Today was an hectic day yet it was very fufilling for the team. We started off the day with a visit to the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd). It currently has over 7000 students doing a wide range of courses ranging from PGDE to BEd to Masters & PhD levels. It has also established partnerships with 800 over local kindergatens, primary & secondary schools as well as 75 partner institutions in Hong Kong, Mainland China & overseas.
We were warmly received by Professor Lo Mun Ling, Director of School Partnership & Field Experience (SPEO), Dr Ko Po Yuk, Assistant Professor, Centre for Learning -Study & School Partnership as well as Assistant Professor, Dr Eric Cheng from SPEO.
Prof Lo walked us through the essence of Learning Study, which is basically a systematic process of enquiry into teaching & learning employing an Action Research Methodology.It is underpinned by the learning Theory of Variation & has the improvement of teaching & learning at its core.The Institute is currently partnering with a few schools in implementing Learning Study. The team immediately identified similarities bewteen Learning Study & LC. Najeeb then took the opportunity to run through the essence of LC with our hosts. Thomas, also gave an overview on our division's work.The team also fielded questions on teachers training at the pre-service level.
Our hosts then brought us for lunch at the Institute's Chinese restaurant before bidding farewell to us.
The second part of today's schedule was an eye-opener for us. We were driven to the Chung Sing Benevolent Society Mrs Aw Boon Haw Secondary School by our gracious host, Kelvin. This school is currently an LC school. There is one LC facilitator who has been trained in our LCB earlier in February this year. Denise,on the other hand went to Canossa Convent School (Hong Kong) for a seperate visit.
When we stepped out of the car, we could sense that the place was different. Students were busily preparing for an upcoming Halloween Party. The air was filled with excitement & anticipation. We were warmly received by the school's Senior Management & Exco members, we started the meeting with a sharing session where Mr Silva Wu, the Vice -Principal walked us through the history and programmes of the school. He also gave a short overview on how LC is carried out in the school. The team beamed when he mentioned the words "RPAOR".
Najeeb & Thomas had the honour of addressing 1500 students in the Multi-Purpose Hall at the request of the Principal. They were in the midst of electing a body of student leaders. The air was filled with excitement. Students from the floor fired questions on what the student leaders would do for their well-being if elected. The student leaders elect in turn would addressed their concerns and came out with relevant answers which reflected their maturity and patience in handling difficult questions. When the time came for the address, Najeeb spoke to the students on the essence of being a good Leader while Thomas , in his usual Cantonese tone , spoke to the students about "Servanthood & the courage to serve". After the speeches, the whole hall gave them a thundering applause.
We also had the opportunity to interact with Minority Races students. This school is special in the sense that they really take good care of their foreign students. They even enlisted the help of a Pakistani parent volunteer who would station himself in the school during his free time. He would look into the language & emotional needs of these students.What amazes us even more is that this parent volunteer speaks perfect Cantonese !
The Management had also arranged for us to observe an English lesson. We were very impressed by the high standard of English as spoken by the students. The last segment of the visit was a dialogue session with Senior Management and EXco members. We discussed a variety of issues ranging from PD of teachers to LC to Educational Policies.
The visit did not just stop there. The School Management brought us out for a good seafood dinner at Hong Kong's or Asia's best seafood restaurant( even Wall Street Journal featured this restaurant earlier this year)- Hoi Tin Garden Restaurant. We have tried the best goose restaurant, what's an appropriate way to end the visit on a high note- By sinking our fangs in the lobsters, la la, Scallop & Fish.
We bid farewell to our hosts after the dinner. We are determined to reciprocate their warm kindness & hospitality should they come to Singapore one day.
************************************************************************************
The team will be presenting our reflection on 24th Oct during Branch Meeting. We would like to thank all of you for reading and also to Minnie, Robin, Sayang & Vim for your encouraging comments.
This blog is now close and will serve as an archive for our future colleagues going to the Hong Kong trip.
To view photos on the entire week's training, please visit out HKLC Photo Gallery at:
http://community.webshots.com/user/hongkonglc
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Booster Updates
We were off to another venue for Booster training today. This was a government-subsidized secondary school in Tuen Mun – New Territories. This one-day workshop was meant to be a booster session for trained LC facilitators. However, there were also other participants who had zero knowledge of LC, apart from the different level of school experience. There were beginning teachers of less than 3 years as well as more senior teachers and Education Bureau Officers. There was some apprehension in the beginning as we saw uncertainties on the faces of some participants.
Thanks to Najeeb and Thomas for their quick thinking, they made last minute changes to their slides and presentation to cater to the needs of the participants. Najeeb started off powerfully with the Reflective Package session and led the participants into meaningful dialogue throughout the session. Thomas, on the other hand conducted the entire booster session on Insightful observation in Cantonese. The hard work of Najeeb and Thomas paid off. Their presentations were well-received and there were good feedback from school participants and EB Officers.
It was wonderful to see that as we moved on throughout the day, participants became more and more focused and confident in their learning and sharing. Amazingly, the beginning teachers were volunteering to present their learning to the big group.
For lunch, we were taken by the school’s Vice-Principal and officers from EB for tim-sum. This restaurant, being in a more urban area, was simpler and less glamorous than the one yesterday. Yet, the food was not below standard and more valuable was the conversation we had with the EB officers where we got to understand more of teacher preparation and teacher development in HK.
Thanks to Najeeb and Thomas for their quick thinking, they made last minute changes to their slides and presentation to cater to the needs of the participants. Najeeb started off powerfully with the Reflective Package session and led the participants into meaningful dialogue throughout the session. Thomas, on the other hand conducted the entire booster session on Insightful observation in Cantonese. The hard work of Najeeb and Thomas paid off. Their presentations were well-received and there were good feedback from school participants and EB Officers.
It was wonderful to see that as we moved on throughout the day, participants became more and more focused and confident in their learning and sharing. Amazingly, the beginning teachers were volunteering to present their learning to the big group.
For lunch, we were taken by the school’s Vice-Principal and officers from EB for tim-sum. This restaurant, being in a more urban area, was simpler and less glamorous than the one yesterday. Yet, the food was not below standard and more valuable was the conversation we had with the EB officers where we got to understand more of teacher preparation and teacher development in HK.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Day 2 LCB updates
Participants began to stream in as early as 8.20am though the workshop was set to begin at 9am. Though there were a handful of latecomers, we managed to start on time with a picture reflection of the kind of facilitators participants would like to be. It was inspiring to learn of their enthusiasm and aspirations to excel in being facilitators.
We were very much uplifted as participants demonstrated their understanding and knowledge of what we shared yesterday. We were not disappointed! Different groups highlighted on the different aspects picked up. Participants did role plays, sang and acted in both English and Cantonese. No wonder Hong Kong has no lack of actors and actresses! Though at the end of yesterday, they were visibly drained and tired, they showed that what we presented had not gone to waste. They showed much clarity in their understanding of the key essence of LCs – the cycle, critical friendship, reflection and dialogue.
It was not difficult as we got on to the many table activities of crafting the AOC, RQ, CQ and strategies. Participants shared their experiences as facilitators and members and enriched one another with their learning.
It was heartwarming indeed as participants shared how by going through reflection and dialogue, they are now clearer with the processes and also more focused in action planning, having a shared understanding of the Area of Concern.
Participants volunteered themselves in the sharing to the large group of their learning and experience as a facilitator or member.
Lunch time: Our hospitable host, Mr Yau, Principal of the hosting school and President of the LC Association treated us to lunch at a nearby Tim-Sum restaurant. We were treated to mouth-watering HK delicacies such as har kow (prawn dumplings), steamed garoupa rice and of course the famous HK roasted goose. Even though we were reminded of the LC geese, we loved the taste! (Sorry LC geese!)
It was a very good round-table meal with him and 3 other LC practicing LC facilitators. We discussed a range of topics, from food to policies, economic, education, culture and social practices in both HK and Singapore. It was a meaningful lunch of networking and building the partnership with our HK counterparts.
LCB Celebration…..
Mr Yau graced the occasion by giving us the closing address and congratulating all the newly trained facilitators. In his closing address, Mr Yau also highlighted the importance of sustaining and further developing TN’s partnership with HK schools.
Mr Yau awarded first certificate and the subsequent certificates were handed down from one participant to the next. The mood was almost festive like with the participants making full use of their noise makers and cheering for each other. We had the traditional toast after all the certificates had been given out.
A long day but there was no hiding our satisfaction when we saw the smiles on the faces of our newly trained Hong Kong facilitators.
We celebrated one success but our minds were already focused on tomorrow’s Booster session. Time to work again…
We were very much uplifted as participants demonstrated their understanding and knowledge of what we shared yesterday. We were not disappointed! Different groups highlighted on the different aspects picked up. Participants did role plays, sang and acted in both English and Cantonese. No wonder Hong Kong has no lack of actors and actresses! Though at the end of yesterday, they were visibly drained and tired, they showed that what we presented had not gone to waste. They showed much clarity in their understanding of the key essence of LCs – the cycle, critical friendship, reflection and dialogue.
It was not difficult as we got on to the many table activities of crafting the AOC, RQ, CQ and strategies. Participants shared their experiences as facilitators and members and enriched one another with their learning.
It was heartwarming indeed as participants shared how by going through reflection and dialogue, they are now clearer with the processes and also more focused in action planning, having a shared understanding of the Area of Concern.
Participants volunteered themselves in the sharing to the large group of their learning and experience as a facilitator or member.
Lunch time: Our hospitable host, Mr Yau, Principal of the hosting school and President of the LC Association treated us to lunch at a nearby Tim-Sum restaurant. We were treated to mouth-watering HK delicacies such as har kow (prawn dumplings), steamed garoupa rice and of course the famous HK roasted goose. Even though we were reminded of the LC geese, we loved the taste! (Sorry LC geese!)
It was a very good round-table meal with him and 3 other LC practicing LC facilitators. We discussed a range of topics, from food to policies, economic, education, culture and social practices in both HK and Singapore. It was a meaningful lunch of networking and building the partnership with our HK counterparts.
LCB Celebration…..
Mr Yau graced the occasion by giving us the closing address and congratulating all the newly trained facilitators. In his closing address, Mr Yau also highlighted the importance of sustaining and further developing TN’s partnership with HK schools.
Mr Yau awarded first certificate and the subsequent certificates were handed down from one participant to the next. The mood was almost festive like with the participants making full use of their noise makers and cheering for each other. We had the traditional toast after all the certificates had been given out.
A long day but there was no hiding our satisfaction when we saw the smiles on the faces of our newly trained Hong Kong facilitators.
We celebrated one success but our minds were already focused on tomorrow’s Booster session. Time to work again…
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
LCB Updates( Day 1) -14th Oct
Opening Addresses by Education Bureau Officer & President of LC Association
We arrived at the workshop venue at 8am and waited eagerly for the sponsors and participants. We did some final arrangements and Najeeb met up with 2 table facilitators to brief them on their roles. Mr Peter Wong, Education Bureau Officer and also the organizer of our HK LC sharing introduced Mr Joshua Yau, the Principal of the school & President of the LC Association in Hong Kong that hosted the workshop. Mr Yau was in S’pore in 2000 for school visits and heard about Learning Circles. The LC session was declared open after Mr Yau gave the welcome speech to the participants.
The LC Session:
Teachers were highly energized at the start of the session. They came with an positive attitude, with an open mind to learn, though most of them have no knowledge of LC. They participated enthusiastically in all the activities and shared their learning comfortably with members at the table though it could be the first time they were meeting one another.
The 2 tea-breaks were good with the hosting school provision of cakes and pastry from the popular Saint Honor cakeshop in HK. According to the practice in HK, teachers were given one and a half hours to go out for lunch, and they had to rush off by 12.15pm, to avoid clashing with the students’ lunch hour at 12.45pm. We found out that 90% of schools in HK function from 8am to 3.30pm and their lunch hour break being 12.45pm, where students are allowed to leave the school to take lunch.
After the initial ‘getting to know one another’ activities and the basic understanding of LC, participants got into the non-negotiable hard facts segments of LC – critical friendship, reflection and dialogue. It was overwhelming information for participants but nevertheless, they sat through the segments and learnt with an open mind. There was much sharing of experiences at the table level and a number volunteered in the big group sharing. Participants shared in a language they are comfortable with, using both English and Cantonese.
Participants asked relevant and meaningful questions regarding LCs and we tried to address their concerns by sharing our Singapore experience.
At the end of a tired but great learning day, participants left the workshop venue ready for another learning session tomorrow.
We stayed behind to brief the table facilitators for tomorrow’s session and interviewed the President of the HK LC Association.
Marketing TN services & programmes & Introducing the Singapore Education System to the participants
During one of the energizers, Najeeb took the opportunity to conduct a quiz on participants’ knowledge of TN’s programmes & services. They were asked to visit the information booth (which also featured the Singapore Education System). Prizes were given to the winners who could name at least one service or programme offered by TN.
We arrived at the workshop venue at 8am and waited eagerly for the sponsors and participants. We did some final arrangements and Najeeb met up with 2 table facilitators to brief them on their roles. Mr Peter Wong, Education Bureau Officer and also the organizer of our HK LC sharing introduced Mr Joshua Yau, the Principal of the school & President of the LC Association in Hong Kong that hosted the workshop. Mr Yau was in S’pore in 2000 for school visits and heard about Learning Circles. The LC session was declared open after Mr Yau gave the welcome speech to the participants.
The LC Session:
Teachers were highly energized at the start of the session. They came with an positive attitude, with an open mind to learn, though most of them have no knowledge of LC. They participated enthusiastically in all the activities and shared their learning comfortably with members at the table though it could be the first time they were meeting one another.
The 2 tea-breaks were good with the hosting school provision of cakes and pastry from the popular Saint Honor cakeshop in HK. According to the practice in HK, teachers were given one and a half hours to go out for lunch, and they had to rush off by 12.15pm, to avoid clashing with the students’ lunch hour at 12.45pm. We found out that 90% of schools in HK function from 8am to 3.30pm and their lunch hour break being 12.45pm, where students are allowed to leave the school to take lunch.
After the initial ‘getting to know one another’ activities and the basic understanding of LC, participants got into the non-negotiable hard facts segments of LC – critical friendship, reflection and dialogue. It was overwhelming information for participants but nevertheless, they sat through the segments and learnt with an open mind. There was much sharing of experiences at the table level and a number volunteered in the big group sharing. Participants shared in a language they are comfortable with, using both English and Cantonese.
Participants asked relevant and meaningful questions regarding LCs and we tried to address their concerns by sharing our Singapore experience.
At the end of a tired but great learning day, participants left the workshop venue ready for another learning session tomorrow.
We stayed behind to brief the table facilitators for tomorrow’s session and interviewed the President of the HK LC Association.
Marketing TN services & programmes & Introducing the Singapore Education System to the participants
During one of the energizers, Najeeb took the opportunity to conduct a quiz on participants’ knowledge of TN’s programmes & services. They were asked to visit the information booth (which also featured the Singapore Education System). Prizes were given to the winners who could name at least one service or programme offered by TN.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Day 2- LCB Set-up, Marketing, Gimmicks and the Amazing Power of Leverage
We started the set up at Tsung Tsin Christian Academy at 2 pm where we were warmly welcomed by Jenny, the LC Coordinator of the school. Jenny had arranged everything we needed from the venue to logistics support. Our logistics had arrived safely in Hong Kong. It was now time to begin the set up.
When doing the set up, we had to consider a few factors – Would our HongKong colleagues be able to understand us? Especially Najeeb ….whose Cantonese lessons had gone somewhat awry. The only words he picked up were… ‘Lei Hou Lang’ (You are beautiful) and trying his luck with random HK girls (He hasn’t had any luck yet)
Fortunately, we had printed out Chinese versions of the entire LC Cycle. The Chinese version covered vital LC terms such as AOC, CF, Dialogue, and Reflection More importantly, it also gave a brief overview of the actual LC Cycle and an authentic LC project by St Anthony’s Canossian Primary (SACPS). This would most definitely benefit our Cantonese speaking audience and provide them with some idea of the LC process.
We also thought that it would be great if our HK colleagues knew more about our education system and the type of work we do in TN. So our set up included a mini TN Booth where we proudly displayed TN’s VMV. A full list of TN programmes and services (TWA, LC, Workshops, TC, Publications. Chinese versions of course) was also displayed neatly.
We realized that letting our HK counterparts know about TN would be mutually beneficial. (Future partners for TC 2010? –with TC potentially going international in 2010? More sources for overseas TWA?). The possibilities for deepening present partnerships and building new ones was truly infinite. We drooled at the prospects - One booth. Many potential partnerships. The amazing power of leverage.
The key question…’How do we make our HK colleagues actually read the booth during their tea break?’ What would make someone on a workshop to read a booth display? In capitalist Hong Kong (and pretty much anywhere else in the world), the answer is simple. Lure your audience with prizes and goodies. So one of our strategies was to have a short quiz for the participants after the tea break.
Participants who answered correctly would be given a TWA pencil or a limited edition (that’s what they would be told anyway) OLive post it pad. Even the prizes carry the TN programmes (TWA, OLive). The prizes may be tokenistic but the participants would always remember TN.(Speak of a marketing gimmick!) The quiz would also act as an energizer after the break. (Just imagine the participants rushing to answer questions about TN to get their hands on the limited edition OLive post-it pads and the highly coveted TWA pencils!)
Beyond just telling our participants about TN, we also felt that it be useful to inform our participants about the larger Singapore educational landscape. This would provide them some background information and context. We planned to show the MOE corporate video and planned to give the MOE corporate brochures (these are the latest versions which CCD so generously let us use) to anyone who wanted to find out more.
It was close to 7.30 pm by the time we finished our set up. Despite the long day and not having taken any dinner, we did not feel tired nor hungry. We had greater issues to worry about.
On our way home, several thoughts ran through our minds, ‘Would our HK teachers understand us? Would they fall for our marketing gimmick? Would too many teachers rush to answer the questions? Were we prepared for the chaos? Would Hong Kong know about TN? Most importantly, would Najeeb finally get lucky?
Another long and exciting day beckons tomorrow. Join us in our HK adventure. Watch this space.
When doing the set up, we had to consider a few factors – Would our HongKong colleagues be able to understand us? Especially Najeeb ….whose Cantonese lessons had gone somewhat awry. The only words he picked up were… ‘Lei Hou Lang’ (You are beautiful) and trying his luck with random HK girls (He hasn’t had any luck yet)
Fortunately, we had printed out Chinese versions of the entire LC Cycle. The Chinese version covered vital LC terms such as AOC, CF, Dialogue, and Reflection More importantly, it also gave a brief overview of the actual LC Cycle and an authentic LC project by St Anthony’s Canossian Primary (SACPS). This would most definitely benefit our Cantonese speaking audience and provide them with some idea of the LC process.
We also thought that it would be great if our HK colleagues knew more about our education system and the type of work we do in TN. So our set up included a mini TN Booth where we proudly displayed TN’s VMV. A full list of TN programmes and services (TWA, LC, Workshops, TC, Publications. Chinese versions of course) was also displayed neatly.
We realized that letting our HK counterparts know about TN would be mutually beneficial. (Future partners for TC 2010? –with TC potentially going international in 2010? More sources for overseas TWA?). The possibilities for deepening present partnerships and building new ones was truly infinite. We drooled at the prospects - One booth. Many potential partnerships. The amazing power of leverage.
The key question…’How do we make our HK colleagues actually read the booth during their tea break?’ What would make someone on a workshop to read a booth display? In capitalist Hong Kong (and pretty much anywhere else in the world), the answer is simple. Lure your audience with prizes and goodies. So one of our strategies was to have a short quiz for the participants after the tea break.
Participants who answered correctly would be given a TWA pencil or a limited edition (that’s what they would be told anyway) OLive post it pad. Even the prizes carry the TN programmes (TWA, OLive). The prizes may be tokenistic but the participants would always remember TN.(Speak of a marketing gimmick!) The quiz would also act as an energizer after the break. (Just imagine the participants rushing to answer questions about TN to get their hands on the limited edition OLive post-it pads and the highly coveted TWA pencils!)
Beyond just telling our participants about TN, we also felt that it be useful to inform our participants about the larger Singapore educational landscape. This would provide them some background information and context. We planned to show the MOE corporate video and planned to give the MOE corporate brochures (these are the latest versions which CCD so generously let us use) to anyone who wanted to find out more.
It was close to 7.30 pm by the time we finished our set up. Despite the long day and not having taken any dinner, we did not feel tired nor hungry. We had greater issues to worry about.
On our way home, several thoughts ran through our minds, ‘Would our HK teachers understand us? Would they fall for our marketing gimmick? Would too many teachers rush to answer the questions? Were we prepared for the chaos? Would Hong Kong know about TN? Most importantly, would Najeeb finally get lucky?
Another long and exciting day beckons tomorrow. Join us in our HK adventure. Watch this space.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Day 1- Arrival
“Hong Kong LC”
We noticed someone with a placard standing along the aisle as we made our way out of the arrival hall.
Kelvin, the Vice-Principal of CCC Tam Lee Lai Fun Memorial Secondary School smiled as we waved to him. He was there at the airport to receive us and to send us to the hotel. He was really all out to serve us. In fact, he had just attended church service and he actually rushed down to receive us. He even rented a MPV so that both man and equipment would be packed into it. Indeed, we will not forget his act of kindness towards us, we shall repay him before we leave.
Having spent 4 hours in the air and having to endure the not so edible airline brunch, we were actually looking forward to sample some of the authentic Hong Kong food that we heard so much of. So, after dumping our barang barang in the hotel room, we went out of the hotel and buried ourselves in a sea of food.
“Ok guys, have a good rest, tomorrow we will be at Tsung Tsin Christian Academy to brief our LC facilitators”, Jeeb said. “Tonight go and enjoy yourself before work starts.”
We noticed someone with a placard standing along the aisle as we made our way out of the arrival hall.
Kelvin, the Vice-Principal of CCC Tam Lee Lai Fun Memorial Secondary School smiled as we waved to him. He was there at the airport to receive us and to send us to the hotel. He was really all out to serve us. In fact, he had just attended church service and he actually rushed down to receive us. He even rented a MPV so that both man and equipment would be packed into it. Indeed, we will not forget his act of kindness towards us, we shall repay him before we leave.
Having spent 4 hours in the air and having to endure the not so edible airline brunch, we were actually looking forward to sample some of the authentic Hong Kong food that we heard so much of. So, after dumping our barang barang in the hotel room, we went out of the hotel and buried ourselves in a sea of food.
“Ok guys, have a good rest, tomorrow we will be at Tsung Tsin Christian Academy to brief our LC facilitators”, Jeeb said. “Tonight go and enjoy yourself before work starts.”
Friday, October 10, 2008
Day (-1) : Ready to Go !
" Hello guys, I need a Cantonese lesson on greeting words?"
We smiled as our tall lanky brother walked into the room with food in his hands. His eyes all fired up, ready to pick up a language which he will be using very soon. You cannot but admire Jeeb for his gung-ho spirit of wanting to learn Cantonese to connect with the audience.
A quick glance around the room, one would see that this is no ordinary meeting. Flip charts detailing the various LC terms with their traditional Chinese characters equivalent,schedule plans, laptops, webcams, chinese dictionaries, Lonely Planet Hong Kong Guide & HK Education Bureau annual reports are spewned all over the table.
Welcome to our Hong Kong LC Planning Session. This is one of the numerous sessions that the team has in preparation for the coming trip. When the order to go was given by DD in February, the team quickly convened & brainstormed on how we could deliver quality training to our customers. Bearing in mind DD's message on the importance of details, the team looked into every aspect of the preparation. These included everything from bi-lingualising the slides to doing research on the Hong Kong Educational System to designing A3 bi-lingual publicity materials to market TN's services & programmes.
" Ok Jeeb .Let's start" . The ever affable Tommy took a piece of paper and started to write down some romanized English words..." Dai Ga Hou, Lei Hou Ma... Ngo Ai Na Kei Ah Sin"
(Hello everybody, how are you? My name is Najeeb Assan)
" One more.. when you see pretty ladies, say...." Lei Hou Lang" (You are beautiful), added Denise.
After a short lesson, the team begins to do a final inspection on the logisitics :
"LCB & booster slides "bi-lingualised" & sent over to Peter for printing?" Done.
" Name tags & designations in traditional chinese characters printed?" Done.
"Baroque music to be used during activity time loaded into laptop?" Yes.
"A3 posters on TN's vision, mission, services & programmes printed & laminated?" Done.
"50 copies of Intro to Singapore Education System brochures from CCD collected" Yes.
"A3 posters on Intro to Singapore Education System printed & laminated? Done.
"MOE corporate video, LCB & Booster videos,videos introducing Singapore such as NDP MTVs all loaded into laptop? Yes.
"Ok guys, well done". Team Leader, Jeeb added. "One last thing before we end.. Tommy will go through with us the pre-departure information on HK which covers the HK educational system, admin & safety briefings.Also what's the expected weather forecast for the next 7 days in Hong Kong?"
" Next 7 days mostly cloudy. Typoon threat zero at the moment."
" Great, let's proceed with the briefing, we will meet at the airport on Sunday at 0645 hrs.
香港, 我們來了！
We smiled as our tall lanky brother walked into the room with food in his hands. His eyes all fired up, ready to pick up a language which he will be using very soon. You cannot but admire Jeeb for his gung-ho spirit of wanting to learn Cantonese to connect with the audience.
A quick glance around the room, one would see that this is no ordinary meeting. Flip charts detailing the various LC terms with their traditional Chinese characters equivalent,schedule plans, laptops, webcams, chinese dictionaries, Lonely Planet Hong Kong Guide & HK Education Bureau annual reports are spewned all over the table.
Welcome to our Hong Kong LC Planning Session. This is one of the numerous sessions that the team has in preparation for the coming trip. When the order to go was given by DD in February, the team quickly convened & brainstormed on how we could deliver quality training to our customers. Bearing in mind DD's message on the importance of details, the team looked into every aspect of the preparation. These included everything from bi-lingualising the slides to doing research on the Hong Kong Educational System to designing A3 bi-lingual publicity materials to market TN's services & programmes.
" Ok Jeeb .Let's start" . The ever affable Tommy took a piece of paper and started to write down some romanized English words..." Dai Ga Hou, Lei Hou Ma... Ngo Ai Na Kei Ah Sin"
(Hello everybody, how are you? My name is Najeeb Assan)
" One more.. when you see pretty ladies, say...." Lei Hou Lang" (You are beautiful), added Denise.
After a short lesson, the team begins to do a final inspection on the logisitics :
"LCB & booster slides "bi-lingualised" & sent over to Peter for printing?" Done.
" Name tags & designations in traditional chinese characters printed?" Done.
"Baroque music to be used during activity time loaded into laptop?" Yes.
"A3 posters on TN's vision, mission, services & programmes printed & laminated?" Done.
"50 copies of Intro to Singapore Education System brochures from CCD collected" Yes.
"A3 posters on Intro to Singapore Education System printed & laminated? Done.
"MOE corporate video, LCB & Booster videos,videos introducing Singapore such as NDP MTVs all loaded into laptop? Yes.
"Ok guys, well done". Team Leader, Jeeb added. "One last thing before we end.. Tommy will go through with us the pre-departure information on HK which covers the HK educational system, admin & safety briefings.Also what's the expected weather forecast for the next 7 days in Hong Kong?"
" Next 7 days mostly cloudy. Typoon threat zero at the moment."
" Great, let's proceed with the briefing, we will meet at the airport on Sunday at 0645 hrs.
香港, 我們來了！
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