integrating curriculumassessment

and teacher professional development

Yeap Ban Harbanhar.yeap@nie.edu.sg

National Institute of EducationNanyang Technological University

Teacher Professional Development in Singapore

Slides can be downloaded from www.mathz4kidz.com

types of professionaldevelopment

for singapore teachers

workshop-style

professionaldevelopment

University-InitiatedIn-service CoursesGraduate Courses

Photo: SEED Institute Kindergarten Teachers in a Degree Course

Photo: National Institute of EducationTeachers at a Workshop-style In-service Course

University-InitiatedIn-service CoursesGraduate Courses

Photo: NIE In-service Course on Lesson Study

Photo: SEED Institute Kindergarten Teachers in a degree course

School-InitiatedIn-house Workshop

Photo: Hougang Primary School In-house Professional Development

Workshop

Photo: Stamford Primary School In-house Professional Development Workshop

Ministry of Education-InitiatedTeachers Network ActivitiesTeacher Work AttachmentProfessional Development

LeavePhoto: Catholic High School (Primary)

typical

professionaldevelopmentTypically, professional

development for Singapore teachers consist of workshop-style training.

professional developmentand

curriculum and assessment demands

emphasis onproblem solving

Reference: Singapore Ministry of Education 2006

curriculum

emphasis onproblem solving

Reference: Singapore Examination & Assessment Board 2010

assessmentItem from Grade 6 National Examination

210

5

1

8

3

210

5

1

8

3210

40

7

5

1

8

3

3040

1

96040

32

5

4 Mrs Hoon sold 960

cookies.

Example of 1-point Items Example of 2-point Items

Which of the following numbers is the largest?(1) 6.59(2) 6.95(3) 6.509(4) 6.905

Adrian and Bala shared the total cost of a present. Adrian paid $15 more than 3/8 of the cost of the present. Bala paid $25. How much did the present cost?(1) $160 (2) $64 (3) $40 (4) $16

A movie started at 11.45 a.m. The movie was 2 hours 25 minutes long. What time did the movie end?

Prawns are sold at $1.35 per 100 g at a market. What is the price of 1.5 kg of prawns?

In the figure below, ABCD is a square, AED is an equilateral triangle and BFD is a straight line. Find <AFD

Reference: Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board 2004-2008

A B

CD

EF

significant emphasis onproblem solving

in national examination

rationaleThe rationale of teaching mathematics is that it is

“an excellent vehicle for the development and improvement of a person’s intellectual

competence”.

Wellington Primary School

Reference: Singapore Ministry of Education 2006

Holistic Learning for StudentsMore Engaging PedagogyMore Holistic AssessmentQuality Teaching ForceMOE is “strengthening the training and professional development for our teachers so that they can deliver a high-quality primary education for your child”.

professional developmentand

societal demands

parentalexpectations

Seminar for Parents on Problem Solving

professional developmentand

teacher profile

Teachers Profile

• 30 000 teachers in about 300 schools• 75% with bachelor’s degree• 50% of primary school teachers are

non-university graduates• 10% with graduate degrees• Pre-service teacher training does not

produce mathematics specialists

“Provide current non-graduate teachers with avenues for

professional development and/or academic upgrading.”

Source: PERI Report 2009

“Encourage subject specialisation of teachers at the upper primary levels through in-service training, while continuing to provide schools with the autonomy to deploy their teachers

according to their needs.” Source: PERI Report 2009

professional developmentand

educational policies

consolidatedemphasis on

professional learning

Professional Learning

• Teachers are entitled to 100 hours of professional development

• Teachers Network was set up in 1998• All schools have formal PLC by 2012• Teacher Development Centre to coordinate

professional learning to bet set up in 2010• All schools to eventually have a Staff Developer, a

head of department responsible for the professional development of teachers in the school

• Action Research has been introduced as a PLC tool

• Lesson Study has been introduced as another PLC tool

To sustain a high-performing education system, Singapore’s educators will take on an active role in shaping the development of their profession. MOE is committed to supporting the teaching profession in developing a new Teacher Development Centre as a focal point for teacher professional development. MOE will also strengthen the career development opportunities for educators who wish to deepen their expertise in teaching.

Press Release 17 September 2009MOE Work Plan Seminar

lesson study

Princess Elizabeth Primary School, Singapore

North Vista Primary School, Singapore

In the keynote lecture

Northlight School

Fuchun Primary School

Mike Schmoker called for “authentic team-based PLC”.

incorporate

Fuchun Primary School, Singapore

workshopsauthenticmaterials

teacherslearning from

textbooks

Source: Grade 3 Textbook

Source: Grade 6 Textbook

In this conferenceBarbara Reys identified

“teachers’ content knowledge”as one of the ten

most pressing challenges.Fuchun Primary School’s teachers discussing how to do 1.45 x 18 in one of their professional development courses

Balestier Primary School’s teachers figuring out a ‘magic’ trick demonstrated by the instructor in a professional development course.

professional learningculture

curriculum & assessmentdemands

high expectations school & parents

non-specialistteachers in primary schools

what shapeprofessional

development of singapore primary teachers