The Effective Implementation of Child-centered Learning in a Child-friendly Environment

Mantariga Witoonchat
Thailand

The transition to child-centered learning at Meanprasatwittaya School began in 1994 when the Principal decided to adopt this method of learning after a series of visits to foreign countries. The first and most important step was to introduce the concept of child-centered learning to the teachers. The teachers became facilitators of the learning process as well as active learners themselves. Up to the present day, Meanprasatwittaya School has hosted more than forty workshops incorporating all aspects of child-centered education. The school delivers the National Curriculum using themes rather than separate subjects. Instruction is also integrated among various subject areas at all grade levels. The school aims to deliver a balanced education incorporating intellectual, physical and spiritual development. The learning atmosphere demonstrates warm relationships between students and students as well as students and teachers.

Meanprasatwittaya School has also been very progressive in other areas such as:

Special needs integration

There are at present over 120 students with learning disabilities ranging from Autism, Down syndrome, Hyperactivity and other disabilities that study in the regular classroom.

Parent and community participation

There is a strong sense of involvement in all aspects of the school management.

The school follows the principle that learning is a lifelong process and experience has shown that the students develop important learning processes that are essential tools for their future development.

At present, Meanprasatwittaya School is one of the pilot schools chosen to implement the New Basic Education Curriculum taken from the National Education Act 1999. In the first year it is being used for Grades 1, 4, 7 and 10. This new curriculum gives the school a much broader scope as it is designed to be flexible and allows the school to decide the curriculum content.