Class hours cut to make time for ‘good values and living skills’

[webfact]

Class hours cut to make time for ‘good values and living skills’
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Obec

BANGKOK: -- Students in 3,000 of the 38,000 state schools nationwide will have two-hours of class time cut and replaced with more productive extracurricular activities under the Ministry of Education’s “Teach Less, Learn More” pilot programme.

The strategy was introduced by the new Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan who stated that classroom hours in Thai schools are among the world’s highest. Students in elementary schools have to endure 1,000 hours of class time a year, whilst secondary schools have 1,200 hours of classes a year. This is as a stark contrast to secondary schools in developed countries where students spend 800 hours in class.

Under the new plan, the hours for academic classes will be cut from 30-35 hours a week to 22 hours a week for elementary schools and from 35 to 27 hours for secondary schools. Classes will finish earlier at 2pm so that the last two hours can be used for extracurricular activities. Students can choose which activity they want to do.

These activities will be divided into 3 categories: encouraging learning capability, cultivating attributes and good values, and enhancing working and living skills. Each activity comprises 13 activities, for instance, communication and thinking development, vocational training, use of technology and upholding the values of the nation.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/10/05/class-hours-cut-make-time-good-values-and-living-skills


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-10-05

[Inn Between]

I'd suggest using the time for learning English instead, but since the Thai education system has a terrible record of doing that, why bother unless they truly revamp the whole approach to create truly effective English language teaching? And that's the last thing the government wants. All part of the ongoing dumbing-down process, I'm afraid.

My suspicion is that how the students use this "extracurricular activity" time won't be monitored very closely and the great majority will have their eye's glued to their favourite device, playing their favourite games and chatting inanely with their buddies.

[worgeordie]

"Teach less,Learn more, whoever thought that slogan up needs to return

to school,as it does not make sense.

Working parents are going to have their kids running the streets,as it will

not be possible for them to be collected.I can see a lot more juvenile

delinquents developing ,as idle hands .......

regards Worgeordie

[Emster23]

Considering how little is actually taught at the schools, perhaps this is a good thing. Might pick up some learning in the somewhat "real world". Doubtful, but you never know.....

[mrwebb8825]

My fellow “farang” and I are putting together an English Club with voluntary enrollment. We're calling it "Little America" (even though my colleague is British). We'll have "Movie Day" to include critiquing as they get better in English, a music venue for listening and discussion, a proper library (as much as we can swing out here in the provinces) and skits/short plays to offer a dramatic outlet to assist learning and speaking/pronunciation practice in a lighthearted session.

Participation will be mandatory but enrollment, as I said, will be voluntary.

The rules are going to be very simple and straightforward ~ when you enter "The Club" you'll have left Thailand and entered America where no one speaks Thai. Everything is to be done 100% in English.

We teach at a government mathayom school so we KNOW that 98% of the students can't hold a meaningful conversation in English. It'll be a grind at the very least and a complete joy at best.

We both have realistic outlooks on how things will go and do NOT expect miracles overnight.

I know the haters are going to hate this idea but hey, I AM a teacher and this seems like it may well be an opportunity to help the aspiring students with no pressure on them.

[jacky54]

'values of the Nation' ? part of the problem surely

[diehard60]

Learning language skills would be better. especially going into the world market. All this is going to do is give more free time to the LAZY Thai teachers.

[oneday]

...and the Thai educational system continues to devolve.

[allane]

It is too bad that they aren't taught "good values" by their parents, but given that they aren't, this isn't an entirely bad idea. However, it does beg the question of who is going to do the teaching.

[oztaurus]

Thai gf, kindergarten teacher saw me reading this article and first words were "won't work .... more like teach more - learn less in Thailand"

[waldroj]

The top-down approach to reform in the country appears to have now been extended to the classroom. It has been reported that the PM has thrown his support behind the plan to reduce classroom hours in public schools nationwide in order to make time for good values and living skills. There is even a hackneyed slogan that bears all the hallmarks of the PMs creativity, Teach Less, Learn More

The reason for the change, according to new Education Minister, General Dapong Ratanasuwan, is that classroom hours in Thai schools are among the worlds highest. If thats so, we cant blame the good general, hes new to the job - the 17th Education Minister in the past 14 years which, in itself should be flagging a problem within the system!

The new plan will see weekly class time for secondary students reduced from 35 hours to 27 hours (and proportional reductions for elementary kids) in 3,000 pilot schools (about 8% of state schools nationwide). But it is still unclear if the students get to nick off early or have to stay on the school grounds!

Instead of formal class work, they will now be required to spend those saved hours doing an extracurricular activity of their choice from 3 categories (with 13 activities in each category). In a country whose culture does not encourage independent thinking and decision making, having to choose from 39 activities may pose quite a challenge for some students!

As reported elsewhere, the results of a recent poll of 2,089 kids by Chulalongkorn University, suggested that 76.4% agree with the cuts to class time, and the extracurricular classes after school. According to the report, the main reason polled students expressed their support was that they believed this would provide a break from hard studies, and thus "make them happier at school".

However, the students may be in for a rude shock, as the PM has stressed that teachers must be able to integrate all compulsory curriculum within the shorter class times - which does not look good for the stress levels of both teachers and students.

Other than that, there may be a problem finding enough teachers to monitor the sheer number of extracurricular activities. Another concern, already reported, is that students with poor grades may lag behind their friends as a result of shorter class times.

While this initiative seems popular with students, there seems to be no reaction from teachers in state schools. It would be interesting to have their views reported.

Finally, is there any mechanism to roll back the changes if they fail to show any measurable success?

[Doc46]

Thai school hours are amongst the Highest,,,,,You know what,,,They are not high enough,,,,they still learn Nothing,can't speak one sentence of English ,,,CAN play with phone,,,

[bangon04]

'values of the Nation' ? part of the problem surely

In my observations, saluting the flag and parading and singing the anthem is one of the more efficient parts of the teaching programme in Thailand.

[DavisH]

The top-down approach to reform in the country appears to have now been extended to the classroom. It has been reported that the PM has thrown his support behind the plan to reduce classroom hours in public schools nationwide in order to make time for good values and living skills. There is even a hackneyed slogan that bears all the hallmarks of the PMs creativity, Teach Less, Learn More

The reason for the change, according to new Education Minister, General Dapong Ratanasuwan, is that classroom hours in Thai schools are among the worlds highest. If thats so, we cant blame the good general, hes new to the job - the 17th Education Minister in the past 14 years which, in itself should be flagging a problem within the system!

The new plan will see weekly class time for secondary students reduced from 35 hours to 27 hours (and proportional reductions for elementary kids) in 3,000 pilot schools (about 8% of state schools nationwide). But it is still unclear if the students get to nick off early or have to stay on the school grounds!

Instead of formal class work, they will now be required to spend those saved hours doing an extracurricular activity of their choice from 3 categories (with 13 activities in each category). In a country whose culture does not encourage independent thinking and decision making, having to choose from 39 activities may pose quite a challenge for some students!

As reported elsewhere, the results of a recent poll of 2,089 kids by Chulalongkorn University, suggested that 76.4% agree with the cuts to class time, and the extracurricular classes after school. According to the report, the main reason polled students expressed their support was that they believed this would provide a break from hard studies, and thus "make them happier at school".

However, the students may be in for a rude shock, as the PM has stressed that teachers must be able to integrate all compulsory curriculum within the shorter class times - which does not look good for the stress levels of both teachers and students.

Other than that, there may be a problem finding enough teachers to monitor the sheer number of extracurricular activities. Another concern, already reported, is that students with poor grades may lag behind their friends as a result of shorter class times.

While this initiative seems popular with students, there seems to be no reaction from teachers in state schools. It would be interesting to have their views reported.

Finally, is there any mechanism to roll back the changes if they fail to show any measurable success?

It's unlikely that all schools will be able to offer 39 afternoon activities. What if my class of 20 m4 students each want to do a different activity? It seems 5 or 6 is a more reasonable number. If indeed there is no change in the curriculum, I see a large number of afternoon activities involving the maths / science. There is actually not enough time to teach the content to a sufficient depth, especially in the upper high school.

At the end of the day, it's not the number of hours that is important, it is the quality of teaching/learning that goes on in those hours. If quality of teaching does not change, students will probably learn less under the new system. Kids will be happier, so I guess that is the most important thing

[Redline]

Sex, drinking, video games, texting~oh to be young again.

[luckydog1]

The principle of teach less, learn more often means the teacher setting students a task which requires them to use critical and constructive thinking to accomplish a set task Far cry from

fote learning as it requires a fair degree of initiative. A class exercise using this principle could mean students devote more time working on the exercise than the teacher does in teaching. It also give the students a greater feeling of ownershiip after they have completed the exercise. It works. I know. I use it.

.

[duckmandon]

"These activities will be divided into 3 categories:

encouraging learning capability: Learn how to spend more time on smart phone or tablet

cultivating attributes and good values: Learning how to scheme to create more income.

enhancing working and living skill: Learning how to look like your working when your not.

[graemeaylward]

The article is about state schools, but the picture cannot possibly be a state school, because the children are not wearing standard "state" uniform. Also it would appear that there are empty desks indicating a class size under 50! At my step daughter's state school, there are often not enough desks and chairs for the 52 students. Another strange thing about the photo is that it looks as though the pupils may have been asked to interact and have actually been given permission to answer a ..............oh what is it called.......... a question?????? Surely not ..... in a state school!!!!!!!

[wanderluster]

keep the majority of thais stupid so that the rich can control and benifit from them

[SheungWan]

The principle of teach less, learn more often means the teacher setting students a task which requires them to use critical and constructive thinking to accomplish a set task Far cry from

fote learning as it requires a fair degree of initiative. A class exercise using this principle could mean students devote more time working on the exercise than the teacher does in teaching. It also give the students a greater feeling of ownershiip after they have completed the exercise. It works. I know. I use it.

Ah yes, the UK initiative whereby the teacher becomes the 'facilitator' as the students take 'ownership' of the learning exercise. More commonly known as the FOFO method.

[Nobb]

These children should be taught living skills at home. Will the Thai teachers get a reduction in there salaries for the less time in actually teaching the students?

[attrayant]

I remember high school (35 years ago) in the USA was six core subjects (English, Math, Science, History) and two electives. So with this initiative it sounds like they are introducing the "elective" subjects that students can choose from.

When I went to high school the most popular electives were an assortment of foreign languages, wood shop (usually boys), home economics (usually girls) and a few technical/vocational clubs like photography, technical drafting or offset printing. But all of these things require significant investment in equipment. I just don't see that happening here. More than likely, they students will choose an elective, then sit in a room while a Thai teacher talks at them for an hour about some sleep-inducing topic like morality.

I feel sorry for the students. There's so much money in this education system that could be used for good, and to make education really fun and interesting.

Edited October 12, 2015 by attrayant