The pedagogical concept of the School for Life can be
understood as a guideline that the team is constantly oriented to. In reality,
the goals are sometimes achieved more, sometimes less and in unfavourable times
perhaps not at all. You need imagination, the will to “best practice”
and staying power.
Discovering learning
Children are, if they are not hindered, active co-creators
of their learning processes. They are curious, self-motivated, learning by
trial and error, prefer the combination of ‘theory’ and ‘practice’, the chance
of ‘learning by doing’. The farm can be understood as a base station of Jules
Verne’s voyages of discovery. The acquisition of knowledge, skills and
abilities serves the continuation of the projects run by the children. The
pedagogues no longer act like tamers who try to shear the whole class over one
last, they are rather stimulants, development companions, assistants of the
research and discovery journeys.
Falling on your own feet
In the case of vocational schools, the ideas of the Thai
National Education Commission go far beyond the current state of international
discussion. They are to be further developed into “Entrepreneurial
Schools” and equip graduates with a double qualification: the ability to
work in a team and the ability to “innovative entrepreneurship” with
the creation of jobs. The pilot study “The Development of Entrepreneurial
Schools in Thailand” (Zimmer / Puntasen / Suksirikul / Wawsri 2001) also
shapes the School for Life.
The goal is: education for entrepreneurial spirit. An
innovative entrepreneur is a Habenichts, who refines an entrepreneurial idea
and realizes it in the market. His best capital is a good idea that contributes
to improving the quality of life. This other entrepreneur is socially and
ecologically responsible and does not plunder resources. If one examines the
CVs of people who have dared to take the leap into self-employment, it becomes
apparent that they already developed entrepreneurial initiative in their
childhood and had more difficulties with conventional schools. The School for
Life wants to create a framework that encourages children and young people to
develop and test entrepreneurial ideas in a playful way – without the
compulsion of starting a business. Children and adolescents thus prepare
themselves for later situations in which it will be important to create jobs
for themselves and others (instead of chasing after non-existent ones) and to
overcome poverty. Entrepreneurship education does not mean encouraging
unchecked participation in a spiralling consumption, but rather education for
intelligent modesty with the goal of a high quality of life and scarce
resources.
Community development
Community Education means “learning in, with and for the community”. Learning is understood as participation in the sustainable development of the community. Community schools are open to both internal and external participation and participate in the development and shaping of the community. The School for Life and the nearby village of Pongkum form a network that serves such developments on a small scale. In examples: The farm creates jobs for people from the village and teaches them competence in organic farming. Together with children and guests of the School for Life, the village school developed a recycling yard that serves to recycle village rubbish; the children become managers and experts in recycling.
The detailled concept you will find here:
The translated concept in Thai language:
School for Life-Concept of Ed & Entrepreneurial Excellence_THAI_ 2.8.2020