I hope this MUSTER finds you well. There has been a lot going on in the last few weeks, especially after a very successful VERSO HACK 2023 hackathon held here at VERSO early this month.

The focus of this MUSTER is sharing some of the things that have been in our Middle Loop orbit. 

I just want to take a moment to congratulate the Talent Scholarship students who presented to the panel this week. The quality of the presentations, the preparation, and the way they communicated are a testament to the work they have done all year. The future is bright with our VERSO talent scholarships!

OK, let's now share what we've been up to in the Middle Loop... it's all about BTW.

Beyond the Walls

What does this look like?

Engaging with the world outside of school helps students connect with the culture around them, and find their place in relation.
 
Partnerships outside our walls help impart a sense of making a real contribution, building real relationships, and holding a shared purpose.
 
We are striving to build strong network of partnerships in Bangkok to create a unique environment for students to learn in an immersive and experiential learning. 

Lumpini Park

Last Friday a group of 20 students went BTW. The first stop was Lumpini Park. We broke into 3 groups and took the time to notice the things around us. Some students did some sketching, some soaked up the surroundings, some played chess, and some captured different shots with a camera.

The above group got quite philosophical as we talked about the 'meaning of life.' Through our deep conversations and having a bit of fun, our interpretation of this was the importance of play.

It goes back to a quote that has stuck with me for a very long time.

"We don't stop playing because we get old, we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw -

The definition we arrived at is that the meaning of life is all about play - to enjoy life and do the things that bring you joy. We also went on to add that life is about creating memories and capturing the moment. With this in mind, we wanted to put the camera on a 10-second count time timer, play, and capture the moment. This 10-second photo, of course, took 20 minutes to get it, which was half the fun. Next time, you're with family or friends, give yourself the 10-second jumping photo challenge a go. You'll have a blast doing it!

Bangkok Museum

Our second stop that day was the Bangkok Museum. The purpose of this trip was to take a look at the history of Thailand. This included key people, artifacts, important places and memorabilia. Students had to find answers to various questions and discuss how the Thai people and place have changed over time.

Bangkok Design Week 2023

The main objective of our BTW experience was to head to the Bangkok Design Week by the refurbished General Post Office. Many new entrepreneurs and start-up companies were showcasing their products. As aspiring young entrepreneurs, students could interact and learn more about their product design and the process they went through from concept to product. 

Another important feature of this experience was for students to see, feel, and learn how to set up a shop front as a physical space. This would be a great way to think about future Showtimes and the level of detail needed to stand out in a crowd.

Putt Putt Golf Design

As part of the Middle Loop Explore Project, a group of learners are designing and creating a mini-golf course that will educate and entertain them. To uncover and interpret, they visited ‘The Turn’ a mini golf course in Asoke. They were able to research the course design and sketch the holes to help conceptualize their prototypes for building their own course. They looked at the materials used, the 3D shapes, angles, slopes, and measurements that would help them design their own holes and courses. Students had fun playing mini-golf and challenging each other to get a hole-in-one

STEM Lab

John, one of our Learning Designers has been leading and designing our STEM Lab experiences using our VEX robot resources. 

Students are thoroughly enjoying the design aspect of testing and prototyping their ideas and then doing time trials to achieve the lowest time for the challenge.

Science Lab

We embarked on a journey of discovery exploring the fascinating world of solids, liquids, and gases. Our hands-on experimentation and analysis deepened our understanding of their unique properties and transformations. Through this course, our science literacy was strengthened and we built a solid foundation for future studies. 

The density of solids activity was a highlight in science class. Students used peer teaching and hands-on experiments to calculate density and identify different metals based on properties. Their grasp of fundamental principles and dedication was evident in their accurate findings.

Learning Lab ShowTime