School teacher's knowledge levels

[Perkkele]

I have a kid 10 y old in a private school in Isaan and I can't say I'm impressed about the books and homework sheet he's bringing home. Example, geography lessons: Union Jack pictured, choose between the countries England, Italy and Australia. Next picture stars and stripes, choose either Brazil, France or America. I didn't even know there's a country named America? 

 

I could go on with countless more of these, but you know what I mean. 

 

I know I should confront the school, but I've decided to just let it slip through, as I guess I'll be wrong anyway by Thai standards. I know there are quite many farang teachers at the school, so blunders like these could easily been avoided. Or..? 

 

Anyone else seen the same as me? 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Perkkele

[BritManToo]

Save your breath, let it go, you can't change anything.

[cornishcarlos]

Home schooling, if you have the time, must be the best option in Thailand... 

[Perkkele]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Save your breath, let it go, you can't change anything.

????????

[male expat]

Thai education system was not built to create smart people but to bring obedient citizens. 

 

Target is memory, respect and not independent thinking.

[Scott]

There are some dodgy books with either outdated, misleading or wrong information.   Some of the books and curriculum for English programs are designed by the school themselves, some are done by Thai teachers translating directly from the Thai curriculum.   This leads to a lot of mistakes.  

If the books, curriculum are used by an organization with more than one school, quite often the test is not designed by the teacher, but may come from another school.   It will be based on the curriculum or book used.   In that case the decision is to have the students get answers wrong or teach them wrong and get answers right.  

When I ran into this problem, I taught them the correct answer and the reason, but I told them for the purpose of a test they needed to use the answer from the book.   So, my students knew that Pluto wasn't a planet anymore, but when asked on the test to name the planets, to list it.  

It's sad, but it is the way things are.   The United States and America are not the same and England is not the UK.  

 

[Relocated]

56 minutes ago, Perkkele said:

I didn't even know there's a country named America? 

I can't believe that. It is right next to Cambodia. 

[tonray]

When I taught in high school here, I would have one lesson where I would ask the students to write a few paragraphs about where they would go and why, anywhere in the world, money being no object. The results follow:

 

about 50% chose Japan..because they love Japanese food

about 25% chose Korea...some to meet and marry K-Pop idols and some to get plastic surgery (boob jobs)

about 15% chose "Switzerland" because that was where a famous royal was educated 

and about 10% chose very local places like 'Seacon Square' or 'Kho Samui'....some poor kids don't get out much I guess.

Edited May 20, 2020 by tonray

[scorecard]

Might depend on who originated these handouts?

 

If it was a Thai teacher it might be best to not confront. ON the other hand if it's part of a subject taught by a farang then perhaps that teacher could totally redesign the lesson by a paragraph of key information about each country and totally avoiding some sort of quiz or multiple choice.

 

Different issue; my granddaughter had a great science teacher, lady from Australia in P3, 4, 5.  Kids loved her and were learning a lot. She did a lesson on solar power as an alternative way to harness electricity plus info. about renewables etc.

 

The science teacher from the Thai program told the kids 'no such thing, how can you connect an electricity cable to the sun?'

 

Teacher in charge of farang teachers asked for a discussion with the head (school owner). Head responded by sacking the farang lady science teacher for causing trouble. 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by scorecard

[XGM]

1 hour ago, Perkkele said:

 

I know I should confront the school

No. You have two options:

1. Change school.

2. Just don't look at what the kid learns (better not to know..). It's a rabbit hole with no ending to it.

 

 

[DavisH]

7 hours ago, male expat said:

Thai education system was not built to create smart people but to bring obedient citizens. 

 

Target is memory, respect and not independent thinking.

Ireelevant to the OP. Disobedience of much of the US polulation (there rights and feeedoms being impinged upon) has led to massive numbers of covid cases and deaths. Again, irrelevant to the OP.

[Number 6]

On 5/20/2020 at 9:01 AM, Perkkele said:

I didn't even know there's a country named America? 

There isn't. Seriously.

 

United States of America

United States of Mexico

North, Central and South America.

 

Best to move Bangkok if you want your kid to have a shot at something in life. Upcountry there are perhaps a dozen plus schools worth attending. Benjama Maharat comes quickly to mind but it's nothing close to the top twenty public's in BKK.

 

Don't confront the school. Nothing will change. If it could be better but probably would. Provincial schools generally have horrible teachers. Public schools are ranked. Good teachers go where they are wanted. Bad teachers go where they will be taken. Then it's just a lifetime slide into oblivion career and personally.

 

Edited June 1, 2020 by Number 6

[puchooay]

On 5/20/2020 at 3:01 AM, Perkkele said:

Union Jack pictured

I imagine you mean "Union Flag"? See...it's easy to fall into the trap, isn't it? The use of said flag and then the country 'England" is not a new thing and certainly is not limited to Issan. I remember during my time at Suankularb School and can recall this exact thing happening. Using the word "America" instead of "United States of America" is not that bad either. I have to say, when asking an expat "Where are you from?" I have never had the answer "United States of America". Usually the answer would be "The U.S" or "America".

 

I don't really see an issue here.

 

[XGM]

On 6/3/2020 at 11:21 AM, puchooay said:

Using the word "America" instead of "United States of America" is not that bad either. I have to say, when asking an expat "Where are you from?" I have never had the answer "United States of America". Usually the answer would be "The U.S" or "America".

 

I don't really see an issue here.

 

No issue when you are knowledgeable enough to make the distinction between the country's actual name and the more casual "America". This really can't be taken for granted here, and a Geography textbook can't just omit the formal country's name. At any case, the OP's main point was about the superficial nature of the content rather than naming countries.

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by XGM

[puchooay]

8 hours ago, XGM said:

No issue when you are knowledgeable enough to make the distinction between the country's actual name and the more casual "America". This really can't be taken for granted here, and a Geography textbook can't just omit the formal country's name. At any case, the OP's main point was about the superficial nature of the content rather than naming countries.

 

There must be a plethora of countries that are know by their, as you call it, casual name. Would one teach "United Kingdom" or "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"? Would use "Republic" or "Kingdom" within the names of countries that actually use those words in their actual name?

 

Whether the OP was referring to superficial writings in text books or not, he used countries' names as examples so was obviously expecting comments about them.

 

I would at least expect him to get the name of the flags correct when belittling someone else for their errors.

 

 

[moontang]

On 6/6/2020 at 7:52 PM, puchooay said:

There must be a plethora of countries that are know by their, as you call it, casual name. Would one teach "United Kingdom" or "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"? Would use "Republic" or "Kingdom" within the names of countries that actually use those words in their actual name?

 

Whether the OP was referring to superficial writings in text books or not, he used countries' names as examples so was obviously expecting comments about them.

 

I would at least expect him to get the name of the flags correct when belittling someone else for their errors.

 

 

Agreed.  Is it incorrect to say Laos, when in fact it is PDR Laos.  Or Vietnam..

Immigration uses America on the drop downs..but USA is acceptable on any form I have had to FIB.

[lemonjelly]

. It’s saddening, really.

Edited July 16, 2020 by lemonjelly

[thequietman]

On 5/20/2020 at 10:13 AM, scorecard said:

Teacher in charge of farang teachers asked for a discussion with the head (school owner). Head responded by sacking the farang lady science teacher for causing trouble. 

You bring anything to their attention, then you are a trouble maker. Don't bring it to their attention, and you are a trouble maker. Don't go to the staff night outs cause you have friends and family of your own - yes, you guessed it, not a team player, and so a trouble maker.

Can't come in on a Saturday OR Sunday with 2-3 days notice - trouble maker.

 

I give up with these cretins, and so I will continue as is, until they don't renew. It will happen, just not sure when. ????

[richard_smith237]

How much are you paying for your private school in Isaan? is it an international school? 

 

The reason I ask, is that contrary to the opinion of others (who’ve already posted), my opinion is that our children's education is one of the most important part of our lives along with feeding them and keeping them safe. 

 

IF you are not happy with this school, what are the alternatives?

 

i.e. Moving to another school? paying more for a better international school?

moving back to the UK to have your child schooled there?

 

-----

 

I know this will rub some people the wrong way and I know that everyones circumstances are different so we can’t judge. 

But, if we can’t get our children in decent international school here, I wonder if moving back to our home country and schooling them there is not the right option for the child.