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MARIS STELLA HIGH SCHOOL

AESTHETIC DEPARTMENT
ARTS EXPLORER PROGRAMME

INTRODUCTION
1. The Marist Gentleman is one who is able to appreciate the finer things in
life and to live graciously. Artistic training, exposure and immersion are
important for transmission of cultural heritage that defines a society and
civilization as a whole. With Arts forms being varied and rooted in culture,
students’ appreciation of other cultures can be deepened through contact with
the Arts. The Aesthetics department proposes to introduce the “Maris Arts
Explorer” programme on an annual basis. The Maris Arts Explorer
programme is an extension of the Arts Instructional Programme which allows
students to opt for an Arts1 module of their choice and develop basic skills
over a period of time, culminating in a showcase.

RATIONALE
2. Maris Stella High School has an obligation to assist each Marist in
realizing his artistic ability to the fullest. In line with our strategic thrust 2,
provision of holistic education for our students, the “Maris Arts Explorer”
can promote the all round development of our students. The programme
aims to nurture our Marists as
• Reflective, risk-taking and creative thinkers
• Appreciative audience of the Arts
• Life-long independent learners that harness technology for creative
expression
OBJECTIVES

a.Identify and nurture the artistic and/or musical talents of some of the most 
gifted and talented Marists
b.Develop a heightened appreciation and enjoyment of Art and Music 
among   the   entire   student   population   in   the   context   of   an   ability­driven 
educational paradigm
c.Encourage   boys   to   experiment   and   express   themselves   through   Art 
and Music using technology
d.Contribute   substantially   to   the   cultivation   and   nurturing   of  an   “Arts 
Culture” in the school
e.Cultivate, and preserve the sense of national and cultural identity in our 
boys through study and expression of their personal artistic voice
f.Create   a   platform   for   exchange   of   ideas   amongst   students   and 
consequently to nurture in the boys the desire to support the arts.

1
The Arts include, Art, Music, Drama & Dance.

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Programme Content and Approach

3. The Maris Arts Explorer programme is a four year programme2
comprising two components: Arts Practice and Arts Appreciation. The aim
is to broaden Marists’ exposure to the Arts and deepen their interest in the
Arts.
A palette of Arts modulesunder the components of Arts Practice and Arts
Appreciation would be offered to our Marists. They can make their choices
according to their interests and abilities.

Arts Modules

4. The key considerations in the selection of Arts modules are as follows:

a. Students’ different interests and abilities in the Arts
b. Promotion of the Chinese Arts forms given that Maris Stella High
School is a SAP school
c. Promotion of Multi-cultural Arts forms given that Maris Stella High
School is homogenously Chinese
Examples of these Arts modules are shown in the Table 1.
Table 1: Palette of Arts Modules
Art Forms / Art Music Theatre Drama
Components
Practice • Batik Painting • Anklung • Chinese Opera • Contemporary
• Ceramics Ensemble • Directing • Hip Hop
• Chinese • Basic Drum • Speech & • Jazz
Calligraphy • Beat Boxing Drama • Social Dance
• Chinese Ink • Digital Song • The Creative
Painting Arrangement Storyteller
• Chinese Seal • Gamelan
Carving Ensemble
• Digital • Pop Singing
Filmmaking • Pop Song
• Oil Painting Writing
• Photo Essay
• Spray Painting
Appreciation • Art Exhibition • Concert • Local theatre • Local Dance
• Local Artist • Local Musician house: The performance
Studio Studio Necessary
• Sculpture Walk Stage

2
Students would need to complete the programme by the month of May in
their Secondary 4 year.
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5. The mode of delivery for the Arts modules is mainly workshops and
learning journeys. The duration of the workshops are approximately 12
hours. A minimum of 2 Art forms would be offered per semester. Our
identified talented students, internal & external instructors, can conduct
these workshops. A minimum of 15 modules across at least 2 Arts Froms
will be offered in each semester. More details can be found in ANNEX A.

6. Every Secondary One Marist will be given an ‘Arts Passport’. See example
in ANNEX B Marists need to achieve 6 stamps before they receive a
certificate of completion. They would need to complete the following
a. 4 modules across 2 different Arts forms
b. 1 Arts learning journey to an artist/musician studio, exhibition and
or/performance
c. I showcase via an exhibition or stage performance (lunchtime
concert in Champagnat gallery or assembly)

7. Marists are to document of their learning which could be in the form

of reflection or photographs of their processes and/or final work in their
passports.
Testimonial
8. Upon the completion of this programme, it is recommended that their
accomplishment be documented via the school cockpit system and school
testimonial. This serves to recognize Marists developing as a Gentleman
and establish the value of Arts education in their lives.

Short-Term & Long Term Goals

9. Table 2 indicates the long term and short term goals over the next three
years.
Table 2: Short-Term & Long Term Goals

1 year
• Arts modules to include at least
1 from 2 of the 4 Arts form
• Review and refine programme
for whole school approach in
2009
• Increased no. of students
interested in ‘O’ Level Art
• 1 exhibition and 1 concert
• Student perception survey to
indicate 100% satisfaction
• Develop 10 Maris Arts Explorer
programme leaders
3 year
• Arts modules to include at least
1 from every 4 Arts form
• Establish activer partnership
with other schools, clusters,
community and oraganisations
• Student perception survey to
indicate 30% high satisfaction
• 1 Public performance & 1
Exhibition
• Marist as docents at galleries
(National Art Gallery)

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Measure of success
10. In order to ascertain the level of success of the Maris Arts Explorer
programme, the following would be carried out every year as tools of
analysis.
• Focus group discussion with students
• Student perception survey
• Analysis of reflection recorded in Passport
• Student contribution to the community

Constraints
11. Given the scale of the programme and resource (manpower, time &
money) constraint this year, it is proposed that we begin with an “Marist
Arts Explorer” weekin 2008 before implementing the programme full scale
in 2009. Deployment of talented Art & Music Secondary 2 & 3 students to
give the Secondary One students their first stamp on their Arts passport.
This would also give the Secondary 2 & 3 students an opportunity to
develop their leadership skills and make a contribution to the school.

12. A briefing will be conducted to share details with students and for
clarification purpose. Following which students would sing up for their
preferred module. Should the particular workshop be oversubscribed, they
would be channeled to another module. Identified Arts student leaders will
be trained to assist in the organization of the programme. CIP hours would
be awarded to these leaders. It is recommended that for 2008, the Maris
Arts Explorer programme be part of the year end post exam activities. The
tentative details of the Maris Arts Explorer Programme 2008 are as
follows:

s/no. Modules No. of Instructor

Participants
1. Ceramics Basics 40 SMK Pottery assisted
by Secondary 2
students
2. Oil Painting on canvas 20 Secondary 3 Art
Student
3. Digital Image Manipulation: 40 DMA Vice Chairman
Photoshop
4. Spray Painting 20 Secondary 3 Art
Student
5. Digital Music Arrangement: 40 DMA Vice Chairman
Garageband
6. Gamelan / Indian Music : A learning 40 Music Teacher
journey
7. Digital Filmmaking / i-stop motion 40 Jermyn
8. Photography 40 Secondary 3 & 2 Art
Students
9. Stomp –Rhythm making 40 External Instructor
10 Chinese Painting 40 External Instructor
.

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Showcase
12.Upon completion of the first module, all works will be exhibited in the
Champagnat plaza or school hall.

Conclusion
13.In view of achieving the overall goal of developing Marist as
Gentleman, the Aesthetic department recommends the following:
a. Commencement of programme in 2008 as a small scale project.
b. Identify and develop student Arts leaders.
c. Budget of approximately $20 000, (Singapore Totalisator Boards
Arts grant, students’ edusave and school fund) to be invested in
thisprogramme on an annual basis. This budget would cover
instructor fees, material and transport fees.
d. Deployment of necessary manpower to ensure smooth running of
programme such as members of the Aesthetics Department.
e. Communication to students and parents at the beginning of the
year during induction and in the Maris Student Companion.

Prepared by : Ms Sylvia Goh

With inputs : Mr Suresh
Date : 1 August 2008

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ANNEX A
S/No. Title of Arts Modules Hours Instructor Class Est. Cost per Delivery Mode Proposed Dates
size student
1. Batik Painting 12 IKa Zahari 20 $28* Workshop Term 3 Mondays
2. Ceramics 30 SMK Pottery 25 $100 Workshop Term 1 Mondays

3. Chinese Calligraphy 15 Edubase Training 25 $5 Workshop Term 3 Tuesdays

4. Chinese Ink Painting 12 Chew Chuan Hor 20 $18* Workshop Term 1 Tuesdays

5. Chinese Seal Carving Edubase Training 25 $5 Workshop Term 1 Thursdays

6. Digital Filmmaking –Short 12 Neo 30 - Workshop Term 1 Wednesdays

Video
7. Flash Animation 15 Robin Pong 40 - Workshop Term 3 Fridays

8. Oil Painting 15 David Joe 20 $8 Workshop Term 3 Thursdays

9. Photo Essay 12 Photography Club Student 10 - Workshop Term 1 Wednesdays

Leaders
10 Photoshop 12 Digital Music & Art Club Student 40 - Workshop Term 3 Thursdays
. Leaders
11. Anklung Ensemble 15 Elaine Goh 40 - Workshop Term 1 Fridays

12 Beat Boxing 6 Charles Wong Zhi Ren 20 $60 Workshop Term 1 Wednesdays
.

13 Basic Drum 12 Joshua Ong 20 $105 Workshop Term 1 Mondays

.

14 Digital Song Arrangement 12 Digital Music & Art Club Student 40 - Workshop Term 1 Thursdays
. Leaders

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ANNEX A
S/No. Title of Arts Modules Hours Instructor Class Est. Cost per Delivery Mode Proposed Dates
size student
15 Gamelan Ensemble tbc Gamelan Asmawarada 60 tbc tbc tbc
.

16 Pop Singing 12 Lee Wei Song School of Music 25 $80 Workshop Term 3 Mondays
.

17 Pop Song Writing 12 Lee Wei Song School of Music 25 $80 Workshop Term 3 Mondays
.
18 Chinese Opera 12 Siong Leng Musical Association 40 $24 Workshop Term 3 Tuesdays
.

19 Directing 12 The Necessary Stage 20 $10 Workshop Term 3 Thursdays

.

20 The Creative Storyteller 16 Roger Jenkins 30 $80 Workshop Term 1 Mondays

.
21 Contemporary Dance 12 Moving Arts 30 tbc Workshop Term 3 Wednesdays
.

22 Hip Hop tbc Studio Wu 15 tbc Workshop Term 1 Fridays

.

23 Jazz tbc Studio Wu 15 tbc Workshop Term 3 Fridays

.

24 Dance Level 1 12 Orange Dot Productions 20 $8 Workshop Term 3 Tuesdays

.
25 Art Exhibition 4 Sylvia Goh 40 $4 Learning Journey Term 3
.

26 Local Artist Studio 4 Sylvia Goh 40 $4 Learning Journey Term 1

.
27 Sculpture Walk 4 Sylvia Goh 40 $4 Learning Journey Term 2
.
28 Concert 4 tbc 40 tbc Learning Journey Term 4
.
29 Local Play 4 tbc 40 tbc Learning Journey Term 4
.
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ANNEX A
S/No. Title of Arts Modules Hours Instructor Class Est. Cost per Delivery Mode Proposed Dates
size student
30 Dance Performance 4 tbc 40 tbc Learning Journey Term 4
.
*40% Co-payment with Singapore Totalisator Board Arts Grant

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Maris Arts Explorer Programme Passport ANNEX B

STAMPS REFLECTION DOCUMENTATION

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PHOTOGRAPH

MARIS ARTS EXPLORER

Front Cover Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

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