From 21 to 25 May, our Primary 3 to 6 students took part in our inaugural Pathlight Learning Festival (PLF). The event aimed to allow students to experience interdisciplinary learning of English, Math, Science and DLS through interactive and engaging activities.
Our students began their journey as the heroic partners of our PLF mascots each representing a different discipline: the Witch of English, the Wizard of Math, and the Mad Scientist. They had lost their powers, and were now seeking our students’ help in regaining them. Throughout the week, students took part in various activities to earn stickers to save the mascots. They got the opportunity to participate in an inter-cohort spelling bee where the best spellers of each level competed against each other. Despite this, they displayed good sportsmanship as they cheered and encouraged their friends. The students also went to the Giant Hypermarket branches at IMM and Tampines for Learning Journey in which they were taken around the supermarkets to complete various activity stations and learned how to use the self-checkout machines. They were also treated to an engaging talk on the importance of marine life conservation and got to observe some marine life creatures in a “touch tank” as well.
To round it all off, our students and teachers were dressed up in costumes with designs inspired by motifs related to English, Math, Science or Daily Living Skills. There was definitely a buzz in the air with all the creativity on display.
On 25 May, our Secondary 1 Students headed for a Learning Journey to the Science Centre. Students attended the crime lab workshop before going to the science centre exhibitions – climate challenge and marine alcove. There they learned how forensic science is used to solve crimes by analysing evidences using physical and chemical techniques, as well as a key chemistry lesson in how to describe acidity, neutrality and alkalinity in terms of the pH scale. It was a good lesson for students who might be thinking of becoming forensic scientists in future!
Our Secondary 4 Humanities students went on a Social Studies Learning Journey to Mediacorp. This Learning Journey was organised to enhance students' learning experience on the topic of 'Globalisation', and cultural homogenisation and hybridisation in the entertainment as well as security challenges in a globalised world.
The students were brought to several areas, including a gallery showcasing the early history of Mediacorp, a TV production section, where they had the opportunity to re-enact some scenes from the popular Chinese drama, Little Nyonya. Here, the students learned about the uses of technology in screen entertainment. They also discovered various trades or skills needed to make a TV show, like clothes-making, make-up, carpentry, audio management and lighting control.
Our students were also brought to the newsroom, and some of them got to try news and radio presenting. It was quite nerve-wracking to be in front of the camera and to keep up with the text on the teleprompter, but our students did their best. Finally, our students learned about virtual reality technology as well. They learned about the various new media platforms that Mediacorp was using and understood the importance of keeping up with latest technology in entertainment.
Our students learned the importance of keeping up with the changing times to ensure economic prosperity and how companies must constantly adapt to new technologies global environments. It was a great learning experience for all!
On 23 May 2018, students from the Videography and Animation CCA had a wonderful tour of the FOX Network Group’s Studio.
During the studio tour, students experienced how ‘live’ recording worked. We visited the production film studio of FOX Sports programmes, where sports show hosts interviewed guests. They were also shown how ‘live’ or ‘scheduled’ contents were broadcast. The staff showed and explained how content flows from the Master Control Room to Media Ingest and to Transmission, where the programmes are finally broadcasted into our televisions. Students were also given the chance to interact with the control panels and devices used by the professionals during their visit.
The visit was very informative and our students had a great time learning and interacting with the staff. Perhaps broadcasting might be another industry Pathlighters can advance into?
Across two separate days, our Secondary 1 students took part in a Learning Journey to Chinatown. There they learned to understand and appreciate the contributions of the Chinese community to Singapore’s socio-economic development as part of their Historical Investigation project. The students were brought on a tour around the temple by volunteer guides from the Hokkien clan association. The guides introduced the students to the various aspects of the temple, such as its history and lore and learned about the contributions made by the early forefathers.
In learning about the past, may our students now sow the seeds for a better future!
On 17 May 2018, Pathlight School welcomed the installation of 54 student councillors during our annual Student Council Investiture. Everyone shared a heart-warming moment as the student councillors recited their pledge to lead and serve as student leaders of our school. We were also proud to recognise the contributions of 12 of our outgoing Primary 6 student councillors who have grown so much as student leaders in serving the school dutifully. We wish them all the best for their PSLE as they step down from their prefectural roles to focus on their upcoming examinations.
Time for our newly appointed student councillors of the year 2018 to lead with confidence and serve with conviction!
On 18 May 2018, our Secondary 1 students went on a Science Learning Journey to the Singapore Science Centre. This was part of the Project One initiative aimed at developing students holistically in the Aesthetic, Physical, Socio-Emotional, Moral and Cognitive areas.
The purpose of the journey was to develop process skills and apply them to scientific concepts on the importance of conserving energy and using renewable sources of energy, as well as to recognise the dangers of climate change and how to reduce their global footprints on an individual level.
Students were given opportunities to apply thinking skills to carry out an experiment, as well as time to explore the exhibits at the Climate Change exhibition and watch an interactive show on climate change at the gallery. They also developed their skills in team work when tasked to do the experiments in groups of 4 or 5 students.
The journey was educational, enlightening and entertaining for all!
On 16 May 2018, the Ukulele and Digital Photobook workshops were held at Pathlight Campus 2 Annex. The purpose of the workshops was to enable students to learn, develop their interests and discover their talents in music, as well as information and communications technology (ICT). These were part of a Learning Day for our Secondary School graduating cohort, one of many value-added programmes under Project One, which is aimed at developing students holistically in the Aesthetic, Physical, Socio-Emotional, Moral and Cognitive areas.
At the Ukulele workshop, students learned about the history of the Ukulele and the different parts of the instrument. They also learned the different strumming patterns with simple chords such as C Major and A Minor. At the end of the workshop, students were able to play two songs and they even performed for one another!
At the Digital photo workshop, students were delighted to create personalised Photobooks using their own photographs. The trainers taught them to use software to edit their photographs and PowerPoint to do the layouts. Students were also tasked to include meaningful captions and reflections of their fond memories in Pathlight School. Knowing that the soft copy of the Photobook will be given to them as graduation gifts, a few students even went further to document their heartfelt gratitude for their teachers to keep the memories with them when they graduate!
Singing and sharing memories, what could have been a better way to spend your graduating year?
The Singapore Kindness Run took place at East Coast Park on Sunday, 13 May 2018. Seven Pathlight students participated, accompanied by their parents. The race aims to promote kind acts and good running etiquette in Singapore’s running community. These include giving encouragement to one another, keeping the running route litter-free and having slower-paced runners keeping to the left of the path for faster ones to overtake from the right. Thanks to the observance of these rules, everyone had a fun time!
Our Secondary 1 and 2 students participated in the A-Math-Zing Race hosted by the Mathematics Department. The race was conducted within the school compound in Campus 2 Annex. Students experienced the relevance of Mathematics in real life with activities emphasising problem solving skills and experiential learning. In doing so, they applied mathematical concepts in different contexts. They displayed great team work and resilience as they worked through the trail together and used creative thinking skills to design feasible methods of solving real-life problems.
Our students from Secondary 4 Spruce and Quiver class also stepped up and took on the role of station masters, patiently guiding their juniors at the various stations to complete the task. Kudos to the seniors for their guidance!
The students and teachers had an A-Math-Zing time and we were proud that each and every one of them was an A-Math-Zing Race Conqueror!
Pathlight School is the first autism-focused school in Singapore that offers Singapore's mainstream academic curriculum together with life readiness skills. It caters to students with autism and related disorders, aged 7 to 18 years, who are cognitively able to access mainstream academic curriculum but require additional support such as smaller class sizes, special accommodations and teaching staff trained in autism.
The School was established by Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) at the invitation of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and started operations in January 2004 with just 41 students. Today, it has over 1,200 students and is one of the fastest growing and progressive special schools in Singapore.
Children with mild to moderate severity of autism, who are assessed to be cognitively able to access mainstream academics in a structured group learning environment (average class size of 8 to 12 students).
Children aged 7 years who are able to access mainstream academics but require an additional Foundation year to build their school readiness for a typical mainstream school or Pathlight School's Primary 1 Programme, will benefit from our Primary 1 Foundation Programme. Students from this programme will move on to Primary 1 Standard* the following year.
For students who are suitable to pursue the PSLE, GCE 'O' and 'N' Level examinations, but face challenges in a typical mainstream school, Pathlight offers a unique blend of academic curriculum and life readiness skills. This blended approach is aimed at maximising the potential of the students.
* Pathlight's Primary 1 Standard is similar to mainstream Primary 1 curriculum.
5, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, Singapore 569739
+65 6459 9951
+65 6459 3397
