Insight: primary schools September 2021∣Youth Hong Kong
Teaching in transition l Adjustment is a preoccupation for everyone involved in education now, especially those concerned about underprivileged students. l Inequality, disengagement, disparities in parental support and failed socialization are among the hurdles. l Ms Leung and Ms Li, both primary school teachers, are worried about restoring normality.
“When I get back to face-to-face teaching, my very first focus will be the emotional wellness of my students and their parents,” says Ms Li. Most of her pupils are from underprivileged or ethnic minority. families whose cramped living conditions in sub-divided flats easily provoke conflict, especially when noisy siblings compete for scarce devices with poor internet access. “Resources are so inadequate that not only do the children not have computers at home, despite government policy, they also have no extra tutorials or interest classes outside school, unlike the more affluent children,” she points out. “All they have is the online platform provided by our school which is not enough in Hong Kong where all the emphasis is on good results. I am afraid that the achievement gap will only get larger.” After a year stuck at home, some children have put on so much weight that they barely fit into their school
8
l 教育界的當務之急，是幫助學生適應疫情下的學習新 常態，對基層學生的支援尤其重要。 l 資源不均、提不起興趣、缺乏父母支持、未能融入社 交圈子等，都是基層學生常見的難題。 l 同樣來自小學的梁老師和李老師，均對全面恢復面授 課堂感到擔憂。
uniforms,” Ms Li continues. “They get out of breath just climbing stairs so we need to ensure they get more outdoor activities.” She also expects the new arrivals to have shorter concentration spans than older pupils, break the rules and hand in sloppy, if any, homework. “So,” she says patiently, “we will get in touch with parents and explain the requirements. Discipline teachers and social workers visit if students are regularly absent from online classes. This term, if necessary, we will let them stay in school for individual tutoring in the afternoon and parents can come to the school once a fortnight to hand in homework and pick up new exercises. Such logistical problems are exacerbating endemic issues. “My students will leave primary school at the end of this year. I will have to train them for interviews. I also want to arrange for them to enter competitions and take part in performances to broaden their minds and enhance their competitiveness.” NonCantonese-speaking pupils have an extra problem. “They have had far less chance to practice their second language than they normally would have at school.” Ms Li fears they will be even less competitive at secondary school and eventually face unemployment. What can be done in the face of so many problems. Ms Li is determined: “Stronger communication and social skills. That’s what they need, plus a sense of wellbeing.”
The achievement gap will only get wider.
