Chaingsaenwitthayakom School – Chaing San

Upon our arrival to Chaingsaenwitthayakom School in Chaing San yesterday, we were greeted by the entire student body. They formed two lines and waved Thai flags as we walked down the road to the school. Then, the band played several songs for us, included The Star Spangled Banner, which was incredibly touching. There were also performances given by traditional Thai dancers and musicians.

Founded in 1968, Chaingsaewitthahakom is a public school located in Chaing San, which is in the Golden Triangle portion of Thailand. The Golden Triangle is the area along the Makong River where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet. The secondary school, which houses grades 7-12, has 1,140 students. These students are taught by 58 teachers. About 10% of the students come from Thailand’s northern hill tribe population. Currently, math and science are taught in English, and the school has a goal to offer all of its core courses in English.

While at the school, the Fulbrighters and district school teachers and administrators participated in an incredibly interesting session. First, we met with teachers from our own countries to create a list of facts about the educations systems in our countries, which we shared with the large group. Second, we came up with a short list of significant problems with the educational systems in our countries to share. Third, we met in international groups to talk about what type of educational exchanges or joint projects we can do together in the future. It was very interesting to learn more about the Thai education system, including the similarities and differences, as well as to plan joint projects for the future. I enjoyed hearing about this shift many of the teachers have made to more student-centered learning, and I was surprised to hear about the real emphasis the school has on teaching English.

The teachers at the school made me, as a visiting American teacher, feel very warmly welcomes. There was an invitation to return to the school, either with or without students. This would be an exceptional opportunity.