Education experts have urged Thai schools to adopt "The Leader in Me" curriculum to improve children's leadership skills and emotional quotients.
The Leader in Me is a philosophy developed by Stephen R Covey, author of the best-selling book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It aims to teach students life skills alongside academics and espouses that leadership, responsibility, accountability, problem solving, adaptability, and social-emotional skills are just as important as maths and reading.
Under this educational model, students as young as kindergarteners will learn Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Happy Kids, a spin-off from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Yuwared Bhumiwat, a facilitator and consultant at PacRim Education, made a presentation of the seven habits via Zoom at a web conferencing event.
According to her presentation, for example, "Habit 1" students should be proactive in taking responsibility for their own life. For "Habit 2", they should begin with the end in mind and reconnect individuals with passion and purpose. And, for "Habit 3", they should put time management first so that they can identify and prioritise tasks based on urgency and importance.
"Educators should empower students to lead their own learning, not control and direct student learning. Moreover, they must believe that everyone can be a leader and have their own unique genius," said Ms Yuwared.
Teachers are also responsible to help them learn the principles and ethics that will help them to reach their goals and live a successful life, not just help them achieve academically, she added.
Phornpimon Pisuthipanpong, director of Sahavith Piman School in Chiang Mai, said she has seen positive changes in her students since the school adopted the Leader in Me method.
"We taught the habits and related it to students' lives. We have also taught the habits to our teachers and staff. The influence it has had on our school has been amazing. I have never seen anything have such an impact on student achievement," she said.