Environmental education should start in young age. Preschool education is a key in achieving the goals of environmental education. With assistance and training provided, educators would be trained up to conduct better school-based environmental education under the topic “Nature and Living”.
Over the years, we have collaborated with kindergartens and teacher training institutions to exchange knowledge and promote preschool environmental and outdoor education. With the theme of local ecology and environmental education, we hope to enhance educators’ understanding and perception towards Hong Kong ecology and biodiversity through professional development and training for primary school teachers. On the other hand, we hope to enhance educators’ understanding of environmental education concepts and theories, as well as help them acquire essential elements of devising and engaging in environment and outdoor education, in order to enhance the effectiveness of environmental education.
According to the circumstances and needs of schools and teaching training institutions, we could provide tailor-made training content and activity formats. The training could be held in half-day, whole-day or conduct in terms of courses. Indoor trainings include thematic lectures, experience sharings and activity hands-on workshop, while outdoor trainings mainly focus in ecological field trip studies. Under the guidance of group instructors, they could understand local nature ecology through sensory observations and game missions, as well as experience different types of outdoor education pedagogies. Here are some examples of our past initiatives, and schools are welcome to take them as references.
If schools and teacher training institutions have any ideas or preliminary planning about professional development and training for primary school teachers, you are very welcome to contact our team, enabling us to provide you with tailor-made training.
Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children Ma Tau Chung Nursery School
OWLHK was invited by Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children Ma Tau Chung Nursery School, and provided preschool environmental education teaching training for 11 teachers. The training theme will be learning how to enable children to explore nature through multisensory. We visited Tsiu Hang Lions Nature Education Centre, and demonstrated to teachers the way of utilizing different games to arrange outdoor environmental education activities about five senses and exploratory activities. Besides, we introduced the methods of leading children to understand local forest animals and plants from daily life experiences. Concurrently, to enhance the effectiveness of environmental education, we pointed out the main points and precautions of conducting preschool environmental education activities, and explored environmental-friendly actions that are suitable for children to engage in, hoping that teachers could help students to cultivate good environmental literacy.
Experience with Five SensesForest Ecology
The Education University of Hong Kong Department of Early Childhood Education
To help teachers to understand urban ecology and biodiversity, and understand the pedagogies of children environmental education, Department of Early Childhood Education from The Education University of Hong Kong invited OWLHK to provide preschool environmental education training to 16 teachers. In October 2023, we visited Kowloon Park and conducted a 3-hour outdoor study, in order to understand urban natural resources. The teachers had hands-on experience in using binoculars and field guides to observe and differentiate common urban birds, insects and plants. They learned about urban biodiversity that is often overlooked. Furthermore, through sharings and reflections, teachers converted the experiences to effective learning. They explored the main points of designing outdoor preschool environmental education, as well as the way to adopt environmental education in daily teaching.
Urban Ecology
Hong Kong Christian Services Tai Hang Tung Nursery School
Invited by Hong Kong Christian Services Tai Hang Tung Nursery School, we organized preschool environmental education workshop for 23 staff. In the morning indoor activity, teachers listened to thematic lectures and understood Hong Kong ecology, as well as theories about environmental education. Speaker from OWLHK also shared related experience and main points of conducting indoor and outdoor environmental education. In addition, through《Law of the Forest》board game session, teachers gained a deeper understanding of local forest ecology, and experienced the threats posed to forests by human. In the afternoon, teachers visited Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve to conduct forest ecology outdoor study. Through game and sensory observation, they learned about local forest environment, as well as common animals and plants. Lastly, teachers reflected about how to implement the learned concepts in daily teachings. Hopefully, it could enhance children’s knowledge, skills and attitude in environmental protection.
Board Game EducationForest Ecology
S.K.H St. Joseph's Church Kindergarten
Plants and insects are popular topics in early childhood education, but how should we select and apply suitable information for young children to learn? In August 2021, 24 teachers from S.K.H St. Joseph's Church Kindergarten attended our teacher training session to learn about plant ecology. They learned fundamental plant observation skills and related examples, and conducted field trips to observe plants on and off campus. Through surrounding plants, teachers could gain a better understanding of nature and related creatures, and be prepared for curricula design and teaching activities. In April 2023, OWLHK was honoured to be invited again by S.K.H St. Joseph's Church Kindergarten, and hosted teacher training revolving the theme of insect ecology. Group instructor led teachers to conduct field study in Lui Kung Tin Tsuen and Tsing Tam Reservoir, and demonstrated the skills of searching for and observing insects. Besides, group instructor introduced the ecology of different insects, such as its life cycle and the developmental process. Instructors also provided participants with insect observation tools to observe insects, and to think about how to introduce different insects to children with daily life examples.
Plant TrainingInsect Training
Kowloon Ling Liang Church Kindergarten
We were gratefully invited by Kowloon Ling Liang Church Kindergarten to conduct a training workshop for 10 teachers and staff in March 2023. Revolving around the topic of urban ecology, the workshop began with a lecture sharing the ecology and biodiversity of local birds, followed by the threats and conservation issues about them.
After the indoor section, teachers were brought for an outdoor field trip and game activities in Kowloon Walled City Park to meet with urban birds in real life. By linking nature to our human lives, educators may incorporate environmental education into their teaching and inspire the next generation to appreciate and protect our precious nature.
Urban EcologyBird Ecology
Choi Ha Estate Kit Sam Kindergarten
In February 2023, 20 teachers and staff from the Choi Ha Estate Kit Sam Kindergarten paid a visit to the Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve in a training workshop focused on forest ecology. With different game demonstrations and observation using different senses, our tutors guided the teachers to learn about the unique characteristics of the forest environment. The learning experience was enriched by identifying some common wildlife as well as witnessing the impact of human activities in the forests.
Meanwhile, a mindful forest walk offered the teachers an opportunity to release their burdens and connect with the forest on a spiritual level. Finally, teachers consolidate their observations from the training and came up with key points for their childhood environmental education activities. Some practical ways incorporating with teachers’ newfound knowledge into daily teaching practice were also generated.
Forest EcologyMindfulness
Tivoli Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten
Invited by Ms. Carmen Chan BBS, JP, the Principal of Tivoli Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten, we were able to conduct a comprehensive one-day training session for 40 teachers and staff in October 2022.
The first part of training covered the fundamental principles of environmental education as well as experience and insights on how to effectively incorporate environmental education into early childhood curriculum. In the second half, we visited Aberdeen Country Park to demonstrate some sensory-based nature exploration activities for young children, followed by a discussion to integrate activities experienced into the school’s teaching practice.
Experience with Five Senses
Po Leung Kuk Kam Hing Kindergarten
We were honored to conduct an "Environmental Education Workshop and Outdoor Ecological Tour" in October 2021 for over 20 educators from Po Leung Kuk Kam Hing Kindergarten. We demonstrated the board game "Law of the Forest" for game-based learning and embarked on a field trip to the Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve to deepen teachers’ understanding of Hong Kong's forest ecology.
Board Game EducationForest Ecology
“ECF Kids Go Green” Project – Preschool Education Teacher Training
Invited by the Child Education Centre for Teaching & Learning under the Childcare, Elderly and Community Services of the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Shatin), we provided a training for preschool teachers under the project “ECF Kids Go Green” in 2019.
The theme for this training was about PingFang-Bold.ttf PingFang-ExtraLight.ttf PingFang-Heavy.ttf PingFang-Light.ttf PingFang-Medium.ttf PingFang-Regular.ttfHong Kong biodiversity. Through a series of seminars, a session with board game “Law of the Forest” and fieldwork, teachers learned the importance of Hong Kong nature as well as the closely linked and inseparable relationship within ecology.
Ecology TrainingEnvironmental Education