This is a brief presentation on Singapore, one of the nine case studies.

1. Country Presentation
Professional Development of Mathematics Teachers
Pretoria, South Africa
Mathematics Teacher Preparation &
Professional Development in Singapore
www.banhar.blogspot.com
Yeap Ban Har  Marshall Cavendish Institute  Singapore

2.  Land
 270 sq miles
 700 sq km
 People
 5.3 million
 GDP per capita
 1965 USD500
 2011 USD50 000
Junyuan Secondary School, Singapore in current USD

3. All major international tests (literacy, science and mathematics)
between 1964 and 2003 were placed on a common scale.
Selected countries shown in the table.
Score 1960-1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
500 Japan Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong
Japan Japan Japan
Korea Korea Korea
Singapore Singapore
400 Thailand The Philippines Malaysia Malaysia
Singapore Thailand Thailand
Thailand
300 Indonesia Indonesia
The Philippines The Philippines
Reference: E. Hanusek, D. Jamison, E. Jamison & L. Woessmann (2008)

4. …nothing matters more
than finding people with
the potential to be
great teachers.
Malcom Gladwell 2009
What The Dog Saw

5. Source: How the World's Best-Performing School Systems Come Out on Top
The McKinsey Report
Getting the right people to become teachers and to
develop them into effective teachers.

6. Source: BBC News 23 Nov 2004
“The country has made a conscious effort to have
highly-qualified teachers throughout the system.”
Minister of Education (Finland) 2004

7. Source: Straits Times 23 Nov 2010
“The first is improving teaching,
developing teachers professionally ….”
Secretary of State for Education (Britain) 2010

8. Pre-service Teacher Education
Grade 10
In Singapore: Structure
Grade 12 Polytechnic University
B Sc / B A
Dip Ed (Education) PGDE
M Teach
Qualified Teachers

9. Pre-service Teacher Education
In Singapore: Structure
Level Number of Subjects
Primary 2 or 3
Secondary 2
Junior College 1
National Institute of Education, Singapore

10. Pre-service Teacher Education
In Singapore: Selection
There is a policy to
select the top one third
to enrol in pre-service
courses.
Sembawang Secondary School, Singapore

11. Pre-service Teacher Education
In Singapore: Emphasis
• Pedagogical Knowledge
• Content Knowledge
• Pedagogical Content Knowledge
National Institute of Education, Singapore

12. National Institute of Education, Singapore
• Pedagogical Knowledge
• Content Knowledge
• Pedagogical Content Knowledge

13. National Institute of Education, Singapore
• Micro Teaching
• Practicum

14. TEDS-M Findings
TEDS-M Elementary Teachers TEDS-M Elementary Teachers
Content Knowledge Pedagogical Content Knowledge

15. In-service Teacher
Professional Development
Professional
Learning
Communities

16. A good education system
depends on high-quality
teachers who
constantly seek to
improve their
practice, supported by
school leaders and
administrators, and
resources from
departments and
agencies within MOE. Northlight School, Singapore
Minister of Education (Singapore) 2009

17. build capacity for
We need to
teachers themselves to
take the lead in professional
upgrading.
Minister of Education Singapore 2009
Northlight School, Singapore

18. Pre-service Teacher Education
In Singapore: Structure
• All schools are Professional
Learning Communities
• School Staff Developer (SSD)
is a position created in every
school to facilitate
professional development in
all schools.
• Teachers are entitled to 100
hours of professional
development per year.

19. Framework for Teacher Professional Development
Marshall Cavendish Institute
• Teachers as Learners
• Teachers as Observers of Learning
• Teachers as Reflective Practitioners

20. teachers doing
mathematics
teachers studying
learning in action
Princess Elizabeth Primary School, Singapore

21. Edgewood Elementary School, New York, USA
teachers studying
learning in action
teachers doing
mathematics
Scarsdale Teachers Institute, New York, USA

22. Bina Bangsa School, Indonesia
Keys Grade School, The Philippines
teachers studying
learning in action
Kranji Secondary School, Singapore

23. Country Presentation
Professional Development of Mathematics Teachers
Pretoria, South Africa
Mathematics Teacher Preparation &
Professional Development in Singapore
… mindsets are changed,
knowledge is constructed,
and the capacity to learn is enhanced.
www.banhar.blogspot.com
Yeap Ban Har  Marshall Cavendish Institute  Singapore