04May_Regent PD Digest for Teachers Issue 3

FHBL
JIT PD Digest for Teachers (Part 3)
4 th May 2020
Our Staff in Regent
Lead. Care. Inspire
In Pursuit of Excellence
Reflecting on one’s learning is vital for our students to decide where to focus their efforts next.
In the same way, reflecting upon one’s teaching is vital for teachers’ growth and development.
Brought to you by the Teacher-Leader Team
REGENT SECONDARY SCHOOL
1

#1 Stay Connected
Times flies and we are coming to the end of the FHBL.
In the first edition of Regent’s PD digest, the Teacher Leaders Team shared various resources
available from the HBL guide and SgLDc with our teachers. In that edition, we also extended an
invitation for to staff who were not on board yet to join the SgLDc to stay connected with good
practices shared within the fraternity.
In the 2 nd edition, we shared numerous HBL lesson strategies and ideas by our own Regent teachers
in the hope of inspiring every staff member to continue to hone our craft and deepen subject
mastery. Such valuable sharing helps teachers be more participator, connected and reflective, in
turn enhancing student engagement and the acquisition of 21 st Century skills.
Finally, in this edition, we get our staff to share personal reflections of their HBL journey. While
some of us are proficient at adapting to new ways of teaching, others might be looking into ways of
deepening their pedagogical practices. At whenever stage we may be, there is tremendous scope
for us to learn from one another.
As part of the review process, teachers first completed a self-assessment checklist to of their own
level of practice (using the descriptors used in SkillsFuture for Educators). Then, using the Borton’s
model of reflection, we reflected on how we can continue to improve and enhance our craft.
At the end of the day, we hope to encourage all teachers to deepen their repertoire of skills in e-
pedagogy so that they are able to critically select and use the key applications of technology to
augment classroom practices by enhancing various learning interactions. We also hope that
teachers utilize technology to capture evidence of student learning and use the data to inform
themselves on the effectiveness of assessment and feedback practices in order to bridge students’
learning gaps.
2

PULSE CHECK…
HBL @ REGENT, DONE AND
DUSTED...
By C.Kavitha
When a one-day trial for home-based learning was initiated, every member of Team Regent, put our heads together to
draw up our plans, strategize and move forward cautiously. The original proposal was for secondary schools to embark
on a two-day HBL trail on Thursdays but before we could complete the second day of HBL on 9 April 2020, MOE announced
that schools would go on Full Home Based Learning until early May.
Many of us were a little bewildered but remained steadfast to roll out the necessary learning packages for our
Regenites. Collectively, we figured out ways to execute lessons through Google Meet or Zoom, set assignments through
the Student Learning Space (SLS) and assess assignments utilizing online marking platforms and tools. As a school we
teamed up to cater to students who did not have laptops or internet access at home to ensure that learning continued to
take place while schools were closed.
Several brainstorming sessions were convened, led by our School Leaders (SLs). As a team, we tried to make sense of the
ever-changing and volatile situation and came up with a game plan to roll out full HBL. The school attempted to keep to as
much of the normal routines during FHBL as in normal circumstances. These included Form Teacher’s time and virtual
attendance taking using Google Meet at 7.30 a.m. each morning and Assembly Programmes such as Character and
Citizenship Education, Speak Good English Movement and Watch and Aspire (Career Guidance).
SLs led the KP team firmly, setting clear parameters, in line with MOE’s directives and put in place various structures for
the school. A Holistic FHBL timetable was designed and implemented to ensure that students were engaged meaningfully.
The Operations team comprising SLs, KPs, support and IT staff stationed in school helped to ensure the smooth running of
FHBL and was always there to render support when needed. The CARE team was also deployed to keep a watchful eye on
students who needed additional guidance, giving them a kind, gentle nudge as and when necessary.
Soon, online live lessons and SLS lessons took off. There was only one thing on all of our minds; To ensure that rich learning
continued for our Regenites. We told ourselves to tread lightly, encouraged one another, shared tips and teaching
strategies. Then, as if on cue, we collectively started to think radically and explored more creative teaching methods.
Mentimeter, Kahoot, Padlet, ClassKick and other ICT tools became part and parcel of teaching and learning. Teachermade
videos, live lesson invites, useful online links and our Principal’s FHBL digest to staff were shared among staff
generously.
Amidst this whirlwind of a new experience, we noticed our Regenites rising to this challenge. They were more selfdirected
than ever and pleasantly surprised us with their resilience and tenacity.
As a school, we soldiered on to harness the best that technology has to offer to help deepen teaching and learning.
It was truly a test on many fronts for us.
Yet, Regent teachers and students powered ahead and did their best with a good dose of empathy, unity and an
abundance mindset.
We have emerged from this experience stronger and wiser.
3

PULSE CHECK…
MY HBL JOURNEY
By Malathi Murugesan
Fear and apprehension was what I experienced at the start of my HBL journey. The education sector plans for and implements
E-learning successfully every year. What differentiated the yearly E-learning experience from HBL was the duration. E-learning
every year takes place over a duration for a day or two. HBL was to be implemented over a duration of nearly three weeks.
This was three weeks of learning where students and teachers engage in learning experiences in a virtual setting with no face
to face interaction- a completely new ball game
Like all teachers, I wondered if the learning experiences of students would result in the same learning outcomes as in a
classroom learning environment. There was also apprehension over utilizing ICT tools to conduct online lessons successfully.
With the announcement of FHBL, teachers went full swing into using the various ICT tools at hand to reach out to students
virtually. The first tool I learnt was how to set up a Google Meet to carry out live lessons. I was worried over the technicalities
of setting up the meet. However, a brief sharing by a younger colleague enabled me to familiarise and eventually become
proficient in setting up a Google Meet. I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of setting up virtual meetings, which formed the
starting point for all morning assemblies and lessons during the FHBL. The experience gave me greater confidence in carrying
out online lessons using other ICT tools with ease.
What made the journey truly enjoyable was the sharing by the teaching fraternity – both within school as well as at the national
level. Strategies shared by teachers in school enabled us to pick up the rudimentary aspects of virtual teaching. These included
a particularly useful poll taking at the start of every lesson to gather attendance data. This strategy was indeed a vital tool for
someone like me who relies on softcopy data for tracking student attendance and grades. Features of SLS for uploading and
monitoring of assignments became more familiar and accessible as well.
When it came to mentoring of teachers, online lesson observations –where I visited the ‘classes’ of other teachers enabled me
to guide younger teachers on the pedagogical aspects of virtual teaching. The online lesson observations also enabled me to
pick up effective classroom management strategies from the more tech-savvy younger teachers.
Another aspect which eased the transition into the online teaching was the support rendered online through various platforms.
The SG Learning Designers Circle was one such platform which served as a sounding board for Singapore teachers to express
their concerns over the transition to full online learning. It enabled teachers to understand that they are not alone in the journey.
It was gratifying to know that other teachers were facing similar challenges and generously sharing the ways they overcame
them.
The SG Learning Designers Circle was also a platform to learn about new ICT skills to ease into virtual teaching. A website –
Showbie- shared by a primary school enabled me to mark online assignments more effectively. Deck toys is another online
teaching tool – which gamified teaching concepts. It was also gratifying to watch educators around the world sharing their
online teaching experiences in humorous ways. It was indeed a relief to see that teachers on a global scale the same issues,
challenges and yet put a light-hearted spin on the experience.
One concern on all educators’ minds was whether our teaching was effective in meeting the learning needs of the students.
This led me to try out small group coaching and was glad to have all selected students dutifully logging on to Google Meet for
their consultation session. The session helped me focus on the weak areas of the specific students as surfaced by their online
marked assignments, very much like in a real lesson.
Overall, despite the steep learning curve, HBL has been a fruitful and enriching experience for all teachers.
.
4

PULSE CHECK…
POSITIVE CLASSROOM
CLIMATE
By Thomas Tan Seow Meng
My reflection on enhancing Positive Classroom Culture during FHBL
1. Setting Expectations & Routines
To me, teaching online via Google Meet seemed daunting at first. There were simply just too many technical unknowns,
which had no immediate answers. I braved myself to conduct a few trial runs with the help of some students. The
confidence I gained from the trial runs made me feel that teaching via Google Meet need not to be so different from
classroom teaching, especially when it comes to setting expectations and following through with routines during the
delivery of online lessons.
In fact, at the start of FHBL on 8 April, I literally “invested” a good 20 minutes of the first lesson of each of my class to
reiterate the expectations and routines that were set up for classroom learning at the beginning of the year. Students
must understand that though the “mode” of teaching differs, the rest remains the same. Thus, I set expectations for
punctuality and readiness for online lessons. A few lessons went by and the students eventually understood why FHBL
must not deviate from the normal way of learning at school.
Life (and learning) must go on even at times like this.
2. Establishing Interaction & Rapport
It is fair to say that the dynamics of a class somehow feels different when teaching online via Google Meet, no matter
how much I try to inject humour into my lessens. First, many students chose to turn off their camera after attendance
taking. Without seeing the faces of the students, I felt like teaching in the dark or in an empty room, so to speak. It was a
surreal experience. Subsequently, I set the expectation that students turn on their microphones when lessons are taking
place. To my pleasant surprise, this promoted not only teacher-student interaction but also intellectual conversations
among students. Very quickly, unspoken rules and rapport naturally formed to govern conversations during lessons.
3. Maintaining Positive Discipline
I am fortunate to have built a good level of rapport with my students prior to FHBL. Nonetheless, as a discipline teacher,
it still has to be made clear to students that school rules and class rules do apply to online lessons via Google Meet. My
students understood I would not tolerate undesirable behaviour, the use of coarse language, inappropriate attire and
insensitive remarks during online lessons. Students know I will enforce the rules and bring them to task swiftly to
address the matter.
4. Building Trust
To ensure constant participation during online lesson delivery, I would call out student’s names at random not only to
check on student’s understanding on the subject matter but also to conduct “spot checks” for attentiveness. However, I
did this in a subtle and tactful way so as not to upset students, in the spirit of trust. I made it clear to my students the
intentions of such practices beforehand. Moreover, students enjoyed the “freedom” to excuse themselves from lessons
temporarily should they need to attend to urgent matters. All they had to do is to seek prior permission from me via
WhatsApp or the Google Meet Chat function. This arrangement has proven to be working fine so far.
5. Empowering Learners
With ICT technology such as Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, learning does not have to stop after stipulated timings. I
regularly encourage my students to challenge themselves by attempting higher-order thinking questions while I, as a
teacher, am only a button away for consultation and guidance. In addition, I have shown students how they could search
for possible or alternate solutions in cyberspace from creditable sources, when I am out of their reach.
5

PULSE CHECK…
LESSON DESIGN
By Kua See Hong
Even though FHBL was implemented quite abruptly, a positive mindset is important in deepening and improving our
practices as teachers. Term 1’s PD focus to facilitate Active Learning in students through e-pedadogy (SLS) put most of us
in good stead. I was familiar with importance of good design roadmaps in planning for various types of learning
experiences and to harness technology to meet intended learning outcomes as I was privileged to be working closely
with a passionate SLS Champion, Muslihuddin, who guided me patiently on the 4 types of learning experiences. The
multiple sessions of planning for the staff PD made it easier for me to understand the importance of getting the design map
right first. He constantly raised key questions getting me to think about lesson objectives when planning activities and
selecting appropriate interactive tools to achieve the intended outcomes. Initially, I was more intrigued and overwhelmed
by the various ICT tools I could easily use of on lesson design but Muslihuddin was a good sparring partner who provided
insightful feedback such as not using technology as a substitute for students’ learning.
(1) Think like a designer
The design of learning experiences, which promote understanding of important concepts, is a huge part of what effective
teachers do. There is a need to resist the convenience of simply ‘downloading’ curated lessons prepared by others, as
this may not suit the profile of my learners. Next there needs to be a balance between online and offline, asynchronous
and synchronous lessons in a week. The design map has allowed me to pause and spend time to think about task design
and the interactions between Student-Content, Student-Student, and Student-Teacher.
(2) Beginning with the Goal in mind
While there are specific LI and SCs for lessons, the importance of
making frequent minor adjustments is important in a dynamic virtual
classroom. I learnt that a virtual LIVE lesson can be very different
from a normal classroom lesson. In the classroom, the facial
expressions and behavior of students instantaneously tells us if they
understand the lesson. However, in the virtual world, I have to admit,
this is a can be difficult, hence, the importance of integrating
activities for monitoring and feedback. The SLS Annotation tool
allows me to study students’ work and to provide feedback through
the comment function. Capitalizing on the use of different Interactive
Thinking Tools also allows for richer discussions. Through these
means, the ‘What’ and the ‘Why’ of students’ earning is made visible.
6

(3) Harnessing technology
I use technology to provide feedback and design collaborations so that students can peer assess one another’s work.
By providing them with sentence starters, students are able to comment on one another’s work using technology. For
example, through the use of Padlet and One Note, I was able to get immediate feedback on students’ learning. This has
allowed me to adapt and remix resources for subsequent lessons.
This period has allowed me to think about task design and I am able to rationalize lesson design decisions based on
the principles of e-Pedagogy.
I was also able to differentiate and adapt learning resources for my different learners. Through the SLS platform,
students have the freedom to watch and re-watch video resources according to their pace without wasting the time of
their peers. This period has provided me with ideas and insights on how technology can be further harnessed to
customize resources for students with different learning needs.
When lesson concepts needs re-teaching, I can also use SLS to host Live Lesson for them. At the end of day, use
technology to help us monitor learning progress and provide timely and targeted feedback.
In conclusion when planning my lessons, I keep the following in mind:
(1) What activity can encourage student self-directedness and spark their interest?
(2) How can I build in opportunities for students to learn together?
(3) Are there activities that allow me to monitor students’ progress online? How can I give my students feedback?
(4) What can I do to ensure that ‘live’ lessons are both interactive and productive so that students learn effectively?
Essentials
Focus on Learning Objective
Plan key questions, key concepts and
next steps
Expectations
Structure and routines
Engagement
Opportunities for students to interact
with content, between peers and
with teachers
7

PULSE CHECK…
SEC 1EMPATHY IN ACTION
ON GOOGLE MEET
HAVING FUN WHILE LEARNING
SEC 4 EXPRESS IN ACTION ON
GOOGLE MEET
LESSON
ENACTMENT
BY EDWIN CHEW
I have learnt and re-leant many aspects of my teaching and
learning since FHBL came into effect.
When conducting lessons on Geographical Inquiry, I realise
that different students have different levels of understanding.
This has naturally, made me stop, pause and confer with my
students on how to teach differently and more importantly,
how they learn.
Feedback & Reflections from the students:
Teaching in the classroom is easier as one can be prepared
with printed resources, models, graphics, prepared questions
and a myriad other tools.
.
Sarah, Sec 4:
It was very fun and engaging. Mr Chew did his
best to keep the lesson fun and interesting
despite certain topics being content heavy.
Mervyn, Sec 3:
Home-base-learning was fun with Mr Edwin
because he is be able to make the lesson
enjoyable and fun. I was able to focus a bit better
than learning in school. Mr Edwin also gave us
homework that was manageable.
Bryan, Sec 1:
Geography HBL is usually more interesting than the Geography
Lessons in School. However, sometimes it may not be the case. In
the Geography HBL Lessons, I have learnt more about topics like
Water Shortage and the 4 National Taps of Singapore. HBL has
helped me to reinforce my learning.
Various activities : Feedback, use of Padlet and Mentimeter
While the lesson is going on, I can observe student reaction,
pace up and down, monitor students’ work and provide
immediate feedback.
Before the end of the lesson a simple showing of, ‘thumbs up
or thumbs down’ suffices to inform me of how the students had
found the lesson.
… HBL then hit us for two days. A few realisations hit me..
I just taught content… I spoke to a lifeless screen. I was
bored, and I knew the students were bored, too.
Cody, Sec 3:
I learnt a lot of things although from Mr Edwin’s HBL lessons. He
tried his best to teach us as much as we could – I learnt
geographical issues such as the the Kyoto Protocol. Overall, every
lesson has been a blast as he made every moment of learning
enjoyable for the class.
Mr Edwin always makes the lesson fun. He allowed us to remember
whatever he teaches through many different ways and methods of
teaching.
8

Hear them!
Back to the drawing board…Geography Teaching 101.
To me, lesson engagement was the most important factor while I delivered my lessons.
I made sure that my lessons were not of me speaking to a screen; but one where interaction and engagement took place. The
flow and the pacing of the lessons had to be carefully planned first. Next came the planning of key questions and getting students
to respond. Monitoring had to be done to ensure all of them were being attentive.
As an answer to these needs, I made sure the interactions with them were structured and well-paced. I decided to deliver less
content and use more essential questions. Providing students with the autonomy to decide how they want to submit their
homework was another tactic, which was well-received -so I gave them a buffet spread of activities as homework, some of which
are featured on this page. To harness collective knowledge, group work was set to both engage and build on one another’s
knowledge. Scaffolding was another important aspect, particularly for students who require more support and hand holding..
ALWAYS,
DO PAUSE AND REFLECT! Some learning points…
Continue to enthuse them! A Eureka moment may come anytime!
Collaborate! They love working and collaborating
well using ICT! Tap on this as it promotes learner
engagement! I made sure my explanations were
sharp and clear, and always checked in with them
on their understanding.
My belief is that arousing my students through varied
activities will help them be engaged in learning. This will
also facilitate deep understanding because they
will take the initiative to find out more when
they have learnt. Pitch at their level and
continue to challenge them and to sustain them.
The use of National Geographic Videos helped!
End off on a high note!
As the lesson concludes, do not forget thank them. Teaching AND Learning is mutually exclusive.
You have to LOOK IN TO LOOK OUT, and always remember, that you are part of them. Give them opportunities to shine and
make every moment count. To end, as David Perkins said, “What’s worth learning?”
AROUSE
INTEREST /
ACTIVATE THEIR
LEARNING
BE CLEAR & CONCISE
ENCOURAGE THEM – all
the time!
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
/ MOMENTUM TO GIVE
THEM EUREKA MOMENTs
BY ASKING QUESTIONS
IN A NON-THREATENING
ENVIRONMENT.
BE FLEXIBLE – One size
does NOT fit all.. give
them a choice of what to
do & how LEARNING
SHOULD TAKE PLACE!
Wrap up !
9

PULSE CHECK…
ASSESSMENT &
FEEDBACK
BY RAJANMI FERNANDEZ
The HBL period posed numerous challenges to teachers in terms of familiarizing with new technology, planning of lessons,
selecting and sequencing of content and engaging students during live lessons. One of the most pervasive concerns
among most of us was how to effectively evaluate assessment and provide meaningful feedback, which is then acted upon
by students.
Self- assessment quizzes –SLS platform
The SLS platform provides assessment modes, which offer teachers a range of quiz options to assess learning and
understanding of students. The self-check, hint, explanation functions of the SLS platform evidence allow students to assess
themselves virtually without the need for the teacher’s explanation.
Such self-assessment tools serve the dual functions of enhancing self-directedness in students as well as saving time for
teachers who are able to spend valuable time assessing free response questions. However, unless students take the time
to really take note of wrong answers and reflect on the processes, which they used to answer the question, effective
learning may not take place. During the HBL period, I noticed that students focused more on the scores rather than the
errors made and reasons behind them.
There is still a need to address the misconceptions of students revealed through the wrong answers. This can be done by
checking to see where the most errors occurred and at the start of the next lesson, show the students the reasons why
errors were made and how these could have been avoided – either through a close study of the questions, stem,
misunderstandings in conceptual knowledge or carelessness.
This feedback loop has to be closed and it serves to raise awareness of how students could avoid errors in future and the
frequency in which they make the errors.
Providing feedback through comments marking
Providing rich feedback to students on their online submission of assignments is feasible using the stylus. Feedback can
be as detailed and extensive as when marking hard copy scripts. I notice that, graduating students and self-directed
learners value such forms of feedback. Such students tend to scrutinize very comment and seek clarifications afterwards
on the suggestions and ways to improve.
However, there are shortcomings to typed assignments for English, as much of the language accuracy can be corrected
before submission. In the long run, high stakes examinations still require students to write, proofread and edit their
writing. If students become too reliant of the autocorrect features of online submissions, students may not be aware of the
errors they may make and teachers may miss the true shortcomings of students and therefore be unable to bridge the
gaps. One way to overcome this is to set expectations of hand-written assignments submitted via Camscanner. To an
extent, this addresses the online autocorrect functions, which are too much of a help to students.
One other drawback of online, typed submissions for English essays is that the Google function is too easily accessible as
compared to an assignment done in class. While students benefit by checking for language accuracy and looking up the
meaning of unfamiliar words, those who are irresponsible have a tendency to adapt easily available online materials,
passing the content off as their own. We need to address suspected plagiarism in a tactful fashion by getting the students
to rewrite certain portions of the essay with ‘suggestions’ for improvements, pointing them in a direction of original ideas
and authentic language use. This requires teachers to spend a longer time assessing and re-assessing students work,
however, if not addressed, time will be lost as the students’ genuine progress is impeded.
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Providing ‘face-to-face’ feedback through virtual channels
Research has shown that the best form of feedback is one conducted face-to- face. While this period does not allow us to
meet students for consultation, it is still possible through Google meet or via other platforms, which allow for interaction.
When returning essays, most students are able to access the feedback provided through comments and take selfcorrection
measures. For students who find difficulty understanding the feedback and suggestions for improvements, one
to one consultations can still be provided at the end of the 40 minute live lesson. Similar to getting students to stay back
for consultations, a virtual consultation where the stylus is used on the student’s script to point out and write notes as the
student seeks clarity. With such feedback and subsequent submission of corrections, the opportunity to check on
understanding is made possible.
WhatsApp chat functions provide students access to teachers’ feedback as well. Students use this mode to ask questions
freely, posting parts of written scripts to receive immediate feedback and suggestions for improvements rather than wait
until the essay is marked and returned. This adaptation of the ‘process writing’ method provides weaker students a
‘crutch’, helping them to build confidence gradually. If students do not have access to immediate ‘bite-sized’ feedback
and receive only a final mark, the gap will be a much wider one to bridge.
Ultimately, whether assessment and feedback is done virtually or directly, it is crucial that the principles of effective
evaluation and timely feedback are adopted by all of us.
11

WORK LIFE HARMONY
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
Using tools like Mentimeter and Slido engage students and capture data about their learning. Built-in ICT tools are a great help in monitoring formative
assessment. My key takeaway from this period is that not all subject content can be taught most effectively via an online platform. For some skills, the faceto-face
approach is the best.
Rachel Lau
HBL had a rocky start and both the students and I grappled with use of technology to replace lessons in the classroom setting. However, we gradually got
used to it and I tried to mimic actual lessons using technological tools so as not to compromise on the learning of the students. Students were cooperative
and tried their best to be actively involved in lessons and I gave them multiple platforms to submit their work to ease their difficulties in this period.
My key takeaway is that I should consistently ask for feedback from the students to ensure they keep up and be flexible when students face problems or
when technical glitches call for changes to take place.
Esther Tan
I am using different online tools such as Google Meet, Google Drive and SLS to engage and monitor my students. I am in SGLDC and am inspired to learn
and use the tools recommended such as Deck Toys for my lessons. My key takeaways are that online teaching requires a very different skill set compared
to physical teaching and learning. Very different strategies need to be used to ensure that effective learning takes place.
Tan Keng Cheong
12

MATHS
Students seek consultations to clarify doubts (as they are able to find time to do so in the afternoon) and are generally attentive and responsive. However,
there is a need to firm online as well to ensure that students live up to expectations and stick to routines set in place. The rich sharing by other teachers
enhanced my own practices. I learned useful strategies such as Microsoft TEAMs, marking using online tools and ways to safeguard teachers’ private
information when using pdf documents. This period also allowed me to use technology to stay connected with my department teachers, key personnel,
family and friends.
Tong Wee Heng
My Key takeaway is that students can rise up to the occasion when called upon. We, as teachers, must believe in that and communicate to them that
they can achieve their goals and expectations. However, we have to be mindful of their mental health, always check in with students to make sure all is
well at home.
Sebastian Soo
Although we are restricted to using Online learning for this circuit breaker, we need not restrict its use to this period alone but continuously harness the
power of technology when we return to classroom teaching. These platforms are valuable for the reinforcement of additional learning, particularly for weaker
students who need additional revision to be carried out at their own pace.
Ken Mark
Teaching and learning need not be limited to the traditional classroom setting. This Circuit Breaker period has forced us to think of out the box to continue
to teach so that students continue to learn. The willingness to try new teaching approaches and the ability to adapt to the situation become key to ensure
that students learn effectively.
The crafting of lesson plans and active on-going reflection makes the planning of each lesson more deliberate and purposeful. Active on-going reflection
is essential as there is limited screen time to confer with the students and every minute of teaching on Google Meet/SLS counts. Active on-going
reflection also helps to check that the lesson objectives are met and that students are learning well.
Su Rui Yi
Most students very quickly got the hang of work submissions. Students were also receptive towards online learning. At times when it got challenging to keep
to 40mins, students were understanding and stayed on task during the extra minutes of lessons.
I would like to continue exploring the various tools in SLS. Apart from that, even without HBL, I would like to continue trying out ICT tools during lessons to
ignite the joy of learning.
My main takeaways are that it is very important to explore different technological tools to enhance teaching and learning and that monitoring is crucial. What
I realise is that the majority of our students are keen learners. However, due to the nature of the lessons and their workload this period, they might struggle
with their work submissions. Hence, it is essential that we monitor them closely and in a timely manner.
Adeline Goh
13

SCIENCE
I tried a range of ICT tools such as Nearport, Slido, Loom, Kahoot, Quizizz and Google forms to monitor and support students’ learning. Though I had to
troubleshoot problems, I managed to discover new ideas through the SG LDC Facebook page.
In future, I plan to keep up with trends and new ideas through the SG LDC community and share my knowledge with colleagues.
Joan Lim
I was able to use various online platforms to engage students in learning and make use of ICT to capture the students' responses so that any
misconceptions can be addressed on the spot. I also got to explore more than just SLS, accessing tools such as embedding external whitelisted sites
which have simulations that can bring across the concepts easily. The FB LDC helped with the exchange of ideas with fellow colleagues. It is actually
very fun to use ICT to teach concepts, especially when it comes to mechanisms. I find that students need to be taught to be more disciplined and are
motivated to play around with simulations.
The Jia-ling
I had a challenging time designing HBL lessons the first week as I was unfamiliar with the features of SLS as well as Google Meet. I also was not familiar
with marking softcopies of work submitted. However, with the help of colleagues and the tip picked up during Department meetings and Whitespace,
my challenges slowly diminished and I became comfortable with designing SLS packages.
I look forward to fine tuning my skills in setting SLS holiday homework so that I am able to assess and capture students’ understanding more accurately.
Elsie Mathews
14

MOTHER TONGUE
I made use of Google drive for resources and homework submissions, saving question papers and marked assignments within folders for easy access
by students. Software such as Kami was used for annotations, which will be made available for downloading by students later. If students’ homework is
not submitted on time, I would monitor and remind them. I enforced this routine from the start and was impressed that my 2NA class has been prompt
with the submission of work. I also found that the Google Meet platform is effective for Reading Aloud and Spoken Interaction as I can practise with
them online, saving time and hassle by working from home.
Candy Neo
The HBL period was challenging but I found the whole experience meaningful. The whole "dramatic experience' of this period has taught me to remain
calm and positive each day by focusing on my students' learning . Though the learning curve was steep, I am very grateful to my spouse and colleagues
who are generous in their sharing of e-pedagogies. One of the ideas that I am interested to know more is using Escape games and Deck toys to create
lessons. Overall, I feel that as teachers we need to be ready to face any moments of crisis. Though still an amateur in online teaching, it has definitely
opened my eyes to the various ways teaching can be done and it has also strengthened my belief to continue to help my students in their pursuit of
knowledge.
Irdawaty
I am glad that communication platform such as Google Meet has greatly assisted with the three levels of learning interactions: T-S, S-S and S-C.
Running live lessons alongside SLS has helped to pace lessons and get students to move forward together.
In the aspect of assessment of learning, on-the-spot (live) Feedback at every level of active learning process is important. However, to ensure collective
coverage for every student is a challenge. To mitigate this, it is important to elicit students’ views "live" in order to have that sensing of students'
understanding remotely from our desks. Overall, I can never say the conduct of lessons have been perfect but there are certainly new discoveries and
mistakes that are perfect to learn from when designing e-lessons with the right e-pedagogy.
Muslihuddin
I actually enjoyed delivering lessons during this HBL period. Granted, it is difficult to check in with every single student, or monitor progress as easily as
usual, however, I used various methods to engage students. These include creating a photo-captioning assignment to incorporate ICT and language
skills, taking photos of workbooks / worksheets / textbooks and projecting them during lesson, using MS word to type out all the new vocabulary,
homework, scaffolding guide and sending them the pdf version after lessons so that they still can revise.
Lessons during HBL can be fun too. It is up to the teacher to either go the extra mile to spice things up rather than adopt a one-size-fits all lessons for
students
Hap Guilian
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HUMANITIES
I think what went well was that teachers took the chance to level up their IT skills and tried various new pedagogies. The Covid-19
period really brought about a digital transformation in the way we teach, by forcing many teachers to step up the learning curve, adopt
and adapt to new technologies.
Neo Wei Zong
What went well is that most students were able to follow the lessons online and were mostly on task, as reflected in their offline
assignments.
What I plan to do in future is to continue monitoring the SG LDC Facebook page to pick up on good practices, as well as to continue
signing up for PD courses on e-pedagogies, which was my original target for this year. My key takeaways form HBL is that students
are adaptable and are able to have been picking up IT skills quickly with the help of their teachers. This has indeed been a good time
for me to explore some ICT tools that can be used for my future lessons.
Shaun Sim
Learning new skills and more effective ways to give feedback to my students
To continue to deepen my practices and hone my craft to be an effective teacher
Chunking my lesson into bite size segments so that students process information better in virtual learning
Lim Yan Li
Learnt new ICT tools which can be used even after the HBL period.
Malathi
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Ever feel like you need a friend to talk to during this period of social distancing?
While the Regent family may not be physically together, we are always there for you!
The PE department has produced some videos to encourage both staff and students to Stay Active. Stay Safe.
Catch it at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpK2WXiEXg6xpCacjR-ta6g
In addition, the Music department has also worked with students to produce a music video, ‘I’ll be there for you’ during
this period.
Check it out at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sPm4zttfru2uVz8q5OnNDy-NSYHTjJhx/view?usp=sharing
Through the weekly SLS PE Assignments, I was able to witness a different side of students who posted photos or videos of themselves
working out at home. Some students even exceeded the amount of exercises prescribed to them, which was heartening. Their selfdiscipline,
as well as self-motivation was key to them staying active and healthy throughout the Circuit Breaker period.
There is room for improvement in terms of exploring other topics and aspects of PE such as sports and game concepts where the
opportunities to give feedback to students increases.
I treasure the self-initiated Google meets during every stretch break with my students as I get to see them and workout with them.
The interaction is most definitely an added motivation for all parties involved- students as well as teachers. A fixed time-slot for PE in
future HBL periods is ideal and that is what I wish for in future.
Lawrence Ng
Basic technological platforms used in this HBL like google meet live lesson, SLS, padlet, google forms all worked well. Students are
already familiar with these platforms previously and I need not spend extra time to teach them how to adjust to these tools. I felt these
tools are also sufficient for me to try out different pedagogy for E learning like peer teaching, feedback etc. I will definitely want to deepen
my practices for e-pedagogy to explore new tools like camscanner and various other new platforms. I believe HBL is effective to a certain
extent for students who are self directed, but I am still exploring ways to reach my different ability learners as well.
Isaac Jiang
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CRAFT & TECHNOLOGY
HBL is a period which tested everyone’s resilience and strength.
We had to get out of our comfort zones to try new technology so that our students are still able to learn.
As teachers, we must also keep a look out for new software and platforms, which can help with the teaching & learning of our lesson
well, even during normal circumstances.
Seetoh Kok Leong
More personal interactions such as sharing about the child's pet or home can take place through the video sessions. I became better
acquainted with the functions of SLS and with ways of crafting online lessons for students. These lessons also made me re-evaluate
and think more deeply on the strengths of harnessing ICT to add value to students’ learning that I have not previously explored.
In the future, I hope to attend professional sharing or learning circles where other educators share useful ICT tools and materials that
can be adapted to my own classroom practices.
This period made me reflect a lot on the importance of quiet time and reflection for students on resources provided. Usually in class,
information is directly handed out to students and verbalised by the teacher with less time for students to digest the information ,
reflect on and internalise the content laid out by the teacher.
Cheak Yen Hui
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SCHOOL ADMIN TEAM
The Admin team has covered various wide
ranging topics via the sharing of videos,
reading materials on Teamwork, selfimprovement,
productivity and brain
exercises.
They are encouraged to update their
reflection and learning (via google doc)
after viewing the resources.
Office Support Officers shared their insights
and discussion points viaGoogle meet
sessions.
School Admin team is Working from home, learning skills and keeping fit to return STRONGER!
In the course of sourcing for suitable materials for the Admin Team to continue growing professionally, I spent much time browsing
the internet, looking up resources on OPAL, the intranet and by reading self-improvement, productivity materials. While I try to
engage my team during WFH with a wide spectrum of learning materials, I have benefited as well.
Some of my learnings include:
1) Staying Positive
2) Stay alert of changes in the environment and overcome the fear of stepping out of my comfort zone to look for new ways of doing
things
3) Leveraging on the strength of each individual to improve on efficiency
4) Eliminating negative thoughts and having faith in myself to overcome difficulties.
5) Being proactive
Jancy Tan Lay khim
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SDT TEAM
CARE TEAM
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ICT TEAM
Acknowledgements:
Regent Secondary School Leaders, staff and teachers woud like to acknowlede the valuable
contributions of the Care team and the ICT team during this period.
The Care team formed a lifeline between the school and the students through hours spent on
following up with students who needed the extra care and attention. The team’s tenacity and
commitment to ensure vulnerable students do not slip through the crack are indeed commendable.
Without the ICT team, we would not have been able to carry out Home Based Learning smoothly.
The departments’ willingess and capacity to attend to urgent requests, troubleshoot and attend to
every staff members technical queries has been exceptional.
A special thank you goes out to Mr Tan Wei Jin and his team who has been instrumental in planning
the time-tables and monitoring of attendance every single day as well as generating required data
as and when requested.
Thank you to the SDT team and Year Heads who have conscientously supported both staff and
students through this challenging and uncertain period.
We also acknowledge the guidance and firm support of our school leaders in ensuring all stafd are
kept up to date with information and clear about roles and expectations.
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Thank you to all our Regenites who have shown resilence and determination to stay focused
during this period.
You are the reason why we teachers keep doing what we do!
Last but not least, presenting our Teacher Leaders
TEACHER LEADERS
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#3 Stay Safe. Stay Curious. Take Care
TEACHER SELF CARE BINGO
You got this! A bingo board for this May holiday with self -care ideas.
Acknowlegement: Positive Education facebook
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Contributors
Kua See Hong
School Staff Developer
Fernandez
Lead Teacher
Edwin Chew
Lead Teacher
Malathi
Senior Teacher
Thomas Tan
Senior Teacher
Acknowledgements:
TLT team would like to thank our School Leaders for their continued guidance and support to all staff
during this period.
All teachers who have graciously shared their good practices for professional learning.
SgLDc FB group for resources on HBL matters
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