NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL ARTS EDUCATION

Transcription

1 NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL ARTS EDUCATION

2 Copyright 2014, National Arts Council All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright holders. PUBLISHED BY: National Arts Council, Singapore WEBSITE:

3 CONTENTS THE NAC ARTS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK Arts Education in Singapore Core Beliefs and Desired Outcomes Commitment to Arts Education ARTS EDUCATION National Arts Council Arts Education Programme (NAC AEP) Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I) Words Go Round Artist-in-School Scheme (AISS) Arts and Culture Presentation Grant (ACPG) Dance Talent Development Programme (DTDP) ARTS IN EDUCATION Teaching Through the Arts Programme (TTAP) Children and Youth At-Risk Partnership Programme Special Education Partnership Programme (SPED) Pre-School Arts Programmes ADVOCATING ARTS EDUCATION National Arts Education Award (NAEA) Cultural Medallion Speaker Series ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT For Teachers: Partnership with the Ministry of Education For Arts Instructors

4 1 THE NAC ARTS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK Arts Education

5 2 THE NAC ARTS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK Landscape in Singapore The National Arts Council (NAC) believes that the arts should be an integral part of all Singaporeans lives and exposure should begin from a young age. As such, NAC is committed to helping all students have access to quality arts education for expression, learning and reflection. The Arts Education unit works closely with the arts community and various agencies, including the Ministry of Education (MOE), to champion quality arts experiences to be an integrated part of all schools. Through NAC s broad-based efforts, we seek to develop students potential for creativity and expression through the arts as well as deepen their understanding of Singapore culture. We hope that students will be empowered by the arts and grow to be confident, articulate and creative adults who will contribute as active citizens to the community. Top: Children from The Salvation Army (Bukit Panjang) child care centre creating art works inspired by stories with visual artist and educator, Wong Seet Fun.

6 3 CORE BELIEFS THE NAC ARTS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK O U R D E S I R E D O U T C O M E S 1. Every child will have attended a performance or exhibition in a professional arts venue by the time they complete secondary school education 2. Every child will have a learning experience in school with a Singapore artist or arts group by the time they complete secondary school education 3. Every child will be exposed to arts programmes across all five art forms (Literary Arts, Visual Arts, Music, Dance, Theatre) by the time they complete secondary school education Nurtures Thinking Individuals Connects Students with Their Community and Culture Caters to Different Student Needs WE BELIEVE THAT ARTS EDUCATION... Develops Self-identity 4. Every arts instructor will be trained not only in the art form, but also the basics of teaching and learning 5. Every MOE arts teacher will have a professional learning experience with a Singaporean artist, arts group or arts institution 6. Every school will be committed to develop a holistic and integrated arts education programme

7 OUR COMMITMENT TO ARTS EDUCATION 4 Q U A L I T A C C E Y A R S S T S T O THE NAC ARTS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK E D U C A T I O N CONTENT DEVELOPMENT Quality of Programmes PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Quality of Instruction ADVOCACY Integrated and Sustainable Experiences

8 5 ARTS EDUCATION NAC Arts Education Programme TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Education Schools Junior Colleges ITE Regional Campuses Centralised Institute The National Arts Council-Arts Education Programme (NAC-AEP) aims to provide all students with access to quality arts education programmes. Each year, the NAC-AEP makes available 800 arts programmes by close to 240 artists and arts groups. The programmes are endorsed by a panel of professional artists and arts educators and listed on the NAC-AEP website at for schools reference. The NAC-AEP is also available for pre-schools. For more information, please refer to pgs ART FORMS All Art Forms Students from Palm View Primary School learning about ceramics at one of two dragon kilns in Singapore Types of NAC-AEP Programmes: Students from Boon Lay Garden Primary School attending a string duet recital by New Zealand guitar and violin duo, Duo Jacksons Chinese Theatre Circle conducting a Chinese Opera Workshop for Secondary Two students from CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh) Exposure Experience Excursion Assembly performances or shows by professional artists and arts groups Duration of 30 to 40 minutes Workshops conducted by arts instructors and practitioners Hands-on learning experience Suitable for small groups of students Regular AEP Visits to arts venues: artists studios, galleries, museums, etc Programmes available throughout the NAC-AEP cycle Public Arts Programmes Ad-hoc ticketed public performances or exhibitions by professional artists and arts groups

9 Tote Board Arts Grant The Tote Board Arts Grant was introduced in 1995 to encourage the development of a vibrant arts culture in schools and promote arts appreciation among students. It subsidises schools purchase of any programme endorsed under the NAC-AEP. School Type FUNDING A V A Annual Grant Quantum I E L L A B Co-payment Scheme 6 ARTS EDUCATION Primary and Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges and Centralised Institute ITE Regional Campuses Special Education Schools $15,000 $50,000 $9,000 Up to 50% of programme cost Up to 50% of programme cost Up to 70% of programme cost Note: At least 60% of the annual Grant quantum should be used to subsidise the purchase of arts programmes by Singapore arts groups.

10 7 ARTS EDUCATION Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I) TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Education Schools Junior Colleges ITE Regional Campuses Centralised Institute ART FORMS Music Theatre Film and Multi Media Dance Feed Your Imagination (F.Y.I) is a partnership with Esplanade Theatres on the Bay as part of NAC-AEP Arts Excursion Programmes. NAC works with The Esplanade and the arts groups to ensure the quality of productions and the suitability for student audiences. The programme consists of music, dance and drama performances by established arts groups such as Ding Yi Music Company, Apsara Asia and The Finger Players. Each F.Y.I performance also includes a guided tour of The Esplanade, an activity kit for each student that encourages post-performance learning and a resource kit for teachers to use before and after watching the performance. Tote Board Arts Grant FUNDING A V A Schools are able to use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 50% of the ticket price. NAC also supports F.Y.I via a bulk buying discount scheme. Schools will receive an additional five tickets for every purchase of 100 tickets. This is in addition to The Esplanade s incentive of 1 complimentary teacher ticket for every 20 student tickets purchased per performance. SPED schools are able to use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 70% of the ticket price. In view of the higher student-teacher ratio, SPED schools will receive 1 additional ticket with every purchase of 10 student tickets. This is in addition to The Esplanade s incentive of 2 complimentary teacher tickets for every 10 student tickets purchased per performance. I E L L A B For more details, visit

11 Words Go Round TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools Secondary Schools Junior Colleges Centralised Institute ART FORMS Literary Arts In conjunction with the NAC s Singapore Writers Festival School Programme, Words Go Round brings writers into schools to share their ideas, stories and lives with students and teachers. Encompassing enriching talks and hands-on workshops by Singaporean and International writers, it is a great opportunity for students to delve into the world of literature and spark their imagination. Focusing on the official languages of Singapore (English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil), Words Go Round reaches out to thousands of students from pre-school all the way to junior college levels. There are also teacher workshops to enthuse our educators. Literary luminaries previously featured include Morris Gleitzman, Garth Nix, Kate Forsyth, Alfian Sa at, Han Han and many more. Tote Board Arts Grant FUNDING A V A All programmes for students are under the National Arts Council Arts Education Programme and eligible for the Tote Board Arts Grant subsidy. I L A B E L 8 ARTS EDUCATION Please visit for more information or send your enquiries to nac_wgr@nac.gov.sg Writer Morris Gleitzman at Methodist Girls Primary School Storyteller Rosemarie Somaiah at Bukit View Primary School

12 9 ARTS EDUCATION Artist-In-School Scheme TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Education Schools Junior Colleges ITE Regional Campuses Centralised Institute ART FORMS All Art Forms FUNDING A V A I The Artist-In-School Scheme (AISS) supports extended collaborations of at least one semester between schools and practising Singaporean artists and writers, and result in arts education programmes customised to meet the specific needs and aspirations of the school and students. AISS Grant and Tote Board Arts Grant Schools can use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise part of the AISS project costs. On top of that, NAC provides grants for the following: School Type E L L A B Primary and Secondary Schools Junior Colleges and Centralised Institute ITE Regional Campuses Funding Support Up to $10,000 or 50% of the qualifying cost submitted (whichever is lower) Special Education Schools Up to $20,000 or 70% of the qualifying cost submitted (whichever is lower) After the first year, schools are eligible to apply for the AISS grant for the same project for up to a maximum of two further consecutive years. AISS is also available for pre-schools. For more information, please refer to pgs

13 AISS Project: Yew Tee Primary School & Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts Ltd Yew Tee Primary School works with traditional arts group, Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts Ltd, to introduce Angklung ensemble playing to all the Primary 2 students as part of the school s Music curriculum. The students pick up musical skills, display teamwork through ensemble playing and also develop a greater appreciation and understanding of Malay Music. In addition, in-school performances by Sri Warisan and excursions to the group s studio give students greater exposure to Malay arts and culture. 10 ARTS EDUCATION Students picking up musical skills Primary 2 students proud to have performed for Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education, Ms Indranee Rajah

14 11 ARTS EDUCATION AISS Project: Yio Chu Kang Secondary School & JoyArts Yio Chu Kang Secondary School (YCKSS) works with experienced arts educator Jean Ng and her team from JoyArts on an in-curriculum drama programme, as part of the school s Arts Enrichment Programme. Through this AISS project, Secondary 1 to 3 students experience progressive learning in drama to build their knowledge and appreciation of theatre. Students develop an understanding of spatial and sensory awareness, improvisation skills and vocal expressiveness. They are also introduced to drama strategies and theatre forms, such as newspaper theatre. The learning from the sessions with the artists culminates in a drama showcase during assembly for the entire school. Role-playing used as a teaching device at Yio Chu Kang Secondary School I am delighted to have Jean and her team of artists present to develop the drama curriculum with the school and to share their expertise with our students in YCKSS. Drama provides an avenue for our students to express their creative ideas and diverse voices. Through discussions, negotiations, rehearsals and performing in front of an audience, the students learnt how to collaborate and work with one another. Taking on acting roles from different situations and cultures promotes empathy and compassion for others feelings and viewpoints. I believe that the confidence gained in drama is applicable to other aspects of school, the students future career and in life. Miss Kang Poh Geok Yio Chu Kang Secondary School, HOD (Arts & Leadership Education) For more information about the Artist-in-School Scheme, please visit

15 Arts and Culture Presentation Grant TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Education Schools Junior Colleges ITE Regional Campuses Centralised Institute ART FORMS All Art Forms The Arts and Culture Presentation Grant (ACPG) is an initiative to support school groups in staging performances, exhibitions, or literary arts productions for public audiences. This is to create more opportunities for youths to have a deeper engagement with the arts by being able to showcase their work beyond the school community, especially in public spaces. We hope the ACPG will motivate more students to nurture their interests and talents beyond school and encourage them to see themselves as part of a wider arts and culture community. The ACPG can be used to support presentations such as (but not limited to) a play, musical, dance production, exhibition, concert, heritage or literary arts event or publication (e.g. poetry reading or collected poetry publications) at a public performing space, gallery, concert hall, park, library, community centre, museum, etc. Online presentations and e-books will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The grant is managed together with the Ministry of Education and the National Heritage Board. Priority will be given to schools and projects where students are presenting their works for the first time to the public or have had limited opportunities to do so. 12 ARTS EDUCATION FUNDING A V A I L L A B E Schools will be funded up to $10,000 or 50% of the project cost (whichever is lower) based on the merit of the proposal.

16 13 ARTS EDUCATION ACPG Projects: Clementi Town Secondary School The school staged a musical at the University Culture Centre in June Based on an original script written by teachers and the school s alumni, the production was put together by a team of dedicated teachers and students from the Drama Club and many student volunteers. Titled Dear You, the musical revolved around friendships forged during Secondary School days, and the importance of accepting the subtle differences that make us unique. Macpherson Primary School In 2013, Macpherson Primary School held an Angklung Extravaganza at the Republic Polytechnic Cultural Centre, bringing together two secondary schools and 10 primary schools. The performance made it to the Singapore Book of Records for having the largest Angklung Ensemble. The pupils who took part said that the experience has motivated them to continue their involvement in the arts, especially with ethnic musical instruments. Clementi Town Secondary School s production of their original script, Dear You Macpherson Primary School s performance of Angklung Extravaganza Visit the ACPG website at for more information.

17 Dance Talent Development Programme TARGET GROUPS Secondary Schools (Sec 3) ART FORM Dance The Dance Talent Development Programme (DTDP) is a fully funded dance programme that nurtures young dance enthusiasts by bringing them together as a community and giving them the opportunity to interact with established local dance artists and choreographers. It complements talent development opportunities in other art forms such as the Singapore National Youth Orchestra for young musicians. 14 ARTS EDUCATION Participants of Dance Talent Development Programme Organised by NAC and MOE, and managed by LASALLE College of the Arts, the annual programme which involves close to 200 secondary school students across 170 schools is conducted in three phases: Phase One Sec 3 dancers across various secondary schools will convene for a three-day dance camp that seeks to broaden and deepen their dance experience. Students will be introduced to the six dance forms through master classes conducted by professional dance companies: Bhaskar s Arts Academy (Indian Dance) Era Dance Theatre (Malay Dance) Frontier Danceland (Contemporary Dance) O School (Hip Hop) Singapore Dance Theatre (Ballet) Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan Dance Theatre (Chinese Dance) Following the classes, there will be an audition to select those who are ready for Phase Two. Phase Two Each selected student will be attached to one of the six dance companies and undergo 30 hours of professional dance training. Through this, students get the rare opportunity of training with a professional dance company and a glimpse of life as a professional dancer. Phase Three Students come together for combined training sessions at LASALLE College of the Arts. As the students learn to synthesise all that they have learnt from their dance training, the months of dedication culminate in a final showcase for an audience of school principals, teachers, parents and friends.

18 15 ARTS EDUCATION 2013 DTDP Participants: The DTDP was enriching due to the exposure to different dance forms as well as the friendships forged with other like-minded dancers. It was also an opportunity for us to work with professional local dance companies. Being in DTDP definitely trained me to juggle my time better which I believe is an important skill that students need to have. Lim Hong Jun Alvan Contemporary Dance Participant DTDP is definitely one of the most fulfilling, enjoyable and amazing experiences I have been through. I feel that I have grown in many different ways. Perseverance and selfdiscipline are definitely attributes I ve developed through the intensive dance trainings. The whole process has taught me the importance of having an open-mind towards ideas. Lim Jia Yi Ballet Dance Participant Find out more about Dance Talent Development Programme here:

19 Teaching Through the Arts Programme TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools ART FORMS All Art Forms The Teaching Through the Arts Programme (TTAP) supports schools that are interested to experiment with arts-based pedagogy as an approach to teaching and learning non-arts subjects. Through arts activities that encourage visualisation, embodying and creative expression, TTAP aims to help students construct a deeper understanding of concepts. Participating schools identify a learning opportunity to be addressed through a creative process which connects an art form and subject area, and teachers then work with teaching artists to co-design and co-teach in the classroom. NAC provides schools with grants of 80% of costs. FUNDING A V A I E L L A B 16 ARTS IN EDUCATION TTAP Project: Mayflower Primary School & Peggy Ferroa At Mayflower Primary School, the Mathematics teachers aim to use drama as a pedagogical tool for the engaged learning of Mathematics by creating opportunities for pupils to Learn by Doing and to Make Thinking Visible. Together with drama educator Peggy Ferroa, teachers integrate drama into the teaching of Mathematics concepts which pupils usually have difficulties grasping such as problem sums, area and perimeter. For example, students create circular props to be used for a play. Through this activity, students gain a deeper understanding of radii, circumference, etc. Teachers feel that these activities help to illustrate Mathematics concepts more clearly, especially for the visual and kinaesthetic learners. Pupils built on each other s suggestions and ideas as they adopted the role of prop designers to create circular props for a skit. Pupils owned their problems and planned to solve them. I was mainly involved in the facilitation of the whole process. Pupils were able to come up with their own ways of drawing a circle with their self made instruments. I was impressed with their initiative and resourcefulness. Mdm Tricia Wee Teacher, Mayflower Primary School

20 17 ARTS IN EDUCATION Learning about area and perimeter through drama Students excited to see their teachers in the hot seat, a drama strategy used in Mayflower Primary School by Teaching Artist Peggy Ferroa Percentage was a difficult topic for me previously. I could not relate it to anything, thereby causing more confusion. However, these lessons have actually helped me see the link between Percentages, Fractions and Decimals. Having experienced the drama lessons, I had fun as I learnt to make the connections. Lee Yern Yu Pupil, Mayflower Primary School

21 TTAP Project: Haig Girls School & Noorlinah Mohamed The Mathematics teachers in Haig Girls School work with drama educator Noorlinah Mohamed to create, develop and implement TTAP lessons which help increase students interest in Mathematics. Through a multi-disciplinary arts approach, Noorlinah uses art-making principles and practices (e.g. storytelling, story-building, physical movement and rehearsing) to explore topics such as multiplication, money, time and graphs. In addition to co-developing and co-teaching TTAP lessons for Primary 2 and Primary 5 Mathematics classes, Noorlinah also provides consultation to Primary 1 5 Mathematics teachers on their approach to integrating the arts with Mathematics. 18 ARTS IN EDUCATION Students from Haig Girls School exploring movement with Teaching Artist Noorlinah Mohamed It s not like the normal lessons where the teachers will just explain, Oh, this and this equals this. Ms Noorlinah uses stories to explain concepts behind the topic. Jeanette Goh Pupil, Haig Girls School For more information of other TTAP projects, visit

22 19 ARTS IN EDUCATION Children & Youth At-Risk TARGET GROUPS Primary Schools Secondary Schools ART FORMS All Art Forms Children & Youth At-Risk Programme The arts play an important role in offering young people at-risk an avenue for engagement, and an outlet for expression, growth and reflection. NAC supports collaborations between artists and counsellors/social workers/teachers from schools and Voluntary Welfare Organisations to provide young people with access to the arts as a tool for positive youth development. Through customised programmes to meet the needs of young people at-risk, the transformative power of the arts can be activated to increase self-esteem, renew interest in learning and develop positive life skills (e.g. respect, perseverance, teamwork, etc). Programmes are co-developed by artists and counsellors/ teachers/social workers and offered to small groups of students (10 20 participants) during curriculum time or as an afterschool programme. There are two tracks under the NAC Arts for Children & Youth At-Risk Programme; FUNDING A V A I L A B E L Partners School + VWO + Artist School and Artist Annual Grant Quantum $10,000 $5,000 Co-payment Scheme Up to 90% of programme cost Up to 70% of programme cost For more information about Youth At-Risk programmes, please visit

23 Youth At-Risk Programme Project: Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS) with Schools Lutheran Community Care Services (LCCS) has been partnering several schools to include an arts component that complements the social work intervention for students at-risk. Programmes are customised for each school in discussion with the social worker and artist to achieve specific outcomes, in response to students behavioural and/or socio-emotional issues. These programmes involve a series of arts workshops (typically 10-sessions as part of a school term), leading up to a mini showcase to celebrate the students achievements. Artists will deliver the arts component of the programme while the social workers will help to process the learning with the students during debrief and circle time. In one of the programmes, LCCS collaborated with a photography instructor to deliver a photography programme. Participants picked up photography skills, and a greater sense of belonging to their school was fostered when they were given the opportunity to capture the school s national day celebrations. During the weekly sessions, participants also had the opportunity to talk about their inspirations and the meaning behind the images. Through the circle time facilitated by LCCS and the arts instructor, participants learnt how to respect and positively communicate with one another and they also showed appreciation for each other s images. Participants were engaged and showed interest in learning and demonstrated increased school attendance. 20 ARTS IN EDUCATION Using the arts as a platform to engage students is a novel way to teach new skills and address socio-emotional issues within the class. Before the programme, students would only co-operate with their peers who were of the same gender. However this programme has given them an opportunity to work with and rely on peers that are not within their clique. Also, their form teachers were amazed and pleasantly surprised when observing the students take ownership and responsibility to work together to pull off a showcase. Allowing the students to experience success and positive recognition from various stakeholders during the end showcase was important to encourage a restorative relationship between the students and the school. Ms Yasmeen Shariff Programme Manager/Counsellor, LCCS

24 21 ARTS IN EDUCATION Special Education Partnership Programme TARGET GROUPS Special Education Schools ART FORMS All Art Forms FUNDING A V A I E The NAC-SPED Partnership Programme supports efforts to promote the use of the arts as a pedagogical tool in Special Education schools so that the arts can become more deeply embedded as an integral and integrated part of the overall school experience. Artists and school teachers work closely together to co-develop and co-teach customised arts-based lessons that target the learning needs of students with different disabilities and address larger educational goals, for example, motor skills development and oral communication. Schools are eligible to apply for the Partnership Programme grant for the same project for up to a maximum of two consecutive years. L L A B Annual Grant Quantum Co-payment Scheme First Year Second Year $10,000 $7,000 Up to 90% of programme cost Up to 70% of programme cost Visual artist Mr Foo Kwee Horng conducting teacher training at Rainbow Centre Margaret Drive School Students in SPED schools are also eligible for Public Arts and Arts Education Programmes (pgs 5 6), F.Y.I (pg 7), the Artist-in-School Scheme (pgs 9 11) and the Arts and Culture Presentation Grant (pgs ) Please refer to the relevant pages for more information.

25 NAC SPED Partnership Programme: Grace Orchard School & Michael Cheng Grace Orchard School engaged Teaching Artist Michael Cheng to co-develop and co-teach a drama programme for students diagnosed with mild intellectual disability and/or mild autism. The programme sought to enhance social engagement and co-operation as well as promote character-building values via stories. To ensure the sustainability of the programme, Michael conducted training sessions to equip the teachers with teaching strategies so they would be able to continue the programme independently. 22 ARTS IN EDUCATION Michael Cheng with students from Grace Orchard School The NAC SPED Partnership Fund has allowed us to bring in a drama professional to work with our students and teachers in developing a sound and robust drama curriculum for our students with special needs. Our students enjoy the drama lessons and we have seen them developing greater self-awareness through the 10-week programme. Ms Esther Kwan Aesthetics Programme Head, Grace Orchard School

26 23 ARTS IN EDUCATION Pre-School Arts Programmes TARGET GROUPS Pre-School ART FORMS All Art Forms In partnership with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and MOE, NAC has developed an Arts Education Programme (AEP) database for the pre-school sector and initiated a pilot Artist-in-School Scheme (AISS) in The Pre-school AEP, curated by representatives from the arts & early childhood education sectors, can be downloaded from the NAC website ( Pre-schools are encouraged to refer to the list of endorsed programmes when purchasing programmes for their children. NAC will be working closely with ECDA to explore possible funding subsidy for selected pre-schools. Updates will be posted on the NAC-AEP website when available. The pilot Pre-school AISS enables children to gain access to quality arts programmes conducted by professional arts instructors over a sustained period, and seeks to nurture positive attitudes towards learning in and through the arts. It also helps teachers to meet the learning goals in Aesthetics and Creative Expression as reflected in the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Curriculum Framework for Kindergartens in Singapore. The AISS lessons are customised to the schools needs and are designed so that they can subsequently be integrated into the schools curriculum. NAC and ECDA will identify 5 new kindergartens and/or child care centres for the AISS each year. Interested pre-schools can contact ECDA to indicate their interest for the AISS. Centres which have undergone their first cycle of AISS can apply directly to NAC to continue with the AISS in subsequent years. For Pre-school AISS: FUNDING A V A I L A B E L School Type Non-profit pre-schools For-profit pre-schools Funding Support up to $7,000 or 70% of the programme costs (whichever is lower) up to $3,000 or 30% of the programme costs (whichever is lower)

27 Pre-School AISS Project: PCF Sparkletots Pasir Ris West & Hazel Wong Children from PCF Pasir Ris West at a ceramic class with Minister of Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Lawrence Wong PCF Sparkletots Pasir Ris West partnered Teaching Artist Hazel Wong from Ceramique Studio to deliver a Visual Arts (Ceramics) Programme for N2 children. Through exploring properties of clay and experimenting with its soft and responsive sensory qualities, children developed their fine motor and problem solving skills. The programme also encouraged creativity, self-expression and confidence. Besides the classroom sessions, the programme also included excursions to the Botanical Gardens and Singapore Zoo where the children were brought on guided tours to observe and learn more about plants and animals, before creating their ceramic works onsite. As part of the programme, teachers also attended workshops that focused on specific art-form skills and pedagogies for teaching ceramics to children. Compared to my classes at Goodman Ceramic Studio, the children at PCF come from a wider social and economic background; some children are verbally expressive, while others take a longer time to warm up. However, with the enthusiastic support from the school, I gradually saw a transformation in the children s ability and capacity for visual and verbal expression. One of the unexpected rewards of working with children is that it has been inspirational for me to see the quieter ones express their sense of curiosity and wonderment through art. 24 ARTS IN EDUCATION Ms Hazel Wong Ceramicist Children from Soka Kindergarten learning dance from instructors from Kavanagh Dance

28 25 ADVOCATING ARTS EDUCATION National Arts Education Award The National Arts Education Award (NAEA) is a national arts award for Singapore schools. The award, which is valid for 4 years, seeks to: Affirm schools which provide holistic integrated and sustained arts education for their students Provide all schools with a framework to guide the development of good arts practices and programmes The NAEA framework, which was developed in collaboration with the Arts Education Branch at MOE, guides schools in making a self-assessment based on three categories of Spark, Glow and Blaze. The 3-tier framework provides schools with a guided approach to assess the stage of their arts education development. Each award category has its own merit and is recognised as an important level of development. NAE Award Category Profile of Schools SPARK Take proactive steps to build a vibrant arts culture Develop clear structures and programmes for arts education Develop students interest in at least 2 art forms GLOW Demonstrate holistic planning and processes to build a vibrant arts culture Develop clear structures and programmes for arts education Develop students interest in all art forms BLAZE Have built a vibrant arts culture and sustained participation in all art forms Contribute through the arts to the community and champion the arts Lead and assist other schools in their arts education development

29 26 The NAEA Framework covers: ADVOCATING ARTS EDUCATION PROCESS RESULTS School Policy and Planning Implementation of Programmes + Arts Culture In and Beyond School Domain 1: School Policy and Planning This domain examines how the school articulates and implements its policy on arts education to ensure students access to a holistic arts education. Domain 2: Implementation of Programmes This domain examines how the school implements its arts programmes, develops its staff, maximises the use of resources as well as nurtures partnerships with other organisations, to attain the goals that are set for its arts programmes. Domain 3: Arts Culture In and Beyond School This domain examines how the school promotes a vibrant arts culture for students to access the arts and achieves positive results. More information about the award can be found here:

30 27 ADVOCATING ARTS EDUCATION Cultural Medallion Speaker Series TARGET GROUPS Secondary Schools Junior Colleges ART FORMS All Art Forms The Cultural Medallion (CM) Speaker Series in Schools seeks to inspire the next generation of Singaporeans through the stories of artists who are masters of their artistic practice and continue to play a key role in shaping Singapore s arts scene. Targeted at students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old, the CM Speaker Series in Schools challenges inquisitive minds to investigate the significance of arts and culture in society, and illuminates the unwavering spirit and passion of an individual in charting new frontiers. In 2014, four Cultural Medallion speakers Ms Angela Liong (Dance), Prof Jeremy Monteiro (Music), Mr Ho Ho Ying (Visual Arts) and Mr T. Sasitharan (Theatre) conducted a total of 8 Speaker Series sessions at various Junior Colleges, Secondary Schools and Polytechnics. Ms Angela Liong Serangoon Junior College Prof Jeremy Monteiro Temasek Junior College For more information, please visit: Mr Ho Ho Ying Anglican High School Mr T. Sasitharan Nanyang Girls High School

31 Partnership with the Ministry of Education for Professional Development of Teachers NAC collaborates with the Singapore Teachers Academy for the arts (STAR) and the MOE Arts Education Branch (AEB) to support the professional development of MOE arts teachers and key personnel overseeing arts education programmes in schools. MOE-NAC Master Artist Series The MOE-NAC Master Artist Series is co-organised by NAC and STAR. These sessions enable teachers to have a better understanding of the practices and philosophies of our veteran Singapore artists, and we hope that they will, in turn, be inspired to engage in their own arts practice and share their learning with their students. In 2014, four Cultural Medallion recipients, Mr Ho Ho Ying, Prof Jeremy Monteiro, Mrs Santha Bhaskar and Mr Ivan Heng, were invited for sharing sessions with arts teachers. 28 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Mrs Santha Bhaskar sharing her artistic experiences with arts teachers

32 29 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Learning Journey for MOE s Leadership and Management Programme (LAMP+) NAC partners with MOE AEB for the Learning Journey component of MOE s Leadership and Management Programme for all newly appointed key personnel overseeing arts education in schools. These learning journeys focus on deepening teachers understanding of the role artists can play in the classroom, and help them to build sustainable collaborations with artists and arts groups to enrich students arts experiences in schools. Art co-ordinators trying out simple Malay Dance steps led by Osman from Era Dance Theatre

33 AMS Project: Hillgrove Secondary School & Ghanavenothan Retnam Artist-Mentor Scheme The Artist-Mentor Scheme (AMS) is an initiative helmed by STAR and supported by NAC. It aims to develop teachers competencies by partnering practitioners to co-teach in Art, Music, Dance and Drama. The teachers go through a collaborative process of learning with the mentors who are established, respected practitioners in their art form. This scheme is open to all government and government-aided schools. The AMS supported teachers from Hillgrove Secondary School to learn under musician Ghanavenothan Retnam to deepen their understanding of music for the Indian Orchestra. This professional learning opportunity also supported them in developing an educational resource kit that could be shared with other teachers. 30 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT For more information, please visit: Mr Ghanavenothan Retnam with a teacher from Hillgrove Secondary School The strength of the project was that we were able to have a first-hand experience of Indian music in Singapore from the practitioners themselves. It was good to have Mr Ghana conduct the workshop and training, as he was able to translate the Indian musical concepts into terms that could be easily understood by western musicians like us. I also benefitted a lot through the hands-on sessions where we made music on the Indian instruments. As he came to observe and comment on my lessons, I learnt how to teach Indian music in the classroom more effectively, from a more cultural perspective. Mr Wong Yoon Foong Teacher, Hillgrove Secondary School

34 31 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Partnership with Lincoln Center for Education (LCE), New York, USA Every year, NAC organises workshops by Teaching Artists from LCE to enhance the capabilities of selected MOE Art and Music teachers in developing their students Capacities for Imaginative Learning. The workshops cover experiential and inquiry-based activities, pedagogy discussions and viewing of live works of art as well as planning, designing and writing lesson plans which optimise the potential of the arts to help students develop creative, critical thinking, and other 21 st Century Competencies. Participants creating a tableau at the Capacities for Imaginative Learning Workshop

35 Professional Development for Arts Instructors To ensure arts instructors are equipped with the skills to deliver engaging arts education programmes in schools, NAC works closely with various training institutions to provide training opportunities that enhance arts instructors professional and pedagogical skills. Training can take various forms, from 1-year structured training to ad-hoc workshops. This is to accommodate the different schedules and interests of instructors. NIE International NAC has collaborated with the National Institute of Education International (NIEI) to deliver structured, sustained formal pedagogical training to arts instructors who wish to enhance their professional practice. Two flagship courses are currently offered: the Specialist Diploma in Arts Education and the Essentials of Teaching and Learning Certificate. 32 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Specialist Diploma in Arts Education The 240-hour Specialist Diploma in Arts Education programme equips participants with the skills to nurture creativity in a learning environment, communicate effectively with students, plan and evaluate arts lessons, and motivate students. Held over one year, participants of the Specialist Diploma will go through a total of 8 modules, conducted by lecturers from NIE International. For more information on the Specialist Diploma in Arts Education, please visit:

36 33 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Essentials of Teaching and Learning The 40-hour Essentials of Teaching and Learning Certificate provides arts instructors with an introduction to key ideas in teaching and learning. The course covers 4 broad areas: basic principles of the psychology of learning, the process of teaching, lesson planning, and assessment and evaluation. From 2017, this course will be the minimum formal pedagogical training requirement for arts instructors who teach NAC-AEP Experience workshop programmes. For more information on the Essentials of Teaching and Learning Certificate, please visit: Social Service Institute (SSI) To equip arts instructors with skills to deliver arts programmes to children with special needs, NAC has collaborated with the Social Service Institute (SSI) to deliver a customised pedagogical training course covering both sensory and behavioural disabilities Course participants Working and Facilitating the Learning of Children with Special Needs in the Arts The 42-hour Working and Facilitating the Learning of Children with Special Needs in the Arts course is a highly interactive course featuring activities, case studies, discussions and a practicum component. The course aims to equip arts instructors with the skills to: Describe common disabilities, characteristics and developmental milestones of children with special needs Assess and analyse students learning profiles via a theoretical framework Apply specific and broad theories in enhancing students learning behaviour Integrate knowledge and practice of special needs in arts lessons or activities For more information on the customised course, please nac_aep@nac.gov.sg.

37 34 SEED Institute NAC has collaborated with the SEED Institute to deliver a customised pedagogical training course to equip arts instructors with the essential skills to engage pre-school children in meaningful creative experiences through purposeful play and arts activities. Teaching the Arts in an Early Childhood Environment The 46-hour Teaching the Arts in an Early Childhood Environment course covers the following areas: ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Physical and Psychological Developmental Milestones of Children Aged 4 6 Effective Engagement Strategies Integrating the Arts into an Early Childhood Curriculum Based on MOE Nurturing Early Learners: A Curriculum Framework for Kindergartens in Singapore Early Childhood Lesson Planning Assessment and Evaluation of Children s Learning Design of Learning Environments For more information on the customised course, please preschool_aep@nac.gov.sg. Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Virginia, USA NAC collaborates with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), to organise workshops on arts integrated learning for children, targeted at both artists and pre-school educators. The workshops led by Teaching Artists from The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning through the Arts equip participants with the skills to integrate the arts into the pre-school curriculum to meet learning goals as reflected in the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework for kindergartens in Singapore. Participants creating a tableau at a workshop led by Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts All pre-school educators will be informed of the workshops via pre-school connect, while interested artists can preschool_aep@nac.gov.sg to get more information.

38 35 ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING A V A I To encourage participation from arts instructors and artists, NAC offers substantial subsidies of up to 90% on course and workshop fees for qualifying applicants. More information is available at the registration phase of each training programme. E L L A B In addition, arts instructors and artists keen to develop their pedagogical or arts integration skills through courses offered by other organisations and institutions, local or abroad, may also apply for the NAC Capability Development Grant. This grant supports individuals and organisations in acquiring skills and knowledge needed to meet the demands of their work in the arts sector. Support of up to $20,000 per financial year is available for successful applicants. Individuals who are looking into pursuing full-time studies at the undergraduate or postgraduate levels may apply for the NAC Arts Scholarships. More information may be found at: and OTHER YOUTH ARTS PROGRAMMES For teachers who are interested to connect their students with opportunities beyond school, you may want to check out the various youth wings run by arts groups. The NAC Arts Education team is happy to help you with this as necessary. In addition, your students may also benefit from the Noise and Matchbox programmes run by our NAC Youth Arts team which provide a range of learning, mentorship and showcase opportunities. Find out more here:

39 CONTACT US All information in this booklet is accurate at time of printing. For more real-time updates, please refer to the NAC-AEP website. Visit us at or us at ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Photos courtesy of: Boon Lay Garden Primary School Bukit View Primary School Clementi Town Secondary School Grace Orchard School Haig Girls School Macpherson Primary School Mayflower Primary School Palm View Primary School Yew Tee Primary School Yio Chu Kang Primary School Yio Chu Kang Secondary School MOE Singapore Teachers Academy for the arts

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