“Letting students step out of the classroom and learn values ​​through outdoor experiential learning can better inspire their unlimited potential and correct values. The students’ experience is the most important,” said teacher Wu Jinxiao.

Monthly hikes to learn about history, culture and science

In the past two years, Mr. Wu has set up a mountain and wilderness group in the school, leading students to explore different hiking routes once or twice a month, so that they can learn about Hong Kong’s history, culture and scientific knowledge, cultivate students’ spirit of perseverance, benevolence, solidarity and mutual assistance, and national identity, and establish a deep “teacher-father” harmonious relationship. The exploration routes he designed have attracted many primary and secondary school teachers to observe and learn, and to join in and promote them.

“Education can change the future. Children’s growth education is very important. My dream is to bring students to study in such a beautiful natural environment as Hong Kong, to learn about traditional culture and nature through experiential learning, and to gain national identity from it.” Wu Jinxiao, who has been engaged in teaching for nearly 26 years, served as the vice principal and general knowledge, computer, physical education and art teacher of the Chinese Christian Church Kei Ching Primary School, and has worked in the school for 20 years.

Mr. Wu loves nature and has extensive hiking experience. He often takes his children hiking. In October 2022, he summarized his past hiking experiences and insights, selected more special routes that can provide diversified learning, have a certain degree of difficulty and are worth leading students to explore, and established a program called “Mountain and Wild Trails”. Using Saturdays and holidays, at least ten times a year, he will lead 20 fifth and sixth grade students to challenge the country trails with different characteristics in Hong Kong and embark on the road of pursuing their dreams.

Searching for the Lost Fishing Village Receives High Comments from Academics

This activity has been supported by the Hong Kong Teachers’ Dream Fund for two consecutive years. In the previous academic year, one of Teacher Wu’s activities, called “Searching for the Lost Fishing Village”, was widely recognized and praised by the academic community. This year, the “Mountain and Wildlife Tracking” project has become one of the courses in the National Education Local Field Trip Series for the Moral, Civic and National Education Section of the Education Bureau to train teachers.

In the past two years, Teacher Wu and his students have traveled more than ten routes, even hiking up Dadong Mountain late at night and watching the sunrise at Fenghuang Mountain.

He said that Hong Kong’s mountains have a wealth of knowledge and historical culture for children to experience, which cannot be seen in the classroom. For example, the hexagonal columns in Hong Kong taught in textbooks can only be felt by visiting the site in person. There are also different plants and animals, and astronomical phenomena when hiking at night, all of which can be explored and learned while hiking.

Last year, he led his classmates to explore the countryside of Lin Ma Hang in Sheung Shui, visited the village chief, learned about the surrounding history and special geographical environment, and explored the mines. “At that time, many facilities were not available, so I asked the children to take 360-degree photos, and then came back to make a scene combining AR and VR, and used their perspective to design the facilities of the country park.”

The children thought of many things, such as smart bicycle parking spaces, smart water dispensers, smart toilets, etc., and how the museum in the mine should be displayed to make it more suitable for citizens and students to learn, etc. “It’s really colorful.”

“Most of the children in the school come from low-income families with both parents working. Some children have no or few opportunities to participate in such activities. I really want to share my family experience with these children and let them experience and grow in nature.”

He often uses the example of hiking to encourage students – only by not giving up and persevering to the end can you achieve victory.

My wife and children volunteered to lead students hiking

Wu Jinxiao has a son and a daughter, who are in Form 4 and Primary 6 respectively. On weekdays, she has to take care of daily teaching and school administration, and also design different routes and themes, and take students hiking on weekends and holidays.

What ideals and beliefs make him enjoy this and balance taking care of his family? “I think it is the anticipation, smiles and satisfaction of the children every time I see them, as well as the deep relationship I have established with them,” Wu Jinxiao said with emotion.

“Every time I go hiking, there are many things to consider and deal with before and after, such as safety issues and route design, which all need to be planned and arranged in advance.” He often “captures” his wife, children and students to go hiking together, letting family members serve as volunteers to help each other and grow together. “For two years, they (family members) have been helping me do this, helping me to fulfill this dream and achieve a good balance.”

On the day of the visit, Mr. Wu was discussing with his students a hiking trip to Ganzhou Yashan Scenic Area at the end of the month. This was the first time he led students to hike in the mainland, and all the itineraries were arranged in advance.

This four-day and three-night trip included learning about the local history and culture, such as tea picking, tea making, tea ceremony, bamboo weaving and Hakka culture, as well as hiking and stargazing at sunrise at night. The itinerary was very rich.

The students were excited before they even set off, and asked questions and answered them enthusiastically. Some students pointed out that Hong Kong has light pollution and many high-rise buildings, and they believe that they will see more and brighter stars at Yashan. Some students said that many cars in the mainland have been converted to electric vehicles, which emit less exhaust gas than Hong Kong, and the scenery must be very beautiful. Some students said that when they traveled with their families in the past, they always took the cable car up and down the mountain, and had never tried hiking, so they were very excited. Some students were curious about how tea is made, and wanted to learn bamboo weaving, etc. They talked a lot and were full of expectations for the trip.

Teacher Wu said that they had been hiking in Hong Kong for the past two years and this time was very special. He asked the students to remember all the questions and experience, compare and learn well.

“It is indeed hard work, but every time I see their smiles and expectations, and the relationships we have established, I forget all the hard work. It is the children who give me motivation. I really want to thank them. It is they who helped me realize my dream and accompanied me in pursuing my dream.”