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As the teaching fraternity
welcomes new educators to the fold, teachers are ensured that
their support system is continuously being improved upon.
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| Mr
Shanmugaratnam pledges that the training and professional
upgrading of teachers will continue to be refined
and improved upon. |
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Almost 1,900 newly qualified teachers received their diplomas
at the Teachers’ Investiture Ceremony from 11 to 13 July.
Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was the Guest-Of-Honour,
highlighted that teaching was not simply about imparting knowledge,
but more about engaging students’ hearts and minds, helping
them to find their strengths and developing in them the desire
to contribute towards improving society around them.
Mr Shanmugaratnam added that no learning aids and resources
would be able to engage hearts and minds the way dedicated teachers
could. As such, he reaffirmed that MOE would continue its efforts
to support teachers in their efforts.
To this end, NIE ensures that its foundation programmes keep
in step with the changing role of teachers and the learning
needs of students. The Institute’s continued investment
in research will also strengthen teacher training. For example,
the Learning Sciences Laboratory will focus on the application
of infocomm technologies so as to aid and improve classroom
teaching.
Researching Learning
Processes
NIE is also placing emphasis on school-based research into learning
processes so as to shed light on how teaching can be made more
effective. For example, one of the ongoing projects of the Centre
for Research in Pedagogy and Practice is the learning and usage
of the English language at the lower primary level. This project
focuses on how students can learn languages effectively in groups.
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| This
year’s Valedictorian, Ms Perminder Kaur Randhawa,
offers the view that teachers can take courses to
rejuvenate themselves, and to remind themselves
as to why they are in the teaching profession. |
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Providing Professional Upgrading
For teachers’ professional upgrade, NIE has a wide range
of professional development programmes, many of which can be
accredited for enrolment in further undergraduate and graduate
degree studies. This includes the Professional
Development Continuum Model (PDCM) , which is popular among
teachers who wish to pursue Masters programmes.
Ms Perminder Kaur Randhawa, the year’s Valedictorian,
foresees the need for continuous professional assessment and
improvement. The De La Salle teacher said in her speech, “When
we find our flame and passion for teaching waning, at that point
in time, we can take up courses to rejuvenate ourselves and
remind ourselves why we are in the teaching profession.”
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With
clenched fists over their hearts, the new teachers
pledge that they will do their utmost to nurture
and develop engaged learners. |
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Mentor Support for New Teachers
Early this year, the Structured
Mentoring Programme (SMP) was launched to provide beginning
teachers with systematic guidance and support. Mentors help
beginning teachers by sharing best practices and familiarising
them with the school culture.
Since then, 662 mentors have been trained, and beginning teachers
have been provided with continuous training in areas such as
Basic Counseling, Classroom Management, Reflective Practice,
student assessments and communication with parents. A survey
in May found that an overwhelming majority (84%) of beginning
teachers found SMP beneficial in helping them to adapt to the
school environment.
Sharing Success Stories
As a testament to the success of SMP, nine schools, namely Chongfu
Primary, Punggol Primary, Rulang Primary, Tampines Primary,
Victoria School, Queenstown Secondary, Temasek Secondary, Zhenghua
Secondary, and Anderson Junior College, shared good mentoring
practices on their websites.
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Related Links
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