In her 22-year teaching journey at Compassvale Secondary School, Mdm Ang, or Mrs Lee, has been developing systems for students to be heard and supported. These are not one-size-fits-all solutions but calibrated to suit different needs.
There are days when she finds herself focusing more on the needs of the individual student. After Sue* had to move into a girls’ home due to some family issues, Mrs Lee created a schoolwide network of care around her, seeing to her social, emotional, financial and academic needs. “This community push rekindled her hope in her future,” Mrs Lee notes with gladness. The girl eventually graduated and found a place in her dream polytechnic course.
Inspiration: The power to overturn perspectives
When Mrs Lee was young, she was one of those students who would trail behind their teachers, hoping not to be noticed. It remains a mystery to her how her secondary school Chinese teacher could see her leadership potential through her veil of timidity; she even made her a student councillor. It was an appointment that would change the way she viewed herself.
Today, the Geography teacher strives to give her students opportunities and affirmations to grow their confidence and unlock any biases that could hold them back. She says, “I think that was what made a difference for me, and that’s what I try to do for my students.”
Transformation: Relentless in the pursuit of building a nurturing environment
As leader of the Student Development Team, Mrs Lee has been prioritising holistic development and well-being, strong teacher-student relationships, positive peer support and developing a growth mindset.
To do this, she ensures that teachers “have a focus and know very clearly the role they play in addressing specific student development issues” across the school year.
To start each semester positively, there’s a Back-To-School programme to help students acclimatise quickly. These include bonding activities, learning routines, addressing mindsets, and setting goals as a class and individually.
Mrs Lee introduced Felicitous Fridays, a day the school gets together to celebrate the students’ achievements big and small. Teachers started the ball rolling in earlier sessions to share their students’ wins on stage before the students gradually gained confidence to share their reflections on their own wins too. There is learning woven in; Mrs Lee recounts the time a pair of sporting sisters who compete nationally in floorball and excel in their studies went up to share about how they manage their time and maintain discipline.
Then there’re seasonal activities such as the Positive Popcorn Project, to build resilience through peer support. Born out of a collaboration with the Health Promotion Board to promote mental health in schools, the project is as cute as it sounds. At recess time, students who write a message of encouragement to a friend are gifted a packet of popcorn.
“Positive peer support helps students to feel better and overcome challenges,” says Mrs Lee. The students’ delighted response to the project has led to spinoff projects such as Incredible Ice Cream Insanity and Mega Milo Madness.
When students gave feedback that they would like more one-on-one time with their Form Teachers to discuss matters that are close to their hearts, Tender Tuesdays was initiated to extend open calls to chat. Mrs Lee’s team also facilitates the collection of student feedback on their relationship with their Form Teachers, as this awareness can help teachers adjust their practices to better support their students.
“We want to encourage our students to shine their light in dark places, stand up and make a difference in the world, and grow their sphere of influence to inspire others too.”
Mdm Ang Sing Yee
These processes add up to a bigger picture of all-round support, and there’s been impact. Says Mrs Lee, “I see that Form Teachers are more attuned to what the child is going through. With that understanding, they can then make more informed decisions in guiding the child, and step up the efforts if necessary, such as engaging their parents or making a referral for counselling.”
Reflection: Going beyond inspiring someone, to inspire everyone
“I am seeing families with many challenges nowadays,” says Mrs Lee. “Perhaps it’s a world that is growing increasingly complicated, with misinformation, influencers, and sometimes too-busy parents. In such a world, school can be a beacon.”
She stresses the need for educator teams to work closely together with parents and the community to be a champion for every student, adding, “my beliefs will not go far if I am at it alone”.
Even as she exhorts her fellow educators to band together to help every student thrive, what are Mrs Lee’s wishes for her students? She had a hand in writing Compassvale Secondary’s school pledge, called the North Star’s pledge, which ends with the line “I will shine as I am a North Star”. She explains, “We want to encourage our students to shine their light in dark places, stand up and make a difference in the world, and grow their sphere of influence to inspire others too.”
*Not her real name
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