My Pledge to Act - Be grateful and treasure what we have, stay positive and optimistic (2019-2021)

• Background
  
  • Since 2003, the Education Bureau (EDB) has been organising and developing the theme for ‘My Pledge to Act’ in every school year. Schools are encouraged to create campus atmosphere through school based collective commitment and a series of related learning activities, helping student to develop healthy lifestyle and nurture good character so as to enhance their whole-person development. 

• Theme of the 2019/20 ,2020/21 and 2021/22 School Year
  
  • The theme of ‘My Pledge to Act’ is "Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic". Schools are encouraged to help students develop a sense of gratitude, learn to cherish the things they have; adapt a positive and optimistic attitude towards life, in order to help them face the challenges and difficulties when growing up.

• Rationale and Strategies of Implementation
  
  • ‘My pledge to Act’ aims to empower students to set goals and put them into action. It enables students to integrate subject knowledge acquired, positive values and attitudes and the personal pledges with practical actions so as to help them develop a healthy lifestyle; and also rally concerted efforts of schools, families and other stakeholders in society to arouse public awareness of the importance of cultivating students’ positive values and attitudes.
  • Schools are encouraged to formulate a systematic and holistic plan for ‘My Pledge to Act’. Measures relevant to the theme of the school year may be incorporated into the annual school plan, or the school development plan of the coming 2-3 school years. Appropriate school-based curriculum and learning activities may be designed for in accordance with the school’s characteristics and students’ needs.
  • Diversified learning activities in line with learning objectives can enhance students’ participation and learning effectiveness. For example, make use of Moral and Civic Education lessons, weekly assemblies, class teacher periods, Personal Growth Education lessons, or Life Education lessons, conduct subject-based, co-curricular learning activities, for whole-school participation, hence creating a learning environment conducive to nurturing relevant values for students.
  • Schools may conduct a variety of life-wide learning activities according to the interests and needs of their students, such as student award programs, growth camp, community service, creative competitions, etc., in order to help students fulfill their pledges and enhance the impact on learning.

• Resources and Support
  
  • Schools are encouraged to continue organizing ‘My Pledge to Act’, the EDB produced resource webpages with diverse reference materials, including learning and teaching resources, MPA handbook , activity suggestions, e-poster and electronic certificate of appreciation templates for the schools to download. Four characters of mascot (樂諾小太陽) have been designed to represent the positive values of "be grateful", "treasure what we have", "stay positive" and "stay optimistic". Related resources and various templates such as stickers and instant messaging stickers are available for schools to download.
  • Since 2019/20, to promote the implementation of school-based curriculum and learning activities related to the theme of "Be grateful and treasure what we have, stay positive and optmistic",  schools and kindergartens joining the kindergarten Education Scheme can submit Quality Education Fund (QEF) applications for funding of not exceeding $200,000. The Funding Programme is open for application and the application deadline is 31 January 2022(Monday). For details, please refer to the QEF website (www.qef.org.hk > Application Guide > “Be grateful and treasure what we have, stay positive and optimistic”  Funding Programme).
  • Schools may flexibly use the existing subsidies, including the "Operating Expenses Block Grant / Expanded Operating Expenses Block Grant" and "Life-wide Learning Grant" (Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 16/2019), in the implementation of school-based plan and conducting various learning activities under the theme of ‘My Pledge to Act’ to enrich students’ learning  experiences.
  • In addition, the EDB will organise “Values Education Series: (2)  How to implement "My Pledge to Act" in Oct 2021 and Values Education Annual Prize Presentation Ceremony Cum"My Pledge to Act"Sharing Session in June 2022. Teachers and "MPA Ambassadors" will be invited to share their experiences gained. The EDB also organises a series of professional development programmes, in the forms of talks and workshops, to enhance teachers’ knowledge and skills related to the learning activities.
    
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2.Recommended Implementation

• Theme
  
  • Be grateful and treasure what we have, stay positive and optimistic.

• Key Messages
  
  • To help students develop a sense of gratitude, learn to cherish the things they have.
  • To help students adopt a positive and optimistic attitude towards life, in order to help them face the challenges and difficulties when growing up.
  • To help students to set up goals and take action.
   
• Mode
  
  • There is no restricted mode.
  • ‘My Pledge to Act’ is a programme designed for all students of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools to set up their goals, and put them into action, so as to help students develop positive values and attitudes.
  • Schools may base on the theme, school development and students’ needs, to formulate a systematic and holistic plan, in designing school-based curriculum and arrays of learning activities for whole-school participation so as to reinforce related values. Schools may also conduct a variety of life-wide learning activities, such as student award programme, growth camp, community service, etc., in order to help students fulfill their pledge and enhance the impact on learning.
    

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The following learning and teaching resources and activity recommendations are for schools’ reference only. Schools may design school-based teaching materials according to their students’ needs for activity implementation related to ‘Be grateful and treasure what we have, stay positive and optimistic’.

• Learning and Teaching Resources 
  
  • Presentation Template  
  • MPA Handbook  
  • MPA Handbook (Editable Version) 
  • AudioBook
  • Real Taste of Shrimp Paste (Facing Adversity Proactively)  
  • High Heels That My Mother Holds Dear (Be Grateful, To Cherish)  
     
• Examples of Key Learning Areas/ Subjects related topics
  
  • Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have 
  • Staying Positive and Optimistic 

• Activity Recommendations
  
  • Examples of Activity Category 
  • Activity Examples (Kindergartens/ Primary Schools/ Secondary Schools)  
    
    
•  Promotional Resources
  Online Resources
  
  Four characters of mascot (樂諾小太陽) have been designed by the EDB to represent the positive values of “be grateful", "treasure what we have", "stay positive" and "stay optimistic". Schools can download the mascot related resources to facilitate activity implementation.
  
  
  • My Pledge to Act: “I can do it” e-Poster 
  • e-Banner(PDF) 
  • e-Banner(AI) 
  •  Electronic Poster 
  • Sticker Template 
  • Certificate of Appreciation for Parents 
  • Certificate of Appreciation for Students 
  • Template design (horizontal) 
  • Template design (vertical) 
  • Instant messaging stickers   (Schools can download the instant messaging stickers and create their own custom sticker packs according to the needs of school-based activities).

•  Distribution of resource materials
  
  • Schools interested in implementing MPA in the 2020/21 school year and obtaining the related promotional resources, please complete the following Reply Slip and return it to the Moral, Civic and National Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute, EDB by fax (fax number: 3426 9265) on or before 30 September 2021 (Thursday).
  • Reply Slip 
    
    

    Remarks: Schools are welcome to utilise the "mascot" (樂諾小太陽) for printing school-based ‘My Pledge to Act’ activity resources after seeking copyright permission from the EDB by email (info_mcne1@edb.gov.hk) .

     

• Promotional materials for loan
  
  • 「樂諾小太陽」Promotional Materials
    The EDB has produced 「樂諾小太陽」promotional materials, including theme props and encouraging quotes. CHIThese promotional materials are now available for loan by schools for organising theme-related activities. Interested schools may download the application formCHI, and fax or email the completed form to the EDB. 
  • Regulations and procedure  CHI
     
• ‘My Pledge to Act’ Official Facebook Page
  
  • The EDB launched the "My Pledge to Act" Official Facebook page CHIto provide the latest information on the scheme as well as a platform for schools to share their experience gained in implementing activities related to the ‘My Pledge to Act’. 

• Examples of Home-School Co-operation Activities
  
  Parent-child talk 
  
  • Schools hold parent-child talks to encourage parents to collaborate with schools to nurture positive values and attitudes including "be grateful", "treasure what we have", "stay positive" and "stay optimistic" in children as well as create a harmonious family, that children can appreciate, accept and cherish each other, to let them grow healthily.
  Parent-child voluntary activities
  
  • To encourage parents and children to participate in voluntary activities organised by the schools/ the community, such as visiting elderly centers and centers for disabled people, taking part in charity sales, serving others with appreciation in a proactive manner, in order to care for people in need.
  Parent-child reading activities
  
  • Schools organise reading activities related to "be grateful", "treasure what we have", "stay positive" and "stay optimistic", for example, reading and sharing sessions for parent-child, book recommendations, creative writing, etc., to promote moral education.
    
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• 'My Pledge to Act'  Activity
  
  • “My Pledge to Act” Activity Series (1): MPA Ambassador Programme 

    Schools are encouraged to, based on their school contexts and students’ needs, draw up and carry out school-based award schemes by tapping the learning and teaching resources (including MPA Handbook and MPA Mascot (“樂諾小太陽”) Stamps) provided by the EDB, and appoint students who have excelled in honouring their pledges and embracing the positive values and attitudes associated with the theme “Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic” as MPA Ambassadors with the use of MPA Mascot (“樂諾小太陽”) Badges. 
    
    For details, Please refer to EDBCM No.85/2021

  • Production of Video Clips by MPA Ambassadors 

    To encourage MPA Ambassadors to engage in the planning, promotion and implementation of school-based MPA activities under teachers’ guidance for creating a learning atmosphere that promotes positive values, MPA Ambassadors are suggested to produce a video clip (no longer than 15 minutes) to feature highlights of MPA activities and share their feelings and experiences.

    
    For details, Please refer to EDBCM No.85/2021

  • “My Pledge to Act” Activity Series (2): “Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic”4-Panel Comic Drawing Competition (Primary) 

    We encourage primary students to show appreciation and recognition to  people with good deeds they come across in their daily life and to unleash their infinite creativity through creating 4-panel comic strips with the theme “Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic” for promoting positive values.

    
    For details, Please refer to EDBCM No.85/2021

  • “My Pledge to Act” Activity Series (3):  “Short Story with Deep Message: Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic” Video-Making Competition (Secondary) 

    We encourage secondary students to produce short videos associated with the theme “Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic”, to share what they have learnt from good people with good deeds that deserve their gratitude and appreciation, thus bringing positive energy to the community.
    
    

    For details, Please refer to EDBCM No.85/2021
    
    

  • Teacher Professional Development Programme
    
    

    Oct 2021  Values Education Series:(2) How to Implement “My Pledge to Act”

    Sep 2022  Values Education Annual Prize Presentation Ceremony Cum "My Pledge to Act" Sharing Section  
    

    Details will be announced at a later stage.

     

    To encourage students to make their theme-related pledges, we will provide “Be grateful and treasure what we have, stay positive and optimistic” writing board for My Pledge to Act participating schools. Students can put down their pledges on the boards and display them in conspicuous places on campus or at home to create an atmosphere conducive to positive education. Students are invited to take photos of their pledges on the writing boards and join “My Pledge to Act” 2020 Activity Series 3: ‘I can do it’ -- sharing of students’ pledges.Besides, we will provide photo props for My Pledge to Act participating schools. Schools may make use of these props in related learning activities to provide students with interesting and interactive learning experiences to cultivate positive values among them.
    
    

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• Education Bureau Circular Memorandum No. 85/2021 ‘My Pledge to Act – Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic’   
• Education Bureau Circular No. 16/2019 Life-wide Learning Grant
• 'My Pledge to Act- Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic’ Funding Programme
• Insider’s Perspective 
  CHI
  
  
  Enquiry 
• For general enquiries or other suggestions regarding MPA, please contact of the Moral, Civic and National Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute, Education Bureau on 2153 7490.
• For enquires about the details of the "My Pledge to Act – Be Grateful and Treasure What We Have, Stay Positive and Optimistic” Funding Programme, please contact the QEF Secretariat on 2921 8833.

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