Education Outside The Classroom

Education Outside the Classroom

Vientiane International School aims at enriching learning experiences through interaction with the Lao community and our international communities.  These learning experiences which include field trips and overnight trips form part of the curriculum and all students are expected to participate.

Students in grades 5-12 use locations within Laos, the Mekong basin and other destinations as a focus and resource to study the academic, social, emotional and physical aspects of the school curriculum.  These field trips aim to involve the students in real world learning situations and incorporate elements of community service and action.

Grade 5 Trip
Each year the Grade 5 students participate in a residential trip within Lao PDR.  The trip is conducted during school time and is a 3-day and 2-night trip led by Grade 5 teachers.  Whilst the  itinerary of the trip may vary from year to year, authentic links to transdiciplinary units are key to determining the overall purpose of the trip.  In the 2009-10 and 2010-2011 academic years, Grade 5 students have explored Vang Vieng, north of Vientiane.


Secondary Action, Learning, Service, Adventure (SALSA)
SALSA Week and other overnight trips in the Middle Years and Diploma programmes aim to involve the students in real world learning situations and often involve elements of community service and action.  Below are stories written by our students about SALSA in 2009.

Grade 12 CAS Trip
"For this year’s study trip, the 12th graders spent the week in the Pakse area, where three days were spent working in the village of Ban Gwangsinoi. This village has no electricity, no running water, no cell phone signal, and before we arrived, had no toilet of any kind. For those three days we lived with the villagers, just as they do, and worked to develop parts of the village. We built a latrine, an information board, and painted their school, along with students from the Lao Ngam District Secondary School."   Read more

Grade 11 CAS Trip
"This past week the grades 11 and 12 went on a class trip to Pakse in the south of Laos. The aim of this trip was to help develop sanitary conditions in a village in Salavan Province. Village Focus International is the NGO that helped organize this study trip."   Read more


Grade 10 trip to the South
"This year the Grade 10 study trip was a tremendous victory. We had lots of fun while learning new things and everyday was filled with a different sense of excitement.  Where the first two days were calm the remaining days were tiring. However, all of us successfully came back home without any injuries and everyone was contented with the trip. Whether it was kayaking or biking, laughing or singing, it was wonderful."  Read more

Grade 9 and their trip down south
"Who would have thought that twelve hours later on the Grade 9 study trip and with very little sleep on the night bus we would tackle the trekking with gusto? Ms. Janet being a city girl slithered all the way down the slippery steep slope and huffed her way up the mountain side grabbing any tree she could find with various students acting as personal guides only to be dumped in the waterfall."  Read more

Grade 8 Trip to Ayutthaya
"For the first two days, we stayed on a barge. The purpose of staying on the barge was to study the Chao Phraya River and how it impacts on the environment and the Thai community both culturally and economically. While cruising on the Chao Phraya River, we were informed of the many environmental issues impacting on the river such as pollution."  Read more

Grade 7 Trip to to Ban Napho
"My trip to Ban Napho felt amazing because I learned alot which I never thought about before. This trip was the most different than any other trip I have ever been on because we had to stay in villagers' houses. At first, I did not like the sound of staying in a house in which I would not be comfortable, but it didn't turn out to be that bad."  Read more


Fun Ban Chiang study trip for amazing Grade 6
"Grade 6J and 6R went on their fantastic, unbelievable study trip to Ban Chiang.  Our study trip started on the 16^th of November and ended on the 20^th. We crossed the bridge in vans and this trip seemed not to end; we thought we would not reach the world beyond us.  But finally, we arrived and we started our wonderful journey together."   Read more