Let The Music Do The Talking

Listening to Mayflower Primary School teacher Cher Teck Yiang Luke Melvin wax lyrical about music and teaching, it’s difficult to believe that he used to be awkward and tongue-tied among strangers. “I was a bit of an introvert when I was younger. It was only at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, where I studied Mass Communications, that I began to open up,” the affable, young teacher shares.

As he explains it, “for the public relations and journalism modules at the polytechnic, we had to address large groups of people and with practice, I eventually managed to overcome my shyness.” He also became more actively involved with the youth ministry at his church and found that music was an effective way to connect with young people.

Subsequently Mr Cher joined the National Institute of Education where he specialised in music education, and in 2005, he was posted to Mayflower Primary School. “Teaching provides me with the ideal opportunity to live out my passion for music and contribute to youth development,” he says. Now the Acting Subject Head for Art/Aesthetics and Head of the Performing Arts CCA, he is also one of the three recipients of the 2008 Outstanding Youth in Education Award (OYEA).

“Teaching and mass communications aren’t all that different – both involve finding the most efficient way to communicate with our target audience,” says Mr Cher. As part of an initiative to help pupils with low self-esteem or have little interest in schoolwork or activities, he introduced music (guitar) as an elective subject in 2005.

“We wanted to provide an encouraging, non-stressful environment in which to boost their self-esteem,” he says. “When the pupils realise that they are capable of success, it boosts their self-confidence and they see school as being more relevant to their lives.” In 2006, tapping on MOE’s School Innovation Fund, the school expanded its music programme, now called Project Carlos Santana, to all Pri 5 and 6 pupils.

“We use this music platform to cultivate several positive ‘Habits of Mind’, such as discipline, focus, accuracy, and persistence. We want our pupils to bring these habits back to the classroom,” he explains. So far, the results have been positive, with improvements in attitude, behaviour and academic performance. “For example, all our Pri 6 pupils, including those in EM3, made it to secondary school,” Mr Cher points out.

Giving students a chance to shine

In 2007, marrying his passion for music and affinity with youth, Mr Cher rallied more than 400 pupils (about one-fifth of the school population), and over a dozen teachers to produce the original musical, Our Time to Shine. Based on the school’s core values and centred on the theme of believing in oneself, the performance was very well-received. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong even mentioned it during his 2007 National Day Rally Speech, and it was featured on MediaCorp TV Channel 8’s Frontline current affairs programme.

“Every year, we look for an ‘aesthetic’ milestone for our pupils,” he says. “We wanted to go beyond the Singapore Youth Festival, beyond the regular school concerts, to celebrate talent. We were looking for an event that could pull everyone and everything together.”

Thus the musical was born, incorporating all the elements of music, dance, drama and art that are part and parcel of the school’s Performing Arts CCA. Our Time to Shine took a year from conceptualisation to final execution. “While the idea of a musical is not new, we have actually seen it through to the final performance. Our teacher team was young, energetic and dynamic, and that helped tremendously in putting the project together,” Mr Cher remembers, with a smile.

Listen to two songs from the musical Our Time to Shine: “No Way Out” (above) and “It’s Our Time” (below).