The Outdoor Education Philosophy at Sail in Asia
At Outdoor Education in Asia we believe in a student-centred approach to learning about Outdoor Education. Our programmes are professionally designed, to provide, comprehensive experiential learning experiences. All our sailing courses result in your students receiving an Internationally recognised qualification, from the International Sailing Schools Association (ISSA). Our Core Activities and courses will form the basis of your trip and give your students high quality learning experiences on, or in, the water. We have devised a menu of Additional Activities, both physical and cultural, that you can add to your chosen Core Activities. Adventurous Journeys are our speciality and we have some really exciting expeditions for school groups. Pre-visits by Teachers are really ideal, and not only help you to gain skills before your trip, but also help group leaders and SIA staff organise and discuss, in person, your school trip or expedition. These visits are also really valuable, as key staff get a chance to engage in some of the activities wherever possible.
Our Outdoor Education facilities are located in Phuket, Krabi and Pattaya, in Thailand. We have three outstanding bases, with highly qualified watersports teachers and instructors, and an Outdoor Education Programme that is unique in South East Asia. We can put 60 students on water in yachts, and up to 300 students in Dragonboats.
The yachts that we own at our sea school have been carefully chosen because of their outstanding sailing capabilities, for their seaworthiness and for their suitability as learning vehicles. The Keelboat fleet (of six identical boats) are perfect for young adults, as they are exciting and responsive, which students love. The boats are also perfect for the ISSA certified keelboat courses we run.
The Core Activities are options for schools to consider. They range from two to five day courses on yachts, with beginner courses and a series of progressions for schools that may wish to come back to continue their Outdoor Education with Sail in Asia. Included in the Core Activities are Adventure trips, Dragon Boating options and an Introduction to Scuba Diving. Talk to us about your ideas and we will work with you to create a great educational experience for your students.
We have a fair range of additional activities that can be participated in by the students from your school. Usually school trips are organised with a view to having a main activity; A Core activity and with several Additional activities. These may be day or evening activities, on sea or on land.
We suggest you review the Additional activities and find one, or several, that you want to consider with your colleagues, and with us at Sail in Asia. We will work with you to put a programme together that has your selected activities built into it. We aim to provide your students not only with Outdoor Education but cultural experiences as well.
The Additional activities range from making Cardboard boats and racing them, to visits to cultural heritage sites, like Ao Chalong Temple and Old Phuket Town. Our beach BBQ is highly regarded and is often part of a Dragon Boat Regatta. Talk to us about the activities that appeal to you and we will inform you, how we can best run the activity and where it might fit into your Outdoor Education visit.
We have four adventure trips that can be run in Phuket or in Krabi, Thailand. Two trips are for a NE Monsoon wind (November to late April) the other two with a SW Monsoon wind in Spring - Autumn. The routes are planned so that sheltered safe bays can be used by the yachts when anchoring at night. The trips are best designed so that after a two or three day Learn to Sail Course your students' learning is further embedded on a Flotilla Sailing Trip, in Keel boats, for another two, three or four days. An instructor is in attendance in every keel boat and a powerful Safety boat with rescue crew is always shadowing the fleet.
Students camp ashore when on Flotilla but stay in hotel accommodation nearby the Sailing School, while learning the initial skills to skipper and crew a yacht. Kayaking or Dragon boat options and nightwalks and Beach BBQs can also be considered by teachers. Tents are erected by students, and teachers organise groups ashore and often arrange night activities to entertain the students. Catering arrangements are contingent on many factors, but are discussed and organised on a group by group basis. Most camping sites chosen by us, give us flexibility for choosing camp cooked food (students prepare their own food) or local restaurant supplied food.
All SIA staff stay with the boats overnight in the anchorage, to maintain safety cover and to comply with our child protection policy and procedures.
Sail in Asia recognises the necessity to organise pre-trip visits and also Professional Training Courses for Teachers. These courses are useful because they ensure teachers get the opportunity to experience and complete the courses that their students will take. Teachers can identify, with our instructors, any pre-learning that would be helpful for their students.
Teachers will gain the knowledge and skill to participate in watersports, but also will be able to have time to plan their trips, pose questions, consider materials and generally have time to put together a effective, but challenging, learning experience for their students. We encourage all schools booking with us to do this, to ensure both the students and teachers get as much out of their time with us.
All the safety procedures and risk assessments can be considered by the participants. Teachers get to meet our instructors and we get a chance to build a worthwhile professional relationship well before the Outdoor Education visit takes place.
Our Watersports Adventure Activity
The adventure activities on offer to schools, includes sail training courses, multi-activity adventure weeks, flotilla expeditions and regattas. Our activities are aimed at students aged 12-18 years, although we can also offer adventure activity for Top Juniors in Primary schools. We use yachts, dragon boats, canoes, dinghies and keelboats. All are carefully selected, to be well suited to training but most important safe and fun to be on.
Students (and teachers), over the course of their stay with us, will challenge themselves, overcome real-life problems, learn communication and teamwork skills, and develop their confidence and leadership potential. Highly skilled staff and well designed programmes provide a structure within which students can be safe, discover, get inspired and succeed!
Our objective is always to develop practical skills alongside the theoretical knowledge needed to be a safe and competent. SIA Training combines theory and practice which positively impacts on the quality of learning. The most effective learning is a consolidated process which mixes the two elements. We believe that our approach to sail training is more enjoyable, more educational and produces better sailors more quickly. Come along and experience the Sail in Asia / International Sailing Schools Association approach, and give your students the adventure holiday of a lifetime!