The minds of young children is not an empty vase to be filled with irrelevant information, it has to be instilled with knowledge, their minds should be ignited with curiosity, encouraged to be problem solvers and nurtured with humanitarian values. Preschools, pre-kindergarten, day care, nursery school, call it by name, serve the aforesaid purpose. Hong Kong Preschool has excelled in nurturing young children and preparing them to transfer into elementary schools. The school strives to provide a strong education foundation while ensuring holistic development of the students.
Lessons Beyond Classrooms
This preschool believes that educating a child is not limited to just equipping them with academic knowledge, but rather it goes beyond that. “In early childhood you may lay the foundation of poverty or riches, industry of idleness, good or evil, by the habits to which you train your children. Teach them right habits then and their future lies safe.” Propelled by the same thought, the preschool strives to provide a strong educational foundation, allowing its students to cultivate a love of learning, willingness to help others, and creativity and discipline in all their endeavors. It also provides opportunities for the students to expand their horizons—acquainting them with different cultures and practices from around the world, enriching their educational experience, and encouraging them to be proactive in the learning process.
Children who graduate from this school displays good citizenship, integrity, empathy and a kind heart, which will stay with them as they pursue lifelong learning in different stages of their lives. The school has designed a unique curriculum to assist in its mission of improving the educational experience of students. Licensed by the Social Welfare Department, the school’s environment encourages its children to actively explore their surroundings and build confidence. This process is enhanced through a series of stimulating apparatus based on the Montessori philosophy. Children are given opportunities to work independently and in small groups to learn basic concepts of practical life and basic number skills, to develop language construction skills and to experience culture appreciation. Furthermore, a child’s impression of the world is developed through sensorial activities. The school’s inspiring learning environment encourages children to ask, think, and prove critically. They will be equipped with lifelong interest and skills in problem-solving and creative thinking.
The school also reinforces home-school collaboration. Having a strong support from the parents of the children enrolled at HKPS, the school collaborates with parents to conduct different ad hoc and theme-based events. “Our recent efforts enabled a joint-school children’s Art Exhibition, displaying over 700 art pieces, one masterpiece per child. It was a perfect opportunity for students to appreciate the forms of art, and for families to give back to the community. Donations from the art pieces were given to Orbis, a humble effort to raise awareness on eye health and contribute to the team on relevant operations”, comments Keitha NG, & Ms. Agnes Lam, Principals Hong Kong Preschool.
The Learning Strategy
In order to ensure that students receive their lessons properly and the school imparts lessons strategically. It has divided its curricula into three sections focusing on the prime areas of development.
Nursery Class – 2.8 to 4 years old
The preschool provides an enriching environment, which promotes children’s self esteem, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude towards learning. Registered under section 13 of the Education Ordinance, Hong Kong Preschool provides a wide range of developmentally appropriate challenging activities for children to learn through play and exploration. Their language skills are developed through appropriate expressions of feelings and social interactions. Children are exposed to the English phonics through music and movement, story telling, and hand signs. They are also introduced into maths and having hands-exposure to this subject, which encourages them to explore spatial relationships, shapes, one to one correspondence, number recognition, comparing, classification, and seriation. Looking at the interest of children the school has also designed various topical projects, which instills in them qualities like decision making, problem solving, positive self-awareness, and also develop social, reasoning, coordination skills, and creativity
Lower Class – 4-5 years old
Assisting the growth mindset of children under this lesson strategy the school provides an exciting environment for children to discover and explore and to become an active decision-maker through the process of learning. The school is zealously working to provide a creative and educational environment for children to use their five senses to gain general and specific knowledge that will contribute to the development of concepts. The lower class curriculum is designed to encourage children to learn through asking questions, making their own discoveries, evaluating their actions, taking risks, and making mistakes. The school has taken measures to ensure that its children learn the cultural values of China and are equally aware of the increasingly globalized world. Its Putonghua programme, serves the same purpose. Along with developing the children’s Putonghua skills, it gives them a cultural awareness of being a member of the Chinese society. Focusing on preparing the children for the future, the school has integrated technology into the curriculum. It challenges children to learn through computers and have a variety of developmentally appropriate software.
Upper Class – 5-6 years old
The upper class curriculum of the school is comprehensive and in line with that of primary school’s, including areas of focus in language, mathematics, science, music, physical, creative learning, etc. It also includes child-centered activities, which are specially designed to elicit each child’s learning abilities and passion.
Completing the network of HKPS is its Principals, teachers, and staffs who work as a team and as a family. All the members communicate well and openly with each other to achieve a set of common goals. The team comprises individuals in different shapes and sizes, talents, and opportunities, yet they all fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Sketching the Future Road Map
The school’s journey of spreading the gleam of knowledge does not end here. It will continue to monitor and evaluate its school-based curriculum. It is one that is cherry picked by a team of experienced educators to maintain a balanced curriculum being suitable for the students. The school will align with and be wary of past and upcoming education trends and incorporate them accordingly to cater to the needs of academic excellence and subsequent bridging.
