Student Projects & October Break

Feeding Pig Project

Projects At Mae La Noi Daroonsik

The first time I explored the campus at MLND I was struck by a unique attribute I had never seen before at secondary schools in my own hometown. MLND is home to about a dozen small, student-driven projects that can be found throughout the school’s grounds. These projects typically inspire students to explore efforts in self-sustainability and low environmental impact. Each project is accompanied by an informational sign, which is often in multiple languages as visitors to the school are sometimes given a tour of the various project sites. Teachers are the head coordinators of each project, while the students are the ones who put in the hard work to ensure each project is successful.

On my afternoon wanderings through campus, I’ve enjoyed seeing students tending to the Home Grown Vegetables project and picking mushrooms to sell in local markets. So far, my favorite project has been the Feeding Pig project, which Kendall and I stumbled upon one afternoon. The pigs are kept in enclosures tucked away in the valley behind the school and were equally as startled to see us, as we were to see a team of full-sized swine hanging out just 50 meters away from our classrooms. These projects are important in empowering the students from an early age by giving them responsibilities that encourage self-reliance and confidence building. I think primary and secondary schools back home should consider taking some advice from MLND and incorporating similar projects on their school’s campuses.

Raising Organic Chicken for Meat Project

Home Grown Vegetables Project

Top: Bio-gas Project; Bottom: Feeding Fish Project

October Break

As the semester comes to a close, the teachers and students of MLND will be rewarded with a three-week break during the month of October. The length of this mid-year break varies from year to year, as the teachers and administration decide on its length depending on how much work still needs to be done. Kendall and I will be staying in Chiang Mai for two weeks to take Thai language lessons, which I’m really excited about! There is also a chance for us to participate in a three-day English camp at MLND during the break, which will be led by members from UNICEF – although whether or not we will be able to participate is still up in the air. Then at the end of the break we will be traveling to Japan with one of our fellow English teachers to explore a new country with a new friend (and to renew our visas).

Next semester I’m looking forward to increasing the number of hours I teach each week, as well as being aware of the curriculum for each class from the start. While teaching these past six weeks has been a wonderful experience, it sometimes got a bit hectic as I was unfamiliar with the students’ skill levels and all of the necessary curriculum and benchmarks. Next semester Kendall and I are also trying to organize leading an activity during the last period of the day! We’re thinking of creating an English Club focused on learning through the arts. As excited as I am to explore Chiang Mai and venture to a new country, I am almost more excited to get back to MLND for the start of a fresh semester!

My blog will most likely be inactive during the coming three weeks as I am unsure of what my access to internet will be in my various destinations, but I will be sure to post a thorough summary of all my adventures once I return to Mae La Noi!

Happy break!

#octoberbreak