Commune Science｜The section director sticks to his post and changes information transmission tool: I just want to teach students to stay

The senior high school citizenship and social development subject will be implemented in the fourth grade of the new school year, gradually replacing the general education subject.

The new subject was launched in less than a year from the announcement to the implementation. Under the lack of textbooks, grading criteria, and sufficient teacher training, general education teachers hurriedly "transformed" to teaching.

Mr. Chen (pseudonym), director of General Studies and Commune, said frankly that he feels pressure to be responsible for the new subject. The content of the course is not what it used to be. The education of national conditions is emphasized and the focus is on recitation. Under the curriculum and national security education guidelines, the teaching space has been greatly narrowed. Only the official textbook briefing will be followed, and open and free discussions will not be arranged in the classroom to avoid the risk of violations.

She said frankly that she was pessimistic about the prospects of commune science and predicted that it would eventually become a "leisure course", and that the room for teaching would not be as good as before. Teaching students, it’s not in this subject."

Commune Science Series One-"Stay"

Further reading:

Commune Science | General Education Teachers Adjust Mental Attitude Transformation and Teaching Tourism Hospitality: Education cannot be desperate

Commune Science︱University Liberal Studies graduates abandon the teacher’s dream and denounce the new subject for violation of educational purposes

Teacher Chen, who has taught general education in high school for more than ten years, bluntly dislikes commune science, stays behind in his post, and is driven by responsibility.

(Photo by Yu Junliang)

Senior officials of the Education Bureau emphasized that the head of the subject should be accountable to teachers

Mr. Chen, who has taught general education in high school for more than ten years, will have more than one identity in the new school year and will also teach the subject of citizenship and social development.

The Education Bureau decided to "reform" the Liberal Studies subject, and it took only about nine months to implement the Commune Science. The new school year does not provide textbooks and examination paper grading criteria. Only three months before the start of school, online seminars and training will be arranged and some courses will be provided. Teaching briefings, reference materials and worksheets.

Forced to rush to "transform", she bluntly said that she felt pressured to be in charge of the new subject and worried that teaching would easily touch the "red line" by mistake.

The Deputy Secretary-General of the Education Bureau, Kang Chen Cuihua, stated in the Legislative Council earlier that section directors must be held accountable for teaching materials, and that content related to constitutional order, the Basic Law, and the National Security Law "cannot be misinterpreted."

Teacher Chen said that the warnings from senior officials of the Education Bureau were still in their ears, and the teacher team immediately hesitated to conceive more vivid and interesting teaching methods, and lost motivation to reform the official textbooks. They frankly said that they would follow the official briefing, only trimming the content, and would never add additional teaching materials.

She explained that worrying about the content may be taken out of context and complaints, and the more serious may be at risk of breaking the law due to misteaching. To protect the safety of the teacher team, "you will not break the law if you teach the wrong grammar, but you can be suspected of breaking the law if you teach the wrong law."

The two-thirds of the Commune Science content revolves around national conditions, and there is limited room for discussion. Teacher Chen said that frontline teachers need to adapt again.

(Photo by Yu Junliang)

The content of Commune Science has been cut by half compared with the general education. Two-thirds of the content is based on national conditions. The examination papers are simplified to "up to standard" and "not up to standard," and independent special studies are abolished and replaced by non-scoring special studies in the mainland.

Mr. Chen, who has witnessed the birth of the Liberal Studies Department, said that the content of the new subject is not what it used to be, especially the topics one and two, "Hong Kong under "One Country, Two Systems"" and "Country Since Reform and Opening-up", focusing on instilling official information, involving the Constitution There is no interpretation space such as the system, which is obviously based on recitation, which is different from the general subjects that emphasized criticism and multi-angle thinking in the past.

She said that there are many group discussions in the Liberal Studies department, focusing on the topics of inquiry, thinking about both the pros and cons, and even the considerations of different stakeholders, and then the students will make a conclusion. Even if it involves political and legal issues, there is room for debate. There are so many topics in the world that are not only black and white. The Liberal Studies department trains students even if you don’t agree, you must focus on your opinions.”

Teacher Chen said frankly that the teaching commune will follow the official teaching materials to avoid breaking the red line.

(Photo by Yu Junliang)

There is no room for discussion on national security issues, the teacher wants to "correct" the point of view

However, the Comprehensive Commune Science and National Security Education Guidelines stipulate that classroom discussion of "developing" issues is prohibited. There is "no duality of pros and cons" on issues involving history, culture, and the rule of law, and there is no room for debate or compromise on national security issues. .

She gave an example. The syllabus described that national security does not hinder the rights of Hong Kong people. "It is not possible to discuss that it is guaranteed in class, but social stability and human rights must be guaranteed." Even if the students' views on the National Security Law are not in line with the official, She said that teachers will eventually "correct" their views, "The Education Bureau will leave the responsibility behind and make students feel nothing."

In order to avoid disputes in teaching and violation of teaching guidelines, she said that it is difficult to set up open group discussions in the commune. She has planned to change to the method of "throwing questions and students asking for answers" to try to increase the interactive nature of the classroom.

This "one-question-one-answer" teaching method still worries the teacher team. "They are worried that their students will resist and will not agree with the teacher's words, which will cause a lot of controversy."

Mr. Chen stayed at his post because he wanted to accompany the students, and said frankly that he would not like to teach communes.

(Photo by Yu Junliang)

Foreseeing that they will eventually become ``leisure subjects'', half of the six-person team do not want to teach

"I think the student Yijia is very eye-catching. Under the environment of the national security law, everyone knows to be careful and don't worry too much." Teacher Chen believes that the students understand the teacher's situation, but she is a little bit worried about how the students view the commune science teacher.

"In the past, as a general education teacher, I was a proud professional. I am worried that the students will look at the teacher, and will they have a negative evaluation of the teacher, so I must be unhappy."

She paused for a few seconds before saying, "I am very fond of general education, so I can teach general education first. You can change my course according to your family. If you change to general education, I won't like this subject. It's so difficult. Tie."

Transitioning from Liberal Studies to communal science teacher status, half of the colleagues in the six-member teacher team threatened not to teach, and actively prepared to transfer to other subjects. She insisted on her position, driven by pure responsibility, and because of her reluctance to give up students, she wanted to accompany her growth. I still want to teach, the department wants to teach students, not for this subject." The only subject I am looking forward to teaching Subject 3 is "Interconnected Contemporary World". I hope that I can have the remaining teaching play and encourage the team to improve the teaching. It's positive, but I will still actively develop the subject."

Regarding the future prospects of the commune science, she is bluntly pessimistic. There are only two levels of subjects. The prediction will be slowly ignored and eventually reduced to "leisure subjects." "We have no room for development. The government asks you to teach? The tool of delivery."

Commune and Social Sciences | General Education Teachers’ Mindset Transformation and Teaching Tourism and Hospitality: Education cannot be desperate. Commune Social Sciences ︱ University Liberal Studies graduates resent the teacher’s dream of opening new courses for violation of educational purposes.

01News