I headed for the YCK MRT stop around 7:30am this morning and made it to AST by 8:30 on my own this morning. The MRT is so user friendly and although I can't pronounce some of the station names accurately, I can get from place to place without using an app or Freddy as a guide. From 9-11am this morning I had the opportunity to meet with two Master teachers of mathematics--one who was previously a primary math teacher and one who was previously a secondary math teacher. Here are some of the notes I took while learning about the math education system in Singapore:
- Student attend primary school for 6 years, lower secondary for 2 years, and upper secondary for 2 years with junior college or polytechnic optionally afterwards. From ages 6-15 years old attending school and taking mathematics is compulsory.
- There are 4 types of schools (which range from least autonomous to most autonomous):
- Government schools
- Government-aided schools
- Autonomous schools
- Independent schools
- There are 4 specialised independent schools:
- Singapore Sports School (2004)
- National University of Singapore Mathematics and Science High School (2005)
- Arts Schools (2008)
- School of Science and Technology (2010)
- The Intended Curriculum:
- Follows a spiral approach
- Serves as a guide for teachers to plan their mathematics instructional programmes
- Textbooks are essential, although some secondary teachers create their own notes. Textbooks have to be approved by CPDD (Curriculum Planning and Development Division) at MOE (Ministry of Education)
- Math is compulsory for 10 years.
- Overarching Goals:
- Ensure that all students will achieve a level of mastery of mathematics that will serve them well in life.
- For those who have the interest and ability, to pursue mathematics at the highest possible level.
- Broad Aims...Enable students to:
- Acquire and apply mathematical concepts and skills
- Develop cognitive and meta-cognitive skills through a mathematical approach to problem-solving
- Develop positive attitudes towards mathematics
- What does it mean to teachers? Understanding these will...
- Help teachers to stay focused on the larger outcomes of learning
- Guide teachers when they embark on the school-based curriculum innovations and customisations.
- Aim of Syllabus:
- Acquire mathematical concepts and skills for everyday use and continuous learning in mathematics
- Develop thinking, reasoning, communication, application, and metacognitive skills through a mathematical approach to problem-solving
- Build confidence and foster interest in mathematics
- Syllabus Organisation:
3 Content + 1 Process Strand
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Number and Algebra
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Measurement and Geometry
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Statistics (and Probability)
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Mathematical Processes
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- Math Teaching and Learning Syllabus 2013:
- Learning experiences are stated in the mathematics syllabus to influence the way teachers teach and students learn so that the curriculum objectives are achieved.
- They describe actions that students will preform and activities that students will go through, with the opportunities created and guidance rendered by teachers.
- Learning Experiences provide opportunities for students to:
- Enhance conceptual understanding through use of the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract approach and various mathematical tools including ICT tools
- Apply concepts and skills learnt in real-world context
- Communicate their reasoning and connections through various mathematical tasks and activities.
- Build confidence and foster interest in mathematics
- Focus on learning as a process than an outcome
- Are student-centric and thus articulate from the point of view of the student, i.e. in the form "students should have opportunities to..."
- Allows flexibility for teachers to customize according to student ability and needs, non-exhaustive
- Can contribute to the development of processes (cognitive and metacognitive) as well as 21st century competencies
- The Model Method (Primary):
- A tool for representing and visualising relationships
- A key heuristic students use for solving whole number arithmetic word problems
- Rectangular bars are easy to partition into small units when necessary compared to other shapes.
- Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Approach (Primary)
- Approach
- First encounter the mathematical concepts using manipulatives or real-life examples
- Move on to the pictorial stage using pictures to model problems
- Progress to a more advanced (abstract) stage where only numbers, notation and symbols are used
- Engaging Pedagogies (from the book: Pedagogy for ENGAGED Mathematics Learning)
- Learning by Inquiry
- Inquiry method focuses on asking questions
- Learning by Doing
- Hands on Learning
- Learning by Interacting
- Active builders of knowledge
- Learning by Reflecting
- Reflective observation
- SEED (Strategies for Effective Engagement and Development, Primary) Key Features:
- For P1 and P2 students
- To help primary schools leverage on reduced class size at P1 and P2
- Philosophy:
- Effective and meaningful engagement in learning
- Assesses appropriately and holistically
- Good practices in maths
- Include focused instruction on maths concepts and skills
- Room for practice, consolidation and application
- Clear connections between activity and learning outcomes
- LSM (Learning Support for Mathematics, Primary) Key Features:
- Early intervention for pupils who have basic numeracy skills at Primary 1 (Level 0 and Level 1)
- Schools have autonomy in development of teachers and implementation of program
- Pupils were identified for the intervention through a screening process carried out at the beginning of Primary 1. They were supported by a LSM Teacher for 4-8 periods a week.
- ICAN (Improvement in Confidence and Achievement in Numeracy)
- Implemented in both Primary and Secondary Levek
- Project to help the Low Progress students in mathematics
- The key strategy of this project is to equip teachers of these students with the knowledge, skills and resources to support their students in the learning of mathematics.
- SBB (Subject Based Banning, Primary)
- Implemented in 2008 to P5 cohort in all primary schools
- Allows students to take subjects at different levels depending on aptitudes and abilities in these subjects
- Recognizes the different abilities of students and give them greater flexibility to concentrate on the subjects they are good at
- Encourage more interaction among students with different strengths
- Implemented in 2014
- 12 prototype schools, followed by Phase 1 and Phase 2 schools
- NT → NA; NA → Exp
- Insert or pull out classes
- PERI HA (Holistic Assessment, Primary)
- A) Balancing Knowledge with Skills and Values
- Use engaging pedagogy to teach skills and values
- Emphasize non-academic programs within curriculum
- More holistic assessment to support learning
- B) Investing in a Quality Teaching Force
- Provide additional manpower
- Recruit committed, quality educators
- Equip teachers well through training and professional development
- C) Enhancing Infrastructure
- Single-session primary schools
- New generation primary school facilities
- Support for social services
- SSM (Sustained Support for Mathematics, Primary)
- Early Success
- Builds students' confidence and motivates them to learn
- Strong Basics
- Importance of mastering basic concepts
- Steady Progression
- Mindful of students' developmental stages and importance of scaffolding and pacing
- Pedagogical Framework:
Meeting with the Master Teachers was very informative and I definitely have a better understanding of the structures of the math pathways in primary and secondary as well as current math initiatives within the school system here.
At lunch today I learned a new word and cultural practice. Singaporeans save tables in crowded food centers by placing a pack of tissues, an umbrella, an empty box of cigarettes, etc on the table to "chope" (or reserve) the table.
'chope' got it
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