Press Releases
Information Sheet on Vision for the Teaching Service
Teachers play a critical role in preparing their students to thrive in an increasingly complex, competitive and inter-connected world. To do this, they need to deliver holistic education that is increasingly flexible and customised, so as to equip their students not just with content knowledge, but also with the necessary skills and values.
The enhancements we desire to make to our education system will require committed teachers who continuously acquire new knowledge and apply innovative pedagogies to be effective educators.
The Singapore education system is at an inflexion point. Our teachers are taking on far greater ownership of their own profession. It is therefore timely for the teaching fraternity to articulate their Vision for the Teaching Service, so as to keep teachers focused on what they want to accomplish in the years ahead to move the fraternity to a higher level of professional excellence.
The Vision for the Teaching Service was launched by MOE’s Director-General of Education, Ms Ho Peng, at the Teachers’ Mass Lecture on Wednesday, 26 August 2009.
The vision statement for the Teaching Service is:
Singapore Teachers: Lead. Care. Inspire.
“By word and deed, through the care we give, we touch the lives of our students. We make a difference—leading and inspiring our students to believe in themselves and to be the best they can be.
As individuals and as a community of professionals, we seek continually to deepen our expertise. Respectful of fellow educators, we collaborate to build a strong fraternity, taking pride in our work and profession.
We forge trusting partnerships with families and the community for the growth and well-being of each student.
We Lead, Care, Inspire,
For the Future of the Nation Passes through Our Hands.”
Teachers’ Conversations on Vision
As the Vision for the Teaching Service expresses the aspirations of the teaching fraternity, almost all teachers were consulted in its drafting. From February to July 2009, a team of educators comprising teachers and school leaders conducted an envisioning exercise for some 28,000 teachers to uncover the best qualities of Singapore’s teachers, and draw out their aspirations as a community of professionals. Teachers shared their personal stories to identify the core strengths of the Singapore teaching profession, which were then used to build their vision for the teaching service.
At school level, the conversations continued as teachers discussed and gave feedback on the draft Vision Statements. Taking in the feedback, the Vision statement was then crafted.
Even after the launch of the Vision, conversations will continue to be held in schools to refine the explanation of the three elements of the Vision. Teachers will reflect on their roles in groups and individually. Schools will engage teachers in conversations on how each teacher can grow as a teacher, and how, as a fraternity, they can take the Education Service forward.
Background on Teachers’ Mass Lecture
Started in 1998, the Teachers’ Mass Lecture is an annual event organised to widen the perspectives of teachers on issues that have an impact on the profession. It also serves to inspire, motivate, as well as re-energise teachers. A speaker is invited each year to give a lecture on a selected theme.
The theme of Teachers’ Mass Lecture 2009 is Teachers for Tomorrow—Enduring Mission, Evolving Role. The theme takes its cue from the current education landscape where technological innovations and globalisation have led to a change in the roles that teachers play. It affirms the core purpose of teachers in nurturing each child to achieve the desired outcomes of education, while constantly adapting and building their capacity to perform their role effectively. Speaking at the Lecture this year is Sir Michael Barber, Partner at McKinsey & Company.
About 4,000 participants attended this year’s event. These include MOE’s Senior Management, school leaders, teachers, personnel from other institutions such as NIE, the Special Education Schools, the Singapore Examinations Assessment Board, Singapore Prison School, privately funded institutions and various teachers’ unions.