National Education

And the Social Functions of Schools in the Singapore System

AED201 – The Social

Context of

Teaching and Learning

Your facilitators today…

Kai Ting ElfyJun Yuan Terence

What are we doing today?

AGENDAIntroduction to objectives of today’s seminarTime to play! – Round 1!Discussion on current national issues in SingaporeActivity – National Education’s key initiativesTime to play! – Round 2!Activity – Analysis of students’ behaviours in NE lessons and teaching strategies for various social contextsConclusion

Seminar ObjectivesAt the end of this seminar, we hope you will be able to:1. Have the opportunities to reflect and express your personal

thoughts and assumptions about National Education programme in Singapore schools.

2. Identify and understand the National Education initiatives practiced in Singapore schools today.

3. Formulate strategies to overcome challenges in teaching National Education for several social contexts so as to make learning NE meaningful both for yourselves and your students.

Food for thoughtWhat is it that makes us uniquely Singaporean?

Video 1: Singapore – A mixture of Hearts

Activity 1.1

Key Facilitator: Kai Ting

Coming up next…

How well do you know one another?

Activity 1.2

Key Facilitator: Kai Ting

Activity instructions? No instructions!We only have a riddle for you…

All is not as it seems,Stay and you shall perish,Seek and you shall find.

For alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.

Activity 2

Key Facilitator: Kai Ting

Let’s watch…Video 2: Curry Curry Night

KT, what articles to insert?

Class DiscussionWhat is your opinion on these issues?

Thinking PointReflect on your own experience as a student in

Singapore.

What are your personal thoughts about the value and meaning of NE?

Activity 3

Key Facilitator: Junyuan

Ever wonder exactly what are schools for?

Social Functions of SchoolsTransmission of K _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _Promotion of Social C _ _ _ _ _ _ _Streamlining of Talents for _ _ _ _Fostering of change and innovation

Knowledge

JobsCohesion

National EducationSo why the need for National Education?

Profile of SingaporeYoung NationConsists on people from many different races and culturesTherefore, it is essential for us to develop national cohesion in students through understanding Singapore’s unique developmental challenges, constraints and vulnerabilities.

Objectives of National Education

To develop National CohesionTo cultivate Instincts for iravvlusTo instil in our Students fnonidcece in our Future

SurvivalConfidence

Head Hearts HandsFramework

?

?

?? ?

?

CHARADES!

Invite 1 representative from each group

You were awesome!Now, let us look into some of the details of the Head, Hearts, Hands framework…

>>>

3 Key Thrusts of H3 approachA. Enabling and Equipping Educators

Deepen the conviction and commitment of educators to nurture Singaporean citizens with a strong sense of belonging for Singapore

Examples?

3 Key Thrusts of H3 approachA. Enabling and Equipping Educators

Enhance the knowledge, skills and interest of educators in delivering NE through professional development

Examples?

3 Key Thrusts of H3 approachB. Engaging and Empowering Students

Provide a more effective guide for the customisation of NE programmes for students of different age groups and inclinations

How?

3 Key Thrusts of H3 approachC. Enhancing NE through Strengthening School‐

Community Linkages

In many ways, NE is not taught but caught. It is through encounters and interactions with people from different backgrounds, young and old, at home and abroad, that students learn about life and themselves as Singaporeans.Examples?

Activity 4

Key Facilitator: Elfy

Let’s play…

Activity 5

Key Facilitator: Terence

Class discussion

What did you observe from the short skit?

Was there anything that surprised you?

Why do you think the students responded that way?

Coming up next...Divide yourselves into 4 groupsEach group will be given a scenario of different social contextDiscuss and formulate strategies which you will adopt as a teacher to teach National Education in that particular social context

4 different social contextsSec 3

Branded “ACES High Sch”

GEP classHigh ability

Sec 3Neighbourhood

“Chinatown Sec Sch”Normal Academic class

Sec 2Neighbourhood

“Pulau Ubin Sec Sch”Express class

with 30% foreign students

Sec 1Neighbourhood

“Deepavali High Sch”Express classMixed abilities

Thinking Points1. Identify the possible attitudes of students and

teachers towards the NE programme in each social context. What are its implications?

2. Formulate NE teaching strategies in a way that is meaningful for both themselves as teachers, and for their students in the particular social context.

As we proceed towards the end of

today’s seminar…

What are your key takeaways?ACTIVITY 1.1 and 1.2

Ice Breaker game Puzzle activities

Values and learning points – Implicitly and metaphorically

ACTIVITY 2 Singapore’s current national issues

Opinions towards these contentious issues Personal thoughts towards the value and meaning of

NE programmes in school

ACTIVITY 3 Introduction to National Education initiatives and the

Head, Hearts, Hands framework

What are your key takeaways?ACTIVITY 4

“Are you smarter than a 5th grader?”

ACTIVITY 5 Evaluate reactions of students’ responses as observed

in skit Group collaboration and discussion to formulate

strategies to make NE more meaningful for both yourselves as teachers and students.

On a final note…

Handout bookletsWikispaces: Follow-up discussion

http://national-education.wikispaces.com/Some treats for you! :)

ReferencesAdapted from Are you smarter than a 5th grader? [Television programme]. (2011).

Los Angeles: Fox Broadcasting Company.Lee, H. L. (1997, May 17). Speech by BG Lee Hsien Loong , Deputy Prime Minister at the Launch of National Education. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/

media/speeches/1997/170597.htmLiu, T.Y. (2007). Speech by Minister of State Liu Tuck Yew on NE: Strengthening Heartware and Rootedness. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/speeches/2007/sp20070307c.htmMinistry of Education. (2007). Executive Summary of the Committee on NE Report

2007. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2007/files/pr20070307a-executive-summary.pdfAdapted from  MONOPOLY DEAL Card game. [Game]. (2011). Pawtucket, RI: Media

Materials.Ng, E. H. (2008, Aug 14). Speech by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence, at the 4th anniversary public lecture at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Retrieved from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2008/08/14/speech-by-dr-ng-eng-hen-at-the-10.phpTan, J. (2008). Whither national education? In J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking schools, learning nation: Contemporary issues and challenges (pp. 72-86). Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

THANK YOU!We hope you have enjoyed our

seminar!