Objectives of the UK Humanities Field Trip

1) To learn and apply fieldwork techniques in the study of rivers, coasts, natural vegetation and tourism, as learnt in the Geography syllabus.

2) To experience outdoor field study techniques so that pupils will appreciate the breadth and scope of Geography in space and time.

3) To learn and appreciate the role of Britain in World War II, as learnt in the History syllabus.

Reflections - Rachel Loke, Group 3

1. What was the most memorable and educational activity or highlight of this field trip?

It would definitely be the time spent at Flatford Mill. I learnt a lot of Geography-based content, like river studies and coastal studies. We really got 'down and dirty' and did various studies. This really helped us gained a better understanding rather than just reading the textbooks. We also wouldn't much be able to do such field work in Singapore. Overall, the whole stay in Flatford was the most memorable, from our Willy Lott's House, to the teachers, to the whole serene environment. :)

2. 3 learning insights from this trip.

- Learnt a lot of river studies and coastal studies.
- Learnt the relationship between the different Woodland coupes.
- Learnt about the British's way of life and culture, and also about British's war history.

NE reflections- Group 3

What has this trip taught you about another culture?

The western culture is quite different from the culture we have in Singapore. We are quite conservative both in our dressing and the manner in which we behave. We are not outspoken, however the British are confident and they have the freedom of speech. Most people there are friendly, and they take pride in the work that they do. However, they do not seem to mix around much with people of other cultures.

What are some of the things that you can learn from the British people in order to improve Singapore?

Singaporeans should be more well-read about general knowledge, and make an effort to know about things outside the textbooks, for students. Singaporeans should take more pride in their work and not just do it reluctantly. We can learn to be more patriotic and love our country more just like how the British love their country a lot.

What are some of the things that the British can learn from Singapore?

Our transport system and our healthcare service are better in many ways. They should have more dustbins around so that people don't litter. The British can learn more about racial harmony from Singapore as it is uncommon to see people of different skin colours mixing there.

After going on this trip, are there any aspects of being in Singapore/ being a Singaporean that you have learnt to appreciate better?

I definitely appreciate being a Singaporean. There are many more ethnic groups here, so I’m able to get a taste of different cultures. However, in Britain there is only one majority therefore I feel that Singapore is a much more diverse country and I really appreciate that.

I have also learnt to appreciate the heat here, and the variety of food.

I have learnt to appreciate the security we have in Singapore. In UK, when we are out on the streets be it in the day or at night, we much more afraid that something unfortunate might happen and we have to be more vigilant about our belongings and the people around us. However, in Singapore, it is generally safe to walk on the streets at night, so that is one thing we really appreciate.

We also appreciate the accessibility of different places in Singapore as the time taken to travel from place to place is far shorter than that of moving around in the UK.

- Samyata, Rachel Loke, Ferozia, Felina, Eugenia

NE Reflections - Group 2

1. 1. What has this trip taught you about another culture?

It has taught us that people of different cultures have different practices and emphasize on different things in their teachings. For example, the English choose to preserve History of many forms and from many countries – whether it be the Egyptians, Ancient Greek or Ancient Japanese. They value the aesthetics whereas in Singapore, we place more emphasis on the Sciences and the development of our nation.

Also, unlike in Singapore where everyone minds their own business, the people over in England tend to be friendlier and more welcoming, and we think we as Singaporeans should try to be like that too. (:

2. 2. What are some of the things that you can learn from the British to improve Singapore?

Firstly, we can learn to speak better English and this will help us to score better for out English exams! :D *grin*

We can also learn how to be more approachable and friendly. The English are friendlier than Singaporeans and we find that they are more courteous as well. If we can learn how to be like them, emulate how they communicate with and serve others, we believe that we will be able to progress and further improve our Service Sectors and the overall impression that foreigners have of our citizens.

This way, Singapore can also be known for its excellent services and good food :D

3. 3. What are some of the things that the British can learn from Singapore.

We think that the British can learn from Singapore in terms of public transport. In London, the Tube train is not air-conditioned, and during the summer peak periods, the train would start smelling and people would feel uncomfortable. Thus, they should change all their trains to air-conditioned ones like in Singapore.

We also think that they should improve the overall safety and security of their country. When we were in Chinatown, a shopkeeper warned us that the area had pickpockets that preyed on foreigners/tourists, and we had to keep an eye out for our belongings all the time whereas in Singapore, it was safe to place out wallets and our pockets and the chances of getting it stolen was very low.

4. 4. After going on this trip, are there any aspects of being in Singapore or being a Singaporean that you have learned to appreciate better?

We have learned to better appreciate the convenience and safety that we have in Singapore. In London, not all the Tube stations are open during the weekends and hence, if a certain station is not in operation, we would then have to walk to the nearest station which is at least a 10 minute walk whereas in Singapore, all the stations are open 7 days a week.

We have also learned to appreciate they safety that we have in Singapore better as while we were in London, we always felt the constant fear of having our stuff stolen by a pickpocket. However, when we are in Singapore, we felt completely safe and had no insecurities regarding out personal belongings.

Lastly, we have learnt how to appreciate the food that we have in Singapore. Most of us were sick of eating Western food after 3 days and were craving Chinese food almost all the time! So it is safe to say that after this experience (although an eye-opener) will enable us to savour and appreciate the local food in Singapore :D

Wee Ming Group 4- Reflections

1) The most educational and memorable activity would be the rivers and coasts study. During the activity, i got a hands-on experience in measuring different aspects of the rivers and coasts such as velocity, sediment size, wetted perimeter and percolation rates. It was definitely learning in a fun and unforgettable way. (:
2)-I learnt about the various Geography topics such as rivers, coasts and natural vegetation.
-I gained a better understanding of the history of other countries from the visits to the various museums.
-I came to learn about the difference in the way of life of the people in England as compared to Singapore. I came to appreciate the safe and security we enjoy in Singapore.

Reflections- Carin, Group 4.

Q1) What was the most memorable and educational activity or highlight of this field trip.

The most memorable and educational activity was the stay at Flatford Mill. I've really learnt a lot from this stay at the mill. We've learnt so much about Rivers, Coasts and Forests, something that we can't learn from the textbook. It was a hands on experience and it was really educational. The teachers were also very fun and it was a very enriching experience. Also, the stay at Flatford was fun because of the stay at Willy Lott's House (:

Q2) 3 learning insights from this trip.
1. Learnt more about various topics of geog and the different techniques.
2. Learnt more about history through the visits to the various museums.
3. Learnt more about the culture of people in England, the food they eat, the way they live life, and the difference between the British and Singaporeans.

Carin, Group 4.

Highlights of the Trip

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Please complete the poll by end of T3 Wk 1 (Fri) and post your answer to the following 2 questions in the blog individually.

Q1) What was the most memorable and educational activity or highlight of this field trip

Q2) 3 learning insights from this trip.

Thank you.