Happy Teacher's Day!

To celebrate the work teachers do, LET'S LEARN ABOUT...the educators at our museum!

What are teachers to you? They are people who help others learn. We, too, have “teachers” at ACM. Whether they are our museum guides or school educators bringing their students here, teachers are important to us. They share their knowledge and passion about different subjects, and they get people curious and excited about the objects in our collection! Shall we meet two of them?

Let's meet...Anthony

1. Introduce yourself and tell us more about what you do as a museum guide.

Hello! My name is Anthony Goh and I was a guide with the Asian Civilisations Museum in 2018. Through the Museum-based Learning programme, I had fun inspiring students’ curiosity about Singapore’s colourful history and heritage. As an educator, I am passionate about helping students learn through questions and hands-on activities. I enjoy sharing interesting facts and stories about each artefact, guiding students to understand and respect our culture.

2. Do you have a favourite ACM object? We’d love to know!

The Weiqi (围棋) board in the Scholars Gallery is my favourite. Representing an ideal scholar who has mastered the four cultural pursuits 琴棋书画 (zither, chess, calligraphy, painting), the simple board is tied closely to my Chinese culture and the teachings of Confucius.

Do you know that Weiqi (also called Go) is the oldest board game in the world? To win, players think ahead of their opponents, remain calm, and make their moves patiently. 

Weiqi set China, 18th century Wood, mother-of-pearl, slate, clam shell Asian Civilisations Museum 2015-00645

3. Describe one memorable moment as a museum guide at ACM.

I was pleasantly surprised by a student from Methodist Girls’ School who was taught Weiqi by her grandfather, finding it uncommon in modern-day Singapore. Her sharing reminded me that traditions are passed down most meaningfully at home through quiet, ordinary encounters with loved ones.  

Let's meet...Roopini

1. Introduce yourself and the work you do as a teacher.

My name is Roopini Jaya Balan and I am currently teaching at Admiralty Primary School. I always love and enjoy seeing the wonderful and creative ideas that spring from the kids as they create their artworks. When my students and I create artworks in class, we get inspirations from different artists and things around us. Museums are one of the best places to get inspired, especially when we can view the works up close.

2. Do you have a favourite ACM object? We’d love to know!

One of my favourite objects at ACM is the Makara. I am fascinated by the intricate designs on it and also the idea of how it is created with the combination of many different animals as a symbol of protection. It reminds me of our very own Merlion as well. This artwork itself can act as inspiration for us to think and draw what the whole creature would look like or even draw a creature of our own!

Makara palanquin ornament Malay Peninsula, Pattani, 18th or 19th century Jackfruit tree wood, zinc, brass, and copper plates, paint Asian Civilisations Museum Purchased with funds from Friends of ACM through Gala Dinner 2003 2004-00906

3. Do you have a message for all the teachers out there celebrating Teacher’s Day?

To all the teachers out there, continue to inspire and get inspired. Happy Teacher’s Day!

CREATE

Make a card with a message to show your appreciation for a teacher, mentor, or loved one. Decorate it with ribbons, beads, stickers, or anything you can find in your home. Be as creative as you want! Tag us @ACM_SG #LearningatACM for a chance to get your card featured.

              

Discover more about the objects featured

Head to NHB’s one-stop heritage portal to read more about the Weiqi set and the Makara palanquin ornament. 

Would you like more of these resources? Come back to learn new things every month.

Missed a monthly post? Not to worry, we will keep past topics here for you.

What else would you like to learn about? Tell us here.

There’s more!

Check out other videos, and download e-resources inspired by the objects in ACM’s collection.