Learn@SST

SST offers an exciting 4-year programme for our students to develop them not only cognitively, but also socially, emotionally, physically and also technologically.
Grounded on applied learning, we hope to provide a solid foundation in what our students learn, engage them to think and act innovatively and use technology pervasively.



Overview

Applied Learning is pervasive throughout SST's 4-year curriculum. It forms the core of the teaching and learning approach in the SST and creates learning opportunities for students to draw connections between the concepts taught in the classroom and real-world applications.

At Year 1 and 2, students will take the following subjects: English Language, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Science, Integrated Humanities and Art, Design, Media & Technology (ADMT).

At Year 3 and 4, students will take a combination of conventional and applied subjects. He may take conventional subjects such as English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Humanities (e.g. Social Studies + Geography) together with one or two Applied Subjects such as Design Studies, Fundamentals of Electronics, Media Studies, Biotechnology and Environmental Science & Technology.

The following are the key distinguishing features of the SST curriculum:

1. Integrated Approach At the lower secondary levels, the SST adopts an integrated approach to learning while providing a firm foundation for upper secondary levels. Students studying a topic on terrorism in Integrated Humanities will be able to view it from both the geographical and historical perspectives and hence gain a deepen understanding of national, regional and global issues. The integrated approach draws learning from the different disciplines and allows the students to view issues from multiple perspectives, thus engendering the creative mindset. Integrating various disciplines makes the relationships between the components explicit and blurs their boundaries. This prepares students for life and work in the 21st Century.

2. Holistic and Broad-based Development Besides offering a rigorous academic curriculum, the SST also provides a holistic education to all students with a particular emphasis on Character, Citizenship, Leadership and Lifeskills.
The SST also believes that every student needs and deserves individual care. Students are thus provided with a strong network of support through a structure of pastoral care programmes anchored on the school values of integrity, respect and excellence.

3. Innovation and Enterprise SST takes bold, confident and well-thought through strategies to implement innovative teaching techniques and curriculum design to nurture the innovative and enterprising aspects of students. Teaching of I & E knowledge and skills will be seamlessly woven into the curriculum to form one of the pillars of the school's holistic educational approach.

4. Technology as a Way of Life Proven applied learning techniques with the latest information and communications technologies (ICT) as well as Interactive Digital Media (IDM) will be consciously infused into various subjects to provide an innovative and engaging learning environment.


SST offers a variety of subjects to cater to our students' many interests. On top of the usual subjects like English Language, Mother Tongue, Mathematics and Science, SST also offers 5 Applied Subjects when students are in the upper secondary levels.
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Subject: English

Goals


At the end of four years, students should be able to

-Understand that language is a meaning-making resource people choose strategically to achieve specific communicative purposes
-Understand that text types are discourse institutionalised socially and culturally to achieve specific communicative purposes
-Understand that language not only represents but also actively constructs our view of the world
-Listen to, read and view texts critically to understand and respond to the various uses of the English Language in achieving the purpose, context, culture and audience intended
-Speak, write and represent fluently and effectively using appropriate text types to achieve the purpose, context, culture and audience intended
-Use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) actively and purposefully in the understanding, learning and use of English 


Heart of the Discipline


Language is functional as it is used to make and exchange meanings influenced by social and cultural contexts. In Singapore, the English Language operates at many levels and plays many roles. Locally, it is the common language that facilitates communication and bonding among the different ethnic and cultural groups. Globally, it allows Singaporeans to participate actively and effectively in a knowledge-based economy where English Language is the lingua franca of the Internet, of science and technology and of world economy.

Assessment

The lower secondary curriculum is designed to arouse and increase students’ interest and build their foundation in the English Language. This involves providing students with a rich print and non-print environment of various text types and text forms so that they engage with the language and understand how it is being used both meaningfully and contextually to represent and construct one’s view of the world. It also involves giving students opportunities to respond individually or socially with peers and teachers, so that they grow as English Language users through self-reflection or by receiving constructive feedback.

Students will assess their own continual growth in the understanding and use of the language as they complete tasks given in the curriculum. To assist them in doing so, students will keep a portfolio documenting the progress of their learning. In this portfolio, students will keep informal assignments given during lessons, draft copies of their work as well as finished products. They will also make use of rubrics which could be jointly created and refined with teachers on a termly basis for self-reflection. In addition, they will also check on their progress and understanding of their own learning through conferences with peers or teachers. There will not be any grading for formative assessment.
There will not be any mid-year examinations for the lower secondary curriculum. Students will however sit for milestone tests and year-end oral and written examinations and the results they receive will be used to formally evaluate them. In addition, finished products from their portfolios and the interdisciplinary projects would be used for summative purposes.

The upper secondary curriculum will build on what students have acquired in the foundation years and deepen their understanding of the use of the English Language in sociocultural contexts. More thought provoking tasks would be set to challenge students and progressively prepare them for the ‘O’ Level examinations.

Pedagogical Approaches

The overall approach of the English Language curriculum aims for students to acquire language proficiency and competence through using the language. Units of work are framed around text types to heighten the applied nature of the language in the real world.

The department incorporates the Langlit approach in certain units to develop students’ critical perspectives by giving them the metalanguage to analyse, compare and discuss how text types have been used to achieve specific purposes in different contexts and cultures, and for different audiences.

Glossary

Text types are also known as genres, and adopt different socially institutionalised structures to achieve specific purposes. In the EL Syllabus 2010, they could be broadly categorized as Texts for Creative and Personal Expression and Texts for Academic and Functional Purposes.

Langlit dovetails into the English Syllabus 2010, which uses the approach “A Strong Foundation and Rich Language for All” and where the teaching of language requires one area to be taught in the context of the others.
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Subjects: Mother Tongue Language


Goals

At the end of four years, students should be able to

-Attain adequate language proficiency in their MTL so that they can relate and exchange ideas clearly with others and communicate with ease
-Obtain the language skills that are complementary with knowledge gained in other subjects and applicable in the workforce
-Experience a integrated curriculum that inculcates ethical behaviour
-Appreciate the rich culture and wisdom that comes along with the learning of the languages

Heart of the Discipline

MTL is a useful communication tool that can be applied in many aspects in life, from social bonding, cultural appreciation, to doing business with people from foreign countries. Singapore is located in a region surrounded by countries with people speaking Malay, Indian Languages and Mandarin; being bilingual has provided our people a unique edge in this globalised world. The rise of major powers such as China, India and Dubai, is also a strong signal for our young learners to be more prepared so that they can better engage these strategic partners in future, through understanding each others’ language and appreciation of the culture.

The MTL curriculum will follow the new national curriculum that will be introduced in Year 2011. The new curriculum emphasises on developing the literary skills systematically. Students will be exposed to more learning tasks to practise and apply what they have learnt. The new curriculum will also tap on the use of information technology to encourage self-directed learning in students. Complementing the national curriculum, SST will create a school based curriculum which will introduce the appreciation of history and cultures related to the language, so that it will make greater sense to the students and ensure that they will gain a more holistic experience through their MTL.

Assessment

Both Assessment for Learning (AfL) and Assessment of Learning (AoL) will be made use of.

AfL is formative, which can include presentations, projects and public speaking, where the level of competency for the usage of MTL will be assessed. Assessment will be based on four main categories, namely: speaking, writing, listening and reading comprehension. Grading will focus on communicative competency rather than concentrate on the accuracy of grammatical structures. Hence, assessments should take place as far as possible during regular class sessions, based on tasks and activities that have real-life relevance and application.

AoL is summative, which would refer to the End-of-Year examination. There will be no Mid-year examination.

Pedagogical Approaches


Applied Learning Approach
-To engage and enthuse the students to be interested in their MTL, an applied learning approach will be adopted in and out of the classrooms, through a wide variety of activities with close relevance to the real world which allows students to realise the practical applications of MTL.
-To allow students to be more aware of the practical uses of the target language, experiential learning can also be carried out outside curriculum time, through implementation of enrichment programmes (such as immersion and overseas exchange) and industrial attachments where students will discover and experience for themselves the benefits of being proficient in MTL.

Task-based Approach
-Tied closely with the idea of applied learning, students are encouraged to learn the language through interaction and frequent use when working on a specific assigned task. This approach links classroom language learning with language use outside the classroom and focuses on the functional uses of language rather than its structure.

Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Pedagogy

-ICT is the distinguishing feature of the SST. To relate the teaching and learning of MTL more closely to this key feature, ICT will be made use of to engage students during lessons and in most homework and assignments given.  The intent is to develop in students the abilities and habits to be able to make use of technology to learn and improve their learning of MTL.

-ICT is an important and powerful teaching tool that can be used to arouse the interests of students in MTL, as the passion of these students in the SST are likely to lie more in technology-related areas. However, while ICT should be used to complement and even improve on how content of a lesson can be carried out, a teacher’s role as a facilitator and guide in the classroom is not and should not be regarded as replaceable by ICT.

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Subjects: Mathematics


Goals


SST Mathematics curriculum aims to enable our students to

-Acquire the mathematical concepts, skills, processes, attitudes and meta-cognitive abilities to solve a wide range of problems, including those situated in real world contexts
-Develop ability to communicate confidently and clearly, to reason and think logically, mathematically and imaginatively and to learn cooperatively and independently
-Develop an appreciation and disposition towards using mathematics (and technology) as a powerful tool to model, solve and describe real world problems and phenomena 


Heart of the Discipline

Mathematics is the study of the properties, patterns and relationships in numbers, space and other abstract objects. It relies on logic and creativity to establish truths and solve problems. It provides a powerful and versatile tool for modelling, solving and understanding a wide range of problems in real-life and hypothetical situations. Throughout history, the development of mathematics contributes to the understanding of other disciplines, particularly in the basic and applied sciences. Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855) referred to mathematics as “the Queen of the Sciences”.

The SST Mathematics curriculum provides opportunities for students to appreciate the power of Mathematics and apply their learning to model real world situations and find innovative solutions to real world problems.

The SST Mathematics curriculum organises the learning into units of work revolving around real world problems, while bearing in mind the hierarchical nature of the concepts and skills. The real world problems serve to pique the students’ curiosity and provide meaning, motivation and relevance to the learning of these units. 


Assessment

The assessment in SST Mathematics features a range of assessment modes used to gather evidence of student performance and provide feedback on teaching and learning. These include performance tasks, journal writing, investigations and presentations.

Another important component of this SST assessment is the interdisciplinary project.  It focuses on assessing students’ abilities to appropriately apply and integrate mathematical concepts with knowledge from other disciplines and clearly communicate ideas, supported by the innovative use of available technology.

In addition, assessment through written term tests conducted after each unit of work and comprehensive assessment at the end of the academic year ensure that the students are ready to progress to the next level of study.

Pedagogical Approaches

The SST Mathematics Teaching Model demonstrates the dominant approach in the teaching and learning of mathematics.  It features five main stages as depicted below:

Each unit begins with a motivating problem that is situated in a real world context.  With the help of teacher facilitation, students go through the process of formulating the problem, learning the relevant concepts and developing skill proficiency, and applying the learning back to solve the problem posed.  At the end of the unit, students are given opportunities to make connections and extending their learning to other mathematical concepts or with other subjects.

Such a progression will see students transit from the real world to the mathematical world and then back to the real world.
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Subjects: Sciences and Applied Sciences


Goals


To prepare SST students to be the leaders in industries, entrepreneurs and technopreneurs of the 21st century, the Science Department in SST provides a well-designed curriculum which aims to enable students to

-Develop scientific knowledge, skills and attitudes through inquiry and applied learning approaches
-Appreciate the processes of developing scientific knowledge and technological applications, as well as recognise their impact on society
-Become creative thinkers and innovators by stimulating their curiosity, interest and enjoyment in Science
-Become responsible citizens in a technological world, capable of making informed decisions in matters relating to science and technology
 


Heart of the Discipline

Science is a human intellectual endeavour to study our natural world through systematic observation, experimentation, and analysis. The goal of science is to deepen our understanding of the natural world and to be able to explain and predict events and phenomena through the formulation of basic principles, laws and theories that represent our best ideas of how nature works. The main purpose of technology (or engineering), on the other hand, is to increase our efficiency and effectiveness in the world, and our enjoyment of it.

In the 21st Century, Science and Technology share an increasingly interdependent relationship. While Technology draws on our knowledge of the natural world, built up through scientific experimentation in designing solutions for specific problems, advancements and major breakthroughs in Science are often in tandem with innovations in technological tools and processes.

The SST Science Curriculum provides students with the opportunity to conceptualise and draw relationships between studies of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and translate conceptualised scientific knowledge into real world context in an innovative and enteprising manner for the good of the society. The Science Curriculum is hence scaffolded from the construction and understanding of scientific knowledge with core General Science modules in lower secondary to specialised Science subjects and applied Sciences in upper secondary.

The lower secondary syllabus is designed with an emphasis on integrating the teaching and learning of science within the context of the students’ experiences in daily life, society and the environment. Through a modular approach that focuses on materials, transportation, health, environment communications and investigative skills in science (ISS), students will be able to develop specific scientific investigation skills.

Through the upper secondary syllabus, students will develop deeper understandings of scientific concepts through ‘O’ level sciences such as Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Applied subjects of industrial relevance such as Biotechnology, Environmental Science and Technology and Fundamental of Electronics will be offered. Industrial attachment opportunities and interdisciplinary project work in the third year further enhance every SST student’s capacity to apply their knowledge in real world context equipped with 21st century skills.

Assessment

Assessment will comprise written exams and performance-based tasks to measure students’ understanding of the content knowledge, science process skills, as well as demonstration of the 10 Cs (21st century skills), particularly critical thinking, creativity, intellectual curiosity, collaborative and communication skills.

Written assessments will provide evidence of students’ understanding and application of scientific concepts and skills learned. Performance-based tasks aim to assess students’ ability to apply scientific knowledge and practical skills. Furthermore, interdisciplinary projects would also be implemented to assess skills relevant to science as well as the 10 Cs.

Examples of science-based assessments include practical examinations that require students to exhibit mastery of experimental skills, investigative projects related to the real world in the form of prototypes in various forms, knowledge and application-based response questions and multiple choice questions.

Pedagogical Approaches

Inquiry-based learning is the main pedagogical approach to learning of science in SST, which aims to enhance learning based on greater student involvement in their learning process, learning through multiple channels and sequential phases of thought processes. Knowledge acquisition and retention is thus more authentic and meaningful when students derive their own investigative content through knowledge construction.

Through integrated and applied learning approaches, students will experience applying knowledge of science in the real world through creativity and innovation, such as in project-based learning. It emphasises the relevance of applying what is being learnt in the content knowledge and science process and investigative skills to the real world, and making that connection as direct and apparent as possible. This focus on a real life application will often require students to focus on learning and applying the skills and knowledge they need to tackle a challenge, implement a project or collaborate as a team. The nature of applied learning also means that there will be greater involvements of the students and teachers in partnerships and collaborations with external organisations or individuals. These partnerships provide the necessary out-of-school context for students to demonstrate and apply the relevance of what they have learnt. 

Glossary

Inquiry Approach Pedagogical approach where the curriculum seeks to nurture the student as an inquirer, and the teacher as the leader of inquiry. The scientific inquiry approach leverages on the predisposition that students are natural inquirers who seek to understand the world around them and thus seeks to fuel this curiosity.


Pedagogies that engage students to come up with their own questions of interest on a specific topic and conduct investigations as a way to learn about the topic would be used. The essential features of Inquiry, Question, Evidence, Explanation, Connections and Communication would be emphasised where relevant for conceptual development.

10 Cs
Critical thinking, creativity, intellectual curiosity, collaborative skills, commitment, courage, confidence, communication, citizenship & ethics and cross-cultural understanding.
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Subjects: Art, Design, Media and Technology (ADMT)


Goals


The ADMT curriculum aims to

-Develop each child to be a creative and innovative learner
-Facilitate the formation of creative and innovative works that will allow for the communication of thoughts and ideas, through the use of media


Heart of the Discipline

Art, Design, Media and Technology are forces of human expressions that demonstrate our creativity, humanity and vision. Art engages the hearts and minds of the creator and the viewer. Design embodies the spirit to innovate and solve problem in order to make our world a better place. Media tells stories and asks questions by engaging all our senses. Technology is the mover and catalyses our imagination. As an integrated subject, Art, Design, Media and Technology crosses traditional boundaries and aims to nurture creativity and the spirit of innovation.

ADMT lays the foundation for students to pursue Art, Design and Media related courses by building a strong foundation, developing creative processes and visual communication skills, and contextualizing the roles of technology, society and culture in the various creative fields.
 


Assessment

ADMT will assess students based on their ability to create and integrate the various media tools into a coherent theme that will allow them to communicate their ideas, thoughts, feelings and solutions effectively. The use of technology will underpin the development of these works.

The focus of the assessment would also be about the fluency and depth of thought that the child has to offer in his or her works. Through this, the assessment hopes to be able to facilitate their creative and innovative minds to become more aware of their environment.
 


Pedagogical Approaches

The pedagogical approach adopted would be based on the Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) model that gives learners the ability to relate their content knowledge to real-world context. With the pervasive use of a variety of media tools and technology, learners would be able to make references to past knowledge, draw relevant inferences from new ones, and be facilitated to fashion their own ideas and solutions to real-life context.

With the multiplicity of learning and media platforms offered for the students to explore and present their thoughts and ideas, the learner would also be able to explore the multidisciplinarity of each of the challenges being posed, hence enriching their learning experiences.

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Subjects: Integrated Humanities


Goals


The Integrated Humanities(IH) curriculum aims to enable students to:

-Recognise the purpose and relevance of studying the Humanities;
-Develop an understanding of people and their actions by examining the political, economic and social contexts in which they live;
-Develop a sense of respect for and understanding of others’ perspectives, values and attitudes; and
-Contribute and act upon their ideas for the improvement of their society and the world.


Heart of the discipline


The IH framework allows for the exploration of the distinct disciplines of History and Geography. Students will learn the knowledge, skills and values of the disciplines and appreciate their relevance to human society. They will be guided to draw understandings from both disciplines through performance tasks. The IH experience also serves to build the disciplinary foundations for students to pursue History and Geography at the upper secondary level. The Humanities develop an inquiring mind through learning experiences that involve the use of disciplinary tools and skills to analyse and evaluate diverse perspectives on issues and arrive at informed judgment.

The strategy adopted for integration is the Constructing Complex Explanations. This strategy involves drawing concepts and findings from a variety of disciplines to construct complex explanations of a phenomenon under study. In particular, this syllabus requires students to inquire into “How have people responded to the opportunities and constraints that they face and the consequences of these responses?”  This overarching question threads the entire course of study and specific questions relating to the overarching question will be investigated in the various units of study to reach deeper understanding.

Assessment modes

Data / Source Response Questions This category of questions will focus on students’ ability to interpret, analyze and evaluate data and sources to draw out information so that students will be able to make reasoned conclusions on a particular issue. These data and sources include text, pictorial, statistics and media & sound clips.

Structured Questions The structured questions consist of separate sub-questions related to a particular issue.  The sub-questions test students’ ability to select and apply knowledge, provide explanation and analysis or make judgments and draw sound conclusions on the issue.

Interdisciplinary Project Work Interdisciplinary project work allows students to synthesise knowledge from various areas of learning and apply the knowledge to real life situations through independent and collaborative learning. It allows students to conduct research through field studies, critical analysis of internet, media and print resources and extend their learning beyond the classroom context.

E-Portfolio E-portfolios are purposeful and meaningful collections of students’ work online. They provide evidence of students’ thought processes, progress and achievements over a period of time. They are avenues for students to build up their learning of a particular issue and, at the same time, allow for personal, peer, group and teacher reflection and feedback.

Oral Presentations Oral presentations require students to present information and/or research findings to their peers or stakeholders depending on the project task.  It requires the students to demonstrate effective communication skills and helps to build their confidence. 


Pedagogical Approaches

Use of Inquiry-based Teaching and Learning The inquiry approach to learning will be a key pedagogy adopted in this syllabus.  Students will be guided to pose questions into an inquiry, probe using a variety of sources, process the information, create and communicate new understandings.  Students will be encouraged to reflect at every stage of the process so as to equip them with the skills for evaluating and analysing information from the various disciplines to construct knowledge.

Experiential Learning Experiential Learning such as the use of field study is a key feature in the teaching of Integrated Humanities.  It provides students with the hands-on experience and a chance to construct their knowledge through investigation during visits to areas of study.  It helps students to make explicit connections between their classroom experiences and immediate environment. The intent of experiential learning is to move students from understanding history as a body of facts to history as interpretations of the past. In Geography, inquiry-based fieldwork encourages students to ask geographical questions and to carry out an investigation based on them. Through fieldwork, students acquire geographical concepts and knowledge in a challenging and authentic way.

Use of ICT To enrich and deepen the learning experiences of the students, technology will be used to support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts.  Tools such as the internet, digital media, blogs and Geographic Information System (GIS) add new dimensions to the inquiry process and allow students to construct new knowledge.
Global Citizenry Program (GCP) SST is deeply committed to developing a global perspective and achieving greater cross-cultural understanding among its students through at least one overseas experience. The overseas experiences are identified based on their relevance to the intent of the curriculum, the scope for students to conduct in-depth study and suggest a plan of action.

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Subjects: Applied Subjects


At the upper secondary level, students at SST are free to choose from a range of Applied Subjects which suit their interests. These are offered as O-level subjects and are characterised by rigorous coursework with a strong emphasis on experiential learning and a practice-oriented assessment. 


1. Biotechnology Biotechnology is the application of biological organisms or bio-processes to improve or solve problems in healthcare, agriculture, and the environment. Students will study the developments and applications of biotechnology in medicine, agriculture, bioengineering & bioremediation with interesting lab-work, projects and site visits.

2. Design Studies Students will be facilitated to leverage on various mediums of expression that best suit them, for example, photography, sculpturing and graphics. Learning is experiential and will involve field trips, studio sessions, case studies and project work. The subject is especially suited for students with interest in art and design.

3. Environmental Science & Technology Environment science refers to the study of the relationship between the physical environment (earth) and its non-living and living inhabitants, including humans. This subject explores the impacts of human activities to the environment and how the use of technology can contribute to solving environmental problems faced by the world today.

4. Fundamentals of Electronics Students will learn the basics of electronics through a variety of projects and hands-on activities such as electronic circuit construction. The knowledge gained from this subject will be relevant to many fields of engineering.

5. Media Studies (EL) This subject is especially suited for students who would like to pursue their interest in the area of mass communication and related fields. It will develop students' ability to critically evaluate the media and skills to communicate effectively using media.
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Student Development


“Character is Destiny and Values in Action”

Goals


The School of Science and Technology, Singapore Student Development curriculum is designed with consideration to national agenda and SST vision, mission and core values. This programme involves deliberate, proactive attempts to foster positive performance character and moral character development in a safe, conducive and caring environment.

Student Development programme seeks to provide for the all round education of the students so that they realise their potential and grow into young ladies and gentlemen with the hallmark of SST graduates who are


-Creative Thinkers and Innovators
-Life-long Learners with Sound Values and Character
-Collaborative and Independent Problem Solvers
-Dynamic Leaders
-Active Local and Global Citizens

Heart of the Discipline

SST seeks to nurture sound moral principles, values, instinct for survival, national cohesion and confidence in Singapore so as to groom dynamic and resilient leaders with entrepreneurial mindset and able to effectively communicate and network.

At the core of SST Holistic and Broad-based Student Development framework are the School Values, Social Emotional competencies and Character bearings (Performance Character and Moral Character 1). This is supported by school wide programmes; such as the Instructional Programmes, Character Education lessons, Wellness programmes (including Cyberwellness, Sexuality education and Career Guidance), Citizenship Programme, Innovation & Entrepreneurship and Leadership programme, Service Learning engagement and CCA involvement.

The school wide approaches will be supported by the active partnership of school-home-community through Positive moral culture in the school, Home environment and Learning community & SST partners. 


Assessment 

Students are assessed on their ability to show an understanding of values and moral principles, and apply the processes involved in moral reasoning, responsible decision-making, social emotional competencies and problem solving. Assessment will be broad-based and multi-dimensional, and designed according to the needs, interests and abilities of the students.

Formative assessment serves to


-Identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement in learning
-Provide timely feedback to teachers and parents for early intervention
-Motivate students for independent learning and to improve future performance
-Help students develop self awareness

Some modes for formative assessment are


-Teacher, peer and self assessment
-Service-Learning tasks
-Journals and portfolios 


Pedagogical Approaches

Social Emotional Learning standards and competencies will be the guiding principles in the Student Development pedagogical approach. SEL is a process for helping students develop the fundamental skills for life effectiveness. Teaching SEL skills helps create and maintain safe, caring learning environments3.

Multi modal approaches, which are student-focused and values centric, will be adopted. The approaches include Modified Values Clarification Approach (Responsible Decision Making), Service Learning, Experiential Learning and Cognitive Development Approach (Moral Reasoning). The primary aim of these approaches is to facilitate the learning of skills, engage the learners and to internalise values through action and modeling.


Glossary

Performance character consists of character strengths, such as self-discipline and best effort, which enable the students to pursue their personal best.

Moral character ensures that the students use ethical means to achieve their performance goals undergird by school values and social emotional competencies.

The 5 Social Emotional Learning competencies are: Self-awareness, Self-management, Social awareness, Relationship skills and Responsible decision-making

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Sports and Wellness
“Fit for Work, Fit for Play, Fit for Life”

Goal


The goal Fit for Work, Fit for Play, Fit for Life depicts a person with a zest for life. It encapsulates a person’s commitment to lead a healthy and dynamic life, developing the strengths of mind and body and building a capacity for wellness and survival.
Wellness, according to Dunn (1977), is “an integrated method of functioning which is oriented toward maximizing the potential of which the individual is capable, within the environment where he is functioning.”
In other words, wellness1 refers to the process of trying to achieve one’s individual potential in each of the different dimensions of health, within the limits of one’s capacity.
SST Sports and Wellness programme aims to inculcate in students healthy habits by equipping them with the relevant knowledge, skills, experiences, aptitudes and attitudes so that they will make a personal choice and commitment to pursue a lifelong physically active and healthy lifestyle.

Heart of the Discipline

Physical education is unique because it contributes to the development of the entire domains; cognitive, moral, social, aesthetics and in particular the physical. Traditionally, the basic philosophy of physical education was education of the physical whereby the focus was mainly on the development of physical fitness. However with the increased understanding of wellness in the present context, education of the physical is too uni-dimensional and inadequate to meet the needs of inculcating a healthy and active citizenship.

Curriculum

In SST, the Sports and Wellness curriculum is based on the philosophy of education through the physical, which provides a multi-dimensional approach to develop the student holistically through sports and games. Physical activity will continue to be the cornerstone of the programme while the curriculum has been broadened to include other aspects like character education and leadership development.


The department works closely with the Student Development Department and collaboratively develops programmes to cater to the total well-being of the students.

The syllabus would be based on eccletic2 model that encompasses different education models in physical education. It covers mainly four broad areas namely Sports, Olympics, Fitness and Health Education. In addition, students will also strive for the Sports Leader Award through the Sports Leader module.

Assessment

Students would be assessed on their understanding of games concepts, skills acquisition, attitudes towards physical activity, level of fitness and application of fitness and health education knowledge. The performance tasks include skills tests, games play, personal fitness and diet plan, personal reflections and organization of health promoting activities.

Pedagogical Approaches


Enjoying Sports through Participation To stimulate their interests and enjoyment in sports, students would participate in sports competitions either organized by their peers or by the school. They would also be encouraged to participate or serve in community sports events organized by private organizations.

Applied Learning Approaches SST will adopt a variety of applied learning pedagogical approaches such as Games Concept and Sports Education, Problem Based Learning, Experiential Learning and Challenge Based Learning in the delivery of the Sports and Wellness curriculum. Through understanding the games concepts in a real game situation, playing the roles of various sports occupations, solving problems related to games strategy, heath and fitness, students would be able to experience sports and wellness in a real world context.

Strategies for Active and Independent Learning (SAIL) Lastly, the curriculum would leverage on the Strategies for Active and Independent Learning (SAIL) approach to nurture independent and motivated students to strive for greater achievements in the areas of Sports and Wellness.

Reference


Chia, M., Leong, L.K. and Quek, J.J. (2001). Healthy Well & Wise: Take Personal Responsibility in Daily Effort for a Life of Wellness, Singapore: National Institute of Education
Kell, L.E. and Melograno, V.J. (2004). Developing the Physical Education Curriculum, An Achievement Based Approach, United States: Human Kinetics
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Information and Media Technology

Learning anytime, anywhere with technology is what every student will experience in SST. Leveraging on 1-to-1 computing, SST draws on the advantages and benefits brought about by technology to enrich students’ experiences in both instructional and co-curricular programmes.

Our students will benefit from day-to-day ICT-enabled learning experiences that expose them to the use of visual and audio digital media, online discussion forums, blogs, dynamic ICT tools like Geometer’s Sketchpad and interactive applets, data probes and collaborative tools like wikis and online spreadsheets.

Furthermore, to extend students’ learning beyond the day-to-day ICT-enabled experiences, entrusted with the accolade, FutureSchool@Singapore, SST undertakes the role to lead innovative transformation of the learning experiences with technology, to pave the way for the seamless and pervasive integration of ICT into the curriculum for engaged learning in all schools.

Through SST’s collaboration with curriculum experts and researchers, new ways of learning through innovative technology platforms awaits our students in various instructional programmes. This includes the use of new dynamic visual tools to facilitate brainstorming and collaboration to promote creative and critical thinking skills. SST students also have the opportunities to learn from an exciting virtual environment that facilitates learning through their interaction with virtual representations.

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Innovation and Entrepreneurship


Goals


The Innovation and Entrepreneurship curriculum aims to

-Provide students with the foundation knowledge and understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship
-Foster in students an innovative spirit whereby they would embrace change and understand that innovation is part of the process towards excellence
-Inculcate in students an entrepreneurial mindset of seeking and seizing opportunities through change and being resourceful in their strive for success in their enterprise endeavours
-Equip them with the relevant innovation and entrepreneurial skills to practise innovation and entrepreneurship
 


Heart of the Discipline

Most people’s understanding of entrepreneurship is that of running a business but in actual fact an entrepreneur does not necessarily start or own a small business. An entrepreneur is always on the lookout for change, responds to it and exploits it as an opportunity and this is done through the process of innovation. In other words, innovation is a tool of entrepreneurship. Contrary to common beliefs, innovation involves a protocol. 
The essence of SST innovation and entrepreneurship education is really the innovative and entrepreneurial spirits and mindsets and developing their capacity to capitalize on change to enhance quality for the people. In a way, entrepreneurship could be perceived as a form of social responsibility.
The impact of globalization has created a new world order with consequences such as a global talent pool, shorter product life cycles, greater complexity in problems and decision-making etc. Innovation and entrepreneurship have the potential not just to gain competitive advantage but also to solve difficult and complex problems.
SST believes that from an early age, school education should foster the innovative and entrepreneurial spirits and mindsets. This would help them to be more innovative, entrepreneurial and confident in their endeavours. In addition, it also serves to stimulate young people’s awareness and interest in entrepreneurship as one of the career options for their future.
To scaffold the learning experience, students would first build their knowledge and understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship before being equipped with the relevant skills. Over the four years, they would have acquired knowledge and skills like ideation techniques and innovation protocol, financial literacy, business planning and marketing. These would give them the confidence to embark on their innovative and enterprising endeavours.
Students would also have the opportunity to hone their skills by participating in Innovation and Entrepreneurship related competitions, events, projects and activities with Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Nanyang Technological University.

Assessment


The modes of assessment would be project works, performance tasks and students’ personal reflections. The assessment criteria would focus more on the process than the product and would involve self, peers and teachers assessments.
Although in each module, there would be performance tasks for the students to complete, there would only be one major project in each year. All these would be evaluated with the intent that the feedback would be developmental rather than judgmental. This would heighten the students’ awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and serve as an impetus for them to improve.

Pedagogical Approaches


Applied learning would be the main pedagogical approach in the delivery of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship curriculum. Students would learn by and from doing. The learning resources would be authentic to reflect real world context. The class organization would mostly be workshop style whereby students work in small groups. In such a set-up, students would have plenty of opportunities to build their structure of knowledge and develop their collaborative and communication skills.
To inspire the students, SST would initiate an Entrepreneurship Speaker Series inviting distinguished innovators and entrepreneurs to speak on a variety of innovation and entrepreneurship related topics.
Lastly, SST would foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship by encouraging students to come forth with their ideas and the school would evaluate these ideas together with the students to explore the possibility of implementing them.

References


Drucker, P.F. (2007). [The Classic Drucker Collection] Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Great  Britain: Elsevier
Green, B. Conversation with Kauffman Foundation [Video File]. Retrieved from Kauffman Foundation Website:
http://video.kauffman.org/services/player/bcpid1811456713?bclid=1612710415&bctid=8710202001