Teacher who taught English through drama, songs among six honoured

SINGAPORE —  When Ms Priyadakshini Surendiran S found her Primary 1 students becoming more animated and engaged through drama and song during English lessons, she made role-playing a regular feature of her classes.

The Punggol Primary School teacher did not stop there: She went on to set up a new co-curricular activity called the Book and Drama Club. The club has gone on to take part in many competitions and sees former students returning to help inspire younger cohorts. 

“Students who started off being too shy or frightened to make a mistake during improvisation games gradually became the first one to raise their hands. That confidence did not grow overnight; it was a gradual process as a result of the safe learning environment (during) every drama session,” said Miss Priyadakshini, 30, who joined the school in 2008.

She was one of six teachers who received an award today (July 6) for adopting innovative approaches to stretch students’ potential.

The Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA) is given out every year to teachers who are below the age of 35 and who have shown commendable enthusiasm and energy in youth development. 

“Teaching is not just about teaching students the content in subjects such as chemistry, history, literature, physics,” said Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, who handed out the awards during the National Institute of Education’s Teachers’ Investiture Ceremony at Nanyang Technological University. “But most importantly, nurturing in students life skills and the competencies that will stand them in good stead for the future.”

Other OYEA recipients were Madam Premlatha Selvaraj of Greenview Secondary School, Mr Hazelman Norhafis of Changkat Changi Secondary School, Ms Tan Winnie of Bendemeer Primary School, Ms Low Duo Jia Dorcas of Serangoon Garden Secondary School and Mr Tan Chin Guan of Hwa Chong Institution.

Mdm Premlatha, a history teacher, brought lessons to life by getting her students to document the heritage of Pasir Ris, where Greenview Secondary is located, through research and interviews with elderly residents.

“Students discovered fun facts like how Elias Road was named after a Jewish businessman. And because most of them reside around the area, it helps them feel a connection to the project,” said the 33-year-old.

And driven by the belief that a big part of success in life is about showing up, Changkat Changi Secondary’s Mr Hazelman implemented the Detention After School programme for latecomers. Through counselling and tutoring, the programme has managed to cut the number of latecomers from an average of 70 per day in 2012 to an average of 10 to 20 per day this year.