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Shatin Tsung Tsin Secondary School

An Interflow with

Overseas Educationalists

10/12/2009

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Speakers

Mr. Cheung, Hugo (Principal)

Mr. Leung (Vice-principal)

Ms. Leung, Irene (Vice-principal, Panel Head of Liberal Studies)

Mr. Mak (Deputy Prefect of Studies)

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Programme

Sharing New Senior Secondary (NSS) Education

Reform & its Impact on School Curriculum

Preparation for NSS at Subject Level –Liberal Studies

School Initiatives

Questions & Answers

Campus Tour

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New Senior Secondary (NSS) Education Reform & its Impact on School Curriculum

Mr. W.T. Leung

(Vice-principal)

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Education Reform

The HK Government adopted the “Reform Proposal for the Education System” of

Education Commission in 2000

Goal: “for ALL students to develop into

balanced individuals who can contribute in meaningful ways to society, and who can draw on their own internal resources to continue to learn, apply their strengths and address their weaknesses.”

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Areas of Education Reform

Academic structure: 3-3-4

Curriculum: objectives & contents

Public Exam: 1 exam + SBA

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Reform of Academic Structure

Current Structure New Structure

(334)

3-year Degree 4-year Degree

S7

S6 NSS 3

S5 NSS 2

S4 NSS 1

S1-3 S1-3

HKCEE

HKAL

HKDSE

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Merits of the new academic structure

All students may proceed to Secondary 6

Diversified curriculum

Only 1 public exam

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Curriculum framework

Core subjects

• Chinese

• English

• Mathematics

• Liberal

Studies

Elective

subjects

(2-3 subjects

out of 20)

Other Learning

Experiences

(Moral & Civic

Education, Service,

Career …)

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NSS education & its impact on curriculum

Cater for students’ learning diversity

Core subjects:

Liberal Studies as a subject for all

Mathematics with more in-depth content for all

Elective subjects:

Cater for students’ aptitude, interest & abilities

Implications: design of diversified curriculums

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School NSS Curriculum

Class A B C D E

Core

SubjectsChinese, English, Maths., & Liberal Studies

1st

Elective

Chemistry Physics Economics Geography C. History

2nd

Elective

Physics/ICT/History/C.History/Biology/C.Literature

3rd

Elective

Biology/Chemistry/Economics/C.Literature/Visual Arts

Preparation for NSS at subject level

Liberal Studies (LS)

Major changes

an elective subject

for S.6-S.7 students

a compulsory subject

for all S.4 – S.6 students

Major changes

Student taking 2 modules

Students taking 6 modules(this affects how many modules

a teacher may teach )

Introduction to NSS LS6 modules are : 1. Personal development and interpersonal

relationships2. Hong Kong Today3. Modern China4. Globalization5. Public Health 6. Energy technology and the environment

Curriculum aimsKnowledge

• to enhance students' understanding of themselves, their society, their nation, the human world and the physical environment;

• to enable students to develop multiple perspectives on perennial and contemporary issues in different contexts (e.g. cultural, social, economic, political and technological contexts);

Curriculum aimsAbilities

• to help students become independent thinkers so that they can construct knowledge appropriate to changing personal and social circumstances;

• to develop in students a range of skills for life-long learning, including critical thinking skills, creativity, problem-solving skills, communication skills and information technology skills

Curriculum aimsAttitudes and Values

• to help students appreciate and respect diversity in cultures and views in a pluralistic society and handle conflicting values; and

• to help students develop positive values and attitude towards life, so that they can become informed and responsible citizens of society, the country and the world.

Requirements for teachersKnowledge

• Relevant fields of knowledge

• Awareness of contemporary issues

Skills

• How to teach students various thinking skills

Attitude

• Willingness to change and welcome

challenges

How to prepare teachers Knowledge

• Relevant fields of knowledge

• Awareness of contemporary issues

Deployment of teachers

• Each teacher teaches 1 module, not 6

• Each teacher teaches the module that corresponds to the discipline that he /she chose in universities

Reduce the worries of teachers

How to prepare teachersSkills• How to teach students various thinking

skills, like using questioning techniques, leading discussion, promoting teacher-student and peer interaction, etc

Teaching pedagogy of teachers• Mentorship ( collaborative lesson

preparation + “co-teaching” + evaluation )• External training

How to prepare studentsKnowledge

• Relevant fields of knowledge

• Awareness of contemporary issues

Constructing knowledge

• S.3 bridging course

• Lesson preparation

• Newspaper clipping

How to prepare students

Learn and use various thinking skills,

develop multi-perspectives

• S.1 & S.2 school-based syllabus on thinking skills

• Discussion on current issues

• Newspaper clipping

• Drilling on one or two skills at a time

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Use of quantitative analysis of

assessment results for improvement

in learning

Internal written assessment

Uniform Test and Exams

External written assessment

HKAT Pre-S1 Test

TSA (S.3)

HKCEE (S.5)

HKAL (S.7)

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Identity students’ performance in

subject and class in Exam / UT

Remedial measures for S1, S2 bottom

20 in 4 subjects (Chin, Eng, Math, I.S.)

Interview parents and students with

poor performance

Formative internal written

assessment for learning (1)

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Subject Mathematics

Class Passing % Professional Development

3A 70

3B 80

3C 90

3D 50 YES?

3E 95

Class 3D

Subject Passing % Professional Development

Chin 45

Eng 45

Math 50 NO!

IS 30

Geog 45

Chin Hist 55

Hist 25

Example 1:

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Subject Mathematics

Class Passing % Professional Development

3A 70 NO?

3B 80

3C 90

3D 60

3E 95

Class 3A

Subject Passing % Professional Development

Chin 95

Eng 98

Math 70 YES!

IS 93

Geog 92

Chin Hist 97

Hist 93

Example 2:

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Formative internal written

assessment for learning (2)Use statistical analysis of scanned

responses in m.c. items in uniform tests and exams to

find out common mistakes in each class

Follow up measures:

re-teaching, and

setting follow up exercises and/or

re-testing

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Formative internal written

assessment for learning (3)

Use statistics of the same subject in the

whole level and the statistics of all

subjects in the same class to

find out teachers who need / need not have

professional development

Follow up measures

alert relevant teachers

arrange professional development

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Formative internal written

assessment for learning (4) Collaborative teaching with action research

Pre-lesson preparation of students

Pre-test

Find out weakness by marking

Adjust teaching plan, material and activity

Teaching with class visits and follow-up discussion

Post-test

Find out weakness by marking & cross-tabulation

Re-teaching

Follow up supplementary exercise

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Summative written

assessment for learning

Use statistical data to

find out common mistakes for further

teaching and practice (e.g. analysis report

for TSA, HKCEE, HKAL exam)

find out the strength and weakness of

teachers (longitudinal study of value-added

indicators and public exam results)

Small Class Teaching – Planning,

Implementation, Evaluation &

Reflection

Mr. Cheung Man Wai, Principal

10-12-2009

Shatin Tsung Tsin Sec.Sch.

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A. Belief

To create an environment which is

favourable for the interactive and student-

centre mode of of teaching

To create a suitable teacher-student ratio

which is favourable for teachers to take care

of students

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B. Preparation

1. To decrease the S1 intake

2. To discuss in the Academic Affairs

Committee

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C. Implementation – Streaming Procedures

1. 25 students are selected from the bottom 40 students of prospective S3 students (no. of students promoted to S3 + S3 repeaters = 190)

2. Special consideration for integrated students & repeaters

3. List of students to be recommended by form teachers

4. Recommended list to be confirmed by Student Guidance Committee, Discipline Committee & Academic Affairs Committee

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C. Implemenation – Administrative Support

1. One form teacher and one assistant form teacher (the form teacher determines the candidate of assistant form teacher)

2. Each subject panel has to deploy suitable teachers for the small-class:

i. Firm, but kind-hearted

ii. Panel head teaching that class if there is no suitable candidate

3. Student Guidance Committee organizes programmes to raise students’ self-esteem (Shatin Integrated Family Service Centre)

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C. Implementation – Administrative Support

4. School financial support for class functions

5. Information of the students’ background provided by school to subject teachers

6. Arrangement of subject teacher meeting: 3 times a year

7. Camp function to be held in November

8. Class observation by vice-principal to ensure the exercise of the strength of small class arrangement in teaching

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C. Implementation - Schedule

1. Administration of questionnaires (Sept., Jan., May)

2. Subject teacher meetings (Sept., Jan., Apr.)

3. Class observation (Oct.-Dec.)

4. Adventure Training Camp (Nov.)

5. Programmes to raise self-esteem (Jan.-Mar.)

6. Evaluation of students’ performances (Jan., Apr.,

Jul.)

7. Interviewing students (Jun.)

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C. Implementation – Teaching Support

1. To promote lesson study

2. To promote collaborative teaching in each

subject

3. To implement teacher mentoring scheme

4. To implement pre-lesson preparation

among students

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C. Implementation – promoting the varieties

of teaching

Science: every student participates in practical work

Liberal Studies & language subjects: Group discussion

Maths.: individualised caring

Geog., LS, C.History: Higher order learning

Arts-in-Life: Project learning

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D. Evaluation

Academic Year (no. of students)

04-05

(25)

05-06

(19)

06-07

(S2:19)

06-07

(S3:17)

No.of students with improvement

19

(76%)

14

(74%)

13

(68%)

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(71%)

Improvement in average rank order

22.8 17.8 17.3 12.7

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D. Evaluation

Result of interview:

Fortunate/

unfortunate

Reasons

25 students

considered

themselves

fortunate and

they were

willing to

continue to

study in small

class.

1. Student relationship is good.

2. Teaching is good.

3. Teachers are caring.

4. Teachers address their learning needs.

5. Students have hand-on practical

experiences.

6. More spacing, better ventilation in class.

7. Teachers arrange classmate to help me.

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E. Reflection (Teaching & Learning)

Strengths of small class teaching over normal classes:

Teachers

easier for teachers to recognise students’ behavioural or

emotional problems to give timely follow-up.

To address individual needs of students; to cater for

individual differences; to offer individualized counselling

Marking of assignments is speeded up. This facilitate the

offering of short exercises more frequently to student to

inform teachers of students’ learning progress.

As there is a close tie among teachers (Chi., Eng., Maths.) ,

teachers can fully comprehend students’ learning progress

and emotions.

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Strengths of small class teaching over normal classes:

StudentsClassmates may serve as peer mentors in the learning processConstructivist learning:Students have more opportunities to communicate their thoughts and interact with others. Students learn how to think through more interaction in class.As small class is favourable for teacher-student interaction, most students participate actively in class discussion and enjoy class activities.

E. Reflection (Teaching & Learning)

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F. Outcome ~ HKCEE Results

Year

Subjects04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08 08-09

Chinese 96.3 98.5 99.4 99.4 98.3

Maths. 94.1 94.9 99.4 98.9 98.9

English 94.1 91.8 100 100 100

5E or above 93.6 93.8 100 100 99.4

Subject passing %

93.8 93.7 98.6 98.6 97.5

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G. Keys for Success

PISA studies:

Best school systems: Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Finland, S. Korea, Australia

Three guiding principles for success:

1. To find suitable people to teach

2. To train them to become highly effective teachers

3. To ensure that the school system can facilitate highly effective teaching for the benefit of students

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~ End ~

Thank You