29 June 2000

SPEECH BY RADM (NS) TEO CHEE HEAN,
MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SECOND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE
AT THE NIE TEACHERS INVESTITURE CEREMONY
ON THURSDAY, 29 JUNE 2000 AT 9.30 A.M.
AT THE SINGAPORE INDOOR STADIUM

1. It gives me great pleasure to be here this morning. I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all of you for successfully completing your teacher training programme at the National Institute of Education (NIE). The Teacher Investiture Ceremony today marks your formal entry into the ranks of the teaching profession. As teachers, you are entrusted with the heavy responsibility of nurturing young minds and equipping them with the values and skills to meet the challenges of the future.

2. In the last twelve months, a total of 1543 trained teachers graduated from NIE. They have provided a welcome addition to our teaching force, and an injection of fresh energy and enthusiasm. In this morning's ceremony, we have 428 who are graduating with the Diploma in Education, and 150 who are graduating with the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science with Diploma in Education. While the graduates from the degree programmes will also be attending the NTU Convocation in September, this Investiture Ceremony today carries special significance as you are not just receiving a certificate for passing a course of study, but more importantly, this ceremony marks the beginning of your teaching career, and your formal acceptance into the fraternity of teachers.

3. Teachers are key to everything we wish to achieve in Education. Teachers play an active part in generating an environment that fosters creativity and passion for learning in students. Your example should inspire your students. Your training as teachers has only just begun. You have acquired the basic competencies for teaching. But as teachers, to excel in your profession, you should always seek to develop yourselves professionally throughout your career. Take advantage of opportunities for learning and training to re-energise yourselves, and return with a renewed sense of purpose. The rate at which our students learn and the amount of knowledge and skills they demonstrate will provide an impetus for your own learning.

4. While having knowledge and interesting teaching methods will make you an effective teacher and keep your students captivated, an outstanding teacher distinguishes himself with other qualities.

6. The first quality, CARE, is perhaps the most important one. Whenever students are asked about what qualities they deem important in a good teacher, CARE is often the response given. Students remember most the teacher who cared for them, who bolstered their self-image, who took time to be a friend, a mentor and a guardian, while all the time making sure that they master useful skills and knowledge. Your opinions of them shape their behaviour and life. If you care to encourage them and let them know there is something good in them, they will stretch and reach the potential they have.

7. Some researchers went to an area of high crime in the US to test the prediction made 25 years earlier by another team of researchers that 90% of a group of 200 boys in a school situated in that area would go to jail. But instead of the 90%, they found that only 4 of the 200 had ever been sent to jail, not the 180 that had been predicted. They also found that this surprisingly clean record was attributed to one teacher. When they interviewed this teacher, who had since retired, for the reasons why the students should have remembered her, she said, "No, I really couldn't think of any. I loved those boys."

8. A teacher who cares will be ready to go that extra mile for his students. Love for the students will fire his passion for teaching. It is this quality of care that will leave the strongest impression on your students.

9. COURAGE is what you will need to challenge current ways of doing things, to innovate, to do things differently. As young teachers all raring to go, you could take the lead in coming up with different and innovative ways to teach or organise your programmes, for the benefit of your students.

10. Do not be afraid to try new things. Babe Ruth, the legendary American baseball star said, "Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back." He is best remembered for his home runs, but not many people know that he was also struck out more often than most players. It is precisely because he was willing to take the risk of striking out that he was able to hit all those home runs. Today, no one remembers the strikeouts but everyone remembers his home runs.

11. Even if the home runs don't come about after the many strikeouts, we can adopt the attitude of Thomas Edison who said, "I have not failed 10,000 times. I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work."

12. Look for others to work with. There are many in the service, young and old, who like yourselves will share your enthusiasm to try out new ideas for the benefit of your students. Teachers who seek to COLLABORATE with others will create improvements that one teacher alone cannot. New teachers like yourselves may sometimes feel overwhelmed by the many things that you have to do in your early months. The challenges of settling into school and managing your classes and students may be disorienting and weigh you down. Work with your mentoring teachers and do not be afraid to ask them for guidance. Teachers benefit tremendously from one another by sharing ideas, materials, techniques, lesson plans, and organisational skills, and then improving them. When we work together, we can get more things done, faster and usually better.

13. This morning, I am also pleased to present the annual Outstanding Youth in Education Awards (OYEA) to 2 teachers. The OYEA awards are now in their second year. They were introduced by the National Youth Council to recognise the creativity, enthusiasm and contributions of our outstanding younger teachers. The awards recognise excellent teachers, rather than just excellent teaching. The 2 recipients today represent the young teachers we want. Their selfless commitment and strong belief that every child can excel - is an inspiration to all of us.

14. Let me congratulate you once again on your entry into a noble profession. The 21st Century poses tremendous challenges. Education must not only respond to change, it must also be at the forefront of change. Antoine de Saint Exupery, an adventurer, aviator and writer of charming children's stories exhorted us, "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea…." Antoine de Saint Exupery was a dreamer; we do need to teach our children the "how to"s. But we must fire their passions and teach them to dream too.

15. I am leaving with you the privilege and responsibility of moulding our future to meet the challenges ahead. I urge you to do your utmost to bring out the best in our children. You have in your hands the power to create a brighter future. So teach them, and teach them also to "…yearn for the vast and endless sea…" Teachers, I wish you a fulfilling career.

	Shows CARE for students
	Has COURAGE to face challenges and try new things, and
	Works in COLLABORATION with colleagues.