NET Scheme News 2023 Spring issue 43

The team led by John Orams, the NET from Hong Kong Red Cross John F. Kennedy Centre, which was awarded the Spirit of Filmit award, told me how much the students loved taking part and collaborating to make their film, and was grateful for the opportunity for his students to showcase their talents and develop collaboration skills. All winning students were invited to give an acceptance speech which was a unique and meaningful opportunity to practise their public speaking skills in front of a wider audience. One cannot help but think how these shiningexamples are going to carry us forward into the next chapter with hope and optimism. Students were keen to take photos to record the moment along with memorable quotations from the films and even signed four giant letters: H O P E with their own messages of hope. If, as us teachers often emphasise to our students, we need to come across new language in a minimum of 7 contexts to truly understand and embed this language, then I’m sure that our Hong Kong students have embraced this positivity and optimism and taken this message back to their classrooms, homes and playgrounds to spread the feeling. Last week, I was involved in the Speak Up – Act Out! workshop for teachers who would like to do more improvisational drama in school. Many students love role play, especially the primary kids, but in secondary, it is also great opportunity for students to use their creativity and imagination to put themselves into new situations. If you’re not enrolled for the competition this year, think about incorporating improvisation activities into the topics you teach to develop and diversify ideas as preparation for reading and writing activities. It is a wonderful way to develop empathy so students can get into the shoes of their characters and explore different perspectives for deeper understanding. It also offers hope as we search for the good in people! I personally remain optimistic about Hong Kong, especially since I have seen friends come back to the city from overseas with a renewed realisation that Hong Kong still offers awonderful environment in which to bring up children, and enjoy life with friends and colleagues, experience a diversity of languages and meet people from a rich variety of backgrounds and countries. And so, in the words of Alexander Hope, let’s hope that ‘Hope Springs Eternal’! Hannah Standring, Regional NET Coordinator, NET Section 7 NET Scheme News Issue 43