Week Five: Professional Blog (25/2/12)

“Teachers play a critical role in enhancing the ability of the next generation of young people to better understand the world around them and to be able to collaborate with others in the resolution of global patterns. The degree to which teachers can do this is dependent on their own knowledge, experience and ability to transmit this knowledge and skill-set to the students in their class.”

(Lewin, 2009, p.151)

Reflecting on our decision to study the particular modules that we are doing was useful this week, as we have been able to see that they are each specifically targeted towards education related pathways, and each one is beginning to shape us more and more into better teachers. Interestingly, Heather and I are the only international students who are studying primary education, with the vast majority of the others studying business and finance related degrees. This was a genuine shock to me, as I assumed that because of the name of the university (Hong Kong Institute of Education) that all students would study education in some shape or form.

One of our modules, ‘Ethnic Identity’, discusses the importance of developing more culturally and ethnically aware citizens in the classroom. This is one of the objectives of the Northern Ireland Curriculum as it aims to empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives, through developing the child as an individual, a contributor to society and a contributor to the economy and environment. I can see so much potential for my professional development with this module, as I will soon be working and teaching in a very diverse classroom scenario: one made up of children from various backgrounds and ethnicities. If nothing else, this experience of learning first-hand about other cultures will help me to include ethnic minorities in my classroom and to encourage an appreciation of diversity amongst the other learners.

We have a group assignment in our ‘Self and Personal Identities’ class, so this week we met up with our group. We discussed what topic area we would study, and decided to select drug abuse amongst adolescents here. Being a volunteer counsellor with ‘Child Line’ I have developed a real awareness of the issues which today’s young people face in the UK and I feel, that sometimes, the pastoral aspect of the teaching role can be overlooked. In Hong Kong, the use of ecstasy and ketamine has increased by 25% in teenagers over the past year, with the main reason for this increase being peer pressure (Hunt et al, 2011). Teachers play such an important role in a child’s holistic development, and being more aware of these issues will allow me to be more of a support to my students and to help guide them in making the right decisions.

We explored the library further this week. Just like Stranmillis, the library has a specific area filled with resources for primary school children, which we will definitely make use of during our placement. We have not yet started our teaching placement, but we are both really looking forward to getting into the classroom and getting first-hand experience in teaching the children here, and comparing this with our previous placements in Northern Irish schools. We know that the time we spend in school is going to be the time that we will see ourselves develop the most professionally, and we really look forward to this incredible opportunity to continue to better ourselves for our future teaching career.

Making use of the primary resources available in the library.

Looking at some books with our Chinese friends Sharon and Wen.

Outside the front of the primary school in which I will be placed.

繁體中文網頁  (Goodbye!)

Andrew Scott

REFERENCES

CCEA (2007). The Northern Ireland Curriculum: Primary, Belfast, CCEA.

Hunt, G., Milhert, M. and Bergeron, H. (2011). Drugs and Culture: knowledge, consumption and policy, Surrey, Ashgate.

Lewin, R. (2009). The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad, London, Routledge.

Week Four: Personal Blog (18/2/12)

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles”- Tim Cahill.

This week marks a whole month since Heather and I took one of the biggest risks of our lives to come and study in Hong Kong. My stay here so far, has completely exceeded my expectations. Looking back on the four short weeks that I’ve been here, I can really see how I have developed personally, professionally and culturally, through getting involved and in grabbing every new opportunity, that presents itself to me, by the horns. This week has also been a great opportunity for me to read the unique experiences of each of the other international students in their respective countries, and to just appreciate how blessed we all have been to have been given this opportunity of a lifetime!

As this week marks a milestone in my adventure here, it was useful to remind myself why I write this blog every week. Writing down my experiences each week allows me to reflect on what I’ve learned, and to directly relate this to how I am being bettered on a personal, cultural and professional basis as a result of being here. The rest of our year, who are studying back home, are beginning teaching practice on Monday. This has been a real reminder, that next year I will graduate, and will begin my search for a job. I have no doubt in my mind that my experience here in Hong Kong will allow me to develop and to prepare me for my future profession, as well as continue to really enrich me as a person on a more holistic level. I love the location of the university. Tai Po is located around an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong Island, and it is great to be in a place which is not as westernised as other parts of Hong Kong, allowing me to get a different perspective than I otherwise would. I actually really enjoy being in the minority here!

The view from HKIEd: a more rural and remote setting than expected.

We began our week at Kam Shan Country Park or ‘Monkey Mountain’ as it has been dubbed by tourists, which is a place famous for the wild monkeys which populate the area. Heather, Jolie (one of the members of staff at the HKIEd International Office) and I led the way through the sea of monkeys that stood ahead of us when we got off the bus, despite the fact that we were actually terrified of the monkeys, and avoided eye contact with them at all costs, just in case this would trigger an attack. We talked with Jolie about her experiences of studying abroad in England, and about how she felt this contributed to her personal development. I agreed with Jolie, that spending time away from home allows you to grow in independence and it prepares you for later life after graduation. I’ve really found that sharing my experiences with others has allowed me to become a much more reflective person, and it is great to learn from other people’s perspectives.

I was really pleased that I was able to stand this close to a wild monkey at  Kam Shan Country Park.

The group of international students at the summit of 'Monkey Mountain'.

This monkey sat on the bus stop and gritted it's teeth at passers-by.

This week, the Stranmillis students who will be studying at the South China Normal University arrived in Hong Kong. It was refreshing to hear their first impressions of the city that we now called home, and it was great to share the experiences we’ve had since our arrival with them, this allowed them to cast some of their fears and worries regarding the next four months aside. Dan even commented on how well it seemed Heather and I had adapted to living here and to the culture around us. It’s funny that after spending a mere four weeks in this country we do consider ourselves to be part of the furniture, and we are so used to life here. We all went to see the light show at Victoria Harbour: ‘The Symphony of Lights’. The Hong Kong skyline was set alight with lasers and spotlights which were in time with music for ten minutes and it was great to just spend time with our friends.

A Stranmillis reunion in a local Chinese restaurant.

The Hong Kong skyline is spectacular at night.

I really appreciate how the exchange students at Stranmillis feel when they come to our university. They are so far out of their comfort zone, and it is so important that our students actually go out of their way to make them feel welcome. This week, I was elected onto the Student’s Union Executive as External Relations Secretary. This role will involve me working closely with the international and Erasmus students who come to Stranmillis next year. Studying in Hong Kong this semester, has given me lots of ideas which will hopefully make me successful in my role, and I really look forward to actually start putting these ideas into action.

I have always been a real people person. I love talking about my experiences with friends, and as I mentioned earlier, this gives me a great opportunity to reflect on them, and ultimately to think about how I am developing as a person. Heather and I have become really close friends since arriving here. I can’t describe just how grateful I am to be sharing this experience with her. I know that Hong Kong has so much more to offer over the coming months, and I can’t wait to discover what that is!

Heather and I at Kam Shan Country Park.

Joi kin! (Bye!)

Andrew Scott

Week Three: Professional Blog (11/2/12)

“You can’t open a book without learning something”- Confucius

This quote gives a very fair representation of what our week was like. With classes now back in full swing after the Lunar New Year, and after a recent change in one of our modules, we had to put our life in the fast lane of tourist sight-seeing and cultural immersion at a standstill, albeit a temporary one!

The fact that both Heather and I had to stay in Northern Ireland until the middle of January, as we had to complete our semester one examinations, meant that the other students had a three week head start in settling into their classes and getting familiar with their schedules. There were times this week that we both felt like we had just jumped into the deep end feet first, but this gave us the motivation that we needed to spend this week getting caught up on the work that we missed over the past three weeks, making the library our second home.

Me outside the Mong Man Wai Library on campus.

Studying in the library was a big part of our week this week.

I really enjoy our three classes that we are taking here. They are all directly relevant to our degree, and we are already picking up on new strategies, and lesson ideas which we will be able to implement within our own classrooms in later life. The classes we are taking are: ‘Ethnic Identity, Multicultural Society and Cosmopolitanism’; ‘Self and Personal Identities’; and ‘Educational Development’.  On the whole the classes are very interactive, and involve a lot of discussion in small group settings, with the exception of lectures. Heather and I presented our ideas on the importance of a global education, and on promoting cultural awareness in schools to the rest of our class. It was great to share and reflect our personal experiences in the classroom with our fellow classmates, and also to listen to some of theirs.

Heather and I during our presentation to the class.

Thankfully, the classes all use English as the primary form of instruction and our lecturers can all speak English to a pretty high standard, which was a real relief. It was interesting watching how the local students respond in lectures, and to compare this to how we respond at Stranmillis. On the whole, local students seem more reluctant to engage in discussions and in responding to questions in lectures, often getting embarrassed when their number (which corresponds to their name on the class register) is randomly selected by the lecturer. I have even found myself getting nervous when this selection is taking place, as I wish under my breath that she doesn’t pick number sixty one (that’s me). Desperate times do call for drastic measures, and if this method wasn’t used by the lecturer, then the only people who would be responding to her questions would be the international students. At the same time, students seem to talk amongst themselves while the lecturer is speaking, which although can happen sometimes at home, it is not to the same extent. Sometimes, Heather and I find ourselves struggling to think, and as time has passed, in true studious style, began to sit further to the front in an effort to hear what is being said.  

Heather and I hard at work in class.

The ‘Educational Development’ module looks at the concepts, issues and perspectives of education systems across the world. This week, we gained an understanding about the system in Japan, China and Taiwan. We were able to compare the kinds of schools and the kinds of curricula which exist at these countries with Northern Ireland. We have a tutorial class every two weeks with this module, in which a group of three students presents on a designated topic to the rest of the class, each time. I am in a group with two local students. I’m really looking forward to working with them, and in learning more about their personal experiences in schools here in Hong Kong, as well as here at the university. Developing better communication skills with others, and also in trying to make my voice clearer, and easier to understand, are amongst the various skills which I am already seeing myself build and progress in.

I was reminded this week, of one of the main reasons why I submitted my application to participate in the international programme: to develop myself professionally and to gain an invaluable experience in teaching children from a different culture, and ultimately returning as a more competent and well-rounded teacher. I can already see myself building on skills and competences as a result of my active participation in the classes which I am taking. These skills will continue to develop as the time I spend here passes, and as I gain more experience in the education system which exists here in Hong Kong.

I am honestly loving every minute of the time I am spending here, and long may that continue! 

Ci di gin! (See you later!)

Andrew Scott

                                                                           

Week Two: Cultural Blog (4/2/12)

“Every man’s ability may be strengthened or increased by culture”- John Abbott

The Chinese philosopher, Confucius, outlined the importance of immersing oneself in, and learning about other cultures. He argued that it is through personal experience that we can learn the most from others in his famous quote: “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand”. Heather and I both agreed that the tourist hotspots of the city were not going to be a fair representation of the people’s culture here, so we decided to venture off the beaten track, in an attempt to learn more about the Hong Kong culture.

One of my iPhone applications recommended a visit to the Kowloon Walled City Park, as it was a place steeped in history and heritage. It was a beautiful park modelled on Jiangnan gardens of the early Qing Dynasty, complete with small, tumbling waterfalls, and traditional Chinese buildings. We spent the afternoon walking around the park, and in the exhibition rooms learning about the city’s history. The former Kowloon Walled City was once a semi-lawless, high-rise slum, which was demolished in 1995. The pictures of the living conditions where shocking and it was hard to believe that people ever lived like this here, in the heart of such a modern city. It was such an escape from the busy hustle and bustle that is Kowloon City District which surrounds the park. The serenity of the gardens and the water features was a feeling which was also shared by the locals, as we noticed three individuals meditating at different spots around the park. As the only tourists at the park, it was great to just sit back and watch the Chinese families interact with one another. I have noticed that the families seem to have really close relationships with their grandparents here.

Heather and I at the Kowloon Walled City Park.

Yuk Tong Pavilion at the Walled City Park.

We walked to a nearby fishing village, Sam Mun Tsai on Wednesday. We sat on the harbour for the afternoon and watched some local men fishing. When I left Northern Ireland, I assumed that everyone here would have some sort of office job in one of the skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island, which looking back was quite a naïve assumption to make. It was a great experience though to really just watch the world go by in this quiet little village. It was hard to believe that we were actually in Hong Kong, a place which is typically viewed as a busy city, with everyone rushing from one place to another, 24 hours a day. Hong Kong, really is a place of opposites.

Heather and I at one of the beaches by Sam Mun Tsai.

Sam Mun Tsai.

On Friday, along with the other international exchange students, we travelled to Aberdeen, a town famous for its harbour and floating restaurants, namely Jumbo, a fantastic floating oriental palace. Beginning our day by spending some time in the Tin Hau Temple, it was interesting to observe how the people here respect religious sites such as this one. Walking along the harbour and looking at the amount of boats in the water was amazing. People driving traditional boats called sampans offered tours to the tourists, this highlighted to me how much the people here rely on the tourists for their income.

The international students outside Tin Hau Temple.

Me inside one of the boats at Aberdeen Harbour.

Jumbo: The floating restaurant.

A traditional sampan boat.

Trying as many new things as possible during my stay here in Hong Kong is definitely a priority of mine. Since arriving here, we have had the opportunity to taste new foods for the first time. This week, our buddy’s friend Vivianne invited us to her flat to try the Chinese delicacy that is “yuan xiao” which is a sweet rice ball dessert which is traditionally eaten around the New Year, as the round shape symbolises family unity and happiness. Getting used to the food has definitely been one of my personal biggest challenges since arriving here. As time goes on, and as I try more and more things, I am beginning to find the foods I like, and the food which I don’t, for instance I will not be trying durian ice cream again in a hurry!

As I spend more and more time in this fascinating place, and after really immersing myself in the culture this week, I can tell that I am going to love it here. Building closer relationships with the other international students this week was brilliant, and it was great to get the chance to find out more about their own cultures and also share with them, parts of ours. I don't think I will ever get tired of learning more and more about this place. Everyday literally brings with it new experiences which I will never forget!

Ngo Ngoi Hong Kong! (I love Hong Kong!)

Andrew Scott