Embracing team heterogeneity: A case study of the collaborative teaching practice in an international kindergarten in Hong Kong

Embracing team heterogeneity: A case study of the collaborative teaching practice in an international kindergarten in Hong Kong

• Wong, Jessie Ming Sin Hong Kong Metropolitan University

International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 17, 2023

Springer

2023

• F Learning & Teaching
  • FA General Teaching Strategies, Different Instructional Methods
• Q Philosophy of Education, Educational System & School At Different Levels
  • QB Pre-school Education, Child Caring Facilities, Maternal & Infantile Health Facilities

Collaborative Teaching International Kindergarten Cultural Differences Bilingual Education

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Pre-Primary Education

• View Full Text 全文連結

International kindergartens, which offer an immersive dual-language (English and Chinese) environment, are popular among middle-class families in Hong Kong. The international learning and teaching environment is cultivated primarily by developing a diverse workforce, in which Chinese-speaking (Putonghua and/or Cantonese) teachers with local training or from mainland China generally work with their English-speaking counterparts from overseas in the same classroom. Such heterogeneity has complicated the already challenging concept of collaborative teaching. This article presents a case study of the collaborative teaching practice in a trilingual international kindergarten which had been established for over 50 years. Through in-depth interviews, questionnaires, text messaging, document analysis, site visits, and observations, the study examined the collaborative teaching practices among international colleagues in the kindergarten. The findings revealed that collaboration among international colleagues was made successful by: (1) senior management and teachers sharing a common goal; (2) a dynamic whole-school supportive structure that embraced heterogeneity; and (3) the development of a shared culture of professional learning. The implications of these findings for management, practice, and research are discussed, including the need to foster a culture of collaboration, the importance of professional development, and the need for further research on collaborative teaching practices in diverse educational settings. Copyright © 2023 Springer.

• English

Journal Articles

• 19765681

• 10.1186/s40723-023-00120-9

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/en/bibs/8665c8ed

2024-04-09