var textForPages = ["INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 What’s going on in the pandemic-hit international schools space as it negotiates the new term time? Our highly-educated annual survey puts you in the picture.","","","","","","","Contents 12 19 25 33 38 47 SCREEN VIRTUAL WEANING THE (ALL-) MAKING NOT TIME LEARNING THEM OFF KNOWING THEM AMUSED QUANDARY AS A ‘NEW SWEETS ONES SMARTER NORMAL’ 14 22 31 34 40 48 Everything in Video tips for Bad habits Specialisation only ‘Never heard SOTUS Shame moderation teachers die hard takes you so far of it’ 18 32 36 41 50 Being aware Healthy minds Broader Social Breaking the ice in healthy knowledge engineering positively bodies equates to breakdown 43 higher marks Remembering your place Produced by Creative \& Special Publications Text: Darunee Sukanan I Photographs: Supplied/POST I Design: Rawich Weerakul I Editor: Simon Kind I Deputy Managing Editor: Ratch Lunchaprasit Special Publications Advertising +66 (0) 2616 4440 • Fax +66 (0) 2616 4560 Senior Vice President – Advertising Sales: Panchanida Jansongchai I First Vice President – Advertising Sales: Nanthana Singkamala Bangkok Post is edited by Soonruth Bunyamanee for Bangkok Post Plc, Printer, Publisher and Owner. Office Bangkok Post Building, 136 Sunthorn Kosa Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110. Tel +66 (0) 2616 4000 • www.bangkokpost.com • 0921 •","Contents 12 19 25 33 38 47 SCREEN VIRTUAL WEANING THE (ALL-) MAKING NOT TIME LEARNING THEM OFF KNOWING THEM AMUSED QUANDARY AS A ‘NEW SWEETS ONES SMARTER NORMAL’ 14 22 31 34 40 48 Everything in Video tips for Bad habits Specialisation only ‘Never heard SOTUS Shame moderation teachers die hard takes you so far of it’ 18 32 36 41 50 Being aware Healthy minds Broader Social Breaking the ice in healthy knowledge engineering positively bodies equates to breakdown 43 higher marks Remembering your place Produced by Creative \& Special Publications Text: Darunee Sukanan I Photographs: Supplied/POST I Design: Rawich Weerakul I Editor: Simon Kind I Deputy Managing Editor: Ratch Lunchaprasit Special Publications Advertising +66 (0) 2616 4440 • Fax +66 (0) 2616 4560 Senior Vice President – Advertising Sales: Panchanida Jansongchai I First Vice President – Advertising Sales: Nanthana Singkamala Bangkok Post is edited by Soonruth Bunyamanee for Bangkok Post Plc, Printer, Publisher and Owner. Office Bangkok Post Building, 136 Sunthorn Kosa Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110. Tel +66 (0) 2616 4000 • www.bangkokpost.com • 0921 •","","","SCREEN TIME QUANDARY Heavy use of digital devices can have harmful effects on children, but in moderation these gadgets have their benefi ts oraya, a lively little ﬁve-year-old, The pre-schooler belongs to a span, which is already limited naturally tasks, including the reading of books. compared to children who spent is still in preschool, yet she can generation growing up with smartphones as it is. The primary cause of this, Numerous psychologists go so far as less than 30 minutes a day online. already handle her mother’s and she loves digital devices above all experts say, is youngsters’ immersion in to argue that constant distractions on In addition, heavy smartphone users smartphone with admirable alacrity. her toys, with the possible exception an online world of ﬂeeting engagement our smartphones are rewiring our brains among children were seven times more PPoraya searches for cartoons on of jigsaw puzzles and colouring books. and instant gratiﬁcation where both while long-term smartphone use is likely to exhibit behaviours associated YouTube by herself, plays games on the When it comes to heavy smartphone entertainment and information — in ‘making us dumber,’” the newspaper with attention deﬁcit hyperactivity According to Thai device, calls her favourite aunt on her use the little girl is hardly alone among the form of, say, 15-second videos on elucidates. disorder (ADHD). mother’s Facebook Messenger account Thai children, most of whom are glued popular social media platforms like Hard data back up such claims “Substantial evidence suggests Health, often children and does other things that strike her to electronic devices from an early age, TikTok — routinely comes in short, with speciﬁcs. A study, for instance, that many types of screen time fancy, tapping and swiping away adroitly spending an average of 35 hours a ephemeral bursts of fun content, conducted in 2019 had the aim of (especially those involving fast-paced on the screen. week on them, according to a survey which is designed like commercials on examining the relationships between or violent imagery) are damaging to as young as eight conducted last year by the Thai Health television to engage viewers’ attention the amount of time children spent young brains. Today’s pre-schoolers Promotion Foundation. only brieﬂy. online and changes in their behaviours spend more than four hours a day months old already The survey, which was based on “The average duration of younger in nearly 2,500 households. The facing a screen. And, since 1970, data on smartphone use by 15,000 children’s attention span isn’t that long researchers in Canada found that the average age of onset of ‘regular’ have access to children nationwide, found that three out to begin with, varying as it does from youngsters who spent more than two screen use has gone from four years to of ﬁve youngsters between that ages six two minutes to ﬁve minutes for each hours a day on digital devices were just four months,” Erika Christakis, an and 18 years old are at risk of becoming year or so of a child’s age. While a ﬁve times more likely to exhibit marked early-childhood educator, observes in smartphones, their addicted to online games, which they ﬁve-year-old can generally focus on a “externalising” behavioural problems an article for The Atlantic, a prestigious play for more than three hours a day. task for 10 to 25 minutes, a 10-year- such as shortened attention spans American magazine. parents probably Troublingly, according to Thai old should be able to do so for twice Health, often children as young as eight as long (depending on the nature of a giving the devices to months old already have access to task as well as other factors such as smartphones, their parents probably how tired or interested a child is),” The giving the devices to these babes in Bangkok Post explains in an article on these babes in arms to arms to pacify them and keep them the dangers of prolonged smartphone occupied. As heavy smartphone use among youngsters. pacify them and keep use by children is widely considered “Yet smartphones can create detrimental to their mental development, constant interruption, fragmenting them occupied. Thai Health’s experts recommend a already limited attention spans. The maximum of 16 hours of screen time a result is a permanent state of ‘scatter- week for children. brained’ inattentiveness with perennially Among the most noticeable side- reduced focus. That inhibits people, effects of heavy smartphone use by both young and old, from paying children is a shortening of their attention extended attention to useful mental 12 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 13 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","SCREEN TIME QUANDARY Heavy use of digital devices can have harmful effects on children, but in moderation these gadgets have their benefi ts oraya, a lively little ﬁve-year-old, The pre-schooler belongs to a span, which is already limited naturally tasks, including the reading of books. compared to children who spent is still in preschool, yet she can generation growing up with smartphones as it is. The primary cause of this, Numerous psychologists go so far as less than 30 minutes a day online. already handle her mother’s and she loves digital devices above all experts say, is youngsters’ immersion in to argue that constant distractions on In addition, heavy smartphone users smartphone with admirable alacrity. her toys, with the possible exception an online world of ﬂeeting engagement our smartphones are rewiring our brains among children were seven times more PPoraya searches for cartoons on of jigsaw puzzles and colouring books. and instant gratiﬁcation where both while long-term smartphone use is likely to exhibit behaviours associated YouTube by herself, plays games on the When it comes to heavy smartphone entertainment and information — in ‘making us dumber,’” the newspaper with attention deﬁcit hyperactivity According to Thai device, calls her favourite aunt on her use the little girl is hardly alone among the form of, say, 15-second videos on elucidates. disorder (ADHD). mother’s Facebook Messenger account Thai children, most of whom are glued popular social media platforms like Hard data back up such claims “Substantial evidence suggests Health, often children and does other things that strike her to electronic devices from an early age, TikTok — routinely comes in short, with speciﬁcs. A study, for instance, that many types of screen time fancy, tapping and swiping away adroitly spending an average of 35 hours a ephemeral bursts of fun content, conducted in 2019 had the aim of (especially those involving fast-paced on the screen. week on them, according to a survey which is designed like commercials on examining the relationships between or violent imagery) are damaging to as young as eight conducted last year by the Thai Health television to engage viewers’ attention the amount of time children spent young brains. Today’s pre-schoolers Promotion Foundation. only brieﬂy. online and changes in their behaviours spend more than four hours a day months old already The survey, which was based on “The average duration of younger in nearly 2,500 households. The facing a screen. And, since 1970, data on smartphone use by 15,000 children’s attention span isn’t that long researchers in Canada found that the average age of onset of ‘regular’ have access to children nationwide, found that three out to begin with, varying as it does from youngsters who spent more than two screen use has gone from four years to of ﬁve youngsters between that ages six two minutes to ﬁve minutes for each hours a day on digital devices were just four months,” Erika Christakis, an and 18 years old are at risk of becoming year or so of a child’s age. While a ﬁve times more likely to exhibit marked early-childhood educator, observes in smartphones, their addicted to online games, which they ﬁve-year-old can generally focus on a “externalising” behavioural problems an article for The Atlantic, a prestigious play for more than three hours a day. task for 10 to 25 minutes, a 10-year- such as shortened attention spans American magazine. parents probably Troublingly, according to Thai old should be able to do so for twice Health, often children as young as eight as long (depending on the nature of a giving the devices to months old already have access to task as well as other factors such as smartphones, their parents probably how tired or interested a child is),” The giving the devices to these babes in Bangkok Post explains in an article on these babes in arms to arms to pacify them and keep them the dangers of prolonged smartphone occupied. As heavy smartphone use among youngsters. pacify them and keep use by children is widely considered “Yet smartphones can create detrimental to their mental development, constant interruption, fragmenting them occupied. Thai Health’s experts recommend a already limited attention spans. The maximum of 16 hours of screen time a result is a permanent state of ‘scatter- week for children. brained’ inattentiveness with perennially Among the most noticeable side- reduced focus. That inhibits people, effects of heavy smartphone use by both young and old, from paying children is a shortening of their attention extended attention to useful mental 12 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 13 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","The World Health Organization is cognizant of the inherent mental health risks EVERYTHING of children having too much screen time. IN MODERATION martphone use, if done in around the planet. A seemingly inﬁ nite Health professionals generally have Children aged between 18 months The key to making moderation, can have some positive storehouse of useful knowledge lies a range of recommendations as to how and two years old can be introduced beneﬁts for the mental development to digital media tools within limits but and for how long digital devices should at the ﬁ ngertips of any Internet user, the best use of Sof children. By getting acclimatised children included. be used by children of varying ages. shown only age-appropriate content deemed helpful for their mental Children younger than 18 months old The key to making the best use early on to digital technologies, smartphones, youngsters can gain a useful head of smartphones, tablets and laptops should not have access to such tools development. Toddlers between the ages two and ﬁ ve should have their start on their way to acquiring a high at all, apart from occasional video lies in limiting children’s screen time to reasonable lengths each day while degree of digital literacy in a world chats via social media apps through screen time limited to one hour a day of tablets and laptops increasingly wired into cyberspace. In directing their attention to useful which parents staying away from appropriate content, preferably with a them can spend some face time with content at the same time. “Through learning focus. addition, children can learn a degree lies in limiting of self-sufﬁciency by navigating their early guidance and support, parents their offspring thanks to the beneﬁ ts cognizant of the inherent mental The World Health Organization, of online technologies. However, face and teachers can help children learn way through an online environment on children’s screen smartphones, tablets and laptops on how to self-regulate the time they time mediated through the Internet health risks of children having too spend on their phones. This lesson will much screen time, recommends that hardly equals tactile real-life interactions their own. Besides, plenty of content online, time to reasonable if selected judiciously, offers valuable help them create and practice healthy between parent and child as online toddlers between two and four should self-awareness and self-reﬂ ection spend no more than an hour a day in engagement “is increasingly low-quality, front of a screen, including television, practices that will better prepare learning opportunities, whether it be even ersatz,” according to Christakis. lengths each day games designed to foster learning them for adolescence and, eventually, because of the dangers of long-term young adulthood,” counsels Concordia adverse effects on children’s mental and skills or documentaries for children on while directing their history, the natural world and societies University in the United States. behavioural development. Once children are of primary school attention to useful age, they can spend more time online, but even then their attention should be content at the same guided towards appropriate content that can aid in their mental development time. and their learning, including educational programmes. Their time spent on games and other diversions with little or no educational value should be limited to no more than an hour a day, but preferably less. 14 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 15 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","The World Health Organization is cognizant of the inherent mental health risks EVERYTHING of children having too much screen time. IN MODERATION martphone use, if done in around the planet. A seemingly inﬁ nite Health professionals generally have Children aged between 18 months The key to making moderation, can have some positive storehouse of useful knowledge lies a range of recommendations as to how and two years old can be introduced beneﬁts for the mental development to digital media tools within limits but and for how long digital devices should at the ﬁ ngertips of any Internet user, the best use of Sof children. By getting acclimatised children included. be used by children of varying ages. shown only age-appropriate content deemed helpful for their mental Children younger than 18 months old The key to making the best use early on to digital technologies, smartphones, youngsters can gain a useful head of smartphones, tablets and laptops should not have access to such tools development. Toddlers between the ages two and ﬁ ve should have their start on their way to acquiring a high at all, apart from occasional video lies in limiting children’s screen time to reasonable lengths each day while degree of digital literacy in a world chats via social media apps through screen time limited to one hour a day of tablets and laptops increasingly wired into cyberspace. In directing their attention to useful which parents staying away from appropriate content, preferably with a them can spend some face time with content at the same time. “Through learning focus. addition, children can learn a degree lies in limiting of self-sufﬁciency by navigating their early guidance and support, parents their offspring thanks to the beneﬁ ts cognizant of the inherent mental The World Health Organization, of online technologies. However, face and teachers can help children learn way through an online environment on children’s screen smartphones, tablets and laptops on how to self-regulate the time they time mediated through the Internet health risks of children having too spend on their phones. This lesson will much screen time, recommends that hardly equals tactile real-life interactions their own. Besides, plenty of content online, time to reasonable if selected judiciously, offers valuable help them create and practice healthy between parent and child as online toddlers between two and four should self-awareness and self-reﬂ ection spend no more than an hour a day in engagement “is increasingly low-quality, front of a screen, including television, practices that will better prepare learning opportunities, whether it be even ersatz,” according to Christakis. lengths each day games designed to foster learning them for adolescence and, eventually, because of the dangers of long-term young adulthood,” counsels Concordia adverse effects on children’s mental and skills or documentaries for children on while directing their history, the natural world and societies University in the United States. behavioural development. Once children are of primary school attention to useful age, they can spend more time online, but even then their attention should be content at the same guided towards appropriate content that can aid in their mental development time. and their learning, including educational programmes. Their time spent on games and other diversions with little or no educational value should be limited to no more than an hour a day, but preferably less. 14 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 15 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","","","BEING AWARE VIRTUAL LEARNING AS A ‘NEW NORMAL’ As e-learning has taken centre stage during the pandemic, teachers can avail ltimately, it all comes down to child is less valuable than an email,” Simple time-honoured activities themselves of how much or how little attention the early-childhood development like these are the makings of close parents and teachers pay to expert explains. bonds and can serve as the source various multimedia children’s screen time habits. “A mother telling kids to go of invaluable beneﬁ ts for the healthy USadly, many adults may be out and play, a father saying he mental and emotional development of tools that can be inclined to leave the young ones to their needs to concentrate on a chore children. own devices, so to speak, in order to for the next half hour — these are used effectively gain themselves some free time. It does entirely reasonable responses not help that many adults themselves to the competing demands of are addicted to their electronic devices; adult life. What’s going on today, a habit of overuse that signals to however, is the rise of unpredictable children that it is okay to spend a large care, governed by the beeps and ntil recently, the use of digital These digital tools can suit the nature, learning that takes place online amount of time with their gaze ﬁxed on enticements of smartphones. We devices in the classrooms of various learning styles of students, requires students to stay focussed on a screen. seem to have stumbled into the international schools around some of whom might prefer visual smartphone and computer screens for “Occasional parental inattention is worst model of parenting imaginable Thailand was strictly limited materials while others could ﬁ nd longer periods of time, often without not catastrophic (and may even build — always present physically, thereby Uby teachers, but the ongoing learning through audio inputs to be of any social interactions, which can easily resilience), but chronic distraction blocking children’s autonomy, yet Covid-19 pandemic has changed all greater use for them. Online learning tax their patience or simply bore them. is another story. Smartphone use only ﬁ tfully present emotionally,” she that. With schools around the country sources can also be personalised in Oftentimes e-learning also necessitates has been associated with a familiar adds. closed for months at a time, most various ways according to individual a high level of computer literacy, which sign of addiction: Distracted adults The solution is simple. Parents Many adults themselves tuition moved online for prolonged preference and accessed at will, which students with little experience in using grow irritable when their phone use ought to limit their own smartphone periods, with many teachers imparting cannot be said of classroom learning. various programmes might well lack. is interrupted; they not only miss use and devote plenty of time to their are addicted to their new course materials to their students However, digital learning also Technical issues may also bedevil emotional cues but actually misread children away from digital devices, via online tools such as emailing, has its disadvantages. By its very classes conducted online. them,” Christakis writes. ignoring the siren call of a distracting electronic devices; teleconferencing and messaging apps. “A tuned-out parent may be and potentially destructive online In tandem, digital learning tools quicker to anger than an engaged world. Instead, they should spend a habit of overuse that have come to the forefront, becoming one, assuming that a child is trying to some quality invaluable resources during this period be manipulative when, in reality, she time: playing of the “new normal” for students and just wants attention. Short, deliberate board games, signals to children that it their teachers. Podcasts, pre-recorded separations can of course be harmless, chatting videos, slides, written essays and other even healthy, for parent and child alike about this and is okay to spend a large learning aides have become far more (especially as children get older and that, doing commonplace as teaching tools. This require more independence). But that homework amount of time with their has some clear beneﬁ ts for students sort of separation is different from the together, going who can access them anytime from inattention that occurs when a parent is for walks in gaze fi xed on a screen. anywhere, thereby being free of the time with a child but communicating through the woods or a and physical constraints of brick-and- his or her non-engagement that the park. mortar classrooms in schools. 18 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 19 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","BEING AWARE VIRTUAL LEARNING AS A ‘NEW NORMAL’ As e-learning has taken centre stage during the pandemic, teachers can avail ltimately, it all comes down to child is less valuable than an email,” Simple time-honoured activities themselves of how much or how little attention the early-childhood development like these are the makings of close parents and teachers pay to expert explains. bonds and can serve as the source various multimedia children’s screen time habits. “A mother telling kids to go of invaluable beneﬁ ts for the healthy USadly, many adults may be out and play, a father saying he mental and emotional development of tools that can be inclined to leave the young ones to their needs to concentrate on a chore children. own devices, so to speak, in order to for the next half hour — these are used effectively gain themselves some free time. It does entirely reasonable responses not help that many adults themselves to the competing demands of are addicted to their electronic devices; adult life. What’s going on today, a habit of overuse that signals to however, is the rise of unpredictable children that it is okay to spend a large care, governed by the beeps and ntil recently, the use of digital These digital tools can suit the nature, learning that takes place online amount of time with their gaze ﬁxed on enticements of smartphones. We devices in the classrooms of various learning styles of students, requires students to stay focussed on a screen. seem to have stumbled into the international schools around some of whom might prefer visual smartphone and computer screens for “Occasional parental inattention is worst model of parenting imaginable Thailand was strictly limited materials while others could ﬁ nd longer periods of time, often without not catastrophic (and may even build — always present physically, thereby Uby teachers, but the ongoing learning through audio inputs to be of any social interactions, which can easily resilience), but chronic distraction blocking children’s autonomy, yet Covid-19 pandemic has changed all greater use for them. Online learning tax their patience or simply bore them. is another story. Smartphone use only ﬁ tfully present emotionally,” she that. With schools around the country sources can also be personalised in Oftentimes e-learning also necessitates has been associated with a familiar adds. closed for months at a time, most various ways according to individual a high level of computer literacy, which sign of addiction: Distracted adults The solution is simple. Parents Many adults themselves tuition moved online for prolonged preference and accessed at will, which students with little experience in using grow irritable when their phone use ought to limit their own smartphone periods, with many teachers imparting cannot be said of classroom learning. various programmes might well lack. is interrupted; they not only miss use and devote plenty of time to their are addicted to their new course materials to their students However, digital learning also Technical issues may also bedevil emotional cues but actually misread children away from digital devices, via online tools such as emailing, has its disadvantages. By its very classes conducted online. them,” Christakis writes. ignoring the siren call of a distracting electronic devices; teleconferencing and messaging apps. “A tuned-out parent may be and potentially destructive online In tandem, digital learning tools quicker to anger than an engaged world. Instead, they should spend a habit of overuse that have come to the forefront, becoming one, assuming that a child is trying to some quality invaluable resources during this period be manipulative when, in reality, she time: playing of the “new normal” for students and just wants attention. Short, deliberate board games, signals to children that it their teachers. Podcasts, pre-recorded separations can of course be harmless, chatting videos, slides, written essays and other even healthy, for parent and child alike about this and is okay to spend a large learning aides have become far more (especially as children get older and that, doing commonplace as teaching tools. This require more independence). But that homework amount of time with their has some clear beneﬁ ts for students sort of separation is different from the together, going who can access them anytime from inattention that occurs when a parent is for walks in gaze fi xed on a screen. anywhere, thereby being free of the time with a child but communicating through the woods or a and physical constraints of brick-and- his or her non-engagement that the park. mortar classrooms in schools. 18 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 19 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","Online learning sources can also be personalised in various ways according to individual preference and accessed at will, which cannot be said of classroom learning. “When the schools in Thailand good time-management skills, which help ease a sense of loneliness among closed to stop the spread of the many students may not have. youngsters to some degree. coronavirus, students lost a lot of Without a teacher or peers inspiring Similarly, e-learning often reduces instructional time,” Tom Corcoran, a or encouraging her, a learner may begin the degree of feedback from a teacher senior adviser to the Southeast Asian to fall behind in her studies if mostly left to students while it also diminishes face- Ministers of Education Organization to fend for herself at home. When that to-face communications between them. (SEAMEO) Stem Education Centre, happens, peer-to-peer group activities A solution lies in regular video chats, explained in a commentary published conducted online or special tutoring chatrooms and discussion boards this August in the Bangkok Post. sessions can serve to keep individual between a teacher and students. “The schools struggled to provide students motivated and in instruction online, but many lacked the the know. necessary equipment and teachers In addition, children, lacked experience with developing especially younger ones, online lessons. Many students were may come to feel a sense unable to get online. Others were simply of isolation while being not motivated enough to show up forced to stay at home consistently. As a result, many students alone without their friends fell behind.” and classmates. Whereas To make matters even more some children thrive when complicated, digital devices can they are left to explore offer endless diversions in the form new learning materials on of social media apps and games, their own, others ﬁ nd such whose extended use can impede the social isolation far more acquisition of knowledge for perennially challenging. Frequent distracted students. E-learning generally group activities online requires a degree of self-motivation and with a learning focus can 20 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","","VIDEO TIPS FOR TEACHERS ducational experts have suggested solution is to stream lectures while also A major study published a range of tips to teachers on how recording them so that students can best to conduct classes online view or review them later on demand. during the pandemic. Some of Importantly, the instructor’s face by the American Ethem might come as a surprise, should be shown in recorded videos such as one suggestion whereby at least some of the time. A major Psychological Association teachers are encouraged to prerecord study published by the American lectures and make them available Psychological Association in 2015 in 2015 found that online rather than stream them live. The found that videos showing the instructor reason for that suggestion is that some periodically tend to be more effective videos showing the students may miss streamed lectures than simple slideshows probably for one reason or another whereas they because of the additional social cues are sure to get access to ﬁles stored and personality factors involved. instructor periodically online indeﬁnitely. In any event, recorded videos should There is a caveat, however. Pre- be of a manageable length as research tend to be more effective recorded lectures can seem impersonal has shown that the attention of viewers, to students and teachers might also ﬁ nd especially that of younger ones, begins than simple slideshows. it a challenge to deliver material in an to wane after a while. A generally engaging manner since speaking into a recommended length for pre-recorded camera at length without a live audience videos for classes is around 15 minutes; requires some acting chops, as many if need be, several similarly paced clips a YouTuber can attest. A simple can be offered for sequential viewing. 22 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","VIDEO TIPS FOR TEACHERS ducational experts have suggested solution is to stream lectures while also A major study published a range of tips to teachers on how recording them so that students can best to conduct classes online view or review them later on demand. during the pandemic. Some of Importantly, the instructor’s face by the American Ethem might come as a surprise, should be shown in recorded videos such as one suggestion whereby at least some of the time. A major Psychological Association teachers are encouraged to prerecord study published by the American lectures and make them available Psychological Association in 2015 in 2015 found that online rather than stream them live. The found that videos showing the instructor reason for that suggestion is that some periodically tend to be more effective videos showing the students may miss streamed lectures than simple slideshows probably for one reason or another whereas they because of the additional social cues are sure to get access to ﬁles stored and personality factors involved. instructor periodically online indeﬁnitely. In any event, recorded videos should There is a caveat, however. Pre- be of a manageable length as research tend to be more effective recorded lectures can seem impersonal has shown that the attention of viewers, to students and teachers might also ﬁ nd especially that of younger ones, begins than simple slideshows. it a challenge to deliver material in an to wane after a while. A generally engaging manner since speaking into a recommended length for pre-recorded camera at length without a live audience videos for classes is around 15 minutes; requires some acting chops, as many if need be, several similarly paced clips a YouTuber can attest. A simple can be offered for sequential viewing. 22 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","Lengthy videos can seem daunting As for ofﬁ ce hours, teleconferencing supported and reduce your inbox to students who may decide not to tools such as Zoom can come in handy. trafﬁ c.” watch them at all. Speciﬁ c aids and By using these online tools teachers and Consistency is also key, especially instructions can also help students lecturers can set up appointed times in the case of more mature learners as orientate themselves during a video during which students with queries students studying online tend not to like WEANING lecture, such as timestamps that allow or problems can approach them for frequent changes in their newly adopted them to ﬁ nd key bits of information virtual tête-à-têtes or smaller group learning style, Lee argues, citing without having to scroll through the discussions, depending on the need. research. “They are happy to repeat entire video in search of them. These To set up virtual ofﬁ ce hours via video the same structure and activities,” she can be enormously helpful. conferencing tools like Zoom, Lee notes. “Once you ﬁ nd a teaching style THEM OFF Similarly, teachers ought to label councils teachers and lecturers to log working for you, feel free to repeat it learning resources they provide for in at appointed times in case students each week until you are back in your speciﬁ c subjects in the order that might come calling on them. classroom.” students should access them. That “Focus on providing social support As e-learning remains a dominant can help avoid confusion and pre-empt and checking if any issues need to form of instruction in many a Thai SWEETS a potentially frustrating experience. be addressed immediately,” she school, digital technologies place a “Simple numbering, based on the level advises. “This can be a great way variety of useful tools at the disposal of difﬁ culty or importance of each to collect student feedback on your of student and teacher alike. Through resource item, can be of great help online teaching as well. Make meetings their efﬁ cacious use these technologies for your students,” Kyungmee Lee, optional and be relaxed. No need to can now bring classrooms virtually into a lecturer in technology-enhanced be frustrated when no one shows up: homes. This will help ensure that quality Unhealthy foods are posing grave threats to the learning at Lancaster University in the students are still happy to know that this teaching carries on uninterrupted until United Kingdom, explains in an article option is available.” the pandemic ﬁ nally breathes its last so wellbeing of Thai children, but at many international with tips about teaching online. Just as importantly, Lee says, that we can all breathe easy again. “When you create quizzes, you teachers and lecturers should let their schools balanced diets are in, junk food is out should make sure all questions can students retain a measure of control be answered by referring to the over the way they prefer to learn. “You given learning resources. When you can set up online group spaces for small ask students to write a summary of groups of students and ask them to lecture videos, you should make it support and consult with one another clear that this is not a serious report,” before sending emails to you directly,” f you have taken a glance at children catching designs. Some kiddos head lies an increasingly worrisome problem. Lee recommends. “Making this as a Lee writes. “You can post a couple of in supermarkets and 7-Eleven stores straight for the refrigerators with ice Thai children consume so much mandatory assignment but a low-stakes questions to help students break the around Bangkok and elsewhere in cream or ﬁzzy beverages ﬂavoured to processed sugar in their diet that many task will produce the best outcomes ice and start conversation. Encourage Thailand, you will likely have noticed taste like strawberries, oranges and of them suffer from a variety of health and responses from students. A set of students to use the communication Ian easily recognisable pattern. cherries. problems from an early age, health 15 quiz questions or a 300-word limit tools they prefer. Some groups will Many of the young ones make beelines They then carry armfuls of sugary experts have warned. will be sufﬁ cient to engage students for click well and some will not, but this for the shelves with confectionaries treats to their parents who are usually According to a recent study, Thais 30 minutes.” little tip can make students feel socially like candies, chocolate bars and more than happy to oblige and pay for consume a whopping 28 teaspoons other sweets. These items are clearly the lot. Ah well, many parents might of processed sugar a day on average, marketed to children, their colourful sigh with a shrug of the shoulders, kids which is nearly ﬁ ve times the amount wrappings emblazoned invitingly with will be kids and all children like sweets, of six teaspoons a day recommended cartoon characters and other eye- don’t they. They do indeed and therein by the World Health Organization as the maximum. Troublingly, a steady increase in sugar consumption in Thailand over the years has been largely driven by the proliferation of sweetened foods and drinks from sweetmeats to candies and from ice cream to pearl milk tea. “The problem is ongoing and rising in severity,” Thanit Vinitchagoon, a dietitian at the Institute of Nutrition 24 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 25 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","Lengthy videos can seem daunting As for ofﬁ ce hours, teleconferencing supported and reduce your inbox to students who may decide not to tools such as Zoom can come in handy. trafﬁ c.” watch them at all. Speciﬁ c aids and By using these online tools teachers and Consistency is also key, especially instructions can also help students lecturers can set up appointed times in the case of more mature learners as orientate themselves during a video during which students with queries students studying online tend not to like WEANING lecture, such as timestamps that allow or problems can approach them for frequent changes in their newly adopted them to ﬁ nd key bits of information virtual tête-à-têtes or smaller group learning style, Lee argues, citing without having to scroll through the discussions, depending on the need. research. “They are happy to repeat entire video in search of them. These To set up virtual ofﬁ ce hours via video the same structure and activities,” she can be enormously helpful. conferencing tools like Zoom, Lee notes. “Once you ﬁ nd a teaching style THEM OFF Similarly, teachers ought to label councils teachers and lecturers to log working for you, feel free to repeat it learning resources they provide for in at appointed times in case students each week until you are back in your speciﬁ c subjects in the order that might come calling on them. classroom.” students should access them. That “Focus on providing social support As e-learning remains a dominant can help avoid confusion and pre-empt and checking if any issues need to form of instruction in many a Thai SWEETS a potentially frustrating experience. be addressed immediately,” she school, digital technologies place a “Simple numbering, based on the level advises. “This can be a great way variety of useful tools at the disposal of difﬁ culty or importance of each to collect student feedback on your of student and teacher alike. Through resource item, can be of great help online teaching as well. Make meetings their efﬁ cacious use these technologies for your students,” Kyungmee Lee, optional and be relaxed. No need to can now bring classrooms virtually into a lecturer in technology-enhanced be frustrated when no one shows up: homes. This will help ensure that quality Unhealthy foods are posing grave threats to the learning at Lancaster University in the students are still happy to know that this teaching carries on uninterrupted until United Kingdom, explains in an article option is available.” the pandemic ﬁ nally breathes its last so wellbeing of Thai children, but at many international with tips about teaching online. Just as importantly, Lee says, that we can all breathe easy again. “When you create quizzes, you teachers and lecturers should let their schools balanced diets are in, junk food is out should make sure all questions can students retain a measure of control be answered by referring to the over the way they prefer to learn. “You given learning resources. When you can set up online group spaces for small ask students to write a summary of groups of students and ask them to lecture videos, you should make it support and consult with one another clear that this is not a serious report,” before sending emails to you directly,” f you have taken a glance at children catching designs. Some kiddos head lies an increasingly worrisome problem. Lee recommends. “Making this as a Lee writes. “You can post a couple of in supermarkets and 7-Eleven stores straight for the refrigerators with ice Thai children consume so much mandatory assignment but a low-stakes questions to help students break the around Bangkok and elsewhere in cream or ﬁzzy beverages ﬂavoured to processed sugar in their diet that many task will produce the best outcomes ice and start conversation. Encourage Thailand, you will likely have noticed taste like strawberries, oranges and of them suffer from a variety of health and responses from students. A set of students to use the communication Ian easily recognisable pattern. cherries. problems from an early age, health 15 quiz questions or a 300-word limit tools they prefer. Some groups will Many of the young ones make beelines They then carry armfuls of sugary experts have warned. will be sufﬁ cient to engage students for click well and some will not, but this for the shelves with confectionaries treats to their parents who are usually According to a recent study, Thais 30 minutes.” little tip can make students feel socially like candies, chocolate bars and more than happy to oblige and pay for consume a whopping 28 teaspoons other sweets. These items are clearly the lot. Ah well, many parents might of processed sugar a day on average, marketed to children, their colourful sigh with a shrug of the shoulders, kids which is nearly ﬁ ve times the amount wrappings emblazoned invitingly with will be kids and all children like sweets, of six teaspoons a day recommended cartoon characters and other eye- don’t they. They do indeed and therein by the World Health Organization as the maximum. Troublingly, a steady increase in sugar consumption in Thailand over the years has been largely driven by the proliferation of sweetened foods and drinks from sweetmeats to candies and from ice cream to pearl milk tea. “The problem is ongoing and rising in severity,” Thanit Vinitchagoon, a dietitian at the Institute of Nutrition 24 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 25 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","","","It’s not just that people are more addicted to sugar. under Mahidol University, told The their blood lipids had high levels, Greater availability Bangkok Post. “It’s not just that people which could potentially make them are more addicted to sugar. Greater prone to developing cardiovascular availability of food gives them much diseases and diabetes over time. of food gives them easier access to the things they want to Even a tenth of children under ﬁ ve eat than in the past. The expansion of are already overweight, according to much easier access the food industry and food businesses the Department of Health. Because of also equates to a lot more sugar being such alarming rates across various age to the things they used and consumed.” groups, “Thailand ranks second in Asia Children and teenagers have hardly in terms of overall population obesity, want to eat than in been exempt from this trend. Among the topped only by Malaysia, with adults most obvious signs of excessive sugar in Thailand also battling the bulge,” the past. consumption in children are decayed Bumrungrad International Hospital teeth. Around half of schoolchildren in notes. the Kingdom have dental health issues and among ﬁ ve-year-olds more than two-thirds have decayed milk teeth, according to the Department of Health. More concerning than dental cavities are the risks of morbid obesity and early-onset diabetes among schoolchildren in a country where obesity has been on the rise and nearly ﬁ ve million people already suffer from diabetes in a nation of 69 million. A ﬁ fth of children of primary school age and more than a third of high school students can be medically classiﬁ ed as obese, according to a recent survey by the Ofﬁ ce of the Private Education Commission and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, while many of the others are overweight. The survey also found that three out of ﬁ ve children tested for 28 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","It’s not just that people are more addicted to sugar. under Mahidol University, told The their blood lipids had high levels, Greater availability Bangkok Post. “It’s not just that people which could potentially make them are more addicted to sugar. Greater prone to developing cardiovascular availability of food gives them much diseases and diabetes over time. of food gives them easier access to the things they want to Even a tenth of children under ﬁ ve eat than in the past. The expansion of are already overweight, according to much easier access the food industry and food businesses the Department of Health. Because of also equates to a lot more sugar being such alarming rates across various age to the things they used and consumed.” groups, “Thailand ranks second in Asia Children and teenagers have hardly in terms of overall population obesity, want to eat than in been exempt from this trend. Among the topped only by Malaysia, with adults most obvious signs of excessive sugar in Thailand also battling the bulge,” the past. consumption in children are decayed Bumrungrad International Hospital teeth. Around half of schoolchildren in notes. the Kingdom have dental health issues and among ﬁ ve-year-olds more than two-thirds have decayed milk teeth, according to the Department of Health. More concerning than dental cavities are the risks of morbid obesity and early-onset diabetes among schoolchildren in a country where obesity has been on the rise and nearly ﬁ ve million people already suffer from diabetes in a nation of 69 million. A ﬁ fth of children of primary school age and more than a third of high school students can be medically classiﬁ ed as obese, according to a recent survey by the Ofﬁ ce of the Private Education Commission and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, while many of the others are overweight. The survey also found that three out of ﬁ ve children tested for 28 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","Not only do Thais, including youngsters, consume way too BAD HABITS much sugar but they DIE HARD also gobble down excessive amounts of salt, which can lead xcessive sodium consumption is of especial concern in children whose daily sodium to a variety of chronic intake should not exceed between 325mg and 950mg for six- to eight-year-olds; conditions. Ebetween 400mg and 1,175mg for nine- to Schools in Thailand can go a long 12-year-olds; and between 500mg and 1,500mg for 13- to 15-year-olds, as per recommendations way towards ensuring that their students by medical experts. Meanwhile, a single bag of eat well by serving only healthful dishes potato crisps can contain more than 1,000mg of and food items on campus, such as at sodium. school cafeterias. The aim with every “Children are at risk because they aren’t meal served to youngsters should be to fully mature and if they consume high-sodium help them enjoy the beneﬁ ts of balanced food for a long time, their hearts and kidneys will diets with whole grains, fresh fruits feel the impact,” warns Assoc Prof Dr Surasak and vegetables, unsweetened or mildly Kantachuvesiri, president of The Nephrology sweetened milk products, and healthy Society of Thailand and chair of the Thai Low proteins like chicken breast and eggs. Salt Network. Encouragingly, many international With all this in mind, it is imperative that schools in Bangkok and elsewhere in the parents and teachers alike pay far more attention country offer just such diets to students to the diets of children and teenagers in order with the help of expert dieticians. to reduce their likelihood of developing chronic “Ninety-ﬁ ve percent of the items served health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, in [our] Cafeteria are home-made, hand- hypertension and kidney problems. prepared, and home-baked right on site An important step in that direction involves by our crew,” attests International School encouraging youngsters to turn their backs on Bangkok (ISB), one of the Thai capital’s treats high in processed sugar and sodium in oldest international schools which ﬁ rst “Parents have more disposable The proliferation of fast food ramen soups to barbeques. Meanwhile, favour of fresh fruits. Similarly, sugary drinks opened its doors back in 1951. income yet busier lives, with greater restaurants, donut shops, snack drinks such as bubble teas with lots of such as sodas and bubble milk teas should “We welcome a new delivery of availability of food outlets than ever bars, ice cream parlours, pizza joints sugar are a food trend too.” be declared off-limits both at home and in produce and groceries daily, hence what before. As GDP has risen in Thailand, and other purveyors of tasty but As a result, not only do Thais, school as these beverages alone contain you get is fresh and top quality. We strive so too have obesity rates,” the fattening foods in Bangkok and all including youngsters, consume way too enough processed sugar to raise the risk of to use mainly local ingredients, which Bangkok-based hospital goes on to larger urban centres has hardly helped much sugar but they also gobble down obesity, tooth decay and early-onset diabetes if not only retain the most nutrients due to explain. “There is perhaps less of an matters. Practically anywhere one excessive amounts of salt, which can consumed regularly. short distances travelled but also lessen emphasis on home-cooked meals and looks around the Thai capital, eateries lead to a variety of chronic conditions Even most fruit juices fall into the category our carbon footprint on the environment. a greater temptation to eat out, ordering like McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, such as high blood pressure and kidney of unhealthy drinks, routinely sweetened as Our offerings include Organic Produce, dishes that are higher in fat, sugar, salt and Domino’s Pizza beckon, inviting disease. On average, Thais consume they are. “Children do not need any fruit or Eggs, Jasmine, and Jasberry Rice,” ISB and calories.” prospective customers with salty, around 3,640mg of sodium, or 1.8 vegetable juice to have a balanced and healthy adds. deep-fried and other unhealthful fare. teaspoons of salt, each day, well above diet. Encouraging children to eat the whole fruit Worse: many of these eateries directly the maximum recommended amount of or vegetable, and drink plain [drinking] water or target children and teenagers through 2,300mg per day, according to a recent milk rather than juice is the best way to establish conspicuous advertising. survey commissioned by Ramathibodi good eating habits early,” explains the Better “Bangkok has become a haven for Hospital at Mahidol University. Health Channel, an Australian public service fast-food restaurants while street-food website dedicated to health-related matters. vendors still line the streets selling deep-fried snacks, often using palm oil. Today’s Asian kids are getting a taste for western convenience foods too, from burgers to pizzas and fried chicken,” Bumrungrad International Hospital says. “At the same time, there is a growing fashion for classic Asian dishes to include lots of melted cheese, from 30 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 31 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","Not only do Thais, including youngsters, consume way too BAD HABITS much sugar but they DIE HARD also gobble down excessive amounts of salt, which can lead xcessive sodium consumption is of especial concern in children whose daily sodium to a variety of chronic intake should not exceed between 325mg and 950mg for six- to eight-year-olds; conditions. Ebetween 400mg and 1,175mg for nine- to Schools in Thailand can go a long 12-year-olds; and between 500mg and 1,500mg for 13- to 15-year-olds, as per recommendations way towards ensuring that their students by medical experts. Meanwhile, a single bag of eat well by serving only healthful dishes potato crisps can contain more than 1,000mg of and food items on campus, such as at sodium. school cafeterias. The aim with every “Children are at risk because they aren’t meal served to youngsters should be to fully mature and if they consume high-sodium help them enjoy the beneﬁ ts of balanced food for a long time, their hearts and kidneys will diets with whole grains, fresh fruits feel the impact,” warns Assoc Prof Dr Surasak and vegetables, unsweetened or mildly Kantachuvesiri, president of The Nephrology sweetened milk products, and healthy Society of Thailand and chair of the Thai Low proteins like chicken breast and eggs. Salt Network. Encouragingly, many international With all this in mind, it is imperative that schools in Bangkok and elsewhere in the parents and teachers alike pay far more attention country offer just such diets to students to the diets of children and teenagers in order with the help of expert dieticians. to reduce their likelihood of developing chronic “Ninety-ﬁ ve percent of the items served health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, in [our] Cafeteria are home-made, hand- hypertension and kidney problems. prepared, and home-baked right on site An important step in that direction involves by our crew,” attests International School encouraging youngsters to turn their backs on Bangkok (ISB), one of the Thai capital’s treats high in processed sugar and sodium in oldest international schools which ﬁ rst “Parents have more disposable The proliferation of fast food ramen soups to barbeques. Meanwhile, favour of fresh fruits. Similarly, sugary drinks opened its doors back in 1951. income yet busier lives, with greater restaurants, donut shops, snack drinks such as bubble teas with lots of such as sodas and bubble milk teas should “We welcome a new delivery of availability of food outlets than ever bars, ice cream parlours, pizza joints sugar are a food trend too.” be declared off-limits both at home and in produce and groceries daily, hence what before. As GDP has risen in Thailand, and other purveyors of tasty but As a result, not only do Thais, school as these beverages alone contain you get is fresh and top quality. We strive so too have obesity rates,” the fattening foods in Bangkok and all including youngsters, consume way too enough processed sugar to raise the risk of to use mainly local ingredients, which Bangkok-based hospital goes on to larger urban centres has hardly helped much sugar but they also gobble down obesity, tooth decay and early-onset diabetes if not only retain the most nutrients due to explain. “There is perhaps less of an matters. Practically anywhere one excessive amounts of salt, which can consumed regularly. short distances travelled but also lessen emphasis on home-cooked meals and looks around the Thai capital, eateries lead to a variety of chronic conditions Even most fruit juices fall into the category our carbon footprint on the environment. a greater temptation to eat out, ordering like McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, such as high blood pressure and kidney of unhealthy drinks, routinely sweetened as Our offerings include Organic Produce, dishes that are higher in fat, sugar, salt and Domino’s Pizza beckon, inviting disease. On average, Thais consume they are. “Children do not need any fruit or Eggs, Jasmine, and Jasberry Rice,” ISB and calories.” prospective customers with salty, around 3,640mg of sodium, or 1.8 vegetable juice to have a balanced and healthy adds. deep-fried and other unhealthful fare. teaspoons of salt, each day, well above diet. Encouraging children to eat the whole fruit Worse: many of these eateries directly the maximum recommended amount of or vegetable, and drink plain [drinking] water or target children and teenagers through 2,300mg per day, according to a recent milk rather than juice is the best way to establish conspicuous advertising. survey commissioned by Ramathibodi good eating habits early,” explains the Better “Bangkok has become a haven for Hospital at Mahidol University. Health Channel, an Australian public service fast-food restaurants while street-food website dedicated to health-related matters. vendors still line the streets selling deep-fried snacks, often using palm oil. Today’s Asian kids are getting a taste for western convenience foods too, from burgers to pizzas and fried chicken,” Bumrungrad International Hospital says. “At the same time, there is a growing fashion for classic Asian dishes to include lots of melted cheese, from 30 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 31 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","HEALTHY MINDS IN HEALTHY BODIES THE (ALL-) umerous other international schools in Thailand abide by similar principles so KNOWING ONES as to ensure that their students remain healthy in mind and body thanks not only to plenty of exercise but also to healthy and balanced diets. “Beginning and following healthy eating routines from as early as possible will make for Nlifelong habits that will improve children’s lives at school and beyond and are particularly relevant at the moment as we are spending more time at home [during the pandemic],” Harrow International School Bangkok explains on its website. The acquisition of general knowledge can open up whole new worlds of possibilities for learners of all ages If anything, a quest to acquire he last person “who knew “Invited to contribute to a new everything” there was to know edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, at least a passing in his day, at least according to Young offered the following subjects: some historians of science, was Alphabet, Annuities, Attraction, Capillary acquaintance with Tthe British polymath Thomas Action, Cohesion, Colour, Dew, Egypt, Young. Born in 1773, Young proved Eye, Focus, Friction, Halo, Hieroglyphic, himself to be a precocious child who Hydraulics, Motion, Resistance, Ship, various domains of by the age of 14 had mastered both Sound, Strength, Tides, Waves, and classical Greek and Latin before he anything of a medical nature. He cumulative human went on to train and practice as a asked that all his contributions be kept physician. anonymous. While not yet thirty he knowledge should But Young was just getting started. gave a course of lectures at the Royal Blessed with a relentless intelligence, Institution covering virtually all of known be celebrated the Englishman began devoting himself science,” reads the blurb for British to physics and other cutting-edge author Andrew Robinson’s biography rather than seen ﬁ elds of science in his day, to which his of Young, appropriately titled The Last contributions would become formidable. Man Who Knew Everything. His scientiﬁ c insights would beneﬁ t “Today, in an age of professional as “selfi sh,” much such disparate ﬁ elds as optics, solid specialisation unimaginable in 1800, “Having a ‘balanced diet’ — a own. Age-appropriate and culturally self-awareness and skills to make better mechanics, physiology, linguistics, polymathy still disturbs us,” the blurb less irresponsible. healthy mixture of different kinds of sensitive learning aids can help children choices to nourish their bodies and help musical harmony, and Egyptology. goes on to posit. “Is this kind of food — is key to healthy eating. Eating and teenagers better understand the them feel their best,” the organisation Here was a man who played a curiosity selﬁ sh, even irresponsible?” a balanced diet means children get the whys and hows of healthy diets and adds. crucial part in proving the wave theory That is an odd assessment. Why nutrients they need to grow up strong instruction along these lines can begin In addition, by learning about various of light; was the ﬁ rst to describe should encyclopaedic knowledge and a and ﬁ t. A balanced diet should contain already in preschool. culinary traditions and dietary taboos, astigmatism; unlocked the workings of quest for as much knowledge in diverse three daily meals and two healthy “Lessons about optimal nutrition children can come to understand colour vision; developed the theory of ﬁ elds as possible disturb us? If anything, snacks and include a variety of foods teaches children the importance of the wonderful diversity of human capillary phenomena on the principle a quest to acquire at least a passing that contain protein, carbohydrates and taking ownership of their own health cultures in all the delicious variety of of surface tension; and devised a acquaintance with various domains of some fat and sugar, along with fruits, and encourage students to think about their gastronomic offerings. “Nutrition method (still in use) for tuning musical cumulative human knowledge should be vegetables and dairy products,” the how they feel physically and mentally education serves as an opportunity instruments. While doing all this and celebrated rather than seen as “selﬁ sh,” international school elucidates. depending on the foods they eat,” to teach children about food and plenty more, he found time to help much less irresponsible. In addition to providing them with suggests Action for Healthy Kids, a the relation to culture and family decipher the famed Rosetta Stone Any quality school should strive to nutritious meals during their school nationwide network in the United States heritage,” Action for Healthy Kids says. (before the French philologist Jean- inculcate their students with plenty of hours, educational institutions in whose mission is to create and support “Discussing culinary variances across François Champollion expanded on his general knowledge outside narrow ﬁ elds Thailand should also seek to boost initiates that promote the health of cultures helps expose children to trailblazing work), thereby unlocking of interest. By deﬁ nition, a narrow ﬁ eld youngsters’ nutrition literacy so that children. different foods and traditional practices, the linguistic key to the hitherto cryptic of view makes for a lack of perspective, they can make more informed decisions “Exploring the mind-body increasing their understanding and demotic script of ancient Egyptian which is as true of photography as it is about their dietary choices on their connection leads to students’ greater appreciation for diversity.” hieroglyphs. of intellectual life. 32 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 20212022 33 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","HEALTHY MINDS IN HEALTHY BODIES THE (ALL-) umerous other international schools in Thailand abide by similar principles so KNOWING ONES as to ensure that their students remain healthy in mind and body thanks not only to plenty of exercise but also to healthy and balanced diets. “Beginning and following healthy eating routines from as early as possible will make for Nlifelong habits that will improve children’s lives at school and beyond and are particularly relevant at the moment as we are spending more time at home [during the pandemic],” Harrow International School Bangkok explains on its website. The acquisition of general knowledge can open up whole new worlds of possibilities for learners of all ages If anything, a quest to acquire he last person “who knew “Invited to contribute to a new everything” there was to know edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, at least a passing in his day, at least according to Young offered the following subjects: some historians of science, was Alphabet, Annuities, Attraction, Capillary acquaintance with Tthe British polymath Thomas Action, Cohesion, Colour, Dew, Egypt, Young. Born in 1773, Young proved Eye, Focus, Friction, Halo, Hieroglyphic, himself to be a precocious child who Hydraulics, Motion, Resistance, Ship, various domains of by the age of 14 had mastered both Sound, Strength, Tides, Waves, and classical Greek and Latin before he anything of a medical nature. He cumulative human went on to train and practice as a asked that all his contributions be kept physician. anonymous. While not yet thirty he knowledge should But Young was just getting started. gave a course of lectures at the Royal Blessed with a relentless intelligence, Institution covering virtually all of known be celebrated the Englishman began devoting himself science,” reads the blurb for British to physics and other cutting-edge author Andrew Robinson’s biography rather than seen ﬁ elds of science in his day, to which his of Young, appropriately titled The Last contributions would become formidable. Man Who Knew Everything. His scientiﬁ c insights would beneﬁ t “Today, in an age of professional as “selfi sh,” much such disparate ﬁ elds as optics, solid specialisation unimaginable in 1800, “Having a ‘balanced diet’ — a own. Age-appropriate and culturally self-awareness and skills to make better mechanics, physiology, linguistics, polymathy still disturbs us,” the blurb less irresponsible. healthy mixture of different kinds of sensitive learning aids can help children choices to nourish their bodies and help musical harmony, and Egyptology. goes on to posit. “Is this kind of food — is key to healthy eating. Eating and teenagers better understand the them feel their best,” the organisation Here was a man who played a curiosity selﬁ sh, even irresponsible?” a balanced diet means children get the whys and hows of healthy diets and adds. crucial part in proving the wave theory That is an odd assessment. Why nutrients they need to grow up strong instruction along these lines can begin In addition, by learning about various of light; was the ﬁ rst to describe should encyclopaedic knowledge and a and ﬁ t. A balanced diet should contain already in preschool. culinary traditions and dietary taboos, astigmatism; unlocked the workings of quest for as much knowledge in diverse three daily meals and two healthy “Lessons about optimal nutrition children can come to understand colour vision; developed the theory of ﬁ elds as possible disturb us? If anything, snacks and include a variety of foods teaches children the importance of the wonderful diversity of human capillary phenomena on the principle a quest to acquire at least a passing that contain protein, carbohydrates and taking ownership of their own health cultures in all the delicious variety of of surface tension; and devised a acquaintance with various domains of some fat and sugar, along with fruits, and encourage students to think about their gastronomic offerings. “Nutrition method (still in use) for tuning musical cumulative human knowledge should be vegetables and dairy products,” the how they feel physically and mentally education serves as an opportunity instruments. While doing all this and celebrated rather than seen as “selﬁ sh,” international school elucidates. depending on the foods they eat,” to teach children about food and plenty more, he found time to help much less irresponsible. In addition to providing them with suggests Action for Healthy Kids, a the relation to culture and family decipher the famed Rosetta Stone Any quality school should strive to nutritious meals during their school nationwide network in the United States heritage,” Action for Healthy Kids says. (before the French philologist Jean- inculcate their students with plenty of hours, educational institutions in whose mission is to create and support “Discussing culinary variances across François Champollion expanded on his general knowledge outside narrow ﬁ elds Thailand should also seek to boost initiates that promote the health of cultures helps expose children to trailblazing work), thereby unlocking of interest. By deﬁ nition, a narrow ﬁ eld youngsters’ nutrition literacy so that children. different foods and traditional practices, the linguistic key to the hitherto cryptic of view makes for a lack of perspective, they can make more informed decisions “Exploring the mind-body increasing their understanding and demotic script of ancient Egyptian which is as true of photography as it is about their dietary choices on their connection leads to students’ greater appreciation for diversity.” hieroglyphs. of intellectual life. 32 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 20212022 33 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","SPECIALISATION ONLY TAKES YOU General knowledge is an important aspect of education, as it helps kids SO FAR perceive, analyse and understand the world around them and improves their social and general awareness. General knowledge allows us to see patterns and draw conclusions where people without it may see Students lacking general none. That is why having general knowledge is widely considered knowledge will be less well by experts to be a cornerstone of quality education, and not only for older learners but children as well. equipped to make informed important aspect of education, “General knowledge is an decisions and even less able to as it helps kids perceive, analyse and understand the world around offer viable solutions to problems. them and improves their social and general awareness. It is rewarding in many ways: it enriches the minds of children by improving their analytical and thinking abilities, widening their knowledge base and preparing them for life ahead,” explains the educational segment of the Indian news website Mint. f specialisation in academic pursuits In many academic disciplines “General knowledge helps comes at the expense of general specialisation is a beneﬁ t, or even a kids perform well in school knowledge, then students are at must. Yet specialisation ought to be examinations, class debates, risk of missing out on a coherent constructed on a solid foundation of entrance tests, group discussions Iand broad-based perspective of the general knowledge, which is usually and interviews, and also boosts world and their place in it. Accordingly, deﬁ ned as a competent grasp of various their conversational skills by they can end up having a limited related and unrelated subjects of study allowing them to speak on a variety understanding of real cause-and-effect — including biology, history, science, of topics with ease. This raises their relations in various facets of life such math, medicine, literature, the arts, conﬁ dence level and puts them one as society, politics, religion, philosophy and popular culture step ahead of others,” the website international affairs —that enables an individual to draw adds. and the economy. empirically sound conclusions about a Experts stress the importance Students lacking wider range of issues. of aiding children of primary school general knowledge All those subjects may sound quite age in acquiring solid basics in will be less well a challenge to study in some depth, let general knowledge in order to assist equipped to make alone master, but it is important not them in their mental development informed decisions to confuse general knowledge with an during a crucial formative period of and even less able to encyclopaedic memory of deﬁ nitions, their educational journey. General offer viable solutions dates and ﬁ gures. Rather, general knowledge also serves learners of to problems. In fact, knowledge entails a sufﬁ cient intellectual varying ages well in their various they may not even grounding in multidisciplinary domains academic pursuits, according to realise what the real of accumulated knowledge that lets us numerous studies conducted over problems are, let place issues in their proper contexts and the years. alone what causes evaluate the merits and demerits of new them. insights or old assertions while seeing the world through a more holistic lens. 34 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 35 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","SPECIALISATION ONLY TAKES YOU General knowledge is an important aspect of education, as it helps kids SO FAR perceive, analyse and understand the world around them and improves their social and general awareness. General knowledge allows us to see patterns and draw conclusions where people without it may see Students lacking general none. That is why having general knowledge is widely considered knowledge will be less well by experts to be a cornerstone of quality education, and not only for older learners but children as well. equipped to make informed important aspect of education, “General knowledge is an decisions and even less able to as it helps kids perceive, analyse and understand the world around offer viable solutions to problems. them and improves their social and general awareness. It is rewarding in many ways: it enriches the minds of children by improving their analytical and thinking abilities, widening their knowledge base and preparing them for life ahead,” explains the educational segment of the Indian news website Mint. f specialisation in academic pursuits In many academic disciplines “General knowledge helps comes at the expense of general specialisation is a beneﬁ t, or even a kids perform well in school knowledge, then students are at must. Yet specialisation ought to be examinations, class debates, risk of missing out on a coherent constructed on a solid foundation of entrance tests, group discussions Iand broad-based perspective of the general knowledge, which is usually and interviews, and also boosts world and their place in it. Accordingly, deﬁ ned as a competent grasp of various their conversational skills by they can end up having a limited related and unrelated subjects of study allowing them to speak on a variety understanding of real cause-and-effect — including biology, history, science, of topics with ease. This raises their relations in various facets of life such math, medicine, literature, the arts, conﬁ dence level and puts them one as society, politics, religion, philosophy and popular culture step ahead of others,” the website international affairs —that enables an individual to draw adds. and the economy. empirically sound conclusions about a Experts stress the importance Students lacking wider range of issues. of aiding children of primary school general knowledge All those subjects may sound quite age in acquiring solid basics in will be less well a challenge to study in some depth, let general knowledge in order to assist equipped to make alone master, but it is important not them in their mental development informed decisions to confuse general knowledge with an during a crucial formative period of and even less able to encyclopaedic memory of deﬁ nitions, their educational journey. General offer viable solutions dates and ﬁ gures. Rather, general knowledge also serves learners of to problems. In fact, knowledge entails a sufﬁ cient intellectual varying ages well in their various they may not even grounding in multidisciplinary domains academic pursuits, according to realise what the real of accumulated knowledge that lets us numerous studies conducted over problems are, let place issues in their proper contexts and the years. alone what causes evaluate the merits and demerits of new them. insights or old assertions while seeing the world through a more holistic lens. 34 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 35 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","BROADER KNOWLEDGE EQUATES children and teenagers with good That is why, in order to equip general knowledge, Willingham cautions TO HIGHER MARKS against rote learning, a practice that remains widespread in Thailand and has blighted the school days of many a longsuffering student in the country. Rather, Willingham emphasises the Building a store need for an inclusive approach that intimately intertwined with knowledge of content. When students learn facts allows for the acquisition of facts in their of knowledge they are not just acquiring grist for the proper contexts imparted in ways that mill; they are enabling the mill to operate students ﬁ nd meaningful and enjoyable works like more effectively. to learn. Background “‘Fact learning’ should not be knowledge is understood as ‘rote memorisation.’ The compound absolutely integral importance of knowledge to cognition earlier that students add to their to effectively does not mean that teachers should database of knowledge the better. This interest – deploying assign lists of facts for their students to process begins at home, long before important memorise. Facts are useful only if they children attend school,” Willingham it grows cognitive are meaningfully connected to other writes. hildren and teenagers with higher processes,” bits of knowledge,” the psychologist The sooner children start building exponentially. levels of general knowledge writes Daniel stresses in an article for The American a store of knowledge, guided by their Educator journal. parents and teachers, the better. “All invariably score higher on IQ T. Willingham, “So, fact learning should be thought teachers should take the job of teaching For that reason, tests, which indicates that a professor of psychology at the of as the kind of learning that results content to students seriously, but Clearners’ extent of general University of Virginia focuses on the When students from, for example, reading a richly this job is doubly serious for teachers knowledge is generally a good predictor application of insights from cognitive the earlier that of their level of understanding and psychology and neuroscience to K-12 learn facts they are detailed biography — not a barren in preschool and early elementary classrooms. Because of the exponential timeline of a person’s life. Teachers intellectual engagement. In one 2006 education. should include opportunities for learning rate, once children fall behind students add to study, for instance, two psychologists, Importantly, learning needs to not just acquiring students to learn new material about their peers, it becomes increasingly Adrian Furnham and Tomas Chamorro- remain an ongoing quest of joyful the world and connect it to prior difﬁ cult to catch up. These young their database Premuzic, found that general knowledge discovery for young minds, which grist for the mill; was correlated with general intelligence naturally delight in learning new things knowledge wherever possible. Mindless children can learn little, if any, material of knowledge via reading, so they must learn by drilling is not an effective vehicle for (although it does not follow that learners about the world. Hence, learning should building students’ store of knowledge,” listening to ﬁ ction and nonﬁ ction books without much general knowledge are never become a quotidian routine that they are enabling Willingham elucidates. read aloud, by watching demonstrations, the better. less intelligent). comes to be associated with a tedious Importantly, knowledge learning through hands-on experiences, and so In addition, people with a wider chore imposed on them by others the mill to operate range of interests, which is another because many students will naturally should start early on so that it can forth,” the expert observes. The beneﬁ ts for youngsters will be yield beneﬁ ts for students right from indicator of a solid basis in general be turned off by their studies over time. more effectively. the start of their educational journey. enormous, for a wealth of knowledge, knowledge, are usually also more Instead, learning ought to be conducted “Building a store of knowledge works whose foundations were acquired early open to new experiences as well in a stimulating environment integrated like compound interest — it grows on, will serve them very well indeed as being more receptive to new with a sense of fun. ideas, which is key to acquiring new exponentially. For that reason, the throughout their lives. knowledge. General knowledge customarily engenders a more holistic view of looking at the world in all its complexities, which allows for thinking in speciﬁ cs and in depth rather than in abstractions and in vague generalities. With all this in mind, educational institutions around Thailand should do well to place a marked emphasis, which they often fail to do, on providing their students with a good grounding in a variety of subjects from math to chemistry, from physics to biology, from history to literature, and from languages to music. Knowledge of these various subjects will likely serve them well in their later studies as well as in their chosen careers. “Many of the cognitive skills we want our students to develop — especially reading with understanding and successfully analysing problems — are 36 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 37 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","BROADER KNOWLEDGE EQUATES children and teenagers with good That is why, in order to equip general knowledge, Willingham cautions TO HIGHER MARKS against rote learning, a practice that remains widespread in Thailand and has blighted the school days of many a longsuffering student in the country. Rather, Willingham emphasises the Building a store need for an inclusive approach that intimately intertwined with knowledge of content. When students learn facts allows for the acquisition of facts in their of knowledge they are not just acquiring grist for the proper contexts imparted in ways that mill; they are enabling the mill to operate students ﬁ nd meaningful and enjoyable works like more effectively. to learn. Background “‘Fact learning’ should not be knowledge is understood as ‘rote memorisation.’ The compound absolutely integral importance of knowledge to cognition earlier that students add to their to effectively does not mean that teachers should database of knowledge the better. This interest – deploying assign lists of facts for their students to process begins at home, long before important memorise. Facts are useful only if they children attend school,” Willingham it grows cognitive are meaningfully connected to other writes. hildren and teenagers with higher processes,” bits of knowledge,” the psychologist The sooner children start building exponentially. levels of general knowledge writes Daniel stresses in an article for The American a store of knowledge, guided by their Educator journal. parents and teachers, the better. “All invariably score higher on IQ T. Willingham, “So, fact learning should be thought teachers should take the job of teaching For that reason, tests, which indicates that a professor of psychology at the of as the kind of learning that results content to students seriously, but Clearners’ extent of general University of Virginia focuses on the When students from, for example, reading a richly this job is doubly serious for teachers knowledge is generally a good predictor application of insights from cognitive the earlier that of their level of understanding and psychology and neuroscience to K-12 learn facts they are detailed biography — not a barren in preschool and early elementary classrooms. Because of the exponential timeline of a person’s life. Teachers intellectual engagement. In one 2006 education. should include opportunities for learning rate, once children fall behind students add to study, for instance, two psychologists, Importantly, learning needs to not just acquiring students to learn new material about their peers, it becomes increasingly Adrian Furnham and Tomas Chamorro- remain an ongoing quest of joyful the world and connect it to prior difﬁ cult to catch up. These young their database Premuzic, found that general knowledge discovery for young minds, which grist for the mill; was correlated with general intelligence naturally delight in learning new things knowledge wherever possible. Mindless children can learn little, if any, material of knowledge via reading, so they must learn by drilling is not an effective vehicle for (although it does not follow that learners about the world. Hence, learning should building students’ store of knowledge,” listening to ﬁ ction and nonﬁ ction books without much general knowledge are never become a quotidian routine that they are enabling Willingham elucidates. read aloud, by watching demonstrations, the better. less intelligent). comes to be associated with a tedious Importantly, knowledge learning through hands-on experiences, and so In addition, people with a wider chore imposed on them by others the mill to operate range of interests, which is another because many students will naturally should start early on so that it can forth,” the expert observes. The beneﬁ ts for youngsters will be yield beneﬁ ts for students right from indicator of a solid basis in general be turned off by their studies over time. more effectively. the start of their educational journey. enormous, for a wealth of knowledge, knowledge, are usually also more Instead, learning ought to be conducted “Building a store of knowledge works whose foundations were acquired early open to new experiences as well in a stimulating environment integrated like compound interest — it grows on, will serve them very well indeed as being more receptive to new with a sense of fun. ideas, which is key to acquiring new exponentially. For that reason, the throughout their lives. knowledge. General knowledge customarily engenders a more holistic view of looking at the world in all its complexities, which allows for thinking in speciﬁ cs and in depth rather than in abstractions and in vague generalities. With all this in mind, educational institutions around Thailand should do well to place a marked emphasis, which they often fail to do, on providing their students with a good grounding in a variety of subjects from math to chemistry, from physics to biology, from history to literature, and from languages to music. Knowledge of these various subjects will likely serve them well in their later studies as well as in their chosen careers. “Many of the cognitive skills we want our students to develop — especially reading with understanding and successfully analysing problems — are 36 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 37 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","MAKING THEM SMARTER Motivating students to reach their best potentials academically must be the mission of all teachers and schools uality tutoring presupposes a high trained in the formulaic analysis of many Western colleges and universities. For the past thirty bear little resemblance to actual history, than mere cavils. For proof, one only level of familiarity with various document excerpts, not in the key skill Nowadays, these commentators insist, social dynamics and human affairs. This needs to watch some of the seemingly subjects on the part of teachers. of reading widely and fast,” writes Niall many learning institutions impart laissez-faire approach to education, countless videos on YouTube wherein That, however, cannot always Ferguson, a leading British historian and carefully vetted “politically correct” years, young people which has unmoored rigorous standards perfectly normal young people in their Qbe taken for granted in Thailand, political commentator in his 2011 book learning materials — often with so- from many school curricula, has served late teens or early twenties in places like whose state-run educational Civilization: The West and the Rest. called “trigger warnings” about content at Western schools young people badly as, despite having London or Los Angeles ﬂ unk at basic system is notoriously inefﬁcient, as Ferguson and others point to an that some learners or their lecturers spent long years in school, many of questions (such as “Does the Earth demonstrated by numerous international embedded culture of misconstrued might ﬁ nd “problematic.” and universities . . . them are now unfamiliar even with the revolve around the Sun or the other way tests over the years that have seen Thai postmodernist cultural relativism and Shorn of context and perspective, most basic facts of life and history. round?”) to which even a child could students invariably wind up in the also- pseudo-intellectual egalitarianism — however, much of this material is far less Such assessments, however reasonably be expected to know the ran segments of rankings. which holds that my ignorance is just as fact- than ideology-based, modelled as have been trained in mordant at times, do seem to be more answers. Nor can it be taken for granted in valid as your knowledge or vice versa it is on some grand unifying theory of the West, where educational standards — at the liberal studies departments of history, society or human relations that the formulaic analysis have been plummeting, especially in countries such as the United States of document excerpts, where students also tend to perform OECD PISA 2018 MEAN RESULTS THAILAND abysmally on standardised international (CONDENSED) tests. According to the latest PISA not in the key skill rankings from 2018, for instance, Countries Reading Science Mathematics 66/78 591 590 555 1 B-S-J-Z* (China) 1 th students from the US ranked 36 in 2 Singapore 549 551 569 Reading of reading widely 2 3 th math and 13 in reading out of 79 3 Macao (China) 525 544 558 1st B-S-J-Z* (China) 4 4 Hong Kong (China) 517 524 551 countries and regions surveyed for 5 Estonia 520 530 523 78th Philippines and fast. 5 523 6 518 6 Canada 512 Data not available from Spain the test — and this in a country that 7 Finland 520 522 507 7 8 spent nearly $15,000 per public school 8 Ireland 518 496 500 Science 52/79 9 9 Korea 519 526 514 511 512 10 Poland student a year on average during that 10 506 499 516 1st B-S-J-Z* (China) 11 Sweden 502 11 same period. 12 506 508 494 79th Dominican Republic 12 New Zealand 13 United States Some scholars and observers 13 505 502 478 14 504 14 United Kingdom 502 505 529 15 have blamed what they have seen as a 15 Japan 504 503 527 Mathematics 56/79 503 16 491 16 Australia steady erosion of common knowledge, 17 503 516 531 1st B-S-J-Z* (China) 17 Chinese Taipei 501 18 Denmark and even common sense, for such 18 499 493 509 79th Dominican Republic 19 19 Norway 490 501 20 poor showings in Western nations such 20 Germany 498 503 500 56 440 438 415 60 Malaysia as the United States. “For the past 60 408 431 430 Note: *B-S-J-Z refers to Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Brunei Darussalam Zhejiang 67 Thailand thirty years, young people at Western 66 393 426 419 **Countries are ranked in descending order of the 73 73 Indonesia 396 371 379 357 78 Philippines schools and universities . . . have been 78 340 487 353 average reading score (focus of Pisa 2018) 489 489 OECD Average Source: OECD Pisa 2018 Database BKPgraphics 38 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 39 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","MAKING THEM SMARTER Motivating students to reach their best potentials academically must be the mission of all teachers and schools uality tutoring presupposes a high trained in the formulaic analysis of many Western colleges and universities. For the past thirty bear little resemblance to actual history, than mere cavils. For proof, one only level of familiarity with various document excerpts, not in the key skill Nowadays, these commentators insist, social dynamics and human affairs. This needs to watch some of the seemingly subjects on the part of teachers. of reading widely and fast,” writes Niall many learning institutions impart laissez-faire approach to education, countless videos on YouTube wherein That, however, cannot always Ferguson, a leading British historian and carefully vetted “politically correct” years, young people which has unmoored rigorous standards perfectly normal young people in their Qbe taken for granted in Thailand, political commentator in his 2011 book learning materials — often with so- from many school curricula, has served late teens or early twenties in places like whose state-run educational Civilization: The West and the Rest. called “trigger warnings” about content at Western schools young people badly as, despite having London or Los Angeles ﬂ unk at basic system is notoriously inefﬁcient, as Ferguson and others point to an that some learners or their lecturers spent long years in school, many of questions (such as “Does the Earth demonstrated by numerous international embedded culture of misconstrued might ﬁ nd “problematic.” and universities . . . them are now unfamiliar even with the revolve around the Sun or the other way tests over the years that have seen Thai postmodernist cultural relativism and Shorn of context and perspective, most basic facts of life and history. round?”) to which even a child could students invariably wind up in the also- pseudo-intellectual egalitarianism — however, much of this material is far less Such assessments, however reasonably be expected to know the ran segments of rankings. which holds that my ignorance is just as fact- than ideology-based, modelled as have been trained in mordant at times, do seem to be more answers. Nor can it be taken for granted in valid as your knowledge or vice versa it is on some grand unifying theory of the West, where educational standards — at the liberal studies departments of history, society or human relations that the formulaic analysis have been plummeting, especially in countries such as the United States of document excerpts, where students also tend to perform OECD PISA 2018 MEAN RESULTS THAILAND abysmally on standardised international (CONDENSED) tests. According to the latest PISA not in the key skill rankings from 2018, for instance, Countries Reading Science Mathematics 66/78 591 590 555 1 B-S-J-Z* (China) 1 th students from the US ranked 36 in 2 Singapore 549 551 569 Reading of reading widely 2 3 th math and 13 in reading out of 79 3 Macao (China) 525 544 558 1st B-S-J-Z* (China) 4 4 Hong Kong (China) 517 524 551 countries and regions surveyed for 5 Estonia 520 530 523 78th Philippines and fast. 5 523 6 518 6 Canada 512 Data not available from Spain the test — and this in a country that 7 Finland 520 522 507 7 8 spent nearly $15,000 per public school 8 Ireland 518 496 500 Science 52/79 9 9 Korea 519 526 514 511 512 10 Poland student a year on average during that 10 506 499 516 1st B-S-J-Z* (China) 11 Sweden 502 11 same period. 12 506 508 494 79th Dominican Republic 12 New Zealand 13 United States Some scholars and observers 13 505 502 478 14 504 14 United Kingdom 502 505 529 15 have blamed what they have seen as a 15 Japan 504 503 527 Mathematics 56/79 503 16 491 16 Australia steady erosion of common knowledge, 17 503 516 531 1st B-S-J-Z* (China) 17 Chinese Taipei 18 Denmark 501 and even common sense, for such 18 499 493 509 79th Dominican Republic 501 490 19 19 Norway 20 poor showings in Western nations such 20 Germany 498 503 500 56 440 438 60 Malaysia 415 as the United States. “For the past 60 408 431 430 Note: *B-S-J-Z refers to Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Brunei Darussalam Zhejiang 67 Thailand thirty years, young people at Western 66 393 426 419 **Countries are ranked in descending order of the 396 371 73 Indonesia 379 73 78 357 schools and universities . . . have been 78 Philippines 340 487 353 average reading score (focus of Pisa 2018) 489 OECD Average 489 Source: OECD Pisa 2018 Database BKPgraphics 38 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 39 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","‘NEVER SOCIAL ENGINEERING HEARD OF IT’ BREAKDOWN What happens in the schools is that teachers grade, in many cases, not on the objective result but on relative ome young people in Britain to what the teacher thinks “have never heard of [seminal events in European history]… Recently one young patient [of your ability was. Smine] had heard of the Second Young people, World War [but] thought it took place in the eighteenth century,” explains unaware of Theodore Dalrymple, an English prison physician, psychiatrist and even recent prominent social commentator, writing in an article in City Journal, a public policy magazine published events of history by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research in New York. that happened “In the prevailing circumstances of total ignorance, I was impressed within living that he had heard of the eighteenth century,” Dalrymple observes memory, have acerbically. “The name Stalin means nothing to these young people and been left adrift does not even evoke the faint ringing of a bell, as the name Shakespeare (sometimes) does. To them, 1066 is without so more likely to mean a price than a date.” much as the The sad result, according to Dalrymple, is that young people, crudest basics unaware of even recent events of his type of social engineering result but on relative to what the teacher educational system. Rather than strive history that happened within living of knowledge to approach to education has thinks your ability was.” for equality of opportunity for students memory, have been left adrift without a noble objective in mind — As a result, by aiming for the lowest (which is to say that all children and so much as the crudest basics of namely the equal empowerment common denominator, what schools youngsters should be afforded the same knowledge to anchor them. “Thus anchor them. Tof all students regardless end up doing is not empowering their or at least similar chances and means are the young condemned to live in an eternal present, a present which of their academic abilities or students but rather tacitly endorsing to better themselves), many schools merely exists, without connection to a achievements. However, such academic mediocrity as an appropriate benchmark and educators have fallen back on the past which might explain it or to a future “mollycoddling” has had a disastrous for all youngsters, argues British blunt levelling tool of seeking equality which might develop from it,” the social consequence on the quality of journalist and author Melanie Phillips in of outcome, whereby all students are commentator notes. education at many Western institutions her controversial book All Must Have rewarded regardless of their levels of “Theirs is truly a life of one damned where students have fallen far behind Prizes, a damning analysis of the British dedication and attainment. thing after another. Likewise, they are those from China, Japan, Singapore, deprived of any reasonable standards South Korea and elsewhere in academic of comparison by which to judge Sowell has detected a similar state and aptitude tests of all kinds from their woes. They believe themselves of affairs at educational institutions STEM subjects all the way down to deprived, because the only people with in the United States. Sowell, one of basic literacy. whom they can compare themselves are the country’s most prominent and “If you’re going to base self-esteem those who appear in advertisements or widely quoted Black commentators, on performance,” Sowell notes in a on television,” Dalrymple adds. is vehemently against a major trend in lecture available on YouTube, “it cannot Harsh words, yes. Yet Dalrymple is Western education to dispense with be equal because performance is never hardly alone in bemoaning a perceived quantiﬁ able measurements of students’ going to be equal. So all you get in malaise that has seen educational achievements and educational progress terms of self-esteem is make-believe standards plummet over the years. in relation to one another so as to spare equality. And of course, what happens American economist, social theorist laggards embarrassment and help in the schools is that [teachers] grade, and political philosopher Thomas preserve their “self-esteem.” in many cases, not on the objective 40 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 41 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","‘NEVER SOCIAL ENGINEERING HEARD OF IT’ BREAKDOWN What happens in the schools is that teachers grade, in many cases, not on the objective result but on relative ome young people in Britain to what the teacher thinks “have never heard of [seminal events in European history]… Recently one young patient [of your ability was. Smine] had heard of the Second Young people, World War [but] thought it took place in the eighteenth century,” explains unaware of Theodore Dalrymple, an English prison physician, psychiatrist and even recent prominent social commentator, writing in an article in City Journal, a public policy magazine published events of history by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research in New York. that happened “In the prevailing circumstances of total ignorance, I was impressed within living that he had heard of the eighteenth century,” Dalrymple observes memory, have acerbically. “The name Stalin means nothing to these young people and been left adrift does not even evoke the faint ringing of a bell, as the name Shakespeare (sometimes) does. To them, 1066 is without so more likely to mean a price than a date.” much as the The sad result, according to Dalrymple, is that young people, crudest basics unaware of even recent events of his type of social engineering result but on relative to what the teacher educational system. Rather than strive history that happened within living of knowledge to approach to education has thinks your ability was.” for equality of opportunity for students memory, have been left adrift without a noble objective in mind — As a result, by aiming for the lowest (which is to say that all children and so much as the crudest basics of namely the equal empowerment common denominator, what schools youngsters should be afforded the same knowledge to anchor them. “Thus anchor them. Tof all students regardless end up doing is not empowering their or at least similar chances and means are the young condemned to live in an eternal present, a present which of their academic abilities or students but rather tacitly endorsing to better themselves), many schools merely exists, without connection to a achievements. However, such academic mediocrity as an appropriate benchmark and educators have fallen back on the past which might explain it or to a future “mollycoddling” has had a disastrous for all youngsters, argues British blunt levelling tool of seeking equality which might develop from it,” the social consequence on the quality of journalist and author Melanie Phillips in of outcome, whereby all students are commentator notes. education at many Western institutions her controversial book All Must Have rewarded regardless of their levels of “Theirs is truly a life of one damned where students have fallen far behind Prizes, a damning analysis of the British dedication and attainment. thing after another. Likewise, they are those from China, Japan, Singapore, deprived of any reasonable standards South Korea and elsewhere in academic of comparison by which to judge Sowell has detected a similar state and aptitude tests of all kinds from their woes. They believe themselves of affairs at educational institutions STEM subjects all the way down to deprived, because the only people with in the United States. Sowell, one of basic literacy. whom they can compare themselves are the country’s most prominent and “If you’re going to base self-esteem those who appear in advertisements or widely quoted Black commentators, on performance,” Sowell notes in a on television,” Dalrymple adds. is vehemently against a major trend in lecture available on YouTube, “it cannot Harsh words, yes. Yet Dalrymple is Western education to dispense with be equal because performance is never hardly alone in bemoaning a perceived quantiﬁ able measurements of students’ going to be equal. So all you get in malaise that has seen educational achievements and educational progress terms of self-esteem is make-believe standards plummet over the years. in relation to one another so as to spare equality. And of course, what happens American economist, social theorist laggards embarrassment and help in the schools is that [teachers] grade, and political philosopher Thomas preserve their “self-esteem.” in many cases, not on the objective 40 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 41 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","REMEMBERING YOUR PLACE “This attitude sprang from the many years in the classroom as Mr These observers belief in equality of outcomes. Instead Adams, I found myself consistently oungsters, they argue, should be trend of seeking to spare students taught about the world and their their blushes when it comes to lower nodding as I read this book,” one of of everyone having the same chances are calling for a in life, or equality of opportunity, it them wrote in his review of Adams’ place in it in ways that let them academic achievements. “After a couple of decades of treating children absorb new knowledge to the book. “His students are not the ordained that all should enjoy identical return to basics: beneﬁ ts, regardless of behaviour or problem. The problem is a society that Ybest of their abilities based on as if they were fragile as tissue paper, rigorous teaching and testing standards the net result is that Johnny can’t has not done enough to help young other circumstances,” Phillips explains. a tougher, “The doctrine became a general cultural people become their best selves.” in a holistic manner. Teachers should read and can’t think but often has a presumptuousness that deep thinkers be free to challenge less motivated orthodoxy. In education it destroyed No doubt other educators in the US students for their own sake by goading, call maturity,” he writes. no-nonsense the idea of meritocracy, because that and the UK would disagree with such urging and encouraging them to do Sowell, who was born in 1930 in New “It wasn’t always like this,” explains stark assessments, which they may created winners and losers and the better and improve themselves. In so very idea of losers was regarded as ﬁ nd exaggerated or outright wrong. approach to discriminatory and unfair,” she adds. What commentators such as Sowell, doing, teachers will do these students a York’s Harlem. “My English teacher in junior high school was from the favour, according to Sowell, who rejects Phillips and Adams do, however, is not Across the Atlantic, Jeremy S. teaching along with Adams, a highly respected educator just cavil, carp and criticise but offer the “prevailing dogma in education General Patton school of education. You could be any colour of the rainbow that students must feel good about who has taught both high school solutions about how to ﬁ x a fundamental beefed-up curricula and college students, has sounded a problem they perceive: a general themselves and that stress must be and she would still give you hell if you didn’t shape up,” he elucidates. “These avoided at all cost.” similar warning. In his newly published erosion of educational standards. teachers weren’t cruel. What would In his book Compassion Versus These observers are calling for a that best serve book, Hollowed Out: A Warning about return to basics: a tougher, no-nonsense Guilt and Other Essays, Sowell warns have been cruel would have been to America’s Next Generation, Adams against the prevailing educational jolly us along and send us out into the argues that many of today’s youth in approach to teaching along with beefed- the interests of the United States have become “digital up curricula that best serve the interests world unprepared.” In emphasising the need for of students. hermits” who have developed a heavy students. dependence on social media and have teachers to motivate, inspire and What would have challenge all students, especially less little interest in traditional forms of knowledge, which has led them to be academically gifted or well-adjusted alienated and generally ill-informed. ones, Sowell speaks from personal been cruel would “Their curiosity seems stunted, experience. Like many youngsters their reason undeveloped, their values growing up in the ghettos of New York have been to jolly us uninformed, their knowledge lacking, during an era when systematic racism and most worrying of all, their humanity was very much a part of life for Blacks along and send us diminished,” writes the educator, who is like him in the United States, Sowell a social studies teacher at Bakersﬁ eld faced signiﬁ cant disadvantages during out into the world High School in California and a political his early life. Despite coming from a science lecturer at California State family where no one had managed to th University. study beyond the 6 grade, Sowell unprepared. Numerous teachers have reached managed to enrol in a prestigious high similar conclusions. “Having spent as school in New York. 42 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 43 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","REMEMBERING YOUR PLACE “This attitude sprang from the many years in the classroom as Mr These observers belief in equality of outcomes. Instead Adams, I found myself consistently oungsters, they argue, should be trend of seeking to spare students taught about the world and their their blushes when it comes to lower nodding as I read this book,” one of of everyone having the same chances are calling for a in life, or equality of opportunity, it them wrote in his review of Adams’ place in it in ways that let them academic achievements. “After a couple of decades of treating children absorb new knowledge to the book. “His students are not the ordained that all should enjoy identical return to basics: beneﬁ ts, regardless of behaviour or problem. The problem is a society that Ybest of their abilities based on as if they were fragile as tissue paper, rigorous teaching and testing standards the net result is that Johnny can’t has not done enough to help young other circumstances,” Phillips explains. a tougher, “The doctrine became a general cultural people become their best selves.” in a holistic manner. Teachers should read and can’t think but often has a presumptuousness that deep thinkers be free to challenge less motivated orthodoxy. In education it destroyed No doubt other educators in the US students for their own sake by goading, call maturity,” he writes. no-nonsense the idea of meritocracy, because that and the UK would disagree with such urging and encouraging them to do Sowell, who was born in 1930 in New “It wasn’t always like this,” explains stark assessments, which they may created winners and losers and the better and improve themselves. In so very idea of losers was regarded as ﬁ nd exaggerated or outright wrong. approach to discriminatory and unfair,” she adds. What commentators such as Sowell, doing, teachers will do these students a York’s Harlem. “My English teacher in junior high school was from the favour, according to Sowell, who rejects Phillips and Adams do, however, is not Across the Atlantic, Jeremy S. teaching along with Adams, a highly respected educator just cavil, carp and criticise but offer the “prevailing dogma in education General Patton school of education. You could be any colour of the rainbow that students must feel good about who has taught both high school solutions about how to ﬁ x a fundamental beefed-up curricula and college students, has sounded a problem they perceive: a general themselves and that stress must be and she would still give you hell if you didn’t shape up,” he elucidates. “These avoided at all cost.” similar warning. In his newly published erosion of educational standards. teachers weren’t cruel. What would In his book Compassion Versus These observers are calling for a that best serve book, Hollowed Out: A Warning about return to basics: a tougher, no-nonsense Guilt and Other Essays, Sowell warns have been cruel would have been to America’s Next Generation, Adams against the prevailing educational jolly us along and send us out into the argues that many of today’s youth in approach to teaching along with beefed- the interests of the United States have become “digital up curricula that best serve the interests world unprepared.” In emphasising the need for of students. hermits” who have developed a heavy students. dependence on social media and have teachers to motivate, inspire and What would have challenge all students, especially less little interest in traditional forms of knowledge, which has led them to be academically gifted or well-adjusted alienated and generally ill-informed. ones, Sowell speaks from personal been cruel would “Their curiosity seems stunted, experience. Like many youngsters their reason undeveloped, their values growing up in the ghettos of New York have been to jolly us uninformed, their knowledge lacking, during an era when systematic racism and most worrying of all, their humanity was very much a part of life for Blacks along and send us diminished,” writes the educator, who is like him in the United States, Sowell a social studies teacher at Bakersﬁ eld faced signiﬁ cant disadvantages during out into the world High School in California and a political his early life. Despite coming from a science lecturer at California State family where no one had managed to th University. study beyond the 6 grade, Sowell unprepared. Numerous teachers have reached managed to enrol in a prestigious high similar conclusions. “Having spent as school in New York. 42 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 43 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","","","NOT AMUSED A time-honoured tradition of initiation at Thai colleges and universities The truth is that most student performance can routinely does far more be traced less to the quality of teachers than to harm than good. It is time children’s socioeconomic backgrounds. for it to stop, its critics say. At most local higher educational institutions around Thailand months-long rub nong (“welcoming young ones”) initiation activities for freshmen form part of the country’s SOTUS tradition, whose origins lie in a militaristic educational milieu from half a century ago. SOTUS initiation rites are meant to inculcate ﬁ rst-year students with the core values of their new school by teaching them discipline, At age 17, however, he had to drop Sowell took his studies very Yet often teachers and schools, ome of the ﬁrst lessons freshmen at Thai respect for their seniors and loyalty to their school. out, compelled by chronic ﬁ nancial seriously and proved himself so however effective, can only do so high schools, colleges and universities Much of it is harmless tomfoolery. Some common initiation difﬁ culties and family problems. He held academically successful that he much to educate children and set them often learn involve activities that have rites can be humiliating and outright sadistic, however, when they a variety of menial jobs before he was gained admission to Harvard on the right paths, Adams cautions. nothing to do with their studies proper. become little more than an excuse for seniors to subject new drafted into the army at age 21 during University, from where he graduated What is also needed for youngsters SThey may need to clap their hands for students to various hazing rituals as teachers look the other way. the Korean War during which he served magna cum laude in 1958 with a to reach their full potentials is a hours on end while chanting their school’s or “The idea is to teach discipline, but the means are often very as a Marine Corps photographer. Yet Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. family environment conducive to their team’s theme song. They may have to perform abusive. SOTUS empowers upperclassmen to act like bullies,” Sowell did not abandon his intention A year later he earned a master’s development. “I know that heroism push-ups or engage in other gruelling physical explains Keerati Panmanee, a university graduate in his early 30s to study. “[W]hen I ﬁ nally got myself degree from Columbia University in in the classroom is possible, that a tasks, often beyond the point of endurance. who helped launch a social media campaign against the tradition together to go to college, I was able to New York. His success was in large single teacher can be a transcendent They may be coerced into obeying any nearly a decade ago while still a student. His small group of score higher on the English portion of part thanks to that strong-willed and ﬁ gure for a child — a guide to a path instructions, however sophomoric, without the likeminded volunteers runs an “anti-SOTUS” page on Facebook the entrance exam than the average dedicated English teacher in high of knowledge rather than ignorance, slightest of complaints. where they have some 200,000 followers and where they document Harvard student,” he recalls apropos school who put her charges through achievement rather than aimlessness, These activities are hardly edifying and the acts of bullying in Thai schools based on testimonials from students. of his way into Howard University, a their paces relentlessly. human engagement rather than human reason for them lies in a time-honoured tradition “SOTUS empowers upperclassmen to act like bullies,” historically Black college in Washington, “Ms Simon had done her job,” neglect,” he argues. that may seem like a valuable part of initiation Keerati adds. DC, where he attended night classes Sowell says. “Who knows where I “But it is both misguided and for freshmen but routinely degenerates into Panuwat Songsawatchai, a young liberal politician and a while working by day. would be if she hadn’t?” arrogant to believe that school faculties outright abuse and bullying at the hands of their vocal critic of Thailand’s SOTUS tradition, learned that at his own and services can supplant families seniors. That tradition is SOTUS, an acronym expense. Shortly after enrolling in a high school, he was instructed and neighbourhoods. Classrooms are that stands for “Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity by a group of upperclassmen to perform a task that involved ﬁ lling places of impermanence, of transition and Spirit.” up a bucket with sweat. from one class, one grade, to another. One’s family, whether united or broken, whether you like it or not, is forever,” he writes. “The truth is that most student performance can be traced less to the quality of teachers than to children’s socioeconomic backgrounds. The most effective way to improve education is to have strong families supported by a strong economy,” Adams stresses. 46 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 47 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","NOT AMUSED A time-honoured tradition of initiation at Thai colleges and universities The truth is that most student performance can routinely does far more be traced less to the quality of teachers than to harm than good. It is time children’s socioeconomic backgrounds. for it to stop, its critics say. At most local higher educational institutions around Thailand months-long rub nong (“welcoming young ones”) initiation activities for freshmen form part of the country’s SOTUS tradition, whose origins lie in a militaristic educational milieu from half a century ago. SOTUS initiation rites are meant to inculcate ﬁ rst-year students with the core values of their new school by teaching them discipline, At age 17, however, he had to drop Sowell took his studies very Yet often teachers and schools, ome of the ﬁrst lessons freshmen at Thai respect for their seniors and loyalty to their school. out, compelled by chronic ﬁ nancial seriously and proved himself so however effective, can only do so high schools, colleges and universities Much of it is harmless tomfoolery. Some common initiation difﬁ culties and family problems. He held academically successful that he much to educate children and set them often learn involve activities that have rites can be humiliating and outright sadistic, however, when they a variety of menial jobs before he was gained admission to Harvard on the right paths, Adams cautions. nothing to do with their studies proper. become little more than an excuse for seniors to subject new drafted into the army at age 21 during University, from where he graduated What is also needed for youngsters SThey may need to clap their hands for students to various hazing rituals as teachers look the other way. the Korean War during which he served magna cum laude in 1958 with a to reach their full potentials is a hours on end while chanting their school’s or “The idea is to teach discipline, but the means are often very as a Marine Corps photographer. Yet Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. family environment conducive to their team’s theme song. They may have to perform abusive. SOTUS empowers upperclassmen to act like bullies,” Sowell did not abandon his intention A year later he earned a master’s development. “I know that heroism push-ups or engage in other gruelling physical explains Keerati Panmanee, a university graduate in his early 30s to study. “[W]hen I ﬁ nally got myself degree from Columbia University in in the classroom is possible, that a tasks, often beyond the point of endurance. who helped launch a social media campaign against the tradition together to go to college, I was able to New York. His success was in large single teacher can be a transcendent They may be coerced into obeying any nearly a decade ago while still a student. His small group of score higher on the English portion of part thanks to that strong-willed and ﬁ gure for a child — a guide to a path instructions, however sophomoric, without the likeminded volunteers runs an “anti-SOTUS” page on Facebook the entrance exam than the average dedicated English teacher in high of knowledge rather than ignorance, slightest of complaints. where they have some 200,000 followers and where they document Harvard student,” he recalls apropos school who put her charges through achievement rather than aimlessness, These activities are hardly edifying and the acts of bullying in Thai schools based on testimonials from students. of his way into Howard University, a their paces relentlessly. human engagement rather than human reason for them lies in a time-honoured tradition “SOTUS empowers upperclassmen to act like bullies,” historically Black college in Washington, “Ms Simon had done her job,” neglect,” he argues. that may seem like a valuable part of initiation Keerati adds. DC, where he attended night classes Sowell says. “Who knows where I “But it is both misguided and for freshmen but routinely degenerates into Panuwat Songsawatchai, a young liberal politician and a while working by day. would be if she hadn’t?” arrogant to believe that school faculties outright abuse and bullying at the hands of their vocal critic of Thailand’s SOTUS tradition, learned that at his own and services can supplant families seniors. That tradition is SOTUS, an acronym expense. Shortly after enrolling in a high school, he was instructed and neighbourhoods. Classrooms are that stands for “Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity by a group of upperclassmen to perform a task that involved ﬁ lling places of impermanence, of transition and Spirit.” up a bucket with sweat. from one class, one grade, to another. One’s family, whether united or broken, whether you like it or not, is forever,” he writes. “The truth is that most student performance can be traced less to the quality of teachers than to children’s socioeconomic backgrounds. The most effective way to improve education is to have strong families supported by a strong economy,” Adams stresses. 46 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 47 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","SOTUS SHAME lder students ordered us freshmen into a room and then closed all the doors and windows so that no breeze could come in. It was Ohot and stuffy in there,” Panuwat recalled in an interview with a foreign newspaper. “They forced us to keep doing push-ups until our sweat began pooling on the ﬂoor. Our task was to ﬁll up a bucket with our sweat by mopping it up with clothes and squeezing it out into the bucket.” The experience was gruelling Students can opt out of such around the volleyball court on campus the army, where young people are and constituted a form of torture by activities, but if they do they risk during cheerleading practice in muggy coerced to follow instructions, no any deﬁ nition. Yet it did not turn him being belittled and ostracised by their evening heat. matter how senseless, or face corporal immediately against SOTUS. Later on, classmates and others. “SOTUS is Reportedly, she had been told by punishment,” Pravit explained. now a senior student himself, Panuwat supposed to unite us, but it can do the her seniors to keep running laps until “What hope do we have for One irony of the SOTUS tradition is that despite helped inﬂ ict the same kind of ordeal opposite,” recalled a female student she collapsed. She was rushed to democratic culture in Thailand when hospital in a state of shock but died of who recently graduated from cultural on freshmen, tormenting them the say what is nurtured is for people to obey becoming victims of hazing many first-year way he had himself been tormented. “I management at a Thai university. “After heart failure in the emergency room. without question?” the journalist wondered. “Democratic culture has to This past May, meanwhile, a student I refused to join in some activities as engaged in hazing myself. I have to be of civil engineering at Rajamangala honest about that,” he admitted. a freshman, my classmates wouldn’t be nurtured and it cannot survive when students continue to embrace such initiation university, he found himself being speak to me. Some still don’t.” University of Technology in Bangkok many people prefer an autocratic culture But then, when he enrolled in a arrived at his school in what appeared which passes off tradition as necessary One irony of the SOTUS tradition is rituals, seeing them as an integral part of subjected to a similar ordeal yet again. that despite becoming victims of hazing to be good health. Shortly thereafter, discipline.” many ﬁ rst-year students continue to “I was hazed again as a freshman there he was carried out unconscious, only to becoming a college or university student. too,” he recalls. “I started speaking out embrace such initiation rituals, seeing die of pulmonary embolism in hospital. them as an integral part of becoming a A dozen fellow students confessed to against SOTUS. I realised this tradition wasn’t right.” college or university student. They may having subjected him to a hazing ritual Many other young Thais have even turn their backs on other ﬁ rst-year before he passed out, according to reached the same conclusion. Yet students who oppose SOTUS-style police. cries for help often fall on deaf ears initiation. Despite such tragedies, the SOTUS within an educational system that “Students perpetuate this system tradition carries on at many Thai values conformity and deference by turning on those who oppose it. schools, colleges and universities. Yet over individuality and independence, SOTUS is a system within a system,” it is high time this ill-advised school according to anti-SOTUS activists. observes Rattapoom Kotchapong, a custom ended once and for all, its critics “Teachers often turn a blind eye and former schoolteacher who works as stress. many students who do the hazing think a private tutor in Bangkok. “From an “This perennial [custom] of brutality, they’re doing a good thing by teaching early age, Thai children are taught to be masquerading as a proud tradition, juniors respect and humility,” Keerati blindly obedient,” he elucidates. “Then will certainly claim more lives in the notes. “I used to think so, too.” as they get older, they mimic the adult future. Besides more needless deaths, As a result, many newly enrolled society around them. But this hurts such a practice inculcates a deep- ﬁ rst-year students ﬁ nd themselves students and it hurts their ability to grow rooted autocratic culture and culture in an environment that to all intents as persons.” of violence,” Pravit Rojanaphruk, and purposes resembles improvised Now and again SOTUS-style a prominent journalist and social boot camps where they are required activities cause nationwide outrage, commentator, argued in a recent to endure humiliation and engage in usually when a student suffers serious commentary published in Khaosod exacting physical activities, often until physical harm or dies as a result. In English, a Thai online publication. they can bear it no longer. Some of the August last year a 19-year-old girl “It is similar to hazing within the tasks assigned to students, both male newly enrolled at a university in Phuket armed forces faced by some mandatory and female, can be explicitly degrading. collapsed after being forced to run military conscripts, particularly in 48 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 49 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","SOTUS SHAME lder students ordered us freshmen into a room and then closed all the doors and windows so that no breeze could come in. It was Ohot and stuffy in there,” Panuwat recalled in an interview with a foreign newspaper. “They forced us to keep doing push-ups until our sweat began pooling on the ﬂoor. Our task was to ﬁll up a bucket with our sweat by mopping it up with clothes and squeezing it out into the bucket.” The experience was gruelling Students can opt out of such around the volleyball court on campus the army, where young people are and constituted a form of torture by activities, but if they do they risk during cheerleading practice in muggy coerced to follow instructions, no any deﬁ nition. Yet it did not turn him being belittled and ostracised by their evening heat. matter how senseless, or face corporal immediately against SOTUS. Later on, classmates and others. “SOTUS is Reportedly, she had been told by punishment,” Pravit explained. now a senior student himself, Panuwat supposed to unite us, but it can do the her seniors to keep running laps until “What hope do we have for One irony of the SOTUS tradition is that despite helped inﬂ ict the same kind of ordeal opposite,” recalled a female student she collapsed. She was rushed to democratic culture in Thailand when hospital in a state of shock but died of who recently graduated from cultural on freshmen, tormenting them the say what is nurtured is for people to obey becoming victims of hazing many first-year way he had himself been tormented. “I management at a Thai university. “After heart failure in the emergency room. without question?” the journalist wondered. “Democratic culture has to This past May, meanwhile, a student I refused to join in some activities as engaged in hazing myself. I have to be of civil engineering at Rajamangala honest about that,” he admitted. a freshman, my classmates wouldn’t be nurtured and it cannot survive when students continue to embrace such initiation university, he found himself being speak to me. Some still don’t.” University of Technology in Bangkok many people prefer an autocratic culture But then, when he enrolled in a arrived at his school in what appeared which passes off tradition as necessary One irony of the SOTUS tradition is rituals, seeing them as an integral part of subjected to a similar ordeal yet again. that despite becoming victims of hazing to be good health. Shortly thereafter, discipline.” many ﬁ rst-year students continue to “I was hazed again as a freshman there he was carried out unconscious, only to becoming a college or university student. too,” he recalls. “I started speaking out embrace such initiation rituals, seeing die of pulmonary embolism in hospital. them as an integral part of becoming a A dozen fellow students confessed to against SOTUS. I realised this tradition wasn’t right.” college or university student. They may having subjected him to a hazing ritual Many other young Thais have even turn their backs on other ﬁ rst-year before he passed out, according to reached the same conclusion. Yet students who oppose SOTUS-style police. cries for help often fall on deaf ears initiation. Despite such tragedies, the SOTUS within an educational system that “Students perpetuate this system tradition carries on at many Thai values conformity and deference by turning on those who oppose it. schools, colleges and universities. Yet over individuality and independence, SOTUS is a system within a system,” it is high time this ill-advised school according to anti-SOTUS activists. observes Rattapoom Kotchapong, a custom ended once and for all, its critics “Teachers often turn a blind eye and former schoolteacher who works as stress. many students who do the hazing think a private tutor in Bangkok. “From an “This perennial [custom] of brutality, they’re doing a good thing by teaching early age, Thai children are taught to be masquerading as a proud tradition, juniors respect and humility,” Keerati blindly obedient,” he elucidates. “Then will certainly claim more lives in the notes. “I used to think so, too.” as they get older, they mimic the adult future. Besides more needless deaths, As a result, many newly enrolled society around them. But this hurts such a practice inculcates a deep- ﬁ rst-year students ﬁ nd themselves students and it hurts their ability to grow rooted autocratic culture and culture in an environment that to all intents as persons.” of violence,” Pravit Rojanaphruk, and purposes resembles improvised Now and again SOTUS-style a prominent journalist and social boot camps where they are required activities cause nationwide outrage, commentator, argued in a recent to endure humiliation and engage in usually when a student suffers serious commentary published in Khaosod exacting physical activities, often until physical harm or dies as a result. In English, a Thai online publication. they can bear it no longer. Some of the August last year a 19-year-old girl “It is similar to hazing within the tasks assigned to students, both male newly enrolled at a university in Phuket armed forces faced by some mandatory and female, can be explicitly degrading. collapsed after being forced to run military conscripts, particularly in 48 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022 49 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","BREAKING THE ICE POSITIVELY hat is not to say, however, that all Other fun-ﬁ lled activities as part traditional forms of initiation and of welcoming activities for ﬁ rst-year welcoming ceremonies at Thai students can likewise enrich the universities ﬁt this description. experiences of these newly enrolled TDuring sports days at institutions students — so long as the activities such as Chulalongkorn University and remain free of coercion, humiliation Thammasat University in Bangkok, and bullying, which have come to be teams ﬁelded by their faculties compete associated with the SOTUS tradition in a variety of good-spirited sporting over the years. events, which helps participants bond Thai universities can easily reclaim and develop closer emotional ties to a moral high ground in this area: all their fellow students, their faculty and they will need to do is create a truly their institution. welcoming environment for all their As students usually come from students while ensuring that SOTUS- various cultural and socioeconomic style intimidation, mistreatment and backgrounds, events like sports days bullying among students cease for good. can serve a useful function in helping them get to know one another and build team spirit in a fun atmosphere of mutual respect and collegiality. In fact, in recognition of the importance of physical activities in building team Events like sports days spirit among students and teachers, the United Nations Educational, can serve a useful function Scientiﬁ c and Cultural Organization has the International Day of University Sport. in helping students get designated September 18 each year as “Dialogue, self-respect and respect for others, fair play and pursuit of to know one another and excellence are all framing principles of student training,” explains Audrey build team spirit in a fun Azoulay, UNESCO’s director-general. “Education and sport need to be at atmosphere of mutual the core of our societies, and this Day provides a forum to highlight the respect and collegiality. social role of universities and their curricula by making sport available to all and encouraging people to exercise regularly.” 50 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022","BREAKING THE ICE POSITIVELY hat is not to say, however, that all Other fun-ﬁ lled activities as part traditional forms of initiation and of welcoming activities for ﬁ rst-year welcoming ceremonies at Thai students can likewise enrich the universities ﬁt this description. experiences of these newly enrolled TDuring sports days at institutions students — so long as the activities such as Chulalongkorn University and remain free of coercion, humiliation Thammasat University in Bangkok, and bullying, which have come to be teams ﬁelded by their faculties compete associated with the SOTUS tradition in a variety of good-spirited sporting over the years. events, which helps participants bond Thai universities can easily reclaim and develop closer emotional ties to a moral high ground in this area: all their fellow students, their faculty and they will need to do is create a truly their institution. welcoming environment for all their As students usually come from students while ensuring that SOTUS- various cultural and socioeconomic style intimidation, mistreatment and backgrounds, events like sports days bullying among students cease for good. can serve a useful function in helping them get to know one another and build team spirit in a fun atmosphere of mutual respect and collegiality. In fact, in recognition of the importance of physical activities in building team Events like sports days spirit among students and teachers, the United Nations Educational, can serve a useful function Scientiﬁ c and Cultural Organization has the International Day of University Sport. in helping students get designated September 18 each year as “Dialogue, self-respect and respect for others, fair play and pursuit of to know one another and excellence are all framing principles of student training,” explains Audrey build team spirit in a fun Azoulay, UNESCO’s director-general. “Education and sport need to be at atmosphere of mutual the core of our societies, and this Day provides a forum to highlight the respect and collegiality. social role of universities and their curricula by making sport available to all and encouraging people to exercise regularly.” 50 INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION 2021-2022",""];