Zone KP Retreat @ Marina Bay Sands (Part 2)

The 3 As

The key ideas for the retreat were the 3As:
1. Appreciating the Past
2. Adapting the Present
3. Anticipating the Future.

Applying these 3As in AISS, to me would be:

Appreciating the Past:-
appreciating AISS’s past, growth and achievement; preserving our culture and tradition of the school, our core values; keeping old processes that have worked effectively; appreciating the work done and effort contributed by staff and team members.

Adapting the Present:-
integrating traditional teaching pedagogies and management processes to meet the current needs of education, pupils and society (e.gs., doing reflections and using ICT tools to enhance learning).

Anticipating the Future:-
building quality relationships with staff, pupils and stakeholders; inspiring staff and pupils; preparing our pupils for their future learning and work (e.gs. incorporating 21st Century Skills in the curriculum; connecting them to the world through ICT); developing staff competency, growth and development (e.gs. EPMS, IDEA framework, Talent Management)

So far, I feel that we are more or less moving on the right path to improving the school environment and are quite aligned with the 3As mentioned above. But we still have to improve on some of our processes. For example, the processes for our PTMs still have much room for improvement. The processes for each PTM so far were not consistent. All staff should be informed earlier the processes should there be any deviation from the previous PTM. Also, cohort dean system suddenly was just “abolished” not because the system is ineffective (I don’t recall any review has been done on it) but correct me if I am wrong, it is because of shortage of manpower.

According to Mr Larry Ng, URA Group Director and Registrar, Board of Architects, Singapore, during his speech at the retreat, planning ahead is important. What Singapore is today is due to what the government had planned many years ago, before many of us at the retreat are born. What I feel is that in AISS, we do plan but sometimes we don’t plan way ahead. Sometimes things are implemented without prior notice and not enough time for staff to be adjusted or to carry out. For example, during one of my department meetings, while my department Math ICT Activist was discussing about all Math teachers to be involved in creating and carrying out an ICT lesson in Term 3, we were then told out of the blue that the school may be having an e-learning day in Semester 2. It was a shock to me as I was totally unaware of it and hence did not prepare my teachers for it. It was a shock also because on top of the ICT lesson planning, teachers are also expected to set their prelim or end of year exam papers by the next staff meeting in June and Math teachers are already informed about a Math & Science Carnival to be held in Term 3; graduating classes teachers will also be busy preparing their classes for N and O level. With all these already planned, if they have to add on another load of preparing materials for an e-learning day would surely put them off. Teachers will again feel breathless if we have so many activities happening in a term, just like in Term 1 when we crammed all trainings during that period. Such decision, I feel should be brought up at SMC first for discussion on what to do and when is the best time to implement. As what Mr Larry Ng had also said, “planning is all about people”, this should be what goes through in our minds as we planned programmes in school.

Zone KP Retreat @ Marina Bay Sands (Part 1)

Building Quality Relationship

During the Zone KP Retreat @ Marina Bay Sands, I was basically very inspired by the speech by DDS(N) Mrs Yu. One important point brought up by her was “building quality relationships” which was also what our Supt, Mrs Ong, has been stressing to us during her meeting with the SMC last year. According to Mrs Yu, building quality relationships include providing good service to others. In our context, I would translate it to giving the support to our teachers and pupils, understanding them and development them. Of course, no matter what position or designation we are in, we should build quality relationships with those who are under our care and supervision. Mrs Yu also mentioned that “people don’t care what your big ideas and plans are until they know that you care for them”. I interpret this as when you have built quality relationship with your staff, you will then have buy in when you want to sell them your new ideas and plans. I would like to add on that the care we give to them needs to be sincere and true.

Reflecting on my own relationships with my teachers, I think I have managed to build good relationships with majority of them, if not all, and I believe that they know that I am sincere and true in helping and developing them. I dare to say this as I have many of the teachers in my department and some from other departments (though not all of them are under me as their PD), coming to me seeking for advice on teaching pedagogies or some other personal issues. This year, especially, I was able to find some time to walk around in the staff room to talk to some of the teachers. Sigh … I was able to do this more often this year because I am on part time scheme. Mrs Ong has been stressing to us, the Management team, the importance of this work, but most of us are always bogged down with doing as much work as we can while we are in school so that when we go back home, we have time for our family. It really is hard to really balance work and family well. However, I think we still have to try our best as it is part of our role as PDs to find enough time to talk to our teachers so as to understand better. I do see some of our SMC members mingling among the staff very often which the rest of us can learn from, for example, the Head PE always has lunch with all his PE teachers and the Head Humanities will always sit in the Staff work room reading newspaper and having breakfast or lunch with his teachers =)

Believe in ourselves; Believe in our teachers; Believe in our children -- By Mrs Yu