How to create a game concept. Through Game jamming with peers - identify the problem, identify the tools, identify the theme, the game mechanic - intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

Creating games, we need to focus on leaderboards, points, rewards, badges and quest. Incentives can be used to get the students to work for your subject.

Different teachers shared on how they can design the games. It gives idea on how to tap on the intrinsic part in the students. This sharing help me to think on developing games suitable for our profile of students.

The shared insights and suggestions from fellow participants have been invaluable in informing my approach to designing effective gamification strategies for my students.

I would like to try and set up a leadership board for my CCA (to improve bonding between boys and hence the motivation to attend cca regularly), as well as one for 3NA cohort (to increase motivation for math).

Another important concept explored was Bartle’s Player Types, which categorize learners into Killers, Achievers, Socializers, and Explorers. Killers thrive on competition and dominance, Achievers seek mastery and accomplishments, Socializers enjoy collaboration and interaction, and Explorers are driven by curiosity and discovery. Understanding these player types helps in designing gamified experiences that cater to diverse learner motivations, ensuring that engagement is maximized for different learning needs.

Overall, the learning journey reinforced the idea that when applied thoughtfully, gamification can transform learning into a more interactive, enjoyable, and meaningful experience. Moving forward, I aim to explore ways to incorporate these techniques into my own teaching practice to foster greater student engagement.

We can explore the different ways to motivate students by providing intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, through game elements. For example, setting up a leaderboard for our class. Students can be rewarded with points for prompt submission of work, points can be redeemed for special rewards, and quests can also be included for students to complete challenging questions.

The highlight was tasting traditional Peranakan pastries and tea, which brought the cultural experience to life. This hands-on approach made me realize how valuable it would be to bring my students here - they could experience firsthand what they've only read about in textbooks, transforming theoretical knowledge into authentic cultural understanding.

I was fascinated by the stories behind these traditions: a closed second window signified an unmarried daughter, while a black bridal veil symbolised the bride’s sadness at leaving her parents. Even the round foyer table had meaning, only a first stop before guests were welcomed inside for a feast. Ending the day with kuih, tea, and laughter—what a wonderful Friday afternoon well spent!

However, there is still a long way to go before I can fully understand the culture, as it is a long-standing and profound one.

On that day, the museum docent answered many of our questions and corrected some of our misunderstandings. For example, Peranakan families are very open-minded, and it is common for them to have one to three religions within a family. They also embrace different kinds of cultural influences, including Chinese, Malay, and European elements in their daily lives.

The journey was very fulfilling and inspiring, such that it even exceeds expectations. The museum is special in a way that artefacts are not displayed in glass cabinets, but arranged in the actual Peranakan house layout, bringing the visitors straight into the daily life of a Peranakan. Elaine, our guide for the day, happens to be the wife of a Peranakan, shared with us the history, customs and traditions of the Chinese Peranakan, clarifying a lot of our doubts along the way.

One of the key takeaways for me is to see in real life the colourful houses of Katong which was featured in one of the texts of the Sec 1's Mandarin textbook. Having seen the buildings come to life, I feel more confident to teach that particular text to my students.

The Peranakan culture is one of the things that make Singapore unique. With the recent Chinese drama "Little Nyonya - Emerald Hill" and the Peranakan festival in Sentosa, we can see the efforts put in to spread and pass on the Peranakan stories to the people. I feel honoured to play a part in this venture.

Beyond the beautiful artifacts in the museum, our guide also explained how the Katong Peranakan shophouses reflect the community's distinctive heritage. As a westie my whole life, I've never been to Katong to see these houses in person. It was fascinating to learn how different cultures and religions influenced Peranakan history and architecture, creating the vibrant designs these buildings are known for.

Yusof Ishak’s steadfastness in upholding his principles was deeply moving. He fought to preserve Utusan Melayu’s independence and integrity, refusing to compromise its true spirit even under pressure. His decision to part ways with the newspaper — something he had worked tirelessly to build — reflected his unwavering commitment to honesty and justice over personal or political gain. As a teacher, this reminds me of the importance of standing firm in my values and principles, to make decisions guided by integrity, even when faced with difficult circumstances or external pressures. It also reminded me to stand firm in giving a voice to the voiceless — to advocate for fairness and ensure that every student’s rights and dignity are upheld. It also means advocating for students who may otherwise go unheard and creating an inclusive classroom where every learner feels seen, valued, and empowered to express themselves.

I have learnt so much from this very short excerpt and interpretation of the late President Yusof Ishak’s life. May the late President Yusof Ishak and wife, rest in eternal peace. ✌🏻

Majulah Singapura 🇸🇬

His life and values serve as a meaningful example for our students: that success does not depend on wealth or status, but on perseverance, determination, and passion. Above all, his story reminds us of the importance of remaining humble, regardless of one’s achievements or position in life.

Yusof Ishak went through leading up to his appointment as Singapore's first president.

Some of my favourite parts were the portrayal of the internal conflicts that he experienced in deciding whether or not to continue leading Utusan Melayu (his publication), if taking up the role of president would compromise his pursuit to develop the Malay community and the quiet but extremely significant support that Puan Noor Aishah offered him through it all.

10/10 would watch again!

This has inspired me in my own teaching practice: when facing challenges in education, we must be willing to explore new approaches, respond to the evolving needs of the times, and find meaningful connections between knowledge and the current world. By doing so, we can better guide students in their learning journey.

It reveals a leader shaped by questions of race, identity, and unity! Someone who made personal sacrifices and held firm to the belief that leadership is ultimately about service.

His story reminds us that true leadership means serving others and staying united, even in difficult times.

Luqman

During the workshop, the instructor gave live demonstrations and guided us through the tufting process. As a DT teacher, I appreciated that the session began with a safety briefing on handling the tufting gun. We were then given the opportunity to practise basic tufting techniques such as moving in straight lines upwards, sideways, and along curves supported with the instructor providing real-time feedback. At this point, I wondered whether pre-recorded instructional videos would have been beneficial. However, as I waited for my turn, I realised I was learning just as much by observing my colleagues. Watching them attempt tufting and noticing the challenges they encountered provided valuable insight, ones that a video alone might not capture. The struggles and

mistakes of others became an important part of the learning process, reinforcing the idea that peer observation can be a powerful teaching tool.

Overall, the tufting process went smoothly. While we encountered some difficulties, the foundational skills taught at the start enabled us to handle most issues independently. However, I noticed that we were not initially taught how to undo our tufting mistakes. Without this knowledge, I found myself hesitating more in my approach. Had we been equipped with the skill to reverse errors, we might have felt more confident to experiment and take creative risks. While the session was effective, this missing element may have led to a lost opportunity for deeper learning.

Summary

Through this experience, I gained insights that I can apply in my role as an educator. First, differentiated instruction is essential, providing students with a range of options based on their comfort levels empowers them to make informed choices. Second, a flipped learning approach, where students access instructional materials before hands-on sessions, can enhance preparedness and confidence. Third, peer observation is an invaluable part of the learning process; students can learn not just from instructors but also from watching their peers' struggles and successes. Lastly, teaching students how to rectify mistakes fosters a mindset of experimentation and creativity, as they feel safer to take risks in their learning journey. These reflections reinforce the importance of designing lessons that balance guidance with opportunities for independent problem-solving.

Hector

I learnt more about a new physical event Hyrox, and tried some of the stations. The events can be attempted solo, duo or as a team..

IF there are youth events, it may be a good fitness activity to introduce to our students!

We also learned about Hyrox, a type of fitness race that combines running and functional workouts. We even got to try out some of the Hyrox stations ourselves, which helped us understand how challenging yet fun this type of workout can be.

This experience gave us new ideas on how we can make fitness training more engaging for our students in Westwood. We hope to explore how some of these Hyrox-inspired activities can be adapted into our lessons or programmes to encourage students to stay active and enjoy fitness.

This play truly tugged at my heartstrings. As a Gen Z Singaporean, I’ve mostly known Yusof Ishak as the face on our SG dollar notes and his wife, Puan Noor Aishah, as a gracious figure in our history books. Watching their story unfold on stage gave me a refreshing and human perspective into their early years. Their hopes, struggles and unwavering belief in building a nation together.

One particular scene that stayed with me was when Yusof Ishak, as a young journalist, stood up against pressure to compromise his principles at Utusan Melayu. The tension in that moment reminded me that leadership often means standing firm in our values, even when it’s uncomfortable. As a BT, that message hit close to home. It reminded me that integrity and courage are qualities that I too, must uphold when guiding my students, even in small daily decisions.

Another moving moment was the portrayal of Puan Noor Aishah’s quiet resilience through how she supported her husband while also contributing to society in her own way. It made me think about the unsung heroes in our lives, especially the mentors and colleagues who stand behind us as we navigate the challenges of teaching. It also reminded me that leadership isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s about compassion, humility and resilence.

Beyond the historical retelling, the play was deeply emotional. Seeing scenes of racial tension and the challenges of early nation-building made me reflect on how far Singapore has come and personally how much our work as educators still matters in nurturing harmony and mutual respect. It reminded me that every conversation about empathy, every lesson on values and every attempt to build inclusivity in the classroom contributes to that same national story.

Leaving the theatre, I felt both inspired and grounded. The play reminded me that history is not just a subject to be taught, it’s a living story of people who believed in something bigger than themselves. As a ML teacher, I feel even more motivated to help my students see the richness of our heritage and the power of our stories.

Jeffrey Chua

From the detailed safety briefing, step-by-step demo, and clear instructions by the vendor, to the pre-planning stage where we selected and submitted our designs in advance, everything was thoughtfully organized to ensure we made the most of our time. I appreciated how this approach allowed everyone to focus fully on creating during the session, rather than figuring things out on the spot.

It reminded me of the importance of intentional planning and scaffolding in our own lessons, how clear structure, preparation, and guided demonstrations can help our students be more engaged and productive. The hands-on nature of the activity also reinforced how experiential learning can spark joy and collaboration among colleagues; the kind of energy I’d love to bring into my classroom.

All in all, this tufting experience was not only creatively fulfilling but also a meaningful reminder that effective learning happens when creativity meets structure.

Farah

The team also learned about Hyrox, which contains 8 different stations. Everyone had the opportunity to try all the stations, experiencing the challenge and difficulties a Hyrox participant may face. I also went on to simulate all the stations, with some modification together with Insyirah.

This experience provides the PE department on different ways and ideas in integrating Hyrox into the PE lessons for the students. In the long run, it can benefit the students and teachers too as it does not only train the physical fitness but also the mental ability.

We attended a short workshop where we had to brainstorm and draw out 8 ideas in 8 minutes on how to increase the rate of recycling in the Oceanarium. This activity can be translated into the classroom.

I was glad to find out that the Oceanarium has work attachment programme for students. Bringing our students on learning journeys here could be the start of a rich and fulfilling career in biodiversity and conservation.