Lee, Christine Kim-eng

Many large-scale studies (Berman and McLaughlin 1975; Emrick and Peterson, 1978) and reviews (Fullan and Pomfret, ,1977) have indicated the need for curriculum developers to pay more attention to the process of implementing new curriculum materials. This study draws upon the tools of the Concerns-based Adoption Model developed by Hall and Loucks to gather information about teacher implementation behaviour in relation to the Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore (CDIS) Social Studies curriculum package. The Innovation Configurations checklist and an openended teacher-concerns questionnaire were ad~qinistered to 725 teachers from 70 primary schools .during two survey periods, March to May 1986 and July to September 1986. Analysis of the data provided understanding of teachers' actual use of the various components of the curriculum and their main concerns. Unacceptable and weak teacher practices were revealed in the fieldtrips, project work, testing and the teaching of concepts components of the curriculum package. In addition, teachers seemed more concerned about the content area of Social Studies rather than the skills which the curriculum package advocated. The data forms a basis for the development of more effective implementation-facilitating activities.

Singapore River, even without its slipper-like bumboats and familiar faces of coolies, still evokes feelings of nostalgia among Singaporeans. There is so much history along that little stretch of water. One needs only to stand in front of a colonial building like Parliament House and face the old godowns along Lower North Boat Quay to realise that this river basin has seen much comings and goings. If only Singapore River can talk, the tales it will tell will fire the imagination of our young children. How can a teacher make both the history and geography of the river come alive for our primary schoolchildren? All it takes is a little walk on a fine day around the 'belly of the carp', so named because the river basin bounded by Cavanagh and Elgin bridges is shaped much like a Chinese carp. The Chinese believe that the carp is a symbol of good luck and that businesses operating off the side of the river along the full belly of the carp will thrive and prosper.