Alternative schools and Innovative Learning techniques yielding fruit

How does an ‘alternative school’ look? In Thailand, alternative schools are officially similar to those of the mainstream establishment, providing education ranging from primary to tertiary stages under the Ministry of Education’s Basic Core Curriculum. Some examples are the Moo Ban Dek (Children’s Village school), Roong Aroon, Amatyakul, and Sathyasai. What makes these schools different from ordinary schools is their innovative learning and teaching.
According to TDRI’s study, which sampled 14 alternative schools in Thailand, their innovation in learning and teaching consists of three core elements: philosophy, teaching approach, and schooling resources.
First, learning and teaching innovation has been rooted in various educational philosophies, for instance, Montessori, Waldorf, Summerhill, and applied Buddhism. Despite different practices, these philosophies share a focal point – humanity is heterogeneous in nature, therefore education should be diversified and learner-oriented. 
Second, by spelling out their own philosophies into concrete action, these teaching approaches do not strictly take form identical to a normal school’s. Instead of providing eight core single subjects – such as mathematics, English, and Thai language, alternative schools combine them into a set of integrated packages. Also, most alternative schools in the sample tend to set up learning outdoors, working as a team, and lecture in classrooms together as a dominant teaching method. For example, high-school students in Darunsikkalai School learned a story about rice and ships, which would bring learners into studying a serial of Suvarnabhumi history, agriculture, irrigation, culture, and international trade.
This method, called ‘story-based learning,’ aims to encourage students to study various core subjects and be curious enough to find the answers by themselves. One reason behind this learning design is to help students to comprehend the variety and interconnectedness of real life and equip them with the right mindset and solutions.
Lastly, certain schooling resources are necessary to enable such alternative learning. TDRI’s analysis found that, compared with private and public schools in Thailand, the number of students per classroom in alternative schools were smaller, similar to the ratio of students per teacher. These, therefore, allow a teacher to take care of students more closely. And, these schools tend to recruit teachers with proportionately more graduate and philosophy degrees than other schools. One school in the sample explained that teaching with an alternative approach needed comprehensive skill to understand the school philosophy and the learning quality of each student as well. The resources required would cost more than the total number of schools operating in Thailand could afford.
Interestingly, in 2010, students in the sampled alternative schools, on average received higher Ordinary National Education Test (O-NET) scores than those in the ordinary schools. Even Amatyakul School, which draws lots among applying students rather than reaching for smart kids by a competitive test, had O-NET results better than the national mean.
On one hand, many alternative schools are still in an experimental process in order to improve and develop a solid method. On the other hand, this educational alternative has made the argument that education is not a ready-made process, similar to manufacturing a product in a factory, but a delicate procedure that requires intensive devotion. The above test results suggest the performance of students educated in alternative schools was encouraging, even though the exam itself was probably not their main purpose.
The big question in revamping the Thai education system is how to increase the number of students who graduate from alternative schools and spur the success of their education innovation to other ordinary schools.