Open House 2021 - Our Programmes

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION OUR PROGRAMMES

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION O U R PR O G R A M M E S

Full Home-Based Learning PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DIVISIONS

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ue to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has been a year of many firsts. Amongst these was, for the first time, schools had to be closed while lessons continued "from home" without the usual face-to-face interaction between students and teachers. Home-based learning (HBL) was eased into the school timetable gradually and systematically, from once a week to full HBL on 8 April.

early May. Term 3 was brought forward to start on 2 June with seven weeks of curriculum time followed by a one-week term break and then another seven weeks. To adhere to Safe Management Measures (SMM), a system of alternate weeks of HBL for different levels was implemented by the school for the first three weeks of Term 3. Thereafter, the annual September one-week school holiday and Term 4 followed. These dates are significant as they mark how the Ministry of Education, as a Learning Organisation, has been responsive to manage the needs of students and teachers who were coping with HBL and also make deliberate calibration to time the eventual return of students back to school while not compromising on SMM for all.

Our teaching staff took on this new challenge by seeking out and familiarising themselves with technology and digital platforms that would enable teaching and learning to be as seamless as possible. Students too embraced and adapted to HBL quickly and resiliently as lessons were conducted synchronously and asynchronously. Education platforms like SLS, Google Classroom were used for the execution and management of lessons and class administration. Zoom and Google Meet were some of the digital tools used for virtual interaction between students and teachers as well as for staff meetings.

After having gone through full home-based learning for five weeks, students and staff gave positive feedback, which was heartening as it reflected a growth mindset. Students have learnt to be more independent and be able to manage their time better.

They were also thankful to the teachers for consistently checking on their well-being and ensuring they did not fall behind academically. As for the teachers, despite having to spend time rethinking pedagogy and learning new ICT tools, many have expressed their appreciation for their resultant acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Clearly, this period has not only brought about great challenges but also much progress.

The SCGS family marched forward together to the same drum beat through five weeks of full HBL as we entered into this unprecedented seismic shift in the academic school calendar.

Schools were closed from 8 April with Term 2 shortened to six weeks and the June school holidays brought forward to start in

See more expressions of appreciation from our kim geks to all the staff for their hard work in keeping school going during Full HBL. Please scan the QR code:

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Integrated Programme SECONDARY DIVISION

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020 was a year of challenges and SCGS rose to the occasion by adapting its signature Integrated Programme (IP) flagship programmes to allow for continued learning and enrichment under safe conditions.

SCGS was privileged to have Professor Leo Yee Sin, Executive Director of the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), to be our speaker for the Symposiums for the Year 2 and Year 3 cohorts of the three partner schools. Students were placed in breakout rooms with their peers from Catholic High School and CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, where they could engage more closely in discussion via student presentations and Q&A sessions. Year 4 IP students were even able to hold a dialogue with Her Excellency Jo Tyndall, the New Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore, who graced the Year 4 WRP Symposium as its guest speaker. Year 1 IP students had a similar experience as their seniors as they learnt from Mr Poon King Wang, Director of the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities (LKYCIC) at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), who spoke on ‘Living in a Digital World: Connecting the Dots in Tech, Science, Art, Human Needs and Design’.

Passion Pursuit was reconfigured this year to allow students to broaden their horizons while still observing safe management measures. For Sabbatical Week in October, our Year 1 to 3 students were allocated modules which they took in their individual classes. Sabbatical modules this year were deliberately chosen to allow for both intellectual and hands-on learning. They included modules such as Art and Code (Year 1), Polyscias Workshop (Year 2) and Making a Macrame Necklace (Year 3).

We continued to firmly uphold our Joint Integrated Programme (JIP) partnership, particularly in the form of the annual World Readiness Programme (WRP) Symposiums for each level. This year, observing strict safe management measures, the JIP WRP Symposiums took a very different approach. Unlike previous years, the different schools attended the event virtually from their respective schools. All four levels continued to participate in the WRP Symposiums via the Zoom video-conferencing platform, with each level focusing on a different aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has been an interesting year of change, with the pandemic ushering in opportunities for us to review and refine our programmes so as to take them into uncharted new territory, while reaffirming and strengthening our partnerships with fellow JIP schools. We look forward to further amplifying and improving our processes and programmes in the coming year so as to give the very best to our students.

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English and Literature Department SECONDARY DIVISION n 5 May – the onset of Circuit Breaker - in our little O screens, the English and Literature Department reached out during our Google Meet department meeting to try to make

literacy, we have also adopted Hook and Eye to expose our students to 17 short stories from the heartlands and also The Glass Menagerie to explore issues of reality, escape, failure and the myth of success. We are heartened to see a sustained increased Full Literature subscription at Secondary Three and encouraged that the enriching Lower Secondary Language Arts Programme has generated a lot of interest and enjoyment in both English and Literature.

sense of it all. To say that the year was ‘Unprecedented’ would be a real understatement! COVID-19 Circuit Breaker was a Crisis – Chaotic and Crazy. As with the duality of life, and everything, it is a Creative Catalyst – engendering creative change as the department embarked on many firsts while being reminded of timely constants. Our commitment to our girls: to develop a critical appreciation for the English Language and Literature; to be effective communicators and to be critical thinkers and passionate, self-directed learners.

2020 was our first foray into the e-Oral dimension – the O-Level e-Oral English Examination which was conducted in a safe and conducive manner in compliance with Safe Management Measures (SMM) as well as the Secondary 1 to 3 End-of-Year e-English Oral Examinations all made possible with the strong support of all other departments who assisted with logistics, and as assistant oral examiners.

Another constant – our rich Literature texts. In this regard, while we have made regular and responsive changes to our text list (aligning to national Literature syllabus), we remain one of the only schools in Singapore to take on unabridged Shakespearean plays. This has allowed students a precious opportunity to experience the great Bard’s dramatic works especially for those who choose to pursue other interests later.

We remained undaunted by the many obstacles that the COVID19 pandemic had posed to school programmes such as the restrictions on face-to-face interviews for Direct School Admissions. In its place, we leveraged on technology to create FormSG which allowed online submission of the writing task.

The school also provided the flexibility for student applicants to select either online submission or hard copy submission.

Thereafter, shortlisted candidates were interviewed via Zoom by panellists.

One of our many firsts is the adoption of Emily of Emerald Hill as an enrichment text for the Secondary 1 Integrated Programme (IP) to develop our kim geks’ cultural heritage and sensitivity and for thematic coherence across the Secondary 1 level. As empathetic communicators with strong sense of civic

Our rich Literature texts

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We are also pleased with this other first – the subscription to Straits Times Digital by the entire Secondary Division. This remains a rich and powerful tool for Exposure to Different Genres (Procedural, Explanation, Narratives, Expositions, Personal/Factual Recounts); Nurturing a Holistic World View; Exposure to Multiple Perspectives; Bridging Multi-Disciplinary Content Knowledge; Cultivating Active Citizenry and Instilling Multi-Literacy.

learning needs. In our classrooms, our girls stood on soapboxes and orated on social issues such as climate change, racism and homelessness.

The highly adaptive and challenging COVID-19 Home-based Learning engendered much creativity in our teachers as we explored both synchronous and asynchronous modes to employ tools such as Padlet to explore poems, give real time, targeted feedback as well as the use of audio lectures to enhance students’ learning.

The COVID-19 Pandemic did not stop our girls from reaching out to the community through reading! Read for Books is a charity book drive to raise awareness of reading and to share the gift of reading with the less privileged (11 to 26 July). For every 10 people who read for 15 minutes, one book was donated to selected beneficiaries. Our Secondary 1 and 2 classes participated in this meaningful reading venture and it was particularly fulfilling!

We also want to highlight a trio of budding film makers comprising Emma Wen Xuan Hanson (Sec 3PE), Chua Tsze Sin (Sec 3SE) and Michelle Yap Mae Lyn (Sec 3SY) for their creative entry which was shortlisted for the Singapore Mental Health Film Festival (SMHFF) Short Film Youth Competition. As empathetic communicators, these youth advocates for mental health/dementia are rendering their powerful voices to make a film – to make a difference!

Another exciting first was that of the in-house teacher run modules for the Secondary 1 O-Level and Integrated Programme cohorts which gleaned many positive outcomes.

Beyond grounding students with a firm foundation of speaking, we were better positioned and responsively able to support the Secondary 1 Language Arts Programme to meet relevant

Sincere Collaborators, Courageous Change makers, Generous Contributors and Servant Leaders – we applaud all our kim geks for their exemplification of our school’s values lived out in the everyday throughout 2020 – a chaotic but creatively catalytic year!

ST Digital

Read for Books Charity Book Drive

4CO Gr train ride to Malaysia

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Mother Tongue Languages Department SECONDARY DIVISION he SCGS Talent Programme stretches the students’ T potential and provides opportunities for them to achieve personal excellence. In line with this objective, the SCGS Mother

of this year exhibition was Prosperity in Packets: Hongbao Giving in Chinese Culture, and it examined the history and significance of red packets through a display of the collections of local hongbao collecting enthusiasts. Our students were also invited to be part of the curation team for the River Hongbao 2020 exhibition by being involved in the creation of short video clips.

Tongue department provides students with a holistic and interesting Mother Tongue education which incorporates various enrichment programmes targeted at students of differing levels of Mother Tongue language proficiencies.

The Secondary One Oral and Communication Programme crafted by our Mother Tongue languages teachers aims to raise the standard of the students’ oratorical skills through recording the ‘reading aloud’ component and through student oral presentations on a wide range of topics.

The Bicultural Studies Programme (BSP) is offered to Secondary 3 students in the Integrated Programme. This programme aims to nurture a core group of students with a deep understanding and appreciation of both cultures, so that they can interact effectively with China as well as relate to the West. It will stretch the potential of students who are good at both languages and allows them to appreciate both cultures in greater depth. This will broaden the students’ horizons and global perspectives. Besides the weekly curriculum, the BSP students also participated in the yearly BSP camp co-organised

by MOE and BSP schools. Due to COVID-19 situation this year, the camp was conducted online.

To stretch our able and talented pupils in writing, we also send students for various competitions to expose them to different genres of writing such as creative writing, radio drama scriptwriting and news broadcast editing and reporting. Our students did well in these competitions and achieved good results.

Furthermore, to enhance the learning experience for students with interest and aptitude to study Higher Chinese, the Mother Tongue department provided the opportunity for the students to be docents for the River HongBao 2020 Exhibition. The theme

Through various programmes and activities, students are exposed to authentic experiences in which they are challenged and inspired to achieve their fullest potential.

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Mathematics Department SECONDARY DIVISION athematics is a language of nature which transcends M different aspects of everyday life. The pursuit of Mathematics involves an understanding of logical thinking and

Development Day in May. Mrs Grace Chui also shared about how she expertly used the SLS Interactive Thinking Tool to allow students to make their thinking visible and work collaboratively with teachers in Singapore at the Apple iPad Professional Learning Circle.

general problem-solving heuristics. The language seeks truth and beauty in observing and investigating patterns and relationships in social and physical phenomena, and is an excellent vehicle for developing intellectual competence in analysis, abstract thought, reasoning and spatial visualisation.

Through continual improvements in the curriculum and programmes, the department aims to develop essential mathematical dispositions in our students such as curiosity, joy of learning, resilience and a sense of adventure, which will carry them far in their future endeavours.

In SCGS, the Mathematics Department develops its Talent Programme based on Five Minds for the Future, advocated by Professor Howard Gardner. In addition to the core mathematics programme, various enrichment activities catering to students of different ability levels provide an exciting and all-around mathematics education. These enrichment programmes are modelled after Renzulli’s Schoolwide Enrichment Model.

The winners of the 2020 Singapore Mathematical Olympiad (SMO) Competition are:

Students who display a strong passion and exceptional talent in mathematics represented the school in the Singapore Mathematical Olympiad (SMO) Competition after undergoing rigorous training in Semester 1. This year, 17 Secondary 3 and 4 students participated in the Senior and Open Categories of the competition and achieved 1 Gold Award, 2 Silver Awards, 4 Bronze Awards and 8 Honourable Mention Awards. The school obtained the Commendation Award (Category 1) for its excellent achievements.

With the inception of home-based learning in Term 2, teachers in the department worked synergistically to bring teaching and learning to the students through online platforms such as the Singapore Learning Space (SLS) portal and Google Classroom to conduct both synchronous and asynchronous lessons. In line with the move to embark on blended learning, Mrs Grace Chui and Mr Foo Chee Juan shared with all SCGS staff about the teaching and learning of mathematics through Gamification – Using Decktoys in the Mathematics Classroom and GoFormative respectively at the 2020 SCGS Professional

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SENIOR CATEGORY Name Teng Lingjing Fang Yike Xie Xintong Shen Qibei Sun Xiaoyan Xu Yilin Zhe Yun Thio Yi Fang Alexis Foo Li Lin Angelica Koh Jia Qi

Class 3DG 3CO 3CO 3CO 3DG 3DG 3DY 4PE 4SE 4SE

Award Gold Silver Silver Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Honourable Mention Honourable Mention Honourable Mention

OPEN CATEGORY Name Fang Yike Teng Lingjing Shi Yizhen Li Yu Xuan Jin Xinyi

Class 3CO 3DG 3DY 4CO 4DY

Award Honourable Mention Honourable Mention Honourable Mention Honourable Mention Honourable Mention

OUR DISTINCTIVE HOLISTIC EDUCATION O U R PR O G R A M M E S

Science Department SECONDARY DIVISION

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020 has been an extraordinary year in every sense. As the world struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic, SCGS was also engaged in its own battles to continue its mission to educate students under its care. The teachers in the Science Department rallied together and moved teaching and learning to online platforms like Google Meet and Zoom to provide home-based learning during the circuit breaker. Learning and assessment took on new forms as teachers gamely tried online tools to engage students. Inevitably, most hands-on activities and enrichment opportunities were cancelled or modified to online versions. Even laboratory sessions and field work that are such critical components of the science curriculum had to be curtailed and limited to ensure the safety of both staff and students. To the best of our ability, we managed to provide some learning opportunities for our students.

Before the circuit breaker, students in the Math & Science Academy programme were able to engage in hands-on exploration of the science behind gastronomic creations and took part in macabre studies of forensic investigations. Some others took on laboratory-based investigations into dental science. Our Youth Science Ambassadors resumed some faceto-face activities later in the year. They attended workshops and training that culminated in the Think Big, Youth Science Ambassador Programme STEM Showcase at the Singapore Science Centre.

As Singapore takes steps to loosen restrictions in Phase 3, we certainly look forward to once again immersing students in the multi-faceted world of science. This time with an even greater sense of urgency and purpose for students to gain a deeper understanding of science, which can help us to transform our world into a safer and more liveable place.

Math/Science Academy

Youth Science Ambassadors

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Humanities Department SECONDARY DIVISION he study of Humanities exposes our students to the world T and society. Authentic issues explored promote students’ sensitivities to their environment and enable them to

Humanities Research Mentorship Programme (HRMP) The objective of the HRMP is to inspire Secondary 2 and 3 students to conduct research and gain deeper knowledge in a particular humanities discipline. The department collaborates with subject experts from academia and specialist fields to mentor these students. Under the mentorship of teachers and subject experts, students are able to explore in greater depth their areas of interest in geography, history and social studies.

understand the physical and human environment in the 21st century. Using the constructivist approach to learning, students are well-equipped with skills to make informed judgements that reflect objectivity, adaptability and concern for the world they live in.

NUS Geography Challenge 2020 The National University of Singapore (NUS) Geography Challenge is an annual non-profit Geography competition jointly organised by the NUS Department of Geography and the NUS Geographical Society. It seeks to engage and educate students on world issues, empower them to respond to these issues, and strengthen their relationship with geography. This year, the following students participated in the individual component and clinched various awards.

Humanities and Social Science Research Programme (HSSRP) The HSSRP is jointly organised by the Gifted Education Branch, Ministry of Education and various tertiary institutions. It offers Secondary 3 and 4 students in Integrated Programme (IP) schools a valuable opportunity to engage in humanities and social sciences research under the mentorship of academic researchers. During this programme, they worked with expert mentors from various tertiary institutions in Singapore and drafted and re-drafted numerous proposals before finalising their research topics. The research experience was also passion-driven, as students were able to choose their own topics and design the whole research process. While students met many obstacles in the process of getting respondents and in sharpening their arguments and collecting research data, the students persevered and their academic tenacity finally bore the fruits of their labour when they published their papers and did their final presentations at the HSSRP Symposium virtually.

Name Tiffany Lim Xin Hui Sharmaine Koh XinYi Taia Yovela Pang Trena Lee Yi Jin

Class Sec 4SE Sec 4DG Sec 4CO Sec 4PE

2020 has been a year of adapting to new norms and a new way of living. While taking time to adjust to these changes, the department continues to be passionate about the subjects that it teaches and is committed to sharing its knowledge.

1) A Case Study Investigation on the Purpose, Evolution and Validity of British Council (Singapore) Written by: Sng Rui Lin, Zen, Chua Tsze Sin and Tan Peh Shuen 2) Study on Parental Influence on Generation Z’s Participation in E-Commerce Written by: Hsu Tzu Ching, Ng De Min and Zhang Yilin 3) A Critically Analysis of what affects Ensemble Perception formed in Spatially presented Faces Written by: Tricia Sim, Chen Zhi Shan and Chen Zhi Tong

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Project Work SECONDARY DIVISION roject Work has long been a pillar of the Talent P Development Programme at SCGS, and is a key vehicle that fuels the interests and passion areas of our students. SCGS

of Surgery, Duke–National University of Singapore (NUS) Medical School, the National Institute of Education (NIE) Department of Natural Sciences & Science Education (NSSE), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as well as the Gifted Education Branch at the Ministry of Education. Expert mentors from these agencies guide our students in Special Projects under the auspices of the following programmes: the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Programme, the Humanities Research Mentorship Programme, the Science Mentorship Programme, the Dental Science Programme and the Advanced Mathematics Programme.

devotes a significant portion of its curriculum time for students to work on research projects under the guidance of both school-based teacher and external mentors every week in Semester 1.

Project Work is an excellent platform for students to delve deeper into areas of study that would not otherwise be possible in regular curricula. In Project Work, students work in collaborative groups to craft research questions and review literature to identify the theoretical foundations of their research before embarking on data collection processes. They then analyse the data collected through the lens of first-hand inquirers by assuming the roles of researchers, geographers, historians, scientists, mathematicians and linguists. The experience of developing and conducting their own research helps students hone creative and critical thinking skills as they learn to solve problems and analyse complex data sets.

This year’s Secondary 3 Integrated Programme (IP) students embarked on special projects related to their academies, which include the Business, the Leadership, the Liberal Arts, and the Mathematics and Science Academies. Secondary 2 and 3 students who preferred to work on projects driven by their own strong personal interests, continued with their own selfdirected in-depth studies. Projects embarked on spanned a wide range of topics such as language studies, aerodynamics, neurobiology, the interpretation of dreams, as well as sustainability efforts in schools and the world at-large.

Secondary 1 students begin their Project Work journey with a series of foundational sessions that better equip them by introducing them to basic research skills such as identifying and framing research questions, and the fundamentals of data collection and analysis. They also explore the different frameworks each discipline uses to present their research findings. These lessons prepare the Secondary 1 students by laying a strong foundation for them before they embark on fullscale research projects in subsequent years.

Project Work took on a slightly different slant this year with teacher-mentors harnessing information and communications technology (ICT) to guide the students through online consultations. Teacher-mentors utilised online platforms such as Google Docs to guide Secondary 2 and 3 students, and livestreamed the Project Work Lecture Series to the Secondary 1 students from Term 2 onwards. To continue the practice of celebrating and appreciating the students’ excellent efforts, the Project Work programme culminated in a showcase of outstanding group projects. This year, the projects were shared through online presentations and project work posters that teachers and students could view asynchronously.

One of the ways that SCGS encourages deeper exploration in various disciplines is to partner institutes of higher learning.

Some of these institutions include the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Department

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Environmental Education PRIMARY & SECONDARY DIVISIONS he SCGS Environmental Committee aims to develop an T integrated environmental programme to raise awareness about environmental protection. We have implemented new

carry out Carlite Day this year, where the entire student body participated in eco-friendly initiatives.

green activities and expanded our variety of platforms to reach our students with important lessons on living an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

Nevertheless, the Science and Environment Club continued its efforts with an initiative to repurpose donated used glass contributed by SCGS staff into fairy lights decorations for the Secondary 4 Graduation Night on 12 November. Thereafter, these fairy light bottles were donated to senior citizens.

Green Activities in the Secondary Division Students were engaged in a series of class-based activities, culminating in the Green Class Award competition at the end of the year. Throughout the year, the Eco-Captains led the class in recycling waste paper and plastic bottles. During Eco-Week, students promoted the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

During the end-of-year classroom cleaning exercise, students donated their old textbooks to the FairPrice Share-A-Textbook project. The Science and Environment Club students also volunteered to help with sorting the textbooks in November.

The Environment Committee will continue to work with the rest of the school to promote environmental sustainability.

Due to the restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and home-based learning (HBL), we were not able to

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Physical Education Department SECONDARY DIVISION t the beginning of 2020, the PE Department was, as in any A normal year, busy preparing for a whole range of exciting activities for our students. However, in February, we began to

by the Librarians. Another highlight was the Culinary Art competition, a joint collaboration between the PE department and the Home Economics teacher. Secondary 2 students were tasked with creating a healthy dish using convenience food.

They were tasked to prepare, cook and photograph their individual culinary creations. The winning entries were then decided by votes from the entire student body.

modify our plans as the COVID-19 outbreak gained pace. Plans and programmes were not merely modified but were cancelled as the nation underwent the Circuit Breaker and everyone had to comply with Safe Management Measures (SMM).

Do for Fun(D) was another innovative fundraising event organised by the PE department which combined exercise and fund-raising. As part of the school’s Teachers’ Day Celebrations, teachers and students took part in this energetic fund-raising activity by doing as many jumping jacks as possible within 20 minutes. Classes got to cheer each other on, as they got to watch other classes’ telecasted progress onscreen. The students raised $1 with each jumping jack and proceeds went equally to the Community Chest and towards the SCGS Fund 120. We are very pleased that SCGS was able to raise more than $16,000, and are grateful to parents and friends for their support.

The department quickly adapted and changed our plans as teaching went online during home-based learning (HBL). Our department goals did not change as we sought to help our students adopt a healthy lifestyle and enjoy physical activities.

We also wanted to equip our students with knowledge and skills to attain life-long fitness and health.

Our plan was to keep our students engaged and exercising on a regular basis. A calendar of activities was planned for each class. We also met over Zoom to exercise together and crafted assignments which encouraged our students to exercise with family and friends as well as take ownership of their exercise regime by keeping a journal.

With the slight easing of SMM after the end-of-year examinations, the PE department was able to conduct a day activity for our Secondary 2 students where they learnt camp cooking, how to pitch tents, do simple navigation and mapreading. They also got to try their hand at abseiling.

We sought to keep our programmes going while observing SMM by harnessing technology. Instead of performing live at the National Day celebrations as we usually do, we filmed each class separately during their PE dance modules. Our instructress, Jingwen, had choreographed the dance moves so that each separate group’s choreography formed a visually captivating video performance when pieced together.

Our girls did us proud as they showed how adaptable they are as they entered into each activity planned by the PE department with great enthusiasm.

In addition, instead of going out of school for Health Month, we brought the world to SCGS. The theme for this year was Games Around the World as we wanted to raise students’ awareness of cultural or traditional games played in other countries. Students from Secondary 1 to 3 participated in the Inter-Class Exercise Challenge where they cooperated with classmates to compete against other classes in exercises such as skipping, pushups and crunches. Other activities included messages delivered by PE Captains to their cohort or class and health quizzes organised

“Grit is that 'extra something' that separates the most successful people from the rest. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality” - Travis Bradberry This quote sums up well the challenges and resolve of the department despite the challenges this year has brought. We were still able to carry out some of our programmes through innovative thinking, perseverance and the cooperation of staff and students alike.

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Aesthetics Department SECONDARY DIVISION rt is what decorates space, Music decorates time. The arts A serve as mediums of self-expression, enabling the sharing of feelings, ideas and experiences which can cross cultural and

Since COVID-19 presented challenges to engaging masterclass artists to conduct classes physically in school, the department had looked into innovative methods to allow our upper Secondary students to interact with music experts in the field.

Their comments opened our students’ eyes to alternative perspectives to interpret musical works.

social boundaries, thereby contributing to one’s self-identity, national identity and understanding of cultural heritage. An arts education is vital to one’s holistic development to enable a foundation for lifelong appreciation of the arts.

Art Food was an overarching theme for the Secondary 1 students’ programme this year. Students investigated foods that are culturally significant through research, drawing and linoleum printing. Revisiting works by artists like Chia Mia Tee, Georgette Chen, Pablo Picasso and art movements like Pop Art helped students connect interesting ideas to tradition, heritage, massproduction, consumption and recycling.

Arts Education Assembly Programme Though disrupted by the limitations of mass gatherings, the lower Secondary students nonetheless had the opportunity to learn about Chinese Opera and Malay Drumming before the school underwent home-based learning (HBL).

Music Secondary 1 students experienced music of different cultures, ranging from the Americas to Africa, Europe and Asia. They sang, played instruments, and danced to the distinctive music of each region as they made connections with the social and musical contexts of these cultural traditions.

Secondary 2 students learnt drawing, painting and storybook illustration techniques whilst exploring character design and storytelling. Their favourite storybook stories and famous Studio Ghibli films and characters were their sources of inspiration in crafting their original works.

Secondary 2 students learnt to sequence music on Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) such as Bandlab and Garageband, allowing them to better appreciate the process of music production.

Taking art appreciation to a deeper level, the upper Secondary students engaged in in-depth study of visual arts and studio practice and investigated wider themes that touched on identity, environment, society, and space.

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Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department SECONDARY DIVISION hrough ICT-enabled teaching, enrichment programmes and T the InfoComm Co-curricular Activity (CCA), we aim to develop our staff and students to become informed, adept ICT

refreshes our curriculum to keep abreast of the latest technology and skills.

users in a digital global environment.

Secondary 1 students also participated in the Art and Code programme where the students acquired basic coding skills through game design.

Professional Development for Teachers During the prolonged period of home-based learning, ICT was a lynchpin of teaching and learning. To ensure learning was not compromised during this period, teachers were trained to use various ICT tools and platforms to engage the students in both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Teachers also continued to share lesson designs within and across departments using the online learning platform, Student Learning Space (SLS). ICT culture among the teachers has certainly been strengthened this year. There will be continual training for the teachers to further enhance their skills.

Additionally, students had the opportunity to use computing devices outside of the computer labs. With the upgrading of the school wireless network, students will be able to learn via peer collaboration anywhere outside the classrooms within the school grounds.

Deepening of Skills Specific programmes cater to students with a keen interest in ICT, enabling them to hone their skills as InfoComm Club members. Students can choose to specialise in Robotics, Multimedia or Photography. The members continued to do well in competitions such as First Lego League (FLL) (Robotics), N.E Mation (Animation) and the MOE’s “Our Schools, Our Stories” Photo Contest (Photography).

ICT Literacy Programme for Secondary 1 and 2 students This is a compulsory broad-based ICT literacy programme for all Secondary 1 and 2 students. Students were taught basic to intermediate ICT skills ranging from test processing to multimedia and programming skills. The school continually

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Education and Career Guidance SECONDARY DIVISION Day in exciting new ways for student learning and engagement.

There were both virtual and live components in this year’s programme. Kim Gek Yvonne Chan, former CNA-Anchor, shared pointers on how one can make a presentation that is impactful.

Kim Gek Jihan Kinnear Ong shared from her experience as a Client Services Director on what employers look for during job interviews. The Alumni based overseas joined us as panelists for the panel session. The students were challenged in a live intra-class competition, in which they examined how different organisations, processes and jobs contribute to the success of various industries. Through their interaction with the speakers, panelists and with one another, the students gained useful pointers on how to carry themselves with grace and confidence, while gaining fresh perspectives on what to consider when choosing a career.

SCGS Careers Education Day he Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Programme equips students with the knowledge, skills and values to plan and manage their education and career pathways. ECG skills and competences are taught during Character Education lessons and through other out-of-school experiences such as learning journeys and work experience programmes.

T

With the temporary suspension of many out-of-school programmes in 2020, the main highlight of our ECG programme was the 4th SCGS Careers Education Day that was held in October, after the end-of-year examinations. The theme for this year was inspired by George Bernard Shaw’s quotation - Don’t wait for the right opportunity. Create it. Unhindered by the pandemic, the SCGS Alumni re-created the Careers Education

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Prefects’ Installation 2020 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DIVISIONS th

he 70 Prefectorial Board comprises 55 prefects from the T Primary Division and 58 prefects from the Secondary Division. While SCGS Prefects are readily recognised by their

In light of the COVID-19 situation, the team replaced the Prefects’ Investiture with a pared down Prefects’ Installation.

The team recreated the installation ceremony by filming our student leaders receiving their official appointments at home via Zoom. Both Prefectorial Boards invited the parents/ guardians to be a part of this special video recording by pinning on the prefect badge for their child/ward. These recordings were then compiled and broadcast to the respective divisions.

Through having their loved ones involved, the team hoped to create precious memories for each prefect as she celebrated her official appointment as a student leader.

signature white boleros, they are also identified by their keen sense of duty, loyalty and responsibility. SCGS Prefects also keep the school spirit alive and strong. The 70th Prefectorial Board, guided the theme ‘Stepping in, Stepping up’ strove to step into the shoes of others to better understand their lived experiences and step up to make a difference in the lives of others.

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Accelerated Leaders Training SECONDARY DIVISION he Accelerated Leaders (ALs) Board consists of Secondary 3 T prefects, heads of various leadership groups, and CCA leaders. Prior to our first AL camp, the ALs had come together to

The following day, the ALs learnt more about the Leadership Challenge Model through a sharing session conducted by Mrs Linda Lee, from which they learned the Five Steps of the Model that would guide them in their leadership journey. The ALs also participated in an escape room activity which aimed to further develop their sense of camaraderie and teamwork. The second AL camp ended with a discussion between the leaders of the different CCAs and leadership groups on the issues faced due to the pandemic, and possible solutions to overcome these challenges. With the collective efforts of the board, various creative solutions were proposed, that reflected the adaptability and problem-solving skills of the ALs.

help with the decorating of the classrooms for this year’s National Day Celebrations as well as the preparation for Teachers’ Day. The ALs had also come up with their theme for 2020-2021, ALways together, never ALone, which brought about their vision for the AL board. This was done, despite being physically apart because of the safe distancing measures due to COVID-19, to always be together in spirit, to serve the school as one family, ensuring that no one will be alone in their leadership journey.

Guided by this theme, the ALs had their first AL camp on 9 October, where a workshop on communication was conducted.

During the workshop, the ALs used the skills and knowledge gleaned from the trainers to film a video of a short speech on their chosen topic. They also learned about the world of work through a sharing by two SCGS Alumni members, who taught the ALs about the different types of jobs they can explore and how to prepare for job interviews. Through various team bonding activities, the ALs were also given many chances to strengthen their relationships with one another.

The two camps gave the ALs a chance to realise their shared vision for the school and the board, allowing them to move towards this vision together. Although the camps were short, they were undoubtedly fruitful ones. There were great opportunities for the ALs to further develop themselves as student leaders and with potential personal growth for many.

Despite the short duration of the camps and limitations due to the COVID-19 situation, the ALs had unquestionably gained deeper insights into many topics, strengthening their leadership skills, and simultaneously having fun! The camp gave ALs an enjoyable learning experience through the incorporation of games into these learning activities.

The second AL camp soon followed, stretching from 23 to 24 October. Unlike other years, this year’s camp was a day camp.

During the first day of the camp, the ALs visited three farms: Bollywood Veggies, Kin Yan Agrotech and Jurong Frog Farm, from which the ALs gained a deeper insight into food production in Singapore. ALs overcame their initial squeamishness and held frogs at the frog farm, emboldened by the actions of the first brave soul who tried it out. A sharing session by selected executive committee members of the Prefectorial Board followed, with the speakers drawing lessons about the issue of food insecurity in Singapore. The ALs also participated in an obstacle course and Amazing Race, where their teamwork and leadership skills were tested and honed.

The AL board would like to extend their gratitude to the school for giving them these incredible opportunities to learn, and especially to the AL Board’s teacher-in-charge, Mrs Bowness, for her constant guidance and support throughout the camps.

As ALs, we will take all the knowledge gained from this year’s camps and use it to serve and lead the school as stronger leaders, and a more bonded board.

Andrea Gracia Andradi (Sec 3PR) Chong Woei Went (Sec 3SY) Kristy Lee (Sec 3CO)

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Secondary 2 Adventure Camp SECONDARY DIVISION Students also found the first aid course to be one of the most practical and important sessions during the camp as it equipped them with skills that could help save a life.

Resilience. Perseverance. Teamwork. eyond being common words students used to describe their experience taking part in this programme, these were words at the very heart of the programme from the very beginning.

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Another highlight of the camp was the abseiling activity, where students climbed over the railings on the second and third floor of the school, and lowered themselves safely to the ground by gripping onto a rope. The initial fear, apprehension and uncertainty was a challenge that less confident students had to overcome. However with constant guidance from the instructors and cheers of encouragement from their peers, students overcame any feelings of doubt, and the sense of accomplishment they felt was one not too soon forgotten.

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting activities on hold and school life as we know it at a stand-still, the Secondary Two Outdoor Education Programme was like a welcome burst of sunshine for our girls in an otherwise bleak year. From abseiling down the walls of our school, to cooking their own meals using mess tins and a tommy cooker, students spent four afternoons fully engaged in learning and applying outdoor skills and knowledge.

Despite the pandemic that has taken the world captive and disrupted what we had assumed to be normal, the short reprieve of an outdoor programme brought back a certain sense of normalcy and throwback to life before these dark COVID-19 times.

Activities such as orienteering and tent-pitching fostered teamwork and communication skills as students moved around the school to complete each checkpoint. Each student also put their culinary skills to the test in the outdoor cooking activity, from coming up with the menu to conceptualising the presentation of the dishes with their group mates.

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Year 4 Integrated Programme (IP) Advocacy SECONDARY DIVISION very year, each Year 4 Integrated Programme (IP) class E plans and executes an advocacy project of their choice.

Secondary 4PR advocated for the needs of children globally

sessions on a weekly basis, ensuring that the students were engaged in learning content of different subjects through games and activities such as Hangman, Kahoot and Sudoku.

Despite some technical difficulties and other issues faced, I felt a great sense of fulfilment whenever a session was successfully completed.

through Instagram Stories, focusing on a range of issues such as poverty, mental health and learning disabilities. Secondary 4SE conducted activities for students from the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) via pre-recorded videos and created an Instagram page to advocate for inclusivity through raising their followers’ awareness of the plight of people with special needs. Secondary 4SY aimed to advocate for underprivileged children and their families through Facebook and Instagram posts about the impact of the problems that stem from financial incapacitation.

For the “advocacy” component of this project, we pre-recorded a Powerpoint Presentation that outlined what our project encompassed, as well as reasons why our audience - next year’s Secondary 4 classes - should undertake and continue this project.

This project allowed us to give back to society in a meaningful way, especially during such an unprecedented time. I thoroughly enjoyed planning and facilitating these sessions and getting to know the students. I am extremely grateful to have had such an enriching experience.

My class, Secondary 4PE, decided to focus on youth-at-risk in our service. We had the opportunity to partner Stamford Primary School, working with a group of Primary 5 and 6 students, most of whom were taking foundational level subjects and came from low-income families living in rental flats. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to meet with the students face-to-face. As a result, we conducted online Zoom

Nicole Laurene Hong Siangyuan (Sec 4PE)

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SCGS Model United Nations Youth Conference SECONDARY DIVISION espite the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School Model United D Nations (SCMUN) Youth Conference being cancelled in 2020, the students involved still managed to gather numerous

within UNAS and were engaged by the performances by youths of various ethnicities that highlighted the importance of inclusivity and racial diversity that would allow for cooperation to achieve global aims. This event gave the organising team valuable insights to help them understand the role of the UN and recognise the value of our contributions towards it.

insightful takeaways from the enriching experiences they had during the initial planning process. Such experiences ranged from attending a Ted Talk to the occasional discussion sessions we had with Mr Alexander Louis, Secretary-General of the United Nations Association of Singapore [UNAS].

As a replacement for the cancelled SCMUN conference, the team created an e-resource package on sustainable measures for event planning.

On 14 September 2019, the SCMUN Secretariat paid a visit to the TedxYouth Conference to witness the event organised entirely by youths, driven by their own passion for creating opportunities for people all over Singapore to share and spread their ideas and journeys. As our team watched the entire event take place, we noticed the incredible attention to detail and creativity that the youths exhibited as they made sure to cater to the different areas of interests of their prospective audience.

None of this would have been possible without the patience and guidance of our mentors, Ms Diane Hu and Mr Amithjeet Singh, as well as the school for providing us with such meaningful opportunities.

Samanvita Reddy (Sec 4SY) Vineeta Shankar (Sec 4SY) Cameron Setiadi (Sec 4SE) Chan Yi Xin (Sec 4DY) Sanjana Rajan (Sec 4SE) Tiffany Lim (Sec 4SE) Waverly Wu (Sec 4GY)

On 5 October 2019, the team and Ms Diane Hu attended the event organised by the UNAS to celebrate United Nations Day 2019 as well as UNAS’s 50th anniversary. During this event, we were privileged to listen to speeches by many key leaders

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Open Little Eyes SECONDARY DIVISION he annual Open Little Eyes Conference (OLE) is a studentT led event which aims to expose Primary school students to diverse real-world issues and create a learning platform for

mankind. A segment of activities and fun challenges are also included in the e-Package, thus allowing for the application of knowledge, and for all to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle even at home!

them where they can put their critical thinking skills to the test.

Through specially-designed workshops and games, students gain greater insight into pressing world issues.

We would like to sincerely thank our teachers-in-charge, as well as the school, for continuing to provide us with a platform to raise awareness on a prevalent issue amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and for their never-ending support and guidance.

While the conference is typically held on-site, with participants from Primary schools nationwide, the 2020 Organising Team creatively produced an e-Package this year in light of the pandemic. The e-Package, shared with the SCGS upper Primary students, allowed for remote learning that still fulfilled the aims of the programme.

OLE Organising Team: Nicole Tedja (Sec 2SY), (Head) Natalie Yiki Toh (Sec 2SE), (Vice-head) Claire Lim Xuan Hui (Sec 2DG) Hazel Mok Jingyi (Sec 2GR) Megan Gabrielle Chan (Sec 2SE) Kuik Tze-Qii (Sec 2SE) Wee Heoh Ee, Eleanor (Sec 2SY)

This year, we chose to educate students on the theme of “Sustainability”. Through the use of colourful infographics and interactive videos, our e-Package allows participants to have a better understanding of climate change and pollution, as well as the negative impact on both the physical environment and

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Girls-in-Bolero Camp SECONDARY DIVISION his year’s ‘Girls-in-Bolero’ (GIB) day camp was held over a T week in October, and it aimed to highlight the 70 Prefectorial Board’s theme of “Stepping in, Stepping up”.

Camp. In alignment with the COVID-19 Safe Management Measures (SMM), the prefects had to rethink how to play various activities in smaller groups of five. That made the planning and organisation more challenging but proved all the more rewarding. With the help of our seniors from the 69th Prefectorial Board, we succeeded in organising activities that were no less exciting or interesting despite the restrictions. In addition, we hosted a guest speaker, Ms Eileen Yap, founder of Singapore Fashion Runway, who shared with us her insights on entrepreneurship, passion pursuit and importance of perseverance in the face of challenges. We were very glad to have been given this opportunity to bond together as a prefectorial board and learn from each other.

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Ms Michelle Ow, an SCGS Alumni, conducted a workshop on ‘The Value of Empathy’ for the lower and upper secondary prefects, respectively. During the workshop, the prefects actively participated in various role-playing and team-building activities. Through these activities, the prefects were introduced to the true meaning and value of empathy. There were rich exchanges and deep learning from the participants and many shared how enriched they were from the session.

To cap off the week of activities, the prefects gathered for a Day

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Charlotte Lim (Sec 4DY)

Tan Yun-E (Sec 4DG)

Denise Yip Ding Yin (Pri 5SY), Xu Wen Xin Clare (Pri 5P), Cayrin Ng (Pri 5SE) & Yeong Su Ann, Victoria (Pri 5SE) 70