A whole-school approach to guidance: Hong Kong teachers' perceptions

• Published in: British journal of guidance & counselling Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 63 - 80
• Main Author: Hui, Eadaoin K. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Taylor & Francis Group 01-02-2002; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Children; China; Comprehensive Guidance; Education; Educational psychology; Foreign Countries; Hong Kong; Perceptions; Personal development; Program Implementation; Qualitative research; School Guidance; Schools; Student Development; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Hong Kong; Hong Kong China; China
• ISSN: 0306-9885; 1469-3534
• DOI: 10.1080/030698880220106528

This qualitative study involving 30 teachers, followed by a survey of 895 teachers, investigated Hong Kong teachers' perception of a whole-school approach to guidance and its practice. Findings revealed that teachers perceived a whole-school approach as fostering student development and as a system of management. Teacher dedication, communication, and team spirit were considered as facilitating factors for its implementation. Findings also revealed an overall mismatch between teachers' beliefs about a whole-school approach and their perceived school reality, and that a wholeschool approach was not seen as practised in the majority of schools. There was a close relationship between schools' guidance focus and their implementation of a whole-school approach. Schools implementing a whole-school approach were considered to have both a preventive and developmental guidance focus and practice. Implications for the implementation of guidance are discussed.