Humanities
Belief
To nurture in our students a fierce curiosity in the Humanities, and a deep sense of care and empathy for the world – physical and human, past, present and future.
Approaches
Inquiry-based Learning
This approach places the students at the heart of teaching and learning to develop them into confident, self-directed, critical and reflective thinkers. We activate learning through the asking and co-creation of inquisitive questions about the syllabus content. This often serves as a “hook” for students to feel curious in the process of learning. We then tap into their prior knowledge and build on that through the study and analysis of authentic sources of information. Students then synthesise the knowledge and sense-make with the facilitation of teachers. A conclusion is often formed and this can restart the inquiry cycle once again as they reflect on what they have learnt.
Use of E-Pedagogy for Active Learning
Technology can be powerful in the Humanities classroom as it allows students to tap on multi-modal presentations of information, including current articles, statistical data and videos. It also creates opportunities for students to enjoy an out-of-classroom experience through virtual learning. In facilitating the inquiry approach, students also harness the affordances of technology to collaborate with peers, present findings and interact with teachers for more tailored feedback.
Programmes
Geography student goes on a virtual learning journey to experience a volcanic eruption | History students engaged in role-play and using an online tool to share findings |
Social Studies students learning about political cartoons through SLS and getting immediate feedback Live |
Experiential Learning
We want students to see the Humanities in action! From Lower to Upper Sec, students are brought out of the classroom to examine real-world artefacts and data to conclude with findings to an inquiry question of their curiosity. From farming technology to museum-based learning, students have ample opportunities to explore the world around them with the Humanities lens.
Lower Sec students enjoying freshly grown vegetables on their visit to Kok Fah Farm | Sec 2 student examining a school monument to determine its significance in Xinmin’s history |
Sec 3 student exploring the gallery at HDB to investigate accessibility for citizens |
Talent Development in the Humanities
We recognise and value the talent students may have in the Humanities and we seek to nurture this talent with the hope that these students are inspired to pursue an education or career path in the Humanities. These are some opportunities we curate for our students to hone their talent.
Programmes
Heritage Ambassador documenting an oral account for school heritage | Students debating societal issues in the Xinmin Model Parliament |
Visit to Treatsure to learn about how to manage food waste with technology |
Seminars
Catholic High School Humanities Exchange |
ASRJC Arts Symposium |
Competitions
VJC Singapore Model Cabinet |
NUS Geography Challenge |
Istana Heritage Gallery Challenge (3rd Place) |