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The Mission Edition • Issue 2 • Sep/Oct 2018

Nurturing Character, Inspiring Learning

School Leaders’ DeskFrom the

Ourmeaninggives us

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New beginnings always come with both hope and anxiety. However, the heartfelt welcome I received from the Northland family from my very first day here helped to allay any anxieties, and reinforced my deep belief that at the core of all schools is a big heart.

As part of its new beginnings, Northland unveiled a hopeful new vision this year. Alongside this vision is our new mission - “Nurturing Character, Inspiring Learning”, which gives our daily work meaning. This is because our mission is our cause. It is what drives us to do our best every single day.

This edition of the Northland Pulse showcases that genuine sense of mission that I have felt and witnessed since my first day of school here. Key events such SPARCLE II, PassionArts and the new Library opening, driven by our creative, resilient and dedicated Northstars, show that “Nurturing Character” and “Inspiring Learning” are core to our very diverse school programmes, and I am glad that they will be featured here by our hardworking Northland Pulse editorial team.

That said, it is perhaps even more meaningful that our school mission is lived out even in the small, everyday things. From the daily dedication of our teachers to spark joy both inside and out of their classrooms, to the cheerful respect shown by our Northstars to our school OSO “aunties”, and the support that each Northstar provides one another in tough times, I am convinced that our mission will continue to drive us forward together. I would like to challenge us all to choose a small act which we can undertake every day – perhaps it is to greet a “Good Morning!” to the security guard who watches over our safety, or to offer help friend who does not know how to do his or her homework. These small acts can add up, little by little, to make Northland a place where we truly are “Nurturing Character, Inspiring Learning”.

- Miss Bian Yu Wei, Vice Principal 2

editorialteamAdvisor: Mr Kenneth Chye

Editors: Mr Teo Ee JunMs Nazira Banu

Photography:Mr Mohammad FaizalMr Brian Phua

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Nurturing Character PassionArts : 1000 StarlightsNorthland’s inaugural PassionArts was held at School of the Arts (SOTA) to showcase our aesthetic talents. Northland Pulse goes behind-the-scenes to find out how the student performers and teachers felt in the run-up to our performance…

The greatest strength amongst the Band members is how students put aside their differences and learn to embrace diversity to create ‘One Band, One Sound’. It is impressive to see how band members came in with no music background, but are nurtured to become confident performers producing beautiful music.

Mrs Veronica Voo, teacher-in-charge, Symphonic Band

Dancing is more than donning beautiful costumes and moving to the rhythm of the music on stage. Two minutes on the stage is the product of three hours of make-up and countless hours of training. As a teacher, my aspiration for my dancers is that they continue to hone their dancing skills and blossom into adults who contribute and support the local arts scene.

Mdm Nurliyana, teacher-in-charge, Malay Dance

I am honoured to be invited to join PassionArts as we are not ‘aesthetically trained’, yet I am reminded to remember that teamwork, perseverance and resilience are paramount. An unforgettable Student Leaders’ experience I had was renovating the library in a Hainan school during our Exchange Programme in China. We had to build new shelves for the students and despite failing many times, we did not give up. Eventually, we succeeded – just as we did for PassionArts!

Nur Qistina Binte Muhammad Rizhal, Student Leader (4R6)

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Dance resonates with me as I’m able to express myself through it. I dance because it’s my passion. For PassionArts 2018, I have to learn moves that forced me out of my comfort zone. Nonetheless, it increases my flexibility and skills. I am grateful to my instructor for pushing me to my limits.

Nadia Dwi Indah Binte Hamzah, Multi-Cultural Artiste Club (2T4)

Wushu is interesting because I picked up simple Chinese to communicate with the coaches and my Chinese friends. Training is hard and most of us feel very exhausted each session. Not all of us are equally focused at the time. Thankfully, my teammates are able to learn from such experiences and treasure the bonds we form and strive ahead.

Marsita Hannah Binte Ludin, Wushu (2T1)

Dance is special because it allows us to express a story using our facial expressions and dance movements. All of us have different roles to take charge of. These strengthen our individual leadership qualities. We faced challenges both physically and mentally in order to get all the dance steps right and put up a great performance.

Samundiswarri D/O Krisnan, Indian Dance (3A3)

It is a great privilege to perform for PassionArts and I was very surprised to be chosen as a guest performer. I have been studying classical music with the London College of Music and just last year, I earned my degree in music. I had teachers from Russia and Germany who are very experienced to teach me. It’s a wonderful experience as I rarely play ‘live’ for singers, and this gives me a chance to explore music from other genres and work with new friends.

Leslie Edwin Tolson Jr. (5R1)

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Inspiring LearningSPARCLE II WeekThis June, we kicked off the new Semester with our inaugural SPARCLE Week II, as Northstars built upon their SPARCLE I learning experiences to explore the theme of ‘Green Earth for Everyone’. Let’s hear what some of our students have to say:

My experience for SPARCLE II in Northland Secondary School was an enjoyable one. I loved it because we went beyond classroom-based lessons to meaningful learning journeys. For instance, the learning journey to the Botanic Gardens gave me an opportunity to learn about the different types of medicinal plants which can help to cure diseases. I’m amazed at how I’m able to retain knowledge through experience quicker and better.

Javier Yeo Cheng Rui, 1S3

This year is special as SPARCLE II was structured around learning journeys and engaging group projects, which was quite different from SPARCLE I, which had more ‘physical elements’ such as camping. I remembered running around school with my classmates seeking clues at different stations for the various learning trails and the learning journey to Botanic Gardens to learn about different plants. Taking in the sights and sounds was a very immersive experience.

Nur Nadiah Natasha Binte Zulqifflie, 1S4

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The learning journey felt short but there was a lot of knowledge to be gleaned. It made me realise how thoroughly the Housing and Development Board (HDB) had to weigh their options to promote a ‘greener’ Singapore. They had to consider not just the basic needs of the residents, but also their aspirations of a high quality living environment. The HDB also had to consider the environmental needs also. Few countries have the conviction to be eco-friendly, and this trip really opened my eyes towards how the government carries out urban planning.

Norman Nurhakim Bin Abdul Ja’afar, 3A1

I will never look at shopping centres in the same way again after my very interesting learning journey to City Square Mall. I learned that it was a shopping mall that functioned without electricity. Or, more correctly, the mall runs on electricity generated by installed solar panels. The solar panels collect energy from sunlight and enable the mall to function. During Art lesson, our creativity was pushed further to think more clearly about how we can invent solar panels that look more beautiful.

Muhammad Rhyan B Mohd Rosli, 3A3

I learnt that even though some food may be near expiration or look ‘ugly’, they can actually still be made into amazingly tasty food. It is important not to waste food, and this learning point was driven home when I went for my learning journey at Semakau landfill. It is the first and only man-made landfill in Singapore and it reminds me how important it is for everyone to play their part to strive towards a ‘zero-waste nation’ to conserve our limited space.

Loo Dan Lin, 2T1

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‘Nurturing Character, Inspiring Learning’ What do our stakeholders have to say?

Prefects’ Interview

Column by PSG Chairperson

Northland Pulse caught up with the new Head and Vice-Head Prefects. What does the top student leaders in Northland hope to achieve in the coming year? Let’s find out:

The Prefects’ vision is ‘Leading with Confidence, Serving with Integrity, Growing with Humility’. Tell us a little more about it.Juliette (Head Prefect): ‘Serving with Integrity’ is about doing the right things even when no one is watching. We naturally have our biases. We must discharge our duties and responsibilities impartially, or nobody would follow us.

Chi Ling (Vice-Head Prefect): As the saying goes, ‘to err is human’. It is more important to learn from mistakes, rather than be afraid of making mistakes that we become Leaders who don’t Dare.

Juliette: Sometimes as we reflect on our experiences, we are not sure if we are doing the right thing. So it is good to hear different perspectives and gain some insight from there. Taking the advice of others is not easy; it takes humility.

The Prefects follow the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership model (Kouzes and Posner, 1987). Which aspect do you think is the most important? How does this relate to Student Leadership in Northland? Juliette: Our focus this year is ‘Enabling Others to Act’ – the Class Chairpersons, CCA leaders, student representatives. We are good at ‘Encouraging the Heart’ by recognising people’s contributions and accomplishments, but we can do more to engage other student leaders in school projects.

Chi Ling: I agree. Being a Singa Ambassador, I find it heartening to ‘enable’ the other Ambassadors to step up and carry out the school-wide VIA projects. We are also ‘Challenging the Process’ because this was quite a different way from how we use to do things.

Juliette: Of course, we have challenges. For example, we still depend a lot on the teachers in carrying out the planning and training.

Chi Ling: One other challenge is the lack of rapport amongst the different branches of student leaders. This makes the tasks seem like ‘dictated duties’ to be carried out.

Juliette: I think we can look forward to some team-bonding activities ahead of such projects. In the long run, this would cultivate a culture of cooperation within the various branches of student leadership and ‘Enable Others to Act’.

Finally – What are some parting thoughts for our readers? Chi Ling: I hope our schoolmates can be more understanding when Student Leaders are carrying out their duties. Sometimes, we are just trying to help you to do the right thing, or to make the school programme more meaningful.

Juliette: It is not easy to lead the student population, but I will do my best to listen to your concerns and voice them out for you.

Parental engagement is a very powerful lever for raising students’ achievements in schools. The school appreciates the role that parents can play as their partners in education.

For myself, being part of the school not only brings me closer to my own child, but also allows me to get to understand his needs better. Working closely with the school has been a truly a rewarding experience. The

best surprise of all is that my son made great progress in his studies because he felt proud of my involvement in the school.

Being able to serve as a Parent Volunteer is an important learning experience. Here in Northland Secondary School,

we are proud to have a team of Parent Volunteers who are energetic and committed towards working with the school to enrich students' learning experiences. We not only support school events such as Sports Day and Open House, but also encourage interest areas like handicraft (sale of handicrafts to show appreciation to teachers) and the sharing of expertise (workshops for sharing parenting tips and Dads’ for Life Programme).

Parents come from all walks of life. As long as you wish to contribute, do join our family of Parent Support Group (PSG) as Parent Volunteers to complement the school’s efforts in ‘Nurturing Character, Inspiring Learning’ in our children.

- Mrs Molly Leong, Chairperson (PSG)

Find out more about the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership

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National Day

Book Recommendation by Mr Yip

National Day 2018 Reflections: What does it mean to you to be a Singaporean and celebrating it as a school?

As the editor of the Northland Pulse will know and frown, I was sitting on this book recommendation for a long while. However, as I started flipping through ‘The Last Lecture’ for the third time, reminiscing timely reminders of gratitude and living a fuller life—the same message but more heartfelt

this time round. I finally settled on this book as it would be an apt recommendation on learning about self-discovery.

With a light-hearted style, Computer Science Professor Randy Pausch penned down his life experiences from childhood to becoming a pancreatic cancer patient. Despite having only months left, he thoughtfully shared his inspiring insights. I paused and asked myself, “Who have I neglected and not appreciated? Should time be managed like money? Are ‘brick walls’ (challenges) in our lives for good reasons? Does it pay to be the risk-taking ‘first penguin’?” There is much to learn from his wisdom on decision-making, empathy and humility. While his stories remain unchanged, I get renewed understanding and new inspirations every time I read it.

We all have time, but one day we might we have lesser time than we think. Act now. Flip to the first page. Start discovering yourself.

- Mr Daniel Yip Kok Hoong, Vice Principal 1

Check out Dr. Randy Pausch’s talk on TED

Being a Singapore PR means that I am also given equal opportunities regardless of race, language or religion. My parents definitely made the right choice for me. Since primary school, my teachers gave me chances to showcase my talents and leadership skills. I never once had the feeling that I am not a part of this country. I am thankful.

Sania, 2T6

Being a Singaporean means I am guaranteed a good education system. There are avenues for underprivileged students to get help and make the best out of their learning. We are blessed with a clean and green environment with low crime rates too, with a high standard of living. Celebrating Singapore’s birthday as a school is one thing that I look forward to. It was such a lovely sight to see teachers and students decking themselves in red and not forgetting the wonderful and interesting performances.

Jayden Lim Yuezhen, 4R10

I remember vividly the activities planned for the day. A special moment was when everyone sang in unison. It is truly about sharing the Singaporean spirit! I am very grateful for a clean and green environment because I have travelled to other parts of the world with high levels of pollution. Our Founding Fathers had the vision to turn Singapore into a clean and green country and we cannot be more thankful for their foresight that allows us to reap the benefits today.

Girish Haresh Tarani, 4R9

‘We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.’

- Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture (2008)

a touche design production @ 6659 1876

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Special FeatureMadam Nila & Madam Atassha

What was the inspiration behind the idea of ‘1000 Starlights’ for PassionArts? Mdm Nila: ‘1000 Starlights’ was actually the brainchild of Mrs Ong Hui Fen. We were inspired by the musical film, ‘The Greatest Showman’, which had a song in the movie entitled A Thousand Spotlights, which was very apt for representing the uniqueness of each and every Northstar. How has the experience of working on this year’s Passion Arts been like? The short timeline was a challenge as it was conducted in June, rather than in November. Both teachers and students had to sacrifice part of their holidays in order to work around the timing amidst the hectic term. However, it was all worth it in the end as we heard the loud applause, the cheers, as well as the smiles on the faces of performers and audiences. It is their way of telling us that we have done a great job. We all walked out appreciating the arts scene and backstage production crew much better.

Has PassionArts enabled our school mission of “Nurturing Character, Inspiring Learning”?We believe PassionArts have taught students to be resilient and disciplined by taking responsibility for their training and practices. The teachers not only role-modelled persistence and provided encouragement, they also entrusted many of the students to take up key roles to ensure the smooth performance. The students learnt a lot about the many things behind-the-scenes that enable a good performance.

As students, do you remember being part of a major school event? What was your role and how did it shape your experience? Mdm Atassha: This question is very apt as I was a student from Northland and was in the Symphonic Band. As a student performer, my only goal was to play my part well. However, as a teacher organiser, I had to look into my students’ well-being, the proper planning of event, making sure the audiences are entertained, and the list went on. The exposure I had back then as a student definitely helped me think about how to take better care of my students and teachers-in-charge better in PassionArts.

With the school holidays coming soon, please do tell us: If you could teleport, where would you go?Mdm Atassha: Germany – to be specific, the Auschwitz concentration camp. I would like to ‘encounter the past’ and deepen my historical empathy to understand the impact of Hitler’s rule, which I can apply to my teaching. I have heard colleagues mention about how the artefacts in the place bring you ‘face-to-face’ with the past, even if more than 70 years have passed. Mdm Nila: Krabi, with a book and watch the sunset. Reading is important. It is a wonderful experience and deserves uninterrupted attention.

Rapid Fire QuestionsIn this Mission Edition of our newsletter, we are excited to have with us Mdm Nila and Mdm Atassha as they take on this round of Rapid Fire Questions! We had the opportunity to ask both of them about what inspired their planning for Northland’s Inaugural Passion Arts:

What was the title of the last book you have read?Mdm Atassha: “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” by Heather Morris.Mdm Nila: “Origin” by Dan Brown.

Finally – what is one parting advice you would give to our student readers? Mdm Attasha: “Age is not just a number. As we age, we need to mature because as we grow older, there are responsibilities that come along with it. That’s what ‘character’ is all about.” Mdm Nila: “Always believe that you can do something and give it your best. Never say never, always keep trying and learning!”

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