16 February 2017
Launched in 2014, LASALLE’S MA Arts Pedagogy and Practice was the first of its kind in the region to foster discussion and research regarding the intersection of artistic and educational practices from the practitioner point of view. The pioneer cohort comprised of teacher/artists with backgrounds in visual and performing arts as well as design and curatorial practice.
Peggy Ferroa, current vice president of SDEA (Singapore Drama Educators Association), is a Performance Maker who conceptualises, writes and directs commissioned plays, musicals and multidisciplinary performances. She is also an Applied Drama Practitioner who uses drama as a form of expression, as well as shape the drama with specific goals in mind such as delivering learning concepts, encouraging behavioural change or reflecting on social issues.
What made you choose LASALLE over other graduate schools?
I was contemplating another Master's programme in Ireland but LASALLE’s MA Arts Pedagogy and Practice Programme had an edge as it created opportunities for interactions with peers from various disciplines and visiting master artists of various art forms.
As someone who believes very much in continuing education, I wanted to be in the first cohort to help shape the Programme so that future practitioners can benefit from it.
How did the environment at LASALLE support your learning?
The combination of Dr Kie Watkins, the Programme Leader, who always gave each of us the time he could spare, whether face-to-face or over email; and Malar, the librarian extraordinaire and her team who provided a wealth of resources across disciplines, made life easier for all of us.
Visiting lecturers were also helpful and brought with them their specialisations as well as their own methods of teaching and learning.
After leaving LASALLE for nearly two years, I still get updated on visiting lecturers and attend talks and sessions which are useful and keep me in touch with leaning,
What can one expect from the MA Arts Pedagogy and Practice Programme at LASALLE?
Be prepared to feel uncomfortable and in awe at the same time. Uncomfortable because you will look closely at your own practice and start finding problem spots in it. In awe because there is often more than one way out of the problem spots, and that makes your practice richer.
What is one of the highlights of the Programme?
For me it was Experiencing Diverse Pedagogies. I chose to work with a graphic designer and an art director to create an interdisciplinary piece. This added a new dimension to the way I thought about my own art-making as I learnt so much from their processes and the way they thought.
In the ethos of interdisciplinary work, we created an installation that bore no trace of any of our art forms. When a friend of mine came and exclaimed, “I don’t see any drama in your piece at all!” I knew we had done something right.
Has your time with LASALLE given you a specific edge or advantage in your current area of work?
The time in LASALLE has inculcated in me critical and reflective attitudes that have now become part and parcel of my life.
Share with us a memorable experience in your time at LASALLE
I cherish the friendship and kindness I experienced with my cohort mates and the support and love from family. Everyone is busy, but there’s always a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on and a great suggestion that works. You just have to recognise that it’s there.
How did you overcome the challenges you faced while pursuing your Postgraduate Studies at LASALLE?
Every morning I did a mental rundown of where I had to be that day. Then I asked myself what I needed to get done by day’s end, and what I had to think about.
What needed to be done was attended to immediately when the mind and body are fresh. What I had to think about is done during menial tasks, at unproductive meetings or just lying down on the couch (incidentally, lying down and thinking is a very important exercise in an MA).
Any advice for those who are considering to enrol into the MA Arts Pedagogy and Practice Programme?
Embrace the new learning and the experience – everything else will fall into place if you believe you can make good things happen.
