Art is Messi, no longer messy for her student
11 Jul 2024
When her soccer-loving student stopped hiding his sketchbook from her, Ms Tsering Choden was delighted at the change of heart. To ignite a love for art in her students, she engages them with what’s trending both online and in their lives.
Ms Tsering is an Art teacher and a Subject Head (ICT) at Yuan Ching Secondary School, and a 2024 Outstanding Youth in Education Award finalist.
A teaching win for me is… being able to excite my students about art.
In the art classroom, John’s (not his real name) disinterest was palpable. His work was haphazardly and impatiently done, in stark contrast to the passion he displayed for his CCA, soccer. As he took out his sketchbook, he made sure to keep it hidden from view, as if shielding the world from his perceived inadequacies. He came in with the idea that he lacked talent and therefore would not do well.
In Secondary 2, I suggested combining his love for soccer with art for a photo manipulation task. “Huh, can meh?” John said. He was sceptical but he started looking up images of his favourite player, Messi. With guidance on his personal learning device, he superimposed himself seamlessly onto the field, playing against Messi. The outcome surprised himself and his classmates as it turned out so realistic.
Inspired, I introduced a logo redesign project to the class, and urged John to think about the logo of his favourite football club. This time, John dove into the task eagerly, his passion for soccer fuelling his creativity. He became more confident and willing to practise his skills. Soon, he was able to observe 3D forms and moved on from drawing stickman figures to a more realistic style.
Today, John embraces his newfound skill, and even chose Art as an Upper Secondary elective. I am reminded of the valuable lesson that sometimes, all it takes is a bit of encouragement and drawing the connection for my students, to unlock the hidden potential in every student.
An effective teaching approach for me is… to leverage what is trending in tech.
Students are more engaged and inspired when I tap into current trends and draw parallels between classroom learning and real-world applications.
I try to stay ahead of the latest trends online to connect with my students in Art lessons. At the peak of its popularity and buzz, I leveraged NFT Art, a movement that led students to rethink traditional notions of art viewership in the digital age. I showed them that they no longer need a physical gallery to showcase their work. This shift empowered students to see the value of the work they make and the potential impact it can have beyond the classroom.
In the NFT Art Challenge, students analysed Pop Art printmakings, then reimagined these concepts in modern contexts that reflected their Singaporean identity. They created a series of graphic illustrations celebrating local food, culture and candid moments unique to Singapore. They were then enticed by how their series could be just like the Pop Mart and Gachapon collectibles that their peers were collecting. Drawing this connection instilled confidence as they saw the relevance of their work in real-world contexts. Engaging with NFT Art, they learn to adapt to trends, amplifying their voices and sharing their stories confidently. This approach not only enriches their artistic practice but also instils the belief that anyone can be an artist with the right tools and mindset.
A project I find meaningful is… a schoolwide mascot design challenge.
My school launched a competition in 2021 for our students to design a pair of school mascots. The response was good – we received a total of 52 design entries, and students and staff were then invited to co-create this mascot by voting for and naming their favourite mascot. The winning entry was a pair of otters, whom we christened Yuan Yuan and Ching Ching. They are now firmly a part of the Yuan Ching culture – we can’t imagine school life without them!
This project that I kicked off gave our students a chance to experience being real-world designers and active contributors to our school community. It was an idea planted by the Year Head team that was the catalyst in transforming our school environment and instilling a sense of culture, ownership and unity among students.
We didn’t stop there. The Art Club played a pivotal role in bringing the mascots to life, creating collaterals like stickers, iPad lockscreens and Zoom backgrounds that were used by staff and students.
They then saw the work integrating into school life in the form of standees and actual mascots worn by our students on various occasions and festivities. The Mascot Design Challenge not only uplifted the school environment but also helped our students see how creativity can be applied for good in the world.
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