康文署的小朋友暑假文藝節目 - 國際綜藝合家歡2012 各場節目門票由5 月11 日起於城市電腦售票網發售。

http://www.hkiac.gov.hk/2012/chi/index.php

「國際綜藝合家歡」
國際綜藝合家歡2012 各場節目門票由5 月11 日起於城市電腦售票網發售。

中英數猛進秘笈

Dear friends,

Just read a good book "中英數猛進秘笈" and scanned its summary (see
attachment). You may give you some insights.

Benny

天文台將在2012年3月24及25日舉行開放日

http://www.hko.gov.hk/openday/2012/index_uc.htm

誠邀閣下參觀香港天文台

天文台將在2012年3月24及25日舉行開放日。今年的主題是「從天氣、氣候、水–驅動將來」，歡迎公眾人士參觀，實地了解天文台的工作，與專業氣象人員交談，看看我們如何利用科技為市民服務。

開放日不設入場券，屆時視乎情況需要，可能有人流控制措施。
日期及時間： 2012 年 3 月 24日﹝星期六﹞及
2012 年 3 月 25 日﹝星期日﹞

入場時間：上午 10 時至下午 4 時 30 分

展覽結束時間：下午 5 時 15 分

﹙活動詳情將於稍後公佈。﹚
地點：
九龍彌敦道134A號香港天文台總部

入口在彌敦道近尖沙咀街坊褔利會，出口在天文台道﹝見附圖﹞

注意：由於預期前來參觀的人數眾多，天文台將實施
　　　人流單向移動的措施。參觀人士必須由彌敦道
　　　進入，並於天文台道離開！

文章分享 - 公開考試的誤區

Dear friends,

Good article for sharing.

Benny
=====
2012年1月13日

程介明教育評論

公開考試的誤區

2012年是香港教育改革關鍵之年，公開考試是一個關鍵。這裏無意對即將出現的新香港中學會考「說三道四」，只是就一般在考試上出現的問題為讀者提供參考，這裏不涉及考試本身的技術和專業問題，那是香港考試局的職能範圍，這裏只是討論考試與學生學習的關係。「誤區」，是內地用語，指人們容易誤解的地方。

誤區一：公開考試可以促進教學

公開考試是教育制度的一部分，負有它的社會功能，也就是篩選、分等、擇優、淘汰。本欄曾經討論過上海PISA的例子。簡單來說，PISA的測試重點，不在於學校掌握多少知識（當然學生也需要具備一些基本的知識），而在於面對從未見過的訊息，如何提取、分析、闡釋、運用這些訊息，是如何把陌生的訊息轉化為有用的知識。

這種測試的思路，已經深入上海的基層教師。上海的教師都覺得，如此測試，真正培養了學生的學習能力，真正提高了學生。可以說，在校內的評估和測試方面，上海做了很了不起的改革。

不過，上海的教師又普遍覺得，這並沒有減少學生感到的「考試壓力」，原因是公開考試（「統考」）是另外一個故事。參加統考，就是準備搶高分，要爬在人家的頭上，才能進入好的高中或者大學。除非整個教育制度的社會功能變了，公開考試也許難以擺脫製造惡性壓力的罪名。

這裏的潛台詞是，校內的評核，必須適應學生學習而改革；但是這是教學改革的一部分，不能依賴公開考試的變革。

誤區二：公開考試就是死記硬背

公開考試不能積極促進學生學習，卻不等於公開考試不可以減少不合理的評估，盡量排除違反學生學習規律的障礙。香港的公開考試，即使在教育改革之前許多年，已經做了許多其他地方羨慕的改革。例如會考的科學卷子已經提供全部的公式，學生不必強記。以前考語文，需要強記範文的句節，「引經據典」才能得分，現在基本上已經沒有這樣的題目。歷史，又有「歷史資料題」，題目提供有關的歷史資料，着重考生的分析與闡述。整個會考，需要強記具體資料的「多項選擇題」（multiple
choice）也已經減到最少。

那為什麼還有這麼多的誤解，以為會考就是要死記硬背？問了許多朋友，原因估計有二。

一是過去的印象陰魂不息。很多家長還停留在過去的經驗裏面，以為考試就不離死記硬背，甚至不自覺地，把學校並不要求背的東西也逼着孩子背，以保萬全；也會有教師以為背書是最好的保障，「學生背得出，就算是學了」，這是一條最簡單有最容易掌握的公式。

二是公開考試涉及大量的出卷人員，也涉及評卷標準。他們之中，也許有些沒有留意「學習」專業知識，沒有留意現代教育測量的發展。因此雖然理論上大家都認為公開考試應該盡量避免強記性的考題，但是他們會覺得有些訊息是學生必須強記的，就在考題中滲透了。看在學校的教師眼裏，死記硬背就仍然無法退出公開考試的歷史舞台。

這裏無意否定記憶和背誦，記憶和背誦也是學習的一個重要部分。然而，由於公開考試在社會有強烈的「指揮棒」傳統，要是公開考試有了強記的成分，死記硬背很容易就會取代其他一切的學習，違背了鼓勵發展學習能力的方向。

誤區三：凡是能學的，都能考、都要考

這也許是公開考試最大的誤區。教育改革的方向，是盡量拓寬學生的學習經歷，而不是局限在傳統的少數幾個科目。假如所有的學習經歷，都要納入公開考試的範圍之內，那麼教育愈是改革，學習經歷愈豐富，公開考試的項目就會愈多。這是荒謬的！

讓我們看看公開考試的實際作用。按照目前世界是教育發展的情況看，公開考試難免會局限在正規課程的科目上面。公開考試的結果，在就業方面基本上只起一個參考作用，很少有機構在招聘的時候細緻研究會考成績。況且，現在中學畢業就業大都不需要具體的知識，關鍵是中文、英文；其他的重要因素，如人品、道德、責任感，主要靠面試或者試用，不靠公開考試。

影響公開考試最大的還是大學收生，大學最希望的不是看過去，而是看學生的潛力。但是目前大學的眼光，狹隘地聚焦在正規科目的考試上面，是看不出學生潛力的。PISA模式的測量，也許最能量度學生的能力和潛力，但是PISA和其他一些國際測量的方向，是根據學生答案進行分析綜合，然後回過頭給以評分。並不是根據一個預定的標準答案評分的。因此，偏偏PISA模式的測量，難以達到劃分學生等級的目的。

當然，大學收生，也愈來愈重視成績以外的素質（但不是降低成績的要求），因此有面試、集體創作、模擬活動等等招生的形式。而眾所周知，這些素質是無法從公開考試的成績中看到的。

因此，公開考試應該是集中在最關鍵的環節，嚴格選擇測量的環節，以最小的影響面，最大限度地達到它的社會功能。美國以往只靠SAT，只考文字能力與推理能力，本來是以小見大的一個可行模式。香港的校本評核，要是設計不當，把校內幾乎每一個學習環節，都與公開考試掛鉤，就會把公開考試的影響無限擴大，滲透到學校社會的每一個方面，走到了教育改革的反面。

誤區四：所有的學習都可以評分

評估的專家，也許會這樣看；但是應用到公開考試，可以產生災難性的結果。的確，所有學習都應該有效果， 然而：

一、有許多學習的效果，往往發生在未來或是間接的，不是立刻可以顯示出來的，也不是立刻可以量度的；

二、有許多學習經歷（例如異國交流），效果肯定是顯著的，但是因人而異，難以也不必評分。這樣的學習，只需要有「有/無」（Yes/No）的評估；

三、有些學習經歷，需要學生達到一定的能力，只需要「及格/不及格」（Pass/Fail）的評估，在「及格」以上再評分意義不大（「通識教育」就是一個最好的例子）。如果勉強要在學生的每一項學習經歷上面評分，學校就會淪為一個評分機構，那將是學習的大敵。

因此說，要是公開考試不經過「學習」這個概念的洗禮，教育改革完全可以功虧一簣。

很好的常識教材 - Youtube channel "香港寬頻bbTV香港新聞台"

Youtube Channel "香港寬頻bbTV香港新聞台" 是很好的常識教材
我每晚食飯時都會與選擇適合的新聞, 再播給小朋友看。有需要時解釋, 需要可 re-play.

http://www.youtube.com/user/HKBNnewson

家庭議會 - 親子18式

適合小學生家長看.

http://www.familycouncil.gov.hk/tc_chi/edu/edu_teach.htm

What teachers really want to tell parents

Dear friends,

Good article to share.

Benny
==========================================
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/09/06/living/teachers-want-to-tell-parents/

What teachers really want to tell parents

By Ron Clark, Special to CNN

September 6, 2011

This summer, I met a principal who was recently named as the
administrator of the year in her state. She was loved and adored by
all, but she told me she was leaving the profession.

I screamed, "You can't leave us," and she quite bluntly replied,
"Look, if I get an offer to lead a school system of orphans, I will be
all over it, but I just can't deal with parents anymore; they are
killing us."

Unfortunately, this sentiment seems to be becoming more and more
prevalent. Today, new teachers remain in our profession an average of
just 4.5 years, and many of them list "issues with parents" as one of
their reasons for throwing in the towel. Word is spreading, and the
more negativity teachers receive from parents, the harder it becomes
to recruit the best and the brightest out of colleges.

So, what can we do to stem the tide? What do teachers really need
parents to understand?

For starters, we are educators, not nannies. We are educated
professionals who work with kids every day and often see your child in
a different light than you do. If we give you advice, don't fight it.
Take it, and digest it in the same way you would consider advice from
a doctor or lawyer. I have become used to some parents who just don't
want to hear anything negative about their child, but sometimes if
you're willing to take early warning advice to heart, it can help you
head off an issue that could become much greater in the future.

Trust us. At times when I tell parents that their child has been a
behavior problem, I can almost see the hairs rise on their backs. They
are ready to fight and defend their child, and it is exhausting. One
of my biggest pet peeves is when I tell a mom something her son did
and she turns, looks at him and asks, "Is that true?" Well, of course
it's true. I just told you. And please don't ask whether a classmate
can confirm what happened or whether another teacher might have been
present. It only demeans teachers and weakens the partnership between
teacher and parent.

Please quit with all the excuses

And if you really want to help your children be successful, stop
making excuses for them. I was talking with a parent and her son about
his summer reading assignments. He told me he hadn't started, and I
let him know I was extremely disappointed because school starts in two
weeks.

His mother chimed in and told me that it had been a horrible summer
for them because of family issues they'd been through in July. I said
I was so sorry, but I couldn't help but point out that the assignments
were given in May. She quickly added that she was allowing her child
some "fun time" during the summer before getting back to work in July
and that it wasn't his fault the work wasn't complete.

Can you feel my pain?

Some parents will make excuses regardless of the situation, and they
are raising children who will grow into adults who turn toward excuses
and do not create a strong work ethic. If you don't want your child to
end up 25 and jobless, sitting on your couch eating potato chips, then
stop making excuses for why they aren't succeeding. Instead, focus on
finding solutions.

Parents, be a partner instead of a prosecutor

And parents, you know, it's OK for your child to get in trouble
sometimes. It builds character and teaches life lessons. As teachers,
we are vexed by those parents who stand in the way of those lessons;
we call them helicopter parents because they want to swoop in and save
their child every time something goes wrong. If we give a child a 79
on a project, then that is what the child deserves. Don't set up a
time to meet with me to negotiate extra credit for an 80. It's a 79,
regardless of whether you think it should be a B+.

This one may be hard to accept, but you shouldn't assume that because
your child makes straight A's that he/she is getting a good education.
The truth is, a lot of times it's the bad teachers who give the
easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will
leave them alone. Parents will say, "My child has a great teacher! He
made all A's this year!"

Wow. Come on now. In all honesty, it's usually the best teachers who
are giving the lowest grades, because they are raising expectations.
Yet, when your children receive low scores you want to complain and
head to the principal's office.

Please, take a step back and get a good look at the landscape. Before
you challenge those low grades you feel the teacher has "given" your
child, you might need to realize your child "earned" those grades and
that the teacher you are complaining about is actually the one that is
providing the best education.

And please, be a partner instead of a prosecutor. I had a child cheat
on a test, and his parents threatened to call a lawyer because I was
labeling him a criminal. I know that sounds crazy, but principals all
across the country are telling me that more and more lawyers are
accompanying parents for school meetings dealing with their children.

Teachers walking on eggshells

I feel so sorry for administrators and teachers these days whose hands
are completely tied. In many ways, we live in fear of what will happen
next. We walk on eggshells in a watered-down education system where
teachers lack the courage to be honest and speak their minds. If they
make a slight mistake, it can become a major disaster.

My mom just told me a child at a local school wrote on his face with a
permanent marker. The teacher tried to get it off with a wash cloth,
and it left a red mark on the side of his face. The parent called the
media, and the teacher lost her job. My mom, my very own mother, said,
"Can you believe that woman did that?"

I felt hit in the gut. I honestly would have probably tried to get the
mark off as well. To think that we might lose our jobs over something
so minor is scary. Why would anyone want to enter our profession? If
our teachers continue to feel threatened and scared, you will rob our
schools of our best and handcuff our efforts to recruit tomorrow's
outstanding educators.

Finally, deal with negative situations in a professional manner.

If your child said something happened in the classroom that concerns
you, ask to meet with the teacher and approach the situation by
saying, "I wanted to let you know something my child said took place
in your class, because I know that children can exaggerate and that
there are always two sides to every story. I was hoping you could shed
some light for me." If you aren't happy with the result, then take
your concerns to the principal, but above all else, never talk
negatively about a teacher in front of your child. If he knows you
don't respect her, he won't either, and that will lead to a whole host
of new problems.

We know you love your children. We love them, too. We just ask -- and
beg of you -- to trust us, support us and work with the system, not
against it. We need you to have our backs, and we need you to give us
the respect we deserve. Lift us up and make us feel appreciated, and
we will work even harder to give your child the best education
possible.

That's a teacher's promise, from me to you.