Philosophy

Busy Bees Kindergarten has the following three beliefs:

1. Learning occurs through social interaction and play.

   The role of the teachers is to create a nurturing, co-operative classroom environment where individuals can explore, discover and learn. Materials and activities are designed to foster active learning and creativity. Teachers and parents interact with and guide children where appropriate, as well as organize group activities in which children may participate.

2. A school should reflect the environment and serve the community in which it operates.

   As part of a diverse University community, Busy Bees will strive to create a multicultural learning environment where children of different ethnicities and nationalities can interact and learn in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Given Hong Kong's unique intersection of Chinese and Western cultures, it serves as the foundation for Busy Bees. Consistent with this foundation, Busy Bees will strive to create a bilingual environment in which both English and Putonghua are used.

3. Family is an integral part of a child's total development.

   Parents and teachers should work jointly for the good of each child. Parents whose children are enrolled at Busy Bees are invited to participate as Parent Helpers in the classroom on a regular basis. This will reduce the child/adult ratio and make a greater range of learning experiences available to the children. All parents are encouraged to share responsibility for these classroom duty days.

History

Busy Bees was founded by HKUST parents who desired a high-quality, bilingual pre-school for their children in campus. Efforts toward establishment of a Kindergarten began shortly after this campus opened. Only during the 1997-1998 academic year, after months of ad hoc meetings on campus and discussions with government officials, were all the hurdles cleared. Busy Bees Kindergarten (then Childcare Centre) was officially opened in November 1998 and has since been licensed under the Department of Education, which enables the school to have morning and afternoon sessions.

Staff Profile

Principal and Putonghua Teacher

Chun HE 何淳:
Higher Diploma in Early Childhood Education; Qualified Kindergarten Principal from Baptist University; MA, Modern Chinese Language and Characters.

Native English Teacher