Collective Vision – Connecting School and Community
"When we first discussed connecting school and community, I couldn't imagine what it would become," reflected Ummeehanee Deeyae, a Teach For Thailand Fellow cohort 10 at Matthayom Suwit Seri Anusorn School, Bangkok, who also participated in the school-community collective vision activity.
Similar thoughts echoed from “Kru Bank” – Makawan Pongwachirint, another Cohort 10 Fellow teaching at Makkasan Phitthaya School. “Before the discussion, the picture wasn’t clear on how we could collaborate with the community to create lifelong learning.”
In July this year, “Kru Bank” partnered with “Kor Kan Kru Bangkok” to organize a collaborative vision learning activity for schools and communities. “Kru Ummee” also attended this event.
“It began with a conversation with ‘Kru Kae’ – Sudarat Pragobmai from Kor Kan Kru,” he explained. “We envisioned a collaborative space – a network for teachers in the same area to share knowledge and tools. We believe this will foster lifelong learning for our students.”
The result is a collaborative effort from diverse communities in Bangkok, integrating education into their contexts. For example, a school partnered with a temple to teach history and science. Students interviewed community members and produced short video clips about the community’s background.
“Not only were the students inspired by aspects of the community they didn’t know before, like the long-boat racing tradition, but community members also felt seen and heard,” “Kru Ummee” added. “They’re motivated to support the students by sharing their knowledge and cooperating with our activities.”
Furthermore, this collective vision facilitates collaboration with parents, who provide valuable feedback for improving student and school experiences.
Collective vision does more than improve education; it creates a bond and understanding between the area and its residents. It connects learning to students’ lives, helping them see opportunities for self-improvement and understand the values and roles within their communities.
Teach For Thailand is determined to nurture such potential and create positive change, ensuring that all children in Thailand have equitable access to education and the power to choose their future.
Become a Fellow like Bank and Ummee and join the network for Thai education development. Visit https://tft-fellowship.org
