When two art teachers discovered they had a common love for sock puppets, they hit it off.
The result? Joint lessons between the students of their two schools, culminating in a pop-up exhibition.
Mdm Angela Lau, Acting Head of Department for Arts at MINDS Fernvale Gardens School (FGS), and Mdm Julia Bte Mohd Rahim, Subject Head of Aesthetics at Fernvale Primary School (FVPS), first got together when their schools held a networking session in 2023 to share expertise.
FVPS is a mainstream primary school while students from FGS have moderate-to-severe intellectual disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); some of them also have limited verbal communication skills.
When Mdm Julia and Mdm Lau discussed their respective art programmes, they found much common ground and ample opportunities for mutual learning.
Sharing a keen interest in soft sculptures, they planned joint art sessions for their students featuring everyday materials and sock puppets as a creative medium.
Art that builds bridges
During these sessions, FVPS students station themselves at the shared gate, formally known as the Friendship Gate, to welcome FGS peers.
Over time, FVPS students developed communication strategies with their FGS peers while guiding them through Tangram Art and digital jigsaw puzzles.
“I used to think communication was all about words, but working with an FGS student taught me otherwise,” says Charlotte Ong, a Primary 5 Art leader from FVPS. “Her smile when we completed a puzzle together spoke volumes. I learned that we don’t always need words to understand each other.”
Mr Ke Weiwen, an art teacher at FGS, observed his students’ appreciation for the collaboration. “My students realised that their peers were capable of interesting and nice-looking art pieces!” he says, laughing.
Mdm Lau was heartened by the positive reception on both sides, particularly in an area that her students enjoy. “Art has become a powerful form of expression for our students,” she says.
Drawing from each other’s strengths
Since 2010, FGS and FVPS have partnered under MOE’s School Partnerships (Gen Ed-SPED) initiative due to their proximity and shared interests. They conducted a variety of activities together, ranging from buddy reading to Children’s Day performances.
Mdm Lau and Mdm Julia recognised art’s potential to build inclusive bridges. They decided to involve FGS in FVPS’ annual Aesthetics Week.
What followed was months of planning between the schools. The FVPS’ Aesthetics team toured FGS’s specialised art facilities and learnt about adapting activities for students with different sensory and learning needs.
“What struck me was how FGS uses visual aids throughout the school – not just written instructions, but posters, drawings, and images in every corner,” shares Mdm Julia.
This exchange helped both schools design new art projects that combine FVPS’s structured approach to teaching art with FGS’s visual learning techniques.
Striking the right note together
FVPS’s Aesthetics Week showcases not only art but various art forms. So when FGS visited FVPS in July 2024, students from both schools tooled up their creative skills in a week of shared activities.
This included learning to play traditional instruments like the Angklung and Guzheng, guided by FVPS instructors.
For the students from FGS, this experience led them to explore unfamiliar instruments.
“The Angklung’s vibrations stimulate auditory and tactile senses, while the Guzheng’s melodic tones can have a calming effect,” shares Ms Vijaya Rajagopal, a teacher from FGS. “Our students responded naturally – swaying, humming, and running their fingers across the strings.”
All in all, these joint sessions offer more than artistic expression. “When our students visit FVPS for practice, they learn to transition to new environments without being overstimulated,” says Mdm Lau. “It’s valuable life training.”
