A. The St. Clare's Values Education Framework
At St. Clare’s Girls’ School, values education is not merely a subject taught in the classroom — it is the very foundation upon which every Clarian is nurtured to grow into a woman of integrity, compassion and purpose. Our Values Education Framework is a carefully integrated, multi‑dimensional system that weaves together Catholic educational principles, the unique charism of our sponsoring body, the ideal of a “Clarian”, the latest Education Bureau guidelines on values education, and the universally recognised framework of character strengths.
Rather than treating these elements as isolated pillars, our framework harmonises them into a coherent, holistic approach that guides every aspect of school life — from classroom instruction to co‑curricular activities, from daily interactions to formative reflection.
The Foundation: The overarching bedrock of our framework is built upon the core Catholic Education Values of Love, Life, and Family, anchoring every Clarian in a deep respect for human dignity and universal fraternity.
The Charism: We draw rich spiritual inspiration from the Franciscan Charism of our Sponsoring Body (The Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Angels), emphasizing evangelical simplicity, deep humility, and a loving connection to God’s creation.
The Core Profile: These spiritual roots blossom into the Profile of a Clarian, defined by the Four Cardinal Virtues (Temperance, Prudence, Fortitude, and Justice), which act as practical guides for ethical decision‑making in daily life.
Education Bureau’s (EDB) Priority Values: To ensure our students are fully prepared to contribute meaningfully to society, our core virtues directly map against the EDB 12 Priority Values and Attitudes, cultivating a strong sense of responsibility, national identity, law‑abidingness, and filial piety.
Personal Flourishing: To bridge ancient virtues with modern personal growth, our framework incorporates 24 Universal Character Strengths. This empowers our students to recognize and deploy their unique strengths of mind and character to achieve emotional resilience and self‑actualization.
B. The Six Pillars of Character Excellence
These five dimensions converge beautifully into Six Core Value Pillars. Within each pillar, a Clarian’s spiritual faith aligns seamlessly with civic responsibilities and personal virtues:
1. Temperance | Self‑Discipline, Balance & Simplicity
Temperance nurtures the ability to exercise graceful self‑control and spiritual balance, enabling students to make wise, responsible choices amidst modern distractions. Rooted in the Catholic virtue of evangelical simplicity, it teaches our students to regulate desires and cherish a life of inner freedom over material excess.
· Gospel Spirit: Cherishing the qualities of being "poor in spirit" and "gentle of heart."
· Mindful Moderation: Practicing self‑regulation and balance in the pursuit of material and digital pleasures.
· Generous Living: Leading a life characterized by simplicity, profound gratitude, and an open, giving heart.
· Integrated Strengths & Attitudes: Driven by the priority values of Diligence and Responsibility, students activate the character strengths of Forgiveness, Humility, and Self‑Regulation.
2. Gratitude | Celebrating Life’s Blessings
Gratitude prompts our students to recognize the abundant goodness in life and respond with a thankful, celebratory heart. It fosters an optimistic outlook, deepens relationships within the community, and strengthens their bond with God.
· Discerning Eyes: Actively recognizing and appreciating the unique gifts and goodness within oneself and others.
· Active Thankfulness: Expressing appreciation through sincere words, uplifting actions, and altruistic service.
· Joyful Humility: Developing an everyday spirit of joy and humility, viewing all things as a reflection of divine love.
· Integrated Strengths & Attitudes: Driven by the priority values of Filial Piety and Respect for Others, students activate the character strengths of Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence, Gratitude, Optimism, and Humor.
3. Truth & Prudence | Wisdom, Discernment & Integrity
Inspired by the timeless definition of Prudence—"right reason in action"—and our school motto Veritas Vincit (Truth Conquers), this pillar guides students to pursue ultimate truth, think critically, and act with uncompromised integrity.
· Intellectual Honesty: Pursuing academic and moral truth with deep sincerity, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.
· Ethical Discernment: Striving to be wise, objective, and deeply honest in thought, word, and action.
· Principled Living: Living out personal convictions with courage, standing firm in honesty while maintaining absolute respect for others.
· Integrated Strengths & Attitudes: Driven by the priority values of Integrity and National Identity, students activate the character strengths of Creativity, Curiosity, Love of Learning, Open‑mindedness, and Prudence.
4. Compassion | Empathy, Kindness & Kinship
Compassion reflects the heartbeat of our school ethos, mirroring Christ’s teaching of unconditional love and unconditional care for the human family. It compels our students to look beyond themselves, practicing deep empathy and proactive care.
· Authentic Care: Showing authentic love, tenderness, and genuine concern for the well‑being of the school and global community.
· Empathetic Connection: Demonstrating deep social intelligence, active listening, and mutual understanding in all relationships.
· Altruistic Service: Taking the initiative to serve, advocate for, and alleviate the hardships of those on the margins of society.
· Integrated Strengths & Attitudes: Driven by the priority values of Benevolence and Empathy, students activate the character strengths of Love, Social Intelligence, Spirituality, and Kindness.
5. Fortitude | Courage, Resilience & Growth
Fortitude provides the emotional and spiritual anchor that empowers our students to remain steadfast when facing life's inevitable challenges. It transforms obstacles into stepping stones, strengthening grit, determination, and confidence.
· Fidelity to Ideals: Remaining beautifully faithful and unswervingly committed to one's moral standards, faith, and noble ideals.
· Conquering Fear: Overcoming inner anxieties and external opposition with confidence, poise, and moral courage.
· The Gritty Clarian: Cultivating perseverance, lifelong commitment, and a dynamic growth mindset that rises above adversity.
· Integrated Strengths & Attitudes: Driven by the priority values of Perseverance and Commitment, students activate the character strengths of Bravery, Honesty, Perseverance, and Enthusiasm.
6. Justice | Equity, Civic Duty & Harmony
Justice forms the ethical foundation of responsible global citizenship and a harmonious, inclusive school community. It inspires our students to uphold systemic fairness, respect the absolute dignity of every human being, and work actively for the common good.
· Moral Courage: Standing firm, visibly and vocally, for what is right, ethical, and just.
· Equitable Action: Acting as an upright person who operates with transparency, fairness, and absolute honesty.
· Community Cohesion: Respecting the diverse backgrounds, rights, and contributions of all individuals, uniting the community as a family.
· Integrated Strengths & Attitudes: Driven by the priority values of Law‑abidingness and Unity, students activate the character strengths of Fairness, Leadership, Perspective, and Teamwork.
C. Implementation and Evaluation
At St. Clare’s Girls’ School, values education is not just a subject; it is a lived experience. We translate our core moral and spiritual pillars into the daily lives of our students through an educational journey that combines cognition (knowing the good), affection (loving the good), and action (doing the good).
By designing comprehensive, interactive, authentic, and reflective learning activities, we seamlessly blend the rich heritage of Chinese culture with modern, cross‑curricular values education.
1. A Five‑Dimensional Journey for Holistic Development
Our framework operates on a spiraling progression model, meaning values are introduced and deepened at every stage of a student’s growth. We purposefully address five distinct interconnected domains of a Clarian’s life to ensure true holistic development:
Personal ➔ Family ➔ School ➔ Social ➔ Social, National & Global
Personal & Family Level: Nurturing Inner Strength
We help our students discover and affirm their true selves, building a healthy self‑image, deep self‑confidence, and clear life purposes. Through tailored programs, we cultivate emotional regulation, self‑management, and high adversity quotient (AQ). Clarians learn to face changes and challenges with optimism and resilience, turning setbacks into stepping stones. In parallel, we foster a deep respect and appreciation for family ethics, nurturing filial piety, honesty, and mutual care at home.
School & Social Level: Building Empathetic Connections
We empower students to construct positive, supportive social networks based on mutual respect, empathy, and refined communication skills. Living in a digital age, our framework explicitly includes advanced media and information literacy. We train our students to think critically, discern fact from misinformation, and use technology ethically—ensuring they actively protect privacy and uphold cybersecurity for themselves and others.
Social, National & Global Level: Cultivating Visionary Citizens
We cultivate global citizens who possess a strong sense of civic duty, a profound respect for the rule of law, and a genuine love for peace. Our students are encouraged to actively care for community well‑being and global sustainable development. Furthermore, we deeply enrich our students' understanding of Chinese culture, national history, and our country's modern developments, inspiring a natural sense of cultural confidence, national identity, and a sophisticated global perspective.
2. Seamless Cross‑Curricular Integration
True character development happens naturally throughout the day. St. Clare's employs a fully integrated curriculum model where key cross‑curricular values education facets—such as National Education (including Constitution, Basic Law, and National Security education), Moral and Ethical education, Life and Health education, and Financial literacy—are naturally woven into every corner of school life:
· In the Classroom: Academic subjects organically integrate relevant value directives, turning text‑based knowledge into real‑world ethical exploration.
· School Culture Hubs: Value targets are regularly highlighted and explored through structured Form Teacher Periods, School‑Based Life Education Lessons, Morning Assemblies, and special key‑stage seminars.
· Life‑Wide Learning Experience: Values are catalyzed through robust external experiences, community service, national study tours, and local heritage exploration.
3. Student‑Centered, Experiential Learning
We firmly believe that students learn best from life and grow best through practice. Our pedagogical strategies shift away from traditional lectures, focusing heavily on active student participation and deep interactive engagement:
Authentic "Life Events" as Context: We utilize real‑world scenarios, current societal topics, and meaningful life events as learning contexts. This connects a student’s personal experiences directly to value‑based decision‑making.
Dynamic Classroom Strategies: Our teachers act as insightful guides, utilizing advanced inquiry techniques, teacher‑student dialogues, collaborative group debates, drama‑in‑education, and multimedia tools.
Deep Value Clarification: Rather than telling students what to think, these immersive experiences encourage our students to articulate their views, examine their choices, and learn how to make upright, empathetic judgments in their daily lives.
4. Evaluation for Growth: Multi‑Perspective Feedback
To ensure the continuous improvement and emotional well‑being of our students, St. Clare’s adopts a highly sophisticated, formative review strategy that prioritizes student progress over mere tracking data.
The "Qualitative & Quantitative Synergy" Approach
We recognize that character growth cannot be measured by numbers alone. Therefore, we utilize a synergistic review process that pairs quantitative school‑based records with rich qualitative data. This gives us a 360‑degree, authentic understanding of each student’s moral and attitudes progression.
We gather comprehensive evidence of learning through five distinct avenues:
1. Continuous classroom and extra‑curricular behavioral observations.
2. Structured student‑teacher reflective interviews.
3. Authentic coursework, project‑based learning, and academic evaluations.
4. Comprehensive, multi‑stakeholder school‑climate questionnaires.
5. Dynamic post‑activity reflection journals and digital portfolios.
Constructive Feedback
Our teachers provide timely, clear, and highly constructive feedback. By offering encouraging and specific guidance rather than rigid judgments, we illuminate the path of self‑improvement for every student, ensuring she feels safe, valued, and empowered to become the best version of herself.
