I NEVER THOUGHT I’D WALK into a temple in Thailand and say, “Look at the Angry Birds dive-bombing the World Trade Center!” but that is exactly what I said upon visiting the shrine inside the Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai.
The assignment was to use our trip to the Golden Triangle as a text through which to explore the concepts of Cultural Diffusion, Cultural Assimilation and Cultural Imperialism. The trip was rich in learning: the Opium Museum taught us how war, exploration, immigration and emigration have shaped the trades of opium and tea across Southeast Asia, and also explained the presence of Mandarin-speaking populations across Thailand (cue Lin celebrating in the back!). At the Akha Hill Tribe, the students learned how to work a loom and then heard that the younger generations prefer to buy their clothes instead of making them in the traditional way. At Think Elephants International, the students learned about social and cultural clashes and partnerships among mahouts, conservationists and scientists in the preservation of elephant species across Thailand.
Although these pieces and many more were laid out like breadcrumbs across the path of our trip, the other faculty and I worried that our students would not process all of the clues. Walking into the shrine at the White Temple, it all came together.
We were told we would be touring the “White Temple,” or “Wat Rong Khun,” but we didn’t know much more than that. As we drove up, the Wat appeared like a surreal specter along the highway, something straight out of a fairytale. My mind jumped to Hansel and Gretel gnawing on their Gingerbread House; I wondered what good or evil lurked within. Even with my over-active imagination, I was not prepared. Wat Rong Khun is cast in cement and reflective glass. The surrounding compound is awash in the same materials: severed cement heads hanging from trees with Lai Thai detail surrounding them, hands reaching up from the depths of mirror-like ponds surrounding the bridge into the shrine. The outside is enough to make your head spin, but what waits inside will blow you away.
The mural inside the White Temple is a riveting amalgam of Western and Thai culture. Towering images of the Buddha and the Boddhisattva are inundated with Neo from The Matrix, Michael Jackson, Osama bin Laden, and George W. Bush. One student turned to me and said:
What’s up with the skulls? Those are messed up and awesome!
Intricate Lai Thai imagery links all of these disparate images into one (as yet unfinished) breathtaking mural. I am faltering as I write this description because the artistic expression of cultural diffusion, assimilation, imperialism and social critique is truly indescribable. The experience of visiting this temple was the living embodiment of everything that I have been teaching, and everything that we, as THINK Global School, believe is enriching about place-based learning.
Creative Arts teacher Lindsay and I gave the students one hour to sketch. We asked that they choose either cultural diffusion, assimilation, or imperialism, and create a visual representation of this concept inspired by the Wat Rong Khun or any of their other learning on our Golden Triangle Trip. When we returned to campus, we gave them one week to create a mixed media interpretation of this concept, and loop in their learning from at least one other discipline. This project was designed so that students could process the real-world issues behind their learning, and so they could begin to see the ways that their learning in each discipline can come together to create a holistic sense of the world.
Overall, most of the students showed a clear grasp of the concepts introduced and a rich engagement with their experiences during our trip. Based on their output, I’ve learned that we still have some learning to do in terms of helping the students link concepts across disciplines. In the future I will continue to design assessments which ask the student to reflect on how their learning in other classes affects their learning in mine.
The consistent challenge for me as an educator in the wake of these trips is to maintain the excitement of discovery as we bring our reflection into the classroom. Projects like this are definitely the beginning, but I also have work to do as a teacher to make sure that the glimmer of discovery never ceases to leave my students’ eyes.
The THINK Global School Leadership Team is delighted to announce the July 2022 launch of the THINK Learning Studio, a global innovation, consulting, and professional training center focused on interdisciplinary real-world learning. The launch of this initiative is a statement from both the Board and Leadership Team of TGS's commitment to spreading the methodology of the Changemakers® Program and our continued faith in the project-based learning format. The Studio team hopes...
Hi Amethyst, tell us a bit about yourself. I am a passionate educator with three years of experience, and I’ve just finished my first year with TGS. I specialize in the humanities, particularly history and writing. Before joining TGS, I completed a Master's degree where I researched contextual learning and focused on adolescent psychology during my undergraduate education. Outside of the educational space, I enjoy music, dancing, yoga, card games,...
Where and how do you learn? How do you develop a passion for curiosity? How do you keep your mind open to new people, ideas, and possibilities? These are all questions being faced by educators and students as our world gains a more global context. For a rare few who are lucky enough to have talented and equally curious teachers, this might happen in the confines of the classroom. But...
Hi Shasta, tell us a bit about yourself. Hi, my name is Shasta Gray, and this is my first year teaching at THINK Global School. I received my master's in teaching from the University of Alaska and have been teaching since 2012. I consider Alaska home, but I spent three years living and teaching in Thailand before joining TGS. I've always had an affinity for the great outdoors, and love...
Hi Andy, tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in the beautiful industrial city of Birmingham, and after a career in mental health work and various bits and bobs, I qualified to become a teacher. After a few years in the UK, I moved to the British Virgin Islands (which many viewed as an improvement even on Birmingham!) and from there on to Switzerland, my first stint at...
After spending their first two terms of the 2021-22 school year in the United Arab Emirates, our CM2 students had the opportunity to travel to one of Mexico's most colorful states, Oaxaca, for Term Three. Renowned for its cultural, artistic, and culinary legacies, Oaxaca has become one of Mexico's most visited states for those looking to experience indigenous cultures. This focus on culture was a primary factor in our selecting...
Following terms in Botswana and Oaxaca, Mexico, our Changemaker Cohort 1 students had the opportunity to live and learn in a decidedly more cosmopolitan country for Term 3: The United Arab Emirates. Dubai, their host city and where they spent most of their time, holds the distinction of being the first Middle Eastern city recognized as a UNESCO City of Design. As part of this network, Dubai is committed to...
Hi Effie, can you tell us a bit about yourself? I was born in China during the one-child policy and adopted into a Finnish-English family. I spent a lot of my childhood traveling between South America and Europe before settling in Finland to complete my primary education. I have a particular interest in literature and studying cultures. However, nothing beats a good time with a few good friends having a...
At TGS, we approach education with an innovator's mindset, constantly exploring new ways to bolster our students' ability to wonder and learn. This approach is possible due to our unwavering commitment to our eight core values. These philosophies are drawn from countries across the world and inform every aspect of a TGS education. A key consideration to understanding core values at THINK Global School is our belief that they are not...
With the first term of the 2021-22 school year officially in the books, we asked our CM1 students to share their thoughts regarding their time in Botswana. You can find their reflections below and a comprehensive overview of our Botswana term here. Rite of Passage "So many things happened here in Botswana, and so many more things were learned from the people and the places around us. Personally, I was...
1. Hi Maxim. It's been two years now since you graduated from THINK Global School. What have you been up to in that time? Since graduating from TGS, I have been attending the University of Toronto studying mineral (mining) engineering. I know you might be asking why, out of all engineering, I chose mineral engineering? It's because I want to throw myself into the space mining industry. I figured it...
Another school year is coming to a close at THINK Global School, which means graduation is right around the corner for the Class of 2021. And while their academic experience was different than previous classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all of our graduates continually demonstrated the characteristics we value so much as a community: perseverance, continual improvement, a thirst for knowledge, and the practicing of environmentalism, to name a...
Tattooing is the most misunderstood art form in Japan today. Looked down upon for centuries and rarely discussed in social circles, people with tattoos are outcasts in this country, banned from most public spaces such as beaches, bathhouses, and even gyms. Tattoos have an extensive history in Japan, and to truly understand the stigma behind them it is essential to be aware of their significance. The first records of tattoos...
With THINK Global School’s term in Bosnia and Herzegovina recently concluded, we thought we’d share a few interesting facts about the heart-shaped country with you. Whether you are working on a school project or planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina yourself, we hope you find these seven facts useful!! Fact #1) Sarajevo was the first city in Europe with a full-time electric tram Trams have a long history in...
Greetings TGS, Long time reader, first time blogger here. Some of you may have noticed that I can be a little patriotic... My friends in Abu Dhabi used to joke that New Zealand has "small country" syndrome because it is always determined to be the best. I think like the Canadians, we are determined not to be seen as the same as our more populated neighbours. With that in mind...
Ready to embark on the educational journey of a lifetime?
A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
Ready to embark on the educational journey of a lifetime?
A passion for travel. A strong academic record. And the desire to improve the world as you experience it. If this sounds like you, you just might be our ideal candidate! Start your application with a five-minute inquiry form - you never know where you might end up.
I NEVER THOUGHT I’D WALK into a temple in Thailand and say, “Look at the Angry Birds dive-bombing the World Trade Center!” but that is exactly what I said upon visiting the shrine inside the Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai.
