Anyone can create their own film – even pre-school children.
At Singapore’s Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Kindergarten in Bartley, children as young as five years old have started to take the lead in creating their own short films using stop-motion animation.
Working in groups of around five, these children create their own storyline, script, make their own props and move them around in small steps – taking pictures at each step – before putting them together to create a short film.
The class decides on the storyline and each group works to create a scene. The scenes are then stitched together to form a movie. The children are free to create any kind of story or adapt cartoon animation movies they may have watched.
This technique of using technology to stimulate learning and creation was initiated by teacher Chuah Guat Han, 27. She said: “This helps pupils with logical thinking and many soft-skill techniques, such as being able to take turns and work as a team.
“Gradually, as teachers, we take a more hands-off approach and allow the children to discuss and decide on the next move. This facilitates discussion and they are now in charge of their own learning.”
More than 500 children from the kindergarten have created their own animations through the programme, which has been conducted for two years.
Ms Narayanasamy Pushpavalli, 63, the principal, said: “We hope to take this further into different domains of the curriculum. Currently, the stories created are non-fiction, but we aim to move on to the non-fiction concepts. Pupils can also add music to their films.”
“This is play – intellectual play.”
Article & Photo from Straits Times