June 22, 2010
Preparing youths for the challenges of the real world is the goal of Compassvale Secondary School's North Star Education Programme (NSEP). By equipping them with a firm moral compass and mental resilience, NSEP offers a holistic experience for students who learn to overcome personal obstacles through confronting their fears and serving the community.March 2, 2010
Drop by East Spring Secondary School and you might find students fiddling with rather curious contraptions - these gadgets are in fact inventions by Sec 3 students to make life safer and more convenient for the elderly. They were developed as part of an integrated programme in Geriatric Care, a multi-disciplinary curriculum in which students learn to develop practical solutions for the needs of the elderly based on lessons in Science, Design and Technology, Food and Nutrition, and Pastoral Care and Guidance.Continue reading “Cooking up Meals and Solutions for the Elderly”»
January 22, 2010
Ms Farah has introduced effective procedures to enhance different aspects of the school's workflow.
In a world where disease outbreaks and other threats may catch a society by surprise, it's good to know that school staff have the skills and effectiveness to keep students safe and keep the school running efficiently. At Chongzheng Primary School, for instance, Administration Manager Ms Farah Anna Mohamed is the nerve centre of many important, behind-the-scenes systems, such as the one for contact tracing during a disease outbreak.
So if there is an outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) or hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), Ms Farah not only has the contact numbers of all pupils and their parents, but she can also establish which school bus a pupil would have taken to school that morning, which classmates he or she sat with in class and what activities he or she had participated in during CCA. For pupils on Leave of Absence, she keeps them up to date on the school's activities and programmes.
Ms Farah's commitment to efficiency and delivery of quality service is greatly appreciated by colleagues, parents and other stakeholders alike. In 2009, it earned her the Excellent Service Award (EXSA)(Star), the latest in a string of accolades that include the MOE Service Excellence Award (2006 and 2008) and the EXSA (Gold) (2006). Managed by 10 industry associations and SPRING Singapore, EXSA is a national award that recognises individuals who have delivered outstanding service.
"To me, an award is not a must-have," says the cheerful Ms Farah. "But it's a nice affirmation that my team and I are doing a good job."
Continue reading “Systematically Making School Life Better”»
December 10, 2009
The Olympic-themed mural project is part of the Damai Secondary School's 15th anniversary celebration.
If you had passed by the Bedok Reservoir area this June, you might have caught sight of groups of youths armed with paint and brushes hanging around various HDB blocks. But any curious residents who investigated this activity would have met a pleasant surprise in the form of a giant artwork in progress.
Far from being vandals, the young painters were students from Damai Secondary School who spent part of their holidays transforming the empty walls of housing flats into larger-than-life canvasses. Sketching their designs with care and then filling in their raw creations with brilliant colours, the students' painstaking handiwork resulted in 15 neighbourhood murals that depict various sports such as swimming, table tennis and basketball.
A joint effort involving members of various CCA groups and students from Sec 1 up to Sec 5, the mural project kicked off after the mid-year exams. Teams of student painters were assigned to particular void decks or walls, where they daubed fitting colours to line drawings crafted earlier by Sec 3 Art students. After many hours of wet brushstrokes under the scorching sun, the complete artworks were launched by Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo on 4 July.
November 27, 2009
Isaac (far left) and Gillian (far right) with their mother Mrs Pat Chong and their younger siblings.
One fine day, you wake up and realise that your child's six years of primary school are almost over. All of a sudden, you find yourself worrying about the next important step: choosing a secondary school that would support your child's learning needs and maximise his potential.
Granted, many parents start to think about their options in good time. But the questions are still the same: how do you decide which school is most suitable; how important are a school's non-academic strengths and CCAs; and how much say should you give your child in choosing a secondary school?
It's said that experience is the best teacher. If so, Mrs Pat Chong, a MOE Parent Ambassador and mother of five, should prove a reliable guide for parents who'd like to hear how one parent approached the task with the varying needs of her children very much in mind.
Continue reading “Choosing a Secondary School for your Child - A Mom Shares What Matters”»
November 5, 2009
Innofishion is a place where students relax with a fish spa in an urban farm.
Imagine going up a spiral staircase in your school to discover at the top a secret garden. Pools bubble with fish, hamsters play in little mazes and inviting sofas in a shaded corner offer cosy views of a rooftop filled with greenery.
This inquisitiveness comes at a price. Just ask Jeremy Leong and Reuben Mark. For the past two years, the two Sec 3 students at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School have returned to this retreat nearly every school day to water the plants, feed the fish and clean the hamster cages.
"I was curious," recalls Reuben. Drawn by the sight of plants growing on top of the building, he had ascended the stairs to find Mr Ten Leu Jaw, the school's full time counsellor. Mr Ten introduced Reuben to Innofishion, an outdoor classroom that is a also a quiet retreat from stress and, guess what, a fish spa! Needless to say, Reuben was hooked!
October 22, 2009
Entirely designed by the group members themselves, these comic cards were sold to raise funds for ACRES.
"People think that cats are a nuisance because they shed fur, leave bodily waste in public areas and can cause a noise disturbance. This is a very wrong impression of cats!" he fumes. "On the contrary, cats are clean animals and can be easily toilet-trained. These misconceptions breed intolerance for animals in public areas."
His schoolmate Coco Tay Xinjun, chips in, "It's unbearable for me to watch footage on the cable TV channel Animal Planet, of puppies covered with fleas and pets being abused to death on Miami Animal Police and Animal Cops Phoenix!"
With such strong convictions, Hongxin, Xinjun and two of their peers took to the streets to raise public awareness about animal welfare.
October 6, 2009
A student from Chong Boon Secondary School helping to feed rescued elephants near Chiangmai, Thailand.
Imagine spending nearly a week on a remote hill in north Thailand. But this is no free-and-easy getaway. The days are hot and the nights bone-chillingly cold. And the first order of the morning is not breakfast but a trudge to nearby sheds with baskets of bananas and shovels - all the better to feed the resident elephants and clean up after them.
"Early in the morning, we had to use the shovel to clear the elephant dung," recalls Sec 3 student Triston Cheong. "It was tough and smelly - but very fun!"
Fun?
Continue reading “Saving the Environment, Caring for the Community”»
August 18, 2009
Ms Leow (left) was in charge of giving out tattoos to participants at a Sengkang West National Day Carnival.
Getting young people excited about what's going on in the community - that's what that teacher Ms Leow Hwee Fen believes in, both in and out of school. As the Subject Head for Mathematics in Anderson Secondary School, she has adopted innovative teaching methods that get her students more interested in learning about mathematical concepts. And as an active member of the Youth Executive Committee (YEC) of Anchorvale Community Centre, she tries to draw young people into a closer bond with the community.
"Not only do I have fun being involved in events, it's also my way to give back to society," Ms Leow reflects. "It's been enriching for me too, as I pick up valuable lessons in organising and managing events." Her dedication to school and community was recently recognised when she received the Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA) 2009.
Ms Leow's involvement in community activities began when she was a child, as a participant in such activities. Living across the road from Jalan Kayu South Community Centre, her whole family were regulars at activities such as the children's spot-art competitions, lantern festival celebrations, National Day parties and monthly jog-a-walk sessions. "The people working at the CC basically watched me grow up," she laughs.
Continue reading “Building a Community Spirit among Youths”»
July 16, 2009
2009 OYEA recipient Mr Eugene Ng sometimes plays the school mascot Liger, a lion-tiger hybrid whose name is a reminder of the school values (Loyalty, Integrity, Generosity, Enthusiasm, Responsibility).
"It's my personal mission to make people laugh," declares Eugene Ng Ming Teck, recipient of the Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA) 2009, "because when they laugh, it shows that they're happy, which in turn gives me joy."
This Jing Shan Primary School teacher loves using drama and "over-the-top" ways to make both pupils and colleagues laugh in school. He has assumed the roles of the God of Fortune and Big-headed Doll during the school's Lunar New Year celebrations. And he was not only part of the team that created Liger, the school mascot (a cross between a lion and tigress), he's also donned a furry "liger" suit complete with a long tail to play the role. "The children loved to pull my tail," he kids.
But what Mr Ng has accomplished as a teacher is not just entertaining his pupils - he also opens their eyes to the world beyond the school and how they can contribute to it.
April 14, 2009
Pri 6 pupils have a go at precipitating their DNA.
It looked like a scene out of Bizarro CSI: groups of Pri 6 pupils gathered around workbenches in a science lab at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, intently chewing on the insides of their mouths, then spitting the fluid into a small tube which they placed into a machine before adding various chemicals to it.
But there were no crimes to solve here, just a small whitish blob of their own DNA, suspended blithely in the tube. And even though some pupils had previously studied the topic in school and extracted their own DNA, this workshop held by the new School of Science and Technology (SST) introduced them to a new approach to it.
"It's different from what I've done before," says Pri 6 pupil Yeow Yu Xuan from Kong Hwa School. "That's why I like science, when we can do experiments and learn new things."
April 7, 2009
Pathways World School students participating in a geography lesson at Nan Hua High School.
Read Part 1 of this article here.
In March 2009, ten students and two teachers from Pathways World School returned the visit to Nan Hua High School, which rolled out a variety of activities over five days to show them what Singapore had to offer. Besides classroom immersion, the group also went on a hiking trip to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and educational tours to the Science Centre and Marina Barrage.
How did the Indian students find Singapore?
April 3, 2009
Nan Hua High School students got a taste of India's rich cultures and history during their immersion programme in Delhi.
Compare the rowdy bustle of Delhi's streets with the predictable order of Singapore's, and imagine crossing from one world to the other. That's the experience that 21 Nan Hua High School students had in November 2008, when they spent eight days on an immersion programme in Delhi, accompanied by their vice-principal and two teachers.
At every turn, they were fascinated, intrigued and sometimes overwhelmed by the new sights, sounds and smells that challenged their senses. At the same time, they experienced the warmth of the local people. Recalls Sec 4 student Samuel Ng, who is also the student leader for the trip, "I didn't expect people to be so friendly. Once, we were trying to walk to our destination and almost lost our way. People not only offered to help us, they even took us there!"
March 13, 2009
Getting into Riverside Secondary was a dream come true for these four dance enthusiasts.
For Noor Syafeeqah Bte Abdul Hamid, Chong Xue Yi, Jeyashangari and Nurul Nadhirah Bte Hamdan, the new school year has been a special one. All dance enthusiasts, these Sec 1 students literally danced their way into their choice school under the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme - even before they took their PSLE last year.
Now enrolled at Riverside Secondary School, these four students were among the 52 applicants who took part in the school's DSA Exercise from May to August 2008. The admission criteria included the students' academic results, dance qualifications and achievements. They also had to undergo rigorous dance auditions and interviews.
By the end of August, 16 successful applicants were offered places in the school.
Continue reading “Dancing Their Way into Their Choice School”»
February 27, 2009
The star of the moment, Mr Loo, with his colleagues.
Teachers aren't the only ones who can make a difference in schools. Mr Loo Sin Yew isn't a teacher, but at Balestier Hill Secondary School he's earned the admiration of both colleagues and parents for his willingness to go beyond his regular duties.
This was topped by his receiving an Excellent Service Award from SPRING Singapore in 2008, one of just seven award-winners from schools who received the award at Star level. Yet the modest corporate service officer says, "I was wondering what I had done to earn a nomination. I feel that all I've done is just part of my duty." It took some cajoling on our photographer's part to convince the quiet, reserved man to have his pictures taken.
December 11, 2008
Go teachers, ‘all the way’! Pupils wave posters to support their teachers in the vertical marathon.
Seventy-three storeys above ground level, five pupils stood in rapt anticipation on the helipad of Swissôtel The Stamford. The hot sun beat down on their faces as they waited patiently without a word of complaint. Instead, their excitement grew palpably with every minute, and when they finally spotted one of their teachers emerging from the stairway, the group burst into cheers and waved posters wildly in the air!
Southeast Asia’s tallest hotel was the venue for the annual Swissôtel Vertical Marathon, which took place on 16 November 2008. For these five pupils from Park View Primary School, the event marked the culmination of weeks of hard work in a special fund-raising project they had initiated.
August 26, 2008
Our teachers with some of the residents of the Thai Binh Social Welfare Centre, where we set up the blue water filter system.
There’s a world of difference between being a mere tourist and a true traveller who contributes something to the place he or she visits - that’s what my 29 students from Yio Chu Kang Primary School found out during a six-day trip to Vietnam in May.
Forget theme parks and shopping malls. Instead, the Pri 4 and 5 students and their four teachers, including myself, embarked on a journey of discovery into a world of natural wonders and remote villages, trekking across hills to see ancient trees and setting up water filtration systems at shelters for victims of war.
August 12, 2008
Racers warm up by learning the art of henna hand painting.
Read the first two Schoolbag.sg articles about Leadership Development Programme projects by the James Team and Team Illuminati.
Call it an Amazing Race with a difference: making their way through the narrow lanes of Little India and Jalan Besar, student racers made pitstops to toss roti prata, kick a round of chapteh and practise how to tie a sari. They also got to taste an array of Indian sweets, visit temples to learn the names of different Hindu and Buddhist deities, and try their hand at the art of henna.
For some 40 upper primary students from Telok Kurau Primary School, this road adventure was the highlight of Team Unite, a two-day camp organised by a group of Sec 4 students to showcase Singapore’s amazing races and the importance of ethnic harmony.
But don’t students already get enough of that in National Education classes?
July 9, 2008
This photograph of St Joseph Institution students at a sports tournament took the top prize at “A Peacock’s Tale” photography competition.
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.