Our heritage my identity: the "Young Roots Programme" teaching plan for primary six students in the Hong Kongprimary school subject of general studies

Abstract

 For the past decade, the general public got in touch with the noble causes of collective memory, heritage conservation and cultural heritage extensively. Many incidents such as tore down the Star Ferry Pier Clock Tower and demolition of the Queen’s Pier aroused vigorous social discussions and protests. In fact, it is not easy to understand those jargons and events when the people lack of basic knowledge of conservation and the right attitudes toward our local cultural development. Besides, the official educational department has never been enthusiastic in constructing local history and culture to students both in primary and secondary levels before handover. Regrettably, our present curriculum reforms are still at an indeterminate stage. Without widespread and fundamental background knowledge and cognition, it is very hard to start rational conversation between different stakeholders, even hard to motivate our next generations to participate heritage conservation affairs actively.

With no doubt, heritage conservation has become a hot and a controversial social topic in recent years. Not only because Hong Kong has regained its identity after return to Mainland China in 1997, but also there emerges a positive attitude towards Hong Kong as our home among most people in the post-transition era. However, the rapid economic and social development, as well as urbanization changes our city’s scenery and characteristics drastically. Our treasured cultural heritage is at risk now. Therefore, “Save Our Heritage, Retain Our Memory” is a fashionable slogan in these years. No one will argue that heritage is an important resource and asset to a society. Because it reflects not only the uniqueness and diversity of our community, but it also helps to sustain and strengthen our sense of place identity and cultural identity.

Since most primary school students learn about local history (include cultural heritage) and cultural identity in different learning stages, what they obtain are some incomplete and incoherent information. This ridiculous situation of our present Primary School General Studies Curriculum cannot fulfill and satisfy their future study need. In order to fill up the gap and link up the Secondary Liberal Studies syllabus, this dissertation try to construct a school-based learning programme which the author personally believe that through heritage education will definitely provide the student opportunities for a better understanding of their identity and cultural heritage. Thus, the author attempts to design and develop a heritage educational programme for the primary six pupils who are aged from eleven to thirteen. The main purposes of the programme strive to educate target students:

1. Arouses interest and curiosity in local history

2. Understand the meaning of cultural heritage

3. Distinguish the different between tangible and intangible cultural heritage

4. Appreciate Hong Kong’s cultural heritage resources

5. Perceive the values and significance of cultural heritage in our city

6. Construct the relationship between cultural heritage and our identity

7. Develop the right attitude of better appreciation with cultural heritage

8. Apply relevant knowledge and attitude to contemporary issues

9. Cultivate their critical thinking

Children in the 21st century have to overcome many challenges. One of the major duties of teachers should provide the students with learning experiences that enable them to construct knowledge and develop life-long learning skills, so that they can contribute to today’s knowledge-based economy and society. The author strongly support the life-wide learning approach because through this learning tactic, students can develop a holistic view of themselves as individuals in the community, their role and responsibility in the society, and the interrelationship among people and the environment. Base on these reasons, the heritage educational programme that described in this dissertation will adopt a thematic approach and appropriate use of community heritage resources to widen the learning scope of our students.

To educate and motivate our students effectively, the dominant education theory of Constructivism will be use during the teaching period. The advantages of this theory are:

1. Students will obtain and construct their knowledge actively

2. Students with different learning abilities will find their role and contribution during the learning process

3. Stimulate students’ interest to inquire and explore with hands-on and problem-solving activities to construct knowledge

4. Teachers can use various methods to encourage and motivate students

5. Teachers’ roles range from a transmitter of knowledge to resource person, facilitator and assessor

Due to our children are primary six students and they are too young to understand the arguments of the contemporary complicated conservation issues, all the teaching materials and examples are learner-focused and suit for the different needs of students. In spite of this programme has not yet been carry out owing to the time limit, the author do believe that this idea could be implemented successfully and this teaching plan could be a good pilot example to inspire other front line teachers to good use our cultural heritage in their lessons.