A Day for Joy

Earlier this semester, Grade 6 students and teachers at International School Bangkok (ISB) took the opportunity to mix up the daily schedule while the rest of the Middle School (MS) students were either testing or away on school trips. Together they participated in “A Day for Joy,” a day to help students connect to their emotions, focus on building joy while connecting to our ISB Values and Attributes, and have some fun doing it.

Value-Driven Learning

The day featured a whole grade level assembly, some joyful activities, an opportunity to break out into small groups to connect more deeply to our ISB Values, and a variety of physical activities in our top-of-the-line sports facilities. Joy and fun were had by all in the assembly as students and teachers together got to ride a “rollercoaster” set up in our Chevron theatre. The assembly served as a fun introduction to the Values and Attributes students would explore in their smaller groups afterward. Students danced it out on stage before heading to their small groups via a conga line.

After the assembly our Grade 6 students had the opportunity to dig deeper into each of the values, connecting to them personally. Together they had to answer questions such as “What are some ways you already see MS students demonstrating this value?” “What benefits do you see happening if all students in the MS demonstrate this value more?” “What are some problems you see happening when we don’t demonstrate this value?” and “Why do you think it is hard sometimes to demonstrate this value? What are the barriers?” They also had to brainstorm new ideas for how to practice each value and attribute.

Here are some of their reflections and ideas:

Connection & Social-Emotional Learning 

A plethora of activities were on the agenda for “A Day for Joy,” everything from board games to reading, watercolor painting, virtual reality or dance parties. Students simply had to choose the activity which would bring them the most joy. These activities were a wonderful opportunity for our Grade 6 students to connect not only with themselves but also with one another.

Middle School is a time of major transition, even more so for children in ex-pat families. Social-emotional skill development can have a significant impact on how smooth these transitions are. This day for joy was an excellent experience for our early Middle School students to develop their social and emotional skills while engaging in value-driven learning.

At ISB we offer a variety of supports to help smooth the transition into our Middle School, from a student ambassador who helps guide new students to an orientation to days like "A Day for Joy" where students have the opportunity to connect, grow, and learn together.

For inquiries into available spaces in our Middle School, please contact our admissions team by clicking here.