Learning for Life Programme (LLP)

The Tampinesian Arts Philosophy

The arts refers to a dynamic range of creative expressions including visual art, music, drama, and dance. Central to this creative community is our human need to reflect on the individual’s purpose in society, and to learn new ways of communicating meaning between one another.

The arts allows us to safely explore imagined worlds, extend our perspectives to others’ situations, and examine our individuality and humanity. In Tampines Secondary School, our Learning for Life Programme (LLP) harnesses the arts as a vibrant learning domain with fresh pedagogical possibilities to provide students with discoveries on their character and holistic growth. We are proud to accompany our students on our LLP journey entitled:

By actively involving students in artistic exposure, artistic creation, and artistic outreach, our LLP forms a core component of the school’s co-curriculum. Learning through the arts, our students will embody intellectual curiosity in art-making, tenacity in learning attitude, and steadfast values in collaborative endeavours. Above all, Tampinesians should grow through our LLP to become individuals of good character who are responsible to family, community, and nation.

Learning Outcomes

The key LLP learning outcomes are:

• Appreciation of the arts. 
• Opportunities for reflection, growth of self-identity, and collaborative learning in the arts.
• Outreach to community through the arts.

Programming

Students’ aesthetic development is structured into Tier 1 exposure for all students, and Tier 2 engagement for Visual and Performing Arts CCAs members.

Tier 1 arts enrichment are grouped under Platforms for Lifelong Artistic Youths (PLAY).

In this category, every Tampinesian gets to experience various art forms throughout the 4-5 years in the school.

In lower secondary, a 14-week arts enrichment program forms part of the curriculum in either semester 1 or 2. Secondary one students get an hour of fun activities in the middle of the week to engage with each other across classes and to take a short break from their usual lessons.

Over the last 3 years a wide range of arts-related activities have been organized for the secondary one cohort. Each activity lasts 3 to 4 weeks and, by the end of the programme, the cohort would have participated in up to 3 different art forms. These activities range from visual arts like batik painting, metal tooling, mosaic art to playing the ukulele or vigorous activities such as hip-hop dance.

Mosaic art is just like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle – it engages students both cognitively and aesthetically.

When the students move up to secondary two, they undergo a 14-week drama programme. Drama allows students the opportunity to express themselves confidently, an essential 21st century core competency, and they get to learn how to project their voices and to use dramatic movement to express themselves. They also collaborate with one another to write scripts and act them out.

Students are taught the storytelling techniques of devised drama and practice collaborative problem solving by working on small skits together (note: photo taken prior to COVID-19)

In secondary three, the entire cohort is taken on a learning journey to a theatre production. Before they embark on the trip they will be taught basic etiquette that should be observed during a performance. The secondary 3s also enjoy a short art enrichment program during the co-curriculum week.

The secondary 3 students have been exposed to local drama productions in Esplanade theatres, taken a tour of the Esplanade Concert Hall, biennial musical productions by ITE and most recently to a play by a local theatre company @Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre at Funan.

Our Secondary Three students at Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre at Funan

There are also at least four school-wide assembly programmes dedicated to the appreciation of different art forms. Staff and students have been entertained by puppet shows, taiko drums and lion dances during CNY celebration

Lion Dance at Chinese New Year Celebration before Covid-19

Tier 2 engagement is achieved through the visual and performing arts CCA groups. These programmes cater to students who have greater aptitude and passion for aesthetics and can be viewed by clicking on this link:  

In their learning and participation in arts activities, students are expected to exercise self-discipline and strengthen the following skills and attitude:

LLP Learning Matrix