June 2008 Archives

Pre-University Seminar 2008 - A Student’s Experience

June 26, 2008

Pre-U Seminar 2008

With 11 other students, Victoria was part of the "In Conversation" ceremony that kicked off Pre-U Seminar 2008.

If I had to sum up my experience at the 2008 Pre-U Seminar in one word, I would say that it was an eye-opener. The event kicked off with a big moment for me, because I was one of the twelve students selected to join the guest of honour, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth & Sports, on stage for the “In Conversation” session during the opening ceremony. To prepare for this, we had the opportunity to meet the Minister for lunch before the Seminar itself. Over lunch, we brainstormed ideas for what we could discuss at the session, bearing in mind the Seminar’s theme “Global City, Home for All”. During the session, Dr Balakrishnan responded not only to our exchanges on stage, but also to questions posed by the enthusiastic audience from the floor and through SMSes.

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A Sneak Peek at ExCEL Fest

June 23, 2008

ExCEL Fest 2007

ExCEL Fest - a chance for schools to showcase their innovative programmes.

Want to see what school life is like today, without having to step inside a school? Come to MOE’s annual ExCEL Fest on Saturday, 5 July, where there’ll be over 80 exhibition booths by schools showcasing their most creative teaching and learning activities. Classroom Experience activities will also allow visitors to sit in on simulated lessons, experiencing for themselves how innovative lessons are conducted today. Here’s a sneak preview of what some schools will be presenting at ExCEL Fest 2008 at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

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Primary 1 Registration Exercise 2008

June 19, 2008

Ngee Ann Primary pupils

It's time to get next year's Primary 1 pupils registered for school.

The registration of children for admission to Pri 1 classes in 2009 will be open from Monday, 30 June 2008, to Thursday, 28 August 2008. Find out more from the MOE press release. You can also read more about registering your child for Pri 1, choosing a primary school and how to prepare your child for Pri 1.

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Living the Singapore Dream - Global City, Home for All

June 19, 2008

Pre-U Seminar 2008

Pre-U Seminar participants had a roaring good time.

What dreams and aspirations do students have when they’re 17? To be a renowned physician who helps to save or change the lives of many? How about a politician who can affect the lives of others, a social activist who lobbies for rights or a world-class drummer who entertains? These were some of the aspirations shared by young participants at this year’s Pre-University Seminar, organised by Meridian JC. The million-dollar question: how can Singapore be a place that will make their dreams come alive, while remaining a home for everyone?

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Beating Away Anger with Songs

June 17, 2008

Don’t get angry, sing a melody! That’s what children under the care of Beyond Social Services did at a special performance recently. For their “Anger Management Song”, they took a leaf from performers like Stomp and used recycled materials to make their instruments. As for the song, it was composed with the help of the James Team, a group of Sec 4 students from different schools who participated in this year’s Leadership Development Programme. Organised annually by MOE and the Singapore Management University, the programme gives students opportunities to develop their leadership skills by carrying out projects with community service groups. When the James Team first visited Beyond Social Services, they were struck by the behaviour of the children at the care centre. “We noticed that the kids tended to get angry and shout vulgarities at each other very often,” says team leader Chong Ren Jean of National JC. The team decided to help the children manage their anger and improve their social skills.

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Bringing out a Student’s Star Quality

June 12, 2008

Chua Meng Shuen from Dunman High School

Chua Meng Shuen took the top prize at the A*STAR Talent Search 2008.

Reach for the stars, and you’ll get there - that’s what Chua Meng Shuen did. A Year 6 student (JC2-equivalent) in Dunman High School’s Integrated Programme, he recently became a star in his own right when he won the first prize at the recent A*STAR Talent Search 2008 competition. Meng Shuen’s research project, “A Study of Boundary Layer for Differing Viscous Cylinder Flows”, looked at how one can increase the energy efficiency of new-generation cars by modifying the shape of the chassis. It’s not a topic one would normally associate with the “typical” school curriculum of an 18-year-old, but Meng Shuen got a headstart in Sec 4, with the encouragement of his school.

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Rock on with Shakespeare

June 10, 2008

Bowen Secondary School students presented their own version of the opening scene of A Midsummer Night's Dream. “Shakespeare rocks!” - you might think it’d be hard to get a teenager today to agree with this, but six students in Bowen Secondary School would give a rousing cheer in response. Fresh from their well-received dramatised reading of the opening scene of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, these students have a newfound appreciation of the art of Shakespeare and the magic of drama. “The scene explored a wide range of human emotions at different points, such as love, anger, sorrow, joy, justice...

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Cooking up a Storm

June 5, 2008

Fuchun Primary Homeskills programme

With the help of parent volunteers, pupils at Fuchun Primary learn the basics of baking a pizza.

“Are you ready to make this pizza?” “Yes!!” “Is it going to be easy?” “Chicken feed!” “Okay, later I want to try your pizza!” Under the watchful eyes of parents Mdm Doreen Tan, Mdm Norita binte Zainal and Mdm Susan Lee, an excited Pri 3 class at Fuchun Primary School puts on their gloves and spreads out chopped sausages, pineapple slices and mozzarella on a baguette with a base layer of mushroom sauce. An hour later, they’re off in another room, sewing hems on colourful handkerchiefs.

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Parent Support - from across the World

June 3, 2008

Xingnan Primary parents

Mr Gau (centre) and PSG members in front of the International Friendship Panel.

Whenever students enter Xingnan Primary School, they walk past the eye-catching International Friendship Panel, a wall that features, among other items, a world map and 14 national flags. This is no geography or general knowledge display; each flag represents a country where the school’s international students hail from. Malaysia, China, Myanmar, India, Australia, Taiwan and Korea - they’re all here. The panel symbolises the friendship the school extends not only to its students, but also to their parents. The school’s Parent Support Group (PSG) has made it a point to actively reach out to the parents of international students, who now comprise almost half its membership.

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