Jams for Justice: Advocating Fair Representation Through Music

Combining a passion for music with advocacy for fair representation in the music industry, grade 12 students Kieran H and Neil V share their story behind Jams for Justice.

Grade 12 students Neil V and Kieran H created Jams for Justice, an initiative to showcase the rich diversity in music through a three-day Instagram live concert that featured a curated playlist celebrating musicians of colour. Neil and Kieran tell us what inspired them and why they felt compelled to stand up for fair representation in the music industry.

What was the inspiration behind Jams for Justice?

Kieran: We knew we wanted to do something surrounding music and racial justice for our CAS project. We are both musicians and come from countries — United States and South Africa — where the discussion of race is gaining more and more traction. We thought about it a lot and felt that this angle was where we could inspire the most change in our community.

Neil: We considered that representation in music was somewhere we could actually make a difference, even if on a small scale. The fundraising route wouldn’t be as hands-on and we might be detached from the results, so the Jams for Justice concept came to us as somewhere we really think we could incite change, and be close enough to witness it.

What are your thoughts about the current state of representation in the music industry?

Neil: I think historically music has been among the more diverse areas of society — we have seen representation of many cultures and ethnicities even within the western music industry which is great. Most people don’t just listen to music from artists of one race. However, I think that most people don’t recognise the influences behind music. For example, we celebrate an artist like Ed Sheeran, without recognising that a lot of his current music is drawn from Latin styles like reggaeton. Can we really say that has nothing to do with the disenfranchisement of Latin artists?

How do you hope to inspire other CIS students through this project?

Kieran: Jams for Justice was a project that we came up with to show how talented the often unknown and overlooked musicians of colour are. Putting on a show that gives a taste of what lies within this super diverse community of musicians. We feel like there is a lot of cool music that just flies under the radar as a result of a lack of representation, and we wanted to make as much of a difference as we could, even if it wasn’t on a super big world stage.

Within the world of social media, we have access to an audience, and if we can organise our arguments, present them well and use the tools at our disposal, I believe we are all capable of making a difference

If any students at CIS were to take anything away from this little project, it should be that you shouldn’t worry about the magnitude of your potential impact, just care about the fact that you’re passionate enough to try and make a difference in the world.

Take a look at the Jams for Justice account.

Ask the Dentist: Q. My child has a loose tooth. Should I DIY the extraction at home?

Losing the first baby tooth is an exciting milestone for many families! This may happen around 6 years old, with the lower central incisors generally the first to make the transition. Did you know that permanent teeth begin in the jaws as early as at birth! As these teeth gradually move from within the bone up to the surface, they cause the roots of baby teeth to dissolve resulting in a wobbly baby tooth.

At this juncture, many parents are tempted to pull the tooth out at home. DIY extractions have been performed in many homes but may risk excessive bleeding, damage to gums or infection. It is worth mentioning that not all loose teeth can be easily removed – leading to a potentially painful situation after a failed attempt at extraction.

Some parents believe that extracting loose baby teeth will help aid in better alignment of the incoming adult teeth. This is a myth. Instead, factors like genetics, teeth and jaw sizes or habits like thumb-sucking play a more important role in determining the final position of the teeth.

Loose baby teeth often fall out naturally without intervention if given sufficient time. This can take between 4-6 months on average. Using a clean finger to wiggle the shaky baby tooth daily can help hasten the process. Here are some scenarios where a dental extraction may be required:

1. Over-retained baby tooth. When an adult tooth is well erupted and the corresponding baby tooth remains quite firm in the jaw, a dentist may need to remove the over-retained baby tooth.

2. Some children are bothered by wobbly teeth. They may eat poorly or refuse to brush their teeth. Removal of the wobbly teeth will return them to comfort again.

If in doubt, please bring your child in for a dental check-up. Your child’s dental specialist or dentist will examine the teeth and recommend accordingly.

Dr Tabitha Chng is a Dental Specialist in Paedodontics (Children’s Dentistry) with Specialist Dental Group®. She received her specialty training in Paedodontics from University of Toronto, Canada. She is currently the only Paediatric dentist to be dually certified by both the American Board of Paediatric Dentistry and the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. Dr Chng loves to see children smile and constantly strives to create a safe and relaxed environment for kids to enjoy their visits. Besides fighting cavities, she has a special interest in paediatric sleep medicine (eg. tooth grinding, snoring) and early management of crooked teeth without braces.

(65) 6733 7883 | www.specialistdentalgroup.com

Specialist Dental Group® is a corporate sponsor of the Canadian Association of Singapore (CAS). CAS members enjoy a special rate for dental services.

Ask the Dentist: Q: How much whiter will my teeth be after teeth whitening?

 A: It is possible to whiten your teeth by a few shades when you get a professional in-clinic teeth whitening treatment. Nonetheless, it is important to understand that teeth whitening treatments produce different results for different people.

One of the main factors that affect the results would be the permeability of enamel. Enamel that is more permeable tends to whiten more easily (however, there isn’t a test that can be done beforehand to assess that).

Another factor would be the tooth’s natural colour. Teeth naturally discolour with age as the tooth enamel wears off to reveal more of dentine, which is yellow in nature. Some people have darker dentine than the others, and in such cases, teeth whitening may not be effective as teeth whitening treatment is designed to whiten the enamel and not the dentine.

Finally, it also depends on the type of stains present. In-clinic teeth whitening treatment is effective in removing deep as well as surface stains, however is not as effective in treating grey stains.

During the consultation, your dental specialist/dentist will examine your oral condition and help set realistic expectations.

In order to achieve further whitening and better results, it is generally recommended to follow up with the take home whitening kit. As you can adjust the amount of contact time between the whitening gel and your teeth, you can achieve the degree of whitening desired. For instance, if you want your teeth to be even whiter, wear the whitening trays at home for a few more days.

Another thing to note is that if you have any pre-existing crowns and white fillings, these would not change its shade even after teeth whitening. Therefore, if you would like to replace a crown or white filling, it is advised for the replacement to be done two weeks after your whitening treatment.

Dr Steven Soo is a Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics with Specialist Dental Group^®. He was formerly a Clinical Lecturer at the Eastman Dental Institute and Clinical Teacher at the GKT Dental Institute, both of which are affiliated with the University of London. Dr Soo has a special interest in prosthetic and implant restorative dentistry. www.specialistdentalgroup.com | (65) 6733 7883

The benefits of purposeful play

CIS Lakeside primary school principal, Dr Colleen Drisner, shares how the right kindergarten programme sets the foundation for learning. A child’s early development is undoubtedly one of the most important stages of their learning journey. It not only sets the foundation for honing their cognitive skills but also supports them in learning key competencies such as critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

What makes a great kindergarten?

Learning becomes a social endeavour. The foundation for success lies in the development of a student’s personal, social and emotional wellbeing. To foster a child’s academic abilities, you have to be able to “see” the whole child.

Helping children ‘learn how to learn’. We go about this by guiding students to develop their own voice and interest in learning. This helps to support the development of positive attitudes, habits and learning styles, which in turn develops strong foundational skills such as numeracy and literacy.

Purposeful play and the inquiry-based learning approach engages children and triggers their curiosity. This allows them to hone their critical thinking skills, excel at collaborative work and be able to solve problems creatively. For example, exploring concepts through interactive activities such as water play means you really can learn all about volume and capacity through the hands-on process.

Learning is fun and stimulating. The one thing that you should not see in a supportive kindergarten programme is a worksheet-heavy curriculum. It discourages group work, curiosity and exploration while emphasising only one correct way of completing or answering a task or question.

The physical setup of a kindergarten will have a huge impact on how children learn and communicate with the world around them. At CIS, we have a dedicated kindergarten wing where classrooms spill out into large and open learning pods. These are spaces where students can participate in hands-on activities or interact with their peers at exhibitions and celebrations. Some of our kindergarten classrooms also connect directly to the school’s Outdoor Discovery Centre, a layout that allows our students to easily engage and learn from the environment around them.

Join a Kindergarten open house at CIS on 24 & 25 February to see their learning approach in action and meet their teachers.