We Have Choices 2019
Learning area
Interact with innovative practitioners in-and-out of the system
6 Exchanging Zones + 1 dialogue with professionals
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The zone of exchange @Creative promenade
11:00 - 11:30 Introduction
11:30 - 13:00 Sharing time
Area 1 - Homeschooling
Homeschooling is not something common in Hong Kong. But there are people who do it because they want to and need to.
Talk face-to-face with homeschooling family members to understand their reasons, methods, challenges, and feelings.
Purdey Ngan
A lively and active mother of two who has been engaged in sports & recreation field for more than 10 years. She has embarked on the road to "conscious parenting" in recent years. In 2015, she began to homeschool her then 8-year-old son. At the age of 12, her son has found his interests and travelled alone to Taiwan for a month for exchange in May,2019. Her 10-year-old daughter with developmental delay has been Purdey's teacher on her parenting road. Raising her daughter has convinced her that everyone is an individual being with their own timetable for growth and development. Education should have choices. There is no right or wrong, good or bad.What's suitable for the child is more important.
Chan Kai Pong, Aki (BSSc, RSW, HK, PTG, USA)
Registered Social Worker, Founder and Director of Free Association Ltd., Graduate of Centre for Playback Theatre. He believes that the power of Arts could bring life changes. He is passionate in the promotion of social changes through integrating the creative power of arts and humanity of social work practice. He also collaborates with different schools, NGOs and corporations to provide art-related service and training.
Free Association Limited www.freeassociation.com.hk
Free Association believes that every child is unique, the most important thing is to maintain their passion in learning and their lives, to develop with their own interest and pacing. We choose home education because we believe learning has no specific form and could happen anytime anywhere.
Wong Suk Ki
“致力藝術創作及課程設計，以繪畫及攝影媒介來探索人與自然及地方的回憶，追溯家族歷史及事物的根本關係。 Ki曾任香港浸會大學視覺藝術學院講師，其間也身兼「憧憬世界」（TOE）攝影教育計劃總監。Ki喜歡出版，曾成立【廿九几】自資出版社，策劃攝影文化誌【KLACK】及【可以居】等刊物的出版計劃及展覽。目前，她為明愛Artkids Studio及M + Learning作藝術教育顧問及參與建立藝術課程內容框架，並成立「宇宙合作社」持續通過藝術媒介進行自我探索，並為不同目標對象及機構設計及教授課程，讓大眾感受創意藝術的樂趣。”
The Cooperative of Universe
一個合作平台，為了要共建和諧關係，關注發掘大、小朋友的童心及建立同理心，並尋求內在精神。透過美感及創意教學方法，學習觀看及用手製作，並讓大眾共同參與藝術創作，在互動經驗中，在人與人、與物、與環境中發現美。態度必須是整全的、自然的、自發的、與生命息息相關的，從中學習專注、相信自己及自主表達。
Area 2- Learning communities
How are learning communities organised in Hong Kong? How can parents be part of the process?
Find the answers with 香港共養共學園地Natalie Ho, 帶孩在野Betty Wong, 香港共學團實驗班Ming Chu Chan
Ming Chu Chan
Ming Chu used to be a kindergarten teacher and had working experience in both mainstream and non-mainstream schools. Now she is a mother of two kids,one boy(3 years old) and one girl(7 months) and she never stops exploring the most suitable choices in education for her children. She has been experimenting with different ways with gathering parents of the same vision to live out child-oriented learning.
Established in 2017, 香港共學團實驗班 is a learning community that explores different learning styles for children. Learned from Taiwan experiences, Ming Chu Chan(the founder) started from setting up a Facebook page to call for like-minded parents and teachers so as to build up a learning community. Ming Chu gradually realises that self-upgrading is of more importance for parents after trying out different ways of communal learning. She considers communal learning as a lifelong journey, in which parents get to know children’s real needs and rethink what choices in education can cater for their diverse needs in a most suitable way.
Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1832612943694162/
Betty Wong
Betty considers herself a “silly mother”, as she often brings her daughter into the mountains. Learning anything and everything since a young age, Betty has earned numerous qualifications from wind-surfing, kayaking, hiking and diving, to other skills like massaging and teamwork training/building.
Leaving Hong Kong because of work, she only returned when she had her own child. When she brought her daughter to all the places she has once experienced, she realized how fast Hong Kong’s countryside was changing, hence she decided that together they would enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the places where she grew up before it disappears.
Though scared of writing essays, she created a page dedicated to recording and sharing her life experiences, using the power of words to transform those unhappy days into motivation.
Facebook: 帶孩在野 E in Nature
Natalie Ho
Founder of Hong Kong Co-Parenting and Co-Learning Village (HKCV), committed to Co-Learning for young children, play therapy, parenting talk and counselor expertise in personal and marriage. Natalie is committed to research in child development and education, a columnist at Next Magazine and was interviewed by many medias including Hong Kong Radio, Sing Tao News, Sky Post, Hong Kong 01, Super Parents and Baby Kingdom etc. Natalie founded Facebook Page "玩樂才是正經事", sharing her parenting theory. Parents are welcome to explore the page.
Hong Kong Co-Parenting and Co-Learning Village (HKCV) is a community focused attention on how young children learn to utilize their talents. Curriculum of traditional school is often to demonstrate the linkage between Knowledge and Implementation on children's daily life, which demotivated children's passion on Learning. Curriculum of HKCV is different with the traditional way on learning in classroom, but in Reality. The curriculum focused on children's Five Sense Experience, Limb Movement, Explore on Cognition and Self-reflection, by material children's can reach day to day to keep their passion of learning.
Learn more: https://www.facebook.com/peacefulparentinghk/
Area 3 - Gap Year
What is the concept behind gap year? It is probably not about doing nothing.
Talk face-to-face to Kit Wong from the La Violet Education and Doreen Ho from EDiversity.
Kit Wong
Founder of La Violet Education Consultants Limited, providing innovative education programmes to over 100 schools annually, while collaborating with various corporates to design and execute education programmes for schools.
La Violet Education (LVE) www.laviolet.com.hk
Established in 2014, La Violet Education (LVE) is a social enterprise that promotes creative education by delivering various innovative programs to students. Programs include design thinking, social innovation, creative thinking, dream library, poverty education, STEM and maker etc. LVE values interactions that it fully engages students in the courses and workshops through discussions and experiential learning. LVE also partners with various organizations (e.g. CLP Power Ltd., Oxfam, Heep Hong Society, LeeHysan Foundation etc.) to deliver their messages in dynamic and creative ways that more than 100 secondary schools have participated in the programs.
Doreen Ho
Doreen has jointed EDiversity since 2014 in promoting diversified learning. As a mother of 3 boys with 15 years of secondary school teaching experience. The boys have experienced different settings of education - DSS schools, subsidised schools, private schoos, and international schools. Doreen has rich experience in education. Inspired by EDiversity, she decided to offer her son a gap year after primary 6 in 2015, putting experential learning into practice.
Area 4 - Alternate School
Listen to what they say: Sharon Tsui from the Island Waldorf School, Mabo Kuwata sharing their beliefs, visions, processes, challenges, results and development of alternate schools.
Sharon Tsui
Sharon was brought up and educated in Hong Kong and the US. Previously a private equity professional, Sharon came to be interested in parenting and education upon the arrival of her first child. In 2015, she co-founded Natural Parenting Network, an NGO that advocates and supports breastfeeding. She also started Tree Children’s Lodge, a store specializing in wooden toys, craft supplies, and parenting books. Later, in 2017, she went on to co-found Island Waldorf School, a primary school in Kennedy School that offers an arts-heavy curriculum based on Dr. Rudolf Steiner’s education insights.
Island Waldorf School iws.edu.hk
Rooted in an in-depth understanding of children's development, Steiner Waldorf education nurtures its students' physical, emotional, and intellectual growth with a holistic and arts-integrated curriculum.
- What is the purpose of education?
- What is the point in a child spending 6+ hours in school every day?
- What kind of education today would best prepare our children for tomorrow’s world?
These are the questions that drive our every day work. We strive to bring Steiner Waldorf education to Hong Kong, so that more children may benefit from the age-appropriate, child-centered, holistic pedagogy derived from the insights of the philosopher Rudolf Steiner. The school was founded by two Waldorf parents in 2017 and is staffed by an international team of experienced Waldorf teachers.
Starfish, Principal, RTC Gaia School
B.Sc. (Applied Physics), Hong Kong Baptist University
PGDE (P.E. and Maths), The Education University of Hong Kong
Taught in village school for 9 years, held the post of school curriculum leader
Current director and senior mentor of Gaia Association
Present principal of R.T.C. Gaia School
RTC Gaia School www.gaiaschool.edu.hk
Established in 2007, the school founding members are a group of volunteers who devoted to green education. We have abundant experience of nature affective and green living education. Our vision is to construct a safe, fearless, natural, simple, inclusive and happy learning environment. We strive to practice nature affective education, people-oriented and autonomous learning, and to promote sustainable and green development values, in order to nurture our next generation who would love themselves, others and the nature.
Mabo Kuwata
Mabo is an experienced Reggio Emilia inspired Early Childhood Educator. 12 years, he studied about Reggio Emilia Approach in several different countries: Japan, USA and Italy. He is a Japanese who is a Hong Kong Qualified Kindergarten Teacher (QKT), a certified child development teacher and a child development site supervisor in California, USA. Last 7 years, he’s been working for Hong Kong Reggio Emilia Study Group and trying to establish Hong Kong Reggio Emilia Association.
He received his B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development from San Francisco State University and worked in Reggio Emilia inspired preschools, playgroups & children’s museum in California and Hong Kong.
Also, he is a father of three: 13y, 7y and 3y. So, he understands children from teachers‘ point of view and parents’ point of view. He loves fishing. He is an active member of 香港毛鉤倶楽部 (Hong Kong Fly Fishing Club).
Roger Wan
Roger is the Experiential Education Director of Floating Classroom, a education extension of Life-frontline Sailing Ministry.
Through sailing education, they establish relationships with students and build their knowledge, competence and character.
Established in July 2007, Lifefrontline has become a registered charity in July 2009. 6000 people have since participated in their courses.
Area 5 - Want-to-start-a-school
Sudbury Education - Michell Huang; Principal Chan Free Tutorial World - Principal Chan; 芬蘭學校Coco Wong
What makes them want to open a school?
Wish to offer your support to them or you also want to know how to set up a school? Join us and brainstorm together
Michell Huang
Michell grew up and graduated in Hong Kong and started to rethink education after reading a book about Sudbury Valley School. While studying Early Childhood Education and Psychology in the United States, she visited a Sudbury model school and was deeply impressed. She has worked in some children’s bookstores in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and taught in international kindergartens. With over 10 years of experience working with children, Michell considers the Sudbury approach as one that truly empowers children to be responsible for their own lives, and be the best version of themselves.
Michell has gathered a group of like-minded people and created a pioneering Sudbury community in Hong Kong. Her mission is to empower children to live out their passion and potentials.
Sudbury Hong Kong http://sudburyhk.org | https://www.facebook.com/sudburyhk/
Sudbury Education (HK) provides an environment for children to freely explore their interests. Through self-directed activities, children obtain useful knowledge & skill sets that are relevant to their lives. We are not a registered school in Hong Kong. We do not offer or impose pre-determined, mandatory curriculum. Instead, we are a self-directed learning community where children are supported by staff members to develop their natural learning abilities. By allowing children ample time and space for self-discovery, children truly understand who they really are, find their passion, learn to make decisions and be responsible for their own actions, while becoming self-assured and confident individuals as a result.
Principal Chan Hung
Mr. Chan Hung, commonly known as Principal Chan, was the founding principal of a Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) secondary school, the Secretary of the Hong Kong DSS Secondary Schools Association and the Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Private Schools Association. In order to provide equal and comprehensive learning support for the underprivileged and abandoned students, Principal Chan decided to step down and established the ‘Principal Chan Free Tutorial World’ in 2011, providing free tutorial services and to the under-privileged children. He also started offering free pre-school playgroup courses and different kinds of free talent classes. Currently, there are more than 12,000 under-privileged children receiving free one-to-one tutorial services and nearly 5,000 students from the pre-school playgroup courses and talent classes.
Principal Chan Free Tutorial World http://hkcnc.org.hk/
Principal Chan Free Tutorial World was established in April, 2011. It is a Non-Profit Organization recognized by the HKSAR Government. (Registration Number: 91/11019). With the support of many generous people in the society who have become our volunteer teachers, we provide absolutely free learning support to the under-privileged children who have financial difficulties. Our scope of services includes the following: One-to-one tutorials; Playgroup & pre-school courses; Small group learning classes; Talent development classes (musical instruments, photography, drawings etc.); Extra-curricular activities (Outdoor visits, parents and children workshops, English summer camps etc.).
Coco Wong
Coco was born in the U.K. and studied in Hong Kong for the first 4 years of primary school. Having bad academic results every year, she then went to the U.K. to attend boarding school. Her grades improved rapidly and was even able to gain a scholarship, becoming a top scholar. Because of this, she believes that every child has their own strengths and talents. If children are able to find their own strengths and talents, combined with their interest and a suitable learning method, they would find themselves in a happy environment where they can walk their own paths and shine. This is the concept of Finnish education.
Finnish education is practical and interesting as it is all about learning from experience and from life. It emphasizes on the whole development of the child as every child should be considered number one. A lot of people have heard of the Finnish Education system, but because of cultural and social differences between Finland and Hong Kong, it cannot be directly imported and applied in the Hong Kong context. Thus, after some alterations from a group of educators, Coco and her team has developed a set of education for Hong Kong children that is similar to that of the Finnish one. She hopes to bring and introduce this education in Hong Kong as soon as possible.
21st Century Education Group http://facebook.com/21stCed
21st Century Education Group comprises of a group of educators, parents and entrepreneurs who believe that education should move forward. The group has helped organised visits to Finland for principals and teachers, 21st century education training for school management and parents and have been actively participating in different events in hope to move education for Hong Kong students.
Area 6 - Mainstream MaD: Mainstream Schools that make a difference
Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tai Po Secondary School: Prinicipal Franky Poon; HKCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School, Principal Fong Tse Hang; HKICC School of Creativity.
How do mainstream schools think and go out of the box for better growth of students?
Join us with teachers a number of mainstream secondary and primary schools, including a few from EDiversity's Jockey Club "Learning-By-Doing"Academy school programme, to understand more about innovations within the constraints of local education system.
方子蘅校長 | 香海正覺蓮社佛教陳式宏學校 (心之校園、靜觀與感恩教育)
方校長是一位資深教育工作者，在她教育生涯中不斷積極深耕、探索及嘗新求變。
方校長曾於國際研討會教育觀摩中進行教學示範、於香港教育局的「促進學與教薈萃教學觀摩」中作分享，亦於《集思廣益文集》中撰寫文章分享「科務策劃與組織經驗談」。再者，她亦多次於業界分享「中層管理的藝術」，也就「為師之道的樂與路」、「靜觀文化的推展」作重點剖析。
此外，方校長亦曾於論壇中就「專業領航、育人為本」撰文闡述其教育信念！
方校長有感生命教育及心靈教育乃教育之本，也是生命歷程中的核心所在，因此積極推動生命教育；曾被香港教育大學邀請分享「生命教育的管理與組織」、「生命教育與抗逆力訓練」等講題。她帶領學校成為心之校園，推展「靜觀及感恩」教育，帶領學校連續兩年勇奪「全港傑出品德教育優秀獎」。
Franky Poon | Principal, Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tai Po Secondary School, JC School Diversity Coordinator (2018-2021)
Mr. Franky Poon is the Principal of Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tai Po Secondary School and as the Specialist of Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications.
Mr. Poon was seconded to EDB to provide support to over 80 local schools on catering for learner diversity and building inclusive ethos and measures. He is invited to be the Speakers in various tertiary education programs and teacher training courses to share experience on supporting students with diverse needs. He is also an author of various book chapters and journals as well as presenter at local and international conferences on how to enhance school’s capacity to cater for student diversity.
Mr. Poon is the Project Lead of Jockey Club "Diversity at Schools" Project (2018-2021), which aims to enhance primary and secondary schools' capacity to cater for learner diversity. For details, please visit: www.jcschooldiversity.hk
Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tai Po Secondary School http://www.hkrsstpss.edu.hk/
HKRSSTPSS's mission reflects the beliefs of our sponsoring body. We focus on developing well-rounded students. We aim to inspire our students and inculcate self-discipline to nurture a group of young people to contribute to our society.
"Have a chat with the professionals"- Human Library
A time to directly interact with various professionals to discuss common issues on learning and interpersonal relationships, and debriefing on how to understand children better to cater their psychological and physiological needs.
Professional Guests:
- Clinical Psychologist, Patricia Chan
- Speech Therapist, Pauline Poon
- Educational Psychologist, Matthew Chu
- Occupation Therapist, Jennie Leung
- Developmental Psychologist, Simpson Wong
Patricia Chan, Clinical Psychologist
With more than 17 years of clinical experiences, Patricia has been working as a school clinical psychologist at Wah Yan College, Hong Kong and Wah Yan College, Kowloon since 2008. Before that, she had served as a clinical psychologist in the Hospital Authority and as an honorary lecturer for the Master of Counselling programme at the University of Hong Kong. She especially cares for individuals who suffer from emotional trauma at a young age and those with High-Functioning Autism, dedicating her effort on finding effective treatments for the said parties. Besides, Patricia has also been invited to hold training in Tsinghua University and other cities in China.
Matthew Chu, Educational Psychologist
Dr. Chu obtained his bachelor’s degree, postgraduate certificate in Psychology, postgraduate certificate in Education, master’s degree (Educational Psychology) and doctor of psychology degree (Educational Psychology) from the University of Hong Kong. His research interests lie in mindfulness, positive psychology, and psychological well-being.
Pauline Poon, Speech Therapist
Pauline is a private practice Speech Therapist, with more than 20 years of experience, Pauline provides speech therapy to different age groups, varies from 2 to 20. She also conducts articulation training for the reporters from the News Department in different electronic media, including radios and televisions as well as the students in Journalism and Communication Department in different universities. She has been an Associate Professor in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the examiner of the viva and the clinical supervisor of the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences in The University of Hong Kong. Pauline is also the author of two books, Speech and Language Preverbal Skills and How Children with Autism Looks at Autism.
Dr. Simpson Wong, Developmental Psychologist
Dr Simpson Wong is an Associate Professor at the Department of Education Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University. He is a psychologist by training and has a strong interest in applying psychological knowledge to solve challenging educational issues. His research focus on specific learning difficulties, second language learning and multimedia learning.
Jennie Leung, Occupational Therapist
With a bachelor degree in Occupational Therapy and a master degree in Counselling, Jennie combines things learnt, applies them in her work and learn continuously. Along the process, the children, people and things she met along the way inspires her a lot.
Jennie worked in a non-government organization that specialized in serving children with diverse needs for more than a decade, and then in 2013, Jennie founded LLEN Centre.
Understanding family and learning environments have a deep impact on children development, Jennie dedicated in nurturing children as well as supporting families and learning environments.
Jennie serves in various positions, including as an occupational therapist in onsite support/ school based services in pre-school, primary and secondary levels, and previously in early education and training centres, special child care centres, where she serves children, teens, families and learning environments directly. Jennie also trains and supervises Occupational Therapists and Trainers. Been a clinical educator in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Occupational Therapy Program and now serving as Guest Lecturer in the Education University of Hong Kong.
Taking up different roles including works in executive, education, training, supervision, therapy, may seem different but actually aim at the same goal. Jennie hopes to make a little contribution in facilitating children with diverse talents and uniqueness blossom, walk with their families and together, construct a better environment for growth.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JennieLeungLLENCentre
LLEN Centre
“恩培” is the combination of the two words meaning “Grace” (恩典) and “Nurture” (培育).
LLEN is the abbreviation of Love, Listen, Embrace, Nurture.
We believe “Each one of us has unique qualities and gifts, with love, listen, embrace, nurture, one may blossom.”
Based on this core belief, LLEN Centre
- nurture individuals according to one’s talents and uniqueness
- facilitate, support families, understand that familiy involvement is very crucial to children development
- together we construct a better environment for growth
We provide services including onsite support/ school-based services (pre-school, primary, secondary level), individual, group services, parents and children groups, parents workshops, talks, consultations, home visits, teachers/ trainers/ therapists trainings etc, we also collaborate with different organizations to carry out different activities. We are listening, thinking… and preparing better ways and modes of services. Please feel free to contact us.
Website: www.llencentre.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LLENCentre