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Inside present-day Hong Kong parents' minds : what values, beliefs, attitudes, and expectations do they hold regarding young children's development and education? A case for Reggio Emilia in Hong Kong.

University of British Columbia

The compatibility between present-day Hong Kong parents’ thinking and the values of Reggio Emilia— an Italian approach to preschool education— was explored in this study. Surveys were administered to 74 parents whose child attended a preschool program at the time of study and follow-up interviews were conducted with nine parents. Eight topics were covered, including: (a) image of the child and learner, (b) expectations of child’s education and development, (c) ideal child characteristics, (d) appreciation for art and beauty in education, (e) conception of the role of early childhood education, (f) attitude toward parent participation in schools, (g) parents’ current experience and views on learning outcomes, and (h) parents’ reaction toward a Reggio project. Participants’ level of education attainment, household income, and prior overseas experiences were also examined in relation to the results. Overall, parents’ images of children and learners were mostly congruent with the Reggio images, and conceptions of Hong Kong parents’ fixation on homework and achievement were not supported by the data. Parents believed that being engaged in the subject and having opportunities to ask questions were essential to effective learning. The importance of pre-academic skills paled in comparison with language skills, social skills with peers, and other qualities such as self-confidence, curiosity, and ability to express oneself. The value of art in fostering creativity and stimulating children’s thinking was appreciated. Interviewed parents were greatly impressed by the Reggio project, calling it an “ideal way of learning”. They believed the activity was not only fun but made learning more memorable because children could experience things first-hand and make meaning by themselves. Regarding transition to primary school, parents expressed their feelings of helplessness; they did not want to pressure their child, and yet they felt they had no choice if their child were to study in a local primary school. Parents’ moderate level of satisfaction with children’s current learning outcomes also deserves attention. The results suggest that Hong Kong parents straddle Eastern and Western values, and they would welcome Reggio practices if appropriate adaptations are in place. Implications of the results are discussed and future directions are proposed.

Text

2010-04-12

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/23358

Early Childhood Education

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/