Postgraduate students from the Education University of Hong Kong embarked on an educational visit to F.D.B.W.A. Chow Chin Yau School on April 7^th, 2025. The event encompassed an introduction to school-based curriculum and teaching philosophy, an English lesson observation, and a visit to various campus facilities, immersing students in the school’s unique learning environment and culture.

The event commenced with a warm welcome from Principal Cheng Lai Kuen Tammy in the auditorium, followed by her detailed introduction to the school’s teaching philosophy and characteristic curriculum. Among the elements of the curriculum, the “3E” teaching philosophy, based on three core elements of Engage, Experience and Explore, fully utilises children’s active and playful nature. Through diverse teaching activities, it effectively strengthens students’ learning motivation and abilities while cultivating their positive values and attitudes.

Principal Cheng demonstrated how the school extends learning beyond the classroom with examples. For instance, teachers adopt a “let go” approach in overseas learning activities, allowing students to solve problems and complete tasks independently in a foreign language environment. Additionally, the school organises game-based lessons and activities that care for the community and disadvantaged groups, fostering students’ positive values. Moreover, the school promotes opportunities for students to showcase their talents, embodying the educational vision of “respecting the uniqueness of every child and enabling children to pursue their dreams confidently.”

The visit continued with an English lesson observation, which aimed to teach the usage of “ought to/ought not to.” The teacher skillfully selected everyday life scenarios as teaching materials, enhancing students’ interest in learning. The lesson helped students understand the grammar and “inconsiderate behaviours” through real-life situations, effectively combining subject knowledge with values education. After the observation, the teacher exchanged in-depth ideas regarding teaching practices with the participants.

Subsequently, Principal Cheng led a campus tour of the Butterfly Dream Promenade. This promenade is a unique ecological space where students observe the life cycle of butterflies from egg-laying and pupation to adult emergence, and then release them back to nature. This process cultivates students’ scientific inquiry spirit and understanding of life education. Upon returning to the auditorium, Principal Cheng played the music video of the school’s campus theme song. The song was self-composed, and the video was performed, acted, and filmed collaboratively by teachers and students. The visit helped participants understand the student-centred philosophy through various practices, revealing the creativity and possibilities of education.

The tour concluded with a Q and A session hosted by Principal Cheng. Her inspiring words on education truly resonated with the prospective teachers, particularly her statement that “innovation is born with breaking through traditions”. The commitment and effort to transform educational philosophies into practice provided valuable insights for aspiring educators: the future of education is about both expertise transmission and a co-creation journey.