Mr Barry Chia
I read Applied Mathematics at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on a Public Service Commission Local Merit Scholarship (Teaching) and graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science (Second Lower Honours). Being keen to experience a liberal arts education, I also joined and completed the University Scholars Programme. In 2008, I graduated from the National Institute of Education (NIE) with a Postgraduate Diploma in Education. Wanting to deepen and widen my content knowledge, I returned to NIE in 2013 and spent three years completing a part-time Master of Science degree in Mathematics for Educators.
I started my teaching life at a junior college and spent six years teaching H2 Mathematics and Project Work. In between, I also took on the role of H3 Mathematics coordinator. I produced teaching resources, oversaw the administrative work, and formulated the assessment policy from scratch, as it was the first year that this subject was being offered in the college. I had an abiding desire to understand the bigger picture surrounding my work, and this prompted me to join the Curriculum Planning and Development Division in 2014. My work included reviewing the A-level Mathematics syllabuses, and developing student learning resources for O- and A-level Mathematics. This stint has provided a fresh perspective to my teaching in relation to the larger context of education in Singapore.
The Olympic Creed goes, “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” This guides my teaching philosophy: in teaching and learning, just as in sports, meaningful struggle provides immeasurable growth and deep satisfaction.
Having played a pioneering role in a new project at CPDD, I experienced first-hand the challenges of operating in an environment without established structures and processes, yet it brought about much satisfaction when the final product came into being. It was thus without much hesitation that I accepted the opportunity to reprise this experience at Eunoia Junior College. I am looking forward to the days ahead, walking side by side with fellow colleagues and students, to forge the Eunoian identity through ‘Beautiful Thinking, Goodwill to all.’