If you are a parent looking for an international school in Bangkok, there’s a good chance that you’ve noticed a large group of schools always offer after-school programs. While some parents may choose this option simply as a way to accommodate more time to reach the school during rush hours, it is a good option for your child regardless.
It Helps Them Discover New Passions
Different curriculums in international schools can sometimes leave kids with little option to pursue their own interests. In an international school in Bangkok, they will always have to take English, Math, Science, and Social Studies classes. Schools will always push physical education into the schedule. IT is an important class for an increasingly growing technological world. While these are all useful classes and content for your child, they don’t have an option of any of these classes. ECAs offer students freedom of choice to explore a new interest because they don’t count towards grades or credit. They are meant purely for exploration.
It Helps Them Further Develop Their Skills
For some students, ECAs are a great way to build progress on top of a skill that they have already started. Music is a great ECA option for kids who already hold an interest. It is typical for international schools to offer music in the primary years, to help foster interest in children. By the time they reach high school, music is only offered to students who are serious about pursuing the subject. For some students, ECAs are a way to get extra practice in something like music. The classes tend to be smaller, so teachers can give more individualized feedback to students in an ECA class. These classes do not have to follow a curriculum for ECAs, so children have more of a say in what they specifically want to learn.
It Helps Them See All of The Possibilities Outside of Academics
Kids that only focus on academics in schools tend to struggle as adults. Teaching kids to find an interest in something non-academic can help boost their creative skills and keep them sharp. ECAs can offer very individual and unique classes, so students are exposed to a wide range of interests. Many ECAs will only offer for a semester, so it gives students a chance to explore many different pathways of entertainment.
ECAs are a wonderful opportunity for any child. Some ECAs might cost extra fees on top of the tuition, but this is a good thing. Paid ECAs mean a higher level of quality from the teacher and typically will provide materials for the after-school class.