PioneerNov 2018

A post from my Facebook reads, “Google Earth gives you the opportunity to go and see anywhere in the world… and what did you do? You go and look at your own house!” I chuckled when I first came across the quote and marvelled at how myopic we can be some times, unaware that we have unwittingly missed the forest for the trees.It is the same in education. We have shifted from a results-focussed slant to a greater emphasis in holistic education for our pupils, with prominence given to character education and the teaching of soft skills. However, some continue to be fixated on academic results at the expense of educating the whole child to brave a future that no reading of tea leaves can foretell.It is a timely reminder following a season of examinations for us to note that while examination results are important, we need to pay attention to how our children have learnt from the experience. Did my child cope well with stress? Has he got the tenacity and resilience to press on? Or is he giving up all too easily? The answers to these questions are probably

just as important, if not more so, than the marks he scored in the examinations.Recently, I was reminded of the story of a moth emerging from its cocoon. Seeing that it was experiencing great difficulty squeezing out through a small aperture, a kind man used a pair of scissors to enlarge the opening, allowing the moth to free itself. To his dismay, the man observed that the moth had emerged looking enervated and its wings were weak and shrivelled.The man regretted his premature act of kindness when he understood later that the difficulty that the moth experienced from squeezing through that tiny hole was a necessary stage of growth to force the body fluid into its wings so that the moth could have strong wings to fly. The kind act of the man was misguided and did the moth no good.Perhaps, we are sometimes like the man. In our haste to protect our children, we rush to help and defend them at the slightest hint of trouble. We fail to see that squabbles with friends and the occasional disappointment and hurts are all part and parcel of life.

Message from our Vice Principal

Times

Children need these experiences to learn important socio-emotional lessons dealing with the vicissitudes of life, learning more about self and relating with others. How are our children ever going to learn to be independent, make decisions and be ready for life if we keep them in a bubble-wrap all the time? Have we unwittingly robbed our children of learning moments like these sometimes?Against a quagmire of flux and an uncertain future, Pioneer Primary School has made the inculcation of 21st Century Competency Skills and the emphasis of character education the bedrocks of our curricular practice. These efforts will strengthen the foundations for future learning. Values education through lessons such as Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) and Programme for Active Learning (PAL) builds strength in character and is a ballast against shifting values and societal mores.Children learn best when the values advocated at home are congruent to those that the school is teaching. We invite you to continue to partner with us in the education of your child to prepare them for life.

Mr Charles Tan Vice Principal

01

On the 15th and 22nd May, our school organised the Pioneer Primary Experience (PPE) for Kindergarten 2 (K2) students and parents in the community. We hosted the programme for a total of more than 200 K2 students with their parents and teachers over the two days. The programme aimed to help the K2 students to be prepared for admission to Primary One and provided them with a glimpse of what to expect when they enter primary school.

The programme planned by the school included educational game stations and a guided tour of the school facilities. The students also had the opportunity to purchase food and eat in the school canteen. The PPE was well-received by students and parents.

Pioneer Primary School’s mission is to develop each student to be a life-long learner, a leader with character, a success in his own right so as to serve the community. Therefore, Values in Action (VIA) is an important component of Character and Citizenship Education which aims to achieve this mission. VIA activities incorporate learning experiences that support students’ development as socially responsible individuals who contribute meaningfully to the community through the learning and application of

Pioneer Primary Experience

Pioneer Primary Experience

for Kindergarten 2 Students and Parents

in the Community

values, knowledge and skills in their daily encounters with the public.

This year our Performing Arts Co-Curricular Activities comprising Choir, Chinese Orchestra, Chinese Dance, Malay Dance and Indian Dance, performed at the Jurong Point Shopping Centre on 9th July 2018 in our bid to bring vibrancy to the community. Student representatives from our Toastmasters’ Club were emcees for the event. Through this authentic experience, our students learnt to be more confident.

02

The theme of our Primary One Project Work was “I Can Save The Earth”. The 21CC PW aimed to raise students’ awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and get them to explore ways they can play a part to tackle the issue by practising the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle). As part of the concrete experiential learning, students went on a learning journey to Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden where they learnt about the importance of plants and what they can do to protect the environment. Through the knowledge acquired, students created an upcycled artefact as efforts to reuse materials and promote recycling.

The focus for Primary Two Project Work was strengthening family ties and the students prepared a healthy salad for their family members. The project work encourages students to cultivate healthy eating habits and learn about the nutritional values of various vegetables and fruits. The students went on a learning journey to Oh Chin Huat Hydroponics Farm to learn about the different stages in hydroponics farming and the different types of vegetables grown locally.

Primary One 21CC PW

Primary Two 21CC PW

In Kolb’s theory, the drive for the development of new concepts is provided by new experiences. This is in line with our 21CC PW where students are engaged in learning as they explore and analyse possible solutions to real-world problems.

Into its second year of implementation, 21CC PW provides opportunities for students to collaborate with one another during group discussions. Students have also learnt to express their thoughts and ideas effectively during their presentations and reflect on their learning process. The school has also refined the rubrics to assess the students in their thinking and communication skills.

21CC PW is designed to equip our students with 21st Century Competencies so as to prepare them to face future challenges brought about by globalisation and technological advancements. Students acquire knowledge by going through the Kolb’s experiential learning cycle where they complete a cycle of the four stages:

Project Work (21CC PW) for P1 and P2Overview of 21st Century Competencies

ConcreteExperience

(doing / having an experience)

AbstractConceptualisation(concluding / learning from the experience)

ActiveExperimentation

(planning / trying outwhat you have learned)

ReflectiveObservation

(reviewing / reflectingon the experience)

03

For their 21CC PW, our Primary 3 students learnt about the importance of water. They designed posters with water saving tips, which ties in with their VIA project, and went out to the community in our neighbourhood on 11 July 2018 to share tips to conserve water with the residents. Through this activity, students developed confidence and honed their communication skills as they did their bit to raise awareness on the importance of water conservation within the community.

Project Work (21CC PW) Values In Action (VIA)

P3 Water Conservation 21Century Competencies

The Student Council Investiture was held on 17 May 2018. The ceremony marks the official appointment of our new batch of 53 Student Councillors from Primary 3 to Primary 5. The new Student Councillors were selected based on their leadership qualities as well as their exemplary conduct. The newly elected executive committee for Student Council 2018 comprises the following:-

During the ceremony, the Student Councillors also expressed their dedication to serve the school as they recited the oath of office, led by the newly appointed President, Jasia Lee. The newly elected Student Council extended their gratitude to all the P6 Student Councillors for the high degree of commitment and dedication during their time in service and for mentoring the new Executive Committee to lead the Student Council to serve the school.

Student Councillors’ Investiture

President Jasia Lee Kah En (5A)Vice-Presidents Putri Maya Nabilah Binte Jamaludin (5M) Raghavan Praventhika (5M)

Executive Committee Members Lim Yi Xuan (5H) Tan Lit Mann (5H) Tan Qiao Ru (5M) Saifudeen Ahmed (5M)

04

The theme “We Are Singapore”, celebrates our people, our nation and our home. A pledge of unity and togetherness among our diverse cultures, “We” in this year’s theme emphasises the collective, where regardless of our origins and wherever we are, Singapore is our way of life and will always be our home. “We Are Singapore” defines the Singapore Spirit, invoking the strength and resilience which built Singapore and empowers Singaporeans to overcome future challenges and adversities together. It reminds us that we will collectively shape and be responsible for Singapore’s future.

National Day Celebrations

Every year, Pioneer Primary School will host foreign educators and students for immersion programmes. These overseas schools expressed interests in visiting Pioneer Primary School to learn more about the school culture and education system in Singapore. It has always been a rewarding experience for both students and teachers as we open our doors to welcome these guests.

This year, we are honoured to be able to host foreign educators and students from Hangzhou and Guangzhou, China. The teachers and students were assigned to our P4 classes to experience the lessons being taught. This provided our students with an opportunity to interact with the international students. Our students have benefitted tremendously from the interactions with the international students. New friendships were also forged.

played host to foreigneducators and students

Pioneer Primary School

05

On Friday, 20 July 2018, the school became vibrant with colours as students and staff came to school in their traditional costumes to commemorate Racial Harmony Day. The theme this year is “Diversity Our Strength”. Many activities were lined up during the recesses in the week leading up to Racial Harmony Day. The students had the chance to try out the various traditional games like congkak, five stones, kuti-kuti and capteh.

Kindness Radio was called into action as students got the opportunity to dedicate songs to express their appreciation to their friends of other races. A photo booth was set up for students to take photographs with their friends and the school mascots.

During the daily morning assemblies, the students were also reminded why Singapore commemorates Racial Harmony Day and the importance of maintaining racial and religious harmony in Singapore so as to strengthen and preserve the harmonious race relations among Singaporeans.

Racial Harmony DayRecess Activities

Congratulations to the following students whose artwork has been selected for the 2017-2018 SYF Art Exhibition. Our students’ artwork was also printed on postcards for Education Award 2018 nominees. The title of their artwork is “Our Hopes and Dreams”.

Low Bing Rui (3M) Wee Wan Li (3P) Natasha Aliyah Dawson (3P)

Selected for 2017-2018

Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Art Exhibition

06

Staff Values-In-Action (VIA)

MOE Service Excellence Award 2018

National Day Award 2018

Staff Achievements

Mr Charles Tan – Commendation Medal

It was a meaningful Thursday morning on 31 May 2018, when about 75 of our teaching and non-teaching staff volunteered for our staff VIA activities to contribute back to the society. A team of about 35 staff signed up with The Soup Kitchen at the Willing Hearts, while another group of 40 staff volunteered their services for the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), Food of Love Project.

Willing Hearts operates The Soup Kitchen that prepares, cooks and distributes about 5000 meals daily to over forty locations island-wide. We started preparing the ingredients such as chopping vegetables, opening bottles and packets of seasoning and sauces as well as cans and packets of food before helping out with the cooking and packing of the lunch into boxes.

Many hands make light work. This is exactly the sentiment shared by staff who shared this meaningful experience with their students so as to encourage them to volunteer for such a meaningful cause.

Over at Bukit Batok YMCA Project Bridge Center, the 40-strong Pioneer staff who volunteered for the Food of Love Project, started their morning by putting their hands together to bake hundreds of chocolate muffins which were delivered to about 80 beneficiaries at Ang Mo Kio district.

Along with the freshly-baked muffins, the staff also presented the beneficiaries with goodie bags containing daily household necessities during the door-to-door delivery. It was definitely a good platform to not only foster team work among the staff but also enabled us to get to know these beneficiaries better through the interaction.

Mrs Serina Wee - SilverMs Pauline Ng Puay Khoon – SilverMdm Azlinda Binte Abd Aziz – SilverMdm Suria Binte Mohamed Sani – SilverMr Muhammad Hafiz Bin Ma’arof – SilverMr Muhammad Hafiz Asyraf bin Abdul Aziz - Silver

07

MOE Service

Excellence Award 2018

National Day

Award 2018

Highlights of Recent AchievementsNational Mathematics Olympiad of Singapore 2018

Raffles Institution Primary Mathematics World Contest 2018

1 Silver Award & 6 Honourable Mention

P4 Level (Junior Category) Skanda Bettaswamy Raju (4P) - Distinction Ahmad Sunnar Bin Sadali (4P) - Credit Munazzah Binte Hossain (4P) - Credit Elumalai Dharshini (4P) - Credit Kavin Manavazhagan (4M) - Credit Yang Yahan (4M) - Credit

P5 Level (Junior Category) Ramamoorthy Ezhilvizhi (5H) - Distinction Bernanke Tan Yi Heng (5H) - Distinction Lim Yi Xuan (5H) - Distinction Wong Kai Xuan (5A) - Distinction Murugesan Lavanya Shree (5H) - Credit Kumareswaran Lakshan (5H) - Credit Verity Lee Jing Xuan (5H) - Credit Kendra Ng Shi En (5H) - Credit

P6 Level (Open Category) Fatema Akter (6H) - Distinction Ong Jia Xi (6H) - Credit Xiang Xu (6C) - Credit

Singapore & Asian Schools Math Olympiad 2018

Pintar Kata App Competition

Boys’ Brigade

Boys’Brigade Week

JM Fraser Award for Excellence 2017

School of the Arts (SOTA)

National Football Championship 2018

P5 Level Bernanke Tan Yi Heng (5H) - Gold Ling Yifeng (5H) - Bronze

P6 Level Wang Wuxu (6C) - Gold Neo Rong Xian (6C) - Silver Tan Swee Cong (6C) - Silver Ganesan Gabalini (6C) - Bronze Prabaharan Pragadeesh (6C) - Bronze Rezky Adrianshah Bin Syahlan (6C) - Bronze

Nur Adilah Binte Ismail (5P) - Top 10 Syaza Damia Binte Eaddy (5I) - Consolation Nurul Sajidah Binte Hamdan (5A) - Consolation Muhammad Irfan Bin Azmai (5M) - Consolation Putri Maya Nabilah Binte Jamaludin (5M) - Consolation

Javier Lau Hong Vee (6H) - Best Boy Award Javier Lau Hong Vee (6H) - Gold Award Neo Rong Xian (6C) - Gold Award Lau Ho Yann (6A) - Gold Award

01 Junior Company - Gold Honours Roll

01 Junior Company - Bronze Honours Roll

Ng Shiqi (5H)- Arts Development Award

Junior Division – Top 8

Girls’ Brigade Enrolment Service 2018

W3 Cluster Primary Schools Chinese Essay Writing Competition

Li SiXing (3A) – Third Tay Jia Zhen (4P) – Merit Award Wang Shuyan (5H) – Merit Award Wang Wuxu (6C) – Third

W3 Cluster Chinese Pen Calligraphy Primary School Category

Hau Qi Hong (4M) - Third

Advisor : Mrs Lee-Loke Wai Ling Editors : Mr Charles Tan, Mrs Elis Ang and Ms RositaContributors : Mr Charles Tan, Mrs Lynnette Tan, Mr Desmond Lee, Mdm Wong Liyun, Mr Ridzwan, Mr Mazli Mahmood, Ms Shajirah, Mr Nelson Nai and Mr Chin Boon Kean

Acknowledgements