A Great Success of One-Day Compass Workshop at PTIS

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On November 29, 2014 we successfully conducted our first 1-day Compass workshop for Early and Primary years teachers on the campus of Prem Tinsulanonda International School (PTIS) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Twenty-four teachers and curriculum development coordinators from bilingual and international schools around Chiang Mai and as far afield as Chonburi Province participated in this engaging workshop. They came with expectations to get towards the theme: Sustainability Learning for Early Years and Primary Classroom. Compass workshop leaders Kate O’Connell (PTIS) and Robert Steele (Systainability Asia) collaborated to facilitate this fun-filled day of learning and sharing.

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DSCN6610Participants were actively engaged through a flow of games, discussions, case examples, and small group exercises lead by two Compass Workshop leaders, Kate O’Connell (PTIS) and Robert Steele (Atkisson Group). One of the highlights was the Compass system charades activity, whereby teams were randomly given community scenarios, and were then tasked with working together to create a short pantomime story linking the four Compass points (Nature, Economy, Society and Wellbeing) in a systems feedback loop. All the teachers especially liked this activity, as it was easy to see how it could be used in their own teaching. This 1-day workshop will be offered again on 31st January at NIST in Bangkok.

Participants and facilitators expressed their satisfaction with constructive feedback and evaluation towards overall implementation of the workshop and accomplishments of the workshop objectives. Participants were excited and confident to try to implement the knowledge and practical applications they gained from the workshop. One of them saying “I will work with students to surface systems and take action, also ensure that students identify and measure indicators to determine their effectiveness” or another participant said “I will look into systems when analysing exhibition topics and finding leverage points to be acted upon. This will help students to look into issues in more depth.” The facilitators themselves felt satisfied with the whole process and outcomes of the workshop. They were thrilled by how active the class were, with lots of inquiries and how the participants actively participated and engaged in the activities and games.

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Most of the participants showed further interest in joining the Level 1 Compass Educator Course to learn more about the Compass and Systems Thinking tools and how to integrate it into their classrooms.

Seeing the great success of this one-day workshop, Compass Education is looking forward to the next workshop at NIST International School on January 31, 2015!

One-Day Compass Workshop: Better Teaching and Learning for a Better World

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Sustainability Learning for Early Years and Primary Classroom

Hosted by NIST International School, January 31, 2015

Workshop Overview

This one-day Compass workshop, with theme “Better Teaching and Better Learning for a Better World“,  is specially designed for Early Years and Primary school teachers who want to gain understanding on sustainability and systems thinking. It will also be a great opportunity for teachers in that level to learn on how to best integrate sustainability learning for young learners in the classroom using Compass and Systems Thinking tools and methods that is specially modified to meet that purposes.

Expected outcomes from the workshop are that the participants will gain:

  • Understanding the opportunity to build good habits in terms of sustainability now (in and through the Early Years and Primary grades)
  • Understanding that Compass is a thinking tool that can be used and adapted in many ways to achieve curricular outcomes
  • Understanding that Compass helps students understand Nature’s connection to the other aspects of life
  • Understand practical applications for inside and outside the classroom (see how the compass can strengthen what the teachers already do in the classroom)

For inquiries contact:

Ms. Watkana Thongrueng
watkana@compasseducation.org
Mobile: 0812593340

Costs: THB 2,900 (fee includes workshop materials, lunch and coffee breaks)

 

Registration closed!

Workshop Presenters:

Kathryn O’Connell (PTIS)

Kathryn O'ConnellKate is a passionate educator and learner with 17 years of classroom experience, teaching a variety of age levels including: 4 year olds, 5 year olds, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3 and 7th Grade Science. Kate is originally from the United States and has taught both at home and abroad in China, Tanzania and now Thailand. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Michigan State University in Elementary Education in 1995 and her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction in 2001 also from Michigan State University. She currently teaching Grade 2 at Prem Tinsulanonda International School, in Chiang Mai, Thailand where she is also the First Steps Coordinator. Accompanying her abroad are her husband, who is also a teacher and Sustainability Coordinator, and her two young children. Kate is an International Baccalaureate  Primary Years Program Workshop Leader and also leads other workshops including Compass Education, First Steps Writing, and Developing Your Own PLN. Kate regularly leads workshops for teachers throughout the Asia-Pacific Region. Online she has coached courses through Harvard Graduate School of Education’s WIDE World.

Kath Lane (UWCSEA)

Kath is a recent arrival to the Compass Education team, is a Primary School teacher from Britain who has a passion for educating children about nature and sustainability. She worked at Green School in Bali, Indonesia and has completed a Masters of Education in Educating for Sustainability at Antioch University in the United States.  She currently works as a Grade 5 teacher in United World College of South East Asia – East, in Singapore, where she is a member of the Sustainability Leadership Team and is actively involved in infusing sustainability education across the primary grades and beyond. She believes that through curriculum, outdoor education, service and personal/social education children can be given the passion, skills and qualities needed to make the right choices and find sustainable solutions for our world.