Dear All, It is quite rare for me to leave a forum that makes me feel so inspired and energized but I felt so yesterday ka!
Through my contacts, I was invited by the Future Innovative Thailand Institute (FIT) to participate in a one-full-day forum entitled, 'FIT Education: Truth and Dare', aiming to do better today for a better world for our kids tomorrow.
The forum started from giving 8 presenters to do a TEDTalk like style on various dimensions, covering education system, basic education and vocational education plus English proficiency.
I learned so much from each presenter, who spent time determining key issues to offer within 15 minutes max.
Why was I inspired and hopeful?
- I learned about so many efforts, big and small, to help reduce the education gap while increasing the quality like English for All which has been implemented quite successfully at a disadvantaged school in Pitsanuloke, and the kids showed off their English with fun; early childhood education that is expanded to 43 centers in Isaan to help 2-4 year olds learn how to plan, do, and review their decisions; efforts to promote the love of science and technology; use of IT solutions to help learn science and math, etc.
- Most presenters are in the M gen ka... they are so passionate to do good for education and to open more windows of opportunities to the disadvantaged. They sure care for the genuine quality!
The shining passion combines with their capability and energy offer some positive signals and definitely for me personally, hope for our country.
- Most dare to do their projects with the least government's support, which seems to prove that rules and regulations could be the huge hindrance of development, and creativity.
- Even younger generations don't seem to know much what's been going on in education, I think it turns to be a plus for them to think more freely without getting stuck with the same old issues and obstacles. Several stressed 'context-specific' concerns too! Yayyyy! Would be even happier if more get into our own cultural traditions, which could be the root causes of quite a few issues we've been facing ka!!!!
- We've heard repeatedly how teachers' role needs to be changed but in this forum, I was so happy several mentioned that teachers need to keep up with the world changes and learn much more. They don't think training helps much as there've been so many training sessions/courses for teachers that have led to quite a few problems. With proper use of IT, teachers should be able to facilitate learning much better and to many, teachers are irreplaceable.
- Frustration was felt in the forum how education hasn't responded well to the needs of our healthy survival now and the future. Khun Jone Jandai said, 'We pay to get to know nothing at all.'
For lunch, the room was turned from a theater style to groups so we could chat while having our lunch as well. There was no need for formality and things needed not be set readily! For the group discussion, very little instructions were given except to need to answer the topics we chose from the whole list!
My group discussed 15 years of English without proficiency gained (pressure to use English, memory about teachers of English, fear of making mistakes, personal preference to learn languages could be some of the factors to think about) and how to tackle equity issues. I enjoyed listening to the younger ones' ideas and interactions.
One little thing that I got too was that I have a more positive attitude toward some politicians who have been committed to improving our challenging situations ka.
As I'm writing, I still feel so inspired and energized! Will think of some little projects I can do to help my circle laew la ka!
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