Character & Citizenship Education
Vision:
Every Xinminite, a future-ready citizen of good character and resilient with positive well-being.
Mission:
We strive to imbue a strong foundation of positive core values,
with platforms for Xinminites to display traits of our learner vision outcomes.
Key Programs:
Xinmin adopts a holistic approach to Character and Citizenship Education. The CCE curriculum “Cultivating a Life of Values and Excellence” or CLOVE blends daily experiences with personal, social and academic development through the following programmes.
Values In Action (VIA)
VIA provide authentic opportunities for students to make responsible choices for themselves and others. Students may face challenges in making their choices and will need to demonstrate an open mind, listen to different perspectives, and make decisions that promote school core values and accepted in our social visions.
In Xinmin, VIAs are community-based and real-world experiences that enhance the development of positive character traits. It is structured in such a way that it spirals from self, family to school to community.
4 Commemorative events (Total Defence Day, International Friendship Day,Racial Harmony Day, National Day)
Our Xinminites will go through the customised learning experiences in the 4 commemorative events to better appreciate the Singapore history and apply their learning to contribute as active citizens.
Using the 4 stages of Exposure. Experience, Extension and Reflection, our Xinminites will be engaged in these activities which contribute to the development of our Xinminites Learner Vision statement.
At the Exposure stage, engaging lessons are conducted in class either during Social Studies, Art and Craft, PE or Music periods a week prior to the commemoration of the NE events. This allows students to make connections to what they have been learning in their lessons with the activities held on the of the commemorative events. This ensures continuity in learning and makes learning more meaningful.
Fun and experiential activities are planned during the Experience stage where students develop understandings of themselves and their world through hands-on investigations. Students also leverage on their knowledge at the earlier stage to better understand the context of their learning environment and open their mind as they listen to others’ perspectives.
During the Extension stage, parents will be robed in to enhance in the students’ learning through specially designed learning that promotes parent-child interactions. Such partnerships are important as by working together, both parents and our Xinminites will better appreciate the essence of the 4 commemorative events, especially in the rapid changing landscape like Singapore. Teachers are also able to link the students’ experiences at home with the activities that they do in school.
To help students develop their critical thinking skills and improve on future performance, Reflections done in the Xinminites Journal allow students to summarise what they have learned and how they can contribute as active citizens.
CCE Cohort Learning Journeys (LJ)
Cohort Learning Journeys (LJs) provide Xinminites with opportunities to explore their Singaporean identity through the arts, culture and heritage. These cohort LJs have been specially curated for students’ formative years for the development of citizenship dispositions and national identity. These LJ experiences that the students go through are important experiences that make their learning more concrete and meaningful. By visiting key installations and institutions in Singapore, students are given the platforms to display their life-long learner traits and will be better able to appreciate and relate to what they have learnt in textbooks.
Virtual Overseas Trip (2023)
Primary 5 students will be exchanging school experiences with selected schools in Taiwan/China. Students will be resilient in adapting to their new environment and will be able to interact with their counterparts with care and respect. Students will be able to showcase confidently their school projects and CCAs using this platform. As our Xinminites raise questions on the different cultural practices to their counterparts to satisfy their curiosity, they do enhance their sense of identity and further reinforce the importance of positive CCE traits in our Xiniminites.
Programme for Active Learning (PAL)
P1 and P2 Xinminites undergo Programme for Active Learning (PAL) during curriculum hours. During PAL, students are exposed to varied and fun learning experiences that facilitate their holistic development in the physical, cognitive, social, aesthetics and moral domains. Students also learn socio-emotional competencies such as respecting others and responsible decision-making. The PAL modules aim for students to develop confidence in what they do, develop a sense of curiosity and positive attitude towards learning and enjoy group experiences and teamwork.
Friend of Singa (FOS)
Friend of Singa (FOS) Primary programme is an initiative by Singapore Kindness Movement to encourage students to contribute beyond themselves and to the betterment of their surroundings. 2023 will see the popular FOS Primary programme transformed into a project-based type of mission. Students are to take the lead into getting the school onto a kindness movement and every student will get an opportunity to be a Friend of Singa. Through this activity, we hope to see our Xinminites displaying the characteristics of an innovative collaborator and confident leader through leading their peers in their own-initiated project.
CCE Conversations
With a range of global current issues confronting students, dedicated periods have been allocated for the discussion of contemporary issues every term. The purpose of this is to instill a strong foundation in critical thinking and problem-solving skills to nurture our students into caring and concerned citizens who are intrinsically motivated to contribute to the success and well-being of fellow Singaporeans.