| By Amelia Tan | ||
TEACHERS have a new mantra to guide them in their work: Lead. Care. Inspire.
The tagline, launched on Wednesday by Director-General of Education Ho Peng, was crafted based on feedback gathered from six months of brainstorming with about 28,000 teachers from schools across Singapore.
Teachers were asked by other teachers who led the sessions to share personal stories on what they saw as their strengths. They also gave their vision for the teaching service.
Ms Ho, who was speaking to about 4,000 teachers and schools leaders at the Teacher's Mass Lecture which is held annually to highlight pertinent education-related issues, said it is timely to have a vision statement for teachers as the education system is at an 'inflexion point'.
She said the system has evolved over the past decade, giving school leaders autonomy in school management and teachers leeway to introduce innovative teaching and learning methods.
'With the rapid professional, growth of teachers, I see Singapore teachers as beginning to chart the future of our profession," she added.
'Where do we want to go as the teaching fraternity? Next year is 2010, we are entering a new decade. It is the next lap of the education journey.'
Explaining the vision statement, Ms Ho said teachers should help students discover their talents by giving them the opportunities to do so. They should also step forward to be mentors to younger teachers.
She added that more Professional Learning Communities, or groups formed in schools for teachers to discuss issues such as new teaching methods, will be formed.
Ms Ho also said caring is integral in the responsibilities of teachers. They have to care for the physical safety, social and emotional needs and mould characters of their students.
Great teachers inspire their students to love a subject and other colleagues to become better teachers, she added.
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