04 Making Art Collaboratively: An Interactive Card Game to Make the Creative and Collaborative Process Fun
Chun Wee San (MTT/Art)
08 Drawing Inspirations: Making Discoveries through Observation, Imagination and Expression
Ler Jia Yi (ST/Art), Fuhua Primary School
12 Drawing & Student-centricity
Norlita Marsuki (ST/Art), Naval Base Secondary School
22 Empowering Engagement: Fostering Student-Centric Art Conversations in Museums
Ira Wati Sukaimi (MTT/Art), in collaboration with Aliah Hanim binte Mahmud (ST/Art), Queenstown Primary School & Lee Mun Yee (LT/Art), Victoria Secondary School
Welcome to the Art Fraternity
28 Mr Brandon Lim National Junior College
32 Mr Loh Yi Hui
CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)
What Struck You?
36 Ms Wong Way Lin
St Margaret’s School (Primary)
37 Mr Tok Wei Yuan Yew Tee Primary School
38 The Team
Foreword
Mdm Ang Hwee Loo Deputy Director (Art) STAR
In the dynamic realm of art education, fostering student-centric embracing 21st century competencies (21CC) are pivotal. As we navigate an era marked by rapid technological evolution and diverse global it is imperative that our approach to teaching art reflects landscape. The January STAR-Post serves as a beacon, illuminating towards a pedagogy that not only empowers students but also equips them with skills essential for success in the modern world.
Art education is not merely about mastering techniques. transformative journey that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. By placing students at the heart of the learning process, we tap into their unique perspectives and ignite a passion for self-expression. In this student-centric paradigm, STAR’s art teaching and learning resources emerge as invaluable tools.
STAR’s commitment to fostering student-centricity in the art classroom is evident in its meticulously crafted resources that designed to inspire curiosity, allowing students to discover their voice while developing the essential 21CC. The fusion of adaptive and inventive thinking positions students as active participants their education, preparing them to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
In the pursuit of 21CC, art educators play a transformative By integrating technology, fostering collaboration, and nurturing adaptability, teachers become facilitators of comprehensive learning experiences. The STAR resources serve as catalysts for this evolution, offering educators a rich tapestry of lesson ideas and designs seamlessly integrate 21CC into the art curriculum.
Let us embark on this collective voyage towards a student-centric, focused art education. Together, we can empower the next generation of artists and thinkers, fostering a legacy of creativity and innovation transcends the boundaries of the canvas.
Have a great and awesome 2024!
An Interactive Card Game Making Art to Make the Creative and Collaborative Process Fun Collaboratively:
Written by Chun Wee San (MTT/Art)
The diverse strengths, skills and experiences that students bring to the classroom are assets that can be leveraged to enhance the learning experience for all. In alignment with the refreshed syllabuses, teachers can design and facilitate collaborative art making and learning experiences to support students in learning with and from one another, while also nurturing social-emotional and emerging 21st century competencies (such as collaboration and communication skills, inventive thinking).
“Making Art Collaboratively” is an interactive tool that supports teachers in facilitating group work or collaborative art projects. There are four distinct decks of cards Ideation, Play, Feedback and Role each denoting an aspect of the collaborative process. Here are a few ways of using the cards to harness the power of diversity and build inclusive art classrooms where every student’s creative potential can grow and flourish.
“Making Art Collaboratively” is an interactive tool that supports teachers in facilitating group work or collaborative art projects.
There are four distinct decks of cards — Ideation, Play, Feedback and Role — each denoting an aspect of the collaborative process.
Empowering Students’ Voices to Enhance Collaborative Inquiry
1
All students can and should be encouraged to contribute their ideas during collaborative work. To help students contribute effectively, teachers can use the Ideation Cards to promote participation during idea generation activities, structure group conversations and stimulate students’ thinking.
In collaborative inquiry, students benefit from a wealth of perspectives that can deepen their understanding of the topic; they also learn to listen actively, consider differing viewpoints and build on the ideas of others. To start and sustain rich discussion, it is important to foster a positive classroom culture where all students feel empowered to contribute and safe to suggest new ideas.
2
Fostering a Culture of Inquiry Through Play
Play is a natural way in which children explore and make sense of the world around them, it can also be a powerful vehicle for learning. The Play Cards can be used to promote playful inquiry during collaborative art making. Integrating play into art learning allows students to engage in activities that ignite their sense of wonder and curiosity, for example, they learn to apply inventive and imaginative thinking, explore ideas, experiment with materials, problem-solve, iterate ideas and learn from mistakes.
3
Building a Reflective and Supportive Learning Community
Every student can support each other’s learning through giving feedback. Learning to give effective feedback requires teachers’ explicit teaching and modeling and ample opportunities for students’ practice. Feedback Cards can guide students’ reflection on the group’s progress, process, and product. The question prompts and sentence starters can guide students to ask effective questions and give meaningful peer feedback.
Developing Collaboration Skills Through Role Assignment
4
All students have unique strengths and abilities that they can leverage to contribute positively to group work. Teachers can use the Role Cards to assign specific tasks to each group member to complete, this helps to ensure equitable distribution of work by including everyone in the project in engaging ways. Roles can be assigned to tap on students’ strengths and skills, but students should also be encouraged to take on new challenges and develop new skills.
1
The following art lesson unit is based workshop activity planned and conducted by Art Senior Teachers, Mdm Pang Ming Ing (Oasis Primary School) Amy Khoo (Montfort Junior School) for the Inclusive Art Classroom Networked Learning Community (NLC).
collaborative art making task to create an imaginary structure using found materials. The task is open-ended to invite different interpretations and provide students with multiple ways of expression, to embrace students’ diverse creative voices.
Elegant Art Task:
● Imagine that you are transported in a time-machine to a city of the future. There are many strange things in this city. Create an unusual 3D structure that you saw using materials found in the art studio. Try this Art Lesson Unit Idea!
3
The teacher assigns various roles for different students to undertake during the art making process, for example, Initiator, Elaborator, Challenger and Motivator. The roles can also be rotated throughout the art lesson unit, so students have the opportunities to contribute in different capacities.
2
Teacher uses the Ideation Card Quicksand! to facilitate the creative idea generation process, which begins with the teacher setting clear expectations every student is required to contribute and that all opinions and ideas matter.
Adapted “Quicksand!”:
● In groups of four, take ten minutes to sketch two different ideas each;
● Select your best idea and share it with the group;
● Then, the group votes for the preferred idea out of all that was shared; and
● As a group, take another five minutes to think of three ways to further develop it!
4
Students use the Feedback Card Thank You Very Much or We Are a Team! to affirm their group members. When students validate the contributions and efforts made by each other, it helps to create a culture of appreciation that can promote further participation and enhance peer relationships.
Read “Making Art Collaboratively” Guidebook (page 17-25) to learn more amazing ways to use the cards!
Click here to read
Drawing
Inspirations:
Making Discoveries through Observation, Imagination
Written by Ler Jia Yi (ST/Art), Fuhua Primary School and Expression
My Thoughts, I Wonder…
Have you ever run out of ideas or activities while planning your lessons on drawing?
Have you encountered instances when you have a sudden mental block and simply could not think of any follow-up activity as you planned your drawing lesson unit?
What are the drawing activities available to help students make meaningful connections with themselves during their art making processes?
These questions can be daunting, but not to worry! Such mental blocks are real and we experience them all the time. We just need to know where to look for the supporting resources.
The two sets of STAR resources, Drawing Inspirations: Making Discoveries through Observation, Imagination and Expression (2020) and Drawing Inspirations: Creative Drawing Task Party (2022) could be a just-in-time support for many of us.
Art lessons are all about getting our students to explore, express, appreciate and celebrate the richness of both individuality and the global community. These resource packs offer a wide range of bite-size activities and allow students to explore, express, co-create and appreciate drawing in many fun and engaging ways.
Set 1:
Recording Experiences
Drawing Inspirations
Pack (2020), you will be greeted by the first activity card labeled 1A-One-line Adventure. The activity invites your students to explore drawing by “recording experiences” as they bring along their best pal, Line, for a walk.
“Bring the line for a walk” is a phrase coined by the famous artist, Paul Klee. It suggests taking a simple line and letting it meander freely across the paper, allowing the students’ imaginations to guide their paths without specific destinations in mind. This activity can lead to unexpected visual elements or outcomes which may spark new ideas and artistic inspirations.
Besides getting your students to explore drawing by recording their experiences, the Drawing Inspiration Pack (2020) also offer other inquiry activities which allow students to explore drawing by
● giving form to their thoughts and feelings, ● making what they see and hear visible, ● “Discovering Perspectives” and ● experiencing the joy of co-creating drawings with visual elements.
Set 3:
Making Light and Sound Visible
The activity cards drew inspiration from the artists’ creative practices. The two cards 3C - Mapping Soundscapes & 3D - Dancing Marks, categorized under Making Light and Sound Visible, enable students explore by sensitizing with their senses as they draw what they hear, experiencing what artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock had experienced during artistic expressions.
activities emphasized the sensory and experiential aspects making, encouraging students to go beyond traditional and engage with their senses to express themselves approach can be a powerful way to help students appreciate the work of famous artists while fostering exploration.
Co-creating & Layers of Meaning
Objects Tell Stories Card has adopted a strategy similar to Chain-story writing, a commonly used by language teachers for the development of writing.
These are various aspects of inquiry-based drawing should consider while planning your lesson units to enrich your students’
Set 2:
Form to Thoughts and
One of the Giving Form to Thoughts and Feelings cards labeled 2C - Seeing with Your Hand reminds me of the classic story about the blind men and the elephant.
In the story of the blind men and the elephant, a group of blind men each touches a different part of an elephant (such as the tail, trunk, ear, or leg) and then tries to describe what an elephant is like based on their limited perspective. Each blind man’s description is accurate from their point of view, but none of them fully grasp the entirety of what an elephant looks like.
When used in a drawing experience, students will understand that just like the blind men in the story, people may have different perspectives and interpretations of the truth based on their experiences and observations. This is a valuable lesson in empathy and open-mindedness, as it encourages students to respect the different viewpoints of others.
Chain-story writing is a collaborative writing technique where each participant adds a portion of the story, often one sentence or paragraph at a time, building on what the previous person wrote. This technique encourages creativity, cooperation, and the development of storytelling skills with verbal text and when adopted in an art lesson, it instills creativity and artistic expression through visual elements collaboratively.
This approach also helps students think critically about how visual elements can convey meaning and how different interpretations can arise from the same starting point. It can be a fun and engaging way to teach both artistic skills and the power of storytelling through visual arts.
Spark New Drawing Inspirations and Ideas …
The ideas and activities in these cards are completely usable, re-usable and non-exhaustive if we exercise appropriate selection and adapt to suit our needs. This adaptability and reusability can make our art activities a valuable and enduring resource for artistic processes.
I hope my sharing will inspire you to have a look at these rich resources. Try out some of the activities and share your feedback with us!
Drawing & Student-
Networked Learning Community (NLC) this year with core team member Ms Ler Jia Yi, (ST/Art) from Fuhua Primary School, and mentored by Mdm VIctoria Loy (MTT/Art). The synergy that we have brought together alongside the NLC members has enriched our own understanding and led to a better appreciation of the power of intentional design of drawing learning experiences for our students within and beyond the art classrooms.
Student-centricity
I have a range of students with varied art talents, abilities, and preferences in my lower secondary art classes. While some are fearful of drawing, others enjoy drawing and see artmaking as a way to de-stress. There are also those who follow the “how-tos” of artists enthusiastically, and a handful have applied to the school via DSA (Art-ALP). They are eager to learn more about art and excited to
To learn to draw is to draw and draw and draw.
– Andrew Loomis
Me Mindmap to introduce themselves as they are new to the school and
Nurin Ayesisha Binte Muhamad Rhaimei Class 1E NBSS
Working with this diverse profile of students has made me realize the need to source out new and exciting ways to better engage the students, so as to bring out the best potential in them.
In NBSS, my art colleagues and I decided to engage our students via the 3-tiered Drawing Modules to help them better pace themselves through the varied levels of difficulties within the modules. Our students are expected to apply and demonstrate their understanding of the art concepts introduced through their drawings or artworks. Teachers scaffold the learning by introducing approaches such as basic step-by-step instructions for those who need more support. Students will move on to explore and work on other elegant art tasks that challenge their creative thinking and artistic expression further with other enabling constraints.
Activity: Tessellation Design: Animatronics from Five Nights At Freddy’s to create playful use of contrasting images or characters like M.C. Escher.
Art Concepts: Use of patterns, positive and negative shapes, forms and tones. Application of accurate tiling from any one of the four tessellation methods.
Use of lines, shapes, symbols, fonts and colours to represent who they are.
Activity: Zentangle Map of My School for students to observe and study the beautiful environment and learning spaces in the school.
Art Concepts: Use of appropriate and meaningful quality of lines to represent the character, features or textures of the chosen areas, use of space, overlapping, zooming-in.
Artworks By:
Nurin Ayesisha Binte Muhamad Rhaimei
Class 1E NBSS
Activity: Self-Portrait to express an image that best represents themselves similar to Frida Kahlo’s self portrait works.
Art Concepts: Line, shape, form, tone, symbol and overlapping
Activity: Thumbnail sketches on stylized figures to encourage students to find out how designers create their own characters and to brainstorm ideas through small scale drawings.
Art Concepts: Simple drawing of faces, stylised figure illustration.
Nian Enn Elaine Class 2-5 NBSS
Activity: Mural Design on Sustainability to draw, design and compose a mural work leading to collaborative works for the public.
Art Concepts: Lines, shapes, forms, colours, textures, overlapping, zooming-in.
Activity: Thumbnail Sketches on Character Design to encourage students to find out how designers create their own characters and to brainstorm ideas through small scale drawings.
Art Concepts: Lines, organic forms, face features, extractions, hybrids.
‘My Community & My Country’’ express the different that students are a part of e.g. family, class, school, neighborhood, circle of friends, country, interest groups, etc.
Concepts: Font styles, symbols/ icons, and annotations
Activity: Grid Observational Drawing of Objects As A Symbol.
Art Concepts: Photography, accuracy, contrast, tones and textures.
Mind map on Character Design (‘Dreacon Kusess’) to plan ideas, background, triggers, etc.
Concepts: Storyline, subject matters, colours, space and annotations.
Activity: Sketchnoting on ‘Setting Up Painting Kit
Art Concepts: Lines, Symbols, fonts styles, limited colour combination and annotations.
Activity: Ways to make Painting Mark-making
Art Concepts: Lines, Colours, Textures, Tones/ Gradation, Scrumbling, Sgraffito, Glazing, Drips and Splatters, wet-on-wet, etc.
Activity: Analog and Digital Drawing of ‘Dreacon Kusess’
Art Concepts: Original character designs, human/ mutant body forms, colours and symbols.
Activity: 4 Basic Painting styles
Art Concepts: Realistic, Expressive, Expressive-abstract & Abstract painting styles.
Activity: A Slice of (Someone’s) Life
Art Concepts: Application of all concepts learnt.
This Drawing Lesson Unit Plan (LUP) on Character Design is from the Lower Secondary Art Syllabus Taskforce. I have also shared this plan at the Art Teachers’ Meeting in August 2023.
You can access the LUP via https://go.gov.sg/secatm2023lup and Lesson Plan at
Plug & Play: Through Drawing I Imagine... Our Very Own Character Designs (padlet.org).
Nian Enn Elaine Class 2-5 NBSS
Drawing Inspirations
This year, I had some exciting moments with my students when I used a few creative drawing exercises from the Drawing Inspirations: Creative Drawing Task Party (2022) The resource pack creates an opportunity for collaborative work. I used Task 8: Scrap Character and Task 20: Indoor Land Art Challenge to encourage my students to be adventurous in their use of lines, shapes and textures when designing their character especially for those who wanted to create organic or mutant body shapes.
This collaborative drawing activity had created the opportunity for them to take turns to co-create their drawings. For Elaine from Sec 2-5 who is an excellent art student, that activity allowed her and her teammates to exchange ideas, gave suggestions to challenge themselves to create interesting organic characters. They had fun collecting the leaves, small twigs and stones and even went around exchanging interesting ones.
Photos: Creative Drawing Task Party Expansion Set (2022)
Aryssa | Class 2-7
Individual work: 2 to 5 min creations of Scrap characters
Collaborative work: 2 to 3 min creations of Indoor Land Art characters
Jeffrey | Class 2-6
Individual work: 2 to 5 min creations of Scrap characters
Collaborative work: 2 to 3 min creations of Indoor Land Art characters
Students were tasked to collect organic materials found outside the art studio.
Xavier | Class 2-6
Theyva | Class 2-6
Groups of students from Sec 2-5 taking turns to add their chosen organic materials from the pool of collected organic materials to create the characters. They created 3 different characters which they took photographs and uploaded into the Art class Padlet.
To further facilitate greater student agency and self-directed learning, I have also used all the 24 Task Party Cards with our Sec 1 to 3 students from the Art Talent Development Programme (ATDP), which is a part of our larger Art Club, in one of our weekly sessions. They enjoyed the playful vibes of the activities. With so many choices given to them, they rotated and selected to work on the Task Cards that they could relate with. I will continue to try these drawing activities with the next batch again.
For end-of-year art enrichment activity, we have also stretched our Sec 3 EAP students by assigning them to design 2-hour art workshops for their Sec 3 cohort students. In one of the concurrent workshops, the studentfacilitators had the chance to explore Task 7: Creative Thinking Game where they played a drawing game to develop creativity via doodlings.
I am sure there are many other exciting and useful resources created by STAR which I am continuing to explore slowly but surely, especially when they are easily available on OPAL as well as in the STAR Website In fact, I have started to use the latest pedagogical resource from STAR on Picture This! A Card Game to Learn About Composition in Drawing and Painting (2023) with my current Sec 3 art students. You must try them too!
Students examples of Task 7: Creative Thinking Game
Screenshot of Padlet above shows how students continue to learn beyond art lessons by sharing images of their artmaking process or final artworks in the various Art Padlets created. The second tab from the left is where the ATDP students shared their creative drawings based on their chosen Task Party Cards.
Empowering
Engagement:
Fostering Student-Centric Art Conversations in Museums
Written by Ira Wati Sukaimi
(MTT/Art), in collaboration
with Aliah Hanim Mahmud (ST/Art), Queenstown Primary School and Lee Mun Yee (LT/Art), Victoria Secondary School
As students bridge the gaps in their understanding of themes and big ideas through artworks, the dynamic exchange of ideas between peers and teachers will inspire curiosity, creativity and a deeper appreciation for their heritage and culture.
Many art educators recognise that art conversations provide an opportunity for students to exercise critical thinking skills and engage in thoughtful communication. As students bridge the gaps in their understanding of themes and big ideas through artworks, the dynamic exchange of ideas between peers and teachers will inspire curiosity, creativity and a deeper appreciation for their heritage and culture.
There is also a growing understanding among art educators that a student-centric approach to facilitating art conversations will allow students to engage in the learning processes more meaningfully and empower them to decide on the direction of their artistic exploration. By
embracing a student-centric approach, teachers acknowledge that every student brings their unique perspectives, experiences, and interests into the classroom. Ultimately, this approach paves the way for a more inclusive and vibrant art education experience where each student’s voice and vision are celebrated and valued.
As part of the Museum-based Learning Networked Learning Community (MBL NLC) that seeks to hone art teachers’ competency in facilitating conversations in the museums, Core Team members Aliah Hanim Mahmud (ST/Art) and Lee Mun Yee (LT/Art) have employed teaching materials from STAR’s Investigating Art: Ideas on Museum Based Learning (Photo 1) to design facilitation strategies
Ian Woo’s 1998, the exhibition showcases a collection of abstract paintings over a span of five-years, between 1997-2001, when he returned to Singapore from England. These early paintings offer valuable insight into the development of Woo’s thinking and his evolving concepts and approach to abstraction. I had picked Finger Food as the artwork for the session at Fost Gallery. This painting, referred to as “tabletop paintings” (a phrase that Woo playfully describes about on the view of his forms), plays with a Singaporean’s main cultural preoccupations: food and eating. Here, Woo’s forms are suggestions rather than specific representations.
Mun Yee had when entitled Finger Food at a
In
Photo 1: Investigating Art: Ideas on Museum Based Learning
Photo 2: Mdm Aliah Hanim
Photo 3: Primary Art MBL Members
Sharing by Aliah Hanim Mahmud (ST/Art)
The facilitation strategy that I have selected for members from the primary schools is called Creative Question Starts (Photo 4) Creative questions serve as conversational catalysts that boost students’ inquisitiveness, motivating them to broaden and intensify their contemplation of the visual stimuli, thereby fostering a greater desire to explore artwork in greater depth. Leveraging on Wondering as a key thinking move, students will be able to generate and transform questions that encourage curiosity, thereby increasing their motivation to inquire.
The strategies Deep Looking (Photo 5) and Wondering empower students to make choices about how they approach an artwork. They can decide what aspects to explore and which questions to ask. This shift from a teacher-driven to a student-driven approach fosters a sense of ownership over the learning process, reinforcing student-centricity. When students are encouraged to look deeply into a subject or artwork that intrigues them, they can tailor their exploration to align with their individual interests and learning styles.
In facilitating an artwork using Creative Question Starts, I invited NLC members to look closely and silently at the artwork for a minute or two. This was followed by a brainstorming activity where members list at least twelve questions about the artwork. The following question-starts helped them think of interesting questions.
Members were invited to review the a group, members then selected one members proceeded to reflect and
To complement the discussion, I have also included an engagement activity in the form of a graphic organiser from the Investigating Art: Ideas on Museum Based Learning booklet –Worksheets on Deep Looking
MBL NLC members have shared how using these strategies can enrich discussions and enhance students’ overall appreciation for art, due to the variety of interpretations and diverse viewpoints about the artwork. On top of that, it also helps students build their art vocabulary as they search for words and phrases to describe the visual elements and concepts related to
the artwork. They like it for its adaptability and versatility in catering to the different age groups. Furthermore, these strategies can be refined continually and can be adapted based on the input and reactions they receive from students throughout their art discussions.
Photo 7: Secondary Art MBL Members
Photo 6: Ms Lee Mun Yee
Sharing by Lee Mun Yee (LT/Art)
Photo 4: Creative Question Starts
Photo 5: Deep Looking
For NLC members from the secondary schools, the same work, Finger Food, was chosen, deploying another set of strategies. A Singaporean obsession, ‘Food’ is a good entry point for students to engage in looking at artworks. Using familiarity to draw connectedness and resonance from students and the appeal of a food-themed title cuts across levels, cultural preferences and traditions.
The two facilitation strategies chosen were Handling Boxes and Embodied Dialogue (photos 8 & 9). A variety of individually-wrapped snacks were brought in during the session and members were invited to pick a food item before relating a personal anecdote linked to their chosen food. The anecdote may be a narrative, allegorical or a reflective moment.
A simple instruction I used to get members to tune-in was, “Look at the variety of snacks here. Pick an item that either lets you recall a recent experience, or reminds you of an incident you witnessed.”
The facilitation leverages on the concept of Multiple Intelligence (MI) to involve students through linguistics and interpersonal verbal interaction, intra-personal reflection and recollection (Embodied Dialogue), and through both visual-spatial and tactile sensory engagement (Handling boxes). The spontaneity of picking a food item and relating an anecdotal thought help to condition students’ readiness to make connections with the artwork later. Other strategies like See-Think-Wonder may be used subsequently to enhance students’ engagement to see intently and see mindfully. The activation of MI helps elevate the ‘quality’ of the seeing.
Members have found Handling Boxes a good way to help connect students to the artworks, especially works that are abstract. This strategy helps students to think from different perspectives. Another member found the recall of personal stories through an object an interesting way to draw associations and contextualize the viewing of the artwork in a more personal way.
During my impressionable years, I began to observe that if we do not understand something right away, we either seek more information, or dismiss it altogether. When we run the risk of coming across as ignorant, we often also trivialise the subject matter. More often than not, I find myself shrugging something novel or peculiar off because I disallowed myself a chance at understanding something better, simply because I had already obtained a superficial level of understanding for it. Worse still, I might even pretend to understand it.
That changed however when I became cognizant of my thought patterns. I started to question my assumptions and my observations. I asked questions that led to more questions, but in the end, I would often walk away feeling more satisfied and convinced with what I gathered.
I realised that I owe much of this to my art education. Through my art teachers, whom I am especially grateful for, I managed to become a person who took learning on my own terms. Now, what I wish for is to pass on this wisdom, cultivating the next generation of thinkers and innovators. I believe that a good art teacher has the ability to not only teach and educate, but also to inspire and amaze.
What Does Being An Art Teacher Mean To You?
For what it is worth, Art has always taken a back seat in the education landscape as our country experiences accelerated growth in the recent decades. However, all that is beginning to change as the boundaries of what is and isn’t art is gradually blurring or dissipating. Art has become inseparable from the way we see and perceive, understand and express. From the shows we watch, decorations see, packaging we unwrap, food we eat, and the places we go to - the subconscious inclination of become a part of our lives.
As an art teacher, I see our role as one that not only inculcates a deep sense of appreciation towards aesthetics, but also one to guide others in becoming effective visual communicators. Especially in the age of information, where information is abundant and readily available, it is important that we discern, and exercise intentionality in processing and conveying visual information. Through carefully planned art education, one might go on to acquire traits to help them value and apply knowledge to find meaning in, and to make better sense of the rapidly evolving world. Art is increasingly becoming more multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. Being able to understand, and appreciate the Arts is becoming integral to everyday life.
memorable experience
That You Have Encountered So Far Motivated And How Has This You? Name One
The most memorable moment I have encountered came from an interaction with my previous Head of Department. I remember when I first took over a class of higher ability students, I was tasked to design a project that was suitably challenging enough for them to attempt. After I had administered the lesson, I realised that given the difficulty of the tasks at hand, it was rather challenging for me to ensure that the students were able to keep up and sustain their interest over the course of the project. I had turned to her then and she told me something that has now become integral to the way I plan my lessons now, and that is for students to ‘taste success’ along each step that they take.
I have come to learn the effectiveness of this first hand, and immediately saw the benefits of getting students to become intrinsically motivated by allowing them to feel competent while exercising autonomy as they find their own relevance in the work that they do. Since then, I have seen students grow increasingly curious and self-initiated, and this has in turn only motivated me to want to teach even more.
That You Have Encountered So Far And Name One Challenging Experience Overcome It? How
Did You
Insofar the greatest challenge that I have had to face was to convince a class that saw little to no relevance to the content area which I had to teach. Art is often systematically and erroneously looked upon with lesser importance than the STEM counterparts. In the beginning, the focus is not really about ‘teaching’ but rather getting students enthused and seeing relevance in the learning process.
Fortunately with my background in design, I was able to draw connections to the lesson and its learning outcomes with tasks I had undertaken during my stint as an architect. While the sharing may be anecdotal, students were able to catch on after a while. Many of them began to see the relationship between the task at hand, and its application later. I realised that much of this attribution error could be characterised by the lack of exposure and understanding towards any path or endeavour associated with being a creative professional at large.
Since then, I have made it a point to communicate both relevance and success criteria throughout each lesson, as well as the applicability of what students are learning on the get go. Now, I have students coming to me after each class asking me what we are going to do in the next lesson.
What Are Your Goals As An Art Teacher
And How Do You Foresee Yourself
Achieving That?
Art is often systematically and erroneously looked upon with lesser importance than the STEM counterparts. In the beginning, the focus is not really about ‘teaching’ but rather getting students enthused and seeing relevance in the learning process.
I believe that the learning of Art and Art itself, is really about taking an interest in how we approach and understand the world around us.
My main objective in becoming an art teacher is to change the general perception of ‘Art’ - Art is more often than not, perceived as something meant for the bourgeoisie. I believe that the learning of Art and Art itself, is really about taking an interest in how we approach and understand the world around us.
Taking a page out of John Berger’s ‘Ways of Seeing’, I believe that we should always challenge our current understanding, and consequently acquire new understanding of the world. Only then can we better understand our immediate reality and become better versions of ourselves as we formulate a response towards it. Art not only provides an outlet for expression, it is also a vehicle for us to interpret and apply across different knowledge bases with both breadth and depth. I will therefore encourage others to describe and articulate their thoughts because it provides a window into how they see and perceive.
Further to the above, I am also passionate about the integration of both the arts and sciences in a typical classroom. The enjoyment in learning of the arts and sciences certainly does not have to be mutually exclusive. If anything, the two domains should be allowed a chance to reach meaningful confluence in pre-university education. As a former architect, I find myself disappointed in how late younger persons are exposed to the benefits of design and design thinking - Perhaps a recalibration in the perception of Art might just be able to shift the tides.
Welcome to the Art Fraternity
Mr Loh Yi Hui
Art Teacher
CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh)
What Inspired You To Be An Art Teacher?
My previous career as a media artist inspired me to become a teacher. There, I engaged in creative work and made significant contributions to various noteworthy projects and exhibitions in Singapore. One particularly memorable experience was my involvement in the 2019 Singapore Bicentennial Experience, where I served as one of the lead animation artists. Participating in this grand endeavour was nothing short of exhilarating. The opportunity to contribute my artistic talents to such a prestigious event a privilege. Witnessing the overwhelming positive feedback from the general public and fellow artists alike brought me immense satisfaction, joy, and in my field. It was a moment that affirmed my passion for the arts and served as a powerful motivator embark on a new journey as an educator. My desire to inspire and impart my skills and knowledge to the next generation of artists has been deeply enriched by these experiences. Teaching, for me, is not merely a profession but a calling driven by the belief that nurturing budding talents can shape the future of the artistic landscape.
What Does Being An Art Teacher Mean To You?
Being an art teacher means nurturing a lifelong love for creativity, instilling life skills and contributing to a world enriched by art.
Personally, I see myself as a facilitator who opens doors to the vast realm of artistic possibilities. For example, I recently discovered that incorporating virtual reality into my lessons could help my students to develop a deeper understanding of art from different cultures and time periods as they get transported to historical periods, natural environments, and even imaginary worlds. After all, art is a medium through which emotions, thoughts, and experiences are translated into visual forms – and this is not limited to just static drawings or paintings!
Being an art teacher means nurturing a lifelong love for creativity, instilling life skills and contributing to a world enriched by art.
Vr Gallery Artsteps Romero Britto
memorable experience
That You Have Encountered So Far Motivated And How Has This You?
Witnessing a shy and introverted student transform into a confident, inspiring powerhouse is one of my most memorable experiences as an art teacher. Student N has exceptional artistic talent, but her shyness held her back from fully exploring it. When she expressed interest in participating in an Earth Day art competition, I saw it as an opportunity to challenge her and boost her self-esteem. With patience and encouragement, we began working on her submission. I helped her refine her ideas, offered technical advice, and encouraged her to experiment with different techniques and styles. She blossomed during the process, and her artwork reflected her growing confidence and skill. To my delight, student N’s artwork won one of the top three prizes. This award boosted her self-esteem, and she gradually became more confident in all areas of her life. She displayed improved effort and skill in her classwork, and became an inspiration to her peers. Watching student N’s growth and transformation was incredibly rewarding. It reminded me that with the right guidance and encouragement, students can discover and pursue their passions.
Name
One Challenging Experience That You Have Encountered So Far Overcome It? And How
Did You
One challenging experience I encountered as an art teacher was managing a class that got chaotic due to poor time management. My students had become so engrossed in painting that they lost track of time, and panicked when they noticed from the visual timer that they had less time than they anticipated. The situation then became chaotic as they rushed to clean up, resulting in a clogged sink that was bound to overflow and cause a mess. I had to act fast, including preparing two buckets of water for them to rinse their brushes and paint respectively. I then calmly instructed the students to stop what they were doing and use the buckets to clean up. With my clear guidance, we were able to avert disaster and clean up the classroom in time. This experience taught me the importance of being prepared for unexpected challenges and of providing clear and concise instructions to my students. It also taught me the value of teaching students about time management and responsibility.
What Are Your Goals As An Art Teacher And How Do You Foresee Yourself Achieving That?
As an art teacher, my primary mission is to instil and guide my students on a transformative journey towards cultivating a profound appreciation for the arts. My aim is to foster not only creativity but also to bolster self-confidence through their artistic expression. A central principle of my teaching philosophy is challenging the conventional notion of innate talent. I strongly emphasise that anyone can learn and excel in the arts, as artistic growth hinges on practice, dedication, and exploration. While I acknowledge that the path to achieving these goals is not always easy, my approach is grounded in perpetual learning and adaptability. I constantly seek to evolve my teaching techniques, tailoring them to the unique needs and aspirations of each student. I firmly believe in creating a supportive and nurturing environment that not only inspires creativity but also maximises the artistic potential of every individual.
A central principle of my teaching philosophy is challenging the conventional notion of innate talent. I strongly emphasise that anyone can learn and excel in the arts, as artistic growth hinges on practice, dedication, and exploration.
What Struck you?
Ms Wong Way Lin
St Margaret’s School (Primary)
Which Article In July 2023
-Post (Art) Struck You Most?
‘Get Glued to Museum-based Learning through Ms Nurul I’zzah.
visitors to the museum, i.e. taking a passive role of simply observing artworks and listening to the docent’s sharing about manipulatives, students now play a very active learning through discovering, asking questions learning journey. The provision of formative attached to a lanyard to every student greatly affirmed the importance of their role as a learner during the museum visit, signifying and that we want to hear them. These simple, manipulatives certainly empower the students, boost and help them stay engaged during the visit. I am greatly intrigued by the thoughts Ms Nurul and her team have put into the implementation of the manipulatives.
development, SEL and life skills were infused into their Museum-based Learning programme, where students were taught behaviour and appropriate etiquette before
Other than getting to know the artists and their artworks, the students also learnt the importance of being responsible, curious and resilient. With maps clearly printed and provided, the students learnt to develop social surroundings as well as the confidence to seek help from trusted adults when the need arises.
Issue?
In the next issue, I hope to read more about how schools facilitate collaboration and provide opportunities for their students to contribute to the community through Art.
Mr
Tok Wei Yuan
Yew Tee Primary School
Which Article In July 2023
S TAR -Post (Art) Struck You Most?
The article that struck me the most was Afterthoughts on Spot Light Session 2: Zen Examining Our Relationship with Our Natural World Through Art by MTT Lim Kok Boon.
On reading about Zen Teh’s art practice and how she examined the intersectionality urban cities and nature through space, time and text, my first response was, a wry to read this as an invitation for teachers to ‘touch grass’, so to speak. More seriously, is a timely reminder to us as teachers to practise self-care and maintain our well-being finding time and space for ourselves with nature.
As I pondered further, my thoughts expanded to my roles as a teacher and artist, interconnectedness between these roles and my engagement with nature as a concept. Much like how MTT Kok Boon saw Zen’s presentation as an invitation for teachers to contemplate their relationship with nature as artists, I felt that his article was a reminder to us to see our schools and teaching practice in relation to nature. The invitation is out seek that synergy between our teaching and art practices through reflective observation, taking inspiration from nature itself to come up with ideas for pedagogy, lessons, and classroom management strategies.
At its core, I see the school as an ecosystem (metaphorically) where teachers, students and other stakeholders work and live in mutual symbiosis to form a miniature society. And just like how artists always inspiration by observing and recognizing structures and patterns in the natural world to create their own artworks, we too can learn from nature and grow as art teachers. After all, the seed of a growth mindset can only take root in the fertile minds of our students if we provide the conditions for it to germinate.
In Your Opinion, How Can This E-Publication Be A Value-Add To The Individual Art Teachers’ Professional Learning/Development?
I think STAR Post (Art) can benefit teachers by providing them with different perspectives and alternate viewpoints to content and pedagogy to help prepare our students for a volatile and ever-changing world, so as to encourage flexibility of mind and inspire new ideas out of pre-existing subject matter. In order to continue to grow this capacity, STAR Post might feature outsider perspectives such as interviews with visiting art teachers from other countries, artist vendors and/or instructors who are able to connect what they know with what we see in the classrooms every day.
It will be helpful for STAR Post to continue to raise awareness and promote resources for our teachers, such as the Drawing Inspiration Cards mentioned in Mdm Victoria Loy’s article on Zai Tang’s Listening to Nature and Composing Sonorous Worlds. There could be a regular feature where teachers share how they use the STAR resources in their lessons. There could also be links to videos or extended learning from Art NLCs, leading to more confident use of such resources.
Finally, AI technology is developing at a breakneck pace and as Art educators, we should take it upon ourselves to be thought leaders amongst the fraternity and see how we can best equip our students with the necessary thought processes and skills to harness technology. As such, I believe this is the topic that we can focus on in future editions of STAR Post.
