"First Day of School: Display of Traditional Customs and Etiquette" & "Sharing on Young Children’s Transition from Home to Kindergarten" by the Hong Kong Museum of Education
"First Day of School: Display of Traditional Customs and Etiquette" & "Sharing on Young Children’s Transition from Home to Kindergarten" by the Hong Kong Museum of Education
Organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Education (HKME) of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), an exhibition titled "First Day of School: Display of Traditional Customs and Etiquette" and a sharing session titled "Sharing on Young Children’s Transition from Home to Kindergarten" were held today (August 22).
Traditional Chinese societies took study and literacy very seriously, as academic success would bring glory and fame to the family. Therefore, different kinds of etiquette and customs arose to ensure an auspicious start on the first day of school. In anticipation of the commencement of the new academic year, HKME held an exhibition to show traditional customs and etiquette related to the first day of school. Professor John Lee Chi-kin, EdUHK’s Vice-President (Academic) and Chairman of the Education Heritage Advisory Committee, explained the symbolic meaning of eight items often taken on the first day of school during the Sishu (private school) time.
In past times, it was thought that these first-day rituals would prepare early learners for a successful future in education. Practices may have changed, but parents still have high expectations for their children and want them to be well-prepared for their first day of school. To this end, HKME, in collaboration with EdUHK’s Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and the Early Childhood Learning Centre (ECLC), held a sharing session on how to prepare young children for a successful and positive transition from home to kindergarten. At the session, offering expertise and understanding were Dr Chan Wai-ling, Assistant Professor of the ECE; Ms Karen Yeung Ka-yee, principal of ECLC; and veteran media practitioner Mr Ryan Lau, also a father of two. The session ended with a valuable exchange of professional and lay insights, memories, and suggestions for the future.
