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Thursday, 05 February 2009 14:50 |
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The students of Kindergarten 1, Class Two, with Teacher Nathalie, have
so much to talk about when they go back home!
They know all about the life cycle of the butterfly after a fun but
intensive two week project. They have been very active and their
enthusiasm was the best reward for the teachers! For example, in class
we worked with the excellent book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". We
made a story board from that book and played games! We sang a
'homemade' caterpillar song. We made different crafts. We had our own
cocoon with its caterpillar and waited for it to turn into a
butterfly. But they were not real, so we went outside every day for
a week to look for the real things! We were so lucky that there was a
tree full of white fluffy caterpillars eating up all the leaves!
Students had to count and record the caterpillars and butterflies they
saw every day. What a great way to learn, while taking in some fresh air
and enjoying nature!
We are now watching our seeds growing into plants. We need to
remember all those new words, but most of all, not to forget to water
them just the right amount!
Until next time, keep learning and having fun,
Teacher Nathalie |
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Wednesday, 04 February 2009 14:12 |
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Recently 50 grade 1 and 2 students took a trip to Saai Gaew Beach in Nakhon Sri Thammarat to study various types of soil and to visit the Saai Gaew Beach Museum. To help supervise, and enjoy some beach themselves, teachers Simon, Susan, Kris, Jiab, Nok, Suwanee, and Chris went along.
When we arrived, the students were separated into 6 different groups and were asked to collect samples of sand, garden soil and clay. Each group then conducted its own experiment draining water through the different soil types. We discovered that the sand provided the fastest and most effective drainage, while the clay gave the least effective drainage, allowing almost no water to pass through it. After the students recorded the results of their experiments in their Field Trip books, we enjoyed lunch on the beach.
Go look at all of full size pictures in our photo gallery.
After lunch, we had a look at the Saai Gaew Beach Museum. The museum has 2 rooms full of different historical artifacts, such as traditional weapons, clay pots, animal skeletons and animal traps. We asked the students to draw a picture of 2 different items from the museum and to determine what material the item was made from (pots made of clay, glass made from sand etc..).
From the museum, we walked back to the beach where the children had an hour or so of free time to play and swim. After this, we all made sandcastles together. Some of the castles were quite elaborate, incorporating sticks, shells and even the students themselves.
We returned to school that afternoon, a little bit darker and a little bit wiser. |
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Wednesday, 04 February 2009 14:05 |
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Sithammarat Suksa School is committed to teacher development and often sends teachers for training, conferences or developmental seminars. This is in addition to our continual in-house training, counseling and observations. They have shown this once again by sending a group of representatives to the “Four Corners Seminar” presented by Cambridge University Press.
Through this seminar we learned about using Critical Thinking, Communicative and Creative approaches to teaching. We also picked up activities to use in the classroom as well as how to use “real world” texts to apply specific learning outcomes. As with any conference we were able to meet other professionals, talk about how good our school is, and pick up new ‘buzz' words. Perhaps just as importantly we learned that we have an excellent staff, and that our in-house training had covered several of the main topics presented (go T. Mac!!). And, of course, we learned what new and improved ESL books are on the market from Cambridge. The teachers involved have shared there knowledge with the rest of the staff and hopefully the students will benefit from the privilege the school has afforded the English teachers. |
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Wednesday, 04 February 2009 15:34 |
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“I think one of the most interesting school functions I have attended this year is a hiking trip led by students”, says teacher Mac. In Thailand, boy scouting is a regular academic study for all students. As a culminating activity this year, students in Mattayom 2 participated in a ten-kilometer hike around the beautiful park located just behind the school. Along the way, students participated in many fun activities including walking across a stream on a narrow pole, swimming in a nearby river, building a fire and many other fun games sponsored by the Thai teachers. This activity turned out to be a great way for me to learn more about Thai culture and learn more about the daily lives of my students outside of English program.
Check out these pictures in our gallery.
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Tuesday, 27 January 2009 10:23 |
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Science class in the English Program is always a place of discovery and excitement. Here we take science to a tangible level by performing numerous academic, yet fun, experiments. Every unit we teach is made more cohesive through hands on learning activities that really solidify the topic for the students. This not only brings science alive in the classroom, but it also allows the topics to be brought back home for further discussion, as the students share their experiments with their families. These experiments create a lasting memory, one which translates to the knowledge of scientific principles.
This week in Mattayom 1 to compliment our 'Heat' unit we constructed solar ovens using pizza boxes!
See the original pictures in our gallery.
Throughout the previous week we had been learning about heat absorption, radiation, and reflection, and what a better way to see these properties in action then to use them to make lunch! Each student was to bring a piece of foodthat could be cooked, like cheese on bread for example.
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