January 2021 - Academy of Singapore Teachers
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
January 2021
Contents
Highlights from the Opening Address 04
↘ Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for Education
Highlights from the Welcome Address 07
↘ Mr Wong Siew Hoong, Director-General of Education
The Arts, Vulnerability, and Resilience 10
↘ Ms Yvonne Tham, Chief Executive Officer,
The Esplanade Company Ltd.
↘ Reflections by Lorraine Lee
Afterthoughts on Keynote II Address on 15
Participatory Creativity
↘ MTT Lim Kok Boon
Strand 1 Art Education in the Contemporary Age
↘ Joscelin Chew
24
Diversity in Practice
Diversity in the Fraternity 30
↘ Jess Chen & Lorraine Lee
Strand 2 Art Masterclass 1:
Picturing times (/three) when …
40
Arts as Lived Experiences
↘ Presented by Hilmi Johandi
↘ Facilitated by MTT Victoria Loy
↘ Sharing by Teh Ting Ting, Nonis Liane Joy Wei Ling,
and Ho So Yin Grace
Gallery of Works from Masterclass 1 47
Strand 3 Art Masterclass 2:
Telling Stories through Art
54
Transformation through
↘ Presented by Ciel Liu and Lee Xin Li
Creativity and Innovation
↘ Facilitated by MTT Chun Wee San
↘ Reflections by Kelvin Lim Fung Chee, Noor Ezaida Binte Abdul
Rahman, and Sharin Bin Sulaiman
How to Transform Your Teaching Practice 63
and Get Your Sleep
↘ Hazel Huang
Behind the Scenes 68
Link to e-AEC Presentations 72
STAR-Post (Art) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
January 2021 in whole or part without the prior consent of STAR.
STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Foreword
Ang Hwee Loo
Deputy Director (Art)
STAR
In 2020, COVID-19 changed our lives It is my hope that by revisiting these wonderful
completely—new technologies and digital sharings, we may relive the exciting transitions
literacies emerged overnight which challenged and transformations that have taken shape
us to re-think of alternatives in schools and in in the course of arts education through 2020.
teacher professional development. The In 2021, let us harness new technologies and
success of the 2020 Arts Education Conference literacies to refresh existing pedagogies and
(AEC) demonstrates the agility and adaptability blaze new paths forward. I am confident that
of the AEC organising committee and the arts the fraternity will continue to learn and inspire
fraternity at large, being nimble by pioneering one another in this age of disruptive innovation.
STAR’s inaugural virtual conference (e-AEC).
In this STAR-Post, we consolidated the rich We wish all a happy and enriching 2021.
learning from our conference speakers,
including how educators found great teaching
moments for art lessons in schools during the
pandemic. These constituted valuable learning
experiences which helped students see the
relevance of art making while developing their
ability to thrive in different contexts. Several
presentations shed light on leveraging the arts
as powerful and safe spaces to communicate
personal stories and how the arts can help
connect experiences in ways that language
cannot. Educators took pride in being a part
of learning communities that shared resources,
which proved to be crucial for the augmentation
of Home-Based Learning (HBL) and Blended
Learning (BL) in schools.
3
Highlights from the
Opening Address
Mr Lawrence Wong
Minister for Education
In his joint opening address for e-AEC and the Physical Opening Address
& Sports Education Virtual Conference 2020, Minister by Minister for Education,
Mr Lawrence Wong
for Education, Mr Lawrence Wong, emphasised that
education is not just about “filling a pail”, or solely about ↘ Watch it here
cognitive learning. It is also about igniting in our students
the joy of learning and developing in them 21st century
competencies—important life skills, social, and
emotional competencies that will help them to address
current challenges and navigate future uncertainties
with resilience and hope. He shared how the arts provide
platforms for students to pursue their passion and
showcase their talents, instil values of discipline and
teamwork and forge shared memories with peers from
different backgrounds.
4
STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Developing Caring and Resilient
Individuals
The arts speak to our intrinsic human need for self-
expression, which can also be harnessed to transform
and impact our personal lives and the community. Apart
from acquiring the skills and perseverance required to
perform various artistic processes, students also learn
to adopt multiple perspectives on various social issues,
challenge misconceptions and stereotypes, and discover
more about the world we live in through arts education.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us turned to the
arts for comfort and enjoyment. Several arts teachers
also saw a teaching moment in this crisis, and created
opportunities for students to express their gratitude for
our frontline workers, inspire hope, and spread positivity
through various arts activities. For art lessons, students
sewed masks and designed poster-cards as part of care
packages to convey their appreciation and support for
our healthcare workers. Music teachers guided students
in composing songs and producing music videos to
encourage all frontline workers and to rally Singaporeans
in the fight against COVID-19. Such projects have enabled
our students to experience and appreciate how the
affective power of the arts can uplift spirits and connect
people of diverse backgrounds with each other.
5
Highlights from the Opening Address
Encouraging Interdisciplinary
Learning and Authentic Learning
Experiences
Just as our world does not exist in clearly defined
compartments, teachers should facilitate learning
that cuts across multiple disciplines and avoid looking
at individual subjects in silos. In schools, there are many
opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary
learning, which connects to the students’ lived
experiences. Authentic learning experiences will help
students to see the relevance of their learning activities,
while developing their ability to adapt and thrive
in different contexts.
Nurturing a Spirit of Teacher-led
Collaboration
Collaboration is fundamental to augmentation and
innovation. During full Home-Based Learning, teachers
readily shared their resources and lesson ideas with
each other. From initiating the sharing of lesson plans
to providing encouragement and feedback, the arts
fraternity tapped on online learning communities such
as subject-specific Facebook groups to contribute and
obtain ideas, to seek feedback and suggestions. For
instance, music teachers shared technological platforms
and best practices for colleagues to facilitate online
music rehearsals and performances more effectively.
Arts educators must continue to develop their
professional skills and think of new and innovative ways
through which the arts can contribute to the holistic
development of our students. To facilitate authentic
learning experiences that encourage students to exercise
creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills,
teachers should continuously review existing practices
and explore new possibilities. By sharing and exchanging
ideas with one another, the fraternity as a whole will
learn and be inspired by various best practices to enrich
students’ learning.
6
Highlights from the
Welcome Address
Mr Wong Siew Hoong
Director-General of Education
In his joint welcome address for e-AEC and the Physical Welcome Address
& Sports Education Virtual Conference 2020 opening by Director-General of Education,
Mr Wong Siew Hoong
speech, Director-General of Education Mr Wong Siew
Hoong spoke about the prime opportunities that arts ↘ Watch it here
and physical education classes present in the holistic
development of students. These lessons can inculcate
21st century competencies and character traits like
determination, tenacity, creativity, and a positive attitude
in students.
7
Highlights from the Welcome Address
Teamwork and Teachable Moments
Through the mastery of different pedagogies, arts and
PE lessons have been especially engaging for students,
developing their aerobic and artistic capacities, and
promoting deep disciplinary learning. Even as we “reach
a high point” in the development of lessons, DGE
reminded educators that “teachable moments can
be deliberate, can be planned, can be cleverly designed
into our lessons”.
Teamwork, for example, can be taught through lessons
and CCAs. In team sports, students figure out how
to capitalise on each individual’s strengths to perform
well as a team. Similarly, in orchestras, everybody must
play on the beat, follow the conductor, and harmonise
to create beautiful music. Even the visual arts, which
is sometimes characterised as a solo effort, presents
opportunities for students to learn to collaborate.
DGE recalled an art lesson where students each made
a house out of clay. After they had a house to call their
own, the teacher asked students to come together in
groups to build a village, leading to beautiful creations
with roads, paths, and greenery and rivers.
These examples demonstrate the opportunities for
educators to lend their leadership to the development
of arts and physical education through their professional
response.
8
STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Creativity in a Time of Crisis
Arts and physical education will continue to be
important in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and
Ambiguous (VUCA) world because of the crucial role
they play in holistic education and the development
of 21st-century competencies.
Many arts and PE teachers demonstrated these skillsets
during the circuit breaker, where they exercised
professional creativity and found ways for classes and
learning to continue despite the disruption in lessons.
When school resumed, the fraternity adapted swiftly
to the safety management measures and was quickly
back in full force. DGE acknowledged and thanked
teachers for the innovative solutions, hard work and
sound professional conviction exercised during this
period while keeping students safe.
Developing and Innovating as a
Fraternity
In the post-pandemic world, the fraternity will be
moving to blended learning, PDLP and full SBB. These
are exciting opportunities for teachers to continue
to innovate in the realm of arts and physical education.
Besides experimenting with cutting-edge technologies
and pedagogies, educators should also think about what
arts and physical education can mean in the 21st century.
Key to this is considering how they can “bring the
students into the future with the kind of confidence
and competencies that will enable them to thrive in
one of the most challenging worlds that they will inherit.”
To confront the new world, teachers need to bring the
joy of learning into their work and continue investing
in their professional development. However, they need
not do it alone—instead, the fraternity should help each
other, teach each other, and grow as a collective.
9
The Arts, Vulnerability,
and Resilience
Ms Yvonne Tham
Chief Executive Officer
The Esplanade Company Ltd
Keynote Speaker I at e-AEC 2020
In times of global upheavals, economic uncertainties, Keynote Address I
or major social movements, what are the changing by Ms Yvonne Tham,
Chief Executive Officer,
contexts, implications, and opportunities for the arts The Esplanade Company Ltd
in schools? This section revisits the key ideas presented
by Keynote Speaker I, Ms Yvonne Tham, for our further ↘ Watch it here
contemplation and reflection.
10STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Arts and Our Community
Ms Yvonne Tham observed that there has been much
discourse about the notion of socially engaged arts
in the last ten years. Amidst the widespread adoption
of austerity measures around the world, reviews to arts
budgets have inevitably led to debates about the
relevance and impact of the arts in society. Although
we instinctively believe that the arts are essential parts
of our existence as human beings, others might struggle
to appreciate how the arts relate to people’s personal,
civic, and professional lives. Consequently, there is now
“a huge desire for artists to reinforce their relationships
with the communities and societies in which they lived”.
Since the 1980s, our local visual artists and theatre
practitioners have been engaging in social issues and
practices in their work. Increasingly, more are willing to
partner with government and social sector organisations
to take their art forms and negotiation of complex
societal topics right into the heart of the community.
Overcoming Vulnerabilities
The arts provide powerful and accessible platforms
for us to communicate our personal stories and relate
to the experiences of others in ways that language
may not enable. The ability to look inwards and make
connections between our experiences, observations,
and somewhat distanced expressions through various
art forms allows us to address difficult issues from
within a safe space.
Ms Tham shared examples from Music, Drama and Dance:
music was used to mentor youths to examine deeply and
ultimately overcome their hurts through songwriting and
composition. Theatre provided an avenue for youths in
crisis to explore their aspirations for the future and build
confidence and positive self-image. An intergenerational
dance programme allowed youths
to be inspired by the resilience of the elderly, and think
about how they can overcome their own challenges.
11The Arts, Vulnerability, and Resilience
Appreciating Identities and Diversities
Given the cultural vibrance of Asia, to what extent are
we embracing and exposing students to the cultural
traditions, stories, and arts content from our region in
the classroom? Ms Tham suggested that by introducing
contemporary stories of Asia to students, educators
are in fact helping them to connect with the realities
of life in Singapore, considering how cosmopolitan
the country is today. Students will also be equipped to
develop deeper awareness and relationships with the
people that they live and interact with on a daily basis,
be it their fellow classmates, teachers, domestic helpers,
or workers in the service industry, who could hail from
different backgrounds. When we recognise diversity,
we are better able to make connections and work
towards appreciating both similarities and differences
with others.
Embracing Digitalisation
COVID-19 has hastened the elevation of the digital realm
to the forefront of daily life. It is critical for teachers
to inculcate values such as respect, in tandem with other
socio-emotional competencies and artistic skills, to teach
students to exercise responsible online behaviour as
they navigate digital spaces. While digitalisation continues
to redefine teaching, learning, and engagement in
arts experiences, we should not fear the unknown and
potential drawbacks, but instead encourage each other
to explore new practice possibilities.
12STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Meeting Your
Students Where
They’re At
Reflections on Keynote Address by Ms Yvonne Tham Ms Lorraine Lee
Academy Officer (Art)
To me, one of the privileges of being an art teacher was STAR
to be the person my art students shared their thoughts
with—thoughts they might not have dared or deemed
relevant to share with other teachers. I am reminded
by Ms Tham’s address that the arts are able to facilitate
the exploration of issues that our children and youth
hold close to their hearts.
In our art classroom, we often ask students to share
their ideas about what they want their artwork to
express, and reflect on what they learnt from the process
of art making. When we show students that art making
can lend itself to meaning making, students are quick
to respond to prompts with their unique personal
interpretations. If we facilitate the conversation about
these interpretations further, we might subsequently
uncover issues that they hold dear. These might
be addressing social inequalities, personal struggles,
or other things that they find inexplicably intriguing.
Instead of using a single right or wrong approach,
I believe that we can guide students to use art making
as a space to explore different perspectives about their
concerns, and make likely and unlikely connections
through visual means. As they explore different
possibilities of representing their evolving thoughts,
students tend to reach the outcome that they can own
with the most conviction.
Whilst hosting these conversations, teachers should
also be ready to steer the discussions in constructive
directions, patiently encouraging students to persevere
with their ideas especially when ‘solutions’ are hard
to find. Art teachers could also draw from a selection
13The Arts, Vulnerability, and Resilience
of traditional and contemporary artworks that tell stories
of how we are living. I have personally witnessed
students being moved to tears by the stories in the works
of Mona Hatoum, Wang Guangyi and Montien Boonma.
Students also shared that reenacting Amanda Heng’s
performative pieces during lesson time was their most
memorable art experience. Indeed, when we connect
our students to a broad spectrum of artworks, we let
our students encounter the diversity within the human
experience and make sense of their own lived experiences.
Through our efforts to set the tone for responsible
conversations and meaningful representations, our
art lessons can provide a safe space for students
to connect with and express their struggles, fears and
aspirations, and lend them the confidence and maturity
to face future challenges.
14Afterthoughts on Keynote II
Address on Participatory
Creativity
Mr Lim Kok Boon
Master Teacher (Art)
STAR
Moderator for Keynote II at e-AEC 2020
Mr Lim Kok Boon, MTT (Art), STAR
Keynote Address II
by Mr Edward Clapp,
Principal Investigator,
Harvard Project Zero
↘ Watch it here
Mr Edward Clapp, Principal Investigator, Harvard Project Zero, Keynote
Speaker II at e-AEC 2020
15Afterthoughts on Keynote II Address on Participatory Creativity
Singapore joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network
(UCCN) as a City of Design in 2015. When I think about
this, I still feel a sense of ambivalence. I am proud
because I have witnessed first-hand the growth of the
creative industries in the past two decades; there are
now more local designers, architects, artists and
filmmakers making their presence felt in Singapore
and overseas. I am ashamed because the creative
confidence of a people associated with a Creative City—
an attitude that we can be creative if we choose to be—
has yet to percolate to every corner of our schools.
I had to read Design Singapore Council’s press release
for their definition of “creative cities” just to keep my
mental assumptions in check. The press release says
membership to UCCN is an affirmation of Singapore’s
commitment to “uplift the role of culture, creativity and
design innovation to develop sustainable cities of the
future” (DesignSingapore Council, 2020). Also,
Singapore is recognised on the global arena as a city
that has “written its own playbook in almost every
aspect of governance, be it in housing, education,
healthcare, water management and transportation”.
As it turns out, we can be a creative nation.
So what might make Singapore a greater Creative City?
How can we, as art teachers help our students to reclaim
their creative selves because children allegedly lose
their creativity as they grow up?
To unravel this puzzle and respond to my questions,
allow me to continue the conversation on participatory
creativity. I will attempt to outline the main ideas from
Keynote Address II by Dr Edward Clapp and share
practical ideas I have selected from his book Participatory
Creativity (2017) and what I think they mean for the art
classroom.
16STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Brief Notes from Keynote
Tracing the historical roots of creativity as an evolving
idea, Dr Clapp highlighted that our scholarly
understanding of creativity has grown and matured
over time. He spoke about three broad narratives:
↘ “He” narrative: a gendered view that only certain
men were capable of creative achievements.
↘ “I” narrative: a broader view that anyone could
be creative in their own unique and special way.
↘ “We” narrative: groups of individuals collectively
generate a shared creative product.
Dr Clapp elaborated on the importance of a “We”
narrative of creativity. He cited supporting theories,
arguing that any act of creativity is both socially and
culturally distributed. He mentioned:
↘ Lev Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory where
social factors contribute to learning; therefore, social
factors might well contribute to acts of creativity.
↘ Reggio Emilia approach (Edwards, Gandini &
Forman, 2011) advocates that experiential learning
takes place in relationship-driven environments.
↘ Peter Gloor’s (2005) Swarm Creativity which
discusses self-organised, collaborative innovation
networks enabled by the internet that share new
ideas and work.
↘ Keith Sawyer’s (2017) Group Genius discusses the
creative power of collaboration. Sawyer (2019)
explains that although individuals exist, there
are some creative processes and outcomes that
depend on the interaction of group members
and not the behaviour of individuals.
↘ Vlad Glăveanu’s (2014) Distributed Creativity where
creative action is defined by social, material and
cultural processes and over time.
17Afterthoughts on Keynote II Address on Participatory Creativity
Dr Clapp named eight crises of creativity in education to
illustrate the misconceptions and barriers that hamper
participation in creative activities. The eight crises
evolve around the question of access, equity, and
representation. He suggested it was potentially harmful
to define creativity based on a culture of individualism.
Enacting Participatory Creativity
Dr Clapp states in his book Participatory Creativity
(2017) that students’ learning or engagement with
the creative process requires students to develop:
↘ Content-area knowledge and skills—acquiring
new knowledge and skills to tackle problems and
challenges faced along the way. This consideration
might also include explanations of some theories
on creativity to contextual students’ learning, such
as the seven key characteristics of creative teams
(Lim & Chin, 2018, p. 8).
↘ Intrapersonal and interpersonal skills—having
socio-emotional competencies, self-regulation
and metacognition to participate with a collective
idea development process.
↘ A sense of self as a creative participant—it is more
important to learn how to participate in creativity
than think we first need to be creative to participate.
18STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Participatory Creativity in the
Art Classroom
I have picked out five “to-try” ideas from chapter eight
of Dr Clapp’s book and added some art examples for
our consideration. They are:
1. “Foreground the social nature of ideas”. We could
give examples of “history of ideas”, highlighting
how ideas grow best when we build on the ideas
of others. We can “make creativity visible” by
documenting and presenting the growth of ideas
and contributions by individuals to the collective
idea. If we can have individual journals for visual,
verbal records of thoughts and ideas, why not have
group visual journals, with suitable routines and
work processes to facilitate the record-keeping?
We could also expand our pool of artist references
to include collective ideas from the domain of art,
design, craft and media not just from Western
traditions, but from Singapore, our region, and the
world. For instance, the class could examine the
creative processes and development of works
by artist collectives, design studios, craft made
collectively by craftspeople and independent video
production teams. We could also turn our attention
to school examples, foregrounding how teachers
collaborate, teachers and students building on each
other’s ideas to make better ideas in a discussion,
project or school event.
2. “Provide opportunities for young people to
connect and learn from others”. We could leverage
on group projects within the same class so that
students have the opportunity to work with and
invent with one another. They could also present
and share ideas with adjacent groups. In some
instances, we can use authentic community projects
to inspire our art projects in school. In situations that
allow so, we encourage and facilitate students
to find external knowledgeable others, and seek
out different perspectives.
19Afterthoughts on Keynote II Address on Participatory Creativity
3. “Stress that creativity is neither a spark nor a flash Check This Out
of insight; creativity is purposeful work”. We could
continue to stress the importance of intentional
effort and time to develop ideas and acknowledge
students’ effort accordingly. Creating an idea,
even if it is built on the ideas of others, takes time.
We can teach many creative processes in the art
classroom. For instance, an overarching methodology
that celebrates creativity as a socially and culturally
distributed process is Design Thinking. Understanding
the Design Thinking mindset, adopting its tools and
strategies that best fit a particular group project or
visual problem, can help students gain the
confidence to work together.
4. “Honour and encourage individual student agency
with the collective idea development process”.
Students’ Drive (Pink, 2009)—their passion,
autonomy and mastery—and what they bring with
them to the collaborative process should
be acknowledged and celebrated too. We could
include components of individual work before
the collective idea development process to instil
accountability. We could also have time for personal
reflection, and group reflection to uncover the growth
of ideas, contributions by individuals to the collective A group art task can help bring out the desirable
idea, and how individuals benefited from the group. qualities of participatory creativity. Check out
Making Art Collaboratively (2018), a teaching
We could celebrate participation: discover the resource published by the Singapore Teachers’
different roles students might play within a given Academy for the aRts, for lesson ideas and more
timeframe, or over the course of the collaboration. information on designing collaborative art projects.
Watch these videos for ideas on
5. “Resist the urge to pigeonhole students and place how you can use the cards in class
them in boxes”. Each participant in the collaborative ↘ Watch them here
process can and should contribute in different roles
and ways. We can tap on students’ potential to do
something they are already good at or challenge
them to stretch beyond their comfort zones. Besides
assigning team roles (for example, facilitator,
recorder, time-keeper and so on), we could define
imaginative roles that require students to contribute
to ideas equally, in different forms and formats,
without prejudice to their learner profiles. One
classic example that comes to mind is Edward
De Bono’s (1985) Six Thinking Hats, where team
members can wear six different coloured hats to
adopt a particular stance to an idea: blue for big
20STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
picture thinking, white for facts and information, red References
for feelings and emotions, black for negative, yellow
for positive, and green for new ideas. Clapp, E. (2017). Participatory creativity:
Introducing access and equity to the
creative classroom. New York, NY:
The list of ideas discussed in this article is not meant Routledge.
to be exhaustive. These are not ideas to try all at once,
but perhaps best served as prompts as we reflect on De Bono, E. (1985). Six thinking hats. Little Brown
and Company.
our classroom practices. I hope they are practical ideas
to help us help our students reclaim their creative selves. DesignSingapore Council (2020). Singapore,
I hope the ideas shared are indicative of the tremendous UNESCO Creative City of Design
[Webpage]. https://www.designsingapore.
potential and supporting role art education has to org/about-us/unesco-creative-city-of-
expand imaginations and creativity. If all these ideas design.html
sound confusing and complicated, that’s okay. As art
Edwards, C., Gandini, L. & Forman, G. (Ed.) (2011).
professor Olivia Gude (2004) puts it, “art examples The hundred languages of children: The
and projects in school art curricula should not be Reggio Emilia experience in transformation
reductive representations of theoretical principles, but (3rd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
should reflect the complexity of actual art”. By exposing Glăveanu, V. (2014). Distributed creativity: thinking
our students to some complexity, or “messiness” outside the box of the creative individual.
in incremental doses, we can develop our students’ Springer.
tolerance for ambiguity, ability to work with others, Gloor, P. (2005). Swarm creativity: Competitive
and inclination to seek out different perspectives in the advantage through collaborative
process. By structuring opportunities for all to make innovation networks. New York: Oxford
University Press.
art collaboratively, and emphasising the “We” narrative
of creativity in our classrooms, we might just be making Gude, O. (2004). Postmodern principles: In
small steps towards Singapore becoming greater search of a 21st century art education. Art
Education, 57(1), 6-14.
Creative City. Every creative possibility can begin in
our classrooms, one small step at the time. Pink, D. (2009). Drive: the surprising truth about
what motivates us. Riverhead Books.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-
determination theory and the facilitation of
intrinsic motivation, social development,
and well-being. American Psychologist, 55,
68-78.
Sawyer, K. (2019). Individual and group creativity.
In Kaufman, J. C. & Sternberg, R. (Ed.)
(2019). The Cambridge handbook of
creativity. Cambridge University Press, pp.
567-586.
Sawyer, K. (2017). Group genius: The creative
power of collaboration. (2nd ed.). New York,
NY: Basic Books.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The
development of higher psychological
processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard
University Press.
21Strand 1:
Diversity in Practice
Arts Education shapes and strengthens the
unique voice of our students, while facilitating
the vibrant interaction of their different voices.
Likewise, we celebrate the rich diversity of our
arts educators and the kaleidoscope of
perspectives and practices they bring.
In negotiating this differentiated landscape
populated by the diverse needs of learners, the
dynamic arts teacher generates opportunities
for meaningful and impactful learning
experiences through both in-school and home-
based learning contexts, guiding and co-creating
with students to discover their voice as part
of the larger community of voices.
This strand challenges arts educators
to draw upon a wide range of ideas and insights,
and to harness the power of arts engagement
to prime learners in navigating and creating new
meaning from a diversity of viewpoints.
Conversations among arts educators may also
revolve around the crafting of differentiated
strategies to inspire joy of learning based on
the specific qualities of each student, and to
spark their unique journey of lifelong discovery.STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
23Art Education in the
Contemporary Age
Joscelin Chew
Art Teacher and Talk Shop Presenter
Yishun Innova Junior College
Artists today steer far beyond the classical and modernist
practices towards contemporary approaches that not
only challenge conventions but comprise a diversity
of mediums and techniques in order to tackle different
ideas. This is reflected in the current Study of Visual Arts
(SoVA) syllabus with a wide range of artistic practices
from realistic paintings to the use of new media. Along
with the diverse needs of learners in our no-longer-only- Brewing SOVA and Studio
physical classrooms, how can we increase learners’ by Ms Chew Jia Li Joscelin &
Mr Abdul Hadi Abdul Wahab
engagement and understanding? I believe our role (Yishun Innova Junior College)
as art educators is crucial in designing and facilitating
a range of learning experiences for our students, ↘ Watch here
allowing them to embrace the diversity and uncertainty
of the contemporary world.
24Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
How do we then design and
facilitate learning experiences for
our diverse needs of learners?
Despite smaller class sizes at the Junior College level,
we observe a range of learner profiles and needs. This
is evident in our students’ experience of art making.
Some had experienced art only at the lower secondary
levels, whilst others had experienced art making through
coursework—and even so, practiced different mediums
and were interested in different ideas. As highlighted in
the Pop-Up 10 presentation “Implementing Differentiated
Instruction (DI) in the Art Classroom: The Deyi Experience”
by Ms Michelle Chu, the notion of differentiation lies Implementing Differentiated
in tailoring instruction to the individual needs of the Instruction in the Art Classroom:
The Deyi Experience
learners which includes their readiness, interests and
learning profiles. ↘ Watch it here
Likewise, DI is also apparent in the Talk Shop Presentation
“Engaging Students through Graphic Interchange Format
(GIFs)” by the teachers from Anthony’s Cannossian
Secondary School, whereby the use of tiering encourages
many ways of learning. This sharing was relevant because
GIFs are popular and widely used amongst our students
in their daily lives. Furthermore, students attempted the
different tiers of instruction based on their level of
readiness which was assessed when they were completing
their digital portraits. The basic tier challenged students
to change specific elements within their art work, while
the advanced tier challenged students to create
movement by animating the subject’s face and hair.
Ultimately, we differentiate in order to close certain
learning gaps towards achieving the lesson outcomes
and to maximise students’ potential. My personal take
on differentiation is that it gives students a level of
autonomy to make choices and also increases levels
of engagement. We can differentiate the art making
process by allowing students to choose from various
mediums and techniques that interest them and by Engaging Students through
having various tiers of challenge. Hence students can Graphic Interchange Format
(GIFs)
either hone their skills or stretch and experiment further
with the possibilities of the medium. ↘ Watch it here
25Art Education in the Contemporary Age
One example in my classroom is the use of Richard
Serra’s Verblist, 1967—68, a compiled series of action
words for students to choose from in order to make
art. Keywords such as “to tear” and “to crease” act
as prompts for students to create their own version
of Earth Art. The essence of Serra’s Verblist echoes
Nicholas Roukes’s Art Synectics and Bob Erberle’s
SCAMPER technique in an attempt to stretch ideas and
to develop creative thinking in the art making process.
A similar resource available in your schools is the Making
Art (2017) kit produced by STAR that offers lists of verbs,
adverbs and materials to generate playful explorations
of processes in the Art classroom, which can support
differentiation via process.
A differentiated process leads to a wider range of
artworks, which enriches the scope for artistic
conversations in the classroom. An intriguing idea from
Dr Edward P. Clapp’s keynote address was the paradigm
shift of the traditional concept of individual creativity
towards the concept of participatory creativity. The
notion of individuals participating in the development
of creative ideas illuminates the importance of artistic
conversations in our classrooms. With that in mind, we
should be mindful to encourage generative artistic
conversations among our students through discussions
about artworks and critique sessions. These
conversations should let the diversity of viewpoints
amongst our students emerge and inspire new ideas
amongst their peers.
Ultimately, the challenge for us as art educators is
to really understand the needs of our learners, to design
and facilitate differentiated learning experiences, but
more so to celebrate the diversity of artistic processes
and viewpoints in our conversations within the classroom
and in the art world.
Watch these videos for how
these cards can be used in your
classroom:
↘ Watch it here
26Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Consider how you can apply the
SCAMPER technique to develop
your ideas / concept!
An adaptation of Bob
Eberle’s SCAMPER
technique for an art
lesson from
Scamper: Games
Substitute Adapt Purpose Reverse for Imagination
How can you replace Which aspects or How can you portray How can you change Development (1996)
a part of the work characteristics of the subject matter in the order, layout or
with another subject an artist work or art a different way? How sequence of the
matter? movement can you can you transform work?
adapt? the original function
of the subject matter?
Combine Modify Eliminate
How can you How can you modify Which aspects of the
combine different the elements of art work are not
materials, subject within the work (e.g. necessary? What can
matter, ideas or point scale, colour and be eliminated in this
of views together? form?) work to enhance the
visual focus or
meaning?
Consider how you can apply the
following to develop your ideas /
concept!
Selected keywords
Symbolise for an art lesson
Substitute Combine adapted from
Nicholas Roukes’s
Art Synectics (2006)
Isolate Scale
Art Synetics
Repeat Distort
Fragment Superimpose
27Art Education in the Contemporary Age
What about an inter or cross-
disciplinary approach to art making
in an increasingly diverse and
uncertain world?
Art communicates ideas—ideas developed from our
everyday experiences. We live in a diverse world so
interconnected between different disciplines that it
is crucial for our students to also appreciate its
interconnectedness. I appreciate the Pop-Up 10
presentation “Capitalising on E-pedagogy in the Arts
to Build Students as Generalists in a VUCA World” as
Ms Iris Chia shared with us examples of cross-disciplinary
lessons bridging art with drama and film studies. As we
prepare students for the future workforce, STEAM Capitalising on E-pedagogy in
education is very much crucial today. STEAM education the Arts to Build Students as
Generalists in a VUCA World
brings together the five disciplines of science, technology,
engineering, art and mathematics. This made me think ↘ Watch it here
about my past attempts in bridging the disciplines of art
and math during a post-examination activity by using the
concept of “coordinates” in creating pixel art! Besides,
I think what makes artistic practices so beautifully diverse
is the different backgrounds and identities of artists
coupled with the ideas that they choose to explore.
Turn towards the world around us and we observe Young
British Artist Marc Quinn’s fascination with the relationship
between art and science whilst Nam June Paik’s optimism
about the potential of technology saw an interdisciplinary
practice of performance, installation and sculpture. If we
were all headed towards STEAM education, this will
definitely involve teachers collaborating across
departments to design learning experiences for students!
28Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
What are some key considerations
as we now teach in our no-longer-
only-physical classroom?
As we move towards incorporating blended learning
in our 2021 curriculum, the learner’s role is significant.
As educators, we want to encourage self-directed
learning in our students. The Talkshop “Independent
Discovery Through Collaborative Learning” by teachers
from Teck Whye Secondary School and Dr Koh Bee Kim
(Arts Education Branch) shared their approach to Independent Discovery Through
Knowledge Building by focusing on four main strategies— Collaborative Learning
collaborative inquiry, collaborative ideation, individual
↘ Watch it here
creation through exploration and feedback and reflection.
Their approach of using platforms like Coggle not only
allows for their students to externalise their thoughts but
also to learn collaboratively online and to reflect on their
art making processes. Indeed, this example highlights
the role of reflection as a significant part of learning,
more so in a blended learning environment. We observe
a parallel between students reflecting on their own
learning, us reflecting on our teaching practice and
artists as reflective practitioners.
Through the Arts Education Conference, I have gained
various new ideas and insights to a wide range of
approaches that art educators use across primary,
secondary and junior colleges. It really gave me a
good overview of the art education that my prospective
students coming into the junior college level went
through. The art education landscape is evolving, and
I too am thinking about how to expose students to the
interconnectedness between art and other disciplines,
to utilise relevant technology in the creation of art, and
to maximise their potential through differentiated
instruction. In a nutshell, I want to help my students
experience multiple modes of creating art that celebrates
both the rich tactile experience of art making and the
‘paperless’ opportunities flourishing in our world today.
29Diversity in the Fraternity
Jess Chen & Lorraine Lee
Academy Officers (Art)
STAR
Diversity amongst students is often talked about, but an Photos on page 30—32 are from a;edge 2020’s
aspect of diversity that is less explicitly discussed is that opening on 3 March.
of our very own fraternity. Programmes by STAR—such
as a|edge Exhibition, Critical Inquiry (CI) programmes
and Art Teacher Practitioner Programme (ATPP)—seek
to honor the differences amongst educators. In turn,
the range of teachers’ art practice, areas of inquiry and
backgrounds that the art teachers bring to STAR’s
programmes have enriched the learning for the fraternity.
30Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
a|edge Exhibition:
Celebrating the
Fraternity’s Diverse
Artistic Practices
Back when I was a teacher-in-training, a question came
up one day in NIE: did I, and the trainees in my batch,
consider ourselves ‘Artist-educators’ or maybe even
‘Educator-artists’?. It was a question that not many could
answer at the drop of a hat. ‘Educator’?—a resounding
yes. But how much art must one make to take on the
mantle of ‘Artist’?
Shortly after I began teaching in school, the question
still lingered, as did my perpetual wish to have more time
and space to conceive, make and show my art. A
colleague then offered her personal goal—to showcase
her art publicly once a year. As a goal, it certainly felt
SMART , and discipline aside, one only needed to seek
an avenue to showcase one’s work. It was so elegant,
I decided to adopt it too.
Admittedly, based on the circumstances of the particular
year, this goal may or may not be reached. Yet each time
it is realised, it reinforces my identity as an art practitioner.
Whenever I get the chance to collaborate with or
showcase my work amongst other art teachers, the
pride of being amidst other Teacher-artists is life-giving.
a|edge, an acronym for ‘Art Educators Developmental
and Generative Explorations’, is STAR’s annual art
teacher’s exhibition to nurture the professional identity
of art teachers as Teacher-artists. Since 2011’s Open
Call and 2012’s launch of the first exhibition, a|edge has
been encouraging Teacher-artists to continue to hone
their artmaking through varied art practices that would
deepen their pedagogical repertoire in the art classrooms. *SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Relevant, Timely
31Through the experience of showcasing their work in
a gallery, Teacher-artists gain an understanding of things
to consider when setting up their work in a physical
space and are refreshed by the experience of exhibiting
their work among friends and colleagues. This renewed
confidence can be translated back to exhibition practices
for students in schools.
In 2016, the role of Teacher-curators was added to
acknowledge the value that art teachers bring to the
curation process, from the selection of the work, the
dialogues between Curators and Teacher-artists, and
putting the final pieces together to form a cohesive
show. Shortly after, the role of Teacher-programmers
and Teacher-designers were also added to form the
team that leads the exhibition. Together, they envision
the direction of the engagement and outreach, and the
visual look of each iteration of a|edge.
Looking back at the past 9 years and forward to next Visit https://staraedge.com/ for more information
year’s 10th iteration of a|edge, it is heartening to see about a;edge 2020, and watch the space for
information about a x edge 2021 launching in
how it has evolved to be teacher-led and continues March 2021.
to celebrate an eclectic mix of art forms and the
individual and collective voices from our fraternity.
32Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Critical Inquiry: the
Reflective Practitioner
in Teaching
“Commitment to action research positions teachers and
administrators as learners rather than experts. Those
committed to action research will willingly undertake
continued professional development because they
believe that there is a gap between the real world
of their daily teaching practices and their vision of
an ideal one.” (Mills, 2018).
The Critical Inquiry (CI) programme at STAR empowers CI Projects workshop in February 2020.
teachers to take on the role of Teacher-researchers and
be engaged in collaborative reflective inquiry into their
own classroom practice in a systematic way.
Through an independent CI Project, teachers embrace
a spirit of inquiry, reflect on their own teaching and work
towards refining their instructional practices to continually
improve student learning. During the critical inquiry
process, teachers identify their students’ learning gaps,
generate possible ideas for such gaps and brainstorm
specific research questions, narrowing the areas they
wish to investigate. They will then embark on a literature
review, which will provide foundational knowledge
about the problem area.
33This is followed by developing possible intervention
ideas and strategies to close the learning gaps, deciding
on research methodology and data to collect and
implementing the plan. Finally, the Teacher-researcher
will analyse the data, share the results and provide
recommendations for the fraternity.
Each year, teachers embark on this journey from different
starting points, leading to a diverse range of topics
including: how to develop students to be reflective
practitioners in art, how museum-based learning can
empower students and how the classroom environment
can be tweaked to prime students for more effective
learning. The multiple insights gained from the CI Project,
that is specific to the Teacher-researcher’s context,
enables the art teacher to confidently take / repeat
targeted actions.
Some of their journeys are detailed in previous STAR
posts, or in publications available on our website.
From 2021, STAR will be mounting the Critical Inquiry
Projects for Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and Teachers present their CI process and findings
Differentiated Learning (DI) under SkillsFuture for during a CI Share Fair in October 2019.
Educators (SFed—Leading). Interested applicants may
write to MTT Victoria Loy (Victoria_LOY@moe.gov.sg)
and AO Lorraine Lee (Lorraine_lee@moe.gov.sg) for
more information.
34Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Art Teacher
Practitioner
Programme:
Where the Differences
Make a Difference
Art Teacher Practitioner Programme (ATPP) is a 6-month “Through ATPP, I met many wonder-
programme that aims to equip primary school art ful teachers from diversified
teachers with basic studio and pedagogical skills for art backgrounds who shared a common
teaching, nurturing their professional identities as goal, which is to enrich our students’
Teacher-artists and Learning Designers. Art learning experiences. Not only
was I learning from my instructors,
Over the years, we have seen a diverse spectrum of I was also learning so much from
teachers in ATPP, from HODs to teachers relatively new my fellow course mates. I believe
in the service. We even have Mother Tongue teachers that diversity in practice is essential
who took the leap of faith to change their Curriculum to encourage open and meaningful
Subject (CS) to pursue their dreams of teaching art. discussions within the teaching
While diversity has its challenges in the art classroom, fraternity.”
I would like to instead celebrate the rich diversity of our
ATPP teachers and highlight how their differences bring Nur Mazuin Bte Ab Hamid, 12th ATPP
a kaleidoscopic range of perspectives and practices Lakeside Primary School
to the table.
During the programme, opportunities for meaningful
and impactful learning experiences are constantly
created, and teachers are guided to discover their
unique voice as part of the larger community of voices.
A culture of inclusivity is fostered right from the start
to make teachers feel that their opinions matter, and
that the unique perspectives stemming from their varied
teaching experiences are the catalysts for robust
discussions. With these norms in place, we started
to see the effects of diversity and the advantages that
it brings to the programme.
35Diversity Promotes Creativity and
Innovation
Creativity is a participatory act. It was observed that
the more ATPP teachers questioned each other and
provided constructive feedback to improve each
other’s work, the more the group made better decisions
and pushed the boundaries to arrive at creative and
innovative ideas. The ATPP Exhibition is one good
example of how bouncing ideas off of each other during
the group consultation sessions propelled teachers to
explore ideas that they would not have imagined alone.
12th ATPP (2019—2020) Art Exhibition:
A platform where the diverse voices of ATPP
teachers were celebrated.
36Strand 1 · Diversity in Practice STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Diversity Provokes Critical &
Divergent Thinking
“Diversity jolts us into cognitive action in ways that
homogeneity simply does not.” (Phillips K. W., 2014)
According to Phillips, when teachers hear dissent from
someone whom they view as different from them, they
tend to associate that viewpoint with novelty, which
provokes more thought than when it is heard from
someone similar. For the same reason, it was intriguing
to hear ATPP teachers present their viewpoints as an
Instructional Programme (IP) or music teacher as that
drove them to think about new possibilities in different
directions.
13th ATPP (2020—2021) Art Camp: Tape Art
workshop—where ATPP teachers were
encouraged to tap on each other’s personal
experiences and understanding of the 32
artworks in the Primary Art Syllabus to
collaboratively create a tape art in response
to the selected artworks.
References
As diversity becomes a norm in this rapidly globalised
Phillips, K. W. (2014). How Diversity Makes Us
world, it is important to manage and embrace diversity Smarter. Retrieved from https://www.
in practice, especially in the area of education. I believe scientificamerican.com/article/how-
that fostering a wider appreciation for the differences diversity-makes-us-smarter/
amongst us will enrich our individual and collective Mills, G.E. (2018). Action research: A guide for the
experiences. teacher research. New York, NY: Pearson.
37Strand 2:
Arts as Lived Experiences
Artistic expression is symbiotic with our lived
experience. It draws upon the richness and
vitality of the world we live in as individuals and
as communities, and offers creative modes for
us to reframe and make meaning of life’s highs
and lows. Impactful arts teaching connects with
students’ prior experience and ignites and
nurtures their interest, giving voice and hope
to their deepest fears and loftiest dreams.
Therefore, the true arts educator is rooted
always in relevance and driven by authenticity.
This strand explores artistic expression
as a space for teachers to guide students in
forging identity and values, as well as a mode
for learning about culture, heritage and society.
Arts educators can share innovative ways of
designing learning experiences that connect
deeply with students’ lives, and serve as a
platform where transformative conversations
about self and society can be facilitated through
artistic expression.STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
39Art Masterclass 1:
Picturing times (/three) when …
Presented by Hilmi Johandi
Facilitated by MTT Victoria Loy
Written by teacher participants from the Drawing
Network Learning Community (NLC):
Teh Ting Ting
Lead Teacher
CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)
Nonis Liane Joy Wei Ling
Art Teacher
Woodlands Ring Primary School
Ho Su Yin Grace
Art Teacher
Xinmin Secondary School
↘ Watch this masterclass here
What is it like journeying through an artist’s workflow?
Experiencing an artmaking activity that resembles an
artist’s investigative process provides a fascinating
glimpse into his experiences, memories, influences,
concepts and preferences.
Hilmi Johandi, known for his poignant and cinematic
works, distils his practice of appropriating film, archival
footage and photographs into a manageable collage
activity that you can try at home or in your classrooms!
40Strand 2 · Arts as Lived Experiences STAR Post (Art) 2021 Issue 1
Activity Brief
Big Idea:
Art tells stories about our world
Aims:
↘ To discover an artistic process
that blends personal memories
through a montage of visual
fragments that transforms
space and time.
↘ To explore the juxtaposition
of lines, shapes, forms and
readymade images.
Elegant Art Task:
Create a mixed media collage
using printed copies of your own
photographs or found images from
the past, which capture three
different moments in your life:
childhood, 5 years and 10 years
ago, to depict the distinct
instances in time in one frame.
Enabling Constraints:
↘ Material constraint:
A4 / A3-sized drawing paper,
printed copies of 3 photographs,
adhesive glue, cutter / scissors,
dry media (pencil, pen, coloured
pencils, markers)
↘ Process constraint:
20 minutes
↘ Format constraint:
In-person teacher-participants (from left to right) Zaki Zulfakar, Teh Ting Ting, A4 / A3-sized drawing paper
Melinda Tan and artist Hilmi Johandi posing with their completed collages.
41Art Masterclass 1: Pictuting times (/three) when …
Our Artworks
Nonis Liane Joy
Wei Ling
Woodlands Ring Primary School
Memories of 5 / 6 Orchid
↘ Self-taken images of form class
across a span of two years
↘ Collage
I really enjoyed piecing together images taken of my
form class over the last 2 years. The process brought
back many good memories. It was cool to experience
the many subtle thought processes that went through
my mind as I figured out where to place the cut-outs.
It was a rather therapeutic art-making process, cutting
up photographs that evoked many fond memories of
my form class.
I particularly enjoyed moving the pictures about and
watching how different images could interact and combine
to create a narrative. I chose images from the 2019 P5
camp and NE show, two of my best memories, where
I got to see the personalities of my pupils at the forefront.
I enjoyed it so much I’m toying with the idea of making
one at the end of each year as a visual diary for my
teaching career.
42You can also read
