My Childrens Teachers

[Acquiesce]

I have a list of the names of teachers who teach my children, do i have a right to ask to inspect their credentials at the school they attend in Bangkok?

I am collecting them from school on Friday and having been reading some of the posts on the board i feel that i would like to inspect them myself, i would also like to see what (if any) checks have been done in to the background of these teachers who i entrust with my children every day.

Regards.

A

[PeaceBlondie]

I have a list of the names of teachers who teach my children, do i have a right to ask to inspect their credentials at the school they attend in Bangkok?

I am collecting them from school on Friday and having been reading some of the posts on the board i feel that i would like to inspect them myself, i would also like to see what (if any) checks have been done in to the background of these teachers who i entrust with my children every day.

Regards.

A

I don't see why you shouldn't be allowed to see the credentials: photocopies of their degree, their work permit, their teaching license (if it's a private school). I'd be amazed if there's any background check; a convicted killer could be teaching here (though it's very doubtful). No, under the law, you probably don't have a legal right to do so. Neither do you have to keep your children in that school. Make a polite request, perhaps presenting it personally and written. Don't expect a quick response.

[aussiestyle1983]

I think you deffinently have the right, especially because of whats been happening lately.

But, on the other hand, I doubt you would get co-operation from the teacher or school if it is one of the schools where many illegale or dodgy teachers are. Also, depending on how high/ low your childs schools fees are, your school or admin (remember this is Thailand and remember how the Thai system works) might tell you to take your child elsewhere because I dont think many people would usually do what you intend to do and if the school thinks you might make a problem for them or some of there teachers (remember the farang teacher, illeagle or not brings income to the school) the school would deffinently defend its image and reputation than provide background checks for you for dodgy teachers. Just my thoughts.

Good luck and if you can not get the checks, id take your child to a better school with more qualified teachers.

Edited January 30, 2007 by aussiestyle1983

[brahmburgers]

How about sitting in the classroom during a portion of his classes - to assess for yourself the teachers' abilities. To me credentials are secondary. The most important factor is how good of a teacher that person is - including his/her alacrity and inspiriational abilities. You could get a non-degreed instructor who's a great motivation for learning on the one hand - and on the other hand, you could get a well-degreed person who's refried crapola.

Case in point: I had 3 students approach me at the university where I teach. Their degreed teacher, a Thai man teaching English, had given them an assignment. I tried reading it and couldn't understand it - other than a few sample sentences. It was complicated self-defeating gobllygook. I might say, I currently manage a team that's writing a new-fangled English dictionary - so I have a rather good handle on the language. The degreed teacher I referred to was doing more harm than good for his students. They were roundly frustrated at his assignment (and probably hundreds of other assignements over the years) and I couldn't help them. His students won't learn English and instead will likely become frustrated, angry and possibly turned off to the learning the language and possibly become depressed about going to university. Sad but true.

[mopenyang]

If the school is not willing to share the qualifications of the teachers with you, then I would suggest you move them to a school that will.

After all, they are your children and it is your money.

[DragonQuest]

personally i think its none of your business and I doubt you can check, its the schools and MOE responsibility to do that, if you feel dodgy by a teacher and are not happy with him/her then I suggest you change schools. And you cant do this in America, so I doubt you can do it here. Same question asking you, can I see your passport , visa and degree? you dont know me. so thank you I rest my case, you wont show it to me either , see what I mean?

[Casanundra]

Why does everyone presume the post was talking about foreign teachers credentials.

If I had a kid here at school I would be just as interested in the Thai teachers credentials. More importantly, I would want to know if any of the Thai teachers are one of the ones who feels happy passing out his/her own form of corporal punishment on the kids or who just sits in front of the class droning on into a microphone without actually engaging the kids in a learning experience.

Edited January 31, 2007 by Casanundra

[mopenyang]

personally i think its none of your business and I doubt you can check, its the schools and MOE responsibility to do that, if you feel dodgy by a teacher and are not happy with him/her then I suggest you change schools. And you cant do this in America, so I doubt you can do it here. Same question asking you, can I see your passport , visa and degree? you dont know me. so thank you I rest my case, you wont show it to me either , see what I mean?

You are wrong:

http://www.renton.wednet.edu/spec_prog/title_lap.htm

[markg]

You may not have the right - but of course the school should openly show you them if you ask.

If they dont - then you could assume they have something to hide.

However - how you gonna check up anyway. Teacher Bill Smith has a degree from Harvard. You google Harvard. It exists. They aint gonna tell YOU if Bill Smith studied there......

The most sensible suggestion is this - ask to sit in on ALL your kids classes and you assess the teacher yourself. Thai and Foreign. That is the best you can do mate.

Or teach them yourself at home.

[Ijustwannateach]

Teachers' credentials should be an open book for parents to read. Some schools publish faculty lists with the credentials printed under the name of each teacher. If a school refuses to tell you the credentials or refuses to let you communicate directly with the teachers, it's a bad sign.

REASONABLE amounts of parental visiting should be allowed. Remember that strangers in the classroom can be disruptive, especially if it's a never-ending ebb-and-flow.

I'm always delighted when parents are involved with their children- unfortunately it is (rather predictably) always the parents of the best-behaved, smartest children who come, rather than the parents of the children who need the most attention or help.

[markg]

If a school refuses to tell you the credentials or refuses to let you communicate directly with the teachers, it's a bad sign.

REASONABLE amounts of parental visiting should be allowed. Remember that strangers in the classroom can be disruptive, especially if it's a never-ending ebb-and-flow.

I'm always delighted when parents are involved with their children- unfortunately it is (rather predictably) always the parents of the best-behaved, smartest children who come, rather than the parents of the children who need the most attention or help.

Absolutely couldnt agree more with all of the above.

To the OP - please make sure you treat all of your childs teachers in the same vein and dont just single out foreign teachers.

It would also be nice if you observed your child on a regular basis and not just to check up on the teacher.

education should be a partnership between parents/teachers/student.

Something i see all too little of here in the LOS.

[Momo8]

Ijustwannnateach good points.Totally agree.Any good school will promote a 'parents as partners' code of cunduct with parents being acively involved in every facet of their child's education but here is the catch phrase 'actively involved' means just that, NOT interfering,overly overbearing or rocking up unexpectadly and disrupting classes or trying to teach teachers 'how to best teach my child'.

Listing a teacher's degrees under their name is fine but parents who demand to see proof? That's going over the top and questioning someone's credibility.

If it's a private or an international school the teachers have already been checked out back to Adam and Eve.Aquisece if every parent showed up at the school demanding to check out teachers' degrees it means you don't trust the school! Why send your children there in the first place?

Edited January 31, 2007 by Momo8

[DragonQuest]

I ment just a stranger off the street wanting to know all the personal information of the teacher, IT WONT HAPPEN. Thats illegal in america and you dont have any right to do that Im not a lawyer but if some bum off the streets comes in the class room asking all this personal info hes gonna get a ass whopping lol

[Momo8]

OR you could just say "I'LL SHOW YOU MINE IF YOU SHOW ME YOURS" boom boom.

[Ijustwannateach]

If the school's got its act together, it'll make the qualifications public (and the teacher will provide the proof to them, the employer, as is common practice). Then the school guarantees to the parents that they've done the checking.

[DragonQuest]

Agreed.

[aussiestyle1983]

You also have the possibility of being informed of or shown fake credentails/ documents, so are you going to believe what you hear or see?

Edited January 31, 2007 by aussiestyle1983

[Acquiesce]

Thanks to all for the feedback on this subject, you have all given me some food-for-thought.

Firstly if i do decide that i would like to know a little more about the teachers to whom i entrust my children then i will make a polite request, presented in writing to the administration.

Secondly i also agree that accademic credentials are secondary and the most important factor is how good of a teacher that person is - including his/her alacrity and inspiriational abilities which is why the next point could be more important.

Some people have suggested sitting in the classroom during a portion of classes to better assess the teachers' abilities myself, i like this suggestion but i would be very cautious about this as pointed out, strangers in the classroom can be disruptive and a distraction. I'm certainly not going to interfeer or be overbearing and i would most certainly not just turn up unexpectadly and start disrupting classes or trying to teach teachers 'how to best teach my child'.

Teachers are profesionals and i have no intrest or intentions of trying to tell someone how to do a job (a hard one at that) that i personaly know i could never do.

Dragonquest says if some bum off the streets comes in the class room asking all this personal info hes gonna get a ass whopping lol well i can assure you that i am not some 'bum off the street' and the information that i am requesting is not 'personal' information, i believe it became proffesional information when it was submitted to the school as part of the application process to hold a proffesional position there.

It is not just the Farang teachers, but any teacher that teaches my children Chinese and Thai included, to quote Casundra ' I would be just as interested in the Thai teachers credentials. More importantly, I would want to know if any of the Thai teachers are one of the ones who feels happy passing out his/her own form of corporal punishment on the kids or who just sits in front of the class droning on into a microphone without actually engaging the kids in a learning experience.'

Thanks again for all the replies, they are all being considered and are all greatfully recieved.

Regards,

A.

Edit. I would just like to add, i am requesting something and not 'demanding' anything.

Edited January 31, 2007 by Acquiesce

[DragonQuest]

I feel for you, I honestly do , but when I think of it , you are being kinda nosy, but thats ok thats human nature by all means do what you can, it is your child, but i have never seen a parent while teaching thai kids in any classroom , maby cause they will lose face or maby because its rude or maby cause its a rare ocassion like this one. wish you luck on your decision and I hope you will keep us updated on the process and lets see if everything checks out ok with these so-called-teachers, who knows you might get a few fired lol

[Acquiesce]

I'm not looking to get any teacher fired, that's for sure, i'm just concerned about who is actually looking after my children while they are at school/

You seem very paranoid to me.

Cheers

A

Edited January 31, 2007 by Acquiesce

[sensei]

I'm not looking to get any teacher fired, that's for sure, i'm just concerned about who is actually looking after my children while they are at school/

You seem very paranoid to me.

Cheers

A

your concern is definitely a valid one. your child spends at least 8 hours in school everyday.

it could sometimes be more than the time that you spend with your child in one day.

you have the right to know who your kid hangs out with after school

you definitely have the right to know about the teachers

who are doing more than just to teach your child ABC.

kids are at a very impressionable age.

this is a very critical stage where they develop habits and even their character.

just don't pay attention to all the BS being posted as a response to your question.

Edited January 31, 2007 by sensei

[Scott]

I think some people are missing the point here. The OP probably doesn't have the right to inspect/check the creditials of the teachers either here or in another country. He certainly has the right to ask if the creditials have been checked and what these checks are.

Some documents are a matter of public record and can easily be checked. Others are confidential and can't be checked released without the consent of the person in question.

There is no sure fire way of keeping children safe from abusers except to provide an environment doesn't easily permit. You might want to make sure that classrooms are open/observable to someone at all times; that children are not alone with teachers where they can't be seen etc. etc.

In Thailand, generally, the schools are pretty safe for things like this. The next step is to make sure your child doesn't get "private" tutoring after school etc. with anyone that you don't completely trust and that it doesn't occur anywhere that you don't have access to the child.

Reasonable and prudent care will keep your child safe. Most child molesters target children and "groom" them for offenses. They look for children that are dependent, needy and uncared for. These kids are easy targets for abusers both psychologically and physically.

[DragonQuest]

Agreed scotty.

[my benny rai]

Teacher's colleges in the West and some Teacher's unions post the qualifications of its members online for the public to see. In the western educational system, parent's do indeed have the right to see the qualifications of the teachers, at least they do in developing countries. In most cases, it is simply a manner of type in a name on an online data base.

The MoE asks (requires really) that teachers have teaching portfolios that are meant to be produced when asked for. But few schools or teachers follow this requirment and most parents don't care to ask. If the teacher has a real degree, they should be proud to show it and their portfolio, not get all offended.

Most schools should have a board that has a picture, name and degree(s) of each of its teachers. If it is not updated, and the parent is interested, they should ask the head office because all teachers are requried to submit a condense resume that will be submitted to the MoE each year.

So, parents, the answer is YES you do have a right to see your teacher's qualifications.

[PeaceBlondie]

Teacher's colleges in the West and some Teacher's unions post the qualifications of its members online for the public to see. In the western educational system, parent's do indeed have the right to see the qualifications of the teachers, at least they do in developing countries. In most cases, it is simply a manner of type in a name on an online data base.

The MoE asks (requires really) that teachers have teaching portfolios that are meant to be produced when asked for. But few schools or teachers follow this requirment and most parents don't care to ask. If the teacher has a real degree, they should be proud to show it and their portfolio, not get all offended.

Most schools should have a board that has a picture, name and degree(s) of each of its teachers. If it is not updated, and the parent is interested, they should ask the head office because all teachers are requried to submit a condense resume that will be submitted to the MoE each year.

So, parents, the answer is YES you do have a right to see your teacher's qualifications.

Mostly agreeing. If you know my daughter's first and last name, you can input it into the online database and get her license number, and what she's qualified to teach (6th to 12 grade science). However, at Thai schools that don't submit their teachers for work permits or teachers licenses or taxation or medical or background check or anything, the MOE isn't going to have that teacher's qualifications submitted, no matter how many people wai him and call him "ajarn."