IB Diploma Students study six subjects - three at a higher level and three at a standard level. They are required to study a foreign language, English, a science subject, mathematics, a humanities subject and a social science. To graduate with an IB Diploma they must also complete a major research essay and achieve success in the subject called Theory of Knowledge. Added to this is 150 hours of CAS or creativity, action and service. No wonder the class of 2010 was happy and proud to complete this awesome achievement.

In addition to their studies they also completed university applications, did SAT examinations or medical school entrance exams, attended interviews or sat for Thai university entrance exams. Grade 12 at PTIS is an exhausting, yet rewarding experience. One of the key elements of the IB Diploma student is that universities around the world welcome this credential. Of all the students from this class going overseas, 50% got into the top fifty universities in the world, as ranked by London’s prestigious Times Educational Supplement. The rest also achieved high-ranked placements.

More important than the university ranking is the ranking of the actual course. Two PTIS students achieved placement into top-ten ranking engineering courses. Gun is going to study computer/mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University which ranks fourth in the USA for computer engineering and twenty-first in the world for engineering. Anshu, a star cricketer at our Cricket Academy, has gone to Toronto University for engineering where he can play cricket and attend an engineering course ranked eighth in the world.

PTIS students do not just graduate and then simply go on to courses in business or commerce, which is the trend in many Asian international schools. PTIS has a Pastoral Care programme that challenges students to discover themselves and to have the courage to make their own statement in the world. The result is creative choices in careers! We have students going all over the world to study:

Events management, pharmacy, environmental management, design, bio-technology, aviation management, film production, languages, accounting, anthropology, bio-medical science, medicine, communications, architecture, hotel management, engineering, education, liberal arts, business, aviation engineering, hospitality, fine arts, psychology, economics and biology.

As Career Counsellor of these students, I am confident they are well set up to handle the 21st century and have the necessary skills mixed with a flexible approach to problem solving and a dedication to life -long learning. In six years’ time, I could be watching the UN delivering an Aid programme to Africa where the manager of the event, the doctors accompanying it, the translators, the film crew, the CNN reporter, the computer support, the financing and accounting and the engineering crew, were all PTIS graduates. We anticipate a bright and wonderful future for this great class!

Jon Hartmann
Careers Counsellor

 Graduation Speech 2010 - Marie Baird

How well do you know Chiang Mai and the North of Thailand?

Here’s an easy-to-answer quiz to see how much you know about Lanna, and maybe learn a few useful facts.

Then check your score:

14-15 correct = A Lanna Expert, well done!
10-13 Correct = Not bad
Less than 10 = Never mind, try another quiz in the next issue!

1. Approximately how long is the Mekong River and respectively, in which countries are its source and estuary located?

a) 3010 kms. India and Vietnam
b) 2755 kms. Nepal and Thailand
c) 4900 kms. China and Vietnam
d) 4560 kms. India and Cambodia

c) 4900 kms. China and Vietnam. The Mekong originates in China (Tibet) and travels through the Himalayas and southern China, along the borders of Laos and Burma into Cambodia, where it flows in one direction in the wet season and the opposite direction in the dry season. It empties into the South China Sea at the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Its source was not discovered until 1994.

2. Most of us are familiar with the district of Doi Saket in Chiang Mai province. What does Saket mean?

a) A place close to Heaven
b) A sage or holy person
c) A ceremonial flag
d) A place of pilgrimage

a) A place close to Heaven, from Sanskrit.

3. A "twin city agreement" was signed on September 26, 2006 between Chiang Mai and another Asian city in a bid to boost trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between the two. Which city was it?

a) Osaka, Japan
b) Shanghai, China
c) Kunming, China
d) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

b) Shanghai, China

4. "Galingale" is:

a) A small yellow and black finch indigenous to Doi Inthanon
b) A species of slipper orchid (Cypripedioidea} named after its slipper-like pouch
c) Raw unspun silk
d) An aromatic root

d) An aromatic root. The botanical Name is Alpinia officinarum, a member of ZINGIBERACEAE Ginger Family. As well as being used in the kitchen, it has medicinal properties and helps to relieve flatulence, dyspepsia, vomiting and sickness.

5. With what do you associate with the word Mudra?

a) Buddha figures
b) A process of tie-dyeing fabrics
c) Eroded soil caused by slash and burn agriculture
d) A state of deep meditation

a) Buddha figures (and other deities) are shown with their hands forming a number of different ritualized and symbolic poses called Mudras. These represent various spiritual aspects or mental states.

6. A small monthly English-language magazine originally called the ‘Chiang Mai Newsletter’ was founded in 1991, and has become a major local publication today. What is it now called?

a) Compass Magazine
b) Citylife
c) In Focus 4 You
d) Guidelines

b) Citylife. In 1997 Pim Kemasingki, daughter of John Shaw, took over as editor of the Chiang Mai Newsletter. Full colour pages were introduced in 2001, and production staff employed. Since it had outgrown the concept of a newsletter, it was renamed Citylife in 2002.

7. With what would you associate the word Padaung?

a) A shoulder sling used by rural women to carry infants
b) An ethnic group
c) A skin parasite found in some lakes and rivers
d) A type of mixed curry and chilli paste originating from Burma

b) An ethnic group. A sub-group of Karen (Bwe Group) living in Kayah state of eastern Burma and Thailand border area. The Padaung call themselves "Lae Kur" or "Kayan" and are best known to travelers for the multiple brass rings worn around their necks. These squash the vertebrae and collar bones, and do not actually lengthen the neck itself as many believe.

8) There are 76 provinces in Thailand. In terms of the largest total area, what position does Chiang Mai take?

a) The largest
b) The second largest
c) The third largest
d) The smallest

b) The second largest. The largest is Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) which occupies 20,494 sq kms. Chiang Mai comes close to being the largest with 20,107 sq kms. The smallest province is Samut Songkhram with just 416 sq kms

9) Royal Flora Ratchapruek was held in Chiang Mai from 1 November 2006, to 31 January 2007. What is Ratchaphruek?

a) An event dedicated to the Thai Royal Family
b) An ornate archway or entrance
c) A type of Catteleya orchid
d) A flowering tree

d) A flowering tree. The Ratchaphruek or Golden Shower Tree is the national flower of Thailand. It is also named "Chaiyaphruek". It is said to symbolize the nation in its color –the bright yellow blossoms match the yellow of Buddhism, and Thai people regard yellow as the color of the King.

10. Khun Chalermchai Kositpipat is a well known artist born in Chiang Rai on 15th February 1955. His work has even taken him to London, England, but for what is he most famous in Lanna?

a) An unusual temple
b) Royal portraiture
c) Giant movie advertisements on billboards
d) Sculptures depicting Heaven and Hell

a) An unusual temple - Wat Rong Khun, a strikingly different and much photographed pure white structure located on the main highway between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, close to the latter.

10. History records that Chiang Mai was abandoned between 1776 and 1791 and described as a “ghost town” What caused it to be deserted?

a) Aftermath of fighting the Burmese
b) It was infested with fatal form of malaria transmitted by the Plasmodium falciparum mosquito
c) Most of the city had been destroyed by an earthquake
d) Serious flooding had left the city centre under thick mud

a) Aftermath of fighting the Burmese. As a result of the repeated Burmese invasions that ended with the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767, Chiang Mai was so depopulated that its remaining inhabitants abandoned the city from 1776 to 1791. During that time, Lampang functioned as the capital of what remained of Lanna at that time.

11. The Lord Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment after prolonged fasting. There are two well-known statues reflecting his emaciated state, one is in Lahore, Pakistan, the other is here in Chiang Mai. Where can you see it here?

a) The National Museum, on Superhighway
b) Wat Chiang Mun
c) Wat U-Mong
d) Wat Chedi Luang

c) Wat U-Mong - a forest and cave temple in the foothills in the west of the city, near Chiang Mai University, popular with students of Buddhism and meditation.

12. Chiang Mai province is home to a number of superb National Parks. How many are there in total?

a) Five
b) Nine
c) Eleven
d) Thirteen

d) Thirteen, namely: Doi Inthanon National Park, Doi Phahom Pok National Park, Doi Suthep Pui National Park, Doi Wiang Pha National Park, Huai Nam Dang National Park, Khun Khan National Park, Mae Tho National Park, Mae Wang National Park, Ob Luang National Park, Op Khan National Park, Pha Daeng National Park, Si Lanna National Park, Mae Takhrai National Park.

13. Which Thai coin currently in circulation carries an image of Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai?

a) 25 satang
b) 50 satang
c) 2 Baht
d) 5 Baht

b) 50 satang Aluminium Bronze minted in 1987, and Copper-Plated steel, minted in 2008.

14. Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai province is Thailand’s highest peak at 2,565 m (8,415 ft). But what is the Kingdom’s most mountainous province?

a) Phayao
b) Chiang Rai
c) Nan
d) Mae Hong Son

d) Mae Hong Son. Most of the areas of the province are formed by complex mountain ranges which run unbroken from north to south. The tallest point is Mae Ya Peak in the province's northeast, at 2005 metres.

15. Wat Lok Moli is best known for its huge and imposing Chedi, said to contain royal remains. In which town or city is it located?

a) Chiang Rai
b) Mae Sariang
c) Chiang Mai
d) Chiang Saen

c) Chiang Mai - it is located on Manee Nopparat Road, roughly half way between the end of Huay Kaew Road at the crossroads and Chang Phuak Gate.

How well do you know Chiang Mai and the North of Thailand?

Then check your score:

14-15 correct = A Lanna Expert, well done!
10-13 Correct = Not bad
Less than 10 = Never mind, try another quiz in the next issue!

1. There is a famous institute on the river in Chiang Mai which, amongst other conditions, treats victims of Hansen’s disease. What is Hansen’s disease?

a) Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis
b) Malaria resistant to chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and mefloquine.
c) Tertiary syphilis
d) Leprosy

d) Leprosy.

It was named after the Norwegian doctor Armauer Hansen who identified that a bacterium (Mycobacterium leprae) caused the disease in 1873. Until then, the affliction was thought to be from a curse, or a punishment for sinful behavior.

2. Lanna is increasingly becoming a coffee-growing region and there are two main types, Arabica and Robusta. How do they differ? Only one of these statements is true - can you identify which one is correct?

a) Arabica thrives at lower altitudes than Robusta.
b) Robusta contains more caffeine than Arabica.
c) Arabica gives a higher yield per acre at a lower cost of production.
d) Robusta represents 70% of the world’s production.


b) Robusta.

Arabica coffee is harder to grow, needs a higher altitude, but is preferred by most coffee drinkers. Arabica represents about 70% of global production. Robusta contains more caffeine, tends to be bitter, and is often used in the manufacture of instant coffee.

3. The International Baccalaureate (IB) comprises three graded programmes for students aged from 3 to 19 to help “develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world” and currently involves 2,823 schools in 138 countries and over 778,000 students, including PTIS. It has gained recognition and respect from the world's leading universities, and is a non-profit educational foundation. In which city was it founded?

a) Geneva, Switzerland
b) Lyon, France
c) Oxford, UK
d) Oslo, Norway


a) Geneva, Switzerland

The International Baccalaureate (IB) was founded by a group of teachers in Geneva in 1968 as a non-profit educational foundation named the IB Diploma Programme, designed for international students preparing for university. It has now been expanded into three programmes for students aged 3 to 19. It represents the solid pillar of instruction adopted by PTIS International School. (More information at http://www.ibo.org)

4. AUA Chiang Mai is well known to residents not only as a language centre but as a valued source of educational and cultural activities including plays, musical performances, social activities and a library. Many know it best for its Thai studies department for foreigners which opened in 1985. When was AUA Chiang Mai originally established?

a) 1980
b) 1975
c) 1961
d) 1957

d) 1957

The excellent AUA Thai Studies Department, which many resident foreigners choose to learn the Thai language, opened later in 1985.

5. If you heard people discussing "Mae Ngat" what would you associate it with?

a) Stag beetle fighting
b) Rice whisky containing snakes, centipedes etc., reputed to have aphrodisiac qualities
c) A National Park
d) The winter arrival of waterfowl at Chiang Saen Lake


c) A National Park

The Mae Ngat Dam & Reservoir is less than an hour’s drive from Chiang Mai, and located in the Sri Lanna National Park which covers over 1,400 square kilometers, bordered by Chiang Dao, Mae Tang and Phrao districts. This vast reservoir was created when a dam was built across the Mae Ngat river and flooded the valley. It’s a favorite place for locals to relax, swim or fish (Giant Catfish, Jungle Fish and Indian Carp) Houseboats can be rented for overnight stays and kayaks are available for hire. (Useful information at: http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/sri_lanna_national_park.html)

6. If you attended the annual "Poy Sanglong Festival" in Northern Thailand, what would you expect to see?

a) Induction of boys into the Buddhist novice hood. b) Fruit products, particularly Longans
c) Hand painted umbrellas and handicrafts
d) Herbal products and traditional Thai medicines.


a) Induction of boys into the Buddhist novice hood.

The festival is rooted in the strongly Buddhist customs of the ethnic Shans (Tai Yai) who migrated from northern Burma and inhabited most of Mae Hong Son. Young boys between the age of 7 and 14 are ordained as novices to learn the Buddhist doctrines and gain merit for their parents. It is celebrated in many towns and villages, particularly Mae Hong Son, and in Chiang Mai usually from 4-6th April.

7. ‘Santikhiri’ is the name of a village in Northern Thailand associated with a particular product. What is it?

a) Honey, royal jelly and propolis.
b) Tea
c) Fruit wines
d) Medicinal mushrooms and plants


b) Tea

Tea replaced opium poppies in this high altitude region (also known as Mae Salong) which is also now a tourist attraction.

8. If somebody gave you a "mon khwan" what would you do with it?

a) Use it to chop meat or fibrous vegetables
b) Wear it around your wrist
c) Use it as a cushion
d) Sweep leaves and garden areas with it


c) Use it as a cushion

Literally "axe pillow" (Mon = pillow Kwan = Axe) because of its triangular shape.

9. There is an interesting feature in the grounds of Chiang Mai Kindergarten (Anuban Chiang Mai) on Rachamangala Road. What is it?

a) A small bronze statue of King Mengrai riding a war elephant
b) An ancient brick-walled well which today still provides safe drinking water.
c) The remains of an ancient Chedi
d) A Banyan tree thought to be over 300 years old.


c) The remains of an ancient Chedi

This was an abandoned temple called Wat Kitti whose original structures and buildings were removed or crumbled, leaving only the Chedi behind. The temple was abandoned in 1946, and the school built in 1981. It is said that original teak pillars were used to build Wat Tung Yu on Ratchadamnoen Road. The chedi today is well maintained, respected by the children, and one of the most striking examples if its kind.

10. Khun Boonserm Satrabhaya, son of Chiang Mai’s first post and telegraph officer, is one of Chiang Mai’s best known and respected personalities. A former fertilizer merchant, newspaper reporter, and author of several books, he is probably best known for his superb collection of:

a) Postage stamps
b) Insects
c) Photography
d) Coins

c) Photography

We can do no better than refer you to the wonderfully illustrated web site of old photos at: http://library.cmu.ac.th/ntic/en_picturelanna/boonserm.php

11. Payap University in Chiang Mai holds the distinction of being the first private college in Thailand outside of greater Bangkok, granted in 1974, and became the first fully accredited private university in Thailand in 1984. Its origins date back to 1888 with the founding of the Thailand Theological Seminary. It is a household name today, but what does ‘Payap’ mean?

a) In recognition of Leonard Payap, an American missionary who played a significant role in funding the current main campus located at Mae Khao.
b) A peaceful place.
c) A north-west direction.
d) Wisdom in thought and action

c) A north-west direction.

12. If you were to compete against "The Lanna Tigers" what sport would you be playing?

a) Football
b) Motor racing
c) Ice hockey
d) Cricket

a) Football

It was first formed in 1999 as Chiang Mai United, and admitted to the Regional League Northern Division in 2009. It was renamed Chiang Mai Football Club in 2010 and nicknamed the ‘Lanna Tigers’

13. Located about 80 kms from Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao today is best known for its national park and wonderful limestone caves. It’s a favorite spot for visitors and an increasing number of foreign residents. Doi Chiang Dao is the third highest mountain in the Kingdom (2225 metres) and popular with bird watchers. But it has a secret history associated with less appealing things. Do you know what it is?

a) A centre for opium and heroin trading.
b) A place where people said to be possessed by evil spirits were sent.
c) The location of a ‘no escape’ prison
d) A secret military base built into one of the caves.

b) A place where people said to be possessed by evil spirits were sent

Unlikely as it may seem, this is true. Chiang Dao was formerly a place of exile for people with afflictions or illnesses (often malaria) ‘diagnosed’ by the authorities as being caused by evil spirits. These ‘possessed’ people slowly formed a community, inter-married and lived normal lives. Successive generations slowly restored things to ‘normal’ and the old stigma faded away. There is an interesting reference to this on the excellent web site at http://www.cpamedia.com/history/ghost_people/

14. If you heard local Chinese men discussing the English language equivalent of “Black Dragon” what is it most likely to be?

a) Coffee
b) Tea
c) Sesame
d) Pomegranate

b) Tea

Specifically Oolong tea, which is grown in Santikhiri (Mae Salong) The name is derived from the Chinese name O·-liông tê meaning "black dragon tea" - referring to the long dark and curly twisted shape of the dried leaves.

15. The semi-nomadic ‘Mlabri’ tribe is one of the rarest ethnic groups found in Northern Thailand, numbering only an estimated few hundred. Often called “Spirits of the Yellow Leaves” because they move on when their leaf dwellings turn brown, they are reputed to be highly skilled in the use of medicinal plants, offer the bodies of their deceased to the birds in treetops, and change marriage partners every few years. In which province below are you most likely to find them?

a) Nan
b) Mae Hong Son
c) Chiang Rai
d) Phayao

a) Nan

In Thailand, they are found only in the provinces of Phrae and Nan. They belong to the Mon-Khmer speaking groups.

Dateline: 4 June 2009


This week several grade 11 CAS students: Bank, Jigme, Julia, Maarten, Tang, Thai and Yeshey, accompanied A. Mel, A. Sandy and K. Joy to the local temple for a "first" meeting with the numerous male and female dogs that the Hand to Paw initiative is supporting.

What luck!!!! All the dogs were there and came running with tails wagging and smiling "dog" faces as we walked through the temple entrance. Of course every one of them knew there would be treats and they weren’t to be disappointed!

The students came prepared with several boxes of dog bones. Everyone was advised to let the dogs come to them since many are very shy and frightened of individuals they do not know and do not trust. However, it didn’t take long. The students seemed to have the magic touch. Perhaps the dogs sensed their goodwill.

Our purpose this week was to familiarize the students with the dogs and give them an opportunity to get to know them. We also wanted to teach them to assess the animals’ physical needs and to look for possible medical problems.

Despite our vigilance over the past few weeks the students found several dogs in need of additional care. Nam Tang had a sore under her chin, most likely a dog bite that required immediate attention.

A group effort removed ticks from Leela and also made sure she was thoroughly sprayed. Star and Dave who are both recovering from recent illness and surgery were given additional food by the students to "fatten them up".


Each student then selected a specific dog that they will monitor and assess for future medical attention. Dam Mee has considerable hair loss that doesn’t seem to be responding to recent treatment so one student will carefully check her next week. It may mean a trip to the local vet.

The students also recorded for each individual dog a description including physical conditions that might require intervention in the future. K. Joy was delighted by the response of the students, finding them gentle, caring and genuinely interested in the dogs and their well-being.

All are anxious to return to the temple next Thursday when we hope to provide treatment for those in need but also to bathe and spray the dogs.

After just one visit several of the participants can’t wait to return and are already making plans for next school year. It seems like the Hand to Paw has touched many hearts at PTIS. The kindness and caring demonstrated by these students will ensure a healthy, happier and safer life for the four-legged residents of the local village temple.

My intention for running the Blender club is to assist the Gr. 10 students in the process of their ICT semester project of computer-generated 3-Dimensional modeling and animations, also for any others who are interested in the subject. The activity basically involves, getting to know expanse in which the program ‘Blender 3D’ can operate and the outcome of the product it renders, before moving on to the actual work which ranges from: Basic mesh modeling and texturing to adding colours and lights to enhance the end result (see below).


Many of the members accomplished these challenges competently during the course of their project. Some moved further to more challenging stages such as animation and advanced texturing which involves importing and working with external products, achieving also very positive results. I hope they all have acquired the creative potential to pursue further this form of computer aided art art within their own field of preference.

My initial inspiration for running this club was that I was one of the new members of the Blender Club last year, and without any experience of 3D arts whatsoever I was amazed by the things I could do. Firstly, it proved very helpful with my ICT project, then later on I found it to be applicable to my other subject areas and other aspects of life. By running the club myself this year I hope that all my club members acquire the same benefits that I myself have gained from the activity.

Throughout my IB C.A.S experience, I have enjoyed every single hour of each activity. Before I started the IB, I thought C.A.S was just something that I had to accomplish to be seen as a global citizen and to look good for universities applications. Now that I am done, I realize that C.A.S gave me life experiences that I would never have even thought possible. Most of the activities I have done were ones that I really wanted to do such as Rugby or stop motion video because I am really intrigued by them.

I think the best thing with C.A.S is that it will never get boring because the diversity of activities that are proposed to you is so great, meaning that students will have no trouble choosing more than one activity. The activities that I was involved in within the two years of IB C.A.S were:

• Stop motion video
• Rock Band
• Planning for teaching English
• English tutoring for Thai local Students
• Wood carving
• Moving furniture
• Weights and Fitness
• Mountain Biking
• Rugby
• Ultimate Frisbee

All of these activities I have enjoyed and obtained C.A.S hours for, all for something I do outside of school; whether it is Creative, Sportive or Servable.

I think it is a great thing for IB students to do this because with the amount of work that needs to be done, some of us might not be able to find time to have fun and try new to sports or Arts, but if it is part of the "work" we need to complete by the end of grade 12, then it is an other story. I can have fun and do the things I like without feeling gilt about the opportunity cost of the hours I have not spent studying. There are only positive things about C.A.S. and that is a fact.

Of course it might be hard sometimes to continuously do the same activity because its is the only thing interests you, but be a risk taker and choose something that you have not done before, it might very well surprise you!

PTIS Perspective Club is a co-curricular led by Andie J, Pongsakorn Visettherakul (Bank), and Earth T. PTIS perspective is a group held curricular where art students enrich PTIS life with the essence of affluent artistic capability while gaining CAS hours for creativity from developing imaginative artworks.

What we did in Term 1: In term one, we started off with drawing, painting, lino-carving, and charcoal sketching. We had our students focus on perspective type drawings. These drawings are relevant to dimension and shading based drawings. The students seemed to enjoy this activity very much and the number of artworks excelled as we continued to undergo this activity.

What we did in Term 2: In term two we decided to have the students do something other than drawing buildings and perspectives. We had the students carve lino and do print making instead. During this process of lino-printing we decided to sell our prints at the PTIS farm market and donate all of the money to the farm. We plan to continue selling lino prints at this market and donate the money to a charity that we will find in the future. Some of these line printings consisted of mountains, birds, rice crops, lilies, and other types of flowers. We have recently found out that the gift cards were a success at the market, the S.S.F?? group was impressed by our cards and many of those who went to the market bought them.

What we did in Term 3: The agenda for term 3 was to do canvas paintings. We planned to display these canvas paintings throughout the PTIS community such as the library, boarding, cafeteria, and senior school. These paintings were be rather large paintings and very detailed. The main theme for these paintings was based on the beautiful exotic environment of PTIS. We planned to have at least two works done for each student in the club.

Aims for Term 4: By the end of the year we should have collected enough artwork to have an art exhibition. We plan to have Ajarn Natalie help us organize this exhibition. This will be held in the PTIS auditorium if we can plan the time and space needed for the exhibition. This will not be a big exhibition but enough so that we can have our artworks displayed and admired by either PTIS visitors or the PTIS community themselves.

The most gratifying aspect of CAS, in my experience, is the service. It is also the most difficult because the focus is not on yourself, but on others. However, in my experience it is worth it to enjoy the feeling of helping others. My best service experience was in Grade 11 with the teaching groups that went to the local school. This may be a discouraging activity at first, especially if your group lacks Thai speakers. Getting the children to focus may also prove to be a difficulty. In the early stages of the teaching activity I often found myself ignored and frustrated. This said, we slowly learned how to make the lessons more focused and more enjoyable for everybody - both the students and ourselves.

The purpose of this article is to help those who are having trouble teaching the kids or are beginning the IB and would like tips on how to carry out this activity. The most important tip I can give you is – use your planning sessions wisely! Don’t just make a vague, rough outline of what you plan to do. In my experience, when a group did this, it took more time for the teachers to prepare themselves in the actual lesson, thus allowing time for the kids to lose focus and for energy to diminish throughout the classroom.

You will find that the lessons become more gratifying as your planning becomes more detailed and precise. With a strict lesson focus, you can actually feel that the students are learning something – and that feeling is what makes CAS worthwhile. What’s even better is that if you plan, you will be able to get through the teaching more quickly and thus there will be more time to play learning games with the kids.

I hope that future students will use this advice - and not just for the teaching activity, but also for any service activity because the same principles apply to any activity where you are helping people. In this way, future students will be able to get the full gratifying experience that I did.

It also gives IB students insight into the lives and difficulties of our own teachers. In the words of an anonymous fellow student, "it allows us to be more compassionate to our own teachers because we get a glimpse of what they have to face everyday."

Again, the sense of accomplishment is more than worth the time dedicated to teaching these kids. After all, what’s better than a child’s laughter?

On Friday the 27th of November we, the ACSA group (Takuya, Poom, Earth, Gun, Ying), went to the Thai local Doi Saket Wittayakom school to host different kinds of activities together with the ACSA group from NIS.


For the CAS program, it is our aim to demonstrate our social interaction capabilities and act as a leader to provide services for others. The purpose of the Inter-faith service day was that we get to know each other from different schools and exchange some of our thoughts. We met up with A. Brad the week before to discuss the event and went ahead to plan our own games that were fun, interactive, and educational for grade 9 students at the school.

On the actual day, we were honored to have the Consulate General of the United States Embassy, Mr. Morrow, to introduce the event and supervise the day with us. We enjoyed the time we spent together doing all sort of activities that got us cooperating with each other and exchanging our various customs.

Our first activity was hosted by the NIS students; we got to play a game where two people in the middle of the circle have to look for the name of the animal being said and hit them while the student with the chosen animal name had to call out other animals before they are caught by the hunter. In this game, all of us had fun trying not to get hit by the hunter in the middle and, while at the same time, practicing saying the name of the animal in English.

The second activity was led by us. We basically had words and their anograms in pairs and put them on each other’s backs. The objective was that participants had to look for their pair and in the end each pair got to tell the rest of the class what their word means. This game took a lot of time but all of the students got to develop thier vocabularies from their own pairings but also those of the others.

The last activity of the day was passing the sentence game. All of us lined up in four lines and a sentence was told to the first person in each of the lines, the message is passed on one by one toward the person at the end of the line. It turned out that all of the groups were successful with this.

At the end of the day, the ending speech was presented and we had the photo sessions. While we got to know more about each other through games and activities, the Thai local school students got to cooperate together as a team as well as learning new English skills and vocabularies. It was a great experience for all of us.

A display of smiles, joyful chants and the pitter patter of little feet were merely some of the details present within the scene that was to be witnessed as we made our way out of the PTIS vans and into the Starfish Home for Children, here in Mae Rim, Chiang Mai.

This home, once a posh resort located within the outskirts of Chiang Mai; has undergone a complete transformation, now serving as a home for children, who, not necessarily orphaned, merely need a place to stay as their families are unable to shelter them.

This home, with its once prevalent emphasis on financial gain now usurped by the motivation to help make a difference in young children’s lives becomes, every two weeks, a harmonious display of intercultural interaction between children, and those who wish to give them a breath of fresh air from the normality of their lives at the center.

Thus, every two weeks, on a Saturday morning, a group of about eight to fifteen students from PTIS gathers in the cafeteria around 8 A.M and prepares to take the 40 minute ride to the center. Due to the voluntary nature of the activity, certain sessions sees more or less students depending on the amount of work they have - however, punctuality has never been a concern as attendance has always been sufficient to make the trip worthwhile.

Of all the Saturday mornings we spent at the Starfish Home for Children, there is one morning which still resonates within me. During the last session I attended, we had decided to bake cookies and other goods for the children.

Having premade the mixes before hand, we arrived armed with cookie dough, syrup and food coloring. From the moment the children noticed that we were going to be cooking, a sudden wave of joy flowed across their faces. We then showed them how to flatten the dough and how to cut it into the shapes needed.

It was funny to see how some children preferred flattening the mix whilst some others would rather color the un-cooked dough - all of the children found the fun in whatever part of the cooking process they were involved in. Needless to say, most of them had food coloring all over their fingers by the time the food came out of the over - perhaps a fact that heightened fun ever more for everybody.

In the end, the activity was not only beneficial for the children but for us as well. Being there, seeing the smiles on children who have the odds against them is truly an inspirational feat. Although at first I thought of waking up on a Saturday morning as being a painstaking task, I began to look forwards to going to Starfish - and now, as the activity has come to its close, I miss those Saturday mornings.

Although I probably will not see these children again since I am graduating in less than two months, one thing I know for sure is that I will forever carry within me the memories of their smiles and laughs – the memoires that even I could make a difference in the live of these children.

I still remember the first day of the Viengping Girls’ Home visit to PTIS. It was the 13th of September. While waiting for the vans to arrive, the student volunteers with their supervisors, A. Jenn and A. Ann, were planning how to rotate the kids so that they could all participate in the activities we had planned for them. The gym was booked, sports equipment were borrowed from the boarding house and bathing suits were freshly washed and neatly folded.

We were so excited when the vans pulled in but imagine our shock when the kids started coming out. There were 20 kids ages 4-6 years old, and there were more boys than girls! We had to quickly change our plans. Playing basketball and badminton were definitely out as they were too short to reach the net. We need to find swimming trunks too!

We organized a tag game and our supervisors gathered all the materials they could find in their classrooms to transform the gym into an Art Attack session.

The kids loved to be carried and drink water using the paper cones. They loved splashing in the children’s pool. I spent such a nice and meaningful time especially with one kid called Pi. Even though I can not speak Thai, we communicated pretty well with smiles and gestures. I won't forget when he smiles at me…

As part of our service program in Term 1, the Grade 11 students established ties with Srisangwan School of the Disabled. There were a total of 12 students along with A. Sebastian and A. Jeremy guiding us. We paid our first visit on the 31st of August.

During our first visit, the boys were to play sports like basketball and soccer with the older kids and the girls were to do some art with the rest of the children who could not engage in physical activities.

The boys, Jigme, Stanley, Jordan, Tiziano, Justin, Sid and Useng, were having a tough time playing sports as the children were really good at it and the weather was hot too. I could see that the boys’ shirt were wet with sweat, their faces had turned red and starting to get sunburn.

The girls, Yeshey, Alida, Am, Risa and myself, were doing art and at the same time distributing sweets and snacks to the children who were very grateful for whatever food we could share to them.

The second trip which was on the 28th of September. This time we did not take many snacks but took a lot of sport items like basketballs, soccer balls, Frisbees, badminton racquets and skipping ropes. We also had a lot of art materials like color pencils, crayons and water colours.

We divided ourselves in two groups some of us played sports while some did art with the children. The children were really into art especially, one boy who was in my group. His name was Krue. He really enjoyed art and the most amazing thing was that he used his mouth to draw because his hands were disabled. He drew a sketch of me admiring him and the sketch came out quite well.

We were all tired at the end of each visit but it was worthwhile because of the things we have learned from our experience of interacting with children who have severe disabilities.

We learnt how to play with the disabled children although we had a big communication gap as most of them did not understand English and we did not understand Thai.

We also found out that even though they had some disabilities, they try to find ways to do different things which made them no different than us.

This service activity made us realize that everyone can live life happily and make things possible even though they are not perfect.