The Ministry of
Education (MOE)
is committed to
developing its teachers
and supporting them as
they positively influence
young minds. Two
teachers share with us
how MOE has equipped
them with important
teaching skills and how
they nurture a love
for language in their
students.
Teaching is no easy profession – it takes energy, knowledge, ingenuity and most of all patience
to lead a classroom of impressionable youth. Teachers dedicate a considerable amount of time
to support their students as they journey towards becoming self-motivated individuals.
MOE aims to develop quality teachers who not only impart learning and critical thinking skills to their
students, but also inculcate sound social and moral values to them. Two MOE scholars, Timothy Yam
and Bernie Wong, share with us their experiences as an educator, role model and life coach.
Why teaching?
Timothy Yam: I was very attracted to the opportunity to read English Literature, a subject I’ve always
been passionate about, and also pursue a related career thereafter. The possibility of influencing the
Literature curriculum in our local schools is something I really looked forward to.
I have also been inspired by and was fortunate to have crossed paths with many knowledgeable
teachers – Mrs Madeline Maas, Mrs Lim Jee Nee and Mr Krishnan from Raffles Institution and Ms
Dayna Chia and Ms Mrina Veluri from (the former) Raffles Junior College. Being an English Literature
teacher means I can grow my students' love and appreciation for the subject and help them develop
critical thinking and cultural analysis skills.
Bernie Wong: I first learnt about the MOE
Teaching Scholarship during my School
Immersion Programme in Germany, back when
I was a National Junior College (NJC) student.
Through my interactions with my senior, who
decided to pursue a tertiary education in
Germany on an MOE scholarship, I gained a better
understanding of the various MOE scholarships
and Germany’s higher education system. She left
me with this piece of advice, “Du musst wissen,
was du willst”, which roughly translates to, “You
have to know what you want”.
Timothy Yam Rong Yao
Education Merit Scholar
Designation:
English Literature Teacher,
Boon Lay Secondary School
Studied:
Postgraduate Diploma in Education,
National Institute of Education,
Nanyang Technological University
Master of Arts (Humanities),
University of Chicago, US
Bachelor of Arts (English),
University of London, UK
"My exposure to first-class educators and
academics was very helpful in preparing me
for my Teaching career"
This got me thinking about what I wanted to do
with my life. I knew I wanted a meaningful career
and the MOE Teaching Scholarship allows me a
career where I can make a direct impact on the
lives of my students every single day – my choice
couldn’t have been clearer!
Tell us about your responsibilities as a teacher.
Timothy: My roles in all my classes are quite
varied. For instance, I help my Secondary 4
Express Core Literature class do their best
academically, while I help equip my Secondary
1 Normal Technical English class (also my Form
Class) students with the foundational skills
necessary to become effective communicators.
I also supervise the Badminton club in the
afternoon and play a few games with the
students if I can spare the time.
Managing students' behaviour can be
challenging, as some of them lack guidance and
direction and tend to act out in frustration. I also
face students who try very hard but are unable
to improve their academic results. In both cases,
I empower my students by encouraging them
to keep their self-esteem up and constantly
brainstorm study techniques to ensure their
efforts are more focused and not expended in
vain.
Bernie: Most of my students take German as
a third language, and this is on top of eight to
ten subjects they are already being taught. As
a German teacher, it is my responsibility to not
only teach a new language, but also expose my
students to global affairs and the differences in
countries' value systems and cultural beliefs.
It is not easy for students to understand why
they are required to spend three hours every
week to learn a foreign language that they have
little opportunity to use in Singapore. I thus
face a challenge in keeping them enthusiastic
and awake after their long school day – this is
why I am constantly thinking of new ideas and
games to keep lessons relatable, interactive and
engaging.
Tell us about the opportunities you have received in your scholarship journey.
Timothy: I had the privilege of studying at
top-tier institutions and gained insights from a
wealth of knowledge imparted by professors,
fellow students and guest lecturers. I also
attended lectures by authors such as Will Self
and Alan Hollinghurst and participated in the
Association of Writers and Writing Programmes
annual conference in 2014.
My exposure to first-class educators and
academics was very helpful in preparing me
for my Teaching career – seeing first-hand how
people conducted classes and communicated
concepts helped me understand that teaching
was not just about subject mastery. It is also
about delivering good pedagogy. Furthermore,
being based in the UK and the US during my
studies allowed me the freedom to travel to
exotic places such as Morocco and Ghana to
expand my horizons.
Bernie Wong Shu Yi
MOE Teaching Scholar
Designation:
German Language Teacher,
MOE Language Centre
Studied:
Postgraduate Diploma in Education,
National Institute of Education,
Nanyang Technological University
Master of Arts (Intercultural German
Linguistics),
University of Göttingen, Germany
Bachelor of Arts (German Linguistics),
University of Heidelberg, Germany
Bernie: I not only participated in school trips to
places such as the UK’s Stratford-upon-Avon and
Germany’s Marburg – I also underwent exchange
programmes in London and Beijing, and was able
to fly back to Singapore to participate in summer
internships. My experiences allowed me to step
out of my comfort zone and come back with a
broader mindset and worldview.
During my time in Germany, I acquired a lot
of knowledge about the German culture. Back
in Singapore, the National Institute of Education
(NIE) curriculum was also really beneficial as I
learnt much from professors and fellow teachers-to-be about teaching pedagogies and classroom
management techniques. This better prepared
me to face my students as I embarked on my
teaching career at the Ministry of Education
Language Centre (MOELC).
What advice do you have for aspiring MOE scholars and teachers?
Timothy: Be honest at your scholarship
interview. The MOE interviewers have all heard
too many trite answers, and being open and
honest will only show how passionate you are
about making a real difference in students' lives.
Teaching can be an immensely tiring and
frustrating task at times, but the rewards
certainly justify the challenges. You must have
the stomach to overcome your challenges – if
you know you do, apply for the MOE scholarship
because the education service needs people like
you!
Bernie: Be true to yourself and think hard before
you decide to apply for the MOE scholarship.
Don’t do so for the prestige or the opportunity
to study abroad. Relevant teaching experiences
and internships in a school will help you stand
out from the crowd, and allow you to speak with
greater conviction about your motivations and
experiences behind pursuing a Teaching career.