association (NBA) star Enes Kanter was in Hong Kong on May 12 as part of a goodwill tour of Asia, and he drove the young students of Rosebud Primary School into a high-spirited frenzy.

It was a first visit for the 6 feet 11 inches (211cm) tall centre who plays for Oklahoma City Thunder and flew in from the Philippines, where he met boxing star Manny Pacquiao. He was travelling on behalf of the Enes Kanter Light Foundation, his charity which focuses primarily on children’s education and well-being.

Kanter entertained students with an outdoor basketball skill demonstration.

50 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

“It’s been absolutely amazing,” said Kanter of the tour, which had also taken him to Japan and South Korea. “The kids are so nice, and so are all the people we’ve been working with.”

In total, he will visit 17 countries, including nine in Europe.

Rosebud Primary School in Tsuen Wan was proud to host the Turkish-born star, who was welcomed by students in P1 to P5 performing Chinese songs. Afterwards, he gave a speech emphasising the importance of a good work ethic and perseverance, signed autographs, took photos, and went outside to demonstrate some of his skills.

“The main reason I’m here right now is to try and inspire the kids,” said Kanter, who is visiting mainly schools and orphanages in the course of the tour. “My message is that they can do whatever they want to do. Just work hard and believe in yourself.”

In the NBA, Kanter plays alongside superstar Russell

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

SPORTS

The children of Rosebud Primary School and Enes Kanter pose for a “silly” group photo.

Westbrook, a leading candidate for the league’s MVP (most valuable player) award. Despite his teammate’s fiery personality on the court, Kanter said Westbrook’s off-court demeanour is more easy-going.

“He’s a really cool guy off the court,” Kanter said. “He’s actually the one inspiring everyone on the team to do so much charity work.

He’s a really humble guy, always giving back to the community. On the court he changes modes and tries to ‘kill’ everybody on the other team; he just plays with so much intensity.”

Besides charity commitments, Kanter will also work on improving his game this summer to help the Thunder make a stronger push for the NBA championship next season.

He intends to add a threepoint shot to his arsenal

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

and to focus on improving his leg strength and lateral quickness.

Kanter had a tumultuous summer last year after bravely voicing public support for Pennsylvaniabased cleric Fethullah Gulen. The Gulen movement was suspected of trying to overthrow Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, so Kanter’s affiliation saw him left off the Turkish national team, despite arguably being their best player. However, he said he’s not worrying about politics anymore.

“I’m in a good place and I’ve got a lot of good people around me. I’m just trying to focus on basketball and my charity. My job is to play basketball and represent my country at the highest level that I possibly can. If I get an invitation, I would love to play for my country. It would be an honour.”

Kanter gave the children of Rosebud Primary School a signed uniform jersey.

The main reason I’m here right now is to try and inspire the kids. My message is that they can do whatever they want to do ENES KANTER

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 51

EXPERTS

The end of classrooms As we enter a new era of digitalised education, the classroom becomes obsolete, writes Henrik Hoeg

T

here has been much talk about how traditional education is failing to teach students the skill sets that the modern world needs. Creative thinking, collaborative working and leadership do not seem to be the focus in current classroom structures.

Educators, administrators and parents all acknowledge this problem, but little has been said about the solution.

That is because the solution is radical: we must get rid of classrooms altogether.

The truth is that schools are struggling to teach these skills. This has nothing to do with what we are teaching, but everything to do with how we are teaching it. Content-wise, schools have modernised quite well, with ICT getting increased time and subjects like Latin all but gone. And though linguists might

52 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

You can’t teach leadership by asking a group of 30 kids to open their leadership textbooks to chapter 7 HENRIK HOEG

bemoan the change, and JK Rowling did use Latin to name almost every spell in her wizarding world, generally this change is supported by both educators and parents.

However, kids are more intuitive than we give them credit for, and they are learning just as much from what is written on the board as from the fact that it is written on a board at all. Classrooms implicitly

teach children that learning and, in a broader sense, productivity, comes from listening to an expert, memorising facts and sitting quietly. But those are not the skills we want to teach.

And the skills that we do want to teach cannot be taught by rote.

working if most work is done at a single-seat desk with group work being the exception instead of the norm.

You can’t teach critical thinking by telling kids what to think.

So what can we do to reform the school environment to enable us to teach these skills if changing the content of lessons cannot do it? We

You can’t teach collaborative

You can’t teach leadership by asking a group of 30 kids to open their leadership textbooks to chapter 7.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

EXPERTS

can get rid of classrooms.

Entirely. Classrooms have been holding back modern education for too long.

Without classrooms, we can shift from the teacher-as-expert style towards inquiry-based learning. Kids can be encouraged to explore knowledge, question their own learning, and learn from a variety of sources.

Without classrooms, we can make collaborative learning the default. And, rather than working only in age-based or academically homogeneous groups, we can engage in asymmetric group work, including working alongside kids who might have special needs or be gifted.

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 2017

Without classrooms, we can teach real leadership.

Not the kind of classroom leadership that ticks a box on a college application, but the kind of leadership that gets kids out into the community as global citizens, doing real work to improve the world around them and inspiring others to do the same.

Scrapping classrooms is a radical change. So how can we break away from something that has been so fundamental to education?

the first steps. Even in Hong Kong, where educational innovation often seems to catch on only if it’s marketable, schools are working towards more flexible educational structures. Hong Kong schools are beginning to embrace experiential, inquiry-based learning and other approaches that actively engage critical thinking skills.

Some of these schools are also building the types of diverse and inclusive environments that teach

children vital interpersonal skills for collaboration and leadership.

I suspect that before long we will look back at classrooms with 30 students in neat rows and wonder how we ever thought that was a “real school”.

Perhaps we’ll even look back and wonder why we had classrooms at all.

The good news is we are already taking

GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 53

EXPERTS

Importance of service learning It is time to start teaching kids the value of social responsibility from an early age, writes Ron Roukema

54 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

I

mportant and often overlooked research has been done regarding the science of the brain.

This, combined with our knowledge of the impact of service experiences on a student’s world view, can allow schools to capture authentic, engaging opportunities that transform not only the acquisition of knowledge, but also the communities in which we live.

Today, schools are expected to produce graduates who are both highly academic and “socially conscious”.

This is a term coined by a colleague of mine at Hong Kong International School, Dr Martin Schmidt.

Through his interviews and experiences that span three decades, Dr Schmidt defines social conscience as:

“A personal consideration of one’s role and responsibility in society in the context of an emotionally engaged understanding of the world.”

This approach to teaching dispositions and skills, especially those that provide life-changing context, is essential in top schools around the world.

Educators in these schools seek opportunities that will spark passions and capture understandings of the world in ways that rote learning cannot. A high grade point average and good external test scores do not necessarily guarantee that a student will be offered a place at a top university.

Throughout life, we face the challenge of aligning our passions with our abilities.

Often, this process begins

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

EXPERTS

Today, schools are expected to produce graduates who are both highly academic and ‘socially conscious’ RON ROUKEMA

as adults, after we have completed college and started our first jobs. By this time, though, it’s more difficult as we have less time to experiment and learn, and we have to focus more on establishing ourselves in our careers.

Interestingly, colleges and universities also recognise the value of these life experiences. In the United States, colleges and universities are shifting their focus from a student’s academic success towards his or her demonstrated and potential success in creating positive change.

The onslaught of applications from students with perfect GPAs and high SAT/ACT scores has forced higher-education institutions to dig deeper into their definition of a “successful” candidate.

This is evidenced by the 2014 study by the Harvard School of Education and endorsed by nearly 100 colleges and universities, mostly representing the

56 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

National Top 50, Ivy League and smaller independent universities. The study, known as “Turning the Tide,” encourages universities to focus on the following three core areas: 1. Promoting more meaningful contributions to others, community service and engagement with the public good.

2. Assessing students’ ethical engagement and contributions to others in ways that reflect varying types of family and community contributions across race, culture and class.

3. Redefining achievement in ways that both level the playing field for economically diverse students and reduce excessive achievement pressure.

Since the development of this body of research, many universities have adjusted their admissions processes in an attempt to align them

with the research findings.

What does this mean for you?

With the evolution of the university admissions process, it is becoming even more important to encourage your children to pursue their passions and seek ways to be committed to improving their community or the wider global environment.

A misconception is that service requires expensive trips or projects. However, students can develop a social conscience by getting involved in a local project in an area they are passionate about. For example, simple tasks such as assisting with sports teams or volunteering in a local church or community centre can be invaluable, especially when they are mirrored with strong curricular programmes that encourage critical thinking, engagement and action.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

E EXPERTS

Inclusive education – Why is it important?

Every child has the right to an education that fits their specific learning needs, writes Brian Cooklin

I

t has been nine years since the Education Bureau published “Catering for Student Differences: Indicators for Inclusion”. The report was based on the “Index for Inclusion: Developing Learning and Participation in Schools” devised by the Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education in Britain. We must ask, though, how much real progress has been made in the intervening period to ensure all children are catered for equally.

58 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

The report’s definition of inclusion was taken from Ofsted, the education inspection body in England.

It held that an educationally inclusive school is one in which teaching and learning achievements, attitudes, and the well-being of every young person matters. It pointed out that effective schools are educationally inclusive. This should be seen in their performance, ethos, and willingness to offer new opportunities to pupils who have experienced previous difficulties.

Inclusion is important because it recognises the worth and value each child brings to learning

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

E EXPERTS

I think that is an excellent, broad definition. In my experience around the world, the terms used are often too narrow, limited to doing something for children with special educational needs. Coming from Scotland, I am used to a different approach.

There, the term “special educational needs” was replaced by “additional support needs” a number of years ago to avoid any negative labelling of children.

In every school where I have been principal, I have set up or strengthened the team for additional support needs. I believe every child needs additional support.

It could be for five minutes or five years. It could be because of illness or a family bereavement or for a specific learning difficulty like dyslexia. Therefore, our team includes some specialists, English as an additional language staff, and all the teaching and learning assistants.

60 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

When I founded the school three years ago, one family expressed surprise when their daughter secured a place. They explained that when her previous school discovered she had dyslexia, they asked her to leave because it would affect their results. I was shocked to hear of such a reaction from educators in this day and age.

I often tell parents that we don’t teach classes, we teach children. I believe that outlook is fundamental to each child’s success.

They should be treated and known as individuals in their own right, with all their strengths and needs identified, and with every chance to reach their potential. One promise we make to parents is that children will succeed through our individualised approach in a safe, caring and happy environment.

The key is to know each child as a person, set personal targets which are challenging yet achievable, and help them grow.

In every school where I have been principal, I have set up or strengthened the team for additional support needs BRIAN COOKLIN

As each success leads to greater confidence, you can see the progress made by each and every child. Key achievements should be recognised and rewarded to create a virtuous circle of continued success.

This can be enhanced by extra-curricular activities, including art, music, drama and sports. Apart from developing new talents, skills and abilities, these subjects do something special for children by opening doors to new opportunities and areas of interest.

Inclusion is important because it recognises the worth and value each child brings to learning. They are entitled to participate fully in the curriculum, as well as the life of the school.

The question of values is fundamental to this. A school can only operate effectively if it is founded on respect. There is no better way to demonstrate that sense of respect than by including every child in whatever the school does.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

EXPERTS

Why do we test students?

Assessment is a relatively small aspect of a high-quality education, writes Malcolm Kay

T

aking tests as assessments is part of students’ everyday lives and something we have grown to expect. A test result is often regarded as constituting a proof, or competency milestone.

However, the question of the value of that proof should not be overlooked.

How can we be sure that the outcome of a test is valuable if we cannot be sure of the relevance or validity of the test? In other words, many tests are designed with a specific outcome in mind.

That outcome is often known to the test setter, but can we be sure that test setters are capable of truly developing and assessing skills to do with qualities like innovation?

What if the basic premise of the test is wrong? If the test places value on an individual being able to perform a formula to get a result, the student may receive an “A”. But that student may not be adept at

62 GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE

Testing is not about achieving marks out of ten. It is about finding out where a child is on a learning continuum MALCOLM KAY

meeting future challenges or new circumstances.

Another student who thinks in a more diverse and creative way – not just applying a formula – may not score so well on the test, but have far greater potential as a modern innovator and entrepreneur.

In fact, the basic skills of remembering, understanding and applying are often rewarded in tests when the skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation should carry the highest recognition.

The dangers of labelling students based on testing are significant, especially if achievements are based mainly on memory. That is a shame because children are capable of far greater things.

Therefore, it makes better sense to think of assessments as ways to help teachers understand each student as an individual.

Educators can then construct a personalised

approach to develop each student to their full potential. That potential may be beyond the conventional boundaries that define success.

It makes more sense to think of assessments as ways to help teachers understand each student as an individual.

At Stamford American School, we gather information on student progress so we can detail the value we add to the education of each individual.

The progress of each student determines our success. The methods we use include MAP® (Measures of Academic Progress®) testing, which is adaptive and ensures that the questions asked of students are suited to their level of attainment. In other words, every assessment is personalised. We are interested in finding out

what each child knows, as well as what they still have to learn.

Our approach to teaching and learning also allows us to be more expansive in the way we assess students.

Rather than ask for the single way to solve a maths problem, we ask students to provide ideas on multiple ways and then to choose what, in their opinion, is the best way. They present reasons for their choice of method. This develops the use of higher-order thinking skills and allows educators to understand how each child thinks and to design lessons accordingly.

Assessment guides the teacher towards the next step in the learning process for each child. Testing is not about achieving marks out of ten. It is about finding out where a child is on a learning continuum and using this information to ensure the next step is relevant to their needs.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST