DAZHONG P R I M A R Y

S C H O O L

DAZHONG PRIMARY SCHOOL HERITAGE BOOK 2018

DAZHONG PRIMARY SCHOOL 35 Bukit Batok Street 31, Singapore 659441 Tel: (65) 6565 8002 • Fax: (65) 6563 6421 www.dazhongpri.moe.edu.sg

AC H I E V E R S r o o t e d i n VA L U E S , S O A R I N G b e y o n d L I M I T S .

SCHOOL CREST

The 8 points of our compass symbolize that knowledge is everywhere and waiting to be acquired by us. The rings depict progress as we acquire knowledge.

SCHOOL SONG We, at Dazhong, strive to be The best that we can be Always gracious and caring Serving others beyond ourselves Anchored in the values we believe With pride we excel Soaring beyond limits In unity and with perseverance We, at Dazhong, strive to be The best that we can be To bloom and grow In our stride towards our goals Anchored in the values we believe With pride we excel Soaring beyond limits With unity and with perseverance

CONTENTS  MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES • Senior Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of Health and Advisor, Hong Kah North Grassroots Organisations - Dr Amy Khor • Principal - Mdm Rina Yap Siu Lin • School Advisory Committee Chairman - Mr Gan Ong Peng, PBM • Deputy Director-General of Education (Schools) and Director of Schools Division - Ms Liew Wei Li • Zonal Director (Schools), West - Ms Theodora Tan • Superintendent West 4 - Mrs Janis Kok • Principal Private Secretary to the President - Mr Benny Lee Kah Chong  OUR SCHOOL HERITAGE • History of Dazhong Primary School  80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS • Community Walk • Family Day Carnival cum Alumni Homecoming • Musical Concert

2 3 4 5 6 6 7

8

10 12 14

 LEARNER EXCELLENCE • English Language 16 • Mathematics 17 • Mother Tongue Languages 18 • Science 19 • SOAR Programme 20  CHARACTER EXCELLENCE • Learning for Life Programme • Character and Citizenship Education • Student Leadership • Outdoor Education • Internationlisation Programme • Values-in-Action (VIA) • Co-curricular Activities (CCAs)

22 24 25 26 27 28 29

 STAFF EXCELLENCE • Staff Learning & Development • Staff Achievements • Staff Well-being

36 38 39

 PARTNERSHIPS • MOE Kindergarten • Parents Support Group (PSG @Dazhong) • Dads for Life (DFL) Programme • Lions Club of Singapore (Nanyang) • Hong Kah North Community Club • Our DZPS Guests

43 44 45 46 47 48

 STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY • Staff and Department Photos 50 • Classes of 2018 58 • Acknowledgements 75

 MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES

DR AMY KHOR Senior Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of Health and Advisor, Hong Kah North Grassroots Organisations 2018 has been indeed a significant year as Dazhong Primary School celebrates its 80th Anniversary with its theme, ‘Dare to Soar’. It exhorts the Dazhong community (staff, students, parents, alumni and all stakeholders) to have the courage to pursue our passions and dreams, to continuously strive to be the best that we can. I am very glad to learn that in planning for its 80th Anniversary celebrations, the school was deliberate in ensuring a strong focus on serving beyond self. For example, to commemorate the public-spiritedness of Dazhong Primary School’s founders, the school pledged to complete 80 Values-in-Actions (VIA) projects with the community contributing to this effort with the sale of 80th Anniversary memorabilia, a Musical Concert and Family Day Carnival cum Homecoming for the Alumni. As GOH for the Family Day Carnival, it was heartening to witness staff, students and the alumni coming together selflessly to raise funds for the financially needy students in Dazhong Primary School. With the support of the school leadership, Dazhong students are known to excel in the performing arts, with programmes such as the Arts Education Programme and Junior Orchestra. These programmes not only develop Dazhong students artistically and holistically, they also inculcate values of perseverance, discipline, teamwork, cohesiveness and excellence. Dazhong students have performed at Hong Kah North constituency’s Celebrations as well as participated at the recent Passion Arts week. The school’s most recent performance at the SYF Celebrations at the National Gallery was also showcased on MOE’s facebook. I extend my heartiest congratulations on the school’s 80 th Anniversary. I wish Dazhong Primary School every success in the journey ahead and that its students will continue to “Dare to Dream Big” and be rooted in the school’s values of Integrity, Responsibility, Excellence, Acceptance, and Perseverance. Above all, stay gracious, resilient, self-directed, and ready to serve beyond self. Dr Amy Khor Senior Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of Health and Advisor, Hong Kah North Grassroots Organisations

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MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES 

Dazhong, DARE to Soar! With a long history of 80 years, education at Dazhong will be valued for many years more. How do we sustain and strengthen the spirit of excellence at Dazhong? We have achieved peaks of excellence in the Arts through our Learning for Life programme. This has been possible because we upheld our school values of Integrity, Responsibility, Excellence, Acceptance and Perseverance (IREAP). As we continue to soar towards excellence at Dazhong, I hope that all of us at school will be guided by the following: A) Excel at being where you are. Seize opportunities to learn and grow. Ask yourself what problems you are facing right now, and how those problems present possibilities for you to grow. Conquer your fears and persevere. B) Excel with what you have. Find meaningful goals to achieve. Let love motivate you, and let service to others be your Mission. Be appreciative at all times and make ‘Catch You Doing Good’ a daily practice so that you remain grateful for the good deeds you see and can do for others too. Choose friends who will encourage, motivate and uphold good values like you. C) Excel while you can. Realize that your time is a part of your life that you can never get back once you have spent it. Guard your time at least as carefully as you do with your money. Know that wasting your time is wasting your life. Know what are important things to do first and plan your schedule around that. Pursue meaningful work and lifelong learning. Take time to rest and recharge. But never stop living life to its fullest and contributing to the world. Keep in mind the greatness you want to achieve in future. D) Excel at being who you are and want to become. Know who you have decided to become, know you can be more than who you are right now, and you should be the best you can be. Only then would you be able to show your appreciation for the love and support which your teachers and parents have given you unconditionally. Respect yourself by living a life consistent with the school values of IREAP. Be honest, humble, and willing to help others. Focus your energy on preparing to do something great with your life. Remember that your past and current circumstances don't have to limit your future. Commit to go the extra mile in all you do. Use your talents and learn continuously to do well in all that you do. Then do them the best way you can, for as long as you can. Give everything you have got to everything you do. Demonstrate a positive attitude. Don't listen to those who try to convince you to compromise your commitment to excellence. Character and values will be your strongest assets in the journey of life, and whether you choose to live above average. Your character is a mirror of who you are. RAISE THE STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE in your personal life. Go forth and Soar! Mdm Rina Yap Siu Lin Principal 'Achievers rooted in values, soaring beyond limits!'

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 MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES

MR GAN ONG PENG PBM School Advisory Committee Chairperson, Dazhong Primary School Dazhong Primary has served as a milestone in the history of Singapore’s education system. It evokes deep reflection of the school’s journey and quest for providing quality education right from the days of being a Chinese village school in 1938. I would like to congratulate Dazhong Primary School for putting together this memorable and meaningful DZ Heritage Publication in its 80th year of anniversary celebrations. It certainly goes a long way in capturing the social history of how Dazhong experienced the development and growth of the school and in the process, deepening students’ appreciation of shared past and inspire them to reflect on the ideals and values sustained by the school founder and many enlightened principals, teachers and staff. This publication in many ways will serve as an important Dazhong’s narrative in exemplifying the continuing good work and impact on the many past, present and future students and community at large, honouring the efforts of many people who in one way or another are connected to Dazhong Primary School. Heartiest Congratulations to Dazhong Primary School. Mr Gan Ong Peng, PBM Chairperson School Advisory Committee

SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Mr Lester Lee SAC, Vice Chairperson

Mr David Gerald SAC, Member 4

Mrs Patsy Yap SAC, Member

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Mr Gan Ong Peng SAC, Chairperson

Mrs Rina Liang SAC, Hon. Secretary

Mr Anthony Sia Ms Charlene Chang Dr Leonard Tan SAC, Member SAC, Member SAC, Member

Mr Adrian Lee SAC, Member

MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES 

MS LIEW WEI LI Deputy Director-General of Education (Schools) and Director of Schools Division Congratulations, Dazhong Primary students, parents and staff on the 80 th anniversary of your school! Dazhong Primary is truly a good school that all of us are proud of. It has a warm family atmosphere where students and staff feel a strong sense of belonging and care. Learning takes place in every corner of the school where students are happy and teachers are creative and effective. There are also exciting programmes that help students discover their interests and talents, and take them far. The Arts Education Programme with the Junior Orchestra is not found in any other primary school in Singapore. It has come about by the passionate work of teachers, MOE staff and generous supporters in the community. I am confident that Dazhong students through their journey in this school, will Dare to Soar! Ms Liew Wei Li Deputy Director-General of Education (Schools) and Director of Schools Division

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 MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES

MS THEODORA TAN Zonal Director (Schools), West Schools Division I would like to congratulate Dazhong on your 80 th Anniversary! Since the start of the school in 1938, you have continued to provide quality education to children in the community through the school’s belief that every child is valued. Continue to be a school that is: Daring and bold in your dreams Ambitious for every child Zest for life is seen in each child Holistic in orientation Other-centred, just as the pioneers who started the school Nurturing Grateful for all that we have achieved in the past 80 years, even as we look forward to the next 80! Ms Theodora Tan Zonal Director (Schools), West Schools Division

MRS JANIS KOK Superintendent West 4 Schools Division To Journey is to travel from one place to another, or from one era to another. Dazhong Primary School’s journey began in 1938, before many of us were born. Its birth was a result of the strong beliefs and ‘DARE to SOAR’ spirit of a group of villagers who came together to act on their dreams of providing children in their village with a chance to be educated. That spirit lives on in the hearts and minds of the staff, and stakeholders and students. The students in DZPS never fail to amaze me with their curiosity, their willingness to be taught and their ability to rise to the challenge. I am especially heartened by the School Leaders’ and teachers’ care for the students; always wanting to give their best to the students, and to grow them to be ‘Achievers rooted in values, Soaring beyond limits.’ As Dazhong Primary School celebrates her 80 th Anniversary this year, I would like to encourage the staff to continue providing the students with a loving environment to grow, to seize the boundless opportunities available, and to model lifelong learning and synergistic collaboration for their young charges. Happy Birthday Dazhong Primary School! Mrs Janis Kok Superintendent West 4 Schools Division 6

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MESSAGES AND WELL WISHES 

MR BENNY LEE KAH CHONG Principal Private Secretary to the President Once in a while, our destiny is changed when we experience a turning point in life. For me, enrolling in Dazhong Primary School was one such turning point. I transferred to the school after moving into Bukit Batok estate, so that my school was within walking distance to my home. Sleep is very precious, especially for a 10-year old child. But apart from this simple consideration, the change also turned out to be a life-changing decision. Before that, I was a mediocre student. I did not have much interest in studies or any school activities. Dazhong teachers helped ease me into the new school environment. More importantly, they believed in me, more than I did in myself at that time. With that support, I was suddenly transformed. I joined the school’s Chinese Orchestra, which can be considered a precursor of Dazhong’s flagship Arts Education Programme today. Although I started off being shy, I started to enjoy my time with the orchestra and slowly built my confidence through taking part in many public performances. Later, I was also given opportunities to mentor my juniors in the orchestra. These experiences honed my leadership skills and boosted my self-esteem. Even before “character education” entered the vocabulary of our educators, Dazhong was already doing it! The theme for Dazhong’s 80th Anniversary celebrations, “Dare to Soar”, therefore resonates strongly with me. It was my teachers’ encouragement, challenging me to step out of my comfort zone, which gave me greater confidence about my abilities. I dared to soar, because of Dazhong’s unwavering belief in every child. So on the happy occasion of Dazhong’s 80 th Anniversary, let me thank the school’s management, leaders, teachers and staff – both past and present – for making a difference to all the children who have passed through your gates. You certainly have made that difference to me! Mr Benny Lee Kah Chong Alumnus Class of 1989

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 OUR SCHOOL HERITAGE

HISTORY OF DAZHONG PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mr Chew Tai Cheong founded Tai Cheong School in 1938 at Track 5 Chua Chu Kang Road with a group of prominent publicspirited villagers.

With the help of Member of Parliament, Mr Cao Yu Ying, a plot of land was identified on a small hilltop and in 2 Jan 1973, Tai Cheong School reopened with 12 classrooms.

1977

1969 1938

1973

In 1969, the village was designated as a resettlement area. Due to the increase in enrolment, the school’s Chairman, Mr Yang Jia Fa, and then principal, Mr Chang Teck San, decided to build a new building for the school.

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Mr Chai Chong Yii declared the school open on 8 July 1988. The school had an enrolment of 1328 students in 37 classes functioning in two sessions at that time.

Tai Cheong Public School moved to its new building at Track 7 Chua Chu Kang Road and was officially declared open by Mr Chai Chong Yii, the Senior Minister of State for Education.

1989

1986 1983

The school played a pivotal role in promoting the spirit of togetherness (‘Gotong Royong’) in the community. Mr Chai launched the ‘Gotong Royong’ Project – a campaign to encourage citizens to be involved in community work – at the school on 27 Feb 1977.

8

On 1 Apr 1983, Tai Cheong Public School was converted from a Chinese village school to an English-medium government school. It was renamed as Dazhong Primary School (DZPS).

1988

On 15 Mar 1986, DZPS was resited to 35 Bukit Batok Street 31.

Chua Chu Kang Primary School (CCKPS) merged with DZPS. A new CCKPS was established in 1994 for children in the Chua Chu Kang area.

OUR SCHOOL HERITAGE 

HISTORY OF DAZHONG PRIMARY SCHOOL

The Parents Support Group (PSG @Dazhong) was officially formed with 55 active members. Today, it has more than 100 parents onboard, with 24 in the executive committee.

1990 2000s

DZPS went through PRIME and PERI Upgrading and was temporarily relocated to Jurong East Street 24. The school moved back to its current premises in 2011. The refurbished building is equipped with new and upgraded facilities that include computer laboratories, a Media Resource Library, IT resource rooms, Indoor Sports Hall, pastoral care room and health and fitness rooms.

2014

2003 2001

From 1990 – 2000s, the school received several accolades. • The Chinese and Malay Dance groups achieved the Gold Award in the Singapore Youth Festival (1998). • Band members performed at the Chingay Parade along Orchard Road and the St Patrick’s Day Concert in Perth (1999). • DZPS attained the Sustained Achievement Award in Physical Fitness (2000). • DZPS was awarded the Orchid and Lotus Award respectively. (2004 & 2005). • DZPS received the People Developer Award by SPRING Singapore, in recognition of its efforts in developing staff (2006 & 2008). • DZPS was awarded the Sustained Achievement Award for Aesthetics (2007).

The Junior Orchestra, Inspiratum@DZPS, was formed to provide opportunities for children to learn classical music regardless of family background.

2009 DZPS was converted into a single-session school.

DZPS celebrates its 80th Anniversary with the theme, "Dare to Soar" - Dare to remember our 80 years of heritage and DZ continues to provide quality education in the Hong Kah North precinct, serving beyond self, and Soar to denote our aspirations for our future as a choice school producing many ‘Achievers rooted in values, Soaring beyond limits’.

2017 2016

The first batch of MOE Kindergarten (MK) was set up at DZPS.

2018 DZPS went through the General Repair and Redecoration Project

The Learning for Life Programme (LLP), formerly known as the School Niche Programme, was implemented. The Arts Education programme (AEP) in DZPS comprised of visual art, music, singing, drama and dance.

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 80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

COMMUNITY WALK

We kicked off our 80 th Anniversary celebrations with a community walk on 3rd and 8th January. On 3rd January, our Primary 1 to 5 students, together with children from the MOE Kindergarten @ Dazhong, collaboratively ran/walked a total of 80 rounds per level around different parts of the school to commemorate this special 80 th year. Our P6 students carried out a community walk around the Hong Kah North neighbourhood on 8 January and distributed limited edition 80 th Anniversary memorabilia to invite members in our neighbouring community to join us in our upcoming celebrations. We also visited Swiss Cottage Secondary School, Modern Montessori International Pre-school, Little Greenhouse Pre-school and Hong Kah North Community Centre. Our young Dazhong ambassadors displayed courage and graciousness as they engaged with our community from all walks of life. Meaningful first steps for the year indeed!

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80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS 

COMMUNITY WALK

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 80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

FAMILY DAY CARNIVAL CUM ALUMNI HOMECOMING

Dazhong Family Day Carnival cum Alumni Homecoming was held on Saturday 18th August 2018. The event was organised in collaboration with our community partners (Hong Kah North Community Club and Lions Club of Singapore Nanyang), internal stakeholders (parents, students and canteen vendors) and alumni. We were honoured to have Dr Amy Khor, SMS of MEWR & MOH and Advisor of Hong Kah North Community Club, graced the occasion as our Guest of Honour. More than 2000 people turned up for the event to raise funds for our needy students. The participants were treated to a variety of activities like rides and game stalls set up by Uncle Ringo. There were also Flea Mart, food stalls and stalls set up by other community partners like Singapore Garrison (Storm Troopers), National Kidney Foundation (NKF Interactive Bus), National Civil

Alumni from Year 1970 to 1980

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80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS 

FAMILY DAY CARNIVAL CUM ALUMNI HOMECOMING

Defence Cadet Corp (First Aid), Singapore Civil Defence Force (Rhino vehicle) and Bukit Batok Neighbourhood Police Centre to create greater community awareness on important safety and health issues. We were also heartened to see many of our alumni turning up to support the event. A group of alumni from Year 1970 to 1980 had a gathering in school and even donated an old magazine for our heritage gallery! The event was a good opportunity to help our students develop school pride and work towards achieving the theme of our 80th Anniversary of “Dare to Soar” and the school’s mission of “Serving Beyond Self”. It also provided students with the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial dare. This was evident as they collaborated with their class teachers and friends to advertise for their stalls to be patronised by the visitors. A total of $30,000 was raised at the event. This would not have been possible without the generous support of all our community partners, internal stakeholders and staff. Dazhong, Dare To Soar! Dare to Soar

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 80 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

MUSICAL CONCERT

The 80th Anniversary Musical Concert at Dulwich International College was a grand platform for our Dazhong students to showcase their aesthetic talents to the community. The occasion was graced by Ms Liew Wei Li, Deputy-Director General of Education (Schools) and Director of Schools, who expressed her admiration for the talent and dedication of Dazhong students. The Choir, Dance Club and Junior Orchestra performed along with the musical cast, mesmerising the audience with their flawless and passionate displays. In addition, there were special performances by the MOE Kindergarten students and students from the Bangkok Anubansamsen School, as well as the Tang Quartet. The rigorous preparation for the concert brought out the best in our students, who displayed resilience and responsibility, tirelessly working towards excellence in each of their performances. With strong partnership and support from parents, external organisations and instructors, the concert was a resounding success.

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LEARNER EXCELLENCE INTEGRITY

Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching ~ C.S. Lewis

 LEARNER EXCELLENCE

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Engaging activities at D'Safari during recess!

We learn through play at the EL Fiesta!

Delighted children after book shopping at the flea mart!

English Language is a key communication vehicle both locally and in the global scene. Being competent in the English Language not only enables the students to communicate effectively in the language but will also value add to the their learning capability in all other areas. JOY TO READ We believe that reading is the foundation to learning the language. As such, to cultivate the habit of reading, time is set aside weekly for students to immerse in this pleasurable activity. The school library was renamed D’Safari in 2017 after a major facelift to inject energy and colour into the learning space. The Safari theme represents an expedition and quest into the world of knowledge. “Tale-a-Swift”, the weekly storytelling event during recess at D’Safari, draws crowds as School Leaders and teachers enchant students with stories that espouse the school values of Integrity, Responsibility, Excellence, Acceptance and Perseverance.

Our P5 students

iors!

guiding their jun

Our Vice-principal, Mr Koh, telling a story during Tale-a-Swift!

EL FIESTA Students are also encouraged to see the role of English in their everyday lives through the annual week-long EL Fiesta. Through poetry recitations, choral reading, multimedia presentations and hands-on activities, the core skills of reading, speaking, reading and writing are integrated and made meaningful via the activities conducted during the month. The highlight of the EL Fiesta is the recess games conceptualized by the upper primary students. The P5 and P6 students learn to hone their leadership and communication skills as they enthuse their juniors to participate in fun learning. This year, we also combined EL Fiesta with International Friendship Day so that our children had fun with the various activities and learnt about the different countries at the same time! To develop self-directed learners who are engaged in learning, ICT is harnessed to integrate content knowledge with the component of Communication, Collaboration and Information Skills. EL Department in particular focuses on deepening curation skills as students brainstorm, generate and select ideas in writing using various applications such as Kahoot!, Padlet and Linoit.

Students at

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the P1 Lear

ning Centre

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LEARNER EXCELLENCE 

MATHEMATICS

P4 Math Trail - I know how to answer this question, Mr Lee!

I am so thankful to have my senior guiding me in the game!

At the middle primary, Math Trails were organised and our students learn Math through real-life applications at the different stations set up in the school compound. The joy of learning they had on the Trails moved them further along our goal of helping them Master Math for Life. As part of the school’s 80 th anniversary celebrations, P5 students designed Maths Games with a Total Defence theme. This instilled the Joy of Learning and Entrepreneurial Dare as they conducted the games they had designed during the Total Defence Day Carnival. The process also helped to develop our students into critical and inventive thinkers. The Math Games by our P5 students are so interesting!

Mathematics in Dazhong is shaped by our direction of Mastery of Math for Life. This takes place in two ways: (1) Cultivating the Joy of Learning, and (2) Building Confidence through Mastery. Along this direction, key milestone programmes are designed to promote conceptual understanding by sense-making through stories. Our P1 students experienced the joy of learning at the annual P1 Math Carnival. They had fun at the various carnival games while building up their confidence in Math right from a young age! P2 students embarked on the Math Trail @ Changi Airport. Joyful exclamation can be heard as they tried to complete their tasks in teams with their iPads to discover how Math can be seen in Singapore’s treasured airport.

To provide a platform for self-directed learning with practices in problem-solving, our students have access to Koobits e-learning portal. Other than providing additional practice and mastery of key concepts for the students, the portal also enabled them to chart their own progress and receive awards through their participation! EVENT 11th Mental Arithmetic International Olympiad

ACHIEVEMENT Level 4 Abacus - 3rd Level 2 Mental Arithmetic - 3rd Level 11 Mental Arithmetic - 3rd

Let's see ho

w heavy I

Is that a cat crafted from the Tangram pieces? So creative!

i Airport

y to Chang

ning Journe

Math Lear

am!

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 LEARNER EXCELLENCE

MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES

Hari Raya

eetings!

Forming CNY gr

EVENT National Chinese Calligraphy Competition 3rd Sing Chu National Chinese Calligraphy Competition 24th National Primary School On-the-Spot Chinese Calligraphy Competition

ACHIEVEMENT Lower Primary Category – First Prize Lower Primary Category – 3rd Prize Lower Primary Category –2nd Prize

West Zone OPS-BACA

- Overall Champion - P2 (3rd placing) - P3 (2nd placing) - P4 (3rd placing)

National Spelling Bee 2018 (Tamil Language)

2nd Placing

Celebratio

n

Mother Tongue education plays an important role in helping our students to understand their own culture and heritage, as well as creating the platform to impart personal and societal values to them. To strengthen students’ cultural appreciation and instil graciousness, various festive celebrations were held during Chinese New Year, Hari Raya and Deepavali. The programmes and activities not only enabled our students to showcase and share about their cultural uniqueness but at the same time, allowed them to share the great festive joy with their friends of other ethnicities.

MTL Camp - Listening to the expert!

Learning about the traditional food

This year, our annual Mother Tongue Language Fortnight was held in conjunction with Racial Harmony Day (RHD). To celebrate ‘Diversity Our Strength’, a recess carnival was organised. Through the range of activities, students learnt the importance of preserving racial harmony by appreciating the people of different races and their cultural practices. They also developed

MTL Camp - Can't wait to taste these yummy dumplings!

MTL Fortnight cum Racial Harmony Day Wishing the newlyweds eternal happiness!

dispositions of respect and acceptance as they learnt about the different traditions. The students and teachers enjoyed the wide array of traditional food of the different races served on that day. The Mother Tongue Language Camp at P4 also aims to enthuse students and foster love and appreciation of the Mother Tongue Languages. The camp deepens students’ understanding and appreciation of the culture and served to enhance learning of the languages through the students’ engagement and active participation in the hands-on activities.

Such beautiful colours at

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an Indian Wedding

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Traditional item

s needed at a

Chinese Wedd

ing

 LEARNER EXCELLENCE

LEARNER EXCELLENCE 

SCIENCE In DZPS, we believe that every child is curious about Science and the environment around them. Through the various Science programmes and activities, we seek to strengthen our students’ passion in the learning of Science and equip them with skills, ethics and attitudes to engage their critical and inventive thinking for science-related issues. E3 (Explore, Excite & Enrich) Outdoor Learning Experience The E3 Outdoor Learning Experience centers on providing our students with the opportunities for immersive outdoor learning experiences in Science. It is delivered to our students through two platforms – DZ Eco Garden Trails and Outdoor Field Trip. This year, the P3 to P6 students had interactive lessons through the various Eco Garden Trails as they explore the ‘hidden’ wonders of the school’s garden when they set out to complete the various tasks. For the Field Trips, the students went to different locations (P3 – Singapore Zoo, P4 – Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, P6 – Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve). They had to think critically and inventively to apply the concepts learnt in their lessons to solve the problems posed to them during the field trips. Many excited young scientists were spotted as they enrich their own learning through the self-discovery of the natural world around them!

Joy of learning is evidently displayed!

Science Toy Making Competition - Vote for my toy!

Science experiments are integral in our teaching and learning!

I see, I do and

Not all classrooms are within the four walls!

DZPS Science Toys Competition As part of the DZPS Science curriculum, all P3 to P5 students have the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their creative and critical-thinking skills by creating their own Science toys. Our students are guided by their teachers to apply the scientific knowledge they have learnt in the making of their own creative product. In the process, students are able to brainstorm for ideas, transfer their knowledge and build a product that they can be proud of. The best toys produced by our students are submitted for the National Sony Creative Toy Award, affirming our students for their efforts.

I learn!

The department also makes use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning. Teachers excite students through flipped learning by tapping on platforms like Nearpod. Resources and learning content are first uploaded onto Nearpod and learning is inverted as students are exposed to learning materials before class - with classroom time then being used to deepen understanding through discussion with peers and problem-solving activities facilitated by teachers.

Outdoor Scien

ce lesson mak

es learning fun

!

EVENT 2017 Green Schools @South West Student Environmental Leadership Conference E-gnite Junior Challenge

ACHIEVEMENT Sustained Achievement Award 1st position - Overall Bronze Award - 2nd in Drone Relay - Most Creative LED Random Choice Makers Dare to Soar

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 LEARNER EXCELLENCE

LEARNER EXCELLENCE 

SOAR PROGRAMME Students with a greater passion and interest in Mathematics and Science are stretched as part of the SOAR programme. The Dazhong SOAR programme is part of the school’s larger Talent Development programme based on the Enrichment Triad Model developed by Dr. Sally Reis and Dr. Joseph Renzulli. The model comprises of three interrelated types of approaches: - Type I (Fundamentals) – general exploratory activities - Type II (Customised) – group training activities - Type III (Enrichment) – individual and small-group investigations of real problems Our winners at SASMO 2018

Through the programme, students are given the opportunities to further their learning and the exposures to different domains help students identify their areas of academic strength and interest, allowing them to develop their skills and abilities in these areas. The aims of the programme are aligned with the school’s longterm goal of developing self-directed learners with strong disciplinary knowledge and skills, so that they may be of service to the school and the wider community and be able to soar beyond limits.

n Imagination

the Destinatio Hard at work at

ment!

National Tourna

Games-based learning helps us to hone our problem-solving skills

Our P6 students students got to apply the skills and competencies they had acquired through the SOAR programme to complete a team project as part of the Destination Imagination National Tournament. This platform provided them with the opportunity to apply their critical and inventive thinking skills and disciplinary knowledge to an interdisciplinary project and at the same time, allowed them to work on other important skills like communication and collaboration too!

Thumbs up for the good teamwork!

Yes! We managed to solve this challenging problem!

EVENT Destination Imagination National Tournament Singapore and Asian Mathematics Olympiad (SASMO) 2018

Affirming student participants of Destination Imagination

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Dazhong Primary School

Heritage Book 2018

ACHIEVEMENT 4th position in the Scientific Category - Silver (3 students) - Bronze (8 students)

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE RESPONSIBILITY

The price of greatness is responsibility. ~ Winston Churchill

 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE

LEARNING FOR LIFE PROGRAMME

Speech and Drama performance by our P2 students

ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMME (AEP) Arts is an integral component in Dazhong Primary as one of our core school values is ‘graciousness’. As part of the holistic school experience, all our students from P1 to P3 are given the opportunity to learn a string musical instrument - the Violin, on top of other programmes like choral singing and speech and drama. From P3 to P6, the students are also given opportunities to join the Arts CCAs which allow them to actively participate in school and external performances, as well as national and international competitions. Each year, parents are also invited to the performances put up by the P3, P5 and P6 students as they showcase the excellence they have achieved through the joy and perseverance in mastering the Arts. Visual Arts - Bringing out

Peter and Blue's Forest Adventure at SOTA!

JO inaugural performance at 2017 Prize-Giving Day!

22

Dazhong Primary School

Heritage Book 2018

the creativity in our childre

n!

t of the AEP curriculum for

Learning the violin is par

our lower primary students

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE 

LEARNING FOR LIFE PROGRAMME

Showcasing our Dazhong spirit at the MOE National Day Observance Ceremony

Our JO at the MOE National Day Observance Ceremony

Sharing a post from MOE Facebook

Minister Ong interacting with our JO students

Performing at the Singapore National Gallery

JUNIOR ORCHESTRA (JO) In addition, Dazhong Primary School is also the only primary school in Singapore to have a full strength Junior Orchestra – with 85 members presently. The Junior Orchestra is an extension of our String Ensemble (violin) Music Programme for our P1 – P3 students who have shown an aptitude and interest in the performing arts. The Junior Orchestra serves to further hone their skills and strengthen their passion in this field. Through the 6 years of education at Dazhong Primary, our students are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to explore and further their interests in the various fields of art, as well as presented with many opportunities to participate in school and community events.

chestra

pore Chinese Or

ncert with Singa

Joshua Bell Co

Minister Ong was full of praise of our students!

Dare to Soar

Heritage Book 2018

23

 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE

CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION @ DAZHONG To develop students who are self-directed, gracious, resilient and serving beyond self, the school has put in place a rigorous Character and Citizenship Education programme that enables students to Know the right values and attitudes, and engage in hands-on activities (Do) to live out these values and beliefs (Be). In Dazhong, every teacher is a CCE teacher. The weekly Form Teacher Guidance Period (FTGP) provides a time for Form Teachers and students to bond, strengthening the Teacher-Student Relationship (TSR) and creating a positive classroom and school culture at Dazhong. Through stories and interactive activities, students are taught social and emotional skills. Character and Citizenship Education is differentiated across the levels, according to the social and emotional needs of students. Our upper primary students undergo the MOE Growing Years programme, where they learn about building rewarding and responsible relationships. They are also engaged in Education and Career Guidance programmes to help them discover their strengths and to make informed decisions to navigate their own pathways with confidence. At lower primary, the focus is on smoothening the transition from pre-school into primary school and working with parents to build a strong foundation for students to develop as self-directed and confident learners. To achieve this, the school has started the START RIGHT! P1 Transition Programme where all P1 students are explicitly taught school routines and expected behaviours, and time is also given to build strong TSR between the P1 teachers and their students.

IMDA Lab on Wheels

Thankful for my P3 Buddy!

Cyberwellness

during Recess

- Real or Fake

FTGP - Playing a game of hum an tic tac toe to learn about teamwork

Weekly Gratitude Journal

Appreciation Time is another platform that we tap on to develop our students. We believe that our students will flourish through positive relationships and emotions. Through activities like Appreciation Week and weekly Gratitude Journals, our students learnt to show appreciation and develop the sense of gratitude to people who have helped them in one way or another. Last but not least, emphasis is also placed on Cyberwellness. The 21st digital learners learn best when they are interested in what they are learning and these new ways of interacting in the 21st century classroom ensure regular engagement so that our students are future-ready citizens who are able to curate, connect and create responsibly in the classroom. The school partnered with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)’s Lab on Wheels programme to ignite passion in technology and media among the P4 and P5 students through coding and programming. In recognition of the importane of peer influence, the school also nominated deserving ICT Champions who have demonstrated leadership and commitment in positively influencing their peers at the school for the Cyber Wellness Student Ambassador (CWSA) Award 2019. Our booth during Appreciation Week

Cyberwellness

24

Dazhong Primary School

Roving Bus

Heritage Book 2018

News

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE 

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

CYDG campaign to affirm our kids

Student Leaders during the CYDG campaign

EVERY DAZHONG STUDENT IS A LEADER! In Dazhong, students are nurtured into self-disciplined leaders. Every child will have an opportunity to take on a leadership role in class and school. Besides student leadership training to equip students with leadership skills and teamwork, students are involved in helming the Student Suggestion Scheme to enthuse and engage their peers to provide feedback and ideas for school improvement. Some of the good ideas for our 80th Anniversary celebrations were obtained this way! To promote students’ voice, student leaders also encouraged their peers to participate in the Catch You Doing Good (CYDG) campaign throughout the year. In addition, CCA leaders are guided by their teachers to plan for a VIA project for each CCA, to serve beyond self. DZ students dare to lead!

Student Leadership Camp - Collaboration and resilience are key to solving the challenges!

ers of DZPS!

Developing the future lead

Today I was caught doing good!

Prefects gathering ideas

for the Pupil Suggestion

Scheme

Dare to Soar

Heritage Book 2018

25

 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Serving beyond self, even during meal times!

With our determination, we survived the 8km trek!

To build resilience and encourage a healthy and sporting lifestyle, an outdoor education programme is planned for P4 and P6 students yearly. Having learnt the relevant skills and built their stamina via Physical Education lessons in school, our students are exposed to more challenging outdoor camping experiences. The P4 students go through activities like hiking and high elements challenges while the P6 students experience caving and dragon-boating.

Students bonding through team activities.

Kayaking is tiring but fun - we learnt the importance of teamwork!

Learning al

l about resp

Let's give our very best in the Dragon Boat Challenge!

onsibility!

As they overcome obstacles and work with their teammates to solve challenges in unfamiliar settings, they learnt to be adaptable, resilient and more confident to tackle future challenges in their life journey. More importantly, the camps have enabled our students to forge stronger friendships and adopt a persevering spirit as they meet challenges in school and home.

We will go throu

gh this caving

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Dazhong Primary School

Heritage Book 2018

challenge togeth

er!

r fears through

Overcoming ou

ts!

the high elemen

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE 

INTERNATIONALISATION PROGRAMME

A memorable experience at a plantation!

P5 Trip to Melaka - Learning about the rich history!

Our P5 and P6 students took part in trips to ASEAN countries such as Thailand and Malaysia yearly to expand their civic literacy, global awareness and cross-cultural skills. Students reflected that they can better appreciate the cultures of our neighbouring countries and are thankful that we live in Singapore.

Look at our very own handmade clogs!

In addition, they are glad to make many new friends beyond the shores of Singapore. Through these experiential learning opportunities, students also make connections to the real world and develop a deeper sense of understanding, empathy and connection with other communities of the world. The internationalisation programme is definitely an enriching and exciting highlight of the DZPS journey that our students look forward to!

Morning exercise with our Thai friends!

Experiencing the Thai culture during the immersion programme to Bangkok

Our DZPS

students in

a Thai clas

sroom

Learning ab

out the tra

ndship bonds!

t way to form frie

Sports is a grea

Asking our guide many questions because we are keen to learn more!

ditional Th

ai music

ide tively to the gu Listening atten m eu us M l na tio Na

Dare to Soar

at the Bangkok

Heritage Book 2018

27

 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE

VALUES-IN-ACTION (VIA)

nt skill

rta learnt the impo Kendrick Maung ol bag! ho sc the ing ck of pa

Qaif helping his mum with house work!

Helping my little junior to adapt to our big DZ family!

DZPS uses the abbreviation of My CEED – My Character & Citizenship Education Experience @ Dazhong to portray the importance of these experiences in shaping the character strengths in our students. The 6-year Value-in-Action Programme is engineered with this in mind and we hope that at the end of their journey in DZPS, our students are able to have greater awareness about various social causes, develop their critical and inventive thinking to address the cause of choice, hone their communication, collaboration and information skills while extending their services to serve a wider community. POTS OF JOY Our P1 & P2 students learnt life skills by helping to do housework under the guidance and supervision of their parents. POTS OF CARE Our P3 students helped to induct the new P1 students so that they can adapt faster into the new learning environment. They also learnt to show their care to the environment.

Let's work together to keep our school clean!

POTS OF APPRECIATION Our P4 learnt about the contribution of the unsung heroes (including migrant workers) to Singapore. They then used their artistic skills to design and paint drink coasters and presented their best pieces to express their gratitude towards the unsung heroes in school. POTS OF HOPE Our P5 students planned and organised a flea market just like social entrepreneurs to raise fund for the needy students in school and the National Kidney Foundation. They learnt to develop empathy after gaining more awareness on the difficulties faced by patients with kidney failure through the case studies presented in VIA lessons.

Our P6 students interacting with the elderly at St Andrew Home for the Aged

P3 Buddie

s doing thei

28

r part for th

Dazhong Primary School

POTS OF HARMONY After understanding about the aging population situation in Singapore, our P6 students initiate, plan and organize the kind of activities they wish to conduct and perform during their visit to the St Andrew Home for the Aged. Through these, pupils learn about serving as well as practise school values such as acceptance and respect.

e environm

ent

Heritage Book 2018

We now know

how tough it is

on our school

attendants!

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE – CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 

CHOIR STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS I learnt to be self-directed in memorising lyrics and notes of new songs before practice sessions so that I could focus on cooperating with my peers to achieve harmony. I learnt to accept my peers’ different strengths and learn from them, just like how all of us come together as one beautiful voice when we perform. – Karina Sha, 5R Through the guidance of the instructor and teachers, I learned how to work together with my friends towards a common goal. The best experience was forging friendships with pupils from other schools during the exchange programme. – Nur Mishel, 5E

Showcasing our best at SYF 2018

The Dazhong School Choir comprises young singers who are trained in a varied repertoire of music and express themselves through use of vocals and physical movements. In addition to our participation in the SYF Arts Presentation, the Choir also supported events such as MDIS Prize Giving ceremony 2018 and Lion’s Club Dinner. The hard work that goes into rigorous trainings builds resilience in our members and teaches them the values of perseverance and excellence. The pupils also have opportunities to learn from other school choirs through the Choir Exchange programme organised by Dazhong Choir. 2016 Singapore Youth Festival

Commendation

2018 Singapore Youth Festival

Accomplishment

We persevered to succeed!

DANCE CLUB STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS We have built a culture of acceptance in Dance Club CCA as we learn to appreciate each other’s strengths and encourage each other to do better every time. – Lin Qian Qian, 6P Being in Dance Club has helped to be more self-disciplined. Through dance, I found an avenue to express myself, release stress and gain confidence.” – Masya Alyssa, 6R Happy faces after months of hard work towards excellence

The Dance Club nurtures passionate dancers who develop resilience and strive for excellence as they train for performances and competitions. The dancers learn to accept, support and appreciate one another to achieve their common goal of making each performance a successful one. Through community partnerships, the Club provides opportunities for its members to inspire others, serve the community and build confidence. Hong Kah North CC PassionArts Festival

Participation

2018 Singapore Youth Festival

Certificate of Accomplishment

2016 Singapore Youth Festival

Certificate of Accomplishment

We dare to soar!

Dare to Soar

Heritage Book 2018

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 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE – CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

JUNIOR ORCHESTRA The Junior Orchestra was started in 2016 in partnership with MOE. As the only primary school orchestra in Singapore, it is a unique platform for students to strengthen their self-esteem, self-leadership and collaboration skills as they learn musical skills. The frequent opportunities for the orchestra to perform at events serves inculcate the value of servant leadership in students as well as inspire them to stretch their potential.

Learning to ap

preciate others

at Concerts for

Children - Sum

mon the Superh

eroes

PERFORMANCES:

LEARNING EXPERIENCES:

STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS

1) SYF Celebrations: National Gallery Performance Collaboration with MGS

1) SSO -Superhero @ Victoria Concert Hall

Through JO, I learn how to persevere and take responsibility for my own learning. The teachers also encourage us with small rewards to do our best. - Joey Er, 5R

2) National Day Observance Ceremony - 7 August 2018

2) Joshua Bell with Singapore Chinese Orchestra @ Singapore Conference Hall

The practice sessions can be tough as I have to remember my notes and also work with my section mates to be in sync. Over time, I learnt to be self-directed and accept others by encouraging them to do their best. – Qairull, 4P

3) 80 th Anniversary Musical - 4 August 2018

Dedication and self-mastery in practice

4) 80 th Anniversary Family Day - 18 August 2018

ART CLUB The Art Club strives to develop pupils who have a flair for art and design and an eye for aesthetics. Together, we venture into the intriguing world of art, experimenting with various forms of art, art materials and techniques. Our students learn brush lettering, explore doodle designs, create 3D art using jumping clay, transform recycled bottles into flowers to beautify the school and compose creative artworks inspired by artists’ styles and techniques. Appreciation and graciousness are emphasised through our activities and learning journeys to art exhibitions. 2017 Singapore Youth Festival Art Exhibition

Certificate of Recognition (Category C)

2018 ‘We are Total Defence’ Colouring Contest

Consolation Prize

2018 PassionArts Festival Village at Hong Kah North Community Club

Art Club Exhibition and Interactive Booth

Practice leads to excellence

STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS Learning different techniques and using different mediums gives me the opportunity to be innovative in applying my knowledge and skills in new situations. – Kim Jiyoo, 6A During CCA sessions, we pursue excellence in our work and also learn to cooperate with one another, especially for larger pieces that require us to work in groups. – Kyi Phyu Phyu Thein, 6R

Taking pride in doing the best for SYF

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Dazhong Primary School

Heritage Book 2018

Learning different art forms and experimenting with techniques from around the world make me appreciate the diversity of ideas and understand the importance of accepting others. – Natalie Ng, 6E

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE – CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 

BADMINTON STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS Through badminton, I have learn to show acceptance to my friends and persevere to learn new skills. I like playing minimatches with my friends during CCA. – Eunice, 5R With the encouragement of my coach and teachers, I try to improve my skills in badminton and strive for excellence. – Vishvaretha, 5R Building physical strength along with tenacity

In Badminton CCA, pupils strive to develop themselves into skilful players with passion, resilience and dedication. Members also have ample opportunities to work as a team. Our trainings focus on improving pupils’ skills and techniques and inculcating good moral values in our members in line with the School’s core values. Through active learning, members develop 21st CC skills such as decision-making and social interaction.

2018 West Zone Badminton Championship (Junior)

Participation

2018 West Zone Badminton Championship (Senior)

Participation Learning self-leadership with guidance

FOOTBALL STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS Soccer has made me stronger physically and mentally. I learnt to control my emotions on the field and make quick decisions as a captain. – Preston Heng, Class of 2017 My team became like a family to me, on and off the field. The sense of belonging and emotional support from the other players was invaluable. – Wafiy Anaqi, Class of 2017

Thankful for the support in the pursuit of excellence

The Football CCA focuses on developing the technical and tactical skills of our members while nurturing the values of sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline and perseverance. Our members are divided into three groups; Senior and Junior Boys school teams as well as the recreational group. The school teams participate in friendly matches and ad-hoc competitions organised by MOE to hone their cooperative skills in preparation for zonal and national competitions. Over the past three years, the Football CCA has experienced success at both the Zonal and National level.

Perseverance and teamwork paid off!

2016 Junior Boys West Zone Championship

Bronze

2016 Junior Boys National Championship

Silver

2017 Senior Boys West Zone Championship

Bronze

2018 Junior Boys West Zone Championship

Bronze

Dare to Soar

Heritage Book 2018

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 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE – CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

NETBALL STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS “During netball trainings, I often have difficulties learning new techniques. I learnt to persevere through the difficulties and improve my skills.” – Chyi Ann, 5I “I have learnt to be a resilient player and persevere even when I feel very intimidated by the opponent’s strength. I have also made stronger bonds with my teammates as we have gone through a lot together!” – Yen Ning-Yo, 5I “The friendships that I have built through netball will last a lifetime. I have learnt to persevere and not to give up easily.” – Ding Ming Hui, 5A

Going for the goal!

The Netball CCA provides numerous opportunities for our female students to grow by working cooperatively and playing competitively. The team members learn values such as resilience, teamwork, sportsmanship and respect through friendly games with other schools, tournaments and carnivals throughout the year. In 2018, our junior team placed 3rd in the West Zone Primary School Netball Championships and qualified for the National Games, displaying tenacity against more experienced teams. 2018 West Zone Primary School Netball Championship (Junior) 2018 National School Games Netball Championship (Junior)

3rd Participation Determination is the key to improving ourselves

SPORTS CLUB STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS Being in Sports Club is challenging as we have to learn different sports and master different sets of skills in a short span of time. I learnt that I can only achieve this goal by being self-directed in asking questions and practising, as well as persevering when I find a new skill to be difficult to learn. – Aniq, 6E My experience in Sport Club taught me the values of sportsmanship and acceptance. Most of us were better at some sports than others, and it was both humbling and inspiring to learn from each other when we had trouble mastering a new sport. – Nuradib, 6A

Collaborating as a team to win the competition

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Learning to be responsible for our own fitness

Sports Club members learn to play a variety of sports and games, with a focus on the rules and techniques of each sport. Through this, they pursue excellence in trying to master the basics of each sport with a short period of time, and also learn how to work with different team members. It also encourages members to have an active lifestyle by pursuing their sport of interest in depth. This year, in conjunction with Dazhong Primary School’s 80th Anniversary, the Sports Club participated in the Walk with Elders organized by Lion Club of Singapore to promote active ageing. Our P6 members also organised our inaugural Floorball Open for P6 students. The tournament was a success with enthusiastic signups from students and provided a platform for our members to share their love of sports with their schoolmates and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

CHARACTER EXCELLENCE – CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 

WUSHU The Dazhong Wushu CCA builds the competencies of selfleadership and responsible decision making in our members through our training. Members become resilient and self-directed as they work independently and cooperatively during training sessions for competitions, understanding their own strengths and seeking help to grow. Participation in national competitions enables our members to be inspired by their peers and strive for excellence in developing their own skills.

A display of confidence and self-mastery

STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS Through Wushu, I have learnt sportsmanship and the importance of striving for excellence. I am able to manage my various responsibilities better by applying the selfmanagement skills I picked up through Wushu. – Chaston Tan, 6R With the encouragement from the teachers and the instructor, I realised that I could master difficult techniques with consistent effort and perseverance. I feel more confident when I face challenges now, and don’t give up easily. – Jeff Fun, 6A Wushu makes us strong physically and mentally. I learnt that I have to train my mind together with my body in order to master any new skill. I also learnt to work together with my teammates by asking for help when I need it and offering help to others. – Chen Wan Shan, 6A

We stretch our bodies and our minds

2017 National Primary School Wushu Championships 2017 National Wushu and Sanda Championships 2018 National Primary School Wushu Championships

Participation in Cudgel, Nanquan, Nan Gun, Si Duan Sword and Changquan Silver Medal in Si Duan Spear Bronze Medal in Nan Gun & Si Duan Sword Participation in Si Suan Spear, Nanquan, Changquan and 24 Style Taijiquan

BROWNIES Brownies CCA members learn life skills, which encourages each girl to be a responsible citizen and lead a meaningful life of servant-leadership. The five point programme (12 modules) includes activities such as singing, craftwork, indoor and outdoor games, simple cooking, sewing, field trips and camping. Brownies also learn to work cooperatively.

Listening attentively in the Cyberwellness bus

2016 Puan Noor Aishah Award

Silver

2016 West Division Heritage Trail

2nd position

2017 Puan Noor Aishah Award

Gold

2018 West Division Day Stamp Design Competition

1st position

STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS Brownies has been an enriching experience for me. Besides learning life skills, I have developed a greater sense of responsibility and found joy in serving the community and those around me. – Cadence Koh, 6E With support from my teachers, I built up my confidence to work collaboratively with others despite being shy. Brownies CCA has given me a sense of belonging and a safe environment to make mistakes and learn from them. – Chloe Dale, 5R Acceptance and teamwork lead us to success!

Dare to Soar

Heritage Book 2018

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 CHARACTER EXCELLENCE – CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

SCOUTS STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS I enjoy being in Scouts because we learn useful and interesting skills that will be useful in the real world. We have many chances to work in teams, and I have become a better team-player through this. – Isaac Rowe, 5R The Scout camps and outdoor lessons are challenges that build our resilience and teach us to be responsible for ourselves and our environment. I have learnt to accept and appreciate my peers’ different strengths. – Hafiz, 4I We did not give up even when the path got rough!

The Dazhong Cub Scout unit develops integrity, responsibility and perseverance in our members through a range of indoor and outdoor activities such as hiking, camp crafting and navigation. Our regular participation in national Scout events provides opportunities for our cub scouts to strive for excellence in applying the skills taught to them as well as to work cooperatively to solve problems. The value of servant leadership is espoused through Jobs Week, where our cub scouts serve the school community to raise funds. 2016 Frank Cooper Sands Award

Gold

2017 Frank Cooper Sands Award

Silver Curious about learning at the Skill Market

ROBOTICS CLUB

Focused minds-learning to solve problems

STUDENTS’ REFLECTIONS During CCA sessions, I have the opportunity to compete with others and persevere towards excellence in making my robot better. – Sood Ravi, 5R I learnt how to construct robots and programme them to follow commands. Working together with my teammates teaches me how to cooperate with others. – Edmund Soh, 5I 34

Dazhong Primary School

Heritage Book 2018

We are rarin

g to go!

The Robotics Club provides a platform for its members to develop real-world problem-solving skills through the use of technology and coding. The trainers emphasise the values of perseverance and excellence in creating solutions and building robots. Members collaborate within their teams during each session to solve a technical mission, guided by the trainers. 2017 National Junior Robotics Competition

Participation

2018 National Junior Robotics Competition

Participation

STAFF EXCELLENCE EXCELLENCE

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore, is not an act, but a habit. ~ Aristotle

 STAFF EXCELLENCE

STAFF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT Culture of Care Our teaching and non-teaching staff demonstrate a strong sense of care towards our students. We care deeply about students’ holistic development, not just in their academic learning but also their character development. The school values of Integrity, Responsibility, Excellence, Acceptance, and Perseverance (IREAP) are reinforced across various platforms. Our staff seize any teachable moments in students’ everyday lives to highlight positive behaviour and learning dispositions, and set high expectations for all students in DZPS regardless of their background.

Culture of Collaboration and Excellence In line with our DZPS Culture of Collaboration and Excellence, all teachers are part of Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) where they share lesson ideas and collaboratively design pedagogical innovations. This year, our teachers focused their learning on the Singapore Teaching Practice (STP) and the Student Learning Space Pedagogical Scaffold (SLSPS). In the spirit of continuous learning and improvement, they worked together to design learning experiences in order to enhance student engagement and active learning in our classrooms. Competent and reflective, our teachers have actively shared their learning and innovative practices at various platforms. At the school level, our Learning and Development (L&D) Representatives and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Champions have conducted mini-lesson sharing sessions to showcase their active application of new knowledge and ICT tools into teaching practice. All PLTs also showcased their best practices at the Dazhong Learning Festival at the end of the year. 36

Dazhong Primary School

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STAFF EXCELLENCE 

STAFF LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT All in all, our teachers are student-centric professionals who take ownership of their growth. We continue to strive to develop as Competent Professionals, Ethical Educators, Collaborative Learners, Community Builders, and Transformational Leaders in order to provide the best education for our students.

Culture of Leadership As pedagogical leaders, our teachers have gone beyond the school to share their experience and lessons with the wider teaching fraternity through cluster Open Classrooms, zonal conferences, as well as national platforms. Our teachers are also actively involved in research projects and networked learning opportunities with our partners, including the National Institute of Education (NIE), the Singapore Teachers Academy for the ARTs (STAR), and the English Language Institute of Singapore (ELIS). This culture of Leadership and an abundance mindset allows our teachers to grow as professionals while supporting other educators in the fraternity in our common goals to nurture the next generation and prepare them for the future.

DZPS Staff Beliefs & Outcomes In Dazhong, we are guided by our staff beliefs: 1. Deep learning, with practice, leads to mastery and innovation 2. Teach children to value what they can learn, before we teach them how to learn 3. Informed curriculum decision-making with holistic data can better support students’ learning (than test scores alone) 4. Failing forward is instrumental to future successes. 5. Collaboration is the key to more impactful improvements and outcomes

Dare to Soar

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 STAFF EXCELLENCE

STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS 2017 NATIONAL DAY COMMENDATION MEDAL AND ACADEMY AWARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT 2018

NATIONAL DAY AWARDS 2018 – THE LONG SERVICE MEDAL

Mdm Rina Yap Siu Lin

Mdm Saedah Bte Saad

MOE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS (GOLD) 2018

Mdm Ainon Bte Syed

MOE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS (SILVER) 2018

STAFF LONG SERVICE AWARDS 2017 AND DZPS CARING TEACHER AWARDS 2018

38

Dazhong Primary School

Heritage Book 2018

Mdm Chan Wee Teng Dawn

MOE SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS (SILVER) 2017

PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR TEACHERS (NOMINEES)

STAFF EXCELLENCE 

STAFF WELL-BEING

Chinese New Year Lo Hei session

All dressed

Keeping the m

ind sharp with

Bonding through Decoupage!

mes

ing team ga

g staff bond

rd durin Thinking ha

The Staff Well-being Committee (SWC) plans and implements initiatives that support the physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing of all staff members of the school. Annual health check-ups encourage staff to take ownership of their health, while staff bonding sessions with sports and games promote an active lifestyle while facilitating closer bonding between colleagues. Through small initiatives such as 'Munchie Crunchie', Birthday Shout-outs and Fashion Fridays, we create a warm and collegial atmosphere within the school, encouraging colleagues to care for one another, taking care of the social and emotional wellbeing of our staff. The SWC also organises sharing sessions regularly for staff to learn about how to manage stress in positive ways.

ion Friday

up for Fash

charades

Dazhong family in red for National Day!

Our com

fortable

staff lou

nge

lishers

d for our Star Po

The notice boar

Dare to Soar

Heritage Book 2018

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DA ZH

O G N

LE CE

B

E S T A R

PARTNERSHIPS

ACCEPTANCE

If you judge people, you have no time to love them. ~ Mother Theresa

PARTNERSHIPS 

MOE KINDERGARTEN

ild Race Mother-and-Ch my, let's go! um M on e - Com

With our fri

ends from

Names of staff in photo (L-R): Mrs Rina Liang (P/DZPS), Ms Marina Ho (Centre Head), Ms R. Shanthi (TL Senior Teacher), Ms Nurul Athirah B. A. Rahman, Ms Siti Aisyah B. Norman, Ms Zhang Rong Shun, Ms Gao Rong Fang, Ms Cindy Chin, Ms Shanthi d/o Chandra, Ms Cynthia Wu, Ms Iris Lim

Dali, China

brother during Our friendly big n Programme itio ns Tra K2 the

Learning to eat healthily the fun way!

Time has passed so quickly since MOE Kindergarten@Dazhong welcomed our first classes of K1 children in 2014. Parents had put their trust in the MOE brand and my team put in our best effort to educate our preschool children. Careful planning was implemented to ensure purposeful play that keeps our children engaged and active in their learning. Over time, we saw our children grow cognitively through our Starlight and Hi-light Programmes. They developed good learning dispositions and had a sense of wonder and eagerness to learn. In their Mother Tongue Language classes, our children can be heard speaking confidently in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Our classrooms were always filled with children’s voices and laughter. We also welcomed different visitors from near and far who were curious to learn what MOE Kindergartens taught. They were delighted to see our confident children greeting them with un-bashful innocent faces when they sat in our classrooms and listened to lessons roll out. Meanwhile, the collaboration with Dazhong Primary took place term by term. Planned activities and celebrations exposed our children to older primary children and the “big” school environment moulded their confidence and ability to converse with different ages of children and races. It was heart-warming for us to see that our children had grown, not only in their intellect but in the social and emotional aspect as well. 2018 is our fifth year and we continue to work together as “one family in MOE” to give our children a strong start in their preschool foundation education. The journey has been good and eventful; we will continue to impact our Singapore children in their learning and thinking for a better future. Mdm Marina Ho Centre Head, MOE Kindergarten @Dazhong

Classroom experience during our K2 Transition Programme.

Sand play helps the children to develop eye-ha muscle control. nd It is a good pla tform to promote coordination and social skills too !

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 PARTNERSHIPS

PARENTS SUPPORT GROUP (PSG @DAZHONG) QUOTES FROM PSG MEMBERS I am encouraged and want to do more for the school when I see the happy faces of the children at the various activities. This, I believe, is the true joy of learning. - PSG Chairman, Mrs Joyce Goh Being part of PSG enabled me to reach out to other parents so that we could work together to support and strengthen the school programmes. Our PSG involvement has also helped to make the school environment a more conducive place for learning. - PSG Vice-Chairman, Mrs Shilpa

Our parents discussing seriously on how to support the school programmes!

QUOTES FROM STUDENTS It’s nice to see Mummy helping out in school. Our friends also appreciate the effort that our Mummy is putting in for them! - Scarlett Wan (P3I) and Thaddeus Wan (P1E) We are happy that our mother is volunteering in PSG. With the PSG volunteers helping our teachers during the various events and activities, it makes the school more homely to be in. - Aakash Ramakrishna (P5I) and Aadarsh Rao (P3I) l Harmony Day

k during Racia

Playing congka

PSG Appreciat

ion to DZ teach

ers!

oth

bodian bo

At the Cam

Parents Su

pport Group

EXCO

We believe that parents are our partners in education and they play an important part to support the school in providing an enriched learning environment for all our students. To facilitate and co-ordinate this partnership with parents, we have a parent support group known more endearingly as PSG@ Dazhong. The group was set up in 2016 and it is made up of dedicated parents who contribute by supporting the staff in advancing the interests of the school and thereby promoting the well-being of our students, parents, teachers and community. Our Parents Support Group has supported the school in many ways through school programmes such as Reading Mums, Life Skills programmes, NE & Subject based events, CCAs involvement like Junior Orchestra Morning Buzz, Swimsafer programme, DZPS 80th Anniversary events, Teacher’s Day and Children’s Day celebrations.

PSG with JO

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ng Buzz

at JO Morni

PARTNERSHIPS 

DADS FOR LIFE (DFL) PROGRAMME

All in line to start our Frisbee session!

Look at how I dribble...

Dads can play an important primary role in the lives of students and this year, as part of our engagement efforts in building partnerships with our parents, Dads for Life (DFL) Programme was set up. We were heartened by the large turnout for the various activities organised. Fathers and their children learnt joyfully during badminton, soccer, ultimate frisbee and hiking sessions. These were valuable opportunities for fathers to role model important values like resilience and acceptance. These sessions have deepened the the love and trust within the family indeed! As the quote goes “A father is neither an anchor to hold us back nor a sail to take us there, but a guiding light whose love shows us the way.” Thank you for the great support, Fathers! REFLECTION ON DFL PROGRAMME DFL is a smash hit with my girl, Hannah. She is excited and looks forward to all the events. It also provides an opportunity for us to work together as a team in the sports activities within a dedicated us-only period. The variety of activities this year is refreshing and allows us to choose the ones we like. We definitely look forward to DFL next year! - Parent, Mr Paul Yin

We can't wait to start our frisbee game!

sure Hunt!

We've completed the Trea

Warming up for badminton...

Reflection with Hill! uer Bukit Timah

my Dad!

Ready to conq

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 PARTNERSHIPS

LIONS CLUB OF SINGAPORE (NANYANG)

Our Choir at the Nanyang Lions 15th Anniversary Charity Dinner

Dazhong Primary seeks to help our students live out the school’s mission of ‘Serving beyond self’ and we are privileged to be able to establish a sustained partnership with the Lions Club of Singapore (Nanyang). Some examples of our collaboration include the fund-raising project for the Lions Befrienders as well as the Chinese New Year Celebrations and Family Day Carnival, where our CCA leaders had the chance to host the elderly and interact with them over a light tea session. Through our partnership, we have created learning opportunities for our students to appreciate the joy in contributing to society to enrich the lives of all. They were also able to heighten their self and social awareness, as well as civic responsibility. learning This is a good ders! for our CCA lea

Celebratin

What a fruitful walk we had!

g CNY with

Our brownies playing host during National Day celebration

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Our Principal, Mrs Liang, with Mr William Loh, Chairman of Lions Club of Singapore (Nanyang)

opportunity

the elders

PARTNERSHIPS 

HONG KAH NORTH COMMUNITY CLUB

To encourage Dazhong’s students and staff to live out the pioneering spirit of pursuit of excellence and service to the community, we work very closely with Hong Kah North Community Club. During the Passion Arts Festival on 14 July, our school set up an exhibition booth to showcase our students’ artwork and our Dance Club also had the opportunity to perform at the community club during Chinese New Year. As part of our 80th Anniversary Celebration, we also collaborated with Hong Kah North Community Club for our Family Day Carnival. These are precious opportunities for our students to gain exposure and to learn how to interact give back to the community at large.

Students

Showcasing

a

at the P

our studen

ts' artwork

ooth

ibition b

tival exh

rts Fes ssion A

With Dr Amy Khor at the Passion Arts Festival

Our Dance Club performance at Hong Kah Comunity Club Chinese New Year Celebration

Our Dance

rmers

Club perfo

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 PARTNERSHIPS

OUR DZPS GUESTS

Sports is a

With our visitors from Xi An

To prepare our students to be Citizens of the future, Dazhong Primary School focuses on harnessing international partnerships. Our students are given opportunities to travel on twinning and cultural immersion programmes and as much as we send students out into the world, we also bring the world to our doorstep. This year, we hosted visitors from Zhengzhou, Hangzhou, Xi An and Thailand who were interested in finding out more about our school and our curriculum. Hosting the visitors with different cultures have definitely benefited our students and enriched them with learning that is beyond their classrooms.

a Linchang, ge with Mr Hu Friendly exchan ation Bureau uc Ed u ho gz en Deputy Chief, Zh

Guiding ou

With the School Leaders from Zhengzhou

With the pr

eschool te

achers fro

m Dali, Chi

r Thai frien

ds in Math

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na

zhou

m Hang

itors fro

vis With the

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good way

to build bo

nds!

STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY PERSEVERANCE

A winner is a dreamer who never gives up. ~ Nelson Mandela

STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY 

SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAM

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

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 STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY

MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES

MATHEMATICS

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STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY 

SCIENCE

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

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 STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY

AESTHETICS

CHARACTER & CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION

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STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY 

PUPIL MANAGEMENT

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

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 STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY

STAFF WELL-BEING COMMITTEE (LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT)

PARTNERSHIP

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NON-TEACHING STAFF

SECURITY & SAFETY

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 STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY

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 STUDENTS OUR FOCUS, STAFF THE KEY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The school would like to extend our appreciation to the Dazhong family and friends for their support

Dr Amy Khor Senior Minister of State, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of Health and Advisor, Hong Kah North Grassroots Organisations

Ms Liew Wei Li Deputy Director-General of Education (Schools) and Director of Schools Division

Ms Theodora Tan Zonal Director (Schools), West

Mrs Janis Kok Superintendent West 4

Mr Benny Lee Kah Chong Dazhong Primary School Alumnus

National Heritage Board

Hong Kah North Community Club

Lions Club of Singapore (Nanyang)

Dazhong Primary School Advisory Committee (SAC)

Parents Support Group (PSG @Dazhong)

Staff and Students of Dazhong Primary School

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REFLECTIONS

I learnt through the Family Day Carnival to be resilient and not give up easily when faced with difficulties. – Yuxuan, P3/I

I am proud of my school because we organised events to raise funds for needy students. Everyone grew together through the events and learnt how to demonstrate the school values. - Akshara, P5/I

I was a performer at the Musical and I learnt that being a performer isn’t easy. I persevered through the hardships along with everyone to make the musical a success! I love you, Dazhong! – Scarlett, P3/I

Through the Family Day Carnival, I learnt that teamwork is very important to succeed. – Qi Heng, P2/E

I am proud of my school because we have achieved a lot in the past 80 years. I hope our school will achieve even more. All the best Dazhong! – Dhugeswari, P6/A

Through the 80th Anniversary Musical, I learnt to demonstrate the school values of Responsibility, Excellence and Perserverance. – Charmaine, P3/I

The Family Day Carnival has taught me to be gracious to my friends and to do my duties well. – Alyssa, P4/R

My participation in the Family Day Carnival showed the importance of teamwork and respect. I also learnt how to serve beyond self. – Jemimah, P1/I

SCHOOL CREST

The 8 points of our compass symbolize that knowledge is everywhere and waiting to be acquired by us. The rings depict progress as we acquire knowledge.

SCHOOL SONG We, at Dazhong, strive to be The best that we can be Always gracious and caring Serving others beyond ourselves Anchored in the values we believe With pride we excel Soaring beyond limits In unity and with perseverance We, at Dazhong, strive to be The best that we can be To bloom and grow In our stride towards our goals Anchored in the values we believe With pride we excel Soaring beyond limits With unity and with perseverance

DAZHONG P R I M A R Y

S C H O O L

DAZHONG PRIMARY SCHOOL HERITAGE BOOK 2018

DAZHONG PRIMARY SCHOOL 35 Bukit Batok Street 31, Singapore 659441 Tel: (65) 6565 8002 • Fax: (65) 6563 6421 www.dazhongpri.moe.edu.sg

AC H I E V E R S r o o t e d i n VA L U E S , S O A R I N G b e y o n d L I M I T S .