Teaching development grants final and financial report: A practical guide for BEd(ECE) (Full-time) field experience

BEd (ECE) (FT) commenced in September 2005, is the first pre-service degree programme to prepare early childhood practitioners in Hong Kong. As the curriculum and physical settings of early childhood institutions vary significantly in comparison with those of primary schools, the roles of early childhood teachers are more complex and therefore they need to master a relatively different set of knowledge and skills. In light of the increasing understanding of how teachers construct knowledge and theorize their practice in a social context, continuous efforts to develop and improve the programme are necessary in order to make it suit the unique characteristics of early childhood education. While experienced teachers often prepare, plan, and respond to teaching situations with ease, student teachers may not be aware of the planning tasks and continuous evaluation that needed to take place to ensure the successful implementation of a curriculum. The proposed guide focuses on the initial acquaintance of the perservice students with the school environment, the learning centers, observation records, and the role of the teacher. Activity sheets provide opportunities for students to become an active participant in the process of learning during School Attachment and Teaching Practices. This guide aims to provide student teachers with experiences that develop practical knowledge and skills, as well as build professional confidence. This guide will be produced based on the experiences of student teachers, practicum tutors, and preschool principals and teachers of placement schools in School Attachment and Teaching Practices.