Visitors: Please bookmark this page for the latest announcements and reports for the Chinglin Tutoring Program 2006. Check back as the program begins, runs and concludes throughout the summer from July 17 to August 4, 2006.

Program epilog (August 15, 2006)
Program update (August 1, 2006)
Program kick-off (July 17, 2006)
Program update (July 16, 2006)
Program duration update (June 27, 2006)
Program organization meeting announcement (June 20, 2006)
Program guidelines (June 20, 2006)
Program contact

Program Epilog (August 15, 2006)

Thanks to all students and tutors for making this year's program another success. We had an end-of-program party, a debriefing of the program with both students and tutors, and then all have been diligently writing up their reflections and essays summarizing their experiences. This experience sharing is most welcome to bring the Chinglin Program 2006 to a memorable conclusion.

Read students' reflections 2006.
Read tutors' essays and experience sharing.

Program Update (August 1, 2006)

We are into the third week of the Chinglin Program and approaching the end of the program unbelievably fast. Byron and Jordan, two of our six tutors have finished with their rounds and embarked on their summer travels as originally planned. Calista, Francis, John, and Rosy took up additional tutoring load after a break in the program on July 28. It was a nice break with a much-coveted trip to the Ocean Park although the tutors and the students, who went on the trip courtesy of Fukien Middle School (North Point), toured the park each in their own ways. The team also mobilized extra support from John's younger sister Jennifer, who learned of the program and the shortage of tutors, and stepped in to assist in the final week of the program. Thank you, Jennifer!

Overall, the team members have been able to resolve scheduling, class activity and curriculum, and other problems as they come up. They also have to brave the constant noise disruption from the school renovation. As the program comes to a close, the team is reminded on the following:

Things to do:

1. Plan for an end-of-program lunch party for all tutors and the Fukien Middle School (North Point) students on the last day of class, Friday August 4. All should participate so feel free to plan the details of the party together with the Fukien students. The party can be held at the school and Maplewood will sponsor the food and refreshments (at a budget of $30/person). The team can design any games, activities, speeches, performance at the party. A ceremony to present Certificates of Attendance to the students and Certificates of Recognition to the team for their services should be included in the run-down. Please let both Fukien and Maplewood coordinators know your time, place, run-down and other details as soon as possible.  

2. Debriefing on the Chinglin Program. We are going to have a debriefing for the student tutors on the last day of class. The debriefing will take about an hour and will let all tutors share their experiences and thoughts on the program. Maplewood has prepared a questionnaire to collect the tutors' feedback on the program. Fukien students may also be present at the debriefing to share their own experiences. While some experience sharing may be done through speeches during the lunch party, this debriefing is a more formal session which will take place in the final class after the lunch party. Fukien and Maplewood coordinators will be present to facilitate the debriefing.

3. Summary of tutoring experience. All student tutors are to write up a summary of their experience in the Chinglin Peer Tutoring Program in 400-800 words by August 15, 2006. We want you to reflect upon your own personal growth and development through your community involvement, and express whatever you feel strongly about the program - positive or negative - so that we can improve the program in the future. Maplewood plans to compile these writings on the Chinglin 2006 website which will also include write-ups by the Fukien students on their own learning experiences in the program. We believe this will serve the memory well for all who have participated in the Chinglin program in 2006.  

Keep up with your good work!

Program Kick-off (July 17, 2006)

Chinglin 2006 kicked off on July 17. The team of six assembled at Fukien Middle School (North Point) on time and quickly deliberated on their tutoring schedules as two of the tutors were meeting the rest of the team for the first time.  The team then met 20 students in a general introduction session. Word games were played to help break the ice but it took no more than an instant to arrive at a lively, cheerful atmosphere, thanks to the warmth and playfulness of the tutors and the enthusiastic response from the students. Following a short break, the tutors broke into three groups to meet their assigned students in three classrooms. Each group engaged in different learning games, conversational exercises, or reading activities. The team will be viewing a student English drama video on July 18 to help them gauge the students' level of competence and plan their lessons accordingly.

Program Update (July 16, 2006)

Good news over the weekend! We have a new tutor Francis joining the team. He was briefed on the program by Maplewood and will show up Monday July 17 at the first day of class at Fukien Middle School (North Point).

Chinglin Team 2006 will consist of 6 tutors: John, Byron, Jordan, Rosy, Calista and Francis who will take up 21 students in 7 groups every afternoon from Monday to Friday from July 17, 2006 on for three weeks.  

The team had held a program organization meeting on July 12, 2006. There was a lively discussion among the team members, the coordinators from Maplewood and Fukien Middle School (North Point), and team members from last year Jane, Daphne and Tammy who came specially to share their experiences and insights. (Daphne, who is attending independent boarding school in the UK, was pleasantly surprised to find that Calista, one of her former classmates in Hong Kong, is among those who signed up with Chinglin this year! What a small world!)  

During the organization meeting, the team was briefed on the background of Fukien Middle School (North Point), the students, and the school's special 6-month "bridging" program for New Arrived Students (those who have recently immigrated to Hong Kong primarily from the mainland).  

The team discussed what curriculum and activities may be appropriate for the students on the first day of class. They heard good advice and suggestions from Chinglin team members last year and experienced English teachers Nancy Chan, our coordinator from Fukien Middle School (North Point), and Mimi Ho of Sir Ellis Kadoorie Secondary School (West Kowloon).   Team members also worked on a preliminary tutoring schedule with provision for backups when one or more tutors are away on certain days.  

On Friday, July 28, 2006, Fukien Middle School (North Point) will visit the Hong Kong Ocean Park on a school outing. Tutors were all excited to be able to join in the outing for free even though they will have to go there by themselves and pay for their own food and drinks. The day will certainly be a special day in this year's Chinglin program.  

Not all members of the Chinglin team were able to attend the organization meeting. John volunteered to get in touch with Calista, who was out of town, to brief her on the team's planning and the tutors' scheduling for the coming three weeks.  

At one point, team members took turn to explain why they joined the Chinglin program. Reasons cited include communicating with peers, helping other people, giving something back to the community, improving skills in the teaching of English (this came from a tutor who has taught English to primary school children in a classroom setting), and learning how to teach. All are valid motives indeed. We wish all members will achieve what they hope for in the program.  

Read up on Backgrounder on Peer Tutoring given out at organization meeting.

Will see you all on Monday July 17 at 2:00 pm at the school. Please call or email Program Contact if you have any questions.

Program Duration Update (June 27, 2006)

We received a late notification from the Fukien Middle School (North Point) that because of summer renovation and construction noise at the school in August, our Chinglin Program will be held from July 17 to August 4, 2006 for three weeks instead of the previous five weeks. Classes will now be held from 2 to 5 pm on Mondays through Fridays, or 5 afternoons per week. The total number of program hours are the same - maximum of 45 hours - but that would also mean a rescheduling of our volunteers' summer hours for Chinglin. Tutors are expected to come in more than 3 days a week to build up the target hours and experience.

All volunteer tutors who have signed up to date will be notified of this change in Chinglin schedules. The program organization and planning meeting will still be held on July 12, 2006 as previously scheduled.

To date, we have confirmation that at least three student tutors from Chinglin 2005 are coming to the planning meeting to share their experience and insights with our new group of volunteer tutors.

Program Organization Meeting Announcement (June 20, 2006)

20 students from Fukien Middle School (North Point), a local Hong Kong secondary school, have signed up for the tutoring program. They are finishing Form 3 and plan to go on to Form 4 in other secondary schools in Hong Kong.  

Organization meeting details:  

Date: July 12, 2006 (Wednesday)
Time:  6:00-8:00 pm
Place: Maplewood's office, 31/F, 88 Hing Fat Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Tel 2107 4108 / 9109 1750 (map)  

At this organization meeting, we plan to:  

• let fellow volunteer students introduce to each other (since you'll all be in one team)
• explain and discuss the objectives of the program in detail
• introduce the coordinators of the program from Maplewood and Fukien Middle School (North Point)
• brief on the background of Fukien students and their school
• introduce and discuss the English language curriculum
• brainstorm any other specific needs and goals
• discuss implementation of the program
• set up team structure and program logistics (class/activities scheduling, tutor availability dates, etc.)
• AOB (any other business)  

Things to do:  

1. For Hong Kong volunteer students who have signed up in the Chinglin program, please confirm your attendance for the organization meeting on July 12 at chinglin@maplewood-edu.com.

2. For volunteer students currently not in Hong Kong, please let us know when you will be back in Hong Kong and confirm your attendance for the organization meeting on July 12. 

3. If you have not confirmed your availability dates for the program, please let us know before July 12 at chinglin@maplewood-edu.com so that we can schedule you in for the dates you will be available.

4. Bookmark this link for the latest program info update:
http://www.maplewood-edu.com/community/chinglin2006_details.htm

If you have any questions any time, please call or email Program Contact.

Program Guidelines (June 20, 2006)

• Target students - students finishing F3 at Fukien Middel School (North Point); Chinese name: 福建中學 (北角)
• Volunteer tutors - high school students attending other local secondary schools, international schools, boarding schools in UK or USA who are in Hong Kong for the summer
• Place - classrooms at Fukien Middle School (North Point). Address at 1 Java Road, North Point, Hong Kong (map)
• Duration - July 17 through August 18 4, 2006. (See Program update June 27, 2006.)
• Hours - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays Monday to Friday 2:00 to 5:00 pm. (See Program update June 27, 2006.)
• Time commitment for tutors - 2-3 3-5 afternoons per week, 3 hours per session. Minimum 10 sessions x 3 hours per sesion = 30 hours. Maximum 5 weeks x 3 sessions or 9 hours/week = 45 hours 3 weeks x 5 sessions or 15 hours/week = 45 hours. (See Program update June 27, 2006.)Additional hours for program planning, keeping a diary and reporting.
• Tutors should demonstrate good teamwork in planning activities and setting up schedules among themselves including backup if any tutor is to be absent for any session.
• Commitment from Fukien students - must attend at least 90% of classes to obtain a citation from Maplewood/Fukien. Absence must be notified before class.
• Tutor/student ratio - one tutor to two to four students
• To do list:

  - Organizing and planning of curriculum and schedules by tutoring students. Coordination by Maplewood and Fukien for venue and classrooms.

  - Program planning meeting of tutoring students before program starts. Program diary. program debrief, and survey/questionnaire by tutors and students at end of program.

  - A kick-off orientation meeting and an end-of-program party for all participants at the end.

  - Creativity in the learning program is very much encouraged. For example, tutors may design games, an outing to a movie or performance, a trip to a place of visit seldom taken by the students, but only English should be spoken in these excursions and the learning objectives should be defined and understood by all.

Program Contact

General info and enrolment:

Send email to chinglin@maplewood-edu.com with your name, a brief description of your age, year of study, school, your availability for the weeks of July 17 to August 18 4, 2006 (see Program update June 27, 2006), your contact email and phone no. Maplewood will confirm receiving your email and confirm enrolment. Thank you!

Maplewood coordinator contacts:

Perry Yu
Education Consultant and Director
Maplewood Education Services
Email: pyu@maplewood-edu.com
Tel: +852 9109 1750

David Lai
Education Consultant and Director
Maplewood Education Services
Email: dlai@maplewood-edu.com
Tel: +852 9771 6999

Fukien Middle School coordinator contact:

Miss Nancy Chan
English Teacher, Fukien Middle School (North Point)
Email: skc24154175@i-cable.com
Tel: +852 2578 1753 (school); +852 6050 4122 (mobile)

Other school info:
Fax: +852 2571 3987 Email: email@fmsnp.edu.hk

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