MOE Portraits

An Born into a family of humble means,Unconventional Eng Kee never had the opportunity to take up private music lessons as a child Start despite his flair for it. He remembers not even knowing what a piano was. Unlike many music students who have been exposed to music training through private tutoring, Eng Kee discovered the joy of music through the General Music Programme (GMP) and Co-Curricular Activities (CCAs) of the schools he attended. Eng Kee learnt to sing as a member of his primary school choir. Later, he picked up the trumpet playing in his Secondary school’s military band. Through the rigour of the CCA programmes, he played the erhu (two-stringed fiddle) in his Junior College Chinese Orchestra and was also actively involved in the Chinese Language Drama and Debating Society (CLDDS). There was a significant moment in his young life which cemented the belief that music was a friend and companion. As a Primary Four student, he was identified by his teacher to join an external choir at a Community Centre. One Sunday after a performance, Eng Kee and a selected few were publicly commended by their teacher. Eng Kee recalls the pride he felt and it left an indelible mark in his memory as a young boy. ARTS EXPRESS / 38

FortuneFavours the BoldEng Kee’s admission to the Nanyang During his years at NAFA, Eng KeeAcademy of Fine Arts (NAFA) was, had the privilege to study under twoin its own right, rather remarkable of Singapore’s prolific composers,too. Undeterred by the fact that the late Mr Leong Yoon Pin and Mrhe did not have the pre-requisite Phoon Yew Tien. In addition to beingmusic qualifications, he went for Eng Kee’s choir teacher, he also tookthe audition and met Mdm Soh private composition study with theEng Keng, the programme’s Head former. He remembers his initialof Department. Though he did not inability to appreciate studying themeet the entry requirements for the styles of different composers. “I wasdiploma programme, she offered to bored stiff!” he laughs. However,take him in as a private student after through composition study, he wasassessing his interest and intent. deeply intrigued by the way Mr Leong combined the Western technique of“My thoughts were quite naive then,” composition with Chinese idioms.says Eng Kee. “I just really wanted “If there were a person who reallyto take up music, and I think that influenced me in terms of music, itsincerity moved her.” would be him.”It was a leap of faith on both their Under their tutelage, Eng Keeparts as neither knew how this unusual matured as a musician and moved onarrangement would eventually pan to undertake his degree in the Unitedout. He spent half a year at NAFA States. While he was confident aboutwith Mdm Soh, and soon enrolled his choices, his decision to further hisas a full-time student and began his studies was largely unsupported asformal music training at 22 years old. many felt his future in music was bleak. Not disheartened, he forged forward and majored in Vocal Performance, specialising in concert performance.39 / ARTS EXPRESS

Teaching:A Vocation in the MakingArmed with rich learning experiences, 30-year-old Eng Kee beganrelief teaching at Ghim Moh Secondary School when he returnedto Singapore. In his short stint with the school, he helped the bandachieve a merit in their marching assessment.Despite his busy life as an educator, he was actively involved inthe choral scene in Singapore. When he returned from his studies,he was asked to join the Metro Philharmonic Society Choir, ofwhich Mr Leong was the founder. Upon noticing that the choir wasageing, he got permission to set up the Metro Philharmonic YouthChoir (MPYC) and has played a large part in igniting the passionin choral singing amongst young people, as well as creating avibrant music culture in Singapore.Having been an educator for 17 years, Eng Kee has seen hisown attitudes change towards teaching. He advises the youngerteachers to keep up with their own music practice and bepassionate about the subject.“The benefit’s not just in the content, but the way the teacherrole models music making, demonstrates musicianship and how amusician behaves. These are all part and parcel of music learning.It’s beyond what the teacher says, but what the teacher does.”Today, teaching has become a vocation for Eng Kee. Other thanbeing able to use his passion, gifts and talents in a gratifying way,he knows that his work has an impact beyond himself.“I teach because I’m interested in making changes in otherpeople’s lives,” says Eng Kee. “Teaching is my vocation, and thisis something I can do for the rest of my life.” ARTS EXPRESS / 40

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Chee-Tan Ee Sin Music provides a means for one to express his thoughts, an idea, a feeling or simply a reasonto come together to play. ARTS EXPRESS / 42

Music has always been a part of Chee-Tan Ee Sin’slife. Having learnt the piano from her mother – apiano teacher – she quickly went on to pick up theviolin at seven, and the dizi (bamboo flute) laterin Secondary school. Growing up, Ee Sin had aball playing with the Singapore National YouthOrchestra, formerly known as the Singapore YouthOrchestra. She was the President of her school’sChinese Orchestra, and also accompanied acommunity choir on the piano. It was when sheplayed with other people that her musical horizonswidened. “I really enjoyed making music withpeople,” she says.43 / ARTS EXPRESS

Music … forEducation Heightenedfor Teamwork … SensitivityThe Subject Head of Aesthetics From her experience playing inbelieves that music education benefits orchestras, Ee Sin built up her listeningstudents beyond just music skills and repertoire and learnt to appreciateknowledge. While acknowledging different instruments and how theythat not all her students actually go on come together in harmony. Throughto pursue music as a career, she says: learning music and playing with other“It’s the skills they pick up from their people, she has honed the ability tomusic education and later applying listen introspectively and learnt toto their lives outside of school that is make connection with the environmentmore important.” around her. This is something she tries to develop in her students.With that belief, Ee Sin developsher students to be better musicians In a recent assignment for her students,by often having them play in Ee Sin got her students to composeduets or as an ensemble. Through music to accompany photographs for acollaboration, she wants to develop photo-essay competition. Instinctively,their appreciation and respect for her students questioned the linkdifferent music, and develop respect between music and the photographs.for one another within the ensemble. “I told them, ‘To become better,By playing together, the students thinking musicians, we need to makewill learn to work collaboratively connections between what we hearthrough active music making. “The and what we see’. It’s that sensitivitylessons learnt from forming social that I hope to develop in the students,”relationships while playing as an she explains.ensemble can be easily appliedoutside of music,” she says. ARTS EXPRESS / 44

… for … formore CriticalConfidence ThinkingAs musicians, the ‘voice’ of the To Ee Sin, music education is alsostudents in the programme is a powerful tool to develop criticalrepresented by the music they create. thinking in students just as in theirIn addition to their musical voice, Ee process of composing music. “I don’tSin often encourages her students like to hear answers like ‘it sounds nice’to articulate and make visible their or ‘I don’t know what else to do’,” shethinking about their music, their says. Her students are encouraged tocompositions and their respective explain why they have chosen a certaininstruments. “It’s really about arrangement or how they picked outcommunicating,” she says. “The the one idea out of the many thatstudents spend so much time honing they have had. “I want to hear abouttheir craft and it would be great if their thought processes and whythey could explain why they do what they took a certain course of action.”they love, and love what they do.” Through critical thinking, her students in the programme learn to understandTo encourage such a culture of problems, identify solutions, as well ascommunication, Ee Sin creates a safe test out the solutions to see which oneenvironment for students to share, works best.especially in the lower secondaryclasses. She begins by asking themto share about their instruments andthe pieces that they play. “We makeit comfortable for them to open up.Because it’s just within the class andthey’re speaking to a group of friends,it’s intimate and less threatening,”she says.45 / ARTS EXPRESS

Music Educationfor a Lifetime “Music provides a means for one to express his thoughts, an idea, a feeling or simply a reason to come together to play,” she says. “Music is an alternative mode of expression, away from words and visual interpretations.” Ee Sin hopes that the Music Elective Programme (MEP) which she leads in school provides her students with the grounding and dispositions for them to continue as advocates, leaders and practitioners of music. “An MEP graduand may choose a different path – like becoming an engineer or a doctor – but it is our hope that their passion in music continues to be strong,” says Ee Sin. “That itself is a display of success for the programme,” she adds. She noted that a number of the local orchestras which sprung up recently were founded by MEP alumni, not all of whom are professional musicians. She has one simple wish for her students - to use music to help others, to bring music to other people, or to create opportunities for others to play music. “They don’t need to become musicians, but I do hope that through an enjoyable music education, they will continue to have music as part of their lives.” ARTS EXPRESS / 46

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Chia Wei Hou I wanted them to discover that drawing is not just about sight– it’s a multisensory experience. ARTS EXPRESS / 48

Art is LifeS P A C E …opens possibilitiesSince young, Chia Wei Hou has always been fascinated with floor plansand architectural drawings, and noticed how the environment caninfluence a person’s mood, thoughts and behaviour. At Raffles Institution(College), Wei Hou has cleverly designed his art studio to express thefluidity of art with an atmosphere of “openness and possibility” for hisstudents. With desks and chairs that can be configured freely, the studiocan easily facilitate different experiences in art making.Despite the studio’s ability to transform, the Senior Teacher feels that theenvironment must remain familiar – stimulating yet safe – for his studentsto learn and experiment well. Believing that art is a highly paradoxicalsubject, he feels the art studio must reflect the similar sentiment where itis “open, yet closed” at the same time. Creating a conducive workspaceis but the first step in helping his students understand the abstract ideal:Art is for Beauty, for Truth and for Kindness.49 / ARTS EXPRESS

Forming the core of his personal life Encouragingphilosophy, these are the three values Diversitythat guide him.“As artists and as people, we’re Wei Hou wants to use art to makealways trying to chase this fleeting better sense of the world and tosense of beauty. It’s transient, re-construct reality in a variety ofprecious and fragile, and we can only meaningful ways. “Art education iscatch a glimpse of it before we have not about teaching students howto try again. It’s like trying to catch a to draw or paint. It has its rightfulbutterfly by its tail. But beauty can’t place in the grand scheme of holisticbe retained. You see it and it’s gone. education,” he says.But, it makes you yearn more of it. It’ssomething that must be worked forand it must be learnt.”Using the analogy of a three-strand Driven by his underlying belief thatbraid, he explains that each strand Art connects us to the continuum ofembodies a value. “Truth represents “beauty and human imagination”,our endowed capacity for intelligence Wei Hou motivates his studentsand thoughts. Beauty refers to our towards finding their own versionsinnate sensibility to feel and tune into of beauty, truth and humanity. Heour feelings. Kindness is our inherent recognises that art should be anature for doing good, and sensing subject which celebrates the diversityour minute yet enduring role in the of creative expressions. With that,wider scheme of things,” he says. On he keeps an open mind and adaptstheir own, they are weak and fragile. his methods according to students’Once woven together, they form one needs. “If you cannot celebrate thestrong entity that represents what he subjectivity of the individual, there isbelieves to be Humanity. no art,” he says. ARTS EXPRESS / 50

EmbracingFailure forSuccessWei Hou also hopes to mitigate do the same where they record theirstudents’ fear of failing, through the inspirations, their discarded ideas,provision of a supportive learning trials, and even failed attempts.space. He sees mistakes as learningopportunities that strengthen To demonstrate that there is often nothe students’ ability to overcome “correct” in art, he favours employingsetback and nurture their resilience. somewhat unusual activities to“I insist that we learn to learn from encourage students to see thingsmistakes,” he says, “I’d rather they from different perspectives. “Asmake mistakes earlier so we can the students got ready to draw withlearn from the experience, and their pencils, I told them to drawwe can work together to achieve in response to the scratches andsuccess.” knocks from their pencils as they are drawing,” he recalls. The unusualIndeed, it is this process of learning task naturally incited confusion andand unlearning, trying and failing, forced the students to think aboutwhich Wei Hou reckons as important, how to interpret the instructionmore so than the art product itself. imaginatively. “I wanted them toKeeping art journals is a habit he has discover that drawing is not justacquired since his own secondary about sight – it’s a multisensoryschool days, and a practice he has experience,” he says. “As they paiddiligently continued till today. Using attention to the sounds, what initiallyhis own journals to demonstrate and seemed strange, suddenly becamelead the way, he gets his students to insightful.”51 / ARTS EXPRESS

Student Learningand Art Teaching:A Continuum“I always believe that all students come in with a “bag”, thoughnot literally!”Full of items, he says the contents in the invisible bag referto the prior skills, knowledge and experiences, strengthsand shortcomings each student has acquired over the years.Throughout the two years with them, he coaches thesebudding artists to “unpack their bags”, examine and analysethe contents. Along the way, they may toss aside certain itemswhilst adding new ones like the fresh insights and experiencesgained. Once they are ready to move on, Wei Hou helps themto repack their bags, zips them up, and nudges them alongtowards their next learning destination.Much like teaching, he sees learning as a continuum and activelycontributes to the art teaching fraternity and helps elevate thelevel of professionalism of art educators through sharing andmentoring. With an already hectic schedule, many wonderwhy he chooses to spend his remaining pockets of free timefacilitating professional development sessions at the SingaporeTeachers’ Academy for the aRts.“I share because I know it’s not easy to teach, and it’s even moredifficult to teach art. Art teachers face unique challenges, socoming together to exchange ideas is necessary to contributeto the larger field of art education,” says Wei Hou.Adding on, he says he forms partnerships with fellow teachersbecause it makes walking down the teaching journey lessdaunting. “I’ve benefitted from predecessors who havecontributed their wisdom and knowledge. It’d be a shame if Idon’t share what I know so others can be equally transformed.” ARTS EXPRESS / 52

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“If you want to build a ship,don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders.Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” Antoine de Saint-Exupéry GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 54

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Faridah Hajarmustika I wouldn’t have been able to give more in my lessonsif I didn’t improve myself. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 56

A Teacher’sLearningCurveLike other 14-year-olds advancing Faridah enrolled into the Art Teacheron to Secondary Three, Faridah Practitioner Programme (ATPP) inHajarmustika had to select her subject 2011 as a first step towards becomingcombination for her next two years a qualified art teacher.of Secondary school life. While sheloved doing art, she was unconvinced Before ATPP, Faridah thought thatabout the prospects of an artist and teaching art was all about workingeventually chose to pursue a more towards a final art product forconventional academic route. Even each lesson. Going through thethough she never forgot her passion programme, she later learnt thatand continued to stay creative, the this could not be further from thehead over heart decision to forgo truth. ATPP helped her re-examinestudying art came with a lingering her previous beliefs on what makescloud of regret. “Studying art would for a meaningful art education andhave given me a strong technical redefined her role in the classroom.foundation that’s necessary for my More importantly, she was equippedteaching,” explains Faridah. From that with teaching strategies that enabledexperience, she learnt the importance her to develop her students holisticallyof staying true to one’s own passion. through art.Faridah’s path towards becoming It was also during ATPP that Faridahthe Subject Head of Aesthetics/ began picking up studio skills whichCCA (Internal) at Maris Stella High she previously did not have in the(Primary) was filled with learning absence of a formal art education.points. After six years of teaching The programme fuelled her thirst forart, she felt herself stagnating as an learning, and served as a launch padeducator and believed she could to further her professional learningdo more for her students, if only she as an art educator. After ATPP, sheknew how. With neither approaches went on to pursue an Advancednor strategies in place for teaching Diploma in Primary Art Education andart, she was restricted by her own upon graduation, formally became alimited understanding of art and qualified art teacher.art pedagogy. At her own behest,57 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

Putting Through the various professionalLearning development opportunities, not only did Faridah manage to take away useful into strategies for designing relevant and Practice meaningful art making tasks, she also learnt the importance of art discussion in enhancing students’ critical thinking and appreciation of artworks. Now besides art creation, Faridah also engages her students in art discussions which she believes provides another platform for her students to have their voices heard. Reserved at first, her students have now matured into confident young people with their own views, yet remain respectful of their peers’ opinions. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 58

6 Boys. outdoors to find elements from nature2 Teachers. that could give varying textures to their500 Colour Pencils. prototype chairs made out of clay. Her photographs capture the boysWhile nurturing personal expression is crouching beside shrubs, fiddling withessential, Faridah also recognises the soil, leaves and flowers, and conceivingmerits of group learning and makes its suitability for their clay chairs.a conscious effort to create thoselearning opportunities. For instance, Through exploring a variety ofher Primary Five students had to work materials and experimenting withon a collaborative project as part of diverse art techniques, the groups‘A is for Art’, a programme organised of students developed a range ofby Singapore Teachers’ Academy for innovative creations. One of the chairs,the aRts (STAR) in partnership with the which was voted by the whole schoolAsian Civilisations Museum. This 14- population as best representing theweek programme included museum- school identity, was made out ofbased lessons which gave the students countless colour pencils and paperexposure to local and regional clips, and it took the teachers and acultures through the study of museum group of six dedicated students sevenartefacts. When they were back in days to construct.school, students in their teams weregiven an interesting and challenging In her reflective journal, Faridah pointsart task: design a life-sized “Seat of to the list of student feedback that sheHonour” for a special guest based on has recorded. One comment readsthe theme of school identity! “we really stretched our minds to the fullest”, and another says “enjoyedOver a four-month period, the combining ideas as a team”. Forstudents worked on small art tasks Faridah, art lessons are not only aboutexploring the elements of art – making art products. The journeycolours, textures, shapes and patterns of art making is equally, if not more,– and these progressively contributed important. She explains, “I hope toto the final product that is the chair. provide opportunities for studentsFlipping through her teaching journal to discover more about themselvesthat is delightfully filled with pictures and others through the process ofof her happy students and their works, art expression.” Indeed it is throughFaridah shares that during the lesson such lessons that she teaches heron ‘textures’, they had to venture students to respect others, persevere, experiment and be curious while finding their voices in art.59 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

Growing Reflecting on her involvement in the ‘A through is for Art’ programme for the past twoLearning years, Faridah says, “I realised the most difficult thing about designing a good art lesson is coming up with a meaningful art task – one which the students can make a personal connection to.” Developing two different thematic modules for the ‘A is for Art’ programme has pushed Faridah to see broader and think deeper in terms of lesson design, and she is constantly seeking ways to make art learning engaging and relevant for students in all her art lessons. She understands that this is only possible if she keeps learning and applying her newly-acquired knowledge into her classroom practice. The growth in this young teacher’s teaching capabilities can be attributed to the significance that she places on sustained professional development. Faridah hopes her students will see the value of a continuing education as much as she does. “I wouldn’t have been able to give more in my lessons if I didn’t upgrade myself,” she says. “I hope that the values I share with my students daily – appreciation, perspective and reflection – will inspire them to want to learn something new every day.” GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 60

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Charlotte Tan What I get is more than what I give out.Every new batch of students pushes me to want to become a better teacher. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 62

Charlotte Tan, Senior Teacher at CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh), enjoys going outof her comfort zone so much she ended up making art in a desert. Together withsome 20 artists, she spent days traversing the parched and barren land knownas Fowlers Gap in New South Wales, Australia, to seek beauty in a landscapeseemingly full of imperfection.Yet, it was in the harsh weather conditions that inspiration bloomed. Charlottefound her subject – trees – which she describes as the last vestiges of fragile beautyin the hostile environment. The works born from this experience eventually ledCharlotte to her first solo art exhibition in 2009, titled The Erosion of Memories.63 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

RaisingtheBar“As an artist, I am always looking to right or wrong in art and supportspush the boundaries in my work so that their creations fully. “I always tellI can find new ways of expression,” she them whatever they have donesays. Working on tree-inspired pieces from their heart will be unique andover the last seven years, she continues beautiful,” she says.to find the subject invigorating andchooses to push herself through the As a practicing artist, Charlotte isuse of various mediums. “I like to be a also able to use her rich experiencelittle experimental when I am working to guide her students, and explainsout my ideas.” how being one informs her teaching: “I go through the same roadblocks aCharlotte’s idea of ‘pushing boundaries’ student goes through when they arehowever, transcends the physical form trying to come up with original waysof art making. She believes strongly of connecting their work with theirin the need to make meaning of her own issues and beliefs. So in a way,works, and characterises meaningful art I can be more effective in helpingas something that expresses personal my students come up with creativeideas and beliefs, instead of it simply solutions because I constantly walkbeing an object of art. down that path myself.”That is her philosophy as an artist, and “Art helps people reach into theas a teacher, she too hopes to nurture creative recesses of their innerthe same disposition in her students. self to connect with themselvesIn class, she has observed that her on a deeper level. That is onestudents are prone to making art that of the key values art brings tomight sometimes lack context and anyone,” she says. “I feel a greatinsight. She wants to inspire them to sense of satisfaction when I see athink more deeply about issues and to student relate to an artwork and itswork on themes they personally believe meaning.”in. Charlotte maintains that there is no GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 64

Making Art Meaningful Having exhibited locally and internationally in both solo and group settings, Charlotte recently took her artistic contributions to greater heights through her active community involvement. Participating in a 2013 breast cancer awareness campaign, Charlotte and three other selected local artists painted an artwork each to raise funds for the cause. The ‘Circle of Strength 2013’ campaign, which aimed to shift public focus from ‘awareness’ to ‘increased action’, eventually raised a stellar amount that went into sponsoring 2,000 mammograms for women from low- income families. Not satisfied simply with donating her artwork for auction, Charlotte decided that it would make for a more meaningful project if the volunteers – women who were survivors of the disease – were involved in the creative process as well. So under her lead, they pieced together a beautiful collage of their collective experiences, conveying the message of hope, and presented the mural to the Breast Cancer Foundation. Charlotte is a firm believer that art is for everyone, and eventually hopes to reach out to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her intentions are simple and genuine – she would like to give underprivileged children access to the arts. “There are many talented kids out there who don’t have the opportunity,” says Charlotte. “With that added help, they will be able to apply for scholarships, apply to schools with a portfolio, get into auditions, and so on. Even if they don’t become artists, it doesn’t matter. They can just enjoy art for art’s sake and I think their lives will be enriched. ”65 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

Keeping the and this makes it an exciting andClassroom creative process. Seeing how myExperience Fresh students develop over time – from not understanding art and with developingWith over 30 years of experience in the art skills, to being confident andclassroom, one of the cornerstones articulate individuals who enjoy thefrom which she works is making sure subject – has kept me motivated tothat the learning environment is safe continue in this profession,” saysfor students to express themselves Charlotte on what keeps teachingfreely. Charlotte shares that this is to fresh.allow the students to feel that theiropinions are respected and valued, Whenwhich will hearten them to be active Giving is Receivinglearners. At the same time, she has totread the delicate line of being a friend While she is helping her students reachand a disciplinarian to the students, their fullest potential, she says teachingsomething which the Senior Teacher is actually a mutually rewardingnotes, poses a challenge for many experience that has enriched heryoung teachers. enormously too.“I think that the new teachers need a “I get a lot back from teaching. Whenlot of help in classroom management. I first started, I initially thought I hadWhen they are Beginning Teachers, much to give and help the students,most of them tend to want to be friends but actually, the pleasure is all mine,”with the students because they want a says Charlotte. “What I get is morelively and engaged class. However, they than what I give out. Every new batch ofmight end up with discipline problems students pushes me to want to becomethat may eventually escalate negatively a better teacher, to learn more, so thatand they end up disappointed and I can bring more enriching experiencesdisillusioned,” says Charlotte. to the classroom.”But she believes that experience will Charlotte, who through the years hasbe their best teacher, and the young found teaching to be “an incrediblyeducators will eventually acquire that amazing experience”, encouragesright balance between being strict yet those who want to help the communitypersonable in the classroom. to join the fraternity. “If you have the passion for giving, teach. Teaching is“The classroom experience is never one way that you can give back in therepetitive. Every class is different most meaningful way.” GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 66

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Victoria Loy We want teachers to step forward and be leadersto share their knowledge with the community. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 68

Ask any seven-year-old about their ambitions and they will give you an array of the most colourful answers ranging from doctors, astronauts, dancers to even mermaids. Most of them eventually grow out of their childhood aspirations, but some actually do follow through and become what their younger selves wanted to be. One such person is Victoria Loy, Master Teacher in Art. She often admired her own teachers as “heroes”, whose caring endeavours etched deep impressions that reinforced Victoria’s decision to want to become like them.69 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

RenewalandTransformationWorking at the Singapore Teachers’ Victoria also mentors teachers at theAcademy for the aRts (STAR), Victoria STAR Senior Teacher Programme.and her colleagues mooted the Senior Teachers have the responsibilityidea of the Art Teacher Practitioner of mentoring other teachers withinProgramme (ATPP) three years ago their own school and sometimesafter realising there were actually many other schools in their cluster. Victoriateachers passionate about teaching works closely with them to deepenart, but were handicapped by the lack their pedagogical understandingof formal training. This is a bridging and empower them to take on thecourse that prepares teachers for ownership of building the fraternity.entry into the Advanced Diploma in They serve to lead, and lead to serve.Primary Art Education at the NationalInstitute of Education (NIE). “The teacher-leaders are very precious because one person’s impact andVictoria describes the experience of influence is very limited. If you’re ableone teacher-participant of the ATPP to inspire a group of leaders, and thewho used to think of art as merely a leaders can then inspire further, yousubject for “entertaining” students can see the ripple effect.”and would rely on simple art tasks toget by. Having gone through the ATPP, More importantly, it is through thesethe teacher realised the enormous programmes that Victoria hopes topotential of art in shaping lives. She foster a common mission and identity.began to redesign her lessons with “Art teachers need to feel proud ofgreater confidence. Victoria proudly who they are, and see the meaning,recalls that this teacher later went importance and value of art education.on to become a primary school art As a fraternity, it is important that wespecialist teacher and now contributes keep learning and growing together.as a STAR teacher-leader. Each of us has our unique strengths and we are here to complete one“As teachers, we ought to lead another,” she says.learners, adopt a growth mindset andtake ownership of our own learning.” GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 70

Relationships: Paying itThe Secret Forwardto SuccessAs an art teacher, Victoria believes Back at Presbyterian High School asthat every child is precious and can a Beginning Teacher, Victoria heldreach his potential and excel in life if the responsibility of teaching art tohe is nurtured with love and care. graduating classes during her first year – to deal with 101 students whoIn her role as a Master Teacher, she had zero inkling that their final projectfinds great satisfaction in seeing was due in six months. Alarmed,the growth of the teachers she Victoria quickly sought help frommentors. But what gives her utmost different schools with a niche injoy is establishing rapport with art. For the next three months, shethem, knowing them as individuals would visit these schools after work,and guiding them as a team. The and diligently learn the various artrelationship has touched some of forms like batik, printmaking, tie andthem deeply. One, who was on the dye and paper-cut from experiencedverge of leaving service, re-kindled teachers. It was a nerve-wrecking andher passion as an art educator with exhausting six months of intensivethe close support given by Victoria. learning to better equip herself as a young teacher.“Have you heard about the coretheory of success by Daniel Kim?” Victoria believes other Beginningasks Victoria. Teachers should not have to undergo the same struggles. “Because of the“It affirms that the catalyst of experience I’ve had hopping aroundany success is building quality and learning from other teachers, I feelrelationships. Once that’s been strongly that I should bring the currentestablished, it leads to quality Beginning Teachers to see otherconversations, to quality actions, teachers’ classrooms,” she explains.and then to quality results. It’s a cycle Therein lies the genesis of her designwhich repeats and reinforces itself. ” philosophy for the Beginning Teacher (Art) Programme.71 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

From the Through these learning journeys, the Beginning Teachers Ground experience different school learning environments. More Up significantly, these are platforms where Victoria taps on the expertise and experience of the Senior Teachers to engender a supportive teacher-led culture. “It is a long term culture we are encouraging and building,” says Victoria. “We want teachers to step forward and be leaders to share their knowledge with the community.” The sharing of expertise is mutually beneficial for both the Beginning and Senior Teachers. While the Beginning Teachers reap from the knowledge shared, Senior Teachers who share gain from refining their teaching and mentoring practice. “It’s about always working towards better teaching. There’s no such thing as being the best teacher, as one can always strive towards refining one’s lesson,” says Victoria, and adds that the de-privatising of one’s classroom invites collegial conversations and collective inquiry about teaching. In addition, it builds the teachers’ confidence. It comes right back to Victoria finding ways to bring out the best in people and empowering them. Through the years, students and teachers have flourished under her care, akin to how she describes teaching as a life-giving experience. “Being able to mentor the students and teachers is both a humbling and enriching experience for me,” she says. “I’m like a humble little matchstick which has the innate potential to bring light, warmth and hope to the world. I’m thankful for being blessed and I hope to be of a blessing to others around me.” Victoria used to think her teachers were heroes. Her leading light and deep belief for others has made her a hero too. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 72

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Li Yen See If we’ve learnt anything from ‘superheroes’ it’s that all great thingscome with big responsibilities. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 74

Four years ago, an unexpected phone call regarding the formation of an arts teachers’ professional development academy came for Li Yen See. She was persuaded to leave her school and headship to be part of a new organisation. While many would balk at the idea of venturing into new ‘territories’, Yen See relished the challenge. “I’m not the sort to turn away from a challenge. I suppose people will say that’s very gung-ho, but life is short! So let’s go for it and see where it takes you,” she declares.75 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

The First Music Yen See also became Singapore’s firstMaster Teacher Master Teacher in Music in June 2012. “The first is always the hardest, but not hard in a negative way. There were expectations and I had my share of doubts on whether I could live up to them. If we’ve learnt anything from ‘superheroes’, it’s that all great things come with big responsibilities. It’s also a lot about having faith in myself to grow and to lead the community,” muses Yen See. “It’s not only about what you’ve done, but also about what you hope to accomplish. The interview panel wants to know your aspirations and dreams, your philosophies and beliefs.” Yen See’s transition to her current role also saw her responsibilities evolve from teaching students to teaching adults. While the demographic of those she leads has changed, her goals remain the same. At the heart of her work, she develops people, drawing out from within the best in students and teachers alike, in hopes that they will become leaders themselves. GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 76

A Since early 2012, Yen See has begun journeyingFraternity of with 56 primary music teachers in the STAR Champions programme, building them up Leaders as leaders for a strong teacher-led fraternity. “After going through their own professional development, they go out and share that knowledge and skills with other teachers.” Yen See sees the growth of teacher-leaders as being critical to her mission of ensuring sustainable professional development for the arts educator fraternity.77 / GROWING WITH THE ARTS

The Heart ofProfessionalDevelopmentLearning together, sharing of practices and the developing ofrelationships bring out what Yen See describes as the human sideof professional development – and is one from which she takesinspiration. She builds others through collegial relationships andshe sees herself as a mentor and a friend.Believing strongly that the STAR Champions programme is morethan just about leadership, she says: “They’ve found friendshipsalong this journey. It’s about being in a team, finding a team identityand feeling like you belong to something bigger.” The camaraderieand energy is electrifying. “It’s like a great homecoming!” laughsYen See.“That’s the beauty of it and I’m very thankful for this STARChampions community. I think STAR is where it’s at now becausethe teachers believe in us. Likewise, we kept faith in them that theywould develop in their professional journey as teacher-leaders forthe music fraternity.”“It’s about making progress and understanding the process.”“Being a ‘Master Teacher’ wasn’t something I aspired to bewhen I first joined STAR as I was on the Leadership track. Butnow with the role as Master Teacher, I’ll always bear in mind thenoble responsibility that comes with it. The role is still new to meand there’s still very much to explore, but what’s most importantto remember is that I’m here to serve the needs of the fraternity.Hopefully, I can still continue to lead the community, to care and toinspire many teachers for many more years to come.” GROWING WITH THE ARTS / 78

ARTS AS LIFE Little Things by Geraldine Heng The poet reminisces her childhood memories of Mid-Autumn Festival. The poem was set for a boys’ choir in 1983, and later re-scored for Anglo-Chinese Junior College Choir by Professor Bernard Tan, a Singaporean composer.79 / ARTS AS LIFE

we were a crooked line of giggling childrenuntidy-happydelight burning on our facesbrighter than the muted flickers of lightstraining to be releasedfrom paint-gay lanternsearnest hands tightly clutchedbamboo rods from which hungour lives and souls andconcentrationin kaleidoscopic cellophaneand bits of wire and bambooour hearts weavingexcitement and adventureinto a tiny red candleand as the minute flameleaped and caperedso did weeven the dark around usseemed to cheer and clap its handsto lusty singing and laughter-gurglesand todaythere we are in the streets againour eyes shining in their facesour hearts laughing in small bodiesaglow with lantern-lightlanterns never go out ARTS AS LIFE / 80

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Elsie Poey-Tan If they have the discipline,they’re not about to look for the easy way out because they are used to the rigour of practice. ARTS AS LIFE / 82

Exhilaration! That is the feeling Elsie Poey-Tan, Principal of Bukit View Primary School, remembers when she used to perform on stage as a choral singer. Beginning her music journey as a young singer with the church choir, she progressed to join the varsity choir at the National University of Singapore where she studied under the late Mr Choo Hwee Lim. Later on, joining the Singapore Symphony Chorus, she discovered the immense joy of performing for an audience and the glowing satisfaction which came after. Considering the voice to be the most natural and inexpensive instrument everybody has access to, Elsie started Bukit View Primary’s choir in 2013 after she joined the school. Through school-based performances, the young ensemble gets the chance to experience the pleasures of making music together. Aside from the joy and appreciation derived from performing, Elsie says it helps students develop rigour and the motivation for excellence. For one, knowing that they are being scrutinised by the audience encourages them to be conscious of how they present themselves. Behind the stage, that means heightened focus and closer teamwork for an impeccable performance. Furthermore, performance builds confidence and creativity. “It stretches their minds and their imagination,” she says.83 / ARTS AS LIFE

Music So it is with her own piano playingis a Language experience that she pioneeredof its Own Bukit View Primary‘s first ukulele programme. On top of the recorder,A strong advocate for the arts, Elsie all her Primary Four and Five studentsfeels that the arts can bring out the get to learn the basics of the stringedsoul in a person. Specifically, the instrument at school. As a bonus, theyarts allow students to express their each get to bring home a personalburgeoning adolescent emotions ukulele for practice. For many, theirappropriately. When Elsie was continued interest in the ukulele isyounger, she found a different form of apparent even after the lessons haveexpression through the piano for her ended. “They still bring it to schooltemper flares; and it was through the and strum! It’s my dream that everyintensity of her piano playing that her child would have learnt an instrumentfamily could discern her feelings. An before they leave the school,” sayseffective practice she keeps till today, Elsie.she understands the significance ofknowing how to play an instrument, Moreover, to lead to a betterand believes that every child should understanding of the instrumentallearn one so they will have an avenue technique and underpinning musicto express emotions both positive concepts, Elsie ensures that everyand negative. student gets to study basic theory before graduating. “Music is a language of its own,” she says. She explains that with the understanding of basic music theory, they will be able to decipher music scores and use it to their benefit when trying to learn songs independently. “It’s a life skill and a language they can continue to pursue on their own in the future.” ARTS AS LIFE / 84

TheConvergenceof Aestheticsand theOther SubjectsA literature teacher by training, Elsie One powerful example of purposefulused to bring her students out for arts-based pedagogy is applyingplays like Romeo and Juliet. After drama’s ‘Conscience Alley’ activity inwhich, they would re-enact little Civics and Moral Education lessons.scenes in class relating to common Forming two lines, students areteenage themes like romance, and responsible for either playing thethe students saw how the stories devil’s advocate or guardian angel totruly came alive when they were not their friend who is walking throughjust spectators of the subject matter. based on a given scenario. At theTaking that experience into Bukit end of the tunnel, that student has toView Primary as a school leader, she make a decision.generously promotes the use of thearts in the curriculum for an engaging “They’ll throw words of advice (i.e.learning experience. vocalised conscience) to the friend, but they themselves have to thinkMusic, for example, has been used through the possible advantages andto teach mathematics. Together disadvantages of a situation first,” sayswith her Head of Aesthetics, they Elsie. A useful technique in exploringcame up with the idea of using time dilemma, this pedagogy givessignature in music to teach fractions students the opportunity to analyseto a class of struggling students. problems and develop independentThe curriculum innovation has seen decision-making skills. Furthermore, itsignificant improvement in students’ aids in character development such asunderstanding of fractions. “It was the fostering empathy.best of both worlds!” she says.85 / ARTS AS LIFE

Tailoring a VibrantArts Culture Elsie has harnessed the potential in art, drama and music to develop students in the most holistic way possible. She is continually assessing the equilibrium between the arts and other academic subjects to ensure that students enjoy a well-rounded education. She has also made learning a joyful and engaging process for the children. With that, the kind of student she hopes to nurture is one who has the discipline and the courage to try. “I hope I can get them to have an open mind, the inner discipline and inner desire to perfect things. They can go a long way because they are not about to give their boss slipshod work – there’s a pride to perfect it. If they have the discipline, they’re not about to look for the easy way out because they are used to the rigour of practice,” says Elsie. “We’ll be seeing a group of Singaporeans who are far more balanced because of the way they are nurtured at this moment. I see that in ten years’ time, our nation will no doubt change in terms of the appreciation of the arts.” ARTS AS LIFE / 86

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