Empowered Educators in Singapore

A. LIN GOODWIN is the Evenden Professor of Education, and vice dean at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York. Her research focuses on teacher and teacher educator development, teachers' multicultural understandings, and international comparative analyses of education practice and policy. EE-LING LOW is professor of Applied Linguistics and Teacher Learning and head of Strategic Planning & Academic Quality at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. LINDA DARLING-HAMMOND is president of the Learning Policy Institute and the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus at Stanford University, where she founded the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education.

Foreword v Acknowledgments ix About the Sponsoring Organizations xi About the Authors xiii Online Videos and Documents xv Singapore: From Who? to Whos Who! 1 Singapore in Brief: Background and Essential Information 3 The Singapore School System: Many Pathways, One Goal 4 Educational Governance and Policy Initiatives 11 Theme 1: A Clear Vision and Belief in the Centrality of Education for Every Individual, the Economy, and Nation Building 16 Theme 2: A Systemic Approach to Innovation, Reform, and Change 25 Theme 3: Investing in a High-Quality Teaching Force 30 Recruiting Quality 30 Perceptions of Teaching as a Career 36 Teacher Distribution across Schools 40 Preparing Quality 41 Practicum and Field Experience 52 Theme 4: Developmental and Educative Appraisal for Ongoing Learning 56 Nurturing and Retaining Quality: Beginning Teacher Induction 56 Professional Learning and Recognition 64 Professional Learning beyond Induction 72 Professional Development along Differentiated Career Tracks 94 Theme 5: Learning System and Learning Profession 102 Review and Enhancement of Initial Teacher Preparation Programs: Maintaining Quality 102 Discussion 106 A Clear Vision and Belief in the Centrality of Education 106 A Systemic Approach to Innovation, Reform, and Change 106 Building and Sustaining a High-Quality Teaching Workforce 107 Appraisal That Is Educative and Developmental 108 A Learning System and a Learning Profession 108 Conclusion: Future Challenges and Directions 109 Notes 111 Appendix 113 References 115