Press releases

Omsk city and region schools headmasters share their impressions from trainings conducted by Educare International Consultancy tutors for 4 days from August 13 till August 16.

Mrs. Valentina Korobkova, Headmaster of State Funded Educational Institution Secondary General School No. 41

These technologies are not new for us at all. The bases are ideas gained from different nations. The main achievement of Singapore colleague is that they managed to assemble and structure such approaches. You can even feel the influence of Soviet pedagogical system, which we followed a while ago. Now there are many teachers in schools with profound experience, who are familiar with such technologies. The base of the approach is to make learning process informal. Children should interact with each other, rather than just learn information from the teacher. They should create some kind of intellectual product. In fact, it is a collective and creative work. Actually, it is the same format that the Ministry of Education is now aiming us at. Therefore, we must treat the Singapore system wisely. We must take the best out of it and apply in our lessons.

Mrs. Irina Rukovichnikova, Headmaster of State Funded Educational Institution Secondary General School No. 1

I like this seminar. You know, there is a certain feeling, as if a wave is swallowing you. At first, you are spluttering with information and emotions, and then you realize that you will not drown. The shore is very clearly visible. It’s actually a good practice. Teachers need to flush their eyes as often as possible to see the prospects they are heading towards. And if you understand that you stopped somewhere, and I had such a feeling at some point of time, then you need to take a new growth point ... In this technique, a lot of attention is paid to the development of creative and innovative thinking. In fact, this way of thinking is constructive, different from the way most people think. However, we should not be afraid that we are letting out such children from the walls of our school into a world where they may not be understood. We do it slowly, we keep the rhythm. You know, the principle of any doctor goes “Do not harm”. It applies in the same way. The fact that there is noise and mess in the lesson, that everyone is talking, is, of course, very distractive, but distractive for teachers.  They need to get accustomed to having such noise, so that the child can express his thought, no matter how wild it may be.

Mr. Vyacheslav Shestakov, Headmaster and Geography Teacher of State Funded Educational Institution Secondary General School No.130

This is not the first time I get across Singaporean methodology. Moreover, our school has some elements of this Singaporean education. I am sure that this is the model of tomorrow; it does not prepare students for today, but for what will happen when they graduate from school. It is based on project activities, that is, the individualization of education. With us, each child writes his own project. By the way, completing this task is a mandatory condition for moving to the next class. Creative individual work that each student performs, as a result, gives unconventional thinking. For us, this is not a process of “feeding” students with knowledge; students learn themselves, not that we teach them. We instruct them. This technique works for all subjects, it is unique and very suitable for interdisciplinary interaction. Today, in the 21st century, all discoveries, all interactions, everything that appears new, is made at this level. For example, I am a geography teacher, so in my lessons the doctrine of the earth can be considered from the point of chemistry or biology. A certain synergy of knowledge and experience.

Konstantin Diyanov, Headmaster of Novovarshavskaya Gymnasium, Participant of the XXVIII All-Russian competition “Teacher of the Year”, Winner of a special prize

As a manager and as a teacher I find this meeting very useful. The basis of the Singaporean methodology is more in the philosophy of education, in understanding what is its mission, what should be the development strategy. This methodology teaches that the achievement of any task is based on an understanding of a common goal. This method develops qualities that are vital in our time. Of course, this is the ability to communicate - communication, cooperation, teamwork, critical thinking and creativity.

The emphasis is on various forms of communication and understanding how and when the student learns information most effectively. Even taking into account physiological features. What are the most effective ways to assimilate information? At the All-Russian competition, some teachers demonstrated open classes using elements of the Singapore system. They shared their experiences.

State Funded Educational Institution, Secondary General School No.56 Administration

- Singapore education system is a very interesting experience!

Participation in this project gives an opportunity to analyze the process of structuring methodological work in a similar way applied in Singapore. The main distinguishing feature is an effective application of teaching methods.

Readiness for change is an urgent requirement for the professional development of teachers and the school as a whole.

Mr. Sergey Subbotin, Deputy Director of State Funded Educational Institution, Secondary General School No. 130

Singapore teaching methodology is aimed at preparing graduates of the future, but, unfortunately, this teaching methodology in Russia has not yet become so widespread. This methodology should be accepted not only by teachers and school leaders, but also by heads of departments and ministries.