Water World
Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong

Meet the Team: Parent and Professional Sharing

Meet the Team

Young Explorers Club has a team of dedicated staff who support Ocean Park’s very youngest learners to begin their educational journey in nature and to support and foster a lifelong passion for learning. Our team includes our experienced and dedicated English educators who alongside our curriculum, training and support staff lead children through their journey with Young Explorers Club.

Ms. Charlotte: Native English Educator

Ms. Charlotte: Native English Educator

Ms. Charlotte is from the United Kingdom and she has a Bachelor Degree in Education Studies as well as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate. She began working in an Early Childhood Education Centre in 2016 after she graduated from Plymouth University, England. Ms. Charlotte has been working with Ocean Park since August 2019 and recently graduated as a National Geographic Certified Educator. She enjoys spending her time reading, hiking, travelling and exploring different coffee shops.  She is passionate about her students and supporting the integral role that parents play as First Teachers in their children’s education.

Ms. Gabby: English Drama Educator

Ms. Gabby: English Drama Educator

Miss Gabby was born in Hong Kong and began her theatre studies in an international school. After graduating from UCLA theatre school, she acted in off-Broadway shows and ran workshops for US universities like Harvard and Cornell. She received her professional qualifications from the Australian Founded Helen O’Grady Drama Academy. She divides her time in Hong Kong between rehearsing and teaching children's drama. It's important for her to share the stage with our young people because it's where she learns to make fear her friend in life.

Cindy Wong: Discovery & Education Officer

Cindy Wong: Discovery & Education Officer

Ms. Cindy is a Hongkonger and a graduate of Bachelor Degree in Art from Hong Kong Polytechnic University where she began teaching in a Waldorf playgroup before coming to Young Explorers Club in July 2018. She recently graduated as a National Geographic Certified Educator. Her hobbies are dancing, painting and doing outdoor activities, that’s why she likes it here. She is a Registered Playgroup Practitioner with a key role in programme and curriculum design whilst ensuring children and their parents in the Young Explorers Club can enjoy happy moments together in Ocean Park’s learning environment!

Young Explorers Club also has a team of dedicated teaching assistants who support children’s learning, provide language support and ensure smooth operation throughout the park. They are passionate and motivated early childhood assistants and hold various qualifications in child-related and environmental disciplines whilst receiving onsite training to ensure they are able to support Young Explorers Club children and parents.

Parent and Professional Sharing

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Enjoy Happy Learning Moment with Kids
Enjoy Happy Learning Moment with Kids

Dr Richard Wong, Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong

The ‘Nature Exploration’ programme launched by Ocean Park and Oxford University Press combines game-based fun exploration activities, animal observation, nursery rhymes and high-quality English storybooks. Through multi-sensory stimulation, the playgroup can enlighten children to use language to express their feelings and thoughts about nature.

Chu Tsz Wing, a school principal with a son

What is experiential learning?

If you tell a kid what a starfish is via an iPad or a book, studies show that they only remember it 20% in two weeks’ time. At Young Explorers Club, children get to touch a starfish and learn about marine ecology at the Grand Aquarium. Now, that’s experiential learning!

Natalie Ho, a parenting educator with a daughter

This programme has one distinctive advantage – the unique natural resources in Ocean Park!

It allowed my child to explore and interact with nature, rather than learn through a book or picture.

This is of course more beneficial and inspiring for my child.

Miss Carley, a registered speech therapist with a son

With the educator’s help, students got to hear a story about sharks, and merge it with the knowledge about the ocean knowledge they just learnt.
 
The storytelling session is conducted in English, so children are encouraged to not just listen, but also express themselves in English. The interaction serves to enhance their competence in oral English.

EqMama, a stay-at-home mom with two daughters

Experiential learning is more effective than learning by the book. Each lesson featured a theme, allowing my girls to see different marine animals or plants. They liked the programme so much because they are animals and painting lover!

Wife of artist Tsui Wing, with a son and a daughter

My daughter was very fascinated with the story telling session, where she learnt a lot about the ocean and marine creatures. In the playgroup session, she was able to develop her communication skills and independence, which was a good preparation for her kindergarten education.

 

Young Explorers Club places a high value on being open and actively listening and seeking our parents and guardians advice and feedback in our programmes. Parents are recognized as key educators and advocates of their children and are invited to attend our Parental Focus Groups twice a year to provide valuable feedback to the Young Explorers Club team and together continuously enhance and develop the programme.