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Current & Upcoming Programmes

Singapore-Wolf Trap Classroom Residency 

In 2019, Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) became the first overseas affiliate to THE leading arts integration organization, Wolf Trap Institute of Early Learning Through the Arts based in Washington DC, with the launch of the Singapore Wolf Trap Classroom Residency programme. This enabled local pre-schools to receive high-quality arts integrated curriculum, provide professional development (CPD hours) for preschool educators and expose young learners to artful and engaging learning experience in the class via learning-through-the-arts strategies. Since then, more than 20 Singapore-based teaching artists trained in Wolf Trap’s unique and holistic methodology for arts integration have conducted residencies in pre-schools across Singapore, benefitting thousands of children.

Recognising that 21^st century competencies, critical thinking, social-emotional development, communications and creative skills are paramount learning goals for children in line with the M.O.E.’s NEL Framework, Singapore Wolf Trap Classroom Residency programme is well-suited to be the bridge between educators and learners by equipping teachers with holistic, well-structured art strategies to instil and develop these skills in learners from a young age.

Managed by SRT’s Centre for Creative Learning, the Singapore-Wolf Trap Classroom Residency is a powerful, professional development programme dedicated to two goals: 

• Preparing young children for character-building and lifelong learning through meaningful, artful learning experiences that integrate with MOE's NEL Learning Areas and Social-Emotional competencies, &
• Providing effective, high-quality professional development in arts strategies for early childhood educators to facilitate joyful, active learning through the arts

The Singapore Wolf Trap Classroom Residency also is an NAC-AEP approved programme, a testament to the quality and standards of excellence of Singapore Wolf Trap. Local anchor operator pre-schools and partner operators can thus access this opportunity to learn through the arts via a well-researched and well-documented platform in early childhood education at a heavily discounted rate.

The Approach

Customised to MOE NEL Framework: The programme is tailored to meet teacher's curriculum requirement and desired outcomes for children related to MOE's NEL Learning Areas e.g. Aesthetics and Creative Expression, D.o.W., Language and Literacy, Numeracy and Social-Emotional competencies. The programme also adheres to the iTeach principles of an integrated approach to teaching and learning with the teachers empowered as facilitators of learning, and engaging children in learning through the arts, quality interactions and holistic development.

Hands-on classroom experience through performing arts to create joyful, active learning: Our specially trained Wolf Trap Teaching Artists work with the children directly to create an art-infused classroom, and work with teachers to make an immediate impact on their learners and apply powerful arts strategies based on elements in theatre, movement, storytelling, puppetry and music to future lessons.

Research-supported: Wolf Trap's highly acclaimed methodology is crafted through decades of research into the impacts of arts-integrated learning to provide the most engaging learning experience for children, and the best arts integration development for teachers at the same time! (The extensive research and specific survey findings on the positive impacts of Singapore Wolf Trap are available upon request.)

Programme Impact

Our extensive post-residency surveys show that:

Children in Singapore-Wolf Trap residency classrooms show significant improvement in the Learning Areas and stronger command of their Social and Emotional Competencies:

• 75% of children in the residencies show improvement in Aesthetics and Creative Expression, Discovery of the World, Language and Literacy, and Numeracy
• 72% of children in the residencies show improvement in Self-awareness

Teachers in Singapore-Wolf Trap residency classrooms also gain significant improvement in their practice when using Arts Strategies with their learners:

• 81% of teachers feel more confident in their ability to facilitate arts-integrated learning experiences
• 76% of teachers will be using arts-integrated learning experiences in future lessons

Extensive Research

Holistic arts integrated programme such as Wolf Trap is supported by decades of research. The following is a list of selected research papers on the topic:

• Arts-integrated learning has great potential for student learning in multiple disciplines (Burnaford, 2007).
• There is a significant positive link between in-school arts-integrated programming and standardised test scores (Ingram & Reidel, 2003).
• The Wolf Trap professional development model incorporates the six features of high-quality professional development: form, focus on content, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation (Ludwig & Song, 2015).
• Classroom coaching has been shown to lead to teacher acquisition of knowledge and skills (Joyce & Showers, 1995).
• Studies with professional development programmes of more than 14 hours showed a positive and significant effect on student achievement. Teachers who received substantial professional development (approximately 49 hours) markedly boosted student achievement (Yoon, Duncan, Lee, Scarloss & Shapley, 2007).

How It Works

One of our highly prolific Wolf Trap Teaching Artists will work with you (one educator) directly in your class and children over 16 scaffolded sessions including planning meetings. Each session will be planned, curated and delivered by shared lesson plans which are kept available for your reference ever after the residencies, together with other online resources. By the last session, you will have been ready to conduct your own art-infused curriculum delivery using the strategies, techniques and "tools" that you learned over the sessions!

One of the sessions can also be customized and scheduled into an hour-long arts integration sharing session with other teachers in your centre so that they, too, can benefit from the programme!

Check out what educators had to say about their experiences with Wolf Trap:

“Thank you for the wonderful experience. My K2 children enjoyed their time with Teacher Eleanor as the teaching artist. I loved the concepts taught to children and it was something that I have implemented in the classroom. I enjoyed my time learning and demonstrating the art strategies, too. We had a great time!”

“As a teacher, these sessions helped me to be more confident in applying arts in my everyday lesson. I’m grateful to have learnt fresh perspective to teaching.”

“It is an enjoyable experience for children and teachers. Strategies are modified according to the children's needs and temperaments.”

“I deeply appreciate the learning and teaching gains from day 1 to day 16. Thank you Singapore Repertory Theatre and Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts. Thank you, Teacher Julie! The children sure miss you. Hope to see you again soon!” 

“During my residency, I have learnt quite a lot… How to use my voice and body movement… not to be shy, be myself and use the space given… strategies on how to hold the class when it was ‘rowdy’ and going to ‘Story Land’ there I am [in role] as a character….”

For more information on the residency programme, please reach out to learning@srt.com.sg or contact 6221 5585.