Miss Quek Imm Ki is an Art teacher teaching in Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School. She helps to ensure that the school's Art programme provides the students greater depths in the process of learning and it is well-implemented. She is interested in discussions with fellow Art colleagues in the areas of Art teaching and learning process development and strategies and the design of effective use of appropriate assessment of project activities that contribute towards a student-centric, values-driven education.
QUEK IMM KI
Art Teacher
Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
Learning Journey to National Design Centre, 27 Feb 2015
The visit to the National Design Centre (NDC) is interesting and impactful. It is the connecting point for all things design. It allows designers and businesses to gather and exchange ideas, conduct business, use its facilities and get assistance from the national agency for design, the DesignSingapore Council. Its centrally location at the Bras Basah-Bugis area draws the public to learn about design through its exhibitions and programmes.
The Prototyping Lab by OneMaker Group provides opportunities for participants to create and taste success in their every own creations ranging from the design idea, process and development to the making of the product. The studio space has been carefully thought out and designed with specified work areas that focus on the ideation, the process and development and production with various machinery that enable one and the team to work and develop their designs in a safe and conducive environment. The belief system of having the attitude of not giving up, dare to take risk and failure, learning to share and impart is the essence that has drawn many participants of young and old to be part of this programme.
Sharing by Vivian Loh (SJI) on her research paper
“Student Engagement: Collaborative Inquiry in the Classroom”
22 Mar 2015
From Vivian Loh’s sharing on Collaborative Learning, it is imperative that as Art teachers, we need to understand clearly the meaning of the term, ‘collaboration’. It is a situation in which two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together and engaged in a common task. People engaged in collaborative learning capitalize on one another’s resources and skills (asking one another for information, evaluating one another’s ideas, monitoring one another’s work, etc.). More specifically, collaborative learning is based on the model that knowledge can be created within a population where members actively interact by sharing experiences and take on asymmetry roles. Collaborative learning refers to methodologies and environments in which learners engage in a common task where each individual depends on and is accountable to each other. These include both face-to-face conversations and computer discussions (online forums, chat rooms, etc.).
According to Vivian, collaborative learning in both teacher-student and student-peer can result in an increase of student engagement and learning in the classroom. Teachers need to create an environment that gives space and time for students to allow students and learners so that learning and creativity can take place in the classroom.
A teacher-centred lesson approach can actually hinder the learning in the students as there is absence of interaction involving the teacher and the student to clarify understanding of the teaching and learning of the lesson.
Teachers may adopt collaborative strategies in peer and group work such as (think-pair-share) in the brainstorming, creation and critique phases of the learning and teaching before, during and after lesson. Teachers need to scaffold the learning by preparing a set of questions to think about the teaching and learning of the lesson taught.
From Vivian’s research findings, a collaborative learning environment can result in both students and learners building their competencies. It also sets aside time for students to think and speak and teacher facilitation should not be of laissez-faire approach but balance it with teacher control. A collaborative learning environment also help to nurture a caring classroom setting and it enhances learning better. It also encourages students the option of agree to disagree. It provides the willingness to listen to diverse opinions and giving opportunity for students to think and challenge.
School Visit at Young Audiences Charter School at Kate Middleton,
23 Mar 2015
Situated in an industrial area, Young Audiences Charter School at Kate Middleton stands out uniquely and distinctively from its premise. One never expects the school to be alive and vibrant in its arts integrated curriculum
There is deliberate, full of care and thoughtful planning on arts integration in this school. The committee meets up regularly to discuss and plan how the arts can be integrated into the school curriculum.
There is strong teacher-student relationship (TSR) seen between the school leader and students who greeted him with hugs and excited smiles.
The environment is indeed vibrant, inspiring and creative. Students’ work can be found in the classroom, along the corridors and on the walls of the school premises. The sense of belonging is evident and good and positive influence can be felt and seen.
Students' engagement on thinking question technique, "See, Think, Wonder".
Visit to Isidore Newman, 24 Mar 2015
Teacher uses sketchbooks to facilitate idea generation. Students also use sketchbooks to fill in time.
Teachers provide reference materials for the students.
Students generate ideas from the other subjects that they did in other classes, thus arts integration
Lesson pace is very comfortable for the students. Teacher allows the students to take break from actual work to do references from their earlier sketching in the sketchbooks.
Reflection is infused into art lesson. It is progressive instead of doing it at the end of the lesson. The lesson is very well-scaffolded as seen with the instructions on the whiteboard. Teacher also facilitated reflection via consultation progressively as the students continue with their art making.
Collaboration can only be seen from subjects that the teacher can work with. However collaboration of student- peers is not observed in this lesson.
There is a visually inspiring arts learning environment. School is well-endowed with facilities such as the design studio (equipped with 3D printers), ceramic studio, auditorium and a gallery with in-house curator.
The corridors are decorated with students’ work, well framed and works from recent theatre backdrop were displayed along the stairway.
The gallery provides platforms for students to work with inhouse curator to showcase graduating works of students ranging from 2D, 3D and band performance.
Integration of Dramatisation on descriptive words
during Language Arts lesson.
Preconference Session Day 1
The 2015 New Orleans Preconference showed museum educators’ desire to engage more deeply with the museums they visit and to have greater opportunities for exchange.
During the Leading Audiences Breakout Session, my group explored on the theme of leadership in the galleries with colleagues who work with similar audiences (e.g. school children, teachers, adults, families).
The use of post-sticks with broad themes using KWL strategy was applied in my session. The facilitator harnessed on the strengths of each participants' knowledge to leverage and build on each other's knowledge and understanding to the themes. It was indeed a refreshing way of facilitating museum session discussion.
During the extended lunch break, the NAEA delegates met at the Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden to share and spend time together. Some of us attended the panel discussion, 'Leading at All Levels: Museum Educators as Museum Directors' which the speakers shared stories of leadership challenges and breakthroughs.
New Orleans Centre of Contemporary Arts (NOCCA)
New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, or NOCCA, was opened in 1973 as a professional arts training center for secondary school-age children. NOCCA provides intensive instruction in classical music, creative writing, culinary arts, dance, drama, jazz, media arts, musical theatre, theatre design, visual arts, vocal music, and academics to students from public, private, and parochial schools across Louisiana.
Admission is by audition, and NOCCA is tuition-fee.
NOCCA's visual arts department trains students in a range of media, including photography, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, and digital work.