Character Development of Students

• Process: I focused on cultivating good habits, like reminding them to trim their fingernails every Sunday and teaching them the Memory Palace technique. Impact: Students demonstrated a greater willingness to organise their lives. 

• Process: I entered each student's 3 closest friends into Sociogram & leveraged peer relationships to inform decisions that addressed some students' impulse control issues.

Professional Development of Self

• Observed by 4 staff from Psychological Services Branch, MOE, which improved my grasp of literacy support strategies. Asked questions about teaching dyslexics on the Orton-Gillingham online learning platform to consolidate pedagogical knowledge. Coupled with key takeways I gained from Andrew Watson’s webinar on optimising students' working memory, I used helpful strategies in my teaching, such as simple images, to enhance students' recall. Promoted the use of AI to encourage reading on SgLDC FB page & was featured on their Feb 2024 ICYMI.

• Attended a dance workshop organised by the Arts Education Branch on enhancing health, well-being, and motivation, & then relayed pertinent insights to my students. Worked with Information Technology Division colleagues to pilot the use of the Simpler App to enhance student engagement with complex tests. & suggested directions for the experiment design.

• Provided Marcus with operationally necessary information and supported his transition to NLS for the first 3 months

Contributions to Projects / Committee Work

• Attended "CTLE Webinar Series: Strengthening Customisation of Student Learning using AI-enabled Tools and Platforms in the SLS" & updated department members on the need to help students discover their preferred learning styles and set SMART goals.

• Introduced ChatGPT and Appraiser to Year 4 FTs to assist them in writing SGCs. Moreover, I disseminated a step-by-step guide to the entire school on how to co-write student remarks with Appraiser.
• Demonstrated use of LOL room for rotational activities via an Open Classroom initiative; 3 staff members observed this lesson.
• Held a planning meeting with HOD and the two I/Cs to strategise this year’s format.

Relationship Management

Faithfully did the SMILE journal with 6 high-needs students, focusing on cultivating a positive mindset. For one student, I worked closely with her student welfare worker to encourage consistent school attendance.

Had the pleasure of hosting Ms. Tomomi Usui, a Japanese professor from Osaka Education University & shared pertinent insights on the differences between our two educational systems.

My Personal Qualities

I am an ACE (Adaptable, Creative, & Enthusiastic) educator. Regardless of the role I'm entrusted with, I will take the initative to scrutinise the instructional materials and fill in the gaps where necessary, thus contributing to the professional development of the English development. Passionate about supporting weak-progress students and stretching high-progress students, I integrate ICT tools and other novel methods into my teaching. I have had the privilege to be awarded the SgLDC Designer badge as well as presented at the MOE Excel Fest a couple of times. I constantly seek feedback to improve my work performance and is proactive in providing suggestions to improve organisational outcomes, which will bode well for my career with the Ministry of Education.

My Competencies

Curriculum & lesson planning - Empathetic to my students' learning needs and proficient in the use of various technologies, I am confident about planning effective and engaging lessons.

Fostering bonds with students - I am a personable teacher who is interested in human nature, and building rapport with students - regardless of their age and maturity - has always been my strength.

Verbal and written communication skills - As an avid writer, I have had experience contributing to the creative composition of an institution's newsletters and yearbook. I love tailoring my choice of words to suit the purpose, audience and context of a particular situation.

Setting and grading tests - As the Level Coordinator, I have relished the experience of marshalling my colleagues to set challenging, yet fair examinations that accurately assess my students' proficiency in the English language.

Project management - I have led teams to organise school events as well as embark on overseas immersion programmes.

Public speaking & presentation skills - I can engage fellow educators on fun and serious topics alike in various settings, including in-person workshops and Zoom sessions.

Facilitation skills - Having completed the Youth Expedition Project (YEP) Leaders Training Course twice, I have acquired facilitation skills to promote deeper learning among my students.

My Knowledge and Skills

Three years of teaching English and Science at Naval Base Primary School.

Am a trained Literacy Coach in the Orton Gillingham approach.

Adept at using Gen-AI and ICT tools to enhance students' learning; recently presented on how educators can use selected Gen-AI tools to streamline their lesson planning at SgLDC Virtual Meet 2.

Officer's Comments

This year, I have had the opportunity to hone my professional agility. As the Literacy Support Co-I/C, I collaborated with colleagues from MOE's Psychological Services Branch to strengthen the use of literacy support strategies for enhanced students' learning. I also identified common patterns in my students' learning gaps and deliver lessons to remediate them, including an Open Classroom. Moving forward, I hope to remain adaptable and apply my learnings as the English department embarks on a project involving the use of the Simpler app alongside MOE's ITD branch next semester. Should the opportunity arise, I hope to step up as a Senior Teacher.