
Sheree Chng
As a School Staff Developer (SSD) in Xingnan Primary School & Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore, my roles and responsibilities include the following:
- A planner and designer for professional development who ensures training and professional learning (PL) programmes be customised to the needs of staff;
- A champion for staff learning who facilitates training for teachers;
- An on-site coach and mentor who works collaboratively with Teacher Leaders and Heads of Departments to mentor teachers and guide them in their career development.
- A resource person with a source of expertise of good teaching practices and
- An advocate for staff wellness and wellbeing.
In our design and implementation of Professional Learning (PL) programmes, our aim is to prepare our teachers to be future-ready educators, and we aligned the PL focus with MOE’s educational priorities and frameworks, such as the Singapore Teaching Practice, Teacher Growth Model and 21st Century Competencies. As a SSD, I work closely with school leaders to identify professional learning needs, review and evaluate training effectiveness, and ensure alignment with MOE’s and school’s strategic directions.
Central to my approach is fostering teacher ownership and teacher leadership (TOTL) on their professional growth, empowering educators to take charge of their learning journey and become active contributors to their development. I cultivate teacher leadership by identifying and nurturing educators who can champion initiatives, mentor colleagues, and drive positive change within their schools. Through this focus on ownership and leadership, I help create sustainable learning cultures where teachers feel empowered to innovate, collaborate, and continuously improve their practice.