Simulated flight, leading young children to build their dreams

Tai Po Government Primary SchoolAdhering to the school motto of “Dedication and Learning”, we are committed to developing students’ independent learning and inquiry abilities. Principal Guan Yujuan believes that every child deserves to have their own dreams, and as a teacher, you must know how to build bridges, pave the way, and build dreams for them. Tai Po Government Primary SchoolThe equipment of the simulated flight room and the promotion of simulated flight courses are to create dreams for students, making them full of longing for the future and loving life.

STEAM X simulated flight course, soar into the sky and explore the future

In terms of STEAM education, the school adopts a three-tier structure model. The first level is the participation of the whole school, allowing all students to be exposed to STEAM, in line with the world's development trends and the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education. For example, a STREAM theme learning week is held to allow students to master knowledge points in different fields through interdisciplinary thematic study. The General Studies Department also arranges scientific inquiry activities to cultivate students' scientific inquiry, creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. The second level is pull-out teaching, where top students are selected to participate in top courses during extracurricular activities on Fridays, including arrangements for "STEM in LEGO" and "Little Elites in General Knowledge". The third level arranges off-campus competitions for STEAM elites to accumulate experience and broaden their horizons. Last year, the school even took Primary 6 students to South Korea for STEAM exchanges to learn about the development of innovation and technology in other places.

At the same time, the school actively promotes aviation STEAM flight simulation courses, and has specially designed an advanced flight simulation cab to teach flight simulator control skills, allowing students to experience the fun of soaring into the sky. The school also organizes aviation flight school-based experience classes and "STEAM Weekly Aviation Experience Day" to consolidate STEAM knowledge points in conjunction with topics such as mathematics and general aviation. Top students in the senior grades will also have the opportunity to participate in aviation STEAM simulated flight courses on Saturdays, where current pilots will provide guidance on driving skills and related STEAM knowledge. The school even combines simulated flight courses with career planning and launches a "pilot reception room" to introduce aviation-related careers and gain a preliminary understanding of future career planning.

Optimize class timetable to promote the development of multiple intelligences

Last year, the school optimized the class timetable and flexibly used one hour in the afternoon to hold diverse activities to enrich students' learning experience and promote the development of multiple intelligences. The school makes full use of this period to provide diversified academic classes, such as Liuqin, Hawaiian guitar, guzheng, English and Mathematics top-notch classes, SEN group training and other courses, giving students the opportunity to learn other skills for free; it also provides top-notch basic courses, subject tutoring classes, English improvement classes, etc., so that top students can perform their best, and also allows students with lower grades to receive appropriate support, reducing the pressure on parents to follow up on their children's academic studies; and organizes different lectures, volunteer activities, martial arts workshops, etc. to promote the all-round development of students.

In addition, in order to help students realize their potential, the school also launches top-notch classes, such as LEGO robot competitive training classes, aviation STEM training courses, sports school teams, etc., so that students with talents in different fields can further develop. Taking basketball as an example, the school was invited by the TVB artist "Hero" basketball team to communicate with students and encourage students to participate in off-campus competitions to broaden their horizons. Last year, the basketball team won the Men's Award of Merit in the "Tai Po District Inter-school Basketball Competition 2023-2024", and three students were selected as representatives of the Tai Po District team to participate in the "21st Hong Kong Primary Schools Inter-District Basketball Competition 2023-2024 (Men's Group)" of the Hong Kong School Sports Federation.

After-school care services, comprehensive care

The school implements the concept of "education without distinction" and implements district-based homework tutoring classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for students with full and half-subsidized students to participate, helping children from low-income families to stay in school to complete homework, review silent books, and take tests under the guidance of teachers. The school successfully applied for the "After-school Care Program", which allows students to stay in school until 6 or 7 pm after school. The school provides the venue, the Community Care Fund provides funds, and the service operator is responsible for operating the after-school care service. On the one hand, it takes care of the work needs of working parents; on the other hand, it allows students in need to stay in school after school to do homework. Peers can also discuss and carry out activities with each other, and receive care and learning support in a safe and familiar environment.

Improved electronic teaching equipment to improve learning and teaching efficiency

The school's electronic teaching equipment is complete. All classrooms and special rooms in the school are equipped with 86-inch touch screens and wireless central microphone systems. The school also attaches great importance to the professional development of teachers. Both in terms of manpower and hardware, it can support online and offline simultaneous teaching to effectively support students' learning needs. These devices are also used in flipped classrooms and extended courses to help students preview and review their learning progress after class.

Promote Chinese culture and cultivate cultural connotation

Over the past five thousand years, China has accumulated huge and diverse cultural achievements, which is of great benefit to the cultivation of cultural connotation and moral character. The school actively promotes Chinese culture, leads students to understand its essence, and cultivates moral qualities. For example, cross-curricular activities are launched to add Chinese cultural elements to the visual arts section, and students are taught how to make ink paintings, paper-cuts, blue and white porcelain, and mask making. Chinese, music, and visual arts also collaborate across subjects. Through the "Old Poetry Singing" and "Poetry and Painting" activities, students can experience the world and textual imagery written by the author, and cultivate their interest in Chinese.

The school holds Chinese Culture Day every year to allow children to experience Chinese culture with different themes. Last year, the school used the Dragon Boat Festival as the theme to let students learn about the intangible cultural heritage "Tai O Dragon Boat Festival Parade" and try dragon boat racing. It also took this opportunity to incorporate value education into the picture book "The Wish of the Old Dragon Boat" and cultivate children's empathy through decorating the old dragon boat. In addition, the school also arranges for students to participate in "Caring for Home and Country" activities and participate in martial arts experience courses; and arranges relevant activities and courses during National Day, National Security Education Day, and the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to strengthen students' national identity.

Promote values education and cultivate children with both ability and political integrity

The school attaches great importance to students' behavior and performance and actively promotes the twelve primary values and attitudes. Values ​​are not only an important part of school education, but also the cornerstone of students' future growth. Every month, the school will carry out targeted value education activities based on specific themes, focusing on "treating others with courtesy", and carry out a series of activities to cultivate students' courtesy, guide students to understand the importance of courtesy, and encourage them to practice positive values ​​in life. In order to further motivate students, the school has established a "Courtesy Star" selection to commend students who have outstanding performance in daily behaviors and respect others, thereby promoting the spirit of etiquette.

Cross-curricular reading to broaden knowledge

The school integrates reading elements into daily teaching and actively promotes cross-curricular reading, allowing students to explore different categories of reading materials under various themes, including books, videos and book display boards, in order to improve their reading, writing and oral expression skills, and absorb relevant knowledge of Chinese and other subjects. Last year, the school used the theme of "Being a Responsible Toy Owner" to teach students the virtues of sharing and being responsible, learn how to properly treat their toys, and further explore the meaning of responsibility.

Carefully support the connection between kindergarten and primary school and actively promote home-school cooperation

In terms of transition from kindergarten to primary school, the school has arranged transition courses as early as the summer vacation, and provided exercises and information, introduced subjects, activities, etc. to help students adapt to primary school life. At the same time, there will be no tests in the first semester of Primary One. Instead, progress assessment will be used to review learning progress and provide appropriate specific advice. Adjustments have also been made in silent reading to reduce pressure. Each Primary One class has two class teachers to take care of students' different learning needs.

In addition, home-school cooperation is also an important part of helping students grow in an all-round way and integrate into campus life. The school not only has a sunshine phone, but also conducts parent workshops to teach parents how to use online platforms to facilitate parents to understand their children's studies and school announcements and information. There is also a parent resource room in the school to support the daily operations of the parent-teacher association. Parents will also assist in activities such as sports meets, Chinese culture days, story parents, etc. Home and school stand together on the front line to help children grow up healthily.