Making "News" about Singapore
Thursday, September 6, 2007
A colourful way to wish Singapore well.
What would you say if you had the chance to wish Singapore a happy birthday on National Day? At Yu Neng Primary School, our pupils from Pri 6A used the Newsmaker software - a customised software that the school has collaboratively developed with a vendor - to write scripts, record their own greetings and make a "National Day Well-Wishers" video clip last year.
While pupils used the clip to show their appreciation for the opportunities they enjoyed in Singapore, they also included their aspirations for Singapore's future. Samuel Chan, for instance, hoped that Singapore would one day manufacture its own cars and that he could be the CEO of his own car manufacturing company. He even imagined rolling out a range of 4-seaters, 7-seaters hatchbacks and limousines that would beat established rivals such as BMW and Mercedes Benz to become the best-selling cars in the world.
Tan Jian You hoped that Singapore would not only be renowned for its airport but its toilets as well - that it would be known for having the cleanest toilets in the world. His classmate Clarissa Leong took a different approach, noting Singapore's excellent education system, as well as the hard work and perseverance that had enabled Singapore to become a technologically advanced society today.
As a group, the pupils sang and shouted "Happy Birthday, Singapore" - an experience that made them realise how proud they were to be Singaporean. Working on the video clip together also helped them to bond as a class.
This year, all our Pri 6 pupils were involved in a new project based on the principles of Teach Less, Learn More. Working in groups of four, they produced video clips with the theme, "My Singapore". Their research focused on different aspects of Singapore life such as food, culture, places of interest or anything that makes Singapore unique. In fact, some groups even generated their unique topics, including one that looked at ghosts in Singapore!
Armed with their research, pupils wrote their scripts and presented what they had learned in a documentary-style Newsmaker video clip. Each class then submitted one representative clip to be screened on the school's broadcast system during recess, and before and after school. All pupils could watch the clips and vote for their favourite.
When the votes were tallied, Pri 6B's video, Beautiful Sentosa, which focused on the attractions at Sentosa set against scenic backdrops, was voted to have the Best Content. Pri 6C's Spooky Times, a variety programme segment about the allegedly haunted former Changi Hospital, received the Pupils' Choice award. Both video clips were also voted the Most Creative.
The teacher in charge of Newsmaker, Mr Yok Joon Meng, is very encouraged by the pupils' favourable response to these projects and by the quality work produced by the pupils. Echoing these sentiments is our Principal, Miss Chong Lee Lian, who has long been a strong supporter of such innovative pedagogical approaches.
Meanwhile, the NewsMaker team, is working to enhance its software, extend its use to enhance bilingualism among the pupils and make learning Mother Tongue languages more lively and enjoyable. As long as we can make education more meaningful and effective for our pupils, we'll certainly give it a try!
Contributed by:
Ms Irene Chua
Vice-Principal
Yu Neng Primary School