Week 5 - Professional (25/02/12)

The school I will teach in.

Our fifth week at HKIEd was by far one of the busiest and most hectic weeks since we have been here. As part of our Educational Development module, I was required to make a presentation along with my group on a topic of particular interest to us that would account for 30% of our assessment. However, as both Andrew and I were late in arriving to the university and ultimately starting our classes, the topics and groups had already been selected. Thankfully, I was placed in a group with two other girls from Mainland China, who were extremely helpful in sharing their knowledge on the particular issue that they had chosen, which was validating the statement that ‘Educational reforms in Greater China have intensified educational inequalities’.

Presenting our views to the class.

 At first glance this topic seemed completely beyond what I would be able to manage, as I had no real understanding on the educational reforms that existed in China, never-mind the inequalities that they may or may not intensify. However, as I got to grips with this topic through extensive literature and internet research I was able to learn a great deal about the Chinese educational system. On reflection of this assignment, I am aware of the important opportunities of professional development that I was able to participate in and inevitably learn from. 

One of the most important tools when working as a member of a group is communication. I believe that through this experience I was able to develop my talking and listening skills, as I was required to fully participate in conversations and debates surrounding this issue and the information that I had found. Although we partake in many similar assignments at Stranmillis, this presentation differed in the amount of time, as we had to take control of the tutorial class and present for one hour, compared to the 10 minute presentations split between a group of 5 people at home. The presentation was then followed by a one hour-long question and answer session, which I also felt contributed to my professional development in the sense of being able to evaluate the questions which were being asked by the class, in order to assess their understanding of the topic that we had previously discussed. This is a skill that requires constant progression, especially in the education profession as it is necessary to evaluate and assess a child’s understanding, in order to implement strategies which will allow them opportunities to learn in the most effective and efficient way.

The content of the presentation also offered opportunities for professional development, as I was able to increase my knowledge of the education system in Mainland China and Hong Kong. This included learning about the history of education in this country, the various educational reforms that were implemented, their effects and the future proposals for education. The information that I found was extremely interesting and often controversial, which then ushered me to compare it to the education system that we experience in Northern Ireland and reflect on it critically to see what inequality issues may exist and how I, as a prospective teacher could ensure equal opportunities for all students in my classroom to access a broad and balanced curriculum and achieve their full potential.

Although my knowledge on the education system in this country has vastly expanded, it is still only a foundation based on theoretical information, as we have yet to start our teaching practice. But this has given me a great insight into the policies and practices that exist within Hong Kong and Mainland China, which I believe is good preparation for my teaching placement at the Jockey Club Primary School. Also for future placement preparation, Andrew and I visited the learning resources section of the library at HKIEd, which is similar to Stranmillis library, as it provides a wide range of materials that can be used in the primary classroom. Being surrounded by an extensive supply of teaching resources, I could not help but think about the students at home undergoing their school placement. This has made me very excited, as I now eagerly await the opportunity to experience my own school placement in a completely new and diverse environment that is the international classroom. 

Browsing the learning resources with Sharon and Wen.