Journal by Endeavour Principal

Ethos of the Teaching Profession

2012-02-15T17:20:00.002+08:00

Recently, a few media stories featured educators in a bad light.

My staff and I have read the news stories, and we have reminded ourselves that as educators we must be mindful that the public accords teachers and principals with a lot of respect and we must not take it for granted.

This afternoon, during our weekly meeting, we reminded ourselves that as educators, we are guided by our Philosophy of Education. The philosophy is about "Educating the Singaporean", the "Purpose of Schooling", and "Nurturing the Child". This philosophy helps us to realise the Desired Outcomes of Education.

The Teachers' Vision says it very simply: "Singapore Teachers: Lead, Care and Inspire".

Educators have a Teachers' Pledge. It is 1) to be true to our mission to bring out the best in our students, 2) to be exemplary, 3) to guide our students to be good and useful citizens of Singapore, 4) to pass on the love of learning, and 5) to win the trust, support and cooperation of parents and the community. In the Teachers' Creed, the five principles are spelt out more fully.

My wish is that my staff and I will not let anyone down.

Total Defence Day

2012-02-15T16:59:00.002+08:00

We celebrated Total Defence Day on 15 February. In a primary school, it is difficult to share the concept of Total Defence.

On 14 February, we had Rainbow Day 1. The theme was Total Defence. The P3 teachers got together and planned a programme that would help the pupils to understand the five aspects of Total Defence. At the end, I reminded the pupils.

Today (15 Feb), in the morning, I approached four P2 pupils. They could not answer when I asked them about Total Defence. When I addressed the entire school, the upper level pupils could answer many of the questions. The P1 and P2 pupils could not.

One P2 pupil, however, surprised me. I asked him what was so special about 15 February. He could tell me. He mentioned the Japanese and how Singapore had to surrender to the Japanese on that day. I was very pleased to listen to his answer.

This morning, we also conducted a simple fire evacuation exercise. The children were orderly and many took it well. In about eight minutes, the whole school were at the school field. They had to stand in the sun for a while, but the children did not complain. I must commend the P1 pupils. They behaved well.

One simple way to remember the five aspects of Total Defence is the acronym "CEMPS": Civil, Economic, Military, Psychological and Social.

My Mother's Passing Away

2012-02-06T15:13:00.004+08:00

On 30 January, in the early morning, my mother passed away. She was 90 years old.

In my blog, I do not post personal events. This will be an exception.

My mother did not receive much of an education, having studied only up to P2 level. However, she was a firm believer in education. She always encouraged me to study and to give of my best.

The most valuable lesson I learnt from my mother was to make best use of knowledge to become a good citizen. My mother had nine children. She did not hope for her children to become rich people. She wanted her children to be good people, willing to be there for others. At her wake, the nine siblings came together, and we all reflected that we had a wonderful mother. Each of us has been successful in some way.

When I returned to work this morning, one P1 child, having not seen me in school on Friday, asked, "Mr Chia, why were you not in school?" Friday was the day of the funeral.

My mother lived a full life. While we will miss her, my family and I believe that she has prepared us well to live our lives.

My third brother and I have made a contribution to the school advisory committee fund. This is in memory of the late Mdm Ng Chwee Neo, my beloved mother.

Maths Heuristics

2012-01-26T08:16:00.002+08:00

The word 'Heuristic' is taken directly from the Greek verb, heuriskein, which means 'to discover'. In Mathematics, there are different ways to go about solving problem sums. These ways or methods are known as heuristics,

Heuristics can be divided into four main types:

1. Provide a Representation
2. Make a Calculated Guess
3. Go through the Process
4. Change the Problem

Provide a Representation
Pupils can transform word problems into pictorial representations, and represent information with a diagram or model. This skill helps pupils understand the question better when they see the visual representation of the word problems.

Make a Calculated Guess
The guess and check method is used for word problems when certain information is lacking. It requires them to make a guess first, then a check, followed by subsequent guesses and checks until the correct answer is derived.

Go through the Process
The heuristic 'act it out' requires pupils to use physical objects or manipulatives to represent information. This skill is used to introduce new concepts, and to allow pupils to explore the concepts using manipulatives.

Pupils can also apply the 'work backwards' method when given a problem that provides the final result, and requires them to find the initial quantity.

Pupils can use the 'before-after concept' for problems that provide information given before and after the event to find the unknown.

Change the Problem
By restating a problem in another way, pupils can view the problem from another perspective.

Source: Education Guide by POPCLUB (Issue: 5 Aug-16 Sep 2011), pp18-19

Anuban Rayong Primary School (Thailand)

2012-01-19T17:34:00.003+08:00

It was our pleasure this morning to welcome 77 visitors from Thailand. Anuban Rayong Primary School had planned a visit to Singapore to provide their pupils with an opportunity to broaden their world experience. For our pupils, it was also an enriching experience.

For three hours, our pupils interacted with the Thai pupils. They spent some time at the National Education Corner and played a few traditional games. At the No Heavy School Bag (NHSB) Art Room, our pupils shared their knowledge of digital art.

Very quickly, it was time to say goodbye. We decided to take a group photograph to remember the occasion.

The Thai visitors will return home on Saturday. We would like to thank them for travelling such a long distance to visit us.

Have a safe trip back!

Road Safety

2012-01-16T08:26:00.005+08:00

On Friday afternoon, one parent alerted me to an accident that took place just outside Sembawang Primary School.

On Saturday morning, I read in the New Paper that the young boy had passed away. It was very sad news.

Many parents have expressed concern when they see cars and trucks zooming past the school (along Admiralty Link). The present regulating strips do not really slow the traffic. I will work with LTA to look into other measures.

This morning, during flag-raising, I informed the pupils about the accident. I also shared a few road safety measures.

Mr Bhim, the Vice Principal, has stepped forward. Over the next few days, he will personally be at the pedestrian crossing to ensure the pupils follow the measures. Mr Amram, the Operations Support Officer, will also help out.

I appeal to all parents to be mindful of our children's road safety. Do help me to talk to your children about this. The children must always look out for on-coming vehicles, and they must never dash across the road.

Warmest regards

The first two weeks

2012-01-13T17:34:00.004+08:00

The first two weeks of school is usually very busy, and I have not found the time to put up any posting. Today is already the last day of week 2. I would like to share a few photographs and a few thoughts.

The temperature-taking exercise was conducted on Fri, 6 January. This is a standard procedure to prepare schools for emergency. The event was conducted fairly smoothly, and the only concern was the pupils who did not have a thermometer. The staff in the general office had to help them. Every P1 pupil was given a new thermometer, and for them the teachers had to show them how to use it.

After three days of recess in class (Tues, Wed, and Thur), the P1 pupils finally went to the canteen for recess on Fri (6 January). The P3 pupil served as buddy leaders, and I am happy that most of the P3 pupils did a wonderful job of taking care of their P1 buddies.

On 10 January, Mr Yaidi met the upper primary levels to tell them about CCA. For the P3 and other new pupils, they will need to choose a CCA.

Since the start of 2012, Mr Bhim and I have been observing the P1 pupils as well as all the other pupils. We are happy to see the children settling down. As the enrolment has increased, there is less space for everyone. However, the morning flag-raising, the weekly assembly and the dismissal arrangements have been fairly smooth. This morning, when we did the first Fitness Friday, it also went smoothly.

We have three P6 classes this year. For them, the remedial and supplementary lessons have already started. We want all of them to do well in the PSLE this year. I am encouragedby the pupils' attitude, and the teachers are prepared to give of their best. For the other levels, lessons are in full swing, and I am generally pleased with what I have seen.

A few concerns have been raised. First, a few parents have mentioned the crowding at the gates (during dismissal); Second, the traffic along the main road; Third, the entry of cars into the school in the morning; and Fourth, an appeal for a linkway from Gate A to the nearest bus stop. I will look into these few concerns, but I may not be able to find quick solutions.

Before I end this posting, I would like to thank all stakeholders (esp. parents) who have posted comments on this blog. I also appeal to everyone to identify yourself when you are posting a comment. Do not remain anonymous. For comments that I find sensitive, I may not post them, but if the writer identifies himself or herself, I will usually reply by email.

Next Friday, the school will celebrate Chinese New Year with all the pupils. I would like to take this opportunty to wish everyone a Joyous and Prosperous Chinese New Year.

The Start of 2012

2012-01-03T12:32:00.002+08:00

This morning, it was very exciting to see the children back in school. Our enrolment has now crossed the 1400 mark. This year, we have 40 classes, from P1 to P6.

The new P1 pupils will need some time to adjust to a new environment. They are doing fine, so far. The teachers will take some time to know them, and I think in a week or two, everything should be all right.

We also have new teachers in 2012. They too will need to adjust to a new environment. I am confident they will settle quickly.

We have three Primary Six classes this year. I spoke with the P6 pupils this morning. There is a lot that we want them to achieve. My teachers and I will do all that we can.

A new year comes with new hope and many new promises. I would like Endeavour Primary to continue to do well. To do it, I wlll need to work closely with the staff members. I will also need the support of all stakeholders, especially parents. In the last four years, we have done it well. Let's journey on.

I would like to wish everyone
Happy New Year!

Primary School Leaving Examination (2011)

2011-12-15T09:21:00.004+08:00

A total of 45,261 Primary 6 pupils sat for the PSLE this year. Endeavour Primary had 83 pupils.

The percentage of pupils promoted to Secondary One increasd from 92.3% in 2010 to 98.8% this year.

47 pupils are eligible for Special/Express Stream (56.6 per cent).
27 pupils will go to the Normal (Academic) Stream (32.5 per cent).
8 will go to the Normal (Technical) Stream (9.6 per cent).

Our top pupil is Chia Zhi Yi. He obtained a T-score of 270. We are proud of him. Two other pupils obtained T-scores above 250. They are:
Odelia Chung Yun Xuan (255)
Vanessa Tan Sing Yee (252)

Our pupils did well in the mother tongue languages: Chinese Language (98.2%) and Malay Language (100%).

In terms of quality grades (A/A*), our pupils did well in: Higher CL (91.7%) and Chinese Language (82.1%).

We are very happy for the three P6 pupils who did not make it in 2010, but have made it this year. We wish them all the very best!

Note:
The school's first cohort of pupils who joined Endeavour at P1 in 2008 will sit for the PSLE in 2013. In that year, 240 pupils will sit for the examination.

Without rancour or blame

2011-11-19T09:38:00.001+08:00

I read the following article in the TODAY Newspaper of 18 November 2011. I would like to thank the writer for his thoughtful message, which I would like to share with everyone.

Without rancour or blame (Ho Kong Loon, Today Voices, 18/11, p28)

I am a retired teacher. I taught primary school children for 40 years. During the last decade of my teaching career (1993 to 2003), I was alarmed and concerned over the upward swing in pupil misconduct.

Well-meaning but overly protective and demanding parents undermine the overall mental, psychological and social growth and development of their children.

The parents unwittingly sow the seeds to the declining discipline of an increasing number of schoolchildren.

Highly emotional or agitated parents, acting in the interests of their children, hinder rather than help soothe and smoothen the process of conciliation and understanding over the children's misconduct at school.

Rule breakers of an earlier era usually came from poor families with illiterate parents. The children's lot was one of constant deprivations and harsh punishment for any acts of misconduct, whether at home or in the school.

Their contemporaries of today come from a wide cross-section of society. Their parents are much more literate, liberal and vocal. Theirs are often dual-income families.

The dual-income family brought about marked social changes. The absence of both parents for a substantial part of the day meant domestic help, grandparents or other caregivers care for the children during wakeful hours.

Parents anxious to spend quality time with their children during their infrequent breaks from work could overcompensate, indulging them with expensive gifts and disproportionate sums of pocket money, etc.

Compounding the dilemma of errant children, present-day teachers are hemmed in by an unwieldy host of don'ts. The unrealistic expectations of unreasonable parents make it very difficult for a teacher to effectively manage a class of active, vocal and smart-alecky students, let alone to teach them effectively.

Students who shout, bully others, sleep during lessons, use abusive language, disrupt lessons frequently and defy the teachers are depriving their classmates of the right to learn in a conducive and peaceful environment.

I advise parents against writing letters of complaint directly to the Ministry of Education or the mainstream media: They set the tone for much angst, unpleasantness and misunderstanding.

It is also inadvisable to confront a teacher or threaten him/her with legal action. Parents should cooperate with the teachers to determine the causal factors of their children's intransigence. The approach and texture of the cooperation ought to be warm, positive and sincere, in a consultative and reflective manner without the rancour of blame, witch-hunt or denigration.

A call, e-mail or even a note to the teacher seeking clarification or explanation on an issue of conduct or under-performance would encourage the teacher to be more proactive, prompt and amiable in response, only if the language used and the contents are temperate, courteous and rational.

Reflecting on four years

2011-11-19T08:32:00.001+08:00

As I look back at the past four years, I am very thankful that there have been many people who believed in Endeavour.

For a new school, with no achievement to show, we started in 2008 with an ambitious vision, Leading Schools into The Future.

For my staff and I, it was about charting the growth path for a very young school to just do what it believes a school in the 21st Century should do.

Along the way, we have received some criticisms, but I always assure and advise my staff members that we must listen and respond positively.

On Friday, 18 Nov, we held our 4th Prize-giving and P6 Graduation Ceremony. Mr Peter Chew, the school's SAC Chairman, was our Guest of Honour. As we looked at the proud prize-winners and their parents, we both thought of those who were not present. Do they also feel that they have done well in Endeavour?

Mr Peter Chew with a few Primary 1 prize-winners

As part of their graduation, the P6 pupils were invited to put up Rainbow Day performances. This was their final show. As the two form teachers, Mrs Tay (P6A) and Mrs Fernandez (P6B), watched their form classes perform, they were almost in tears.

Pupils of P6A and P6B (18 Nov 2011)

My teachers and I take pride that we have worked very hard to reach out to our pupils. To those who have responded well, we are very happy for them.

A wonderful performance by the Malay Dance CCA

On this occasion, the Guzheng CCA played a traditional piece of music

The Endeavour Choir is growing strong

In four years, the Endeavour staff members have become closer. I sense among them a very strong support for one another. We call this camaraderie. On days when we feel overwhelmed, it is this camaraderie that keeps everyone going. In the years to come, I hope that my staff members will continue to remain close to one another.

In the afternoon, I was at SAFRA Jurong. A group of about 20 parents (members of the school's PSG) had organised a year-end get-together, with all their children (about 35 of them). The PSG Chairperson (Jennifer) welcomed me warmly, and I was very touched. I felt very relaxed, and sat and chatted with the parents. The children were merrily playing and enjoying themselves. For me, it was a privilege to be with them. What I saw made me feel very warm inside.

Endeavour has never sought nor claimed to be a perfect school. We are trying and will continue to try to become a school that serves the community well. In the last four years, my staff and I have put many processes in place. During the year-end holiday, we will spend some time re-looking at these processes.

We hope to do better in 2012.

To ALL pupils, teachers and parents, Happy Holidays!

Minister's Letter to Teachers

2011-11-05T09:07:00.000+08:00

Dear colleagues,

In my five months with MOE, I have had the pleasure of interacting with many of our teachers, allied educators, executive and administrative staff and school leaders. I enjoyed my visits to our schools, and am heartened by your commitment.

A teacher’s job is never easy because you are shaping lives. You juggle multiple roles — teach, counsel, administer, lead. Work can sometimes be stressful — when students do not behave, when parents are demanding, or when colleagues or leaders are not supportive.

But as many of you have told me, there are many more joyous moments — when students do their best; when parents show appreciation; when we work well as a team; when our leaders inspire.

Central to our work are three questions: what is a good education system? What is a good school? What is a good teacher? I tried to address the first two at our Work Plan Seminar. I hope you have had a chance to read about it.

A good school is not one whose students score straight As. Rather, it is one that takes students as they are when they enter the school, and works hard to bring out the best in each one, making each student a confident learner.

As a system, we should not have “neighbourhood schools” almost as an apology. Instead, we must strive to ensure that all schools — in every neighbourhood — are good schools. Every teacher, regardless of which school you teach at, must have the belief that you can make a difference to the lives of the students.

Let me say a few words about a good teacher. It’s about the heart — caring for our students, as individuals and as learners. It’s about the head — acquiring a mastery of the subjects you teach and perfecting the craft of teaching.

Above all, it’s about the spirit — of imparting values, nurturing character and inspiring lives, so that our young may realise their potential, and become active, confident and responsible citizens. In short, a good teacher leads, cares and inspires.

We have a good education system, with good schools and good teachers. It is very exciting and important for us to build on this as we embark on the next stage of our education journey — values-driven and student-centric. Values education develops the values and character of our students. A student-centric education develops the whole person and brings out the best in each child. Competencies for the 21st century such as creativity, communications, collaboration and a broad outlook will enable our young to thrive in a more complex, globalised world.

Certainly, this means that all of us, including myself, have more to learn. Borrowing Stephen Covey’s words, we need to “sharpen the saw” — take time out to learn new things and to recharge. We are committed to your growth, and I hope you will make full use of the range of development opportunities and sharing at the Academy of Singapore Teachers.

As teachers, you are always giving, so the energy and inspiration can dry up. One way to recharge, which I learnt from a British teacher in her 60s, is to ensure that each week, you have one, two or three hours of ‘personal, guiltfree’ time when you do what you enjoy most other than teaching and attending to other responsibilities.

This is a hectic period with the year-end examinations. I hope you will take some time during the holidays to spend time with your loved ones and recharge. Thank you for another year of good work, and I wish you a joyous time at year’s end, and a fulfilling new year!

Yours sincerely,

Heng Swee Keat

Education Minister

World Mental Health Day

2011-10-10T09:07:00.000+08:00

On 10 October, we mark World Mental Health Day. I would like to share a short article on Resilience. It was sent to me by Mrs Cheong-Lim Lee Yee, Deputy Director/Youth Health Division (Health Promotion Board).

Of Pandas and Resilience

How many of you have watched Kung Fu Panda? Do you remember how the Panda did not know Kung Fu in the beginning? Yet, he had a dream to become a Kung Fu Master. He tried and tried and did not give up. Despite all odds, he found his inner strength and eventually achieved his dream.

I believe most of you here have dreams that you would like to achieve. Like Kung Fu Panda, don’t give up when faced with difficulties. This is what resilience is all about. It’s about the times when you find things difficult and don’t give up. It’s about the times when things seem impossible and something inside you tells you to keep going. It’s about getting knocked down, and bouncing back stronger than ever.

On 10th October every year, the world commemorates World Mental Health Day. This year, we are celebrating resilience. Resilience is part of good mental health, which helps us live a happy life. It also helps us to manage the problems we face better.

Here are some tips to help you build your resilience and bounce back stronger:
a) When you feel stressed with homework, take a short break and recharge yourself.
b) Saying something encouraging to your friends. Enrich your life by helping others.
c) Think positive. See every challenge as an opportunity to grow.
d) Accept and love yourself for who you are.

Always remind yourself to remain positive. Even if you are not successful the first time, try again harder and never give up! Always keep on trying your best. This attitude will help you be strong and successful in what you are doing.

You do not have to handle difficult times and stress all by yourself. Talk to someone you trust like your family members, school teachers and friends who will be most willing to help you. Remember, you are not alone. Stay resilient and Bounce Back Stronger in difficult situations.

There is a Kung Fu Panda in all of us. We can all achieve our dreams. Let’s bounce back stronger, together.

Taking the stress out of school

2011-09-30T14:56:00.000+08:00

MOE will review practices to give kids 'holistic, balanced' education: Education Minister Heng

by Tan Weizhen, Sep 22, 2011 SINGAPORE

In a move to steer schools towards an education system that is more student-centric, the Ministry of Education (MOE) will move away from a results-oriented culture, to practices that are more "holistic and balanced", said Minister for Education Heng Swee Keat.

At the MOE Work Plan Seminar this morning, Mr Heng said that since he became Education Minister, many parents and educators have asked him to place a greater emphasis on character-building among the children. Some were also concerned about whether children and teachers can cope with the "excessive competition and stress" of the education system here, he said.

To achieve a more student-centric culture, a review will be conducted to determine which practices are too achievements-driven, as well as those which generate too much administrative work, bogging down the teachers. These practices will be refined or done away with entirely, where possible.

Among the areas under review is the Masterplan of Awards scheme, said Mr Heng. The MOE is looking at reviewing the awards or removing some entirely, as well as making it unnecessary for schools to apply for awards, which adds to the amount of paperwork on a teacher's plate.

The Ministry will also work with schools to create a new Character and Citizenship Education framework.

Mr Heng also urged schools to re-examine policies on giving homework to students, and to define the amount of homework that best suits different ages.

Endeavour's Hari Raya Celebration

2011-09-19T16:09:00.000+08:00

When Term 4 started, our first celebration was Hari Raya. Mdm Nazreen, the teacher i/c, did not have much time to prepare the pupils and staff, but I think we had a great celebration. For the non-Malay pupils who do not celebrate Hari Raya, this special event provides an opportunity for them to see and be a part of how the Singaporean Malays celebrate an occasion very important to them.

Many of our Malay Teachers can sing and dance well. Listening to and watching them, we could feel the spirit of Hari Raya!

A special Hari Raya performance by the Upper Primary Malay pupils

This was one item that kept the audience spellbound. Our Malay Dance CCA is indeed doing very well

This photo isn't very clear, but if you look closely, you will see our non-Malay teachers putting on Hari Raya clothes

The Malay parents who turned up for this occasion were delighted by our very lovable P1 pupils!

My heartiest thanks to all the performers!
Selamat Hari Raya!

Happy Teachers' Day

2011-09-19T15:47:00.000+08:00

We celebrated Teachers' Day on 1 September. It is always a day the children look forward to. Every child has a teacher he or she likes. On this day, they always make a great effort to give something special to their favourite teachers.

As principal, it is heartening to note that there are always pupils and even parents worried that I (not being a teacher) will be left out. I want to assure everyone that this is not the case. On this happy day, many pupils and parents do look out for their principal as well. I thank them for remembering that a principal is also a teacher.

This year, to add some fun to the occasion, the organisers created four special teacher categories. The children have voted, and here are the winners.

"The Cutest Teacher 2011" (Mrs Sia)"The Loudest Teacher 2011" (Mr Lee)
"The Most Stylish Teacher 2011" (Mrs Riz)
"The Funniest Teacher 2011" (Mr Jahan)
The school's Parent Support Group put up a special item, and dedicated it to all Endeavour Teachers. Thank you, Parents!

Here are a few more of the photos:

Our Rope-Skipping CCA pupils put up a wonderful performance

The pupils from P4B Class wrote and sang their own song

Here are the confident pupils from P3C

Look at the P3F pupils enjoying their performance

Our two very young MCs did a great job!

Look at Mr Jahan and Mrs Ong. They were so excited to see their 2010 P6 pupils, who returned to be with them.

Presidential Election 2011

2011-08-31T09:17:00.000+08:00

Recently I spoke with the pupils about the presidential election. For the first time, there would be four candidates.

Although our pupils are only 7-12 years old, I thought it was important to share with them that PE 2011 would be a watershed election.

The PE 2011 was recently held on Saturday, 27 August. While our pupils are young and may not understand the presidential election process, I told them they should be curious about and want to know who the new president would be.

This morning, I spoke with the pupils during the morning flag-raising. When I asked who the new president was, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that even the P1 and P2 pupils could tell me confidently that it was "Tony Tan".

I corrected the pupils. His name is Dr Tony Tan, and from 1 September, he will be known as President Tony Tan.

President SR Nathan served 12 years as the President of Singapore. He was a man we all looked up to. He did excellent work. The staff and pupils of Endeavour would like to wish President SR Nathan all the very best.

Happy Teachers' Day

2011-08-29T12:40:00.000+08:00

The last week of Term 3 (29 Aug - 2 Sept) is a very short school week. The pupils will be in school on only two days: Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, 1 Sept, we will celebrate Teachers' Day. (Friday, 2 Sept is a school holiday.)

For my staff and I, this has been a challenging year. Time has passed very rapidly. In Term 3, we celebrated Rainbow Day 3 and National Day. Many pupils went on Learning Journeys. On 1 Sept, we will celebrate Teachers' Day and Mid Autumn Festival. On 2 September, the P4 classes (P4A, P4C and P4D) will travel to Thailand.

For our teachers who are preparing the P6 pupils for the PSLE, there is little time left. The pupils have already sat for the Oral examinations. On 16 Sept, they will sit for the Listening Comprehension. The PSLE written papers are from 29 September to 5 October.

In 2008, EDP introduced the Endeavour Prototype. My staff and I have worked very hard to implement a new schooling model. EDP teachers have become more familiar with the "No Heavy School Bag" (NHSB) initiative. While the teachers are more confident about the NHSB lessons they want to offer, there is still a lot of work to do.

This year, we implemented the "Endeavour Programme for Active Learning" (EPAL) for P1 and P2 pupils. As it was the first time, there was a lot of coordination needed. However, the response from the P1 and P2 pupils have been very positive, and this has made the work worthwhile and meaningful. EPAL stretched over three terms, and we will take a breather in Term 4.

For the P1 pupils (in 2011), we involved them in Holistic Assessment (HA). At this time, for teachers, parents and pupils, I think we know more about HA. In 2012, we will implement HA at P1 and P2 level. Through HA, parents have gained a better understanding and knowledge of their children's learning.

I thank my staff members for the support they have given me, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Endeavour staff members "Happy Teachers' Day".

Celebrating National Day / Every Child a Performer

2011-08-10T10:40:00.001+08:00

When the Canberra Constituency invited our school to perform at the constituency's National Day Celebrations (on 8 August), I asked Mrs Tong (Form Teacher/P5B) whether she would like to involve her class. She was very sporting, and gave me a thumbs-up.

In less than three weeks, she worked with the pupils, and got them all hyped up for the performance. On 8 August, at 8.21 p.m. when saw them perform on stage, she was so proud of them. For the children, it must have been an unforgettable night.

If anyone is interested, here is the link:
http://edp5b2011.blogspot.com/

In our school, our belief is "Every Child a Performer". You may not know P5B class well, but I know that a few of them are very shy people. On 8 August, however, they showed so much confidence on stage. Mrs Tong has indeed done a wonderful job. In P5B, indeed, we have seen every child a performer.

Thank you P5B pupils for showing diligence and perseverance. More importantly, you showed confidence, and I too am proud of you. Cheers!

P1 Registration - Phase 2C

2011-08-10T10:31:00.000+08:00

The P1 Registration Phase 2C exercise ended recently. At this phase, 153 applicants applied for the remaining 77 places.

A ballot was conducted. In all, 76 were not successful. They will need to register at another school during Phase 2CS.

We would like to thank the parents for believing in us. My staff and I will strive to give of our best.

In 2012, we will have seven P1 classes. In all, we will have 40 classes (from P1 to P6), with a total of 1440 pupils.

Rainbow Day 3 Celebrations

2011-07-21T12:48:00.000+08:00

Full House@Rainbow Day 3

On 19 Jul, we celebrated Rainbow Day 3. For this event, the pupils presenting were mainly from the P1 and P2 classes. We had invited parents, and we were pleasantly surprised to see so many parents. Thank you parents! The support you have for your child will go a long way.

Here are a few photographs that were taken on the day:

P1D pupils having great fun on stage

P2F sang a song about courtesy

P2A put up a skit about getting along

P1A singing and dancing to the tune of "Sugar, Sugar"

P2B pupils wore costumes of many different countries

P2D put up the school's first Dikir Barat performance

Rainbow Day 3 / P1 Registration

2011-07-18T16:45:00.000+08:00

Today marks the start of Term 3, Week 4. With the start of the new term, my staff and I have become very busy. I have not found time to make blog postings, and was reminded of this by a parent I met in the canteen.

I have known her since 2008, and she has always been very supportive of EDP. In the short time I spent with her in the canteen, she shared that she had read my recent postings, and asked how it was in Term 3. Let me respond to her.

Tomorrow (19 Jul) is Rainbow Day 3. Those familiar with Endeavour Primary will know that the school has a rainbow day every term. It is a platform for our pupils to go on stage to perform. Our concern is not about getting the pupils to put on a perfect act, but it is providing our pupils with an opportunity to stand on stage with their classmates and confidently put on a brave show. I know the teachers always find this daunting, but I hope the teachers realise how much it does for a class.

Recently, I saw a P2 class practising. The teacher and class were together, trying to execute the item they had prepared. As I stood from afar to have a look, I saw the pupils very actively engaged in what they were doing. They took it quite seriously, and yet in the seriousness, I think they also had fun. The rehearsal by the teacher with the pupils was, for me, many lessons in one. They were learning English, learning values, and learning how to get on with one another.

The P1 registration exercise started recently. At this time, we have filled 133 places out of a total of 210. There are 77 places remaining for Phase 2C. In the last 2 years, more residents have moved into Sembawang, and it is likely that most, if not all, P1 places in Sembawang will be taken up during this year's registration. There is already a planned fifth primary school in Sembawang. Once Phase 2C is over, I will post an update.

The Primary 6 pupils are beginning to worry about their PSLE. One of them used the word 'looming' to describe the coming PSLE. As the teachers work with them and encourage them, I will be there to lend my support to the teachers and pupils. As long as the P6 pupils give of their best, I am confident they will do all right.

Warmest regards

The Start of Semester 2

2011-06-27T10:32:00.000+08:00

School is not the same without the pupils. This morning, as the children assembled at the parade area, Mr Bhim and I were excited to see them. For Mr Bhim, he was very happy to see the children settling quietly and reading their books.

Endeavour pupils are, by and large, respectful and well-behaved. They listen when we talk with them, and they know we are doing what's best for them. However, being children, there will be times when they forget, and my teachers and I will need to give a timely reminder.

The PSLE will begin with the PSLE Orals in Term 3. In Semester 2, therefore, there will be some disruption to the school routine.

We are ready for the new school term. I hope we will have a good Semester 2.

Last week, on 23 June, my staff and I were at Sentosa. We held our staff meeting in the morning, and did a Staff Trail in the afternoon. This get-together helped to prepare us for the start of term.

Welcome everyone to Semester 2!

Primary 5 Learning Journey to Indonesia

2011-06-25T09:25:00.000+08:00

Our staff and pupils (Borobudur in the background)

This year, during the June holidays (30 May - 2 June), our P5 pupils visited Indonesia. They were led by Mr Clarence Hoe, Mdm Pang Wan Ching, Mdm Lim Chii Bin, and Mdm Wendy Tang.

For Endeavour Primary, this was the first time the school visited Indonesia. In previous years (2009, 2010), the P5 pupils went to Mt Kinabalu (in Sabah, East Malaysia).

Indonesia is a huge country, and the learning journey took our pupils to Jogjakarta, an ancient city with many cultural places of interest. Our P5 pupils have brought their excitement home, and they have asked that I place a link in this blog. Here is the link: http://www.edpasean.blogspot.com/

I visited their blog, and I enjoyed reading their journal, which captured the many precious memories they had. Mr Hoe (the leader of the LJ) said the pupils had a wonderful time. For many of the children, the experience of such a trip is unforgettable.

Photos of Learning Journey to Thailand

2011-06-24T10:03:00.000+08:00

Before the P4 pupils left on 19 June, we were very worried about the Thai political situation (with a major election just days away). In the end, we decided it was all right to go ahead. In this posting, I am happy to report that the staff and pupils have all returned safely. (Here are a few photos taken during their LJ.)

Mr Bhim offering food (In Sainamtip School, the moral education lessons are taught by buddhist monks)

Our staff and pupils received a warm welcome from the Thai school

Our pupils were taught Thai handicrafts

Here's a memento to take back to Singapore

Do we have this in Singapore?

Guess what our pupils are doing here

Our artists leaving their imprints behind

One last group picture before leaving Sainamtip School

Learning Journey to Thailand (19-22 June)

2011-06-20T08:58:00.001+08:00

As part of the school's ASEAN Friendship Programme, Endeavour Primary wants to make friends with all the ASEAN countries. Since 2008, we have visited Malacca & Sabah (in Malaysia), Brunei and Indonesia.

In the early morning of Sunday (19 June), the Primary 4 pupils from P4B, P4E and P4F left Singapore on their Learning Journey (LJ) to Thailand. The group is led by Mr Bhim, our Vice Principal. This LJ marks the school's first trip to Thailand.

The pupils will visit Sainamtip School in Bangkok. Earlier this year, the pupils from Sainamtip School visited Endeavour Primary. At that time, we said we would also like to visit them in Thailand. I am happy that we are able to make it. The staff and pupils of Sainamtip School have promised to take very special care of our pupils. I hope the visit to Sainamtip will be exciting and meaningful.

The pupils will also visit River Kwai. There, they will see and learn about the suffering that prisoners of war (during 2WW) underwent. History offers many learning lessons. The exhibits will help our pupils appreciate and understand the history of this region.

It is good to have friends in ASEAN. The photo posted in this blog was sent to me by our Thai host. (Our pupils and teachers are still in Thailand.) I am thankful to our Thai friends. (Thank you, Jip.)

To all Endeavour pupils and teachers on this LJ, have a safe trip!

Primary One Registration Exercise

2011-06-09T10:05:00.000+08:00

In July, the annual Primary One Registration Exercise will begin. MOE has confirmed that we will open seven P1 classes.

In 2012, therefore, we will have 40 classes (P1 - 7, P2 - 9, P3 - 7, P4 - 8, P5 - 6, and P6 - 3). The pupil population will reach a total of 1440.

We are heartened by the community's response, and the support we have received from many stakeholders is encouraging. With the increase in the number of pupils, the school has already begun to plan and prepare for the next year.

The teachers and I will face many challenges. As we want to make learning exciting and purposeful, with more pupils this will require a lot more thinking and planning. Another is space. As all the classrooms will be used in 2012, there will be less space for all. With more pupils in the upper primary levels, we will need more teachers to teach Science.

I would like to assure parents that the planning process has already started. In the recent Open Posting of teachers, for example, we have found more teachers for next year.

We will need the support of our stakeholders. The school has sought the support of parents to help us. The parent support group (psg) has indicated their willingness, and we are grateful for this support.

Thank you.

Study Trip to Sweden and Denmark (18 May - 2 June)

2011-06-06T11:18:00.000+08:00

Group Photo taken at Young Business Creative (YBC), Sweden

Recently, I had the privilege to accompany a group of LEP Participants to Sweden and Denmark. We spent nine days in Sweden and six days in Denmark. LEP stands for Leaders in Education Programme, a course attended by future principals.

We had gone there with three objectives in mind: to learn about the way creativity and innovation is taught in the two countries, to learn more about their student-centric approaches, and to find out how they conduct national education.

What sets them apart from us is their long history and centuries of traditions. In both countries, we learnt about their respect for the individual, even for a young child. We are quite different. In Sweden, however, we were surprised to learn that they intend to move away a little from the student-centric focus.

The two countries are in the far North, and for them to survive they have always had the need to be innovative and creative. In our visits to many educational places, we sensed very strongly this culture of innovation and creativity.

As for national education, countries like Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland have had long histories of war among themselves. Today, they are very mindful of demonstrating too much nationalism. One principal shared that few Swedish people would openly wave the Swedish flag, except during sports events.

We had the opportunity to visit many interesting places. One place that I enjoyed visiting was the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design (CIID). Like the LEP participants, I too learnt a lot from the principal's sharing.

Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

2011-05-14T09:50:00.000+08:00

Curriculum is about what we teach. While we want our pupils to do well in English, Mother Tongue, Maths and Science, the curriculum also includes subjects, like Civics and Moral Education, Physical Education, Social Studies, Art and Music. It is important that we also focus on these so-called non-core subjects. This year, with the Endeavour Programme for Active Learning (EPAL) our P1 and P2 pupils have 4 periods of enrichment lessons. It is a big effort. For both pupils and teachers, it has been a challenge.

We have just concluded the SA1 for our P2-P6 pupils, and the pupils were tested on what had been taught. For each level, after the marking, the pupils' performances are monitored by a group of senior teachers. This helps us to prepare what to teach in Semester Two, and what more we need to do to ensure that all pupils are learning well.

Pedagogy is about how we teach. For a 21st century teacher, the constant challenge is to engage the pupils in meaningful yet exciting learning. Recently, I was walking past the school library. I saw pupils of P1F class sitting on the floor. Their Form Teacher was with them. Intrigued, I stood there listening to the pupils, who were seated in two rows. They were doing some oral recitation. They knew the cue, and each of them responded at the right time. I was very impressed. These are just seven year olds.

Assessment is about how we know the pupils have learnt. For a school, one major assessment mode is the PSLE. However, while the PSLE remains important, many feel there should be a more holistic assessment of pupils' learning. This year, we have made a big change in the way our P1 pupils are assesed. For the other levels (P2-P5), we have also introduced some changes.

As we move forward, the Endeavour teaching staff members will have to constantly re-look at the way we perform our role as teachers. Along the way, there will be some hiccups. We seek the understanding of all our stakeholders: pupils and their parents.

P2 Learning Journey to the Bird Park

2011-05-09T11:21:00.001+08:00

Our pupils enjoy going on learning journeys. For the teachers, it can be quite exhausting, having to look out for so many of them. However, to see the joy in the children's eyes more than make up for it.

Recently, our Primary 2A pupils went on a Learning Journey to the Bird Park. Let me share a few photographs.

Still in school, but look at the anticipation in their eyes

Listening attentively

Wow, the bird show!

There's always time to eat

Let's take a close-up look

Our School Values

2011-04-24T14:26:00.000+08:00

To help us remember the school values, my staff and I have come out with this: EDP=I2C.

E=Endeavour is the name of our school.

The five values are: D=Diligence, P=Perseverance, I=Integrity, I=Innovation, and C=Compassion.

Mr Tay Chong Cheow is the Head of Pupil Management. He works with a group of teachers, and they help to plan, implement, monitor and review the school's character development programme, which seeks to inculcate these values in Endeavour children.

To do well academically, the children need to be diligent and persevering. Working hard and striving to do well is something we hope to see in every child.

Showing integrity is about being true to oneself and to others. In many respects, we often see the children demonstrating this quality.

Can the young show Innovation? Our teachers must model this behaviour, and they have. In the way they teach, the teachers have shown innovative ways. In the teaching of Science, Math, English, Chinese & Malay Languages, our teachers have worked with MOE to develop innovative lessons. There is much to be done, and we hope to involve the children.

Endeavour staff and pupils show compassion in many ways. Mr Bhim (the VP), the teachers and I care a lot about the pupils in Endeavour. We always do what we can for them, and more. The children in Endeavour are taught to care for other people, and not be selfish individuals. At our recent International Friendship Day celebration, we once again invited our friends from the Singapore School for the Deaf (SSD). Our SSD friends put up a special item, and we could see how happy they were when they saw our silent hand applause.

In January 2008, when the school started, our school values guided us in what we set out to do. Today, these values remain relevant, and will continue to guide us.

Prefect Investiture 2011

2011-03-29T12:18:00.001+08:00

This morning, we had our Prefect Investiture. A total of 114 prefects received their prefects' badges. I would like to congratulate all of them.

We invited Mdm Clara Tan, a member of the School Advisory Committee, to grace the occasion as the Guest of Honour.

Here's her message to the children:

I am very pleased to be invited to join you at this year’s Prefects’ Investiture. As a member of the School Advisory Committee, I take it as a very pleasant duty to be invited to grace the occasion this morning as Guest of Honour.

I am told 114 prefects will receive their prefects’ badges today. To those who have been selected as prefects, I congratulate you. Your selection by the teachers indicates that you are able to take care of others. This is a worthy recognition, and it says a lot about who you are. To become a young leader in a primary school is a good start. I urge you to continue to do good work, and to serve others well as a prefect. I know many Endeavour pupils look up to the prefects. I hope you will perform your duty with diligence, commitment and care.

In Endeavour Primary, there is a programme that is known by many of you. This is the Every Child Holistic Programme (ECHP). The belief is that every child can be a leader, a writer, a performer, an artist, and a responsible citizen. As a parent, I like this programme, and I think it will help my children to grow up to become upright and useful citizens.

I want to share a little about “Every Child a Leader”. Can we all be leaders? I think the answer is yes. What kind of leader can you be? In a school, I think the best leader is a servant leader.

Please allow me to share a little about “servant leadership”. What is a servant leader? Let me try to explain it. Leading people is not a simple job of barking orders to others: “You do this, and you do that!” If you behave in this manner, nobody will respect you, and nobody will follow you. A servant leader is one who leads by serving others. When people see that you are serious about serving them, they will willingly follow you, and you will win their respect. I hope to see Endeavour prefects becoming servant leaders.

What will guide the prefects in their work? I think there is a simple answer. The prefects must look at the five school values: Diligence, Perseverance, Integrity, Innovation and Compassion. If the prefects can help the teachers to provide an environment in which all the pupils of this school constantly show these values, then I think Endeavour Primary has done well.

I am confident that the prefects will respond positively. Although we are having the investiture today, the prefect mistress tells me that they have already started doing their work, performing their service. I would like to wish the 114 prefects all the very best as they assume their duties and responsibilities. To all Endeavour pupils, I urge you to show respect to your prefects as they serve you to help you become good citizens of Singapore in the future.

Thank you for inviting me.

Mdm Clara Tan
Treasurer, School Advisory Committee
Endeavour Primary School

The Start of Term 2

2011-03-17T14:11:00.000+08:00

On 21 March, the pupils will come back to school after a short one-week break. We will be busy in Term 2, which will end with the Semesteral Assessment (SA) 1 in Week 8 (9-13 May). SA1 is often referred to as the Mid Year Exam. The results will be released in Week 10 (23-27 May).

The teachers and I have looked closely at the pupils' CA1 results. There will be a need for some follow-up work in Term 2. The teachers will identify those who need help, and remedial classes for pupils will start in Week 2 of Term 2.

For the P1 level, their assessment this year is different. Endeavour Primary is piloting Holistic Assessment (at P1). On Saturday, 16 April (9.00-9.45 a.m.), there will be a briefing for all parents of P1 pupils.

There will also be a briefing on Subject-Based Banding for parents of P4 pupils. It will be held on the same Saturday, 16 April (from 10.15 - 11.00 a.m.).

During the March holidays, a number of classes tried the school's Learning Management System (LMS). The pupils go to Marshal Cavendish Online, and attempt online questions set by the teachers. In Term 2, we will get all pupils to be familiar with the LMS. The teachers are excited by the LMS, as it helps to facilitate self-directed learning.

On 1 and 2 April, MOE has organised ExCEL FEST. Held at Suntec, parents are invited to view the many exhibits and to participate in classroom experiences. A group of Endeavour teachers and pupils will be taking part.

EPAL stands for Endeavour Programme for Active Learning. EPAL for P1 and P2 will continue in Term 2. Every P1 and P2 class has two hours of EPAL every week. In Term 2, the pupils will try out different activities. Based on observations, the pupils are responding well to EPAL. At year-end, the school will do a complete review, and will invite parents to give their feedback.

A number of zonal and national competitions will take place in Term 2. Our volleyball junior team (girls) made it to the national competition. Our hope is for them to be one of the Top 4 schools. In end march, the rugby junior team (boys) will participate in the zonal competition. The boys have trained hard, and we are confident they will do well. The rugby senior team (boys) will take part in the national competition. We hope they will excel this year.

In table tennis, rope-skipping, and wushu, our pupils are also going for competitions. I wish them all the very best.

A number of pupils are taking part in the Singapore Youth Festival Art 2011. In 2009, we had a few finalists but no awards. We hope to do better this year.

In Term 1, the pupils enjoyed Rainbow Day 1. I hope Rainbow Day 2 will be just as exciting.

We have two classes (P6A and P6B) sitting for the Primary Six Leaving Examinations (PSLE). I work very closely with the teachers of these two classes. I am happy to see that many P6 pupils are very serious about their work, and most, if not all, are concerned about their performance. Over the next six months, we will help them prepare for the PSLE.

We Are North Zone Champions!

2011-02-23T11:55:00.000+08:00

In 2008, Mr Yaidi started Rugby CCA in Endeavour. A keen Rugby enthusiast, he soon got the children excited. By end of the year, many boys could play the game.

In 2009, Endeavour took part in the North Zone Rugby competitions. Our boys were much younger then, and we could form only a Junior team. They came in Third that year. We were very happy and proud of the boys.

In 2010, we competed in both categories: Junior and Senior. The junior team came in second position that year. We had showed improvement.

In 2011, we are competing again in both categories.

The Senior team played their last game this morning. I went to support them. To see the boys playing was a privilege.

They played very confidently, and today they emerged the North Zone Rugby (Senior) Champions!

I must thank Mr Peerose Shah, the school's rugby coach, and the teachers (Mr Yaidi, Mr Collin Chew, Mr Muhd Dahlan) for their sterling effort.

Three cheers to our Rugby Boys (Senior) Team!
Thanks to them, Endeavour has clinched its first North Zone Championship!

Photograph: Our boys with Mr Kiran (Chairman of North Zone Primary Schools Sports Council), and Mrs Lee (North Zone Rugby Convenor-Primary)

Total Defence Day

2011-02-19T11:33:00.001+08:00

On 15 February each year, the school marks Total Defence Day. On this day in 1942, Singapore surrendered to the Japanese.

For our pupils, there are no actual memories of war. I too was born after World War Two. So, it is important that we remember the day, and we hope that it will never happen again.

Total Defence involves everyone, including the pupils. This year, the Rainbow Day 1 performances were special. Each class tried to share a little about Total Defence. Primary 4C class did an excellent job of informing the children and teachers about Civil Defence. Primary 4B class presented Military Defence. Primary 5B class showed the confidence we need as a country. In all, eight classes presented during rainbow Day 1. I think they all did a wonderful job.

Here are some photographs which I would like to share:

Our confident MCs for the day

P4A enacted the Fall of Singapore

A skit by P4B (Military Defence)

A presentation by P4C (Civil Defence)

P4D sang "One United Singapore" (Social Defence)

A skit by P4E (Economic Defence)

P4F sang the song "Will You?" (Psychological Defence)

P5A presented Kung Fu Fighting

The P5B pupils showed confidence, "Never Say Never".

Visitors from Sainamthip School (Bangkok, Thailand)

2011-02-08T08:00:00.001+08:00

As part of the school's ASEAN Friendship Programme, we are happy to welcome 14 Thai students from Sainamthip School. They arrived on Monday, 7 Feb. The Thai students are here for a one-week immersion programme. Our P4 and P5 pupils are playing host, and the Thai students will be with us for a week.

Today, Endeavour pupils will get a special treat. The Thai students have prepared a dance, and they will perform this dance during the day's assembly.

Four Thai teachers are accompanying the students. The Head of the delegation is Mrs Pathumporn Wardkhien, Head of Foreign Language in Sainamthip School. Our teachers look forward to an exchange of teaching ideas.

In June this year, we are planning a learning journey to Thailand for our pupils. We hope to visit Sainamthip School.

Happy Lunar New Year!

2011-02-02T11:54:00.000+08:00

The Chinese New Year is one of the major festivals we celebrate every year. This year is the Year of the Rabbit. It promises to be a great year. Let me share how we celebrated it in Endeavour Hall this morning.

First, we must have children who are well-behaved. Then we can all enjoy the celebration.

The first item was a Cross Talk (Xiang sheng). Dominic and Yuan Kai, the two boys from P6A, were like xiang sheng experts. They performed very well, and the audience enjoyed their witty exchanges.

Next, the wushu troupe put up an impressive performance. A few started learning Wushu when they were in P2. They are growing up fast.

Then we had two unexpected visitors. Here they are: Zhu Deng and Melvin. They were both in P6A last year, and this year they are studying in RI. Their school sent them back to their primary school to join in the celebrations. We were very happy to welcome them.

The next item was a performance by the Chinese Dance troupe. The girls too have grown up. They put up a beautiful dance.

In this picture, two Art teachers joined in the celebration. I am very proud of them. They are our non-Chinese staff members, and they were able to write "Happy New Year" in Chinese. Thank you, Teachers!

Next was an item that got everyone excited, even the grandparents, whom we had invited to join the celebration. Look at the faces on the grandparents as they receive "gold nuggets" from the God of Prosperity.

Our teachers then got all the children to join in singing a Chinese New Year song. Everyone joined in, and we all had great fun singing together.

And what's Chinese New Year without the Lion Dance. This has become a tradition of sorts in Endeavour. Good Health, Happiness, Prosperity to ALL. And for the children, may you excel in your studies!

Now look at this picture, and the first picture. Don't you think the children enjoyed their Chinese New Year celebration in Endeavour Hall?

Blogging by Endeavour Staff Members

2011-01-31T08:50:00.000+08:00

I started Journal by Endeavour Principal back in 2008, when the school first started. For me, it was to use a social platform to connect with the Endeavour community. Since then, I have tried to put up postings regularly.

The blog also allows parents to send in comments, and I am heartened that the comments posted are generally friendly and appreciative in nature. For comments that are posted, this platform allows me to moderate. Since 2008, I have put up nearly all comments posted (and unedited). New media, like this, is powerful, and if we use it well, it can be both purposeful and of great value.

This year, many form teachers in Endeavour have come on board, and they are putting up class blogs. It is not something that I as principal can demand of them. The class blog is something they do on their own time. I appreciate the effort and time put in, and I hope that all my teachers will join me.

To all parents, I hope you will appreciate the staff members who have responded to my call.

Working with Parents and Children

2011-01-18T12:39:00.000+08:00

This morning, Ms Chan, our school counsellor, shared that she would like to organise talks and sharing sessions for parents. I support this.

Ms Chan will also look into a few workshops to help the children. These will help the pupils to take better care of themselves.

The school will organise different types of talks. For the parents of P5 and P6 pupils, Ms Chan intends to conduct a workshop on communicating with young people. We know that all parents care and mean well for the children. However, parents sometimes seem to be struggling with their children and not able to communicate well with them. We hope this workshop will help to bring parents and their children closer.

For the children, one workshop that we are thinking of is to help them get along with others. We sometimes see children not able to relate well with their peers. They then become unhappy in school. If they learn from the workshop, perhaps their lives will turn for the better.

Let's give Ms Chan some time to get help from the relevant parties. We hope to get started some time in Term 1.

End of Term 1: Week 1

2011-01-07T16:38:00.001+08:00

Today is the last day of Week 1. We conducted the temperature-taking exercise in the early morning. The children did not have Fitness Friday.

The lessons have started, and as the children settle into the new academic year, the pace of work will quicken. A few teachers have already started their class blogs. I hope to encourage all teachers to do theirs. Next week, the P4-P6 pupils will start CCA.

For recess today, the P1 pupils had to go to the canteen to buy their food, and after school they had to walk to the school gate by themselves.

During recess, the P3 buddy leaders were very helpful. They tried their best to teach the young P1 pupils. We gave them a checklist of instructions, and many followed it dutifully. The surprising thing about children is that when they are entrusted to take care of others, they end up being much better themselves. We are proud of the P3 pupils.

For today the P1 pupils had to walk to the school gate by themselves. The drizzle during dismissal time did not help. It took a while for the last child. At 1.30 pm, a father was frantically looking for his son. According to the father, the child was to meet him at Gate A. We were worried the child might have left school on his own. At 1.45 pm, we found the boy. He had wandered into the school library.

I apologise for the crowding at the 3 Gates. As the children get more familiar with the dismissal, the crowding will lessen.

Tomorrow (which is Saturday) the teachers have invited parents to come to school to help decorate the classrooms. To the parents who are coming to help, thank you. The classrooms will look more interesting when work is completed.

Have a Great Weekend!

The First Day of 2011

2011-01-05T09:10:00.001+08:00

The first day of school can be a nerve-wracking experience for the parents of P1 pupils. In a primary school, a lot more is expected of the children, and the constant worry of the parent is whether the child knows what to do.

A parent wrote to me about her concern for her child. Apparently one teacher had raised his voice, and she was worried that this might frighten the child.

I would like to assure all parents that we are mindful that the P1 pupils are new to a primary school, and we will do our best to take care of them. Please forgive us if there are lapses.

For the P2-P6 pupils, I see they are settling well. I am very happy with the P2 pupils. They have retained the innocence of P1 pupils but are definitely more capable of taking care of themselves this year. For the P3-P5 pupils, many are maturing and behaving like young adults.

For the P6 pupils, ahead of them is a very big challenge for the year, their PSLE. The P6 teachers will do their best to prepare them for this exam.

Over the next few weeks, I will find time to visit the various classes to have a word with the children.

As the pupil enrolment has increased this year, we also have many teachers joining the school. The parents may be interested to know that many of the teachers applied to join Endeavour Primary (through MOE Open Posting Exercise). With their support, I am confident that we will take good care of the children.

Overall, there were a few hiccups on the first day. We have done a quick review, and we hope that we will improve the processes. To the many parents who have showed understanding, thank you.

Goodbye 2010, Welcome 2011

2011-01-03T14:56:00.000+08:00

On 4 Jan, school starts again. For Endeavour Primary, this will see the start of our fourth year.

This year, our pupil enrolment has gone up; the number of pupils will hit 1300. Nine P1 classes will begin their journey with us. Time has indeed passed by very quickly. The school's first cohort of P1 pupils are already at the P4 level.

The number of teachers has also increased. On the first day, we will have 71 teachers. The staffing is adequate, and the teachers are ready to start lessons.

A few changes will take place. First, the operating time has been adjusted. School ends at 1.45 pm. on Wednesday and Thursday. On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, school ends at 1.15 pm.

Why? In 2008-2010, we had Co-Curricular Programme (CCP). In 2011, the school is introducing the Endeavour Programme for Active Learning (EPAL). Unlike CCP, which was held after school, EPAL is conducted during the school operating time.

In 2011, only the P3-P6 pupils will have CCA, which is conducted after school (on either Tuesday or Friday, 1.45 - 3.45 pm). We are introducing Floorball, Basketball and Scouts. This will increase the variety of CCAs for our pupils to choose from.

In class, our teachers will provide good lessons. Endeavour staff members are serious about their work, and our pupils have generally done well. The teachers will continue to explore No Heavy School Bag (NHSB) lessons. Endeavour Primary is keen on virtual learning, as we believe that in some lessons the use of infocomm technology (ICT) is appropriate and beneficial.

In our Character Development Programme (CDP), we will continue to teach Endeavour pupils the five school values: Diligence, Perseverance, Integrity, Innovation and Compassion. These values will guide the children well.

The Every Child Holistic Programme (ECHP) will continue. One favourite item among our pupils is Rainbow Day. Like previous years, we will have four Rainbow Days for the year (once every term).

Our commitment to do all we can for the pupils remain. The Endeavour staff members form a good team, and they will strive to give of their best.

Happy New Year!

Goodbye Year of the Tiger

2010-12-30T14:21:00.000+08:00

It is not quite time to say goodbye to the Year of the Tiger, which officially ends on 2 Feb, 2011.

This will be my last blog posting for 2010. It has indeed been a challenging and exciting year. Recently, my staff and I did a year-end reflection, and on the whole, we have done well.

This week (28-30 Dec), the staff members have returned to work, and all the preparations for 2011 are generally in place. We are ready to welcome the children to a new academic year.

This morning (30 Dec), the P1 pupils and their parents were in school. We had the second P1 orientation. This helps to prepare the P1 pupils for the first day of school. The children met their form teachers, and they spent some time together.

In the hall, my staff and I met once again with the parents, and we shared what we thought they needed to know. During the question and answer, there were many questions asked, and we hope all questions had been answered adequately.

After meeting the parents today, I feel very happy. I sensed an appreciation of the work we do, and they responded well to the way we had prepared for their children's first year in a primary school.

We are expecting to see a crowded parade area on Tuesday morning. The pupil population in 2011 is 1300. I would like to assure the parents that we have adequate staffing, and the children will be taken good care of.

2011 promises to be another exciting and challenging year. I am all ready for it, and Endeavour staff members too are ready for it.

Happy New Year!

Primary School Leaving Examination (2010)

2010-11-25T13:10:00.000+08:00

This year, a total of 45,049 Primary 6 pupils sat for the PSLE.
Our first cohort of 39 P6 pupils sat for the examination.
On the whole, my teachers and I are pleased that Endeavour pupils have done well.

We are happy to announce:
27 pupils are eligible for Special/Express Stream (69.3 per cent).
7 will go to the Normal (Academic) Stream (18.0 per cent).
2 will go to the Normal (Technical) Stream (5.1 per cent).

Our top pupil is Zhu Deng. He has a T-score of 269. We are very proud of him.
Five other pupils obtained T-scores above 250. They are:
Tan Ying Xing Sharmane (263)
Ong Yi Jie Melvin (260)
Farah Batrisyia Bte M A T (257)
Stanley Toh Jun Wei (255)
Jiao Yiying (253)

Mr Bhim (VP), Zhu Deng, Mrs Ong (FT), Sharmane & Mr Chia (P)

Our pupils did exceptionally well in English Language, Chinese Language, Higher CL and Higher ML. We obtained 100% pass rate in these subjects.

In terms of quality grades (A/A*), our pupils did very well in:
EL (46.2), CL (87.0), ML (76.9), Science (46.2), Higher CL (50.0) and Higher ML (100.0).

Our advice to those moving on to Sec 1 in 2011: "Continue to work hard!"

Annual Prize-Giving and P6 Graduation Ceremony

2010-11-19T11:39:00.001+08:00

This year's prize-giving and P6 graduation ceremony has just come to an end. The Guest of Honour was Mr Edward Tay, member of the school's SAC. Mdm Clara Tan, treasurer of the SAC, was also present. I would like to thank them for their support.

The staff and pupils came together, and we held a simple but meaningful ceremony. There was good support from the parents, who came to witness their children receiving the awards. It went on smoothly, and I am happy that we have ended the year on this positive note.

I saw the staff working very well together, everyone lending support to ensure we had a well-coordinated ceremony. I think we did a good job.

The pupils as usual rose to the occasion. There was a quiet orderliness, every child felt relaxed, and they all knew what to do.

Many parents came to lend support. It was a happy occasion, and they came to celebrate their children's successes and achievements. I took the opportunity to interact with the parents, and it felt great when they expressed a "thumbs up" for the school.

The performers who took to the stage at intervals were well-received. The performances were encore items that had been performed during the year's four Rainbow Days. The pupils were serious, but they enjoyed themselves. The P6A class also performed, and they recited a poem that one of them had written. Wow!

At the end, in my heart, I felt good. Endeavour, at the end of year 3, has matured. We have good processes, and everyone (staff, pupils and parents) share common beliefs. I am confident as we head towards 2011 that we will do very well. Thank you everyone for a great year!

To Endeavour, three cheers!!!

PSLE Marking (19-22 October)

2010-10-25T16:57:00.000+08:00

Last week, the teachers spent four days marking the PSLE papers. I too helped with the marking of the EL papers.

Let me share a few thoughts. For a subject like English Language, the child at P6 is assessed for his or her command of the language. There are four parts to it: Listening, Oral, Writing and Comprehension.

Among the weaker pupils, I noticed they struggled with the language. They faced difficulty with the spelling of words, using the right prepositions, and they could not construct proper sentences. Many marks were lost.

For the pupils with a good command of the language, they did very well. The paper was not difficult at all.

What's the best way to prepare for the EL exams? My simple answer is READING. As I marked the scripts, my sense was that those with a good grasp of the language would just do well. (For me, a child who likes to read and reads a lot will naturally have a good grasp of the language.)

Today sees the start of Week 7, Term 4. In four weeks the school year will come to an end. For the P6 pupils, the PSLE is over. For the rest (i.e. P1-P5), their SA2 will begin soon. I wish them all the best.

Celebrating Children's Day

2010-10-02T13:58:00.000+08:00

We recently celebrated Children's Day. Let me share a few photographs.

Mr Ali, the Form teacher of P3C, was the MC for the day. He engaged the pupils well, and they all loved him.

We have many Endeavour teachers who are very sporting. They took the time to choose a dance item, had a few practices, and the item was well-received.

We celebrated Rainbow Day 4 and Children's Day on the same day. Here are photographs of the children performing.

Celebrating Teacher's Day

2010-09-25T10:33:00.000+08:00

Endeavour staff members celebrated Teacher's Day with a belated Teacher's Day High Tea on Fri, 24 Sept. Organised by the school's Staff Welfare Committee, the event was held at Bukit Batok Civil Service Club.

My staff and I would like to thank Mdm Clara Tan and Mr Edward Tay, two members of the School Advisory Committee, for taking the time to join us in our celebration.

Mr Ali (P3C Form Teacher) was the Master of Ceremony, and he did a fantastic job. We were made to feel relaxed, and we had an enjoyable afternoon. The members of the SWC all lent their support, and as I saw them busy preparing to ensure the event went smoothly, I felt very happy both for them and for myself.

I felt happy for the staff to see them enjoying an afternoon together. We have very few such occasions. A normal school day is usually fast-paced and energy-sapping.

I also felt happy because I saw the staff members celebrating as one Endeavour family. As principal, such an occasion is very endearing.

Going forward, my wish is for every Endeavour staff member to find purpose and challenge in their work with our children. That really forms one large Endeavour family.

To all Endeavour Staff:
HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY!

Believing in Children

2010-09-14T08:37:00.000+08:00

Endeavour Primary started as a new school in January, 2008. We then had fewer than 20 teachers. Now, we have more than 60 teaching staff members, and by 2011 this number will continue to increase.

The school is here to serve the community, and we are glad that the response to our work has generally been positive. My staff and I will strive to meet the expectations that parents have of us.

As I work and interact with the Endeavour staff members, my sense is that we believe in the children, and we will together work hard to help the pupils realise their full potential.

To me, work that is purposeful, meaningful and challenging is very important. I always tell the staff members that the best time to believe in children is when they are at the primary level. Our work is also about making them believe in themselves. In a primary school, the children are very young and impressionable. A lot can be done to nurture confident children who are useful and upright citizens.

This is the work that I want Endeavour staff to do.

My Reflections at End of Term 3

2010-09-04T11:15:00.000+08:00

I have not found the time to do a blog posting since a month ago. I am sorry about this.

The month of August passed by very swiftly. We had P1 Registration, followed by SEMTREX (National Day Celebration), the YOG, the PSLE Oral Exams, and then Teacher's Day.

In this year's P1 Registration, we had to conduct a ballot exercise for those living within 1 km. We would like to thank everyone who supported us.

SEMTREX prepared the school for an emergency. The children were involved, but as they were mainly at the holding area, many did not get to see the exercise. MOE has given the school a video of the exercise. If there is time, we will show it to the children.

About 200 pupils were given the opportunity to witness selected YOG events. A few teachers too were given the same opportunity. I hope they will forever cherish this memory. The YOG is unlikely to return to Singapore for some time.

Our pupils and teachers took part in the SingTel Event leading up to the YOG. For our effort, we won the first prize in the junior category. Cheers!

Our first PSLE Oral Exams were recently conducted. It went smoothly. My thanks to the teachers.

We celebrated Teacher's Day on Tuesday, 30 August. The children were enthusiastic and many had items to perform for the teachers. Mr Bhim (the VP) and I felt very encouraged. For the teachers, they must feel very happy to have so many pupils who love and respect them.

For the P6 pupils, the term ended with their preliminary examinations. I am happy to note that a few have performed very well. The true test for them will be the PSLE in October. To my P6 pupils, be diligent and show perseverance!

School Emergency Training Exercise (SEMTREX)

2010-08-06T16:56:00.000+08:00

This morning (6 Aug), our celebration for National Day was slightly different. We chose to mark National Day with an emergency training exercise.

At about 10.25 a.m. there was a simulated explosion in the canteen. There was fire in the canteen. We had children and teachers who acted as injured people. At the gate, there were frantic parents. In school, there was a need to quickly evacuate the pupils to a safe area. Our teachers formed themselves into various groups, and went to work quickly to rescue and help those in danger. The entire exercise took about 90 minutes. We had help from MOE, and the exercise was conducted well.

The Singapore Police Force personnel and the officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force also took part in the exercise. With their participation, the exercise was more realistic, and it provided our teachers with an opportunity to learn.

A number of parents were involved in the exercise. They had to play very difficult parents. At the end, there was a 'de-roling' session for them. I was with the parents. One parent mentioned that she appreciated the school's effort in conducting the exercise. When I heard that, I was very pleased.

On the whole, the Endeavour staff and pupils rose to the occasion. In a primary school, it is difficult to explain to the children why we are conducting the exercise. I think many of our pupils understood, and they cooperated with us. I am proud of them. The teachers did well, and they took their roles seriously.

The MOE personnel felt the school had conducted the exercise well. They also gave some feedback on how we could improve the processes. We will do the follow-up.

ASEAN Day Message

2010-08-05T16:09:00.000+08:00

In our school, we have the ASEAN Friendship Programme (AFP). Through the AFP, we want to give every Endeavour pupil an opportunity to visit at least one ASEAN country. There are ten countries in ASEAN. So far, our pupils have visited Malaysia (Malacca & Sabah), Brunei and Vietnam. In 2011, we hope to travel to Cambodia and Thailand.

Every year, there is an ASEAN Day. Through this blog platform, I would like to share with everyone our Education Minister's ASEAN Day message.

1 On 8 August we commemorate ASEAN Day. ASEAN is 43 years old this year. It was established in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, and subsequently joined by Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to become an organisation of ten nations in 1999. ASEAN brings together 580 million people and the Member States collectively have the third largest GDP in Asia, after China and Japan. ASEAN is now working hard to realise its vision of a single ASEAN Community in 2015, when our ten economies will become a single market and production base, with the free flow of goods, services, investments and capital, as well as the free movement of professionals and skilled labour.

2 Singapore attaches great importance to ASEAN and plays an active role to contribute to its goals. The spirit and habit of cooperation which the ASEAN Member States have forged over the years have contributed to peace and stability in Southeast Asia. In contrast to the turmoil and conflict which plagued the region prior to the establishment of ASEAN, today, Southeast Asia is a region free of tension and conflict among Member States. This stability has enabled regional economies to flourish. ASEAN has also contributed to the economic development of its Member States with the expansion of trade following from free trade agreements and lower trade tariffs. Even as ASEAN today pursues deeper integration, the fundamental goal of enhancing regional peace and stability remains the lynchpin of our cooperation, allowing all ASEAN Member States to concentrate on economic growth and development.

3 ASEAN is more than just a political organisation and process where government leaders and officials discuss serious policy issues. Southeast Asia is home to many ethnically diverse groups, with a great range of languages and cultures, and the great religions of the world. ASEAN citizens meet and interact every day in work and in play. In Singapore, we are a cultural microcosm of the larger ASEAN region. There are fellow ASEAN citizens living, working and studying among us, and we welcome them as close friends in our global network of friends. Many Singaporeans can also now be found living and working in all the other ASEAN countries. It is such people-to-people contact and the friendships that grow from the time spent together that will forge a deeper sense of ASEAN Community for all of us. In a world where differences in ethnicity, language, culture and religion often lead to contention and even conflict, Southeast Asia stands out as an example of a region which has thrived in its diversity.

4 In line with this deepening sense of community, ASEAN Leaders have set down several initiatives which aim to bring about tighter integration and better connectivity among ASEAN Member States. We are now drawing up a Masterplan for the ASEAN Connectivity initiative launched in October 2009. This initiative will enhance transport and telecommunication networks within ASEAN, so that it will be easier for you to travel, work, trade and interact with the rest of the region. Subsequently, we will also strengthen links between ASEAN and our regional partners, such as Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. This grand vision aims to bring about a larger number and more affordable options for travellers as well as for business and commerce.

5 As future leaders, you have an important part to play to contribute to the realisation of a strong ASEAN Community. Even now, you can participate in the many regional projects that raise mutual awareness and understanding, such as the ASEAN Youth Connect, which is an online journal and volunteerism portal dedicated to empowering ASEAN youths, and Youth@ASEAN, which is a platform for young people to interact and exchange information with your counterparts in the other ASEAN countries. You can also participate in annual events, like the ASEAN Youth Forum and the “Ship for Southeast Asian Youth” programme, where you can make friends with your peers from the other ASEAN countries. And of course, you can get to know the ASEAN friends in your midst better and learn more about their heritage, culture and customs.

6 I encourage you to take advantage of such mechanisms as the Singapore-ASEAN Youth Fund if you have ideas for projects to reach out to other ASEAN countries. This fund was launched in 2007 to support ASEAN Youth activities, such as courses on leadership and organisational skills, public speaking competitions, and overseas service learning projects. The opportunities are abundant, and it is for you to make the most of them.

7 We have only just embarked on the building of an ASEAN Community, and it is still a “work in progress”. What we make of that work will also depend on you, the youth of ASEAN, on your spirit and commitment. I wish everybody a happy and meaningful ASEAN Day.

Dr Ng Eng Hen
Minister for Education

Endeavour Official Opening (Videos)

2010-07-23T17:16:00.001+08:00

Endeavour Primary celebrated its Official Opening on Fri, 9 Jul.

There was a video recording of the opening, and the school would like to share video segments with teachers, parents and pupils.

If you would like to take a look, please go to the school web site (home page). On the left hand side, you will see a number of icons. Please look out for OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY VIDEOS. Click on it, and it will bring you to all the videos.

Rainbow Day 3 / Racial Harmony Day

2010-07-22T11:56:00.000+08:00

We celebrated Rainbow Day 3 on 21 July. It was held in conjunction with Racial Harmony Day.

For the first half hour, the children watched a play about racial harmony. Later, when I asked a P1 pupil about it, she could narrate the scenes but she did not quite understand the message. When I asked a P5 pupil, he could follow the play well and understood the message.

For the next half hour, seven P1 classes performed. The clases were P1A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Two more P1 classes (P1H and P1I) will get to perform in Term 4.

For me, the surprise item was the combined effort by P1D and P1E. The P1D and P1E teachers got the boys and girls from the two classes to perform, first the boys, then the girls. It was quite interesting.

Rainbow Day is not about getting the children to put on a fantastic performance to impress anyone. It is about getting a class to perform together and having fun, and having the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. Of course, if they can wow the audience like P1D and P1E, that will be a bonus.

For Rainbow Day 3, we invited the pupils from the Singapore School for the Deaf (SSD). There were fifteen of them, accompanied by four teachers. I am happy that Endeavour is forging a close relationship with the SSD. It allows the SSD pupils to join us in our activities. It also gives Endeavour pupils the opportunity to make new friends.

My teachers and I were not ready for the more than 200 parents who turned up. We would like to thank them for coming.

YOG Comes to Endeavour

2010-07-19T15:48:00.000+08:00

On Friday, 16 July, Endeavour pupils had a treat. YOG came to the school.

In case you do not know what YOG stands for, it is Youth Olympic Games. Singapore is indeed privileged to be the first country to host YOG.

To get our pupils excited, two Team Singapore athletes visited the school. They brought along the YOG mascots. The children were thrilled.

In the hall, the children were encouraged to form a huge "wave". This was recorded and the video will appear on huge screens. Do watch out for Endeavour pupils on the big screens.

Building a positive staff culture

2010-07-10T09:29:00.001+08:00

For a new school, we have staff members who come to Endeavour from other schools. A positive staff culture is very important, and there is a lot that a school can do if there is a cohesive staff. I think Endeavour has a positive staff culture. Let me explain.

There is a certain attraction for many staff members when it comes to a new school. Many teachers, for example, willingly join Endeavour because they want to be involved in getting the school going. There is an immense sense of achievement when things are done.

Endeavour has many staff members who apply to join the school through MOE's Open Posting. These staff members are not posted to Endeavour. They applied to come to Endeavour, and I had a chance to interview them. When they tell me how they will like to play a role in making Endeavour a school of choice, I always welcome them with open arms. Many of them are now very happpily settled in Endeavour. I too am happy for them.

In 2009, MOE conducted a survey of staff members in all schools. In terms of staff engagement, Endeavour was a "Zone A" school. Zone A puts Endeavour in the highest band. I felt immensely proud of my staff when this result was shared.

On 9 Jul, when the school celebrated its Official Opening, it was great to see the Endeavour staff members rallying round and every one giving of their best. This spirit cascaded to the Endeavour pupils, who too gave of their best. I think as an entire school, staff and pupils worked together to show our guests how united we stood as a family. The Endeavour family.

The school has travelled 30 months thus far. Looking back, there have been many memorable moments. Looking forward, the journey ahead for Endeavour is both promising and exciting. Together, my staff and I believe we can help our pupils achieve a lot.

ENDEAVOUR'S OFFICIAL OPENING

2010-07-08T09:25:00.000+08:00

For the last few weeks, the pupils, the staff members and I have been busy preparing for the Official Opening of the school. Tomorrow (9 July) is the day.

Mr K Shanmugam (Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC) will grace the occasion as Guest of Honour (GOH).

I am heartened to see many of the staff members readily stepping forward to lend a hand. There's a lot of work to do, and it takes much time and effort.

We have involved nearly 200 pupils in the celebration, and they have been very good. One group of pupils in particular has caught my attention. It is the Wushu troupe. In the last few weeks as they prepare for the celebration, I see a keenness and dedication as they prepare themselves. They have become more mature and I can see they genuinely want to put on a good show.

But it is not just the Wushu pupils. I am happy to say that every one is giving of their best. As a school, we have had a few practices, and so far we are doing well. Let's hope the invited guests (especially the parents whose children are performing) enjoy themselves.

In the last 30 months, Endeavour Primary has grown. We are not running yet, but we are now able to walk steadily, and confident that we are headed in the right direction. A cohesive staff has evolved, we have well-behaved students, we have received much support, and we know what we must do as we journey forward.

I would like to thank every one for their care and support, and always being there for us. Cheers!

A Fine Start to Semester 2

2010-06-28T16:19:00.000+08:00

The first day of Semester 2 passed smoothly. In the early morning, the children settled quickly and many were soon reading their books. The pupils behaved well.

As they gathered at the parade area, Mr Bhim (the VP) and I took a close look at all of them, especially the boys. We looked at the pupils' attire and watched out for boys with long hair. Only one girl did not have her PE shirt; she couldn't find it after the holidays. For the boys, we did not see any one with long hair. Mr Bhim and I concluded that our pupils are respectful and they have learnt to take good care of themselves. Well done!

For this semester, there have been slight changes made to staff deployment, but we start Term 3 with adequate staffing. Four new teachers have reported for work.

We are ready for the school's Official Opening (on Fri, 9 Jul). We look forward to seeing Mr K Shanmugam (Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs) in Endeavour Primary. This will be his first visit.

In Term 3, many activities have been lined up. I am sure the pupils will find them exciting. In the hall (after recess) today, a few primary one pupils asked me about Rainbow Day 3. They were excited as the P1 pupils would be performing this term.

Welcome to Semester 2!

As we prepare for the start of Term 3

2010-06-22T13:33:00.001+08:00

During the fourth week of the holidays, the school starts to see more pupils, teachers and activities.

In my last posting, I wrote about the P3 Learning journey to Malacca. Today, I would like to add that the P4 Learning Journey to Vietnam and the P5 Expedition to Mt Kinabalu have also been completed. 39 pupils and 4 teachers went to Vietnam. 20 pupils and 5 staff members attempted to scale Mt K. This year, eight of the P5 pupils made it to the summit. Well done!

This morning, when I arrived, I saw that many P6 pupils were already in school. It is the 2nd and last day of their two-day study camp. The class pupils are serious, and the teachers are doing their best to prepare them for the coming PSLE.

The P4 and P5 pupils also came back for CL enrichment lessons. They will be in school for the entire week (for two hours each day).

The P4 pupils are also learning to use the data logging equipment. This is part of the Science Department's enrichment programme.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), the teachers will all report back. They have to attend a workshop on Social Emotional Learning (SEL).

On Thursday morning, we have the staff meeting. In the afternoon, the teachers will attend their respective department meetings.

On Friday, there is another workshop for the staff. This is for the whole day.

During the holidays, we have laid tiles on one main section of the canteen - the area ouitside the dental clinic. This area will be transformed into an NE playing area. We hope the children will like it.

Construction of a walkway has begun. This will link the main school building to the neighbouring HDB flats and provide shelter when it rains. However, only the portion within the school has started. The portion outside the school will be completed by the Sembawang Town Council.

The school is gearing up for the official opening on 9 July 2010. The first 2 weeks (of Term 3) will be very busy.

P3 Learning Journey to Malacca (31 May - 1 June)

2010-06-04T17:11:00.000+08:00

Since 2008, it has been an annual ritual for our P3 pupils to venture on their first school-organised trip outside of Singapore, by visiting Malacca.

We choose Malacca as it is near enough and safe. Malacca may be one of the smaller states in Malaysia, but it has very rich culture. There is a lot for the pupils to see and learn.

For this journey, one stop was the Orphanage in Malacca. I am thankful Mdm Salmah, the Supervisor, is always gracious in allowing our pupils to visit her children.

The orphanage is home to slightly more than 100 girls, from 7-17 years of age. Our pupils are about 9 years old, but whenever they visit, they get on very well.

We usually collect used books and soft toys, and we will donate the items to the orphanage. On this trip, we also brought along 4 boxes of chocolates for the girls.

Our pupils are called upon to perform and they usually do this confidently. This trip was no exception.

As Singapore is host country of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), we decided to bring YOG to Malacca. Mdm Liew, seven staff members and 70 Endeavour children collectively shared the message of YOG.

My thoughts at the end of one semester

2010-05-28T21:10:00.000+08:00

The first half of 2010 has been quite hectic. There was always a lack of time, and with a lot to do. As a third-year school, we are happy that the processes are in place, and we are encouraged by the outcomes the staff members and pupils have realised.

For the staff, they have formed professional learning communities. They spend time in active discussion about the work they do. Our Malay teachers have been invited on two occasions to conduct sharing for all ML teachers. Our Chinese teachers shared at SeedNET symposium in 2009, and the CL teachers' work have been selected to be presented at this year's Teachers' Conference. The school is partnering Educational Technology Division (ETD) and we are jointly developing lessons incorporating the use of technology in Science teaching. Our No Heavy School Bag work continues. I have also challenged the teachers to use the Google platform. This is work very new to them, but I can see they are quite excited by it. A number of them are stepping forward to lead the rest.

For the pupils, this year saw a few achievements. In inter-school sports, our pupils, though young, have garnered two awards: one in rugby and one in volleyball. No small feat. I am very proud of them. We participated in the SYF judging this year. Four groups took part, and they came back with two Bronze Awards, one Silver Award and one Gold Award. The Gold Award was a pleasant surprise. The pupils took the training very seriously, but they were so young, I did not think they could garner a Gold. The pupils have done well in many other areas as well, and whenever they do well, I am very happy for them.

After the SA1, I took a good look at the pupils' overall results. For the P6 class, the results are very close to their performance at P5. I have spoken to the P6 pupils, and encouraged them to give of their best. We are confident that a handful will excel. A good number will make it to the Express stream. During the June holidays, the teachers will conduct extra lessons. We want them to do well.

For P1 to P5, the pupils have performed satisfactorily. The P5 pupils usually face a large hurdle when they sit for the SA1. The P5 examination format is quite different from that of P4. The P5 pupils usually perform better in the SA2.

During the holidays, my staff and I will need to spend time to prepare for the next semester. The school's Official Opening is on 9 July (i.e. early Term 3), and we are very excited as we prepare for that as well.

To my pupils, thank you for your hard work. To my staff members, I know you have all given the school a lot, and I appreciate the support. To the parents of Endeavour pupils, I often interact with many of you, and I wish to also thank you for your belief and trust in the work my staff and I do. To those we have let down, I extend my spologies. My staff and I will have to work harder.

Please spend time with the children during the June holidays.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Start of SA1

2010-05-05T09:03:00.000+08:00

As Term 2 draws to an end, the teachers and pupils are busy preparing for the SA1.

In Week 6 (26-30 Apr), the pupils sat for the EL and MT Listening Comprehension Exam, the EL Composition (P1-P6), and MT Composition (P3-P6).

On Fri, 30 Apr, the teachers stayed back after school to mark the EL and MT compositions. By the time the last paper was marked, it was already 6.30 p.m. In Endeavour, the marking of written compositions is done by level. Teachers conduct standardised marking, which ensures consistency and rigour.

It is now Week 7 (3-7 May). Today, the EL and MT Oral Exam (for P3-P6) conducted in the school hall will be completed.

This coming weekend will be a busy time for parents as they help their children prepare for the rest of the exams.

In Week 8 (10-14 May), the pupils will sit for the main papers: EL, MT and Math (P1-P6) and Science (P3-P6).

After the exams, the marks will be collated, and the teachers will work on getting the results out before end of term.

International Friendship Day / Rainbow Day 2

2010-04-16T09:20:00.000+08:00

This morning, we celebrated Rainbow Day 2 in conjunction with International Friendship Day.

For Rainbow Day 2, a number of P2 and P3 classes performed. The P1 pupils are not yet ready to perform. We will see them in Term 3. The pupils do not spend too much time practising. The idea is to give every child a platform to perform. If they do perform very well, it is a bonus.

When the pupils prepare for their performances, I see a lot of learning taking place. For example, P3D was practising an English song. As I listened to the pupils, I felt it was a more interesting way for a class to learn English. The children also learned to sing together as a class, and they learned to project their voices and become more confident about themselves.

Today, I spent some time to explain to the children the need for a small country like Singapore to have friends in many countries. I encouraged the Endeavour pupils to make friends with people from other countries.

In our school, we have the ASEAN Friendship Programme (AFP). ASEAN is made up of 10 countries: Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Myanmar, Phillipines, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

At P3 level, as part of AFP, the pupils visit our nearest neighbour (Malaysia). When our pupils go to Malaysia, there is an orphange in Malacca that they visit, and we have forged links with a primary school in Johor.

In 2009, a group of P4 pupils went on a Learning Journey (LJ) to Brunei and a group of P5 pupils scaled Mt Kinabalu (Sabah).

This year, forty P4 pupils will go an LJ to Vietnam. Another group of twenty-four P5 pupils will attempt to reach the summit of Mt K.

In the years to come, we hope to visit all 10 ASEAN countries. This will give our pupils the opportunity to meet their ASEAN peers.

April is Kindness Month

2010-04-10T09:24:00.000+08:00

In Endeavour, one of the five school values is Compassion. For us, showing kindness is one form of compassion for others. April is our Kindness Month.

Mrs Agnes Choh, the teacher in charge, has diligently planned activities to encourage the pupils to learn about kindness.

Here is one of Endeavour's Kindness Ambassadors. During recess, he was not shy at all. He approached many pupils and helped to spread the kindness message: Kindness begets kindness.

Endeavour pupils are by and large very supportive of their peers. Many of them eagerly took part in many of the kindness activities (held outside the school library).

In 2009, Mrs Choh prepared a huge Kindness Heart. On it was displayed many messages by pupils who wrote about those who had showed kindness towards them. This year, Mrs Choh has added a Kindness Tree. I think this will help to spread the message of kindness, and I hope that it will enable our pupils to better understand the value of compassion.

Virtual Learning (Science)

2010-04-03T10:09:00.000+08:00

Recently, a young P1 girl asked me, "Mr Chia, what is Virtual Learning?"

My simple answer was: "Virtual Learning is learning using the internet. You can do it yourself, anytime, anywhere."

Here is an example. Mr Lee (Head of ICT) has created a site dedicated to the virtual learning of Science.

The site address is: http://sites.google.com/a/edp.edu.sg/sci4u/

The little P1 girl was introduced to it, and she visited the P3 Level. One item caught her attention, and it was about building a "green" future home. A half hour later, she had learnt something. A "virtual" teacher had taught her.

For P3-P6 level, the children can visit this site, and at their own time, they can learn virtually many Science topics. If they are interested, they can even conduct virtual Science experiments. To all Endeavour pupils, please have a go at it.

April Fools' Day

2010-04-03T10:00:00.000+08:00

On 1 April, before the flag-raising, I told the children that if they looked up at the sky they would see a very pretty rainbow. The children looked up but they did not see any rainbow. It was Happy April Fools' Day. I was surprised that a number of children did not know about this day, but children learn quickly.

Virtual Learning @ Endeavour

2010-03-25T12:36:00.000+08:00

On Wednesday (24 March), after school, the teachers spent time in the afternoon learning about "Google Docs". This is a virtual platform that will enable Endeavour teachers to make use of ICT to conduct engaging lessons.

Google Docs is not new, but many teachers are not familiar with using it to teach. Mr Lee Beng Lim (Head of ICT) is our Champion. He conducted the sharing.

During the March holidays, he had used Google Docs to set "virtual" holiday assignments for the P4 pupils. He showed the teachers how he did it. Many were impressed by what Google Docs could do.

The teachers will need time to develop their ICT skills and knowledge. We have a group of ICT mentors. Together with Mr Lee, they will help the other teachers.

I know our pupils look forward to lessons using ICT. There is a lot for them to learn about ICT and they know there is a lot more they can learn by using ICT. Through ICT, we want the children to learn collaboratively. We also hope their learning will become self-directed.

Our teachers want to help them. We will strive to provide ICT "virtual learning" for our pupils. Please give us some time.

The Start of Term 2

2010-03-23T11:16:00.000+08:00

It is always a little different when Term 2 starts. The P1 pupils are now more familiar with the school, and they know what is expected.

Term 2 this year will be a very busy time for the pupils. Many pupils are taking part in inter-school competitions and the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Judging. For some, this may mean missing a few lessons. The teachers will try to help the children manage their time.

For this year's SYF Judging, we have about 120 pupils in the four aesthetic groups: CL dance, ML dance, Choir and Guzheng. As our pupils are much younger, they will find it more challenging. I hope they do well.

In sports and games, our pupils are taking part in Volleyball, Rugby, Rope skipping and Wushu. Our sailors will also go for competition this year. I wish them all the best.

Here's a photograph of the rugby boys at Marsiling Primary doing some stretching before the start of competition.

The game of rugby is tough and requires courage and strength. Our boys will have to play against six schools. So far, they have managed to beat two schools. I am very proud of their determination to win.

The Modular CCA for P1 will start today for 4 classes (1A, 1B, 1C and 1D). They will undergo various modules: ICT, Music, Art and Rope skipping. In Term 3, the other five classes will have theirs.

The Modular CCA for P2 started in Term 1. This term, four classes (P2D, P2E, P2F and P2G) will have the Learn to Swim (LTS) programme. There are six sessions altogether. Another three classes (2H, 2I and 2J) will have ICT, Frisbee and Music. For this term, P2A, 2B and 2C will take a break.

The CCP for P3 (Music and Basketball) started with P3A and P3B in Term 1. Two classes (3C and 3D) will have their CCP in Term 2, and two more classes (3E and 3F) will have theirs in Term 3.

The CCP for P4 includes Fencing, In-line skating and Outdoor Education. The various activities have been well-received, and the P4 pupils have responded very positively.

For the P5, their CCP in Term 2 is Mt Kinabalu Training. While this will prepare those who intend to scale the summit of Kinabalu, the training helps every pupil to attain a high level of fitness.

For the P6 pupils, we have devoted less time to the outdoor activities. We will make up for it after their PSLE.

At the end of Term 2, we will conduct the SA1 Mid-year Exams. For the P1 pupils, they will sit for their first school examinations. The teachers will help to ensure that every child is ready for this.

I would like to end this post with a comment about Endeavour pupils. They are cheerful, responsible and respectful. They show diligence and are persevering. They know how to take care of themselves. Many have a compassionate heart. My teachers and I like the pupils. Thank you pupils.

Preparing for Term 2

2010-03-18T14:42:00.000+08:00

This morning, I met with the School Planning Committee. This year, there are ten of us in the committee. Mr Bhim, the VP, helps me. Another eight teaching staff members are also in this committee. We meet regularly to discuss and plan school programmes and activities. Each member takes charge of specific duties, and helps to ensure the smooth implementation of the plans. At the end of each term, the whole school does a review with improvement in mind.

We have arranged for a staff meeting on Friday, 19 March. The meeting is important, as it allows the entire staff to know the plans for the coming term as well as the rest of the year. In Term 2, we have three areas of focus: our school's preparation for the PSLE this year, the teaching prototype that we have developed, and the school's official opening on 9 July.

Endeavour Primary is now in her third year. In Term 2, we will have about 60 teachers. The staffing is adequate, and there is a lot that we can do. My job is to ensure that the staff is deployed well, and we are able to offer programmes that will have positive impact on Endeavour pupils.

Blog comments, verbal feedback, letters, telephone calls, and numerous email to the school have provided us with valuable input for my staff and I. We take the feedback well, and the challenge for us is to make Endeavour Primary an exciting place for our pupils and a school they enjoy coming to.

I look forward to the support of every one. Thank you.

Our First Rainbow Day

2010-02-25T17:26:00.000+08:00

This year, our first Rainbow Day was celebrated on 24 February.

Rainbow Day is becoming a tradition in our school. We have Rainbow Day every term, and we use this as a platform to provide Endeavour pupils with an opportunity to perform on stage.

We hope this helps to build confidence in our pupils. We also want the pupils to foster a very strong sense of class spirit.

Rainbow Day is a day our pupils look forward to. They get to come to school in their own clothes, and they can look forward to exciting performances. This year, our pupils had an unexpected treat. There was a special performance put up by pupils from the Singapore School for the Deaf (SSD).

I look forward to the performances by the Primary 1 pupils. They may not be ready for Rainbow Day 1, but they will all have an opportunity to perform this year.

Celebrating Chinese New Year

2010-02-04T17:26:00.000+08:00

On 12 February, we will celebrate Chinese New Year. This will be the third year we are celebrating CNY in Endeavour. The Chinese Department is quite excited, and the teachers have grand plans for this year's celebrations.

CNY this year coincides with Total Defence Day. We have therefore planned to share some National Education messages in this year's CNY celebration.

We are inviting the grandparents of our P1 pupils to come and join us. This is to promote inter-generational bonding. I am not sure how many grandparents will be able to respond. We hope they will.

This year, the CL department wants to teach all Endeavour pupils a very traditional CNY custom. This will require every child to come to school with two mandarin oranges. They will give the two oranges to their form teacher. At dismissal time, before the children go home, the form teacher will in turn give them two oranges to take back.

We have planned an exciting programme for 12 Feb. The children will come to school dressed in their colorful clothes. On that day, there is always a heightened sense of anticipation. As in the past two years, we have invited a lion dance troupe to join us in our celebrations. This always gets the children very excited.

On this note, I would like to wish one and all a very Happy Chinese New Year!

Assembly Talk: Diligence and Perseverance

2010-01-18T16:42:00.000+08:00

Last Wednesday (13 Jan 2010), we held the first assembly talk for this year.

Mr Tay Chong Cheow, the Head of Pupil Management, prepared a very interesting presentation. As principal, I always look forward to Mr Tay's slides. If you are interested, please visit the school's character development blog.

This is the address:
http://www.edpcdp.blogspot.com/

Endeavour has five school values: Diligence, Perseverance, Integrity, Innovation, and Compassion. Mr Tay's talk was about Diligence and Perseverance. He inspired our children with his creative sharing.

Mr Tay also arranged for our pupils to meet someone very special. Our guest speaker for the day was Dr Nithiananthan. A medical doctor by profession, Dr Nithia plays the piano exceptionally well, and on that day he performed two wonderful piano pieces for our children. It was a privilege to listen to him.

Building character in a child at primary level is very important. In Endeavour, I am very fortunate to have teachers (like Mr Tay) who are always willing to go the extra mile to be there for the pupils.

The First Week of a New Decade

2010-01-09T21:11:00.000+08:00

Before the start of Term 1, my staff and I spent a day at Marina Barrage. It was 28 Dec 2009. We had our staff meeting, and we prepared for the beginning of the new school year. This is important, as we want to ensure that we are ready to help the children.

As I write my reflections, the first week has just passed by. It was such a busy week, I had not realised it was the first week of a new decade.

In the morning, a number of pupils are usually in school quite early. This picture shows the early arrivals. The time is about 7.15 a.m.

During the first three days, parents were allowed into the school. It was quite a crowd, but it was manageable. We know the parents just want to see how things are. On the whole they were co-operative, and the first three days passed smoothly. During recess, the P1 pupils ate in class. Teachers were present to help them.

On Thursday, the buddy leaders (from P3, P4 and P5) were ready to take the P1 pupils to the canteen. One older pupil is paired with a P1 pupil.

It was very heart-warming to see this older boy patiently helping his P1 buddy, who had bought a hard-boiled egg and was trying to peel it.

On Thursday we implemented the temperature-taking exercise. The new P1 pupils were given a thermometer. They were quick to learn, although a few were not sure what to do.

The P6A class has started the year, with many already setting targets for the PSLE. I hope they will study hard to do very well. I wish them all the very best.

On the first Saturday of Term 1, we like to invite parents to help the teachers decorate the classrooms. It is always very encouraging to see parents who are willing to give of their time.

On my teachers' behalf, I would like to thank the many parents who turned up to help. The classrooms are much prettier, and the pupils will have a pleasant surprise when they come to school on Monday.

The Year of the Tiger

2010-01-04T17:37:00.000+08:00

Welcome to 2010! It is not quite the year of the Tiger yet, but I thought it makes a striking title to start the year's blog postings.

Today was the first day of school, and from experience we know that it can be an eventful day. Luckily for us, it wasn't, and that's good.

The new P1 pupils are the ones we worry most about. So far, everything seems all right. They will soon get adjusted to life in a primary school.

For the other levels, it was all right, except for a P2 pupil who boarded the wrong school bus.

This year is our third, and we have more pupils and teachers. The hall this morning seems crowded. It was so different in 2008.

The school has adequate staffing and that augurs well for the start of year. The children adapt very fast to changes, and I hope that the teachers can start teaching as soon as possible.

We have a new web address (http://www.edp.edu.sg). We have posted the school calendar for Term 1, so if you want to take a look, please visit the site using the new address. The staff updates will be posted up soon.

My teachers and I met during the holidays to prepare for the start of 2010. We are ready, and we promise exciting programmes and activities for the year.

This year, the Endeavour Prototype will be implemented at many levels, and there are many challenges that we will face in 2010. I look forward to the support of parents. With your support, we are confident that we will achieve the targets set.

Thank you and warmest regards

Innovation Carnival 2009

2009-11-21T11:39:00.000+08:00

Behind Endeavour's annual Innovation Carnival is a simple idea. Set up booths to showcase all the many teaching innovations and let the pupils experience the excitement of learning. I think this year's carnival was very well-received. We were very encouraged by one parent's feedback. He was happy to see the young P1 and P2 pupils' eagerness to learn, and the older pupils playing the role of teachers, as they sought to explain to their younger peers. Here are some pictures. I hope you like them.

Stellar makes Brian an Entertainer

Mt Kinabalu Expedition

Look how serious the teacher is

Creating a digital post card

Every Child a Writer

Inculcating character values

Self-directed learning

Our No Heavy School Bag (NHSB) Approach to ML Learning

Creating a simple art piece

A Fun way to learn Science

Endeavour Parents showing interest

"Little Delights" Concert - 20 Nov 2009

2009-11-17T15:15:00.000+08:00

After the Prize Presentation this Friday evening, we will have the "Little Delights" Concert. I am very proud of the five CCA groups that will be participating in our first Endeavour concert.

This concert is a platform to showcase what our pupils have learnt. We are very pleased to invite the children's parents to view the performances. An invitation has been extended to every parent whose child is taking part.

Why is the concert called "Little Delights"? To us in Endeavour, every child is a little delight.

Today, they held their practices, and as I walked the school to see them in practice, I felt very encouraged by what I saw. The children took the practice seriously, and I know they want to do their best.

I look forward to the performances by the Chinese Dancers, the Malay Dancers, the Drama group, the Choir and the Guzheng group. It will be a delightful evening for the pupils, their parents, the staff and I.

Endeavour Spirit / Innovation Carnival

2009-11-17T14:55:00.000+08:00

As Endeavour reaches the end of Year Two, I feel very humbled by what I see in the staff members. Let me call it "the Endeavour spirit".

In every school, we want to see staff members coming together and sharing a strong sense of belonging. I see this every day, and I think this Endeavour spirit will help the school realise all her goals.

Today, for example, many staff members gathered in the school hall preparing the many booths for our annual Innovation Carnival. They worked very well together, as they prepared the exhibits for the event. There were more than 15 booths, each providing an insight into what teaching and learning in Endeavour is about.

For a two-year old school, we are proud of our innovative teaching practices. They show our teachers' innovation, diligence and perseverance, as they carefully work on developing these teaching material.

On 18 Nov, every Endeavour pupil will get a chance to visit the carnival. The children will take a close look at the various exhibits. I am sure they will enjoy the experience.

To all my staff members, Thank You!

Time has passed by very quickly

2009-10-26T16:18:00.000+08:00

Endeavour Primary started in January 2008. Soon, we will come to the end of Year Two. Time has indeed passed by very quickly.

Endeavour is relatively new. In the last two years, I have seen the pupils growing and maturing. The staff members have worked hard and given of their best. I have very high hopes for and expectations of our pupils.

We will have a P6 class in 2010, and the pupils have been working hard. We want them to achieve good results, and my teachers and I will do what is necessary to prepare the pupils well.

The present P2 classes joined us when the school first started. This cohort is doing very well. In all areas, they have met our expectations. This year's P1 classes have become very comfortable in the school. They are so different now compared to just months ago. What a difference a year makes.

Over the next two weeks (i.e. Week 7 and 8), the children will sit for SA2. I think many of them are ready for it. After the exams, we will have our last "Meet Parent Session" for the year.

On 18 November, we will have our annual "Innovation Carnival". The carnival showcases the various teaching and learning innovations in Endeavour. All parents are cordially invited to this event.

On 20 November, the last day of school, we will have our annual Prize Presentation cum "Little Delights" concert. The concert will showcase the school's choir, chinese dance, malay dance, drama and guzheng CCA groups.

Two years will then come to an end. How time flies! I would like to share a few pictures. I hope you like them.

Everyone's a sportsman. Cheers!

In Endeavour, every one gets to perform on stage

The P5 pupils at the National Day celebration

The P3 pupils all come together for mass percussion

Our P5 pupils at the summit of Mt Kinabalu!

We celebrate Hari Raya together

Folding paper cranes for charity

Our P1 pupils at the Zoo

Community Involvement - Lantern Festival

2009-10-14T12:41:00.000+08:00

Earlier this year, the EL Drama group performed at Chong Pang CC.

In the past 18 months, whenever we were approached by the community to contribute an item for a public performance, we had to turn down the request as we felt our CCA groups were not quite ready.

Recently, the Jelutong CC and neighbourhood RCs organised a Lantern Festival. It was held on 3 October, and they had invited our pupils to put up a performance. This time, we felt we were ready, and two groups decided to take part.

On the day of the performance, I was at Jelutong CC to support the pupils. When I saw their performance, I felt so proud of them. So young they were, and yet they showed so much confidence.

To the pupils, I salute you. Endeavour is very proud of you.

Happy Children's Day / Rainbow Day 4

2009-10-02T16:44:00.001+08:00

On 30 Sept, we had the last Rainbow Day for the year. On the same day, we also celebrated Children's Day with a special programme performed by the teachers.

In Endeavour, the Rainbow Day platform gives every child a chance to perform on stage. Through this, we hope to build every child's confidence.

This young P1 girl played the violin alone on stage. She was very confident and she played well. I was very happy to see her on stage.

Others worked in groups, and the children do take their performance quite seriously. Here's a photograph of P1 pupils, who performed on the day.

I was pleasantly surprised by the teacher's performance. They had spent much time practising, and when I asked the pupils which item they remembered, many of them answered: the hip hop dance. The teachers danced like professionals.

Potpourri of Events

2009-09-26T10:03:00.000+08:00

It has been quite hectic in the last two weeks, so I have not been updating this blog. My apologies.

The Maths teachers have introduced 'Sudoku' and 'Maths Warrior' into Maths learning. This helps to bring about greater interest in the subject. Take a look at the two photographs, I hope you too will agree.

Recently a group of teachers from Myanmar visited us. They were interested to know more about our programmes and how our teachers deliver lessons in the classroom. There was good interaction, and they have invited us (teachers and pupils) to visit Myanmar.

Wei Xin, a P4B pupil, gamely took part in "Our Neighbours' Heroes" story-telling competition. This is her first effort, and she won a Merit Award. Well done!

On 23 Sept, we celebrated Hari Raya in school. May I take this opportunity to wish all muslim parents and pupils a very happy belated "Selamat Hari Raya".

The Primary 2 pupils went on a Learning Journey (LJ) to the Jurong Bird Park. While they enjoyed themselves, learning was taking place. Next week, the P1 pupils will go on their LJ to the Singapore Zoo. I am sure they too will have fun while learning.

I would like to share this photograph with parents at home. We introduced percussion to our P3 pupils through the Co-curricular Programme. At the end, the pupils all came together to do a finale. It was quite impressive.

On 30 Sept, we will celebrate a very special day in the school calendar. This is Children's Day. The teachers have planned an elaborate programme to excite the children. It is a day specially dedicated to them.

Welcome to Term 4

2009-09-11T16:42:00.000+08:00

On Monday, 14 Sept, the teachers and pupils will start Term 4. It looks like a very hectic term. We will have the SA2, celebrate Hari Raya, Mid Autumn, and Children's Day.

The Health Team from the Ministry of Health will be in school (from 22-28 Sept) to conduct the annual health screening for all our pupils.

In Term 4, the P1 and P2 pupils will be going on a learning journey. They were supposed to go in Term 3, but could not because of H1N1. I know many of the pupils are excitedly waiting. The P1 pupils will go to the Zoo, and the P2 pupils will go to the Bird Park.

Deepavali falls in Term 4, and for the entire Week Six (19-23 Oct), the pupils do not come to school because the Deepavali school holiday (on Monday) is followed by four days of PSLE marking (Tuesday to Friday).

In Week 8, the SA2 exams will be conducted. The teachers know that they have only a few weeks to prepare the pupils for the SA2, so many of them started their preparatory work during the September holidays.

After the SA2, the school has planned an Innovation Carnival (18 Nov). Do visit the school on this day to see our teachers' and pupils' innovations.

The form teachers will release the report books on 18 Nov. We will arrange for parents to meet the form teachers.

On 20 Nov, we will end the year with our annual prize-giving ceremony. This year, we will also have a "Little Delights" Concert. The two events will be held in the evening.

Ice Cream Party

2009-08-29T10:56:00.000+08:00

I was walking past the canteen when I saw a class of P1 pupils. There was an air of excitement, and I approached them to see what was happening. Apparently they were having an ice cream party. It was actually an EL lesson in the school canteen.

It takes a lot of effort to prepare lessons like this, and I am very happy that the teachers who are helping to implement Stellar at P1 level are taking their work seriously. Yet it seemed so much fun for the children.

Learning P3 Science

2009-08-08T10:08:00.000+08:00

I am proud of the teachers in Endeavour. In the lessons they conduct, they are quite prepared to put in time and effort to deliver very interesting lessons.

For P3 Science, the children learn about plants. What is an exciting way to stimulate young people's interest?

The teachers came up with a simple approach. Let every child have a chance to grow a plant. When you learn Science in this way, it is very difficult to forget what your teachers have taught.

The Story of Class P5A

2009-08-08T09:14:00.001+08:00

2008 was our first year, and we had only P1, P2 and P3 levels. We wanted to form a P4 class then, but the number was too small. However, by July 2008, the demand went up, and my teachers and I decided that in 2009 we would form a P5 class.

I remember vividly one day in December 2008. I met a group of very concerned parents. While they expressed confidence in us, there was also some mixed feelings. Would Endeavour let their children down? Who would teach the P5 class?

Now, seven months later, P5A has amazed us. I like to visit the class to interact with them. For a class of eleven year olds, I am very happy they have learnt to accept one another, and given me the assurance that they can take good care of themselves and others. I see a certain maturity in them.

Their journey as a class will come to an end in 2010. They will complete six years of primary education (two years with Endeavour). I have high hopes for the class, and I definitely want to see them achieving.

My sincere thanks to the P5 teachers who are helping me. I know you have given a lot of yourselves. I see this in the impact you have made on our P5 pupils. Well done!

Celebrating Singapore's 44th Birthday

2009-08-07T16:31:00.000+08:00

It was a happy day today. In the early morning, the children were already singing National Day songs.

The children of Endeavour are quite lovable. They will listen to what we say, and they respond very positively. Many of them wore a red top and white bottom. The staff members also did the same.

The colour added to the ambience for the day. There was a good sense of us being Singaporeans and celebrating the country's birthday together.

The teachers put in a lot of effort. It may have been a simple celebration, but I think we all had a great time!

Back in class, we gave every child a simple bread bun and a packet drink. There was a simple souvenir. I am glad they liked it.

Happy 44th Birthday, Singapore!

Providing Holistic Education

2009-07-23T15:29:00.000+08:00

Not many people understand the term 'holistic education'.

For me, it is about having a balanced curriculum that teaches a child that there is a lot more in life than just doing well in exams.

Exams will always form an important part of a child's life, and in Endeavour, we do want our children to do well in exams. But our primary focus cannot be just the exams.

Every Thursday, there is a lot of buzz (after school). Thursday afternoon is CCP Day. Except for the Primary One pupils, the P2-P5 levels can choose to stay back after school, and our teachers will stay with them.

I saw three P2 classes going to Yishun Pool (for the Learn to Swim Programme). I went there for a while, and I saw more than 70 young children learning a valuable life skill and enjoying themselves. Back in school, one P2 class was learning Chinese brush painting, two classes learning how to throw the freesbie, and another class learning music.

One P3 class and one P4 class were making a lot of noise - musical noise on ad hoc percussion. It's not easy to master, but also not too difficult. In a short time, many understood what they had to do, and soon learnt the sense of making music with ordinary pans and sticks. For me, this is whole-brain development, and quite beneficial to a child.

Another P4 class was in the computer lab learning to design their own internet blogs. Two hours of it is not enough, I am sure. At home, they will continue. Another class was learning a different ICT skill. One class was playing Maths Warriors.

Our P5 pupils do creative writing this term. We hope it will help them become better writers.

We do have children who have opted out of Thursday's activities, because we have not made it compulsory. However, looking at the large number of pupils who opt to stay back on Thursday, I am happy the pupils (and their parents) value what we do.

It is a lot of effort on the teachers' part, and I want to thank them for their help.

Rainbow Day 3 / Racial Harmony Day

2009-07-17T09:51:00.000+08:00

Last week, we were not sure whether we could go ahead with our Rainbow Day 3 and Racial Harmony Day celebration. The teachers and pupils usually celebrate the occasion together in the school hall. We had therefore arranged for the pupil performers to be taped, and all the classes would (on 21 Jul) watch the video in their classrooms.

Today, I am told that we can go ahead, so on 21 Jul, after so many weeks, teachers and pupils can gather as a school.

As a precaution against the spread of H1N1, we will not invite parents to Rainbow Day3. I hope parents will understand.

To enable parents to view the performance, the school will (on 21 Jul) upload the children's performance onto the school web site.

Projected Pupil Enrolment (2010)

2009-07-14T08:32:00.000+08:00

In this year's P1 (2010) registration, we are expected to open nine P1 classes. This means we will have 31 classes in the year 2010, and a projected total enrolment of 1050 pupils.

We started in 2008 with just 9 classes (280 pupils).
This growth in pupil population means an increase in the number of teachers who will join the school. With more pupils and teachers, we will be able to offer an even greater variety and diversity of programmes and activities.

As the large numbers are now in the lower levels, over the next few years, our pupil enrolment will continue to increase.

Open House 2009

2009-07-14T08:20:00.000+08:00

We had planned to have an Open House on 18 July, but this has been cancelled. It is a precautionary measure the school has taken to prevent the spread of H1N1. We are very sorry about it. If there are parents who want more information about the school, do contact us. If you would like to request a school visit, my staff and I will be happy to help. Do call the General Office (Tel: 64824650).

The Start of Semester 2

2009-07-02T08:16:00.001+08:00

On 29 June, it was back to school for the pupils. However, we did not see everyone coming back. Several pupils were given Leave of Absence (LOA), as they had just returned from H1N1 affected countries. In Week 2, they will join us.

Since the first day (29 June), we have not had the chance to meet the children as a school.
There is no daily flag-raising at the parade area. The pupils do this in class.
Our weekly asembly on Wednesday in the hall is cancelled.
After recess, the pupils do not assemble in the hall. They head straight to class.

There is no mass gathering to do Fitness Friday.
During recess, every class is assigned three canteen tables, and pupils sit with fellow classmates.
As we put in measures to prevent the spread of H1N1, school activities have been affected. For most, we are able to postpone them. Fortunately, the learning in the classroom has not been affected. Since Monday, the teachers have been able to conduct all lessons.

Moving ahead, Endeavour will continue to be vigilant. We assure our pupils and parents that our plans for the year will be implemented.

Plans for the start of Semester 2

2009-06-27T13:32:00.001+08:00

During the June holidays, a number of staff have been kept busy. As there was a lot of concern about H1N1, MOE wanted schools to be prepared to implement home-based learning in case there was a school closure. I am happy to report that we have our plans in place, and we are ready if there is a need.

Many precautions have also been taken, and before the start of term, this work has already begun. We have sent out a letter to every pupil. The teachers have called the pupils at home. We are ready to start school on 29 June. A number of pupils will not join us as they will be on Leave of Absence (LOA).

The teachers and I met on 25 June. We attended a workshop on Social Emotional Learning (SEL). I found it beneficial, and I think it has made our teachers more aware of their important role as educators.

On 26 June, we spent another day in school. In the morning, we had our staff meeting. In the afternoon, the teachers had their first Teachers' Conversation.

We look forward to 29 June. Welcome to Semester 2!

Recent developments - H1N1 Flu

2009-06-16T15:37:00.000+08:00

During the June holiday, the number of H1N1 cases has increased. While there is no present fear of a community-wide spread, there is a concern. Endeavour, like all other schools in Singapore, needs to get itself prepared for any eventuality.

In Hong Kong, they have closed the primary schools to contain the spread of H1N1. If the number of H1N1 cases in Singapore increases, there is also the likelihood of Singapore doing the same. To prepare for this, Endeavour teachers have started to plan lessons for home-based learning (HBL).

HBL will not be able to replace the classroom teacher, but it will ensure that learning continues to take place if there is a need for schools to be closed. We intend to make use of a few platforms. Endeavour has a web site that is maintained by our school staff. We intend to make use of the web site to post general information and updates. Our intranet portal is accessible by all our pupils. If there is a need, our teachers will use the portal to post lessons and assignments. Many of our department heads and class form teachers have their own blogs. They will also use the blogs to do HBL.

I am confident that Endeavour pupils and their parents know how to use the various platforms. Class form teachers will also contact parents by telephone if necessary. My staff and I will offer assistance to anyone who requires help.

Lastly, I would like to make an appeal to all parents. If you and your child(ren) have travelled to a country which is an H1N1-affected area, on your return to Singapore, please stay away from public places for seven days. This is a necessary precaution as advised by MOH. If flu-like symptoms develop, do call 993 immediately.

When Term 3 starts on Monday, 29 June, we will allow only pupils and school staff to enter the school. We will conduct temperature-taking of all pupils and staff.

All school visitors (including parents) will need to undergo screening by our staff at the main gate.

Marking the Exam papers

2009-05-29T17:26:00.001+08:00

For this posting, allow me to share a snippet of teachers' lives. This is a photograph of the teachers in the school library. It was taken on the day of the EL examination.

In the morning, the pupils had sat for the English Language exams (the writing component). Immediately after school, the teachers gathered to do the marking. Two teachers will mark each child's composition. This is to ensure that the pupil receives a fair score. The teachers also do not mark their own classes.

The Endeavour teachers take their work seriously. Many of them are very passionate about their work, and I know they care a lot about and for the pupils they teach.

Today is the last day of Term 2. I would like to salute all my teachers. Thank you Teachers for your support!

End of Semester One 2009

2009-05-23T11:32:00.000+08:00

It has been a rather eventful semester for my staff and I. The SA1 exam is over. Our pupils have generally performed to expectations. On Wednesday, 27 May, the form teachers of P1 and P2 classes will meet the parents.

This year, the Every Child Holistic Programme (ECHP) is more comprehensive. The teachers have worked out clear processes and outcomes. This is an exciting programme, and prepares Endeavour pupils for the 21 st century. Through ECHP, our wish is for our pupils to be confident, cooperative and curious (the 3Cs). We already see these traits in our pupils. Rainbow Day 2 was a good example.

In 2009, we launched the Co-Curricular Programme (CCP) activities on Thursday. Except for the P1 pupils, all P2-P5 pupils were given opportunities to take part in a wide range of activities. Unlike CCA on Tuesday, which is specific and compulsory, the CCP activities are broader in nature and not compulsory. However, I am happy to note that the take-up rate is high, and many of the pupils look forward to the CCP activities. For the P1 pupils, P1A to P1E had modular CCA in Term 2. P1F to P1J will have theirs in Term 3. We will do a review at year-end, and make changes in 2010.

In Term 3, ECHP will be supported by the "No Heavy School Bag" (NHSB) Programme. We are preparing six NHSB teaching rooms. In the NHSB rooms (EL/CL/ML/Math/Science/Art), our teachers will make greater use of digital and on-line resources. Through NHSB, we hope to see our pupils engage in more collaborative work and become more self-directed learners.

Endeavour will have a vice principal in June. His name is Mr Bhim Bahadur Gurung. With his contribution, I am confident that we can do better. The challenge to make Endeavour an exciting school to learn began in Jan, 2008. Since then, the small successes we have achieved and the support we have received have greatly encouraged us.

During the June holidays, eighteen of our P5 pupils will attempt to reach the summit of Mt Kinabalu. Three teachers will accompany them. I wish them every success in a very challenging endeavour.

Warmest regards

The Start of SA1

2009-05-07T18:00:00.000+08:00

The mid-year examinations (SA1) have started. Over the next few days, the pupils will sit for the various exam papers.

By the end of next week, the exams would have been completed for most of them.

Today was the English LC and composition paper. After school, the teachers stayed behind to start marking immediately. For EL and Mother Tongue compositions, the teachers mark in pairs. Every script is marked by two teachers. If they agree, that will be the mark awarded. If there is a disagreement, a moderator is called to assist. Tomorrow is the Mother Tongue (MT) composition paper.

Monday (11 May) is a school holiday. I urge the pupils to make good use of the time to revise. The rest of the papers (EL, MT, Math and Science) will be tested from 12 -15 May.

All the best to every one!

H1N1: From Orange to Yellow Alert

2009-05-07T17:49:00.000+08:00

This morning, we stopped the twice-a-day temperature-taking for the staff and pupils.
For the past three days, since 4 May, we had been doing it as part of the MOH Orange alert.

It is not yet Green. For Yellow alert, MOH and MOE has advised schools to get visitors to register themselves, in case there is a need to do contact tracing. We seek the cooperation of all visitors to Endeavour to register at Gate A. Thank you.

Washing Hands

2009-04-30T17:10:00.000+08:00

You would have heard about the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in Mexico.
Many of us are concerned over its impact, and worry that it might find its way to Singapore.

What is Endeavour Primary doing? We have put precautionary measures in place.

This morning, we conducted a temperature-taking exercise. My staff take this seriously. On Monday, 4 May, after the long weekend, we will have another exercise. MOE has advised that schools conduct temperature-taking every day.

The school will maintain a higher level of vigilance in the cleaning of school premises.

I have advised that pupils take their oral digital thermometers (ODT) to school every day.

For staff and pupils who return from affected areas, they will stay away from school for 7 days (Leave of Absence).

In school, we are teaching the pupils to wash their hands often. This action is a simple but effective way to keep oneself clean. I will like all Endeavour parents to help us in this.

Promotion Ceremony / Visit by MOE Director

2009-04-30T16:49:00.001+08:00

Five staff members received their promotion certificates on 29 April. Four teachers were promoted to the GEO1A2/2A2 grade, and one EAS staff was promoted to the MX12 grade. Another four teachers received their promotion certificates earlier this month. Another 2 will receive theirs in October. All in, 11 staff members have been promoted this year. My congratulations to all of them.

Later, the same day, Ms Lim Huay Chih, Director of School Planning and Placement/MOE, visited the school. She spent more than an hour interacting with the staff members. Ms Lim took many questions and invited the staff members to express their views on MOE's policies and processes. She listened patiently and answered many questions.

My staff and I would like to thank the director for her visit to our school.

International Friendship / Rainbow Day 2

2009-04-21T15:17:00.000+08:00

On 17 April, school felt a little different. It was Rainbow Day 2. The children came to school in their colourful attire.

On this day, we also celebrated International Friendship Day. The focus this year was on our ASEAN neighbours. If you ask the children, how many countries are there in ASEAN, they will confidently tell you "10".

For Rainbow Day 2, it was time for the P3, P4 and P5 classes to perform. The choir started with a song about friendship. Then we saw items performed by P3A, P3B, P3C, P4A, P4B and P5A.

THE CHOIR

PRIMARY 3A

PRIMARY 4B

PRIMARY 4A

PRIMARY 3B

PRIMARY 3C

PRIMARY 5A

There was also a surprise item, put up by our parent support group (psg) members. Their item was very well-received.

Thank you everyone for a great performance!