Values in Action (VIA)

Approach

In our effort to nurture our pupils to become a morally upright, responsible and gracious citizen, the school believes in adopting a whole school approach in the implementation of its Values In Action Programme.

There are 3 approaches for VIA in the school are Environment, Fund-raising and Outreach. Through this extensive approach, it is hoped that our pupils will learn about citizenship; a citizen who is informed, concerned and participative.

VIA activities are differentiated and developmental in nature where pupils get the experience to be involved in community service in stages throughout their primary school years, according to the objectives that have been spelt out for the different levels.

VIA Packages are designed to guide pupils through the 3 stages of VIA: pre-VIA, VIA and post-VIA.

Some highlights of our VIA activities include Project SHINE for all pupils, Adopt-a-Plot for Primary 3, Project Festive and Litter Free Neighbourhood for Primary 4, visit to the senior citizens’ home for Primary 5 and school enhancement activities in Batam, Indonesia for Primary 6.

Primary 1 to 6 : Project Shine!

Keep Singapore Clean Movement in Schools: PVPS Project Shine!

Project Shine! is a school-wide effort to introduce daily routinised cleaning and termly cleaning of the classrooms and school compound respectively. As part of the Keep Singapore Clean Movement (KSCM) in Schools, it aims to inculcate the following CCE values in pupils:

1. Responsibility to keep the places they frequent clean.

2. Care for the people living and working around them.

Daily Routinised Cleaning

• Signage displayed on every classroom notice board:

Additional Information on the Keep Singapore Clean Movement

To know more about the KSCM, you may visit the following link at http://www.publichygienecouncil.sg

Primary 2 : CARE

CARE approach was deployed for the P2 VIA to achieve the following objectives:

• To nurture our pupils to become a morally upright, responsible and gracious citizens

• To develop and instill a sense of care and respect for their family

• To know ways to care for their family

• To know ways to contribute to their family

From 2015, all P2 pupils were taught the CARE approach to apply their values at home as part of their journey in becoming supportive family members who play a part in strengthening family ties. CARE stands for Contribute, Appreciate, Respect and Engage.

As pre-VIA, pupils were equipped with Life Skills @ Home during orientation programme where they learnt ways to do housework (e.g.: sweep the floor, wash the dishes, fold the towel, wipe the table and prepare sandwiches). Pupils were encourage to contribute to their family by doing some of the housework to show care and responsibility. Pupils were taught different ways to show their appreciation, how to respect their family and also how to be engaged family members.

One of the highlight of the VIA was the cookies baking session during the Budding Chef Programme where pupils baked cookies and packed them nicely to be shared with their family members at home. They were taught how to serve the cookies to their family members with respect, sincerity and joy. Pupils also helped out at home in terms of household chores, preparing food and even washing the dishes after meals.

Through the VIA activities, pupils had a better understanding of their family members and how they could contribute to their family despite their young age. They also developed more respect for others, care and concern and resilience.

Primary 3 : Adopt a Plot

Our P3 pupils participate in a Value in Action Project in Term 1 and 2. The project, called Adopt-a-Plot, provides opportunities for pupils to take care of a plot of garden by themselves. Their responsibilities include watering the plants, ensuring the plot is clean by picking up litters and checking of any dangerous things that can harm the plants and pupils.

This project aims to:

1. Develop and instil a sense of care and respect for the environment through caring for the plants in school

2. Promote social awareness and relationship building competencies, and character among pupils

The Adopt-a-Plot taps on pupils’ knowledge about plants, which were taught in the P3 Science syllabus, enhances pupils’ people skills in terms of teamwork and is aligned to the school’s Shared Values.

The diagram below shows what the pupils go through for their P3 VIA Adopt-a-Plot.

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Primary 4 : PRIDE (Pasir Ris)

Our P4 pupils participated in a meaningful Values in Action Project, in collaboration with Pasir Ris West Community Centre. Project Festive, with a focus on Community, is part of the school’s spiral approach in our VIA curriculum.

The pupils visited the neighbouring blocks of the school and gave out mandarin oranges and greeting cards to the residents. Pupils were excited and engaged in conversing with the residents using the Chinese New Year greetings that they learnt in class. To better prepare our pupils before Project Festive, pupils went through a series of structured lessons using the PRIDE (Pasir Ris, our home, where we Reach out to the community and Improve the environment and create the Desired future for Pasir Ris through the Engagement of self and others) package on the history of Pasir Ris, the importance of racial harmony in the neighbourhood, and the Do’s and Don’ts during Chinese New Year visitation.

Through the PRIDE approach, pupils are taught knowledge, values and skills through pre, actual and post VIA lessons. This VIA programme benefits our pupils as they develop a sense of belonging to the Pasir Ris neighbourhood and instill a sense of pride in them. It helps them understand the diversity of race, religion and practices in Singapore that promotes social cohesion and harmony in Singapore. Feedback from residents, teachers and pupils have been very positive and encouraging as the pupils were well-prepared and got to apply what they learnt for the VIA.

Pupils learnt servant leadership through the VIA litter picking activity. They learnt to empathize with the cleaners and that it was not an easy job.

Our Primary 4 pupils learnt to:

-    recognize that they can make a contribution to care for the environment
-    make informed and responsible decisions as a citizen and do their part in conserving the environment

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Primary 5 : One Love Many Lives (Senior Citizens Homes)

As part of the CCE level outcome of ‘Active citizens who have pride in nation building’, our P5 pupils played their part in contributing to the community through the yearly visits to Kheng Chiu Happy Lodge and Jamiyah Home. Pupils went through the ‘LOVE’ package entitled ‘One Love Many Lives’ where they went through a structured approachas part of the VIA cycle – pre VIA, actual VIA and post VIA..

Before the VIA, the ‘L’ approach was used. Pupils become aware of the lives of the elderly and the reasons they are in a home. The ‘O’ approach provided the opportunity for our pupils to take the initiative and plan their own activities for the VIA. For the actual VIA, our pupils engaged the elderly through craft and games. The elderly enjoyed traditional games such as congkak, five stones, board games and shooting the Nerf guns. The elderly even participated enthusiastically in ball games too! As for craft, the elderly were engrossed in colouring and making useful items using coloured ice cream sticks. Some of our pupils also got the chance to serve tea break to a group of elderly!

Upon returning from their VIA, pupils continued with the ‘V’ and ‘E’ approach where they reflected and blogged about values, skills and experiences that they have learnt through the VIA preparation and visit. Through the ‘E’ approach, they reflect on their emotions using the Mirror - Microscope-Binoculars tool and extend their learning beyond school to home.

Primary 6 Park View in Action (Batam, Indonesia)

Our Primary 6 pupils participate in community outreach programme at two primary schools and two orphanages, the pupils learnt to:

1. have a deep desire to serve others

2. show empathy and care towards others

3. build community through the VIA Programme.

Prior to the VIA, pupils planned and prepared for activities that they would carry out at the Indonesian schools. During camp preparation day, pupils got into the camp groups to learn balloon sculpting, plan lesson plans for micro-teaching and games for friendly matches and prepare materials for setting up the reading corner. They also helped to pack donated items into duffel bags to be given to the Indonesian pupils.

Pupils found the VIA activities meaningful as every child had the experience in bringing joy to and interacting with the local pupils. Such values in action have indeed come alive as pupils were being immersed in a setting that promotes compassion, care, friendship and volunteerism.

VIA for Key Leaders

The Key Leaders for our Service Learning Councils have opportunities to be involved in VIA projects beyond the school. In 2014, our Key Leaders collaborated with some Secondary 2 pupils from Dunman High School to spread LTA messages to the commuters in Pasir Ris Bus Interchange.