This study adopted the qualitative and quantitative method in drawing data through a pilot, questionnaire survey and focus interview phases in Tai Po schools. There are 12 influential factors had been identified: School Reputation; Learning Atmosphere; Quality of Teaching Staff; Results of SSPA; Quantity of Homework; Learning Content; School Activities; School Building, Facilities and Resource; Home-School Cooperation; School Location; Recommendations from Other Parent, and Pupils Conduct in Public. At the end of the paper, the author presented two recommendations for practice and further research for school practitioners.

Despite the fact that PMI is not the government policy, an increasing number of schools in Hong Kong have adopted different modes of using PMI in teaching Chinese Language since 1997. Such a trend has caused general concern because Putonghua (the standardized spoken form of Modern Chinese) is not the mother tongue of most teachers or students in the local community. The switch of medium in teaching the language subject may have profound impact on the cognitive development of students because most teachers and students will need to acquire another system of speech sounds and lexicon in handling the subject matter. Nevertheless, as the PMI trend prevails, language teachers are under "pressure" to adjust their teaching medium so as to meet the changing social expectation of equipping students with the standardized form of a world language. This paper reports the findings of a recent study of teachers' views of teaching Chinese through PMI in Hong Kong. Among the group of 20 serving teachers in a postgraduate course, some are proficient in Putonghua and some are not. Through a series of seminar presentation and discussion, these front line teachers revealed the current practices in different school contexts. Insights of these participants represent an "insider's" view of the issue and should inform the development of effective ways of reforming the teaching medium of Chinese in a complex social context.

Amidst the various demands created by curriculum reforms in Hong Kong, the core business of schools - 'high quality teaching and learning' - has become the focus of attention. Teachers and schools are vested with the responsibilities to put the reform ideals into practice. Schools are accountable for improving student learning outcomes, the empowerment of teachers through mentoring, peer review and appraisal, and turning themselves into learning organisations. This paper describes how Learning Study, which initially started as a modest project to find ways to cater for individual differences in mainstream schools in Hong Kong, became a powerful tool for schools to achieve the aims mentioned above. We did this in a series of projects by using Learning Study as a major component of a mentoring system, which resulted in the creation of learning communities in schools, with a focus on teaching and learning. Such a system benefited all teachers involved, both novice and experienced. Starting with only two schools in 1999, schools in the Learning Study network rapidly expanded to over 100 in 2004, and in the next three years, at least another 120 schools will join the network. The success of Learning Study in Hong Kong will be analysed under the following factors: its conceptual framework, methodology, partnership with higher education institutions, positioning, reform context and culture, and dissemination strategy. Its potential in moving towards improving the status of the profession as a whole will also be discussed.

This paper is dual in purpose. First, it describes what a professional learning community is and how it develops in schools in Hong Kong. A professional learning – 1012 – community is one where teachers relate their own professional learning to the improvement of their students' learning; take collaborative responsibility for students' learning; and work together to maximize their learning. Learning Study, which is premised on a conceptual framework that builds on three types of variation, is employed as the key agent in the development of such community. The three types of variation are: variation in students' understanding of a specific object of learning (V1); variation in teachers' understanding and ways of handling the object (V2); and the use of patterns of variation based on the Theory of Variation (V3). By focusing on the three types of variation in a specific object of learning, teachers in the professional learning communities are able to learn from their students, from each other and from researchers what should be worthwhile for their students to learn, how they can help students learn better and find out if each child is learning. Dissemination through public presentations is also an integral part of the participating teachers' professional learning, as they reflect and prepare a presentation on the results of the Learning Study. Each teacher's personal professional development thus contributes to a collective knowledge base. Second, this papers draws on the data of a Learning Study about the teaching of Three states of water at Primary 3 level to illustrate how teachers' learning can be enhanced through engaging in the study that permits a professional dialogue among colleagues; enhances collaboration with tertiary institution; encourages teachers taking inquiry stance; opens opportunities for multiple means of dissemination; opens opportunities for teachers to reflect on their own practices in a more systematic way.

Current curriculum reform in Hong Kong has highlighted the importance of leadership at the school level. It is reflected in the allocation of special funding by the Government to develop a scheme for creating a curriculum leadership position entitled "Primary Senior Masters/ Mistresses - Curriculum Development (PSMCDs)" in primary schools. To be effective curriculum leaders in leading school-based curriculum reforms, the PSMCDs need to build up working relationship with their colleagues at different levels. Thus this study aims to explore, from a micro-political perspective, the strategic role of PSMCDs in leading curriculum development in primary schools. The research questions are: - What strategies have the PSMCDs used to build up their working relationship with colleagues so as to perform their role of curriculum leaders? - What support have the PSMCDs received in schools for performing their role of curriculum leaders? - What problems and difficulties have they encountered in performing their role? By interviewing three PSMCDs who have just completed their first year of service in schools, it is found that one of them used authoritarian approach while the other two used interpersonal tactics to build up working relationship with their colleagues. Both strategies appeared to be effective in helping these PSMCDs to perform their role as curriculum leaders in their schools. The outcomes of this study are significant in helping school principals, curriculum leaders, serving teachers and other educators to have an in-depth understanding of the characteristics of PSMCDs in performing their change agent role in schools.