Professional Learning Platforms
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PLATFORMS
Teachers are encouraged to share their experiences in curriculum and pedagogical innovation. The dialogical exchange of ideas cultivates teacher leadership, so integral to teacher-led professional excellence in the community.
SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES
The following seminars and conferences provide RGS teachers and their counterparts from other schools the opportunity to learn, share, exchange, network and possibly collaborate professionally in the various areas of work:
Local and Overseas Conferences
| Date | Conference | Theme | Presenters | Presentations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8th – 11thAugust 2018 | 16th Conference of the European Council for High Ability (ECHA) | Working with Gifted Students in the 21st Century | Eriyanty Mohd and Foo Ling Ling | The Design-Thinking Approach for the High-Ability Learners |
| 20th – 24th August 2018 | 15th Asia-Pacific Conference on Giftedness (APCG2018) | Inspiration, Motivation, and Creativity: Leading the Way to Giftedness | Lee Su Yin Caroline and Tan Jiaxiu | Mathematics comprehension tests as a tool in talent identification |
| 20th – 24th August 2018 | 15th Asia-Pacific Conference on Giftedness (APCG2018) | Inspiration, Motivation, and Creativity: Leading the Way to Giftedness | Foo Yong Wee, Christopher and Rachel Goh Shiao En | Differentiation in a Chemistry Classroom |
Good Practice Day
This in-house biennial event showcases teacher-led workshops, symposium and research presentations. It develops teacher leaders as they exchange ideas on innovative practices, keeping each other abreast of the latest developments in the field. The following are some examples of educational technologies and innovations shared by teachers:
| Year | Theme | Presentations |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Innovative Teaching | The development of educational games for use in the classroom (Science) |
| 2012 | Collaborative Learning & Formative Assessment | Augmented Reality Games with handheld mobile devices (Humanities) |
| 2013 | Differentiation and Critical Thinking | Using a common text to access a multiple vistas: How to keep your teaching of the same material fresh? (Languages) |
| 2015 | Engaging Diversity in 21st Century Education | Click here to view the GDP 2015 programme booklet |
| 2017 | Inspire, Empower & Transform | Click here PDF EEXCEEDS 5MB to view the GDP 2017 programme booklet |
SCHOOL-BASED TRAINING
School-based training centres on enhancing teachers’ professional practices and on-going reflection. The aim is to nurture the adept, reflective teacher of the highly able learner.
As a school for gifted and talented, the RGS Professional Development Plan therefore, focuses on the following core competencies:
1 . Gifted & Talented pedagogies such as Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Differentiation strategies, Concept attainment strategies, Inquiry-driven instruction
2 . Curriculum Design Framework such as Understanding by Design (UbD), Lynn Erickson’s concept-based learning principles
3 . Practitioner Inquiry
4 . Assessment Literacy: Assessment principles, Formative & Summative assessments, Design of the Performance Task
5 . Learning Technologies
INDUCTION PROGRAMME
The Professional Learning Academy provides a 2-year Induction Programme for teachers new to RGS. The Programme aims to (a) provide support to the teachers they adjust to the new environment and (b) train them in the pedagogical content knowledge and skills appropriate to the school’s student profile.
The core of the induction programme is the relationship between the new teachers and a Mentor, who is usually the Senior Teacher. Each teacher works with his/ her Mentor to set goals, collect and analyze classroom evidence, plan and reflect on lessons. The focus on the teachers’ craft and well-being ensures that the partnership may lead to a positive learning experience for both the teacher-mentors and mentees.