And what better starting point than successful organisations, for the teachers to first glean insights into the corporate world's best practices?

This is what Pioneer Junior College principal, Mrs Tan-Kek Lee Yong, had in mind when she came up with an idea to have her teachers learn from organisations like Alexandra Hospital, Singapore Management University and The Esplanade.

Many of Pioneer JC's 150 teachers had joined teaching as a first career and thus had little exposure to the corporate world, she said.

'Teachers are in a pivotal position of influence and can get students to see things differently. Whether they teach maths, physics or chemistry, they need to see the relevance of teaching and not just teach a subject in isolation. They must be able to teach students life skills and values and offer them a wider perspective beyond the textbook,' she said.

While the Education Ministry has schemes like Teachers Work Attachments, where teachers can opt to work in various organisations to gain exposure, only some teachers are involved.

Mrs Tan wants all her teachers to spend half a day with the participating organisations, to see how they function and understand their ethos and company culture.

The visits, during the year-end vacation, will culminate in a sharing session at the JC's annual staff retreat this month. The first such visit was to Alexandra Hospital last Thursday, when 40 teachers saw how geriatric ward staff interact with patients.

They also saw how the hospital adapted ideas.

For instance, the Toyota production philosophy of reducing waste was applied to ensure smooth movement of patients, starting with check-in procedures.

Comfort touches - learnt from Singapore Airlines - included a cupboard filled with snacks, board games and even a mirror in each ward. Service standards are learnt from the Ritz-Carlton Millenia hotel.

Madam Lin Kui Fong, a General Paper teacher in her early 40s, said it was the first time she had seen how corporations functioned.

She was impressed by 'the little touches to enhance quality of patient care'. 'My students will be going out to work soon and need to know what employers look for. Hopefully, I can now equip them with life skills, and not just academic ones.'

janeng@sph.com.sg