Friday, January 14, 2011

Orientation Week

3:47 PM Posted by Bing Jue No comments
"Its the second intake of SST students, so how do their integrate into the SST community?" This report tells you how.

Day 1

The 1st day of School, definitely a start of a new year in SST, especially  for our fellow secondary one students.

As fresh new faces joined inside our SST community, you could see a few enthusiastic secondary ones entering from the main and sides gates, as early as 7.15am, approaching the boards,to find their names for their classes to settle down in the hall as PSLs(Peer Support Leader) help and usher them and get around the SST environment.


Secondary 1s and 2s assembling in the Hall
Secondary 1 students listening to the talk by Mr Chua.



After the Secondary 2s were dismissed,they were told of the SST values and things to note by Mr Chua and Mr Aidil respectively.This was followed by dances and cheers made by the PSLs over the holiday.
The dance were led by Davina and Shamemi to the song "Fireworks" by Katy Perry.

This was followed by the 3 cheers,"SST dynamite","SUPER SOLID" and the original SST cheer led by Jun Hui and Arthur Lee and Jin Qian from 2-06 and the rest of the PSLs as the school's cheer and dance.

Form Teachers welcoming and introducing to the class



The secondary 1s were then led back to their classes where they will get to know their form teacher and friends.There are 4 PSLs in each secondary 1 class and will be helping them during the entire orientation.

Ice breaker games were then played for the students, Form teachers and the PSLs to get to know each other and bond.
Ice Breakers Games with PSLs
Learning the Batch Dance



The students proceeded to the hall for SST sparks where they learnt the 3 SST cheers and SST dance.There were a bit confusion at first but everyone learned some dance moves and cheer by the end of the programme.

After a short break,they were ushered back to class for their mac activities where they will learn how to use their Macbook (Learning Device).This activity is led by the PSLs which will goes through the different activities with them and clarify or answer their doubts regarding the Macbook (Learning Device).

You might think that the secondary ones were really "clueless" about the mac but they aren't. Some of them were using iphoto,preview and even Adobe Photoshop!

Then followed by the reflections for the day led by the form teachers.

Even as they leave the school,you could see some smiles on their faces on their journey back home...

Day 2


Its another day of school,but this time you could see a few energetic and committed secondary 1s walking up to the hall.

Their first activity of the day, the yearly Batch Challenge--Towering above the Rest.

Their task is to make towers out of straws,cups,paperclips,wire and rubber bands but with a time limit of 1 hour.They then have to select a tower to represent their class that is able to hold the weight of 10 marbles and must be taller than 30cm.

There are some trying to make their towers first before planning and others who already have their plan.You could see the secondary ones working together to come up with their ideal tower to represent the class on stage.

There were a few very creative designs,and some can even hold more than 60 marbles!

With their very own towers , the PSLs and teachers helped to test the different towers and measured their height to help the class decide which tower to represent their class.


Back at the hall, after the towers have been set up. Marbles began to drop one by one as the competition gets heated up. After marbles dropping on the floor, towers dropping, slightly disappointed faces showing,S1-08 Wins with around 80 marbles and still standing! 

Next up,was MAC attack 2. They learnt about using keynote to present about their batch challenge during the batch ceremony where they will be presenting their ideas to their parents.


The PSLs showed them the different functions of keynote like animations,transitions,theme,bullets for example.Where they will be stating the description of their tower and what they contributed to make the tower perfect and strong.

You could see some of them adding different colors as the PSLs seek help to them when they face any problem.

So they went home to finish their end of day reflections and their "digital"homework.

Day 3(First Day of Orientation Camp)


Secondary Ones arriving at the camp at Shines Outdoors



The Orientation Camp was a chance for the secondary ones to get to know their classmates,and bond with them.


Its the PSLs job to actually closer up the gap between classmates,helping them make friends and break an unbreakable bond with their friends.

That day, heavy bags are dragged into the buses as everyone, including the PSLs, have to squeeze into 6 buses to head to the campsite --Shines Outdoor


There were a few secondary ones who have forgotten to bring either their thermometers or utensils and its all thanks to the PSLs who borrowed utensils from the chinese stalls and malay stalls so that they can eat at the camp with these utensils.

After the secondary 2s were dismissed,the classes were told of which buses they would be taking to the camp.

When they reached the camp,the juniors hastily took their bags and alight the bus while the PSLs check whether they have left anything else on the bus.The camp site is like on old school,there is a bus stop nearby and traffic lights.

Playing Ice Breaker Games with their Facilitator


After that,they were asked to assemble at the hall first where they were asked to put their bags on the side to make space for the students to play ice-breakers with their facilitator such that the facilitator can get to know them better while the PSLs do their final briefing before they join in with their class.

After Ice-Breakers, the students have lunch and then given a break.Followed by our trainer which introduce the PSLs and students the "Comfort Zone Theory".

Its is about the outer most square being the "Panic Zone"where you will get stressed out,panic,anxious,scared,afraid like when you are holding a real life snake,you will feel scared and afraid.

Followed by "Learning Zone",where the students will learn like where you will be when you are swimming when you are learning how to swim and lastly the "Comfort Zone"where you will feel easy,comfortable with things like where you will be about how you bond with your classmates,learning,comfortable or panic.

After that, there were some small team activities like "helium stick",where students would have to hold up a stick using only their index fingers.The stick will start from ground to eye level of the shortest player in the team and the stick cannot be slanted.

Groanings and arguings occur as they played the games.

After Dinner,the students and the PSLs played a mass game related to trains.
Everyone was scurrying around as the hall turned into a traffic jam where everyone was moving about.

Then the facilitators and the PSLs got the students to write their end of day reflections on a booklet.


Tired students quickly went to bathe and sleep, on the floor.

Secondary 1 students washing their plates after lunch



Day 4(Second Day of Orientation Camp)


The secondary ones woke up at about 7a.m. and then showered,brushed their teeth and prepared themselves before they assemble. The students did
area cleaning before they had their breakfast.

Facilitators Showing Students the safety procedures during high ropes.



After breakfast,they had a briefing on the safety procedures before our first high rope session where the PSLs would be doing their briefing with the students who were attempting the high ropes course and then debriefing after that.


There were a few challenge rope courses for the secondary 1s.The students were a lot "hyper" and enthusiastic this time round when we are doing the ropes course than yesterday team activities.

During lunch, they started brainstorming about their cheer and skit they would have to do during campfire later that night.Then they attempted the ropes course again but this time its another different course.There would be a total of 3 challenges for the ropes course.

The students can blindfold themselves,walk from backwards or walk as a pair or not holding the belaying rope depending on what type of challenge they wanted to challenge themselves.

Secondary Ones Belaying and Supporting their friends
One of the Secondary 1 students attempting the high ropes
Secondary Ones Trying out Rock Climbing


Camp Fire!



After that they were given time to prepare for their performance.

During Campfire,we sang songs and dane and cheer as we drum rolls and watch other class performances as everyone gets HIGH and shout for their class while some secondary ones show off their talents like beat-boxing,singing and dancing.We even have songs like Campfire burning down,good job cheer,macho clap,sexy clap.

Everyone was so ENTHUSIASTIC and attentive,everyone joins in even when our favorite songs were played loudly not eh speakers.We clap and sing.It was a good experience.

Before everyone had to sleep, there was the shifting of positions to allow everyone to sleep properly that night.

Day 5(Last Day of Orientation Camp)


Team activities, like Whacko and MRT game were played the first thing after they woke up.We played different games like Wacko and the MRT game.

Then we have breakfast before we proceed to area cleaning.After area cleaning,the secondary 1s proceed to play small team games before assembling at the hall for closure and end of day reflections.

The PSL debriefed the secondary ones about what they think was most memorable for them and why,and how would they apply to real life and how would they action or strive to reach their goal.

After debriefing ,each class was given a piece of A2 paper where they would draw a square inside the paper and then write and decorate the square with their class together and then on the rest of the space,they were told to write down what they wish to achieve by the end of the year.

Lastly,the students were given time to acknowledge the person they wish to thank and shook hands with the teachers,PSLs,students,classmates and facilitators.


As we close off the orientation camp by the school dance and cheer as everyone carried their bags heavily and tiredly as they walked home with a sense of joy and we know that they have enjoyed the camp very much…….

Written By:Bing Jue
Photos by:Hardy

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