Create Change From Passion
"Each of the alumni possesses great knowledge and skills, such as management and entrepreneurship, which can help students learn more about various careers and potentially pursue them in the future. Additionally, they can offer support in teaching skills that teachers may know but lack the time to cover. If the alumni could provide this support, it would help fill in these gaps." ‘Namgrong’ – Chonnapha Luangrangsee, a Teach For Thailand alumna from cohort 6, reflects on her belief in TFT alumni’s potential to support Thai education for both teachers and students. Recently, Namgrong demonstrated this support by organizing a workshop on mental depression on July 19, 2024.
Namgrong is leading an activity, encouraging students to think, answer, and express their opinions (photo by Srirakrat Bamrung School)
She was contacted by ‘Kru Eve,’ a teacher at Srirakrat Bamrung School in Prachinburi, one of Teach For Thailand’s partner schools, to organize this activity for 225 students.
“After I’d agreed on the details with Kru Eve, I spoke with Yoohoo and Silver, the TFT Fellows from cohort 9 currently teaching at the school, to design activities that would best suit the students. The full-day event included participation from both teachers and students.”
“The objective was to help students understand the causes of mental depression, how to treat and take care of themselves, and how to support others. We designed the activities to be enjoyable, engaging, and to allow students to express their feelings freely.”
Namgrong is providing basic information about mental depression, including its causes, treatment options, and ways to support oneself and others. (Photo by Srirakrat Bamrung School)
Namgrong also painted a picture of the activity for us.
“We started with a ‘check-in’ using characters from the movie Inside Out, followed by a ‘Rock-Paper-Scissors’ game themed around emotions. The students really enjoyed it.”
“After that, we checked the students’ basic understanding of mental depression with questions like, ‘Do you think it’s true that a good-looking person will never have mental depression?’ This made us realize how diverse their thoughts are and assured us that we had chosen the right content. We then proceeded to the lecture.”
“We concluded the workshop with a role-playing activity. We paired students together, with one acting as the counselor and the other as the counselee. The speaker helped them reflect on their performance in giving advice, and the later groups improved based on that feedback.”
Namgrong, teachers from Srirakrat Bamrung School, and students, taking a group photo (Photo by Srirakrat Bamrung School)
The workshop’s outcome demonstrated improvements in the students beyond just the topic of mental depression. “I was surprised that some participants reflected on how they became more self-aware and saw more value in themselves.”
“The teachers at the school also participated by asking questions to the speaker. Kru Eve and the TFT Fellows expressed their desire to organize more activities like this.”
Namgrong told us that mental health has been her passion since she was working as a TFT Fellow.
“I once trained a group of students for a Youth Counselor (YC) contest, and they later won a silver medal. They used my techniques: eye contact, tone of voice, and asking questions, just like when I provided counseling for them,” Namgrong recalled proudly.
Participants engage in role playing exercise, to practice providing advice for their peers (Photo by Srirakrat Bamrung School)
She believes that being aware of one’s feelings and the ability to manage one’s emotions can lead to positive changes in our lives and have a beneficial impact on our social interactions
“Mental health is an important issue because it is directly linked to self-awareness and self-value, which can transform a person into a good citizen. It is a lifelong learning skill that we need to improve every day.”
Currently, Namgrong is still working in her field of passion as a psychologist. She is now developing AI prompts for a mental health emergency line at the Center of Excellence in Digital and AI for Mental Health (AIMET).
Connecting Teach For Thailand’s Fellow network with alumni who possess experience and skills in various fields can significantly enhance learning support and provide crucial resources for schools and students. Each collaboration brings us closer to achieving equitable access to quality education for all children in Thailand, empowering them to choose a better future for themselves.
Become a Teach For Thailand Fellow, and become part of the change today at www.tft.vh-projects.com
