STEM

Teach Less ... Learn More - STEM Education

More teaching... more of the same teaching...
is not exactly the way to inspire more learning!

Pak Tee Ng

It is crucial now that we provide the boys in Willow with the skills to be 21st-century learners.

STEM ‘Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths’ Education is not a new concept, however, this type of thinking and indeed learning is something that we in Willow realise is very important to 21st-century learning environments and indeed the boys within our Junior School.

2016 – Singapore. In Singapore, teaching less isn’t about lowering standards or doing less. It is about putting children and learning first, including the learning of the teachers themselves. The art of teaching (pedagogy) and the continual professional development of teachers and leaders in schools was paramount to the success of this initiative. In Willow we have dedicated, hard-working teachers who put the learning of the boys in their classes first and strive to provide a differentiated curriculum that caters for the needs of each individual pupil. We strongly believe that learning is a continual process and that all members of our school community are lifelong learners.

Over the coming months, you will see the boys within our Junior School participate in group activities that require them to lead and solve real-life problems. For example, planning, creating and assessing their own musical instruments, creating their own obstacle course, building a model boat to race in the swimming pool or indeed making a Lego technic robot. Active learning with their peers in groups…teach less, learn more.

It is crucial now that we provide the boys in Willow with the skills to be 21st-century learners. For example, ways of thinking- creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making and learning ways of working – including communication and collaboration …. 21st-century learning environments must: make learning central and encourage student engagement; ensure that learning is social and collaborative; be relevant and highly attuned to students’ motivations.

In Willow, we are constantly reflecting on the teaching and learning within our school and are creating a blended, balanced learning approach that provides our boys with the skills and confidence to address the tests that they will face throughout life and not necessarily a life of tests.

James Docherty

Principal WPJS