MAR - MAY 2020

Overcoming ReadingChallenges

#ThrowbackRecessTime

PH Zurich:Your GatewayTo Switzerland

Talk To Us!Interested to contribute articles or share feedback with the editorial team? Get in touch atniews@nie.edu.sg.

Contents

05 - 09 Report Card World Education Research Association’s Focal Meeting In Tokyo A Balanced Approach To Climate Change Education Prof Looi Chee Kit Inducted As APSCE Fellow Strengthening Bonds Through Sensitive Parenting Spreading The Word On SKIP Need Help With eBook Publications? Rethinking Singapore’s History? Conference For English Language Experts NIE Welcomes Prof Michael Goh Learning About Education Research And Promoting Higher Degree Programmes At Beijing Universities Congratulations, Dr Habibah! Who’ d Like To Meet The Professors?

10 Excursion PH Zurich: Your Gateway To Switzerland

12 - 19 Essays Overcoming Reading Challenges NIE 70th Anniversary Milestones Think Like Picasso: Developing Creative Skills And Mindset For 21CC Teacherhood: Reflections Of A Merdeka Educator

20 Portrait Learning That Sparks Joy

23 Library The Day You Begin Stop Talking, Start Influencing Reclaiming Our Calling: Hold On To The Heart, Mind, And Hope Of Education

24 - 26 Recess Time #ThrowbackRecessTime

NIEWS is a publication of the Public, International and Alumni Relations (PIAR) Department, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

No part of this publication may be reproducedor transmitted in any form or any means without written permission from the publisher.

CONTACTt (65) 6316 1498 e niews@nie.edu.sg

EDITORIAL TEAMEditorAssoc Prof Loh Chin Ee Editorial TeamAdelin Toh, Chin Wen Huiand the team from PIAR

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For growth to happen, there must be care, thought and a dedication to making things happen. A person who is cultivating a garden waters it daily and puts thought into how to maintain and improve the garden. In the same way, growing into teacherhood requires deliberate attention and practice to identify areas for learning, no matter the age and context.

This issue of NIEWS brings stories of growing into teacherhood to inspire educators. Across the articles – the write-up by Dr Zoe Boon, the interview with secondary school teacher Ow Yeong Wai Kit and research scientist Dr Pamela Grace Costes-Onishi, we find that the desire to learn is a key characteristic of the growing teacher. Furthermore, Pamela reminds educators of the need to be deliberate about the kinds of growth we seek to cultivate. Ways of thinking, feeling and doing are habits of the mind that are cultivated through everyday practices. Teachers who deliberately seek out learning experiences grow from these encounters – in their

conversations with others, in their learning from books, and in their willingness to try new things.

This dedication to growth is exhibited by many of our educators, who despite their busy schedule, take time to learn to improve on their knowledge and pedagogy. Edmen Leong, one of our PhD students at NIE and contributor to this issue, takes time to learn despite his busy day job as Director Specialised Education Services at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore. I have met many dedicated teachers in my Masters courses, some on a part-time and others on a full-time route, but all on the mission to improve themselves to be better teachers.

I leave this introduction with the question tomyself and to the readers, what are we doing to grow this year?

Assoc Prof Loh Chin Ee

The Latin root word cult is the root word for grow. You see the root word used in cultivate (to grow or develop), culture (ideas, customs and social behaviours of a

group of people or when used as a verb, to cultivate the environment for growth), or multicultural (the growth of diverse groups of people).

Editor’s Note

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Report Card

In this section, we highlight NIE news and events over the last quarter.Read the full articles in the latest issue of NIEWS online or scan this QR code.

World Education Research Association’s Focal MeetingIn Tokyo

A Balanced Approach To Climate Change Education

Prof Looi Chee KitInducted As APSCE Fellow

Ms Anabelle Aw and Ms Ang Geok Xing together with their supervisor Assoc Prof Lee Yew Jin presented on “Comparing Science Learning Outcomes from Singapore and New South Wales, using Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy and Semantic Theory.”

Ms Celynn Lee, Ms Nurfatin Azni and Ms Sarah Tan presented a paper on “Language Demands in Singapore Science Texts”.

Prof Looi (second from left) with other Inaugural Fellows of APSCE.

An NIE delegation comprising Prof Tan Oon Seng, Dr Chua Bee Leng, Assoc Prof Lee Yew Jin and five student teachers from the Bachelor of Science (Education) programme was at the World Education Research Association (WERA) 2019 Focal Meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, from 5 to 8 August 2019.Prof Tan was one of five prominent keynote speakers at the event, while Dr Chua was Singapore’s representative at a signing ceremony and committee meeting and the chairperson for a major symposium. The five student teachers, who were presenting at an international conference for the first time, received compliments for their rigorous research. They are Ms Anabelle Aw, Ms Ang Geok Xing, Ms Celynn Lee, Ms Nurfatin Azni and Ms Sarah Tan.

Prof Looi Chee Kit from Learning Sciences and Assessment Academic Group has been inducted as a Fellow of the Asia-Pacific Society for

Computers in Education (APSCE). He was among four inaugural Fellows who received the award during the 27th International Conference on Computers in Education held from 2 to 6 December 2019 in Kenting, Taiwan. The APSCE Fellowship was inaugurated in 2019 to recognise outstanding contributions by members to the advancement of research in the field of computers in education at the international level, and for their strong academic networks and services within the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr Tricia Seow from the Humanities and Social Studies Education Academic Group was a guest panellist at a youth dialogue on climate change education on 23 July 2019. During the panel discussion, she emphasised that students should be equipped with climate science knowledge as well as an understanding about civic societies and how political and social influences worked at different scales. She urged all educators to reach out across disciplinary boundaries, and to connect with government and civic groups to advocate for the environment.

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Strengthening BondsThrough Sensitive Parenting

Spreading The Word On SKIP

Report Card

Speakers at Q&A session.

Bottom left photo:Dr Anne Rifkin presenting.

Bottom right photo:Dr Jacqueline Chung presenting.

Top: Prof Kathy Sylva giving her keynote address.

Right: CRCD Co-Directors and Prof Kathy Sylva with invited guests.

A talk on sensitive parenting drew over 60 attendees to the final Education in the City lecture for 2019 co-organised by the Office of Education Research and the National Library Board. The speakers for this instalment were Dr Anne Rifkin from NIE’s Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD) and Dr Jacqueline Chung from St James’ Preschool Services, who explained the importance of sensitive caregiving and what parents can do to build quality relationships with their children. The session wrapped up with a lively Q&A moderated by CRCD’s Dr Ng Ee Lynn.

A symposium to disseminate findings from the Singapore Kindergarten Impact Project (SKIP) as well as promote research collaborations and exchange of ideas among key stakeholders was held on 19 November 2019. The event was organised by NIE’s Centre for Research in Child Development (CRCD), with a view to creating pathways for future SKIP follow-up studies. Ms Lai Wei Lin, MOE’s Second Permanent Secretary (Education), was guest-of-honour at the event, while Prof Kathy Sylva, Professor of Educational Psychology and Honorary Research Fellow from University of Oxford, delivered the keynote address.

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RethinkingSingapore’sHistory?

Conference ForEnglish Language Experts

NIE WelcomesProf Michael Goh

Report Card

The NIE team pictured with NIE Director,Prof Christine Goh (centre).

The Humanities and Social Studies (HSSE) Academic Group collaborated with the National Museum of Singapore and the Academy of Singapore Teachers last November to present a conference entitled “Rethinking History: Singapore and Global History”. The event was organised in conjunction with Singapore’s Bicentennial celebrations and the aim was to engage with teachers in Singapore schools to rethink the way history is understood. The insightful speakers included guest-of-honour Prof Wang Gungwu, as well as Prof Barbara Andaya and Prof Bob Bain.

The 20th English in Southeast Asia Conference was organised by NIE and the Singapore Association for Applied Linguistics from 6 to 7 December 2019. Themed “Re-thinking Paradigms and Approaches to Researching, Teaching and Learning English”, the conference drew 182 participants from about 20 countries.

Prof Michael Goh, Professor and Vice President for Equity and Diversity at the University of Minnesota, USA, was at NIE from 13 to 15 January 2020 to conduct a workshop on cultural intelligence (CQ) at the first Teacher Leaders Programme Networking tea and to share his research on CQ and the development of intercultural competencies in education. The visit was hosted by the Office of Teacher Education.

Need Help WitheBook Publications?

The Academic Computing and Information Services division provides the NIE community with solutions for digitising their printed newsletters, brochures and pamphlets into an eBook format.Scan the QR code below or email servicedesk@nie.edu.sg to learn more about this service.

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Learning About Education Research And Promoting Higher Degree Programmes At Beijing Universities

Report Card

Representatives from the Learning Sciences and Technologies (LST) Academic Group and the Office of Education Research (OER) were on a study trip to four Beijing universities from 12 to 15 November 2019. The itinerary covered visits to Peking University, Tsinghua University, Beijing Normal University and Capital Normal University, where the NIE delegation got to learn about the use of technology in education research and the science of learning research, promote NIE’s higher degree programmes, and facilitate future collaborations between Beijing universities andNIE NTU, Singapore.

“Meet-the-Professor (MTP)” is an initiative started by the NIE Graduate Research and Academic Development (GRAD) Centre in August 2018. At these sessions, faculty members and students of NIE get to interact and engage with top professors from leading universities in Australia, Hong Kong, Israel and Sweden through lively roundtable discussions. Five MTP sessions were organised in 2019, and theGRAD Centre is ready to continue withthe tradition this year. Stay tuned to theGRAD Centre website for details.

Hands up those of you who know Malaysia’s new Education Director-General, Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim, a participant of the NIE Executive Programme for Education Leaders. According to the Malaysian Education Ministry, she is the 17th Director-General and the second woman to hold this important position.Well done, Dr Habibah!

NIE team visiting Peking University.

MTP session on 23 August 2019 with Prof Julian Sefton-Green from Deakin University.

Congratulations,Dr Habibah!

Who’ d Like To MeetThe Professors?

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Redesigning Pedagogy International ConferenceEducating for Innovation, Nurturing for Society1– 3 June 2020, Singapore

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Prof Angel LinSimon Fraser University,

Canada

Prof David HungNational Institute of Education,

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Prof Diana HessUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison,

United States of America

Assoc Prof Gigi LukMcGill University,

Canada

Prof John LoughranMonash University,

Australia

Prof Marc BornsteinEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development,

United States of America

https://conference.nie.edu.sgJOIN US TODAY!

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RPCadvert NIEWS March.pdf 1 2/1/20 7:10 PM

The Zurich University of Teacher Education is not only one of the country’s largest teacher education institution, it’s also a great gateway to some of the best sights in Switzerland.The Zurich University of Teacher Education (PH Zurich) has been an NIE partner university since 2013. From semester exchange programmes to international practicums, the collaborative arrangement has provided student teachers, lecturers and researchers from both sides a chance to learn from one another and to experience each other’s cultures and lifestyles.

Established in 2012, PH Zurich has some 3,600 students, in addition to 12,000 participants who enrol in its professional programmes each year. The university is known for its future-focused, science-based and practice-oriented educational

studies, including pre-service and in-service teacher education. Its modern infrastructure offers an ideal environment for teaching, learning and research, while the proximity of its campus facilities promotes greater interaction and knowledge exchange among students and faculty members.

Given the university’s location next to the main railway station in the centre of Zurich, it would be entirely remised if one does not make time while at PH Zurich to check out this beautiful European city and beyond.

Excursion

PH Zurich: Your Gateway To Switzerland

© Beat Bühler

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Excursion

What To See In Zurich?

From Zurich To SwitzerlandAnd Beyond!

Zurich is a cultural hub and Switzerland’s most important economic centre. The bustling city also has its own lake and is flanked by wooded hills. Being in the heart of Europe, Zurich offers easy access to a great variety of experiences, including the nearby Swiss Alps for those who enjoy dramatic sceneries.

In summer, the surrounding area with its many lakes and hilly countryside is a lovely place for hiking, climbing and cycling.When the weather turns colder, a night at the opera, or a visit to thecity’s beautiful theatres and museums or lively clubs and bars offerattractive alternatives.

Here’re our five top picks:Grossmünster ChurchA prominent landmark believed to be built on the graves of the city’s patron saints, Felix and Regula. Climb up the Karlsturm tower for breathtaking city views.

BahnhofstrasseZurich’s most exclusive shopping destination! This famous “shopping mile” connects Lake Zurich to the main railway station.

Old TownThe historic city centre where guild houses and quaint buildings line its romantic streets and hidden corners.

Lake ZurichAn extremely popular venue for excursions, swimming, boating, leisurely picnics along the banks of the lake, and some crisp, fresh air!

SechseläutenplatzSited near Lake Zurich, this famous town square fuses tradition with modernity. Discover legendary restaurants, insta-friendly cafes and the Zurich Opera House all within reach.

Switzerland is a landlocked country and home to the majestic Swiss Alps with 4,400 summits exceeding 2,000m. The magnificent landscapes are easily reachable from Zurich. Meanwhile, short trips to metropolises such as Milan, Munich and Paris are possible by public transport, whereas Rome, Berlin and London are just a 90-minute flight away.

Scan to knowmore about Zurich.

Scan to knowmore about Switzerland.

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OvercomingReading

ChallengesCan struggling readers or learners with dyslexia be

encouraged to read? How can we use technology in the classroom to help readers discover the worlds hidden in

books? How shall we teach struggling learners?

Essays

by Mr Edmen Leong, Director Specialised Education Services,Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS)

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to read, spell, comprehend text, and write. DAS has developed programmes to address the

challenges faced by learners with dyslexia using an adapted version of the Orton-Gillingham (OG) Approach. This is a direct, explicit, multisensory,

structured, sequential, diagnostic and prescriptive way to teach literacy when reading, writing and spelling do not come easily to individuals.

The use of technology can be seen in the DAS classroom. Some examples include the administration of tests and assessments to track the progress of

learners, and the use of interactive e-books to encourage reading.

I shall elaborate on the use of interactive e-books for learners with dyslexia. One of the biggest challenges for dyslexic readers is the inaccessibility of

printed words in books. The development of interactive e-books overcomes this difficulty by having the literature read aloud to the dyslexic learners, and

in the process, vouchsafe them opportunities to expand their vocabulary, linguistic finesse, and general knowledge through the literature.

An ongoing research project conducted by my colleague on the use of e-books for such learning objectives suggested that younger readers who used

to struggle with reading became a lot more motivated to read after being introduced to e-books. This study is expected to be published in end-2020.

While the e-book application can open doors to new knowledge and literature for struggling and dyslexic readers, it is important to understand the reasons

behind reading motivation for struggling readers or learners with dyslexia, and explore the possibility of these readers being able to eventually

read independently.

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Essays

The mother of a participant in the research involving the use of e-books shared her joy of seeing her 6-year-old son picking up reading through an e-book application. Initially, the young boy would get the application to read aloud to him. After a while, he progressed to reading the text on his own. She showed a video of her son expressing his excitement and motivation in being able to read independently with his growing collection of e-books in the application. Both mother and child were ecstatic after realising that the boy was now able to read independently.

I was particularly encouraged by one of my teenage students who would bring a book into class every week for silent reading during the break. Over time, she started sharing the stories she had read with her peers. This eventually led me to spend time in the library picking out books for everyone in the class to read. After a while, it became a habit for the class to visit the library every week. I was amazed at how this student managed to influence her peers who were all struggling readers, and turn them into avid learners who enjoyed reading and visiting the library. It is one of my interests to further study the impact of peer influence on the motivation of struggling readers to read and learn, and how this could eventually be applied to large groups of struggling readers

On top of the studies on technology, we are particularly interested in investigating the possibility of supporting struggling learners who are not dyslexic. While there is a lot more to explore in this area in terms of research, we have conducted a small study aimed at understanding this possibility in one of our programmes. Results from that study indicated significant effects of interventions on struggling learners who do not have dyslexia (Abdul Razak etal., 2018).

The programmes at DAS are based on established teaching practices and further evaluated by our researchers to ensure relevance in the local context. For instance, the effectiveness of the OG Approach adopted by DAS was validated through an in-depth study conducted in 2015 (Lim and Oei, 2015). The evaluations and recommendations for improvement of the programmes run by DAS are published in various research papers, which can be accessed at the QR code here.

About Mr Edmen Leong. Currently the Director of Specialised Education Services at DAS,Edmen started as an Educational Therapist in 2010 supporting learners with dyslexia through literacy intervention. He went on to complete an NIE Masters in Applied Linguistics in mid-2000’s that provided him important frameworks for the development and implementation of a range of educational programmes for dyslexic learners. Edmen is now pursuing a doctoral degree at NIE, with an interest in reading motivation and struggling readers.

Case Study 1

Case Study 2

Look Mummy! I Can Read!

You Can Read Too!

References- Lim, L., & Oei, A. C. (2015). Reading and spelling gains following one year of Orton‐Gillingham intervention in Singaporean students with dyslexia. British Journal of Special Education, 42(4), 374-389.- Abdul Razak, T. E., See, E., Tan, S. H. J. & Leong, E. (2018). Exploring the effectiveness of the English Examination Skills Programme on struggling non-dyslexic learners. Asia Pacific Journal of Developmental Differences, 5(2), 141 – 162.

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Essays

Think Like Picasso: Developing Creative Skills And Mindset For 21CC

Artistic Thinking and practices provide fresh ways of seeing, and imaginative ways of thinking about academic knowledge; it offers valuable skills and dispositions to prepare both students and teachers for the unpredictable future.

by Dr Pamela Costes-Onishi, Research Scientist, NIE

I was often asked why we need arts in education for our children. First off, we have to understand the distinction between arts education and arts in education. Put simply, arts education is the learning of the arts to develop skills and ways of thinking in one or more art forms, while arts in education is the learning through the arts to enhance academic achievement and promote cognitive transfer.

The greatest benefit in having arts in education is the Artistic Habits of Mind that are being nurtured in the children when they are engaging in the arts. This holds true regardless of whether we are developing these skills, competencies and dispositions for the changing needs of the globalised economies of the twenty-first century.

Artistic Habits of Mind, also known as Artistic Thinking, requires knowing what the arts would actually teach and how artists would actually learn. It develops within the students the skills, competencies and dispositions that innovative artists would intuitively apply in their creative works, including the integration of interdisciplinary and scientific thinking in the process. The creative thinking approach can be easily transferred to and applied in other life endeavours outside the classrooms.

In my book Artistic Thinking in the Schools, I have presented several evidences concerning specific contexts that offered suppositions or ideas in explaining how the arts in education function to develop Artistic Habits of Mind to support cognitive and affective learning. One of them is on how direct engagement with the arts enhances the capacity of

the learner for self-reflection, self-regulation, self-transformation and self-emancipation relative to present and future social realities.

These skills can help us deal with today’s complex social dynamics by seeing things from different perspectives, find multiple solutions to a problem, inculcate the habit to constantly reflect, develop a keen sense of observation of the surroundings, and appreciate the beauty in all things. They are habits of mind that artists will apply intuitively when they engage and express through their art as well as perceive things around them.

Developing Artistic Thinking can help teachers acquire these skills, which when translated into teaching, would enable teachers to gain valuable abilities, like sensing the emotional dimension of students along with the cognitive dimension in the teaching-learning process, and becoming more attentive in the classroom context. These qualities will hone the teachers’ flexibility in their choice and implementation of teaching approaches. By thinking artistically, they will be more inclined to take risks and design more imaginative lessons that could cater to diverse student backgrounds and learning styles.

The real benefits of the arts in education will not be evident as long as these subjects are side-lined as frills or standalone disciplines in the curriculum.Art subjects have to be properly integrated as important elements in building a holistic curriculum, with Artistic Thinking becoming a part of conventional pedagogy.

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Essays

Engaging in the arts and integrating the arts effectively in teaching and learning can effectively develop the thinking and sensing of how ideas are interconnected. Throughout this process, students can learn to connect their subjective thinking to objective knowledge and contextualise both of these in real-world scenarios. This enables them to reflect on how they are thinking and learning, or better, to reflect on their thinking about their learning through connected knowledge and experiences.

The most salient impediment to the process would be the general misconception about what the arts and artists are. Socially, the arts have always been seen as essential in as far as we are able to do it on the side because they are not financially attractive as a trade. Academically, they are seen as activities to help students unwind from their rigorous, and more important subjects. Politically, the arts are primarily considered as instrumental in growing the economy. And generally, there is a lack of awareness about how artists work and think before producing something delightful and beautiful, or in some instances, jarring and provocative.

The Artistic Thinking process, when understood correctly, will enable thinking and doing in other disciplines to become more retrospective and introspective for more socially responsible outcomes. This revelation can only be fully appreciated when experienced within the artistic processes.

About Dr Pamela Costes-Onishi.An NIE research scientist with a doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of Washington (2005). Her research interests include aesthetic-based inquiry learning, arts in education, multicultural education, community arts, diversity in education and teacher professional learning and development. Dr Costes-Onishi is also an artist, directing and performing for the Sari-sari Philippine Kulintang Ensemble that has been actively providing workshops and performances around Singapore since 2010. As an educational researcher, her works inform the Teacher Professionalism and Learning (TPAL) programme of the Office of Education Research at NIE. More on leveraging arts in education can be found in Dr Costes-Onishi’s latest book “Artistic Thinking In The Schools: Towards Innovative Arts /in/ Education Research for Future-Ready Learners”, available at the QR code below.

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Essays

Teacherhood: Reflections Of A Merdeka Educator“Teacherhood” is an interesting terminology rarely used over my past 38 years in education service. My googled explanation leads me to understand that it is the situation where someone is put into a position to help others learn. Teachers, instructors and professionals are among those in such a position.

by Dr Zoe Boon, Senior Lecturer, Policy, Curriculum and Leadership Academic Group

At a deeper level, this idea can be extended further based on my PhD research on The Making of School Principals (2004), and subsequently, a book entitled Singapore School Principals: Leadership Stories (2018). A key finding is the significance of how one’s formative years play a crucial part in influencing the ‘who’ and ‘what’ a person would become in his/her career. Adapting this notion to “Teacherhood”, a teacher’s growing-up years has an impact on ‘who’ the teacher will eventually be.

Take myself for example. Who I was as a teacher and principal had much to do with earlier experiences. I see myself as a “Merdeka Educator” because I was part of the generation that was educated in the 1970s, became a teacher in early 1980s, and a school leader in the 1990s.

So, what matters in “Teacherhood ”? For me, there are three key important aspects:

Curiosity With Passion To LearnTo embrace “Teacherhood”, one has to be intuitively curious about things and events happening around you. A good knowledge of current affairs keeps a teacher relevant and poised in preparing students to be future-ready learners with 21st Century skills and competencies. I recalled my conversations with beginning teachers when I first took on principalship. Sadly, I noted that a few of them hardly keep in touch with the latest local and foreign news (those were the days of newspapers, radio and television). My main concern then was that “Teacherhood” was about staying relevant and updated for the sake of the self and students.

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Essays

I believe my reflections and anecdotes are just as applicable for present day teachers. When teachers get the fundamentals right, together with the grounded values like ‘All students can Learn’ and ‘All Teachers can Learn, Care and Inspire’, “Teacherhood” can be a noble and attainable attribute for all educators.

Dr Zoe Boon is a Senior Lecturer with the Policy, Curriculum and Leadership Studies Academic Group. Prior to NIE, Dr Boon has a long career as a principal as well as a teacher in several schools. She was an education leader at Anglican High School, Merlimau Primary School and Shuqun Secondary School, and had taught at Bedok Town Secondary School, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian School, Presbyterian Boys’ School and CHIJ Katong Convent. For her contributions to the education service, Dr Boon was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in August 2004.

Pedagogy with Passion to Teach“Teacherhood” is not only about having updated core knowledge, it is also about having the skills and competencies to translate that knowledge into chunks that can make new knowledge and understanding palatable for young novice learners. Towards the end of my Secondary Two year as a student, the principal, Mr Eugene Wijesinghe, came to my class and mooted the idea of having the first Science class in the school. The idea was promptly implemented a few months later in the following school year, even though there was a dearth of Pure Science teachers at that time. I was thankful that a Chinese-stream Chemistry teacher, Mdm Ha, agreed to cross over to teach Chemistry in English despite the language challenge. She proved to be an excellent Science teacher. Her passion to put teaching and students before self was for me a clear demonstration of “Teacherhood”.

“Teacherhood” with Passion to GrowSome of my best and most engaging teachers during my secondary school years were non-graduates. In the “survival-driven” era of Singapore Education, they truly epitomised what a passionate teacher should be. Till today, I still fondly remember some of these excellent teachers. Back when school was more about track shoes than books for me, Mrs Caryn Leong, my English Literature teacher as well as Track and Field coach introduced me to the beauty and power of stories and drama. Similarly, credit goes to Mr Buang, my Athletics teacher, who encouraged me to take up public speaking in the school hall. Those were the days of holistic education in action even if we didn’t have fanciful terminologies and sophisticated framework to go with it!

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LearningThat Sparks JoyMeet Mr Ow Yeong Wai Kit, whose unconventional approaches to teaching Literature has won him admiration from his students — as well as an unexpected award.Friends and students may know him as an educator, writer and literary enthusiast. But many may be unaware thatOw Yeong Wai Kit (NIE Class of 2015) has helped to create a card game for teaching Literature, served as an advocate for inter-faith harmony, and was one of six recipients of the Outstanding Youth in Education Award 2019.

The national award, which recognises outstanding efforts in teaching, inspiring and nurturing students, had amassed some 4,100 nominations. “I wasn’t expecting this honour at all,” the 31-year-old said, having returned recently from a learning conference in St Louis, Missouri, made possible by the award. “It has been a clear affirmation that the joy of learning is worth cultivating and nurturing.”

With both parents in the teaching profession, Wai Kit already knew that teaching was not an easy career. “The lesson preparation, the projects, the committee work, the CCAs—there are no short cuts. But isn’t that what makes teaching so fascinating and rewarding?” asked the Literature teacher from Bukit Batok Secondary School, citing the poet Taylor Mali who described teaching as‘the world’s greatest job’.

“When I was a beginning teacher, I asked as many experienced colleagues as I could for permission to observe their classes. I just wanted to see how they established discipline, built rapport and checked for understanding. I’m certainly obliged to them for their practical insights on classroom management and learning assessment,” he explained.

Wai Kit also enjoys having in-depth conversations with his students. “You can’t timetable these conversations—they have to be organic, spontaneous and informal. I actively look for pockets of time during morning assembly, recess or after CCA to get to know students, especially those in my form class. It’s crucial to understand their hopes and dreams as well as their fears and desires.”

Portrait

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When it comes to the classroom, Wai Kit believes in enlivening his lessons through gamification, role-play and even mock trials. During these trials, students have the opportunity to hone their skills in argumentation and evidence-based reasoning. Is it challenging to conduct all these activities? “Props and costumes can be hard to procure, and activities can be significantly time-consuming to plan and conduct.” But for the mock trials he conducted in class, Wai Kit managed to borrow school graduation gowns for the ‘judges’ and NPCC uniforms for the ‘bailiffs’.

He has also used popular songs by Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran to spark deeper interest in poetry. He recounted another occasion when students squealed with delight upon viewing a mah-jong scene from the film Crazy Rich Asians—which he used to explain a similar setting in the O-level text, The Joy Luck Club. “When students are able to experience the joy of learning for themselves, all these efforts are worthwhile,” he commented.

Admittedly, there are some who believe that joyful learning experiences are secondary to academic results. “My response would be this: when students are led to enjoy the process of learning, the results will take care of themselves. By finding joy in learning, students genuinely become self-directed learners, developing the self-confidence they need to succeed in life,” Wai Kit observed.

We were curious to know if Wai Kit’s teaching style could have been inspired in any way by the late Robin Williams’ role in Dead Poets Society. Quite the contrary—Wai Kit believes his teaching approach has been the amalgamation of different sources, influences and role models. “I’d like to see myself as a life coach. I seek to discipline without being harsh, to be compassionate without being passive, to be calm without being aloof, and to be knowledgeable without pretending to be omniscient. When dealing with student apathy, I prefer to respond with patient humour rather than perplexed indignation.

“The teacher-writer Trevor Wright once asked new teachers to write down the single most important development in their learning curve. The most memorable response was: ‘I bought a filing cabinet.’ I agree with that whole-heartedly. Early on, I realised that the more organised I became, the better I would be at my job, and the more time I could devote to new activities and projects for students. Most teaching anxieties can be eliminated simply by being organised.

“I would also advise beginning teachers to be like a magpie: collect and document everything. If possible, retain resources in soft copy so that they can be retrieved more easily. You’ll thank yourself in future,” he added.

Portrait

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NIEINTERNATIONAL

GRADUATE

STUDENT

CONFERENCE

2020

National Institute of EducationNanyang Technological University1 Nanyang Walk Singapore 637616

1 - 3 July 2020

Celebrating the Future ofInterdisciplinary Research

Scan the QR

code to find

out more!

Looking for a good read but not sure where to start?Check out these book titles available at the NIE library.

Library

Reclaiming Our Calling: Hold On ToThe Heart, Mind, And Hope Of Education

By Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López

This is a picture book for the moments when we feel out of place and unsure of ourselves in a new environment. Told through free verse, Woodson introduces a diverse cast of students who learn to share their unique stories with a gentle nudge from the teacher. The book’s bright and warm illustrations encourage us as readers to find the courage to share stories and form connections, even when we feel different and alone. This simple yet poignant story is a reminder that each child is different, and how teachers can be the subtle, driving force in cultivating a classroom of inclusivity and mutual respect.

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By Jared Cooney Horvath

By Brad Gustafson

Written by an expert on educational neuroscience, this educational guide doesn’t just walk you through the concepts on influencing others based on the 12 principles of how people learn – it also illustrates the design of these concepts, along with experiments and exercises to check your understanding. The excellent use of visuals and anecdotes at crucial points transforms these concepts into tangible encounters for readers. Greatly accessible and enjoyable, this book is not so much read as it is experienced.

Gustafson, a 2016 National Distinguished Principal for Minnesota, attempts to resolve two familiar tensions facing educators: the pressure of teaching to test, and the desire to facilitate learning that lasts. Drawing on his experiences as a student, and later as a teacher and principal, Gustafson seamlessly blends personal stories with heartfelt reflections. Peppered with practical ideas for implementation in the classroom, he shows how teachers can holistically engage the needs, talents and dreams that each student brings to class by (re)discovering the heart, mind and hope of education.

The Day You Begin

Stop Talking,Start Influencing

23

Recess Time

#Throwback

RecessTime

We can all agree, a

s students, that

“Recess” was one of

our favourite

periods. Aside from

a sumptuous

spread at the cante

en and the

snaking queue to th

e famous Bak

Chor Mee, it was al

so the best time

to play our favourit

e sports, catch

up with friends and

enjoy a break

from lessons.

NIEWS reached

out to four fa

culty

members to fin

d out their fo

ndest

memories of ch

ildhood recess

time. We also i

nvite you to s

hare

with us your b

est recess tim

e

memories by us

ing the hashta

g

#ThrowbackRece

ssTime on Inst

agram!

24

Recess Time

“My recess time during primary school was filled with games such as Police & Thief, Zero Point and 老鹰捉小鸡 (loosely translates as “Eagle Catching Chicks”) among others. Lining up to collect my free packet of milk was another fond memory of my primary school days. My classmates and I used to be quite fearful of bumping into dental nurses while we were enjoying our sweets and keropok snacks too. Were you afraid of dental nurses too?”

“Recess was certainly one of my favourite periods! I remember queuing in the canteen for my favourite chicken macaroni soup or french fries (I still queue up for fries, in the NIE canteen; some things haven’t changed). I would also spend recess playing games such as hopscotch, five stones and “What Time is it, Mr Wolf? with my friends”. Oftentimes, I would head to the school library to check out books. Favourites included Anne of Green Gables, and the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, which were very popular at the time. I read Enid Blyton, as did many children of that time and some titles I read included Noddy, The Enchanted Faraway Tree, The Naughtiest Girl, Secret Seven, Famous Five and Malory Towers.”

Asst Prof Chua Boon LiangMathematics and Mathematics Education (MME) Academic Group

Assoc Prof Loh Chin EeEnglish Language and Literature (ELL) Academic Group

Assoc Prof Loh Chin Ee on board Bus No. 181 to Arab

Street for a History project in 1989.

Asst Prof Chua Boon Liang (middle in yellow tee-shirt) with his primary ex-classmates in 1980.

25

Recess Time

“Everyone knows my love for sports, and as you can probably guess, I would be actively engaged in various sports and games not only during recess but before and after school. Football was my favourite, and I remember having to bring my own football to school to play with my friends. We were also fans of “One Leg”, a game that required us to hop on one leg while attempting to tag others without stepping out of the restricted perimeter. I vividly remember the days my friends and I used to conspire through hand signals so that we could be placed in the same sporting teams. We ended up winning almost every football match. Of course, I would also make time for Teo Chew Porridge, which was my canteen favourite back in the day!”

“I loved school! During recess, you would find me in the school library glued to the Mandarin version of the Doraemon comic. If not, I would either play hopscotch, enjoy a snack with my friends, or drink my favourite green bean soup, which was so cheap and easy to eat. Being a sports enthusiast from young, I would try to play at every opportunity that I got. In fact, that was how my love for table tennis started. When my classes ended at 1pm, I would stay back in the school to play table tennis through the afternoon as I was in the school team. I even attended the flag-lowering ceremony with the pupils in the afternoon session!”

Assoc Prof Chow Jia YiPhysical Education and Sports Science (PESS) Academic Group

Left: Assoc Prof Chow Jia Yi (extreme left) posing with his friends.

Right: Assoc Prof Chow Jia Yi (fifth from left, standing) with his secondary school football team.

Assoc Prof Tan Seng Chee (on the left) with his Primary 6 classmates before PSLE.

Assoc Prof Tan Seng CheeLearning Sciences and Assessment (LSA)Academic Group

26

#NIESINGAPORE