Pre-service and In-service child care and education students

1. Pre-service and In-service child care and education students using story-telling as a teaching method to understand Confucian values in kindergarten-aged children in Hong Kong: A Study of Expressed Views Progress Report Student Name: Lee Lai Wan, Maria August 2006

2. Specifically, the aims of this study are: to examine the expressed views of pre-service & in-service child care and education students using story-telling as a teaching method to understand Confucian values in kindergarten-aged children in Hong Kong.

3. Specific aims for preschool children- HK Education Commission's Revised Proposal 2000 “to foster in children an appreciation of their own culture and other cultures” and “to nurture in children a sense of responsibility, civic-mindedness, a rule-abiding spirit, and acceptance of basic social values and norms”

4. Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum 2006 (EMB) (EMB 2006, 18) The curriculum goals for Affective and Social Development: Personal Values: to learn to establish good interpersonal relationships to foster positive attitudes towards people; Social Values: to accept basic social values and behavioural norms. to understand their own role in the family, school and society; understand the rights and duties of an individual;

5. Cultural Values: to cultivate care for society, awareness of environmental protection and respect for different cultures. (EMB 2006, 20) todevelop national identity through an understanding of the Chinese culture.(EMB 2006, 34) to understand the relationship between themselves and their country;(EMB 2006, 63)

6. The Confucian belief is that “each person has a specific place in the society, and has certain duties to fulfill, and hence it is important for each to know how to behave in relation with one another” (Jin 2004, n.p.)

7. Confucians believe that all humans are born virtuous, and it is the environment that contaminates and turns one evil. Teachers should help the child to grow and develop naturally as they should, and to steer away from factors that may affect them adversely. (Shin1989).

8. The teacher’s task should be to stimulate the student’s thinking with questions and suggestions so that the student will make his/her own reasoned judgment. They should not indoctrinate by introducing someone else’s moral values. (Shin1989).

9. Children tend to learn by imitation. (EMB 2006, 34) Teachers must set themselves as examples and live up to these positive values and attitudes. In turn, children will learn from teachers, and the educational objective of whole person development will be achieved.(EMB 2006, 45)

10. Confucian values in festivals- • Chinese New Year & • Mid Autumn Festival: • Filial piety • Benevolent relationship • Family unity • Chung Yeung Festival: • Intergenerational respect • Obligations for parents and forefathers • Dragon Boat Festival: • Loyalty and submission

11. Positive values and attitudes and Learning Areas : (Li) Courtesy, self-discipline, perseverance, respect and responsibility (EMB 2006, 22)

12. As Petrosky observed in storytelling that as children talk with each other and with teachers about their encounters and experiences, meaning comes slowly. Teachers need to encourage children to talk about what they see, feel, think, and how they associate with what they read. (Jalongo 1988:91)

13. Listening to stories can develop children’s abilities of concentration and imagination. During story-telling activities, children should be encouraged to raise questions and have discussion, so as to promote critical thinking skills. (EMB 2006, 28)

14. Through participating in activities, children gain experiences which enable them to understand the value of individuals, appropriate attitudes towards interpersonal relationships and other social skills. (EMB 2006, 33) Children form their own values and ideas about social morality gradually, through internalising the behaviours, habits, thinking and language they encounter. (EMB 2006, 34)

15. In Service Teachers Pre-test Pre service Student Teachers SCV Training Story telling Confucian Values Cultural Festivals SCV Training Story telling Confucian Values Cultural Festivals Story Projects Chinese New Year Dragon Boat Festival Story Projects Mid Autumn Festival Chung Yeung Festival Post Test Interviews Reflections Observation Records Interviews Reflections Observation Records

16. Two Sample Groups Pre-service student teachers group – final students of the Higher Diploma in Child Care and Education, (Full-time mode) In-service teachers group— final year students of the Higher Diploma in Child Care and Education (Part-time mode)

17. Story telling and Confucian Values Training (SCV) Both groups received SCV training on the values, functions and skills of story telling, basic concepts of Confucian values, the meaning and values of the cultural festivals, and stories related to the festivals.

18. Story Projects • Each participant conducted story projects after the SCV training, to 4-5 years old children in kindergartens on two Chinese cultural festivals. • 30 Pre-service student teachers conducted story projects on the Chinese New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival (2004-05). • 30 In-service teachers conducted story projects on the Mid-autumn Festival and the Chung Yeung Festival (2005-06). • Non- Participant observations were conducted and recorded participants’ skills used and children’s response and reaction to the stories.

19. Pre-test/ Post-test Pre-test and Post test were conducted on each participant, prior to and after the completion of the SCV training and story projects. Interview Randomly selected participants were interviewed after the story projects, to collect their changed views (if any) on Confucian values for young children and the effectiveness of storytelling as a tool.

20. Reflections after Story Projects

21. Pre-service group’s reflections : • “With better skills and techniques, story telling can be a very useful tool that is welcomed by children and can motivate them”; • “story can enable children to solve problems, to offer analysis, to explain, to reason, to imagine and to create”.

22. “A child needs good moral standard for their growth and development.” • “They need to learn appropriate social behaviour.” • “Teachers must use appropriate methods to explain these values to a child, in a way he/she can understand and to use life experiences for him/her to practice the behaviour related, as these values are abstract and hard for children to understand.”

23. “Modelling is very important, and supported with stories and discussions, it can help a child understand and reflect on the reason for practicing the values.” • “Story telling should be given more attention by teachers, and they should value this tool better”.

24. In-service group’s reflections : • “Before the story project, I used story casually to fill in time slot.” • “I would replace story activity when other more important things (academic) had to be done. (especially for KG who operates for 3 hours only)” • “Like myself, my colleagues didn’t think highly of story telling, and would pick up any book that is convenient, browse through it, and then tell it.”

25. After the story project, some were amazed to see children’s reaction. • “Some of my students changed their behaviour, and became friendlier to others. I just couldn’t believe it!” • “This convinced me that story can be an effective teaching tool, especially when used on moral values and developing appropriate behaviour.”

26. “We must conduct more activities to educate parents on the value and effectiveness of story telling.” • “We should persuade our colleagues to support our views and use story telling to explain moral values to children.” • “Children were interested in Chinese cultural stories and could relate them to their daily lives!” • “We have a responsibility to help inculcate moral values in children, and story is a useful method to help children comprehend abstract values.”

27. Some admitted that they were not too aware of the Confucian values, nor had they been practicing them. “These values are good for adults and children. I would like to learn more about them.” • Some committed that they will prepare well for story activity, select story books carefully and appropriately for children’s needs, and use adopt a variety of skills in telling stories.

28. “Effective story telling skills include: tone, expression, movement, artefacts and puppets and relating the content to children’s daily lives experiences.” • “To help children adopt appropriate positive behaviour, supplementing stories with games and role plays related to daily lives are useful.”

29. Confucian values in Cultural Festivals which should be taught to children: • Li – (Mannerism values)- filial, respect, remembrance of ancestors, courtesy • Ren – (Social values) – family, reunion, sharing, love • Yi - Patriotism, righteousness, Yi • Optimism, new hope, life, nature, ecology

30. Story of the 12 New Year Animals “Friendship” Man and dog can be friends Dog and rabbit can be friends. Rabbit and cow can also be friends. Everyone can be friends. The worms in the grass can be friends. The worms are eating. There is clouds in the sky. It is sunny, and windy, because It is a very cold day.

31. The New Year Animals “love, sharing, ecology” Those in blue lines are hills. I have drawn a rabbit, hen, dog, Rabbit. I have added a pink carrot next to the rabbit. There is some raindrops at the back, Because it is a rainy day. I added the sun to make the day warmer.

32. The New Year Beast “Yi – righteousness” Lion Dance troupes New Year Beast Fight the beast ! If we fight and kill the New Year Beast, then, everyone will be safe. People are doing the Lion Dance, walking everywhere!

33. The Dragon Boat Races “Ren – family, love, reunion” Our whole family is happily eating dumplings, and watching Dragon boat races. But I have a puppy at home, and someone is taking care of it.

34. airplane Wat Yuen – “Yi – Righteousness” Route to save Wat Yuen They are beating the drum Dragon Boat Wat Yuen Submarine with a net We can send a plane to save him. Some can beat the drums in the dragon boat to scare away the fish. A submarine with fishing nets can protect Wut Yuen, so that fish can not eat him, And pull him up to safety. I want to save him because he helped and protect the country. The emperor should trust him and don’t let him die. He has to fight the evil guys.

35. Thank You And The work goes on….