Is teaching in a primary band 1 school easy? A case study

Band 1 schools have an enviable reputation in Hong Kong and one which can breed false assumptions that somehow Band 1 schools present that fabled-land where teaching somehow is "easy". How do Band 1 schools gain and (more importantly) justifiably sustain their reputations for excellence in education? This paper seeks answers to this question by investigating one case study Band 1 Primary School from the perspective of the teachers who shoulder responsibility for sustaining a track record of "educational excellence". The challenges facing these teachers, their practical solutions and the underpinning educational theories will be examined. This examination includes the perspectives of a school principal, two local and two expatriate experienced classroom teachers and a "visiting" practicing teacher. By triangulating these varied perspectives, this paper seeks to focus attention not only on "Band 1 teaching methods" but, more significantly on the features of effective teaching which may be generalisable across the spectrum of Hong Kong Primary schools.