"Forward thinking" Thai school bans homework - director believes Finland model is better

 

 

One of Thailand's oldest and most respected schools in Bangkok has created a big stir by banning homework.

 

Wat Bowonniwet School in Banglamphoo teaches boys in secondary.

 

The director said from the start of the next school year in May there will be no homework. They plan to promote more activities outside the classroom rather than giving their students so much extra work to do at home.

 

The director told Channel 7 that he had received so many complaints from the students themselves that homework was ruining their lives, making them stressed and causing them not to want to go to school. They didn't even understand their homework.

 

Many were doing 3 hours a night and that meant they couldn't do other things they were interested in.

 

The director said that he had studied education models in Finland where students - even sixth formers - get virtually no homework and where the children are much happier.

 

 

And, tellingly, where educational standards are among the highest in the whole world.

 

The media said the online "No Homework School" announcement has caused some incredulity but also resulted in much praise from parents for the school's forward thinking.

 

Wat Bowonniwet School has 234 students and 31 teachers, said Channel 7. The school is 127 years old and has survived the reigns of six Chakri Dynasty kings since the time of Rama V.

 

Thaivisa notes that the Finnish education system featured heavily in Michael Moore's film "Where to Invade Next".

 

Students in the European country, where standards are about the best in the world, didn't even understand the concept of homework because they hardly ever had to do any. They understood that time out of school was meant to be spent with family and on other activities.

 

Even sixth formers - weighed down with homework in most education systems - got just 20 minutes a day, they said in the movie.

 

However, what the Channel 7 report did not mention but what also featured in Michael Moore's film is that teacher training in Finland is extremely extensive.

 

For a Finnish model to work in most Thai schools, teacher training would need to be stepped up dramatically, notes Thaivisa.

 

Source: Channel 7

 

 

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'strewth, I was doing three hours a night in sixth form, and would never have got to university without it.

Well there you are. They did not even understand how to do the homework. So it is a waste from the beginning. Teacher teach not knowing how to do or how to teach. 

Edited February 20, 20206 yr by holy cow cm

They didn't even understand their homework.

 

What a pathetic school

So no homework they just get more Dumber than they currently are, Kids of today ok mum home early no homework on to the computer games

Edited February 20, 20206 yr by whiteman

in the USA more than 20 years ago the workload in public and private schools exploded.

you kept up or fell by the way side.

i was dating a woman with a 14 year old daughter who was top in her class and she was so stressed she was on medication.

but that is how it is now. Thailand is so far behind.

Staying home watching Youtube is probably more educating than many schools here.

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

They didn't even understand their homework.

Then the problem lies with the teaching of the subject matter, not doing homework. 

I can't disagree with that. Research has shown there are very little benefits to regular homework in terms of academic attainment. Extra - curricular activities such as sports, music, art and design etc can offer far more social and intellectual development.

 

The school that I taught at in England gave no formal homework apart from a small humanities based project each term (3 a year). Students were also required to read regularly and fill in a reading record.

 

The international school where I work in Bangkok require the students to have maths, spellings, English and reading homework each week. This all obviously has to be marked by myself too ????. In particular, the Thai parents in my class request more work for their children to do at home and regularly email me for stuff. Jeez, just let the kids have a life outside of school!  

So they take one little piece from a good education system and think this makes everything better when all the rest is still rotten. He might also think putting gasoline in an ox makes him walk 80 mph.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

However, what the Channel 7 report did not mention but what also featured in Michael Moore's film is that teacher training in Finland is extremely extensive.

 

For a Finnish model to work in most Thai schools, teacher training would need to be stepped up dramatically, notes Thaivisa.

That was EXACTLY what I immediately thought after reading of director Ketsomchart Areemitr's decision to introduce the "Finnish model" at his esteemed school. Thank you, ThaiVisa, for pointing this out as well. Now, please, forward your observations to both Ch7 and the director -- I'm quite sure they're not aware of the fact that "no homework" is inextricably linked to and hinged on "superior teacher training".

 

While I am totally in favor of easing - or even eliminating - students' homework burden and replace it with activities that stimulate their minds and bodies, thus making their lives more enjoyable and less stressful, it is all for nought if the teaching quality during regular school hours is abysmally bad.  

 

As famous and reputable as Mr. Areemitr's school may be, he already indirectly admitted that the quality of his educators is lacking by saying that his pupils...

2 hours ago, webfact said:

...didn't even understand their homework.

That hardly would be possible if the school's teacher body were up to par. The entire point of homework is to recap the lessons and deepen the understanding of the subjects that were administered. If students "don't even understand their homework" something must be going horribly wrong at that school -- no matter how "respected" it is.     

Edited February 20, 20206 yr by Misterwhisper

There are also NO private schools in Finland, guaranteeing common resourcing levels across all schools. I'll be interested to see how abolishing private schools plays out with the Thai elite

2 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Staying home watching Youtube is probably more educating than many schools here.

I think Bugs Bunny is.

1 hour ago, BobbyL said:

I can't disagree with that. Research has shown there are very little benefits to regular homework in terms of academic attainment. Extra - curricular activities such as sports, music, art and design etc can offer far more social and intellectual development.

 

The school that I taught at in England gave no formal homework apart from a small humanities based project each term (3 a year). Students were also required to read regularly and fill in a reading record.

 

The international school where I work in Bangkok require the students to have maths, spellings, English and reading homework each week. This all obviously has to be marked by myself too ????. In particular, the Thai parents in my class request more work for their children to do at home and regularly email me for stuff. Jeez, just let the kids have a life outside of school!  

I agree, homework is essentially worthless.

Even more worthless in Thailand as only 1 person in the class does the homework and everyone else copies.

6 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

... how abolishing private schools plays out with the Thai elite

doing so would get in the way of molding their "trophy children"

I see. So. The results of Thai students in internatioal standings are disastrous, so naturally, they will stop giving homework.

 

Obviously.

 

And they didn't understand their homework, which means they didn't understand their classwork, so stop giving homework.

 

Obviously.

 

And they really wonder why Thai students do so badly? Really? I don't, and I've taught at a well-known school. The students are a complete shambles, with the exception of a very small minority who take their education seriously. A *very* small minority. The rest are clowns whose parents think that school fees are the price of a pass certificate, not a part of the price of a good education.

 

Edited February 20, 20206 yr by ParkerN

kids should be able to relax in their free time

 

finland is a good example

 

would thai kids play their phone, probalby

They didn't even understand their homework.

 

The students, the teachers or both?

1 hour ago, Flugg said:

He might also think putting gasoline in an ox makes him walk 80 mph.

... well, getting One thing correct, is better than nothing (unless he forgot the match) ???? 

3 hours ago, whiteman said:

So no homework they just get more Dumber than they currently are, Kids of today ok mum home early no homework on to the computer games

homework does not equal knowledge. Do you know this difference between declarative and procedural knowledge? Learning skills? Learning how to apply knowledge? Can't be done by rote learning. This is a step in the right direction.

The focus of most comments in this thread seem to be focused on teaching with little mention of learning.

 

Learning is a collaborative process not just the responsibility of one person or dependent on one strategy … it required a blended approach.

 

Learning is no longer something that just happens in early years but needs to be a lifelong activity .… 'lifelong learning' 

The Strategy in the article may well work … it depends on what the traditional homework is replaced with … if it encourages the child to be more responsible for their own learning, to become independent learners, to be able to collaborate more easily, to be better researchers, to be able to quantify their own personal learning networks (PLN) .… then that would be brilliant.

… and while we are here .… try a Google search for 'The Flipped Classroom' … of even check it on Youtube ????

 

 

 

 

At last 1 teacher with insight about how you get the smartest kids to learn

The thai education system is a disaster - maybe others will follow and teacher training to get the most done in the classroom - if a teacher is doing the job well - no need for homework

3 hours ago, BobbyL said:

I can't disagree with that. Research has shown there are very little benefits to regular homework in terms of academic attainment. Extra - curricular activities such as sports, music, art and design etc can offer far more social and intellectual development.

 

The school that I taught at in England gave no formal homework apart from a small humanities based project each term (3 a year). Students were also required to read regularly and fill in a reading record.

 

The international school where I work in Bangkok require the students to have maths, spellings, English and reading homework each week. This all obviously has to be marked by myself too ????. In particular, the Thai parents in my class request more work for their children to do at home and regularly email me for stuff. Jeez, just let the kids have a life outside of school!  

Very well said. Read my column next Sunday (The Week That Was) when I intend to comment at length on this issue.

 

Rooster

do kids still read books?

2 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

That was EXACTLY what I immediately thought after reading of director Ketsomchart Areemitr's decision to introduce the "Finnish model" at his esteemed school. Thank you, ThaiVisa, for pointing this out as well. Now, please, forward your observations to both Ch7 and the director -- I'm quite sure they're not aware of the fact that "no homework" is inextricably linked to and hinged on "superior teacher training".

 

While I am totally in favor of easing - or even eliminating - students' homework burden and replace it with activities that stimulate their minds and bodies, thus making their lives more enjoyable and less stressful, it is all for nought if the teaching quality during regular school hours is abysmally bad.  

 

As famous and reputable as Mr. Areemitr's school may be, he already indirectly admitted that the quality of his educators is lacking by saying that his pupils...

That hardly would be possible if the school's teacher body were up to par. The entire point of homework is to recap the lessons and deepen the understanding of the subjects that were administered. If students "don't even understand their homework" something must be going horribly wrong at that school -- no matter how "respected" it is.     

Yeh, exactly. The 'Thai visa notes' comment was my own (as the translator) as this is an issue that, like you, I feel very strongly about. I will make more comments on this on Sunday in The Week That Was.

 

Thanks for your post.

 

Rooster

What a great idea no homework Now they can play with there mobile phones a lot more. Who cares if they dont do homework. Everybody passes in Thailand. I reckon the next best thing is for the students to stay home and do nothing and the teachers can do all their homework and tests. Kids dont need to learn anything do they? Just make them more lazier than they are now 

5 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Then the problem lies with the teaching of the subject matter, not doing homework. 

Exactly, it's not the quantity it's the quality..

homework was meant to teach students to work on their own initiative at home, then grade their effort when handing in work.

Like most things it got out of control and became another way to make up for what was not being taught in the classroom during normal hours!

 

A good idea. 

However this would be as a second step. 

Step 1 is what Channel 7 did not mention (or did not dare to mention)..... 

Training of Teachers. ????

The Finland is obviously well known for the achievements in their schools....the success with not having students do homework is also making great progress.

It no doubt suits this director to follow suit....unfortunately, he forgets that the students need to be taught in the first instance....something he and the education department doesn't know anything about.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The director said that he had studied education models in Finland

Why go to Finland to find what already exists in Japan or Korea which are two Asian countries.
It seems to me that it would be easier to transcribe in Thailand what is practiced in highly educated countries like the two countries mentioned above.
I am not sure that asking Thai children and parents to put themselves in the Korean school system,  they'll like it very much ..

 

Japan and Korea are known for their very strict discipline. Something completely unknown in Thailand.

I very often pass by primary and secondary schools in Thailand when I cycle on my MTBike ;
whatever the hour it's a big mess 

Edited February 20, 20206 yr by Assurancetourix