Abstract:
The dramatic increased in number of disadvantaged children in Thailand has become the national concerns. These children include orphans, in jail parents, drug addicted parents, parents with mental illness and family with poverty. Foundations, charity organizations, were established to help these types of target group. Teachers who works in Foundations has important role in developing these children. This research has 3 objectives: (1) to find need analysis and characteristics of teachers in Foundations, and to find non-formal education activities for teachers (2) to develop non-formal activities for teachers in Foundations and (3) to come up with recommendations. The need analysis was done from survey 5 foundations for children. Then activities were designed and tested at Moo Baan Dek Sarnrak Kindergarten, Children Foundations for 2 semesters. The final step was to organized focus group of experts for a discussion to come up with suggested policies. The result founded that Foundations teachers are devoting to their work and childrens developments. However, they are lacking of skills in arranging specialized activities such as music arts and movements. (1) The needs analysis result found that the music arts and movements can help enhance childrens emotion and social skills. (2) The suggested activities model should be type of aesthetic experiences which consists of hands-on repeated actions with the cycle of Experiential Learning fashion. These activities should implied positivity and should be continuous over time therefore the childrens brain could be developed properly according to their age. The repeated optimistic aesthetic experiences over time may result in children realizing the desired behavior. (3) For further development and practice, the activities should suitable for types of disabilities, and focus on enhancing childrens social and emotion abilities. Systematic teachers development should be created. Lastly, special teachers learning center for teachers who teach disadvantaged children should be created.