This paper attempts to explore the complex and multi-dimensional nature of student teachers’ learning to teach in teaching practice from the life history perspective. It first reviews the relevant literature portraying the life history perspective, with particular reference to student teachers’ learning. It then presents the methodology and findings of a pilot study of student teachers’ learning to teach in Hong Kong, adopting the life history lens to analyze the qualitative data collected. The tentative analysis of the data collected tells that the life history perspective is far from offering an adequate explanation of the complexity of student teachers’ learning. Suggestions are made on using the teacher socialization perspective as a conceptual alternative to guide future research.

This paper presents evidence that contemporary teachers in Hong Kong are confronted with professional role diffusion. The phase of stabilization, which characterized many teachers with four to six years of teaching experience in Huberman’s (1989) study, seems to have deferred. In a life history study of four teachers with six to ten year teaching experiences, the absence of a stabilization phase was found in the professional life of the informants. It is argued that the quest of excellence and accountability in school education has contributed to a prolonged period of survival and discovery phase and a rapid recurrence of stabilized and destabilized cycle.

This paper describes a study investigating the professional development of Hong Kong kindergarten teachers. Tracking the teaching and learning of 'play' of six front-line kindergarten teachers by means of the three levels of reflection put forward by Schon (1983, 1987), the study reveals the challenges in the professional lives of these teachers who are working under the conflicting demands and expectations of the society. The result shows that five out of the six informants are entrapped in a 'technicality' of teaching by developing an obsessive hunt for authentic teaching aids. Unfortunately, this behaviour perpetuates under the effect of a self-fulfilling prophecy working within these teachers. Mismatches between the teaching reform and a number of vital core factors for the reform to be succeeded are identified. This paper calls for a due attention to understand the complexities impeding the teaching reform. It echoes the concern of Bascia and Hargreaves (2000) and appeals to policy makers and the public for a fair demand on the role of teachers, who must not be hold accountable for all that is wrong with education, for the scale of the problems that teachers are expected to address just cannot be solved easily by the teachers themselves.

Practicum is the crucial component in teacher education with the ultimate aim for student teachers (STs) and in-service teachers (ITs) attempting to apply the learned knowledge , theories and techniques into the real and vivid teaching situation effectively and reflectively. In practice, apart from teaching practice, practicum may consist of : peer observation, school visit and journal writing etc. so as to strengthen STs and ITs's professional understanding and competence. In Hong Kong, practicum is a compulsory module in all teacher preparation courses including pre- service and in-service in the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd). As a two-credit point module, practicum in the One-year Mixed Mode In-service Qualified Kindergarten Teacher Education Conversion Course (QKT-Con) in the Department of Early Childhood Studies, HKIEd comprises of Peer Observation (PO) (2 times), School Visit (SV) (2 times), Directed Studies (DS) (6 sessions of 18 hours), Teaching Supervision (TS) (2 times) and Journal Writing (JW) (1 piece weekly). Normally, one experienced supervision tutor is responsible to look after about 30 students in one academic year. The primary aim of this paper is to investigate " how useful " is the practicum with regard to the above-mentioned 5 elements in the QKT-Con Course in the HKIEd. Thirty in-serviced teachers, being supervised by the present researcher, were invited to fill in a self-devised questionnaire in the last period of the Directed Studies of the practicum. Afterwards, the questionnaires were analyzed by the method of content analysis. The results of the study, on the whole, were very positive except the journal writing. There were 23.4 teachers (78 %) viewed the practicum as very useful & useful. Besides, it showed that 26 teachers (86.7 %) opined the PO and SV as very useful & useful. Also, 25 teachers (83.3 %) opted the DS and TS as very useful and useful. On the contrary, 8 teachers (26.6 %) expressed that the JW was not very useful &

The aim of the paper is to discuss the thinking process of a preschool teacher's knowledge of child development and the concept of creativity in designing art activities. The design of an art curriculum will reflect the adults' knowledge of child development (Morgan, 1995). Child development knowledge is very important in designing art activities for promoting children's creativity. The design of curriculum will depend on teacher's training, teaching experience, observation skills, concept of their theories of creativity and child development and the ability to reflect (Ngan 2006). Schon (1987) suggested 'theories-in-use' 'reflection-on-action', which indicate the importance of the teacher's thinking. A qualitative methodology was applied in a study of a typical preschool in Hong Kong. A semi-structured interview was conducted. Video-tape recordings of the classroom teaching was used as a stimulated recall of the activities to find out the rationale, focus of the activities and the reflection of the teacher. The findings indicate that the teacher needs to develop her observation skills in order to be more sensitive to children's needs. Finally her knowledge of creativity and children development are very important.

In most countries around the world, teachers for special education are prepared through pre-service and/or in-service programmes. In Hong Kong, the focus has been on in-service education. Currently there are no pre-service teacher preparation programmes that qualify their graduates as special education teachers. When teachers with basic education background are employed by special schools/classes, they will enroll in the in-service special education programme. This paper will present an overview of the developmental history of such a programme in Hong Kong. Since its introduction in the 1960s, the programme has undergone many changes. A critical analysis of its evolution, the changes made and their impact on the local special education scene will be discussed in light of the varying circumstances. Furthermore the paper will highlight the existing teacher preparation programme for special education as a result of the establishment of the Hong Kong Institute of Education in 1994 and the policy statement made by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997. Implications for future educational needs will also be emphasized.
[Copyright © 2000 The Hong Kong Institute of Education.]