Bangkok--3 Dec--Bangkok Public Relations
- Programme helps children to develop essential life skills, including critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and teamwork
- Reinforces Shrewsbury's leadership in promoting well-rounded children of all ages, particularly in Year 3 key development stage at ages 7-8
- Potential parents invited to Open House on 31st Jan 2020 and every Friday after that, to observe teaching environment
Shrewsbury International School Bangkok – City Campus, today, announced the launch of its 'Design, Engineer, Construct' (DEC) Programme, a globally-recognised education curriculum from Britain that helps children develop skills in design, engineering, and construction.
Ms. Amanda Dennison, Principal of Shrewsbury International School Bangkok – City Campus, said, "We are the world's first primary school to integrate DEC into teaching at the critical early learning years of ages seven and eight. The programme is developed for primary school children to help build a strong foundation of essential life skills at a formative age – skills such as critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving and teamwork."
She said, "Our globally pioneering work further strengthens Shrewsbury Bangkok's leadership in promoting well-rounded children while advancing our reputation as one of best schools in the region."
Ms. Dennison said that children have a better ability to absorb new skills and ways of thinking during these early years, which is why the school re-formulated the programme to be appropriate for seven and eight-year-olds.
The DEC programme is an internationally acclaimed teaching programme from Britain.
According to Ms. Dennison, the DEC programme is particularly helpful in preparing children for a career path in architecture, engineering, and construction, and gives them hands-on experience in applying science and mathematics, and also advances their reading, writing and language skills to help them in presenting their ideas to others.
Ms. Katie Holland, who is a specialist teacher of design and technology, has joined the school from England as 'Design and Technology Innovation Leader' to lead the adoption of the programme at Shrewsbury International School Bangkok – City Campus.
Ms. Holland said, "The DEC programme develops the way children think, which has a positive effect on their learning and behaviour outside of the classroom, too, because it promotes logical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, risk taking and resilience, among others important skills."
Ms Dennison added, "Ages seven to eight, or Year 3, is an important transitional year for child development, which is why we are paying a lot of attention to adding more specialised teaching that can advance children's engagement in their schoolwork, their motivation, as well as their personal independence and self-confidence."
"At Shrewsbury, students in Year 3 start coming to school in a shirt-and-necktie and learn to wear appropriate shoes. Their classes move from the ground level to upstairs, recognising both their physical development as well as giving them a visual cue of their progress. They start having access to more of the school's facilities and are assigned responsibilities. All of these apparently small changes help them develop responsibility for themselves and their accomplishments, and to mature. It is all a part of readying them to be successful in their next stage of education, as well as, ultimately, in their lives," she said.
Ms. Dennison said that ages seven to eight years, was also an important time for the development of language skills.
"Studies show that children need to start learning additional languages before age 10 if they are to have the most chance of speaking the language like a native. That's why our students are taught English at an early age and by native speakers from England. We also integrate Thai and Mandarin Chinese into our language teaching to ensure that we give the best possible start to an international education, rather than waiting for them to near their 'teens, which can sometimes be a bit late in obtaining the greatest proficiency in their second or third language," she said.
Ms. Dennison said, "Parents considering an international school for their children are invited to register for Shrewsbury International School Bangkok – City Campus' Open House to be conducted on 31st January 2020 and every Friday after that, at www.shrewsbury.ac.th/city , as part of which they can see real-life classrooms and the teaching environment, as well as meet with the school principal and staff. In the meantime, private tours are also offered to interested parents by our admissions team."