LEADERSHIP WOODGROVE

March 2017

In Woodgrove Primary School, we believe that every pupil can be a leader. To develop their potential, our school places a strong emphasis on student leadership, Kouzes and Posner’s 5 with the Student Leadership Development (SLD) committee providing a range of Practices for leaders: leadership positions, responsibilities and opportunities for the pupils to learn and exercise their leadership skills and values. Model the Way At the class level, the class committee structure was introduced in 2016 as an Inspire a Shared Vision avenue for student leadership. In their various leadership positions, the pupils organise and lead the class in the class activities and school functions. At school Challenge the Process level, CCA leaders and student councillors actively contribute to improving pupil welfare and engaging the student body in meaningful activities. Working closely Enable Others to Act with and pupils, our student leaders gain confidence and communication skills. Encourage the Heart Our SLD programme, ‘I AM A LEADER,’ is based on Kouzes and Posner’s five practices for exemplary leaders. It guides the SLD committee in designing leadership content and experiences.

APPOINTMENT CEREMONY OF P5 EXCO, STUDENT COUNCIL 2016

EXCO Members of the Student Council were appointed by SLD Committee via the selection process shown below:

Proposal for ’s Day

P5 councillors were assessed Interview of Exco Members based on their leadership skills and teamwork when they were The selected councillors were Rally Speech and Voting tasked to come up with the interviewed by the Vice-Principal, proposal for the Teacher’s Day. Year Head and the Teacher-in The President and Vice-President charge of Student Leadership of Student Council were selected Committee. through McOnline voting by teachers and the pupil population The appointment ceremony was held. The councillors received their after the rally speeches by the badges from our Principal, Ms Ng; this was followed by the recitation candidates. of the Student Councillors’ Oath.

Reflections by the President and Vice-Presidents of the Student Council Board.

Cadence: Thank you for voting for me to be the president of the Student Council. I feel happy that I can now assist the school to improve our student welfare. I hope that the councillors can work on identifying problems faced by our schoolmates and help them solve the problems. I believe that leaders should work together with their teammates and care for them while ensuring that everyone is included. We will all work in unity to fulfill our duties as the Newly Appointed President leaders of the student body. of Student Council presenting her speech Xing Yuan: I hope to get the chance to interact with different pupils and understand their needs better. I believe that the student councillors should be role models in showing respect to our teachers and classmates. We should also be resilient when we face problems and persevere as we take on challenges. I believe through training and the opportunities given by the teachers, I will develop stronger leadership skills to help me carry out my responsibilities.

Zi Xuan: My main role is to guide the rest of the student councillors in serving the student body. I believe that student councillors should lead by example and show the self-discipline needed to get through challenges and achieve goals. I will try my utmost to juggle my studies and duties and I will finish my homework and Exco members posing for a photo shoot revision promptly so that I have time to complete my councillor duties.

Selection Process

The process of selecting as student councillors is shown below.

Interviews by the Nomination by Teacher-in-charge Form teachers and Confirmation of the Pupil Leadership subject teachers Committee

P4 STUDENT INVESTITURE 2016

The Student Council Investiture is an annual event where we officially recognise our Primary 4 councillors.

At the beginning of the investiture, our student councillors walked into the hall, led by the President and Vice- president. Our peers who attended the investiture cheered our councillors on. The councillors recited the Student Councillors’ Oath after receiving their badges from our Vice- Principal, Mrs Edison.

Presentation of Badges to newly appointed P4 Student Councillors by Mrs Edison

Elina Sim : When I received my badge, I felt very proud because the school had trusted me to lead the others. I have learnt to be a role model to my fellow friends and juniors. I have also learnt to manage my time better and prioritise the things The P4 newly appointed student councillors 2016 that I have to do.

2 Woodgrove Primary School Shresthi: When I was taking the oath in front of my classmates, I knew I had to be what I had pledged. I had noticed that I had been a little better in taking responsibility which helps me in my academics too.

Ellyse Wong: Respect, responsibility and effective communication are what I have learnt from my current duty-pledge taking. I have also learnt to work as a team with my friends, and effective communication plays an important part in it. Speech by Miss Caris Lin to the newly appointed student councillors

TRAINING FOR STUDENT COUNCILLORS

The school provides various leadership training for the student councillors so that they grow in confidence, work together creatively to solve problems, learn social responsibility and make a difference in their class, school and the community. Innovative, Creativity and Enterprise (ICE) challenge 2016

The ICE challenge offers our student councillors opportunities to showcase their ideas via projects – they work with entrepreneurs and professionals who mentor them on their projects and provide the crucial link between education and industry.

To equip the students with the required skills and knowledge for their product/ideas, develop prototypes for their product ideas and plan a business pitch, the training include Learning Journey to National Design Centre workshops, comprising 3 stages, over 4 months:

• To equip student councillors with creative-thinking and problem Programme solving skills for Innovation & Creativity

• Enterprise-related topics will be covered such as finance, Programme marketing, prototyping,mentoring for Enterprise and presentation of products Element

• Student councillors walked through the displays in National Design Centre to review their Learning product ideas. Journey On 6 January 2017, the student councillors held an internal showcase to exhibit their products to the pupils. Selected student councillors then took part in the external competition in January 2017.

Woodgrove Primary School 3 Student Leadership Camp for Student Councillors and CCA Leaders

The annual leadership camp was held during 30 and 31 May 2016. The SLD committee collaborated with external vendors to create a platform for student leaders (student councillors and CCA leaders) to understand the specific Presentation of Project Proposal behaviours and actions of exemplary leadership aligned to Kouzes’s SLD model. Respective projects were presented by the student leaders during the last session of the leadership camp.

Experiential Learning 1 for Leadership Camp Lau Kit Onn: After attending the leadership camp, Student leaders were provided with experiential learning to I realised that a leader should be the understand the five practices. head of the group and always help his group members. One of the Kouzes’ five practices - “Enable Others to Act” – left a deep impression on me. I have learnt that I should give credit to others and encourage them to do more.

Su Yue: “Challenge the process” is the part which I think was fun as my team and I had to Final Presentation to their peers figure out what to do and how to improve our ideas. I think that teamwork is very With the understanding of the different practices covered, important because an idea can be optimised the students were assigned projects such as planning the if every team member brainstorms together CCA Open House and Welfare events for teachers and and exchanges opinions. pupils.

PLATFORMS FOR STUDENT COUNCILLORS

To apply the leadership skills that they have learnt, student councillors were given platforms to organise and lead events such as Teacher’s Day concert, National Day, Parent-Teacher Meeting and P1 Orientation. These platforms provided opportunities to participate in external competitions.

The Student Councillors’ Performance Wishes to celebrate on Teacher’s Day ’s 51st Birthday Fill-in-the blanks for the NDP Lyrics

4 Woodgrove Primary School Destination Imagination Tournament (Service Learning Challenge) 2015-2016

For the 3rd year running, selected P5 student councillors took part in the Destination Imagination Tournament- Service Learning Challenge (2nd of April 2016) , which is designed to engage students in service to address real-life community issues.

In this Challenge, student councillors were given the opportunity to understand the community needs in Singapore and collaborate with external organisations to promote school-wide awareness in Woodgrove Primary School. Team Orphan Joyers gained 2nd position in Destination Imagination-Project Outreach

Crystal Chong: This competition is very challenging as we were expected to produce and present a skit, complete with props. We spent a lot of time and effort to make the props and went through multiple rehearsals before getting the skit right. I think what led us to success was determination. We did not give up, and we met Assembly talk of Orphan frequently to discuss our skit. This is a skill that I can also apply To achieve their project goal, the groups organised assembly in my own work. The next time I talks, creative skits, recess activities –they even prepared encounter difficult questions that I props and the scripts. They took part in Instant Challenge cannot solve, I will persevere until I which required the team to engage in quick, creative and can solve them. critical-thinking.

Jazreel: I enjoyed the Instant Challenge segment the most as it required us to work as a team and think on the spot. Even though we had conflicts as we attempted to solve the problem posed, we learnt to set aside Recess Booth our differences and work as one. If I had activities On-stage performance at ACSJ another chance to work on it again, I would not argue with my teammates over SLD committee members, Miss Caris Lin and Mr Kavin minor differences. From my DI experience, Chong, conducted 10 training sessions to prepare the I learnt how to communicate more student councillors for the tournament. With their efforts, effectively, and I have become a more teamwork and commitment, the student councillors confident presenter. Now I am no longer performed well and attained the second position in the afraid to speak on stage. tournament (National Level).

CCA LEADERS

Like the councillors, the CCA leaders underwent the Kouzes SLD training. Leadership opportunities designed by the SLD committee to enable the application of learnt leadership skills included ‘Active Recess’ where CCA leaders had to organise activities to encourage their peers to lead a more active lifestyle. Such activities increased pupils’ play time and provided them the opportunity to learn new games during their recesses.

During the School Safety week, CCA leaders shared safety tips with their peers to create and increase safety awareness when doing physical activities in the school hall, field, courtyard and the CCA leaders planned an age-appropriate modified swimming pool. badminton game for the lower primary pupils

Woodgrove Primary School 5 King of Juggle-Challenge Winners for King of Juggle-Challenge

CCA leaders organised fun games in a safe environment during recess time

The CCA leaders helped organise events such as the Primary 5 Games Carnival, Lower Primary Games Days for Primary 1 and 2 pupils and P6 Inter-Class Games. They helped in the games setup, refereeing the games and ensuring safety so that their peers could have a fun and enjoyable time at the sports events. P5 Game Carnival Game setup by CCA leaders

The CCA leaders are also actively involved in community outreach. The Chinese Dancers visited Crystalite Nursing Home. They put up a stunning performance to cheer the residents in the nursing home and share their joy by presenting gifts to the residents.

The Brownies and Scouts were part of the marching contingent for the Admiralty National Day Observance Ceremony 2016 while a group of Sports and Games CCA leaders participated in the jog relay segment on the same day.

Their participation and involvement in the community allowed them to display care for others and encourage cooperation among schools and at the same time enhance their awareness on National Community outreach at Crystalite Nursing Home Education.

The Student Leadership training has taught me to be a leader who is helpful, caring and responsible. We should also be role models and set good examples to others through words and actions. I am very proud to be a CCA leader when I received the CCA leader badge from my principal, Ms Ng. I will continue to help members in my CCA to learn new things during CCA training.

Andrea, P5D

I am happy to be given the opportunity to organise the ‘Active Recess’ games for my friends. I am doing my part to encourage them to be more active and learn new games during recess. At the same time, I get to make new friends too. Admiralty National Day Observance Insyirah, P4A Ceremony 2016 Marching Contingent from the Brownies and the Scouts

6 Woodgrove Primary School I attended the National Day Observance Ceremony at Ace the Place. I was also part of the uniform groups marching contingent formed from schools in the Admiralty estate. I felt happy to meet the residents in Admiralty and also proud when they saw us marching together with pride to celebrate Singapore’s 51st birthday.

Yang Jie, P5B

CLASS COMMITTEE P2 Unsung Heroes Appreciation Ceremony

A unique project run by the P2 class committee last year was the Unsung Hero Appreciation ceremony where P2 pupils showed appreciation to the school cleaners and support staff.

The class committee members worked together with their peers and learnt how to be gracious to others. They brainstormed with their peers and teachers to come up with ideas on how to appreciate the school cleaners and support staff – ideas included tokens of appreciation such as chocolates, paper flowers, design of thank-you cards photo montages and posters. A lunch treat for the unsung The class committee chairpersons ushered the school cleaners and heroes of Woodgrove Primary support staff to the hall where they presented the tokens to the staff. They also served meals to them at the canteen after the ceremony. The class committee members really showed their leadership potential by taking the initiative and showing a willingness to serve others. We are indeed proud of our class committee members.

P3 & P4 CHARITY BAZAAR Date of the event:

27 & 28 July 2016

Who organised the event?

The class committee members of both levels organised it as they were enthusiastic about helping this charitable cause.

What’s the reason/objective?

Doing our part for the needy and less privileged, and raising funds for beneficiaries under the President’s Challenge.

Who are the recipients of the funds collected from the sale?

The beneficiaries under President’s Challenge.

In what ways are class committee pupils involved?

P4 class committee members came up with ideas for the sale at the booths (in school) while selected P3 class committee members helped manage the booths and sold items.

What were the kind of items sold and who made/contributed them?

The items for sale were cardholders, handmade jewellery, stationery, colourful bookmarks (made by parent volunteers and primary 1 and 2 pupils) and some art and craft (made by primary 3 & 4 teachers and parent volunteers).

Woodgrove Primary School 7 Janelle Ng, 4C:

“It was fun as we got to work as a team to achieve our goals.”

Danya Aleysha, 3F:

“I learned that we have to work together cordially. We have to help the less fortunate. It was a fun and enriching experience manning the booths.”

Reflections by a teacher :

Madam Tan Choon Miao, “From planning to the selling of the items, the pupils learned to work together as a team. The pupils experienced joy and fun in raising funds for the less privileged. They willingly sacrificed their time to help man the stalls. This event is one way for our pupils to develop entrepreneurial spirit.”

Primary 1 CLASS COMMITTEE MEMBERS involved in two school events:

(1) Doing a wall display for 2016 NATIONAL DAY 51st (2) Selected class committee members helping teachers anniversary theme – TOMORROW IS HERE TODAY to run the game booths on ENGLISH LANGUAGE FIESTA FINALE on 25 May 2016.

1F class committee members proudly put up the display on OLD SINGAPORE- reminiscences of our past and the contributions of our pioneer generations.

Reflections by Goh Ziven and Rayanne Lee, the chairmen of 1G class committee:

“We felt happy to help at the ELF booths. It was really fun. There were many games such as puzzles and rolling the balls to the correct answers. There were interesting quizzes based on English and Maths lessons. There were also attractive prizes too.”

8 Woodgrove Primary School