Curriculum Development
National Curriculum
In Chiang Mai, Junior High School (grades seven through nine) is also included with the following additional subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Physical Education (replacing Health Education). With regard to the different religious affiliations of the children, respective classes (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam) and comparative religion classes are to be offered.
Sixty percent of the national curriculum is imposed while an additional forty percent is open to individual curriculum development. The obligatory 60% that are imposed already exist and do not require any further development. A framework exists for the Kindergarten. However, it is flexible enough to leave room for independent development based on the principles of the Situational Approach.
The Situational Approach
The curriculum is structured according to learning areas that are termed ‘Centers of Excellence’. Curriculum modules are developed for these areas based on key real-life problems and children are motivated to address and solve these problems. That implies the creation of such situations and their surrounding conditions. A ‘spirit of entrepreneurship’ shall shape every Center of Excellence and Entrepreneurship Education is paired with the education towards intelligent modesty.
General goals
The goal of the Situational Approach is to support youth and children in their development of autonomous and competent addressing of present and future problems with respect to their communities (solidarity).
Autonomy refers to self-determination, individual initiative, and independence. Competence implies knowledge and skill to act properly in complex situations. Competence is conveyed in comprehensive social settings, which is why the Situational Approach differs from a conventional conveyance of knowledge that focuses only on individual ‘pieces of a pie’.
Solidarity means a sense of community and an awareness of sharing the world. This includes protecting the weak, not discriminating others, being equitable, peaceful, and striving towards conciliation, not power over others.
Connecting the national curriculum to the Centers of Excellence
The more projects are being developed within the Centers of Excellence, the more subjects of the imposed part of the curriculum will be translated into the new structure. Since the development of projects requires additional knowledge not covered in conventional subjects, other sources of knowledge such as the Internet, books, experienced experts, and interns have to be accessed.
The national curriculum is not eliminated but its elements are being partially adapted and re-structured. Knowledge from conventional subjects and other sources is being focused on and applied to the projects of the Centers of Excellence.
Teacher Training
The ongoing teacher training contains the following conceptual features: an anthropology with the child being the author of its own development, important teaching and learning methods such as discovery learning, learning in projects, social entrepreneurship education, community education, situational approach, trauma therapy and curriculum-development.