Teach Less, Learn More (TLLM)

What is it about?
Teaching better, to engage our learners and prepare them for life, rather than teaching more, for tests and examinations.


What do we as Humanities Teachers in Mayflower do to promote TLLM?
Remember why we teach.
Reflect on what we teach.
Reconsider how we teach.

What is the aim of TLLM in the Humanities Department?
To touch the hearts and engage the minds of our learners and to prepare them for life.

How is this achieved?
The teachers shift the focus from “quantity” to “quality” in education.




“More quality” in terms of classroom interaction, opportunities for expression, the learning of life-long skills and the building of character through innovative and effective teaching approaches and strategies.








“Less quantity” in terms of rote-learning, repetitive tests, and following prescribed answers and set formulae.

EXAMPLES OF TLLM IN THE DEPARTMENT.

MOE Excel Day 2006

In 2006, a group of Secondary 3 students taught visitors to the MOE Excel Fair how to use Goggle Earth to study Geography.







They also shared their studies on Urban Heat Island to visitors.




The Living Space Project allows students to collect data to support their hypothesis that they have about Urban Heat Island.






By teaching the public how to use Goggle Earth, students reinforce what they themselves have learnt about Goggle Earth.

By interacting with the public, students gain confidence and enhance their public speaking skills.








An example of a TLLM lesson

Students are given tourist maps of Singapore and Penang during a lesson on Tourism. They have to extract information from the maps. With the information they have collected, they can make an informed decision on the quality of tourist attractions in Singapore and Malaysia.










Students learn to develop team work when they work together to answer questions provided by teachers.

Engaging Mind

The department is constantly seeking opportunities for our students to apply what they have learnt in class to real life situation.



For examples, these students took part in the NUS Geography Challenge held on the 26th May 2007. Ms Faridah prepared the students which provide them with additional opportunity to apply what they have learnt in class.

Here, students are given an opportunity to discuss with grassroots leaders from the Central Community Developmental Council (CDC)on ways to controlling the littering problem in Central CDC.



Students are regularly given opportunity to present their work to the class.

Reflection for 2007

The Humanities Department has been organizing several activities that support the Teach Less Learn More Initiative of MOE.


1. Field Trips

Field trip on Good Governance



Sec 4 Express pupils participated in this field trip conducted by the Singapore History Consultants. Through the field trip, pupils explored the Civic District, tracing its significance in Singapore history. Pupils studied various colonial buildings and other structures and they also learnt how Singapore was ruled under different eras, taking it from a colony to a nation.












Visit to the URA

Some of the Secondary 4 Geography students visited URA where they made a detailed study of the future development of Singapore.










Singapore River

As part of the TLLM, students from the Secondary 2 Normal Technical stream did a project on the Singapore River. After they had completed their research on -line, they proceeded to the Singapore River to see first hand the sites that they had virtually visited.
















2.Youth Environmental Guardians

The year 2007 started on a good note with the formation of the Youth Environmental Guardians in collaboration with the National Environmental Agency.

The YEG was formed in November 2006.



Several road shows were conducted in 2007 by the YEG to spread the message that we have to keep the environment clean.





The YEG helped to gather feedback for the NEA from the residents of Serangoon Garden on how they can help to keep their environment clean.












At the 3rd Environmental Regional Workshop for the Central Singapore District, the YEG shared with the Mayor of Central CDC their views on what students could do to help keep the environment litter free.









The YEGs also presented a skit on 'Clean Up, Bin It, Don't Breed It ' at the Teck Ghee Community Club.




3. Action Research and Learning circle

The department is currently conducting a learning circle on how to use acronyms to teach social studies. The Geography teaches are working on using structured scaffolds for answering structured essay questions.

Meanwhile another group of Humanities teachers are doing an action research on how to improve the performance of our students in the GCE 'O' level examination.


4. Weather Station Project Challenge 2007

This project was done by a group of sec 3 pure Geography pupils under the able guidance of Ms Cheng and Ms Faridah. The project was evaluated by members of Senoko power station and the local polytechnics. The pupils had to think on the spot and answer questions related to the project. They did a good job at giving good, quality answers.

5. Department Bonding Sessions

The Humanities family takes time to celebrate its successes, including the birth of each and every member. The photograph on your right shows Ms Faridah's birthday celebration. Together, we achieve even greater heights. 'Happy Birthday Faridah!'

6. N6 Cluster Workshop on answering structured essay questions for Social Studies.

This workshop was organised by Mrs Selva and all the teachers in the department attended the session. Photographs below show Ms Tan Shu-Wei from CHIJ St.Nicholas sharing strategies to help pupils master answering of Structured Essay Questions(SEQs).