# Professional development | Stick ’Em Source: https://stickem.sg/training/ Professional development # Teacher workshops for hands-on, E21CC‑aligned lessons In one afternoon, every department designs a hands-on activity for its own subject, has colleagues from another department test it, and leaves ready to teach it next week. [Train my teachers](https://stickem.sg/contact/?who=school) South View Primary, 2026 A satay cart, designed by teachers Indonesian teachers at NIE, 2024 BPK Penabur, Bandung, 2026 India, 2026 Brunei, with the STEP Centre, 2026 What happens ## The 3 hours, step by step The same shape every time: learn the kit, build with it, then design and peer-review an activity for your own class. - 1 30 min ### The tallest tower Teams race to build the tallest free-standing tower out of chopsticks and connectors. It breaks the ice, and it teaches the parts faster than any slide. - 2 45 min ### Build a robot and drive it Plug in the board and motors, then drive your robot from a phone over Bluetooth in about 10 seconds. No laptop needed. - 3 60 min ### Design an activity for your subject In department groups, teachers fill in our Lesson Design Template: the concept, how they will know students learned it, and which E21CC competencies it builds. The Academy’s 100+ lessons are there to borrow from. - 4 30 min ### Swap, build and gallery walk Each team hands its challenge card to a team from another department, who build it without any help. Then everyone walks the room and says what was fun, what was hard, and what would trip up a student. - 5 15 min ### Pack up, certificates and next steps Everything goes back into three labelled boxes in five minutes. Every teacher receives a certificate, and we show you the Academy, the control app, and how to ask us for a lesson we have not written yet. Teacher PD sessions are typically 3 hours long. How it is built ## Built around E21CC and design thinking Every activity teachers design is mapped to MOE’s 21st Century Competencies before anyone builds it. The template asks which competencies the activity develops and how, next to what students should learn and how you will know they learned it. The afternoon itself is a design cycle. Teachers define a problem for their students, prototype it with the kit, have it tested by colleagues who have never seen it, take their feedback and improve it. It is the same cycle their students will go through in class. - Critical, Adaptive and Inventive Thinking Students invent their own solution instead of copying a model. - Communication, Collaboration and Information Skills Groups of three or four build, test and present together. - Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and Cross-cultural Skills Challenges start from Singapore: our symbols, our festivals, our neighbourhoods. The Lesson Design Template For the teacher Core subject, and any other subjects it brings in Learning outcomes, and how you will measure them Which 21st Century Competencies it develops, and how How is hands-on learning used? - As a manipulative, to show a concept - As a storytelling tool, presented in the students’ own words - As a prototyping tool, to invent something new - To liven up a lesson For the students “Design a tabletop catapult that launches a ping-pong ball at least 1.5 metres.” Guiding questions What you already know What you will be scored on Printed on one sheet that folds in half, so the team who builds your challenge only sees the student side. - Define Write the problem for your students - Ideate Brainstorm what they could build - Prototype Build it with the kit - Test Another department tries it cold - Improve Feedback from the gallery walk What teachers make ## Activities teachers have designed, by department Every department leaves with something for its own syllabus. Not every activity needs a robot: some of the best are just building. ### Science A tabletop catapult that sends a ping-pong ball 1.5 metres, for elastic potential energy. A model seed that shows how it disperses. ### Mathematics Every group builds one building for a model town, then the class works out the town’s total volume and area. ### Mother Tongue A dragon boat robot, presented in Chinese: why dragon boats were made and what the designs mean. A mascot for the Chinese Zodiac. ### Social studies Recreate or futurise a Singapore symbol: a Samsui Merlion, Supertrees, a Merlion that lights up. ### Character and citizenship An inclusive playground for friends with different needs. A rubbish truck that makes a sanitation worker’s day easier. ### Geography A 1:50 model of a stormwater system that cuts the water left on the ground after heavy rain. ### Infocomm and robotics Add two sensors: a gate that greets whoever arrives, a fan that switches on when the room warms up, a robot that cleans canteen tables. ### Art and design A superhero fashion show, a drawing machine that makes patterns, a kite prototyped before it is made for real. Case studies ## Workshops in Singapore schools Whole staffs, single departments and teacher education programmes. Here are some of them. Whole staff, 161 people · June 2026 ### South View Primary School A staff bonding afternoon for the whole school in the hall, run by two of us. Groups designed their own builds, one of them a satay cart. Teacher PD, 70 teachers · June 2026 ### Cantonment Primary School Seventy teachers in one session, building towers and robots and then designing activities for their own subjects. Whole staff ### Pei Chun Public School A STEAM teacher training for the whole staff in the school hall, ending with every table’s build on show. ESEPP programme · 2025 ### National Institute of Education A session on hands-on learning with chopsticks for teachers in NIE’s ESEPP programme. We also ran a workshop at NIE for a visiting group of Indonesian teachers. Teacher programme, day 2 · June 2025 ### SUTD STEAM Teaching Programme Teachers from different schools spent a day of SUTD’s STEAM Teaching Programme with us, designing interdisciplinary hands-on lessons. Teachers’ workshop · May 2024 ### Blangah Rise Primary School The afternoon ended with a robot car race across the hall, driven from the teachers’ own phones. We have also run whole-staff workshops at Alexandra Primary, Pioneer Primary and Dunman Secondary, and a session for Science Centre Singapore’s STEM CeLL community of educators on designing E21CC-aligned hands-on activities. Beyond Singapore ## The same workshop, in other countries ### Brunei Two teacher workshops with the STEP Centre and the Ministry of Education, about 60 teachers from 30 schools, and one at UBD’s Teacher Academy. ### Indonesia Whole-school training with BPK Penabur in Jakarta and Bandung, run in Bahasa Indonesia from the same template. ### India Teacher training in Mumbai and Bangalore with our local partners. ### The Philippines Workshops for teachers with schools and partners across the country. Who it is for ## Who the workshop is for Any teacher, whatever they teach. Art, language, Mother Tongue and form teachers often get the most out of it. ### A whole staff A staff development day or staff bonding, up to about 200 people in one hall. We bring more trainers for a bigger group. ### A department or level One subject team, such as science or Mother Tongue, designing activities for the topics they teach next term. ### Key personnel and clusters Heads of department and key personnel planning an ALP, a STEAM week or post-exam activities, or a cluster sharing. We bring the kits and the printed templates. You provide a hall or lab, a projector, and tables for groups of 3 or 4. No laptops needed: teachers drive the robots from their phones. We run workshops all year, including the June and year-end holidays. Afterwards ## What teachers leave with ### An activity they wrote For their own subject and class, already tested by colleagues and improved from their feedback. ### 100+ ready-made lessons The Stick ’Em Academy, written with MOE teachers, so preparing a lesson takes about 10 minutes. ### Lessons on request If the lesson you need does not exist yet, ask us and we will write it. Most of the Academy started as a teacher’s request. Beyond the first session ## Three levels Level 1The first session for a school Our 3-hour workshop, where teachers build, test and plan a lesson. Level 2For whole-school programmes Certified training for running Stick ’Em across subjects and a whole staff, with the National Institute of Education and SUTD. Level 3For ministry and district programmes Train the trainer: your own team learns to run Level 1 workshops for other schools. What teachers said afterwards ## 4.67 out of 5 from 658 teachers 658 teachers rated the workshop 4.67 out of 5, and 97% gave it a 4 or 5. 4.67out of 5 workshop rating 97% rated it 4 or 5 658 teachers surveyed “Do it. It’ll change your perception of robotics to a positive one, to something that is actually doable.” Teacher Sekolah Rendah Lumut, Brunei “Common misconception: robotics is hard. But today, it became a myth.” Teacher After a school workshop, Singapore “I learned that it doesn’t take a robotics teacher to create a robot.” Teacher Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba, Philippines “Electronics is not as intimidating as I had thought it to be.” Teacher Sekolah Rendah Katok B, Brunei “Design thinking can be engaging and enjoyable, even when using the simplest materials like sticks and clips.” Sixth form teacher Pusat Tingkatan Enam Belait, Brunei “Program is easy to follow, even for non computer background.” Teacher Sekolah Menengah Masin, Brunei “Go join with an open mind and be ready to step out of your comfort zone. This workshop isn’t just about learning new strategies, it’s about rethinking how students learn best.” Teacher Sekolah Menengah Sultan Hassan, Temburong, Brunei “Very eye opening and could make STEAM lesson planning more easier.” Teacher Sekolah Rendah Sultan Hassan, Brunei ## Book a workshop for your staff [Train my teachers](https://stickem.sg/contact/?who=school) ## Questions about the workshop GeneralThe workshopTeaching with itWhat is in the kit ## General ### How long is the workshop? Usually 3 hours. That is enough time for teachers to learn the kit, build with it, then design and test an activity of their own. We have run shorter and longer versions, from 1.5 to 5 hours, when a school’s timetable needs it. ### I have never taught robotics. Can I really run this? Yes. Most teachers who run Stick ’Em hadn’t either. The 3-hour workshop takes you from never having seen the kit to planning your own lesson. ### What exactly is in the kit? Bamboo chopsticks and 3D-printed connectors make the frame, and an electronic board with motors makes it move. No part arrives pre-shaped, so students work out the structure themselves. A Sensor Kit adds ultrasonic, light, temperature, humidity and gyroscope sensors and an LCD screen, and is bought separately. ### How many teachers can come? Anything from one department to your whole staff. We have run it for a single subject team and for 161 staff in one school hall. For bigger groups we bring more trainers and more kits. ### How much preparation does a lesson take? Very little. Every Stick ’Em Academy lesson comes ready to teach, with slides, a materials list, build steps and discussion questions, so you only need to read it through. ### What is the difference between a Robotics Kit, a Classroom Set and a Sensor Kit? A Robotics Kit is one kit: connectors, chopsticks, a board and motors. A Classroom Set is 10 Robotics Kits in one box, for up to 40 students working in groups of 2 to 4. A Sensor Kit is an add-on, sold separately and not included in a Classroom Set. [See every question we get asked](https://stickem.sg/faq/) ## The workshop How long it runs, how many teachers can come, what you need to provide and how it is priced. ### How long is the workshop? Usually 3 hours. That is enough time for teachers to learn the kit, build with it, then design and test an activity of their own. We have run shorter and longer versions, from 1.5 to 5 hours, when a school’s timetable needs it. ### How many teachers can come? Anything from one department to your whole staff. We have run it for a single subject team and for 161 staff in one school hall. For bigger groups we bring more trainers and more kits. ### Do teachers need laptops, or any robotics experience? No to both. Teachers drive their robots from their phones, and most of the teachers who come have never built a robot before. Art, language and Mother Tongue teachers often enjoy it the most. ### How does it fit E21CC and our school’s programmes? Every activity teachers design is mapped to MOE’s 21st Century Competencies on our Lesson Design Template, and the afternoon runs as a design thinking cycle: define, prototype, test and improve. Schools use it to start an ALP, a STEAM week, post-exam activities or subject lessons, and we can shape the design challenge around your school’s focus. ### Do we need to buy kits before the workshop? No. If your school does not have Classroom Sets yet, we bring our own. If you already have them, we use yours, so teachers practise on the kits they will teach with. ### When can you run it? All year round: on a staff development day, after exams, or in the June and year-end holidays. Let us know the date you have in mind when you get in touch. [See all 8 questions on the workshop](https://stickem.sg/faq/#workshop) ## Teaching with it Running it in a normal classroom: preparation, timing, which subjects, which ages, class management ### I have never taught robotics. Can I really run this? Yes. Most teachers who run Stick ’Em hadn’t either. The 3-hour workshop takes you from never having seen the kit to planning your own lesson. ### How much preparation does a lesson take? Very little. Every Stick ’Em Academy lesson comes ready to teach, with slides, a materials list, build steps and discussion questions, so you only need to read it through. ### Which subjects does it fit? Science, maths, languages, art, social studies, geography and character education. A catapult becomes an angles lesson, a coastal barrier becomes a geography lesson, and a build the class has to pitch becomes a language lesson. The Academy is organised by subject, so you can start from yours. ### How long is a lesson, and does it fit a normal period? A 60-minute period fits building, testing and presenting. In 45 minutes, run a shorter build and hear from 3 groups instead of all of them. Either way, a basic build finishes within one lesson. ### What age is it for? Students aged 9 and up can build on their own. Ages 7 to 9 work well with a teacher or parent nearby. We don’t recommend it for children under 7, because small hands find it hard to push a chopstick into a connector. The same kit is also used in polytechnics and universities. ### How do I manage a whole class building at once? Put students in groups of 2 to 4 around one kit, with a role for each person. A quick parts count at the start and end of the lesson helps, and for younger classes a second adult makes a big difference. [See all 8 questions on teaching with it](https://stickem.sg/faq/#teaching) ## What is in the kit What arrives, what it is made of, what a student can build, and what happens when a part breaks ### What exactly is in the kit? Bamboo chopsticks and 3D-printed connectors make the frame, and an electronic board with motors makes it move. No part arrives pre-shaped, so students work out the structure themselves. A Sensor Kit adds ultrasonic, light, temperature, humidity and gyroscope sensors and an LCD screen, and is bought separately. ### What is the difference between a Robotics Kit, a Classroom Set and a Sensor Kit? A Robotics Kit is one kit: connectors, chopsticks, a board and motors. A Classroom Set is 10 Robotics Kits in one box, for up to 40 students working in groups of 2 to 4. A Sensor Kit is an add-on, sold separately and not included in a Classroom Set. ### What can students build? Cars, cranes, cable cars, catapults, drawing machines, dragon boats, gliders, humanoid robots and more. One Classroom Set has enough chopsticks and connectors for hundreds of different builds, and everything else comes from the classroom: cardboard, string, bottles and tape. ### Does it need a screen, and does it need charging? Not for building. Chopsticks grip into the connectors by friction, with no glue, screws, batteries or apps. To make a build move, you need the board, a USB power bank and a device to control it from. ### What devices do we need in the classroom? Laptops or Chromebooks with Chrome or Edge, which connect to control.stickem.sg over Bluetooth. On iPads, download the Stick ’Em Control app from the App Store, because Safari does not support Web Bluetooth. Each group of 3 or 4 students only needs one device. ### Do students need to know how to code? No. Most classes start by driving their build from the control app. Block coding, and even vibe coding a web app, are there when a class is ready to go further, but neither is needed for a first lesson. [See all 9 questions on what is in the kit](https://stickem.sg/faq/#product)