Welcome back to ‘Quick Bites’, Bitesize’s video series.
This time, we’re shining a light on how Brighton College, a Bangkok based international school was effected by the pandemic earlier this year, and how it worked to get everything in place to be able to thrive during school closures. We can imagine that for students, particularly the younger ones, virtual learning and anticipating restricted playtime is not ideal for a school that prioritizes real, hands-on learning experience like Brighton.
We caught up with Siobhan Wyper, the head of Pre-Prep at Brighton College to find out more about how the school prepared for the worst, how luck was on Thailand’s side in dealing with the outbreak, and the perks of a Westernized education system that granted, is not accessible for everyone.
Siobhan also talked about the transition to online learning, and how ultimately, online interactions cannot overtake the importance of offline social interactions. This makes us re-consider the implications of closed schools in Hong Kong and US, although public health and safety takes priority.
“We are very much promoting children to think for themselves, to be independent learners and develop that critical think that will enable them to be successful in the future.”
Bangkok’s international school space is competitive, varied and bustling with new up and coming options on a yearly basis. Whilst schools come with bigger than average price tags, more and more families that are able to afford a western education see it as a long term investment for their child’s future, and getting their kids ready for a global education upon graduation.
To find out one school’s take on the pandemic and beyond, check out our video and stay tuned for more to come with our Quick Bites!
