I was fortunate to be hosted by Dr Omsin Jatuporn from Chiang Mai University for this leg of my study tour. His publications about Place-Based Education align with the purpose of my Fellowship and he was very responsive to my request to visit.
Omsin asked me to run a workshop exploring the socio-cultural contexts of education for staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students for the Faculty of Education. I presented official information about our national Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) curriculum, but also shared insights regarding the political nature of Australian history and classroom realities. It was a pleasant surprise to have Dr Helen Hanna, a fellow Churchill Fellow from the UK, attend.
The audience’s reflections were the highlight. For example, we drew links between learning about local Lanna history within a centralised history curriculum set by Bangkok, with learning about South Australian history under our national curriculum. I especially appreciated the students sharing how they are grappling with the Thai Social Studies curriculum, which showed they are thinking deeply about their identities and practice as pre-service teachers. Many universal themes emerged despite our different contexts.
The University arranged for me to learn more about Wat Ket Karam Municipal School's approach to multicultural education. Students at this primary school come from at least 10 ethnic groups, such as the Hmong people. The staff spoke passionately about their strategies for helping all students to accept themselves and accept others, and how valuing their communities' cultural heritage is integral to this ethos. For observation I participated in a Year 4 class learning about the Dara-Ang people, while in a Year 2 class I ran an activity about Australian animals.
This brings my week in Thailand to a close. All of my hosts have been exceptionally welcoming and generous with their time and expertise. With Thailand being the closest of my destinations to home, I look forward to building upon the connections I have made in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. In closing, almost every person I spoke to in Thailand expressed concern about the bushfires in Australia and asked me to pass on their best wishes.
Now onward to Spain!
Special thank yous:
The audience’s reflections were the highlight. For example, we drew links between learning about local Lanna history within a centralised history curriculum set by Bangkok, with learning about South Australian history under our national curriculum. I especially appreciated the students sharing how they are grappling with the Thai Social Studies curriculum, which showed they are thinking deeply about their identities and practice as pre-service teachers. Many universal themes emerged despite our different contexts.
The University arranged for me to learn more about Wat Ket Karam Municipal School's approach to multicultural education. Students at this primary school come from at least 10 ethnic groups, such as the Hmong people. The staff spoke passionately about their strategies for helping all students to accept themselves and accept others, and how valuing their communities' cultural heritage is integral to this ethos. For observation I participated in a Year 4 class learning about the Dara-Ang people, while in a Year 2 class I ran an activity about Australian animals.
This brings my week in Thailand to a close. All of my hosts have been exceptionally welcoming and generous with their time and expertise. With Thailand being the closest of my destinations to home, I look forward to building upon the connections I have made in Chiang Mai and Bangkok. In closing, almost every person I spoke to in Thailand expressed concern about the bushfires in Australia and asked me to pass on their best wishes.
Now onward to Spain!
Special thank yous:
- Dr Omsin Jatuporn, Associate Professor Charin Mangkhang, Anne, Jaeng, Nang, Gap, Kei, and others from the Faculty of Education, Chiang Mai University
- Director Mrs Witima Kanyayon, Deputy Director Miss Jongkolnee Rotpurijinda, teacher Mrs Kamoncanok Tammatikul, and students at Wat Ket Karam Muncipal School