Serangoon garden Secondary School Spotlight / issue Mar - May 2012

Spotlight

Missionlove to learn, learn to care

Visiona caring, learning community

SGS 2012 AwArd dAy PreSentAtion

By Mr Edwin Goh

our c division boys have emerged the South Zone Soccer champions once again, but it took them a lot of hard work, discipline and determination to retain their title for the second year running.

preparation for the competition began as soon as the 2011 end-of-year examinations were over. at that time, things did not seem very optimistic for the boys. the team struggled to find a regular goalkeeper, and at the end of the day, the coach had no alternative but to retrain one of the defenders as a goalkeeper.

nonetheless, the boys got their heads down and trained hard. training was held thrice weekly, with each session lasting at least two hours long. they worked hard on improving their techniques and ball control, and kept their fitness in tip-top condition.

When asked about the team’s best performer, Mr. Mohd hasren, one of the teachers-in-charge of the Soccer team, said rather astutely, “this is a team game. everybody has to play well as a unit. each player has to perform his role effectively.”

the SgS c division Soccer boys will be competing in the nationals in term 3, where sixteen schools will battle it out to be recognized as Singapore’s top school for soccer in 2012. Will the SgS c division Soccer boys claim the coveted title? only time will tell.

We would like to wish the c division Soccer boys all the very best in their upcoming endeavour.

SGS Soccer c DiviSion boyS Score aGain

by Joslyn Seah 2E1-1

this year’s award presentation day (apd) has as its theme “exploring new horizons”, and all the participants displayed the theme through their creative and innovative performances.

the parade welcomed the guest-of-honour and everyone involved marched proudly with confidence and precision. i felt proud to be representing the girls’ Brigade. the ncc free-style drill team performed next, garnering loud applause from the guests. guests were taken on a tour of an exhibition of the cultural pride of nepal, Korea and china as part of the effort to celebrate the international Friendship day .

awards to recipients were soon followed by a concert which added fanfare to the occasion. everyone on stage was happy and proud to receive recognition for his or her academic or cca achievements. My turn on stage came when i participated in the iBand performance. Using garage Band on ipads, my band (the talented) played “Breakaway”, a familiar number by Kelly clarkson. Vocals were contributed by our very own Kim ng, an aspiring singer. the concert was a fast-paced and invigorating segment, performed with zest and passion by members of the concert Band, Wushu, gu Zheng and dance to loud applause from the appreciative audience.

rehearsing for the concert and parade was certainly hard work. however, it was all worth the time and effort spent perfecting our performances for the big day.

NaMe of PuPils awards

Zhang Zunnan first in GCe o-level examination 2011 – top in combined humanities (Social Studies & geography) and higher chinese

Tan Yi Jun first in GCe o-level examination 2011 (sec 5) – top in combined humanities (Social Studies & geography) and Science (chemistry & Biology)

Bryan Ooi Zhi Hoe first in GCe N(a)-level examination 2011

Muhammad lliyas B Ismail first in GCe N(T)-level examination 2011

Aatiqa Binte Mohamed Ismail first in sec 1 express – top in english, geography and Science

Daniel Thant Tun first in sec 1 Normal (academic) – top in english, geography, history, literature, Science and home economics

Muhammad Isyraf Bin Mohd Nizah first in sec 1 Normal (Technical) – top in english and computer applications

Nicole Lim Zi Xuan first in sec 2 express – top in geography, literature and Mathematics

Choo Hui Xuan first in sec 2 Normal (academic) – top in art and design & technology

Chia Zong Xian first in sec 2 Normal (Technical) – top in Mathematics, Science, computer applications and home economics

Pamela Joan Benitez Gabriel first in sec 3 express – top in combined humanities (Social Studies & history) and principles of accounts

Chermaine Lim Hui Ting first in sec 3 Normal (academic) – top in Mathematics (Syllabus a)

T Matthew Benjamin first in sec 3 Normal (Technical) – top in english, elements of Business Skills and Food Studies

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new aDDitionS to the SGSS Family

eunice yeoSpecialisation: physical educationteaching: pe, Biologywhy did you want to be a teacher?i have always wanted to do something related to sports and teaching.

Chou Yi Chun AngelaSpecialisation: artteaching: artwhat would you like to say to your students?i love to interact with children. i hope i can influence my students to develop positive values, so that they are able to contribute to society one day.

Norlina MaksumSpecialisation: Multimedia computingteaching: Sciencewhy did you want to be a teacher?i want to interact with the younger generation and mold them for a better future.

so Man yanSpecialisation: geographyteaching: geography, englishwhy did you want to be a teacher?i want to share my love for geography with the children.

Chew Kai QingSpecialisation: Mathematicsteaching: Mathematics, englishwhy did you want to be a teacher?i want to make a positive difference in someone’s life and i love working with teenagers. and of course, i teach because i want all my students to enjoy learning and contributing to society.

so Man yanSpecialisation: communications & new Mediateaching: english, Musicwhy did you want to be a teacher?Working with young people is fun and exciting. it’s difficult to predict what they will say next, and every day is different from the last.

Chia yingSpecialisation: art educationteaching: artwhy did you want to be a teacher?i want students to tap into the field of art that i am familiar with. art can be a mode of expression for themselves and the world around them.

Mohideen abdul Kareem“Mr Mohideen was a passionate teacher. he was one-in-a-million, always ready to help students out. his lessons were fun and exciting, so my

class always looked forward to Math lessons.”

Gomathi Pakirisamy“Ms gom was a very kind but strict

teacher. She would reprimand us for a good reason.”

Kenneth Kwok“he was a very obliging and kind teacher

who allowed us to try out any sport we were keen on. “

Gary Neo“Mr neo gave extra tuition after school and helped many of my classmates with their

Maths. he would answer questions patiently. he could control the class too!”

siti ubaidah“She was very caring and kind.

She would stay behind after school to coach us patiently in art. She

interacted well with students and she was very funny.”

Hairul Nizam“he livened up our physics

lessons with funny examples. We will definitely miss him.”

– Kaviarasan s/o Jayatheran, 3A1-1

– Joel Chua, 4A1-1

– Joel Ching, 4A1-2

– Tan Teck Sean, 4A1-1

– Daryl Koh, 2A1-2

– Jerron Lim, 4A1-1

a FonD Farewell

Two months ago, our 2008 Head Prefect, liau Min yee, won the Cyansys Business solutions award diploma with Merit at singapore Polytechnic. our ex-student has not forgotten her family at sGs at all. we asked her to share her thoughts on her recent achievements with us.

1. what do you think enabled you to achieve such excellent results?

Self-discipline and determination. i was also actively involved in cca and competitions in my polytechnic, so i really had to practice proper time management. When working on projects or studying for tests, it is important to set high and realistic goals, and produce quality work while meeting deadlines. also, i believe balance in life is important too. you have to study hard and smart, but do not forget to play hard

and give your mind a break! after a long period of studying or after completing a project well, i often reward myself with a nice dinner with my friends, going for a good movie, or even buying a new dress for myself!

2. what were some of the fond memories you had in sGss?

My best memories of SgSS revolved round the Student council and the Wushu club, because i spent a lot of time in these activities. i enjoyed everything from doing morning duties, to organising school-wide activities, attending camps and training programmes, and having fun with all my classmates, council mates and wushu buddies.

3. were there any teachers who made an impact on you?

there were so many teachers who supported me and moulded me into the person i am today. they were always encouraging and patient, and i will always respect and remember them. Just to name a few of them: Ms lee ting ruh, Mr arman, Mr alex yap, Mr peh chin Keong, Ms guo yu, Mr Bryan oei, and especially Mrs pauline phua and Ms Sim hui hwang.

4. what advice would you give students who want to do well academically?

always begin with the end in mind. it’s important to have a goal, then plan well and work towards it. nothing is too difficult to achieve. you must have the will and the passion, and it’s never too late. When faced with problems and setbacks, never give up. always remind yourself of the reason you held on for so long in the first place. Success is the result of one’s enthusiasm and strong determination to reach our goal’s despite all the setbacks. and as Ms Sim always tells me, “it’s all in the mind. alWayS BelieVe in yoUrSelF. have faith!

Still a-head of the pack

By Mr Wang Jianyu

the sunny beach lay in wait to welcome the 34 inspirational leaders as they stepped off their buses. however, it was not going to be a walk in the park, for they were to undergo challenges that were meant to develop and inculcate leadership qualities in them. there would also be opportunities to build bridges of communication among these aspiring student leaders.

over a span of 3 days and two nights, the inspirational leaders were thrown into unexpected situations which required them to exhibit leadership, teamwork and communication skills. even meal times and assemblies were used as opportunities for them to improve themselves constantly.

the highlight of the trip was a night spent at the so-called Survival island because there were only tents on the sandy beach and no proper facilities. Strong and chilly winds made some leaders share their jackets with one another. the leaders spent almost the entire period in the tents as a 15-hour storm raged on, forcing all the leaders and teachers into the communal tent. however, it failed to dampen the high spirits of the leaders, for they continued to cook their meals inside the tents with a lamp, attracting the dreaded sand flies. it was tough but the leaders had proved they were resilient.

there was positive feedback all round. Many participants feel that they are now better equipped to be leaders who can take on more responsibilities. We certainly look forward to their service to the school.

InspIratIonal leaders Camp 2012

Many new teachers joined us this term, so look forward to a write-up on them in

the next issue!

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in his monthly address to teachers,

Vice-Principal, Mr aziz Tyebally, touches

on how educators can help students

to understand their lessons through the

framing of lesson objectives.

to get to the fundamentals of teaching, our learning intentions must be clear. it is about articulating what we want the students to know,

understand or be able to do as a result of the teaching activities. learning intentions must focus on knowledge, skills or understanding and not how students are going to learn.

For example, teachers often start a lesson by saying, “We are going to write a letter to the editor of the Straits times” which is focusing on the task and not what they should be learning. the teacher should start off instead by saying, “We are going to use writing to persuade someone to believe something.” this would highlight the purpose of the lesson instead.

We, as educators, should frame our learning intentions by asking ourselves these questions:

by Fanny Hay 3A1-3

i am a girl who was born to be careless. i drop my belongings everywhere and forget where i leave my pencil case or purse. i cannot count the number of times i have been chastised by my teachers at school or by my parents at home for being careless. no matter how careful i try to be, things tend to go wrong.

“Mum, i plan to bring along Sam with me,” i shouted across the kitchen to my mum who was preparing lunch that Saturday. i had a decisive ring to my voice leaving no room for my mother to refuse my request. it was the annual flea market time and i had planned to go, having completed the enormous amount of homework i had that weekend. picking up bargains, especially nice clothes was what i had in mind.

Mum got Sam ready and told him not to run around in the flea market. Sam nodded in agreement with a cheeky smile on his face.With excitement, the two of us headed for the flea market with Sam showing obvious signs of happiness on his cute face. i held on to his hand as tightly as possible, fully aware that i could lose him. We reached the flea market in no time and from the outset, i could see it was very crowded. dozens and dozens of make-shift shops were lined up and crowds were thronging in search of the best bargains. i too mingled with the crowd, still clinging onto my brother until i found a row of shops which had lovely dresses.a few minutes later, to my horror, i found that Sam had let go of my hand and he was nowhere to be seen.in sheer panic i called out his name, “Sam, Sam, where are you? don’t scare me. if you are hiding, come out at once.” But he was nowhere to be seen and the crowds were hindering my search. i burst into tears and ran around like a mad person. along the way, i asked the busy sellers if they had seen a little boy wearing red pants and a blue t- shirt but all of them gave me shrugs of indifference.

i approached an elderly lady and poured out my problem as quickly as my words would come out of my mouth. “Why don’t you go to the customer Service, dear? they make announcements about lost people and items,” she suggested offering me a solution. a flicker of hope lit up within me.

i dashed to the information desk and gave them the best description of my brother that i could in between sobs. “hello, this is Jenny speaking from the customer Service desk. this is an announcement regarding a lost boy. he came to the flea market with his sister. about three years old, he is wearing red pants and a blue shirt. if anyone has seen him, please approach the customer service desk immediately. his sister is anxiously waiting for him.” She repeated the announcement twice and shivers were running through my spine. Would it work?after a while, i saw a tall man approach the desk. he was holding onto Sam’s hand. Sam was eating an ice cream, which he was holding in his other hand. the man had a kind face.

“oh, Sam!! Where have you been? What happened to you?” i grabbed Sam with all my might. i hugged him tightly. the man explained, “i saw him lying on the floor with a bruise on his knee. i picked him up and decided to buy him an ice cream.”“thank you so much. i don’t know what to say or how much to thank you,” i said with a relief i had never known before.i did not dare to continue shopping. My brother’s knee was bleeding and he was walking in pain. the bus stop was not far away and i decided to take the bus. i wanted to carry Sam, but he was too heavy, so we decided to walk.a red car rolled up behind me. it stopped. the driver was the same man who found my brother. he offered us a lift home in spite of my assurance that the bus stop was not far away.

“But your brother is in pain. i will take you home,” the man said with concern. i took up his offer and after ten minutes, we were at the foot of our apartment block. as we alighted, i thought to myself, ‘i had never expected such kindness from a total stranger.”

Food For ThoughT

Visit by Hong Kong Learning CirCLe assoCiation - 20 April 2012

1. What do i want my students to learn? in a unit there may be several objectives, but for a particular lesson there would usually be only one or two. too many and you will diffuse the learning. these should be big ideas.

2. how will i - and they - know that they have met the learning intentions? think carefully of your assessment task here. think about a classroom activity that can give you a good gauge of their understanding. Using cooperative learning effectively here could help.

3. think about how you can build in opportunities for students to receive feedback about their progress towards the learning intention. think about the opportunities you can provide for students to evaluate their own progress.

4. help them see a wider purpose to what they are doing. Keep learning meaningful and relevant.

For your reflection:

• Thinkaboutalessonyoutaughtrecently.Howcloselyalignedwasyourteaching and learning intention? do you know whether the students did in fact learn what you expected of them?

• Thinkaboutwaysyoucanfurtherenhanceyourteachingwithsomeofthe ideas above.

our school had the opportunity to share how we conduct our professional learning community (plc) with a 16-member team from the hong

Kong learning circle association. the team was led by Mr liang Kwun Fan, principal of the lutheran Secondary School in hong Kong. the members in his team come from several hong Kong schools and the SKh li Fook hing Secondary School in china. the visitors were in Singapore to attend a learning circle workshop organised by the academy of Singapore teachers and they visited a few schools to learn how Singapore teachers carried out their learning circle activities and other professional development activities and research-based projects.

our principal, Mr ng chee Kheong, shared the school’s vision, mission, values and history with the visitors and gave a brief outline of the staff and student profiles. our SSd shared how the school carried out its professional learning community programme, in particular, the approach, deployment and review processes taken. teachers from the humanities, Science, Mother tongue and Mathematics departments shared how they carried out their action research plc projects. after the sharing, time was set aside for the visitors to interact with our teachers to find out more about their projects as well as the education system in Singapore as a whole.

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Kudos to our project Wraparound team for receiving the Moe ideas Bank Best Suggestion of the year (School) 2011 award. this award is given to a handful of schools every year to acknowledge achievements in innovative practices.

the idea that scored SgS the award was project Wraparound, an initiative to help our normal (technical) students learn social and emotional skills that would benefit them in life. it was a three-pronged approach that was carried out since January 2011 and it married collaboration with parents, subject integration and a popular programme known as Fridays with nt.

Said one of the teachers-in-charge of project Wraparound, Mr peh chin Keong: “the students learnt skills like juggling and dragon-boating, which helped them learn values such as perseverance.”

the project Wraparound team received the award at the Moe excel Fest in March. congratulations to our teachers-in-charge!

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29

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18

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19

26

1

8

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15

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25

4

13

17

20

24

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28

2

12

21

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16

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www.RudolphAcademy.com

Possible answers:adamant, adversity, affable, allay, aloof, altruistic, animosity, ardent, arrogant, austere, banal, baneful, berate, brevity, circumlocution, compliant, gratify, illusion, indolent, ponderous, proximity, shrewd, surfeit, trivial, unobtrusive, unprecedented, venerate, virtuoso, vociferous, volatile, voracious, wary

solution:

W27

P23 A

V22 O C I F E R O U S29

B3 A5 N A L N Y U

F A18 R D E N T R

F V6 O L A T I L E D E F

A I A19 R R O G A26 N T E

U1 N O B T R U S8 I V10 E M O L I

N L T H O C15 A U T T

P E U R R O N S R

R O E A11 N I M O S I T Y A25 U S T E R E

E A4 S W C P I

C D O D I A13 L L A17 Y S

E V O I L B20 G24 R A T I F Y

D E U A O R I

E R S I14 N D O L E N T C V28

N S T F V E

T2 R I V I A L B12 I21 L L U S I O N

E T E T E

D Y P9 R O X I M I T Y R

A A

T C16 I R C U M L O C U T I O N

B7 A N E F U L E

across1 adj. novel; unparalleled.4 n. great trouble or difficulty.5 adj. easy to talk to; easy to approach;

friendly6 n. a highly skilled performer, usually

a musical performer.8 adj. insightful; clever.10 adj. greedy; gluttonous; ravenous;

insatiable.12 v. to rebuke or scold in a harsh tone.15 adj. yielding, submissive.17 adj. uninterested; showing no

concern; emotionally removed or distant.

18 adj. unwilling to bend; unyielding.20 n. briefness or conciseness in speech

or writing.23 adj. very heavy or bulky; dull or

lifeless.26 adj. showing an unselfish concern for

others.27 adj. cautious, careful.28 v. to feel or show deep respect for,

especially due to age or tradition.29 n. an oversupply.

down1 adj. inconspicuous.2 adj. unimportant; trifing; ordinary.3 adj. dull or stale because of overuse;

trite.6 adj. explosive or changing very

quickly.7 adj. causing ruin; harmful;

pernicious.9 n. nearness11 n. hatred; ill will.13 v. to lesson fear; to calm; to relieve

pain.14 adj. lazy; not wanting to do any work.16 n. speaking in circles; roundabout

speech.18 adj. full of passion and emotion19 adj. over.bearing; proud; haughty.21 n. something unreal that gives the

appearance of being real.22 adj. shrill; high-pitched.24 v. to please or indulge.25 adj. having great economy; showing

self-control when it come to foregoing luxuries.

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