Academic Approach
Overview
The Jataka School enables children to think outside the box and to understand the big picture by bringing together the British curriculum, Buddhist education, service learning, and learning outside the classroom into a single, connected way of teaching. Jataka is dedicated to nourishing inner resilience and wisdom, and to cultivating outer confidence and creativity, with a sense that both students and their teachers are on an educational journey together.
We pride ourselves on teaching that responds to each child’s natural curiosity, and drawing them into hands-on exploration, rather than handing them conclusions. We believe that education should do more than prepare a child for the next stage of schooling. Real learning comes from knowing each child individually—their pace, their interests, how they think—and building from there.
At Jataka, this means centring the whole child: their confidence, their compassion, and their sense of who they are, not only their academic progress.
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Immersive Language
At Jataka we believe that learning languages transforms the way we experience the world.
Jataka’s immersive language approach provides instruction through English and Mandarin, with students learning one day in English and one day in Mandarin. Our timetable also incorporates Thai language and culture daily.
Our immersive approach supports students to become fluent communicators in another world language as they build conceptual understanding in both languages.
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Collaborative Learning
The Jataka School believes in the collaborative and inclusive nature of learning; the teaching team learns alongside the children, students learn from their peers, and we respect that parents are their children’s first teachers.
Children play an active role in co-constructing their learning day-to-day as knowledgeable teaching staff respond to their students’ evolving needs, interests, skills, and understanding. Self-directed and motivated, the child builds knowledge from his or her experiences, rather than absorbing it: through teamwork, communication, and cooperation, academic and social-emotional development are enhanced.
“The Jataka School is not just an educational institution: As one of the few small, international schools in Bangkok, learning at Jataka is designed to be flexible, holistic, and engaging.”
Dr. Rachael Stevens, Founding Principal
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Inquiry-Oriented
Inquiry is the process whereby students expand their knowledge, discover solutions to problems, uncover inconsistencies, and answer questions. As our students move from play-based to concept-based learning, our ateliers offer exploratory spaces for students to wonder, to test, to conduct research, to discover, and to create.
This real-world approach encourages them to make interdisciplinary connections and to question and extend their understanding of the world around them as they experiment and engage in hands-on learning to foster transferable critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
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The Middle Way
Alongside the British Curriculum standards, Jataka interweaves the Middle Way Educational model to root our students’ learning in the essence of Buddhist principles.
By integrating Asian wisdom traditions, including local Thai culture, and highlighting the relevancy of Buddhist understandings, we empower students to embark on a journey of self-discovery, compassion, and purpose, creating a vibrant community where confident, and engaged citizens emerge to make meaningful contributions to society.