Schoolbag.sg

History Comes Alive at Fuhua Secondary School

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Students had the opportunity to research and view historical photographs from their interviewees.

Studying history is much more than agonising over names and dates in textbooks, as many students of Fuhua Secondary School have discovered. Since 2010, the school has had several classes of Secondary 2 students take on the roles of oral history archivists as part of a project work assignment. Armed with background reading material and guidelines on conducting oral history interviews, these students have set out to interview people aged 50 and above about life during the Japanese Occupation, and how Singapore has changed through the years. The project required students to deliver a presentation and interview transcripts; they also picked up skills such as translation, video editing and subtitling. This process helped them to appreciate the complex process of presenting history. As Phua Zheng Xuan, now in Sec 3, shares, "One of my team members put in a lot of work translating the interview from Mandarin to English. It was not easy!"

Taking Play Seriously

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Professor Michael Chia advocates for daily self-directed play among youths as an important antidote to the pressures of a highly scheduled and sedentary lifestyle.

It takes just a minimum of 90 minutes every day, yet its compounded effects are profound on a child's development. What is it? Believe it or not: play. "People think play is only for young children, but play evolves throughout a person's lifetime," says Associate Professor Michael Chia, Professor of Paediatric Exercise Physiology at the National Institute of Education. Through play, a child can develop greater creativity and resilience, increased problem-solving ability, and strengthened emotional, cognitive and physical strength. Prof Chia further asserts, "Through daily play, so much can be gained for so little investment." Prof Chia is the force behind the PRIDE for PLAY (PfP) initiative, which stands for "Personal Responsibility in Daily Effort for Participation in Lifetime Activity for Youth". This is a whole-school project that sets aside 20 to 45 minutes everyday for free or organised play for all students in school, as well as before and after school. With the teachers playing alongside students, PfP sessions are an opportunity for students to learn in an authentic environment, as teachers can seize upon teachable moments that naturally occur.

Helping Children to Love Mathematics

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:01:00 +0800

In the primary school Mathematics syllabus, pupils learn concepts such as measuring and ordering.

Deciphering sales advertisements in the newspapers, dipping into a stack of playing cards and examining an MRT map for travel distances and fares - these common scenarios were just some of the examples highlighted by Ms Teh Wan, the vice-principal of Townsville Primary School, as opportunities for parents to help their children use basic mathematics concepts in everyday life. A Head of Department for Mathematics for 15 years before she became a vice-principal in December 2011, Ms Teh was sharing these handy tips at a seminar for parents of pre-schoolers, organised by MOE and the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) on 7 April 2012. Ms Teh is a strong believer that parental involvement can boost a child's confidence and encourage the child in his or her learning. Her talk, "How to nurture your child's love for mathematics", was tailored for parents with children in K1 and K2, who were anticipating their child's admission into primary school. Although she explained the requirements of the MOE syllabus for Mathematics [PDF] for Pri 1 and 2, she did not refer to any textbooks or assessment books, focusing instead on practical, everyday activities that would be suitable for children in this age group. Ms Teh's advice stemmed from one core idea: "The child is our main focus; it is important that we plan activities with the child in mind." And the more fun parents and teachers bring to mathematics, the more likely it is that children will develop confidence as their understanding of the different concepts improves. Ms Teh offered five key approaches to growing a child's love for mathematics:

Learning Mother Tongue Holistically - and Happily

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Pupils learn to speak with confidence and listen attentively during Mother Tongue Language lessons, such as during this Chinese language class.

Playing guessing games, reciting poetry, role-playing, making puppets, drawing, colouring and making small books - these are just some of the activities that pupils are used to during their Mother Tongue Language lessons at Qihua Primary School. Since 2009, the school has adopted a Holistic Assessment plan in teaching Mother Tongue - one that goes beyond the conventions of teacher-centric lessons or pen and paper tests. Pupil-centred lessons now incorporate more interactive methods of teaching and varied methods of assessment, to help pupils learn better. For instance, when reading the Chinese classic Journey to the West, the pupils made colourful puppets of the characters in the story. Similarly, after getting to know figures from Malay folktales such as Badang and Puteri Genung Ledang, pupils then made booklets where they wrote their own versions of the stories. The intention behind these activities goes beyond making things fun. "With such activities, we are encouraging our pupils to converse using the language," says Mdm Woo Wei Ling, Head of the Mother Tongue Department. Engaging with a storybook generates more activities than mere reading as the pupils are encouraged to analyse - while speaking in the Mother Tongue Language - the characters, the plot and the values that are conveyed in the tale.

A New Approach to Normal (Technical) Education

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Mr Frederick Yeo is the principal of the Crest Secondary School, a new specialised school for Normal (Technical) students.

Imagine a secondary school with specially constructed facilities such as a teaching kitchen, hotel room, restaurant, supermarket and mechanical workshops, all contained within the school premises. When Singapore's two specialised schools for Normal (Technical) students (SSNTs) open over the next two years, that's exactly what they will be, providing a brand-new learning environment, with customised infrastructure catering to the learning of N(T) students. The first SSNT, Crest Secondary School, will be located along Jurong East Street 24 and open in 2013. Its newly-appointed principal is Mr Frederick Yeo, who was previously the principal of Bowen Secondary School. He is looking forward to the challenge. "'Crest' was chosen as the name of the school to reflect its aim of helping students develop and rise to their potential - regardless of their home background or past schooling experiences - and equipping them with the values, skills and competencies needed to succeed in life." He adds that the word 'crest' also aptly describes the school's physical site, which is on higher ground when viewed from the Pan Island Expressway. The school will accept its first Secondary 1 cohort of about 160 students in January 2013, and at full capacity, it can accommodate 800 to 900 students. A second SSNT, located in the northern region of Singapore, will start in 2014.

Mums and Dads, for Education and for Life

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Mr Jason Wong delivered a lively presentation, peppered with personal anecdotes, on the importance of parenting "for life".

"Parents should not just emphasise and focus on academic results, but put equal weightage on character and values." This was the main message behind Mr Jason Wong's recent presentation at MOE's annual ExCEL Fest. His sharing session, "'Being Mums and Dads for Life", was held on 30 March 2012. Mr Wong, a Senior Director with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, as well as a father of two, is a trained counsellor with extensive work experience in the prisons and rehabilitation sectors, and part of the team that conceptualised Singapore's Dads for Life movement. Armed with this wealth of experience, he brought up a number of moving personal anecdotes during his talk, as well as drew on extensive research on international studies. He strongly believes that "it is easier to build boys and children than fix men and adults", and encouraged parents to play an active role in their children's lives.

A Showcase of Innovation at MOE ExCEL Fest 2012

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

The many exhibition booths and sharing sessions at this year's MOE ExCEL Fest showcased some of the most innovative programmes in schools today.

From the community to the classroom, from traipsing around town to walking in the shoes of a book character - this year's MOE ExCEL Fest was brimming with innovative practices that were showcased by schools. The annual event is a platform for parents and the public to find out more about the latest developments in the local education landscape. In addition to an exhibition featuring more than 70 booths, there were 62 sharing sessions and 20 seminar talks. One lively booth featured students from schools in an East region Cluster who were all too eager to share the details of the Tampines Home3 Trail and describe the unique sights of the area. For example, did you know that Tampines New Town was accorded the UK-based World Habitat Award, for providing a practical and innovative housing solution while retaining socially cohesive communities? Did you know that Changi Museum (formerly Changi Prison Chapel and Museum) has a collection of rare books and literature depicting life during the Japanese Occupation?

Encouraging Parent-Child Dialogue in Education

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Dr Jessica Leong advised parents to be STAR communicators with strategies to Stop, Think, Act, Review.

For parents who wanted to know the latest developments in the local education landscape, this year's MOE ExCEL Fest was an event not to be missed. Held on 30 and 31 March at Suntec International Convention & Exhibition Centre, the event was centred on the theme of "Nurturing the Whole Child, Opportunities for All". It featured 62 sharing sessions, 20 seminar talks and an exhibition with over 70 booths. A key thread that ran through the event was the importance for parents to communicate with and understand their children. From sharing sessions such as on character building, to seminars such as on choosing a secondary school, different expert speakers reminded parents that they needed to put their child's interest at heart. One example was Dr Jessica Leong's seminar session, "Character Building Starts with Whom?". A clinical director in counselling and training, Dr Leong highlighted two examples of "difficult" six-year-old children, such as a girl who demanded of her mother, 'Why do I have to listen to you?" and a boy who was an "absolutely angel" in front of his teachers but misbehaved once he was at home.

Helping Students with Special Needs Learn Better

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

EXSA (Star) recipient Mr Jeyaram coaches students with special needs and designs customised learning resources for them.

You won't find most adults poring over science textbooks and talking to teachers to prepare for lab experiments, unless they are science teachers or parents preparing their kids for exams. But this was exactly what St Gabriel's Secondary School's Mr Jeyaram Kadivan, Allied Educator (AED) for Learning and Behavioural Support (LBS), did for two years when he became the "eyes" of a visually-impaired student during lab sessions. He also modified certain pieces of lab equipment so that the student could work independently and safely within his limitations. The student went on to qualify for his preferred science stream in upper secondary, an achievement that Mr Jeyaram describes as "fulfilling". The visually-impaired student is not Mr Jeyaram's only charge. He works with about 150 students with special needs at St Gabriel's Secondary School, most of whom are diagnosed with autism or dyslexia, and need help in language and literacy. Mr Jeyaram coaches them in small groups on a weekly basis, as well as researches and designs teaching resources for their other teachers. At the school level, he established an infrastructure for the holistic development of students with special needs. At the national level, he was part of the team that reviewed and redesigned the Diploma in Special Education (DISE) Programme that AEDs LBS (formerly known as Special Needs Officers) go through. Mr Jeyaram's eight years as an AED have been busy indeed, and his dedication and contributions have not gone unnoticed. Last year he was conferred the Excellent Service Award (Star), the highest accolade among the Excellent Service Awards given by Spring Singapore. This national award honours individuals for having delivered quality service.

A Helping Hand from Helping Young People Achieve (HYPA)

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Allied Educator Mr Kris Aidil Abdullah focuses on character development for at-risk youths in HYPA.

At Boon Lay Secondary School, helping at-risk youths means not only counselling them about the error of their ways, but also increasing their sense of connectedness to the school and their families. This is the focus of the school's signature Helping Young People Achieve (HYPA) programme, which consists of purposeful and interactive activities designed for students who are at risk of dropping out of school, grappling with behavioural issues or who have experienced brushes with the law or going through family upheavals. Mohammad Suffian was one of the students from the pioneer batch of HYPA in 2009 and is now studying at the Institute of Education (ITE). Reflecting on the impact of HYPA, he says, "I was inspired by an ex-convict who turned his life around. He told us not to give up in life. Then why should we, when society offers us more opportunities today compared to his time?" Through HYPA, about 15 at-risk students are taken under the wing of full-time school counsellor, Mdm Dahlia Mohamed Aris, and her team of teachers. The enrichment programme kicks off with a 10-day HYPA Time-Out Programme, which incorporates activities such as team building, workshops and mock interviews to trigger students' self-reflection and ambitions for the future. The school sustains its engagement with the students through interest-based programmes such as HYPA Energy, HYPA Sounds and HYPA Lifestyle. The programme also works with partners such as Beyond Social Services, Children's Society, and the National Parks Board.

Transforming Pupils through Teaching Decision-Making

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Through TRANSFORM, pupils examine the consequences of their choices and learn how to make better decisions.

From the girl who was always late for school and dragging her feet as she entered the school gates, to the boy who frequently disrupted lessons by making noise, to another girl who repeatedly failed to submit her homework - these may sound like examples of "difficult" pupils, but at Marsiling Primary School, they are the backstories of pupils in the school's TRANSFORM programme. The programme helps pupils to be more self-aware and responsible, and consequently be better able to focus in school. The main objective of the TRANSFORM programme is to address pupils' behavioural issues through teaching them better decision-making skills. It was implemented in 2008 and was initially aimed at helping pupils who were at risk of delinquent behaviour, such as those who consistently misbehaved or did not obey school rules, explains Mdm Herianti Abu Shah, Head of Department for Pupil Management. "We want to help them transform to become better and more responsible pupils," she says. Working with pupils on a one-to-one basis, teachers lead them through a series of reflective questions such as "What have I done that was wrong?", "Why was it wrong?" and "Who are the people affected by my actions?" The teachers guide them to set appropriate goals and step-by-step targets, and monitor their progress to help them achieve their desired behaviour or outcomes.

Solving Everyday Problems with a Little Innovation

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Chen Jia Wei (left) donning the "Ultra Flu Relief Mask" prototype, with Samuel Quek (centre) and their teacher, Mrs Charmaine Wee, looking on.

When someone sneezes, a typical response from a bystander might be to say "Bless you!" or offer some tissue paper. For pupils involved in Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School's Innovation Programme (IvP) however, this scenario sets the wheels in their heads turning - how could they alleviate the sneezing symptoms of someone who caught the flu bug? Primary 6 pupils Chen Jia Wei and Samuel Quek devised the prototype for an "Ultra Flu Relief Mask", comprising a disposable surgical mask with an inbuilt semi-permeable membrane that secretes a flu reliever such as Vicks. Their efforts, which emerged out of the year-long IvP aimed at encouraging students to generate creative ways to solve problems, led to their project being among those shortlisted for the Tan Kah Kee Young Innovators' Award 2011. "The IvP is an open curriculum," explains Mrs Charmaine Wee, who was the teacher in charge in 2011. "As teachers, we don't tell pupils what to do but we ask them probing questions instead. They make the eventual decisions themselves."

Asking Questions, the Socratic Way

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Pupils thinking up questions in response to a Little Red Dot newspaper article.

"I wonder how, I wonder why," go the lyrics of the pop song "Lemon Tree", which English teacher Mdm Salina Mohd Shah was playing recently for her Primary 5 class at Fernvale Primary School. This was not just a chirpy introduction to their current affairs lesson - the lines of the song also point to how asking questions, and examining how and why they ask questions, can help pupils to engage more deeply with what they're learning. Since 2010, Fernvale Primary School has introduced Socratic questioning as a learning method in its current affairs curriculum for Pri 4 pupils. The approach has been extended to Pri 5 pupils this year. Socratic questioning gets learners to actively question as they read, so as to understand and evaluate texts, as well as to introduce important ideas into their thinking. It is part of the school's comprehensive critical thinking framework, which aims to equip pupils with 21st-century competencies such as global awareness, communication skills and deep analytical abilities. For the recent lesson, Mdm Salina assigned the class a group activity: to come up with four or five questions after reading "Dangerous 'high'", a Straits Times article about the dangers of prohibited drugs. After reviewing the six levels of Socratic questioning (see the table below for more information), Mdm Salina encouraged the class to come up with higher-levels of Socratic questions. "You can do it. I have faith in you!" she told her class.

Virtual Geography Field Trips that Go Further

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:01:00 +0800

Students ges to customise the look of their avatar, and control its movements and actions as it explores the landscape.

Some types of geography fieldwork are impossible in real life without the accompanying challenges, costs and perils, like walking underwater to explore the seabed, trekking along a river to locate its source, and going behind a gushing waterfall to explore it. For students of Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, however, the 3D world of Second Life has brought them a little closer to these experiences - albeit in a virtual environment. In an initiative piloted by MOE and NIE in five schools in 2011, teachers and students logged in to Second Life, where two custom-designed islands had been leased for their use. Because Ang Mo Kio Secondary School students was the prototype school for the project in 2010, students there have had more time than others to explore the islands. In a geography lesson on river features, for example, the pilot Sec 1 classes gained access to the virtual world where they assumed the identities of their online characters (or avatars). They could walk, run and fly over the terrain, and even plunge into the rivers to examine the riverbed, and investigate the whole river system. "The 3D graphics are really good, providing a realistic representation of what you might see in real life," says Mrs Ismail Habibah, Subject Head for Geography. Adds her colleague Miss Lim Liu Xiang Clara, a Geography teacher who was part of the pilot team, "The 360-degree views also make the exploration more interesting and real."

The Budding Triathletes of Edgefield Primary School

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:01 +0800

The ambitious young triathletes of Edgefield Primary School.

At Edgefield Primary School, age is no obstacle for pupils who want to challenge their stamina and athletic technique. As the only primary school in Singapore to offer triathlon training as a CCA, the school has pupils from Primary 3 to Primary 6 who can hop swiftly onto a bicycle in a flying mount, grab a quick drink from the water bottle while cycling, and keep one arm held straight out while swimming. Looking fit and sporting healthy tans, these young triathletes approach their training with unbridled enthusiasm. While some who joined the school team were already confident in one or two of the triathlon components, the training helps them to gain competence in all three sports (running, swimming, and cycling). Says teacher in charge Mr Zhang Kaixin, "As long as they are willing to learn, we are willing to train them!" Pri 6 pupil Javier Kiang recalls, "When I first joined the CCA last year, I was not confident about swimming." Now, not only have his cycling and running improved, he swims well and is gearing up to take part in the MILO-MOE Youth Triathlon on 24 March 2012.