History lessons on spot!
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
British experts who have been visiting Thai schools here have been struck by the positive attitude of students, the absence of discipline problems, and the strong focus on Thai culture combined with deep respect for other cultures. It's the mutual respect between adult and student that comes from the Buddhist culture. The good behaviour and respect to others is inculcated in their culture. They greeted their teachers with the big smiles and respectful bow which is the essence of the traditional wai hello. The day starts with a whole-school, outdoor listening and singing the nationa anthem and a Buddhist ceremony which appeared to set the tone for the meditative calm of the rest of the school day. In Thailand, the national anthem or phleng chat is played twice a day at 8 o’clock in the morning and again at 6 o’clock in the evening. Phleng chat literally means national song and Phleng chat thai refer to the Thai national anthem.
photo taken of a Thai school kids at the Wat Phra Si Sanphet - Historical park of Ayutthaya. The Thai students get outdoor education with connections to geography, science, maths and today history lessons on the spot!
The national song is not only played at school but also on all radio and tv stations, bus stations and other public areas. People who hear the anthem will automatically stop what they are doing to stand and salute the flag. Even commuters rushing around on the skytrain will pause to show respect while the national anthem is played. The respect for staff is highlighted on teachers' day, when every student brings in elaborate flower arrangements for their teachers. As the school's head said: "We want them to love their own culture."In some Thai schools they have their own Thai culture centre. This may be a single room but sometimes it is a suite of rooms plus a magnificent museum, open to the public. Students learn about Thai poetry, song, history, food, flowers and, of course, about Buddhism. But this does not just involve formal lesson times. They follow regular cultural activities like above in the historical park of Ayutthaya.
History lessons on spot!
© all rights reserved
Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black
British experts who have been visiting Thai schools here have been struck by the positive attitude of students, the absence of discipline problems, and the strong focus on Thai culture combined with deep respect for other cultures. It's the mutual respect between adult and student that comes from the Buddhist culture. The good behaviour and respect to others is inculcated in their culture. They greeted their teachers with the big smiles and respectful bow which is the essence of the traditional wai hello. The day starts with a whole-school, outdoor listening and singing the nationa anthem and a Buddhist ceremony which appeared to set the tone for the meditative calm of the rest of the school day. In Thailand, the national anthem or phleng chat is played twice a day at 8 o’clock in the morning and again at 6 o’clock in the evening. Phleng chat literally means national song and Phleng chat thai refer to the Thai national anthem.
photo taken of a Thai school kids at the Wat Phra Si Sanphet - Historical park of Ayutthaya. The Thai students get outdoor education with connections to geography, science, maths and today history lessons on the spot!
The national song is not only played at school but also on all radio and tv stations, bus stations and other public areas. People who hear the anthem will automatically stop what they are doing to stand and salute the flag. Even commuters rushing around on the skytrain will pause to show respect while the national anthem is played. The respect for staff is highlighted on teachers' day, when every student brings in elaborate flower arrangements for their teachers. As the school's head said: "We want them to love their own culture."In some Thai schools they have their own Thai culture centre. This may be a single room but sometimes it is a suite of rooms plus a magnificent museum, open to the public. Students learn about Thai poetry, song, history, food, flowers and, of course, about Buddhism. But this does not just involve formal lesson times. They follow regular cultural activities like above in the historical park of Ayutthaya.