A Day in the Life of Middle School Students at ISB

The Grade 7 Social Media Takeover is a result of a collaborative partnership between Middle School English teachers and the ISB Marketing team. The project is an enhanced unit in which students have learned about the important structures and writing for authentic audiences - resulting in the chance to be published live on the school’s website and through social media channels.

A Day in the Life of Middle School Students at ISB

Written by Lucy & Dor in collaboration with ISB Marketing & Communications

At International School Bangkok (ISB), students get many opportunities to choose what they are passionate about, from the range of classes they get to pick to the extracurriculars they sign up for. ISB is one of the top international schools in Asia. One of the reasons is because the campus is built in Thailand’s best Expat town, Nichada Thani. There are over a thousand houses, 49 subcommunities, and 2 Schools.

Some of the school's larger beliefs are that students should have a balanced and healthy life outside of school, which the community and living environment help to form. As the sun rises in Nichada Thani, the students of ISB eagerly get to school, ready to participate, self-manage, and commit to not only their studies, but also sports, electives, and extracurricular activities they have chosen, such as MUN (Model United Nations) or choir. 

A few students from ISB who live in Nichada Thani were asked what a day in their lives was like, and this is just one of their very main ideas. Interestingly, they all thought living in Nichada was comfortable and balanced. The students admitted that like one of the school's values, self-management is an excellent thing that you get to practice because you can be independent and move around freely. A typical day in the life of a student here at a leading institution in Bangkok is not only filled with academics but also opportunities for extracurricular activities (such as sports and clubs) which help our students grow characteristics such as teamwork, communication, self-management, and commitment. 

Living the ISB Way: A Typical Day in the Life of a Nichada Resident

Nichada Thani provides a safe place, where students can base their day entirely on school. In Addition to learning, kids also have fun and freedom living around school. A really popular way of getting to school is in most cases riding a bike or walking, depending on distance from school. This kind of special independence around the clock allows kids to just hang out with friends or change their plans and return home at the end of the day.

Time for School

At 7:40 the school day begins and students rush to their classes. Today at ISB is Day 1, which means it’s an odd day. After period 1, students alternate periods in odd numbers. Each school day consists of four classes which are mostly an hour and twenty minutes.  

Po, a busy 7th grader, shares her exciting experience with her chosen elective, which is her period 1 class. “My first period is product design today, and it’s really fun because the teachers are really supportive and the materials are provided.” Product design is a Design, Technology & Engineering (DT&E) elective here at ISB, where students get to create different designs and use different types of wood to create everyday objects such as boxes and toys.

After period 1, students get a ten-minute break before their period 3 class. “I have social studies for period 3 and the room is set so we can work wherever we want comfortably,” Po says. In social studies, students are currently learning about the different religions in the world, such as Buddhism and Judaism. They are learning about the history of the religions by reading different texts, Edpuzzle, and videos.

Time for Lunch

At 10:30, students have lunch. Po shares “Next, I have lunch and I'm currently working on the novel writing challenge so every lunch time I can go to the library to Ms. Kehe’s office, so that I can write my piece.” Right now, students like Po who are passionate about writing are entering a novel writing challenge created by Ms. Kehe, our Middle School (MS) librarian. This challenge allows students to write a published novel about anything they want. 

At the cafeteria, some of the popular items students get are the bento salmon teriyaki set or the noodles. There’s a lot of variety for kids to choose from and if they don’t like the school lunch that day most kids just get something from The Grind (one of our casual dining concessions). At The Grind, refreshing drinks such as fruit punch, lemonade or fruit juice are very loved in middle school. Students say The Grind is great because it’s pretty affordable and the food is really delicious.

Time for Advisory or Assembly

After lunch, students have advisory which is a time where our advisors check in with students, sometimes instead of advisory MS students have an assembly all together. Currently, advisors are doing this activity called ‘open session’ where students can open up about their feelings anonymously and other students will give advice. 

At 11:45, advisory ends and students head to their period 5 class, “For period 5 I have math, for math we have two different classes, core and extended,” explains Po. “My teacher is really nice and she explains every step really carefully.” Last semester in math, students learned about ratios, proportional relationships, expressions, and the number system. This semester, students started a new topic, about geometry where students transform shapes and learn about similar and non-similar shapes. 

The last period of day 1 is period 7, which is from 1:15pm - 2:45pm. Po has 3D art which she really enjoys because the space feels really safe and comfortable and her teacher is super helpful. 

Exploring the Best of International Education

A benefit of living around school is students can get involved, and have a good and supportive community around them.“I like that the community is very diverse, I have friends from all around the world. I also think that ISB is one of the best schools in Thailand and Asia because everyone has a super international mindset and is super globally minded,” said Amit, a 4th grader at ISB. The varied community gives kids an opportunity to learn and experience different cultures that one would never have known of.

Balance and Self-Management 

After school, students' learning does not end. Most of our 7th graders have many extracurricular activities after school such as sports, performing arts, and clubs. For example, Po shares, “After school, I go to rehearsals (for the new upcoming school play) around 3:30pm to 4:00pm, after that, I have swimming until 5:30pm and the swim coaches are really nice.” After students finish their extracurricular activities, if they live downtown the school buses drive them home, but the students that live in Nichada mostly walk or bike home like Po.

"I’m pretty independent, I can pretty much bike anywhere, anytime,” said a seventh grader. Students at ISB, especially the ones who live around Nichada, can manage their days and decide how to move around with their bikes. Only 30-40 minutes from downtown Bangkok, Nichada Thani is a safe place where people can ride their bicycles without worrying about traffic, and cars. “It's also really safe because there are guards everywhere and they keep the traffic organized.” 

The Best of Both Worlds: School and Community Life in Nichada Thani

A day in the life of an ISB student living in Nichada is definitely unique, offering options that develop and educate outside of school. A 7th grader’s typical day at one of the leading institutions in Thailand is a mix of commitment, joy, and growth. Throughout the day, all of the school values are very visible; from the responsibility of being independent to a balance of having a healthy life.

Through a balance of extracurricular activities, academic studies, and fun and engaging learning experiences, students at ISB have lives filled with determination and enthusiasm. From being in sports, such as soccer and badminton, and also being involved in clubs like library council or to participating in classroom lessons, each moment at ISB is an opportunity for personal and academic growth. At ISB, it’s important that not only do our 7th graders find the joy of learning at our school but also have opportunities to pursue their interests and discover new passions. 

Living in such a community and attending such a school is not something that everyone gets to have. But you could! If you are interested in learning more and signing up for International School Bangkok (ISB) so that your family can experience this for yourselves you can apply HERE.