Crossing cultural boundaries: A multicultural kindergarten in Hong Kong

Crossing cultural boundaries: A multicultural kindergarten in Hong Kong

• Tijsterman, Rebekka Dept. of Culture, Organization and Management, Vrije Universiteit

Asia Pacific Business Review, 11(4), 575-591, 2005

Routledge

2005

• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QB Pre-school Education, Child Caring Facilities, Maternal & Infantile Health Facilities

Multiculturalism Organization Schools Cultural Policy Social Policy Cultural Diversity Hong Kong International School

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

Confronted with the rise of a new group within its organization, Small World, an international Christian kindergarten in Hong Kong, is being forced to reconsider its boundaries. The trend towards more applications to international schools by Hong Kong Chinese, adds an extra dimension to the already extensive cultural diversity among the kindergarten's staff, students and their parents. Describing the appreciation for cultural diversity amongst staff and parents, the strategies that are used to maintain harmony and the motives that (Hong Kong Chinese) parents have for participation in the school, it is argued that only one effect of globalization on the macro level can be identified on the micro and meso level, namely indigenization. The article shows how parents, staff and the organization all try to adopt attractive or useful elements of foreign cultures without giving up their own culture, and subsequently foster multiculturalism in an attempt to reach their goals, these being the cultural competence of their children for Hong Kong Chinese parents and success for the organization. The resulting demand for the incorporation of extra foreign elements in the curriculum is forcing Small World to reconsider its boundaries.
[Copyright of Asia Pacific Business Review is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13602380500135901]

• English

Journal Articles

• 13602381

• 10.1080/13602380500135901

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/en/bibs/16d6b7e5

2010-11-24