Credit: Ministry of Education (2023), https://www.schoolbag.edu.sg/story/the-ideas-never-stop-coming-until-the-bell-rings-how-one-teacher-makes-history-this-riveting
How do you feel being a recipient of the President’s Award for Teachers 2023?
I feel honored, humbled and delighted to be conferred the PAT Award 2023. It gives me a sense of affirmation that what I have done in my teaching profession has significantly and profoundly reaches out in inspiring, encouraging & empowering my students, colleagues, and the fraternity. Together with the commendation received as the global top & final 60 shortlisted educators for this year’s Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award 2023, these 2 accolades amplifies the embodiment on how my role as an educator can really make a lasting impact and influence on my students when I constantly remember and practice out these 3Ps: my primary purpose as a teacher (to help every youths & learners to know that they are more than capable); the need to continue flaming & blazing my passion in teaching & learning through collaboration & reflection; and finally, that possibilities are endless, infinite, yet… always within reach!
I would want to also take this juncture to express my gratitude to my school leaders, colleagues, students, professors, parents, partners, and the fraternity (both locally and globally) – and certainly my supportive wife-- for their continuous guidance and strong support throughout my teaching journey!
Knowledge Building is the anchor pedagogy that guides your teaching practices. Can you share more about the rationales and how you come to know more about Knowledge Building?
In a world of uncertainties and complexities, it is essential for the youths to be collaborative, critical, and creative learners—dispositions of future-readiness. As I got to know about Knowledge Building (KB) through open classrooms and hearing from students their KB experiences, I am certain and confident that with Knowledge Building being internalized as their way of life both in and out of school, our youths will be fully prepared and empowered to become informed, innovative, and inclusive citizens of tomorrow. What it takes then is for us, educators, to be intentional in contextualizing and conceptualizing the learning experiences for our students in alignment with the building blocks and philosophy of the heart of Knowledge Building.
One of your key strengths is your ability to position Knowledge Building in a way that educators find it viable and feasible to implement it in the classrooms. Can you share some examples of it? Or perhaps the strategies that you have adopted in doing so?
Let me do a simple illustration where you plan to explore on this complex concept known as collaboration (a key element in KB). First, do ask as many questions as possible that relates to the concept such as What is collaboration? How does it look like in class? What are some actions & dispositions that the students need to have to become effective collaborators? After which, you can consider using the CARE technique I had devised based on my years of experience & readings to reframe your responses to the questions in the form of: Catchy Taglines/slogan/principles; Acronyms; Repetitive words &/or Personal Experience (relatedness), the more the merrier! This is how the following 3 statements came about: Every Individual is valuable! Every Idea is Improvable! Every Inquiry is Do-able! which perfectly sums up the fundamental building blocks of a collaborative learning culture. I am glad to share that many educators find these 3 statements useful, practical, and accessible in designing and implementing their KB classes.
How does a Knowledge Building classroom or lesson look like? Let’s hear from Melvin’s students as they share their KB experiences!
Let’s hear from fellow colleague, Mrs Vena Foo, on how she comes to know about Knowledge Building and the instrumental role that Melvin had played in her KB journey!
In a few words, how would you like to inspire our educators?
I am because we are! As you flip the word we, it becomes me. The power of WE become the potential & possibilities of ME! Let’s collaborate, connect, and contribute. Let’s be a part of a community. Remember that ‘Every Individual is valuable!’ ‘Every Idea is Improvable!’ ‘Every Inquiry is do-able!’