chonabot

I'm looking forward to the next semester, it will be my second, the first semester was fun - lots of highs and a few lows.

Well I was looking forward to it, but yesterday the Head of our department told us we will be getting fresh graduates as teaching assistants.

To be honest I would rather continue to work alone as I have managed to do pretty well with my 1000 M3 and M4 students thus far.

I have misgivings about another 'teacher' in my lessons, ok it may be a positive and certainly will help with the control issues and probably with the

difficult communication problems we all face from time to time. But I am concerned it will be more of a hindrance than a help.

I will probably have to go through the lesson plans several times, there will be a language barrier no matter how good their English happens to be.

And I'm expecting the assistant to be some kind of distraction , not that I need one with the M3 attention span being fairly short.

So does anyone have experience of teaching solo one semester and then having a new assistant, whether we like it or not?

Thanks in advance.

Interesting but related to Thailand?

No need to apologise Bertie, you're spot on pal...

The one that gets me is the " it isn't about the 10 baht it,s the principle " crap.

Once, just once I would love someone to post that it is all about the 10 baht and they are p#ssed. If it wasn't about the 10 Baht they wouldn't be posting on a forum moaning about it would they.

Being 'scammed' for an extra 11 baht in front of my students was about the principle - I could barely look them in the eye had he got away with it.

ps I'm being sarcastic

Music does not develop in a vacuum, and does not develop in one area only. The "American Jazz" has its roots in African, Caribbean, French, Central and South American and many other regions. The influences came together largely in America, but to discount the origins of those influences isn't correct. Not aimed at you particularly, but more at the "US is the only innovator in the world" crowd.

As I said!

The particular environment in America in the 19th and 20th centuries, the mixing of influences from slave and immigrant groups, is what led to the development of new genres of music on American soil.

It couldn't have happened back in Africa, France, Scotland, or wherever.

Its fine to be happy with that, but perhaps tone down the nationalistic lingo slightly? You sound like a Thai person

What nationalistic language? It's a fact that these new musical genres were developed by Americans of different backgrounds in America. I didn't wave a flag or sing bloody God Bless America.

Many new musical genres were birthed in the UK, too: prog rock, punk, ska...

Happy now?

Pink Floyd are/were prog rock ...I'll get my coat

I was kind of scammed outside the school where I teach.

There is a 5 star chicken stall and I asked for 2 sticks with look chin on them.

The advertised price was 20 baht each but 2 for 39 baht.

I was having a conversation with some of my M4 students and the seller must have realised I spoke Thai and was a teacher...unless he was dumb...as I walk past his stall everyday on my way into the school.

Anyway he charged me 50 baht with a smile - when I pointed out it was in fact 39 baht he smiled again and took the correct money.

Not even a sorry or a look of shame - a few of the students said some choice words to him but all water off a ducks back.

Ok this is a tiny amount of money but a good example of how some people here think.

I'm sure the same could happen back home but this thread is about Thailand

.and all based on a derivation of an American musical genre.

Which one could argue derived from African music during slavery in the US, certainly in the case of the Blues, which developed into R&B, which developed into Rock & Roll etc etc.

Laughing at all the instant musicological experts on the forum. They suddenly know the roots of all popular musical genres.

Perhaps they knew them many moons ago but decided to educate others on this outstanding thread.

I've played in Blues bands since the mid 80's and finally have an opportunity to share some of my infinite wisdom with you lesser children of the soil.......

If someone bought me a house I would happily put up framed photos of everything they asked

( Any takers ? )

We could say that all American creativity is based on the English language but that would be petty

And nonsensical, since we're talking about music.

There would be no Stones, Beatles, Who, etc. without Little Richard, Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and countless American bluesmen who preceded them.

And Messrs Jagger, McCartney, and Townshend would be the first to admit it.

Music/Lyrics...language/nuances.

I agree about the influences and in turn there were some decent bands influenced by the Brit invasion - alas these days there are scarce few decent bands on either side of the pond.

I blame X factor...hang on that's how this thread started

Next up is MOVIES AND MUSIC.........Australia has NOTHING. The UK aint Bad, but the USA has the best movies in the world!

We rule the world for music......Give me American comparisons with the following

Led Zep

Beatles

Rolling Stones

Pink Floyd

...just for starters

Game set match, as far as music is concerned; although these are representative of an era gone by .

...and all based on a derivation of an American musical genre.

We could say that all American creativity is based on the English language but that would be petty

To summarize a couple of previous posts, British, Canadians, Chinese, Indians ... even the French, all know how to make (good) movies. But Americans know how to make money.

Does it sound fair enough ?

Scorcese, Altman, Coppola, Eastwood, Allen, Lynch, Malick, Sayles, Spielberg...need I say more? And if you don't know the work of these directors, maybe you shouldn't be flapping your gums about how terrible American movies are. And I haven't even started on the great American film makers who have already passed away.

American movies are great.

American sit coms died with Archie Bunker (a copy of Alf Garnett)

Didn't enjoy Frasier, Seinfeld, Modern Family, Curb Your Enthusiasm, or Arrested Development?

Frasier was funny - the others didn't make it to the UK - except for the overrated Seinfield (IMO)

I agree American Movies are the best - but they have some huge budget to assist also.

Really what married guy with kids would be posting at 3 in the morning?

Plenty - the last time I checked I was able to post any time I wanted ( as long as I warned my wife and kids 2 weeks in advance )

Thailand copies American shows because they have no substance and are dead easy to copy. The British dramas for example, would be far too difficult, the plots not understood and they don't have enough money to put in all the fine detail.

Which is the same reason America copies these British shows.

The in-laws sound like utter pond life sadly.

Sometime ago my wife had to choose between me and her family - she chose wisely.

We've been married for over 15 years and the family now have another Buffalo to help - my services are no longer required......haha

To summarize a couple of previous posts, British, Canadians, Chinese, Indians ... even the French, all know how to make (good) movies. But Americans know how to make money.

Does it sound fair enough ?

Yes but they like the world to know this also

I'm pretty sure most if not all of the 'Teachers' who are deported know they are working illegally and knowingly take the risk.

I have really never heard of a teacher being deported. I taught back in 1999 for 13 months and never had a work permit. I talked to many other teachers and it seemed no one had work permits (maybe some of the Indian or Philipinos did). I ended up at a college but taught all over BKK at many different schools.

I quite curious as it seems I would have read something over the years.

Some must have been - hence the OP's first post.

Next up is MOVIES AND MUSIC.........Australia has NOTHING. The UK aint Bad, but the USA has the best movies in the world!

We rule the world for music......Give me American comparisons with the following

Led Zep

Beatles

Rolling Stones

Pink Floyd

...just for starters

most of these started as U.S. franchises. google mipcon if you want to know about global tv program sales.

If you compare the number of TV shows and Movies that have gone famous overseas, you can STARE up to the Statue of Liberty......

But not

X factor

Who wants to be a millionaire

The Office

Got Talent

Big Brother

Idol

And these were the content of your original post......plus some more

btw all of these shows are crap IMO...but not septic born......be happy about that at least

I'm pretty sure most if not all of the 'Teachers' who are deported know they are working illegally and knowingly take the risk.

My Favourite laid back bar used to be the Sugar Shack - back in the late 80's and early 90's.

These days the Lucky Star is a nice place to watch the greatest show on earth ( well after a few beers )...Jap tourists taking photos of you

sitting in a beer bar..well that never gets old....

Fave Gogo bar is Peppermint...just a stones throw from Lucky Star....( btw Lucky Star has this badly deformed dog who is also a mean pool player )

I thought venom was part of the digestion process?

Yes all spiders are poisonous - and all use the venom to digest their prey externally before drinking the juiced victim .

Happy as Larry

Top Man - even paid me real cash money for being an Admin during the Military coup many moons ago ( along with dear old Scouser )

Thanks everyone - will definitely try the Music video idea Phuturatica - and advice regards not rocking the boat also heeded.

Looking forward to the next Semester ( kind of )

Don't quote me on this but someone told me it may have something to do with the fertilizer used on crops - affecting the xy chromosone in the Thai genetics.

and this wasn't someone in a bar it was a chap ( Thai) who teaches at KKU.

Teaching sports? Language?

Both at the same time - how did you know ?

ps he also sells non chromosone affecting fertilizer