I have celebrated seven Teachers’ Days as an educator in two different schools. What’s my highlight each year? The thought of the week-long break ahead to recharge.
That aside, I treasure each and every little handmade gift or card my students have given me.
It’s not just that I enjoy having that extra cookie when I’m hungry in the middle of work, or seeing their writing on their notes that tell me their penmanship has improved with practice; it’s that each gift from a student is an affirmation that I have helped them in some way, or at the very least, that they enjoyed my lessons. It’s nice to know that I have made a difference. I’m sure any teacher would tell you the same.
This year, I had the opportunity to do something different: to contribute to the production of the Ministry of Education’s annual Teachers’ Day campaign video.
Last year, it was about what teachers wish for their students, while the year before, we celebrated the heart of our teaching and non-teaching staff.
For this year’s video, we wanted to capture the different ways teachers make an impact on the lives of their students. After all, we bring different skillsets, expertise, and approaches to nurturing our students, while guided by core beliefs and values that anchor the teaching profession.
In the video titled ‘What Makes a ’Cher’, we tapped on the popular photo booth trend to capture how students feel about their teachers and highlight their heartwarming relationships in a fun way. We thought it would be nice to give the teachers a “surprise gift” (we’ll share more later) through this concept, and everyone would get to take photos in the booth as a keepsake too.
I will not bore you with intricate details of the multi-month production process, from conceptualisation to final delivery. In a nutshell, I had a lot of fun learning new things about producing videos, such as the work involved in talent casting and some filmmaking terms, such as “b-roll” and “dolly shot” (I remember sharing these excitedly with friends – it’s not every day that one learns new vocabulary!).
To learn more about the behind-the-scenes action before watching the video (you definitely should watch it!), read on. For those who are wondering, there was minimal staging – and what the teachers and students share in the video are unscripted and genuine!
Setting up the photo booths in schools
The photo booths were set up in Fern Green Primary School and Jurong-Pioneer Junior College.
The video begins with the planting of cute and colourful photo booths in two schools, which attracted many interested onlookers.
Here’s the fun part: To “activate” the photo booth, selected students had to answer questions posed on the camera screen about their teachers. What they didn’t know was that their teachers were sitting in another room to listen.
Behind-the-scenes shots of the students and teachers in action.
In the photo booth, the students talked about their favourite teachers and their special qualities. Most of the anecdotes were about how their teachers made them feel – we were amazed at the outpouring of lovely sentiments, which could have filled a two-hour reel.
Meanwhile, in the other room, the teachers listening in could barely suppress their smiles and sometimes even the chuckles.
The teachers and students had a great time choosing their props for photo taking.
When at last, the photo booths were successfully unlocked, we got the teachers to surprise the students with an impromptu appearance. And they all had a lot of fun dressing up with props and posing together.
We then turned the mic on the teachers to find out more about their teaching philosophy and what they do in class. Suffice to say, they really love what they do and it’s clear they shine at it.
I can definitely relate to what they say is the magic of being an educator: to be able to care, to nurture, and to instill in each child the belief that they can achieve anything.
Are you intrigued yet? Watch our Teachers’ Day 2024 video here!
Our sporting students and teachers got their photos as keepsakes to remember this special day by.
To all educators, thank you for all that you do for your students. Happy Teachers’ Day!
Joanne Tay is a teacher who is currently serving in the Communications and Engagement Group at the Ministry of Education.
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