The Early Childhood Education (ECE) Leadership Online Retreat of the Yew Chung Yew Wah Education Network (YCYW)concluded successfully on 19 May 2023 after two productive days. The retreat brought Hong Kong staff members together at the Jao Tsung-I Academy,

while colleagues in the Chinese mainland gathered at the Yew Wah International Education School (YWIES) in Tongxiang, Zhejiang Province. The turnout was remarkable; more than 180 teachers and non-academic staffs participated in the retreat, which provided an environment for the exchange of ideas and collective improvement. The theme of the retreat revolved around “Strong Foundations—Base Value 1: Children are worthy of our respect and admiration.”

All YCYW schools maintain a collective, steadfast commitment to enhancing the integration of the 12 Values within the Yew Chung ECE pedagogy. Throughout the retreat, attention focussed on language teaching methods rooted in these 12 values, with a special emphasis on the Value 1: "Children are worthy of our respect and admiration.” Participants delved into the practical implications of this value and examined its profound impact on both pedagogy and practice.

On the first day of the retreat, the Hong Kong ECE team provided valuable insights regarding the significance of the pro-social guidelines and highlighted their pedagogical value and practical application. The team also shared an update about the latest developments and insights regarding these guidelines. The pro-social guidelines are deeply rooted in the 12 values of the Yew Chung ECE pedagogy, with a special emphasis placed on the first value: “Children are worthy of our respect and admiration.”

During the second day of the retreat, Dr Stephanie Sanders-Smith, lead author of The Yew Chung Approach to Early Childhood Education, delivered an insightful online presentation on the practical implementation of Value 1. She also guided group discussions about various pertinent issues.

At the same time, school management teams from various YCYW schools in Shanghai facilitated fruitful exchanges and offered strategic support. The goal of this collaborative effort was to advance the development of the Yew Chung pedagogy across the early childhood to secondary sections.

In addition, Nicky Weir, Consultant of YCYW Education Network (Early Childhood Education), introduced the induction and orientation process specially designed to assist new ECE teachers at YCYW in adapting to their new work environment. This thoughtful initiative offers new teachers support and guidance for a smooth transition into their roles.

To conclude the day, the ECE staff discussed the contents and objectives of the 2023-2024 Action Plan.

In her closing remarks, Dr Betty Chan, Chairperson of the Board of Governors of Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education College (YCCECE) and CEO & School Supervisor of YCYW, extended her heartfelt appreciation to staff members for their enthusiastic participation in the discussions. She also expressed her gratitude to Dr Stephanie Sanders-Smith for her remarkable insights and acknowledged the contributions of the CHERI (Chor-hang Education Research Institute) assessment programme.

Dr Chan emphasised the distinctiveness of the Yew Chung Approach, which fosters a collaborative environment filled with love, caring, and respect, thereby creating the unique Yew Chung Yew Wah culture. She highlighted how YCYW serves as the nurturing soil for planting the seeds in children's souls, enabling them to develop their own curriculum and become resilient individuals.