Online learning opens up huge can of worms as parents get direct line into out of date Thai Education System

[webfact]

Picture: Sanook

 

Sanook reported on the continuing struggles of parents to support their children's online learning as many schools in Thailand remain closed. 

 

And they spoke to one father who while appreciating the efforts of many to bring education to their child during lockdown was highly critical of the Thai education system.

 

Not surprisingly he was not named.

 

In what is a first time for many parents, said the media, parents have seen at first hand what their children have to learn and, of course, have had to act as teachers themselves sitting beside their children trying to explain.

 

Sometimes the parents themselves don't understand the antiquated lessons so how are they expected to help their children?

 

The parent in this feature said that very little attempt had been made to adjust the classroom curriculum to online learning. Consequently it was lacking in many regards. 

 

Teaching methods had also been similarly not adjusted. 

 

It was fair enough that parents should help their kids but many had jobs and that meant time constraints.

 

Picture: Sanook

 

He leveled a further criticism that lip service had been given to online learning - the devil in the details to provide an adequate online experience had not been addressed.

 

But the wider issue is that many parents have seen close at hand what their children are learning and the methods being used to deliver the curriculum, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

This has opened up a can of worms to a far wider audience than just teachers into the out of date curriculum being used in Thai schools and methods employed to teach.

 

Whereas before the pandemic there was a layer of removal from schools to parents - perhaps breached when homework help was needed - now online learning has given parents a realtime window into the classroom.

 

And many do not like what they are seeing. 

 

And it is not just the state system.

 

One parent of children at a private Thai school said that they had been impressed by the efforts of teachers especially those from the Philippines and England teaching an English curriculum with modern techniques and modern books.

 

Picture: Sanook

 

But while Thai teachers were doing their best in difficult circumstances much of the Thai teaching materials gave them little scope to interest children or make the lessons relevant to the modern world.

 

Calls have been made in Thailand for years to revamp syllabi and curricula. But education minister after education minister has failed.

 

They usually use buzzwords and talk of plans to train staff better as well as rewrite curricula. 

 

But very little comes of this.

 

The well-heeled Thais have two choices - hope that their offspring can pass stringent exams to enter the better Thai schools.

 

Or bite the bullet and fork out for a very expensive International School eduaction where well trained foreign teachers and the cream of Thai nationals use foreign or independent curricula that is both relevant and interesting to children.

 

But this can run into more than a million baht a year at the best international schools and certainly 100s of thousands at those in the second rank. 

 

Sanook in their feature highlighted one area of the curriculum that even exhibits gender bias. 

 

A question asked students to pick what was inappropriate behaviour for boys and girls.

 

One potential answer was of a female student speaking nicely, being kind and speaking nicely.

 

Another was a boy inviting friends to play football. 

 

Another was a boy hiding a friend's pencil.

 

Another was a girl wearing trousers when going out on days off.

 

Such gender stereotyping was not right said the parent who wanted Thailand to look at how things are done abroad.

 

He also implored schools and the authorities to think again about the formation of more modern curricula and teaching methods.  

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-09-18

 

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[JoePai]

I was very upset when I only got 16 out of 20 questions right in my nephews test*

 

*note to self - must do better !!

[Rampant Rabbit]

3 minutes ago, JoePai said:

I was very upset when I only got 16 out of 20 questions right in my nephews test*

 

*note to self - must do better !!

And  take your  dress off  next time as  well!

[fusion58]

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Calls have been made in Thailand for years to revamp syllabi and curricula. But education minister after education minister has failed.

 

They usually use buzzwords and talk of plans to train staff better as well as rewrite curricula. 

 

But very little comes of this.

It's almost like the powers that be don't want an educated citizenry or something.

[Rampant Rabbit]

6 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

It's almost like the powers that be don't want an educated citizenry or something.

I  think theyve  succeeded  very well

[ikke1959]

I know how bad it is.. I am a teacher too and I see and hear it every day, that the lessons are far too difficult, old fashioned and one way direction teacher to students.... besides the lot of lost time they spend for other things than teachingh/learning....Anyway I hjave learned to keep silent because it will never change

[trainman34014]

''Parents want Thailand to look at how things are done Abroad''     No chance as they have no desire to copy anything from Abroad as 'Thai's know best' about everything.  Sadly; that's why just about everything is in such a mess !

[me4175]

I've paid for an international school education for my son and I have to say I don't regret a single Baht I spent on it when I compare the outcome to kids his age from standard Thai schools. He's grown into a well-rounded personality and it's due to the education he received and the environment he has grown up in. Parents may underestimate the impact school, and the social environment which comes with it, will have on their kids here in this country.

 

[Nojohndoe]

28 minutes ago, JoePai said:

I was very upset when I only got 16 out of 20 questions right in my nephews test*

 

*note to self - must do better !!

Or did you only get 16 out of 20 questions correct as in the nominated "correct" answers.

I recall being angry at some of the totally incorrect answers provided for post reference on homework.

That and questioning why was a cheat sheet provided at all?

 

[OneeyedJohn]

I stopped teaching English at private schools, YMCA, university when the frustration just became too much.

 

The parents, the children, the school owners just didn't care.

[Nojohndoe]

3 minutes ago, me4175 said:

I've paid for an international school education for my son and I have to say I don't regret a single Baht I spent on it when I compare the outcome to kids his age from standard Thai schools. He's grown into a well-rounded personality and it's due to the education he received and the environment he has grown up in. Parents may underestimate the impact school, and the social environment which comes with it, will have on their kids here in this country.

 

Very nice you have the financial capacity. The vast majority unfortunately do not .

[scorecard]

33 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

It's almost like the powers that be don't want an educated citizenry or something.

Part of this issue is that within the Education Ministry there's close to zero staff (permanent public servants) who have any advanced / philosophical knowledge about education, no real experience at pedagogy development and no desire to gain such knowledge.

 

Same for the numerous past education ministers.

[RichardColeman]

Homework from school my 5 year old seems to be getting is colouring, blow painting and copying letters. Not exactly appropriate leaning in my mind. Lucky my wife is kindergarten teacher and can add extra lessons in

[jaltsc]

"...now online learning has given parents a realtime window into the classroom.

And many do not like what they are seeing. "

 

I don't understand why they are surprised at what they are seeing. It should be deja vu to them, since the methods and substance of the education system has not changed in decades. What might be confusing to the student who is "learning' online is that they actually have to learn the subject matter, however outdated, and not get credit and recognition for being the first one to respond to the teacher's request. Even if it is the wrong response and has nothing to do with whatever subject is purported to being taught. 

Edited September 18, 2021 by jaltsc

[BobinBKK]

1 hour ago, fusion58 said:

It's almost like the powers that be don't want an educated citizenry or something.

This is priceless!!! I hope this gets out to the international news A.S.A.P. What reputable company wants to come here and invest with a labor pool that doesn't have the basic concept of anything, let alone no English skills? I had the opportunity to take holiday in HCMC and was thoroughly impressed by the amount of small children and adults speaking English, asking questions, understanding the answer and capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation. That's simply not the case here in Thailand.

 

With knowledge comes power, and that's the LAST THING ON EARTH "the powers that be" want. The objective here is to keep the peasants stupid therefore there will be no challenge. Can you imagine if the peasants could think for themselves and didn't "listen and obey"?

 

Take a good hard look out the window and really "see" what you are looking at. This place is a garbage dump and it's political leadership? We all know the answer to that, don't we? Is it really the fault of the general population of Thailand, the Thai people themselves? NO IT'S NOT!!!

[nowhereman]

1 hour ago, OneeyedJohn said:

I stopped teaching English at private schools, YMCA, university when the frustration just became too much.

 

The parents, the children, the school owners just didn't care.

I share your sentiment. After 13 year of teaching in public secondary school I can not take it anymore. Along the years the old guard retired and is being replaced by younger generation including management and teachers. This new generation is even more brainwashed, selfish and looking just for financial gains. They have no moral values and vanity is appalling. They will destroy everything they've built over the decades. Not a nice site so see. 

Edited September 18, 2021 by nowhereman

[Laughing Gravy]

Maybe Thais will start realising that The Thai education system is very weak and sub par. Whether they pay for a local education or an international one.

 

Most Thais mathematics are bordering very weak. Mental mathematics are extremely poor.

Languages outside of Thai are also very limited. Critical thinking and inquiry based learning are very poor in Thailand. This is not Thai bashing at all. I could provide a multitude of data to support my hypothesis.

 

I want Thailand to be at the forefront of educational research and innovation.   When I get back I will be pushing this. It is the politics and administration that have continually prevented this. They always have and sadly the masses have done very little to change it.

 

 

 

[Cake Monster]

3 hours ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

I  think theyve  succeeded  very well

If all the Kids were Educated well, where would all the people come from to man the sweat shop production lines

There are only so many Migrants that can be hired, and not all the Educated Thai Youngsters will make it to Supervisor Level even.

[Gandtee]

4 hours ago, fusion58 said:

It's almost like the powers that be don't want an educated citizenry or something.

Of course. We don't want the masses educated and thinking for themselves do we.????

[kevc]

My seven year old daughter goes to a private Thai school and the online learning is pitiful. After ten minutes of a thirty minute lesson they're ready to start then it's read a few words and colour in the pictures. That happens in almost every lesson, the only thing good about online learning is it keeps her in touch with the teachers and her friends. The best thing is we get a twenty percent discount for three half hour lessons five days a week, my daughters been to school eight days this term, I think that should justify a lot more than twenty percent.

[JonnyF]

The Thai teachers must hate teaching online. 
 

Their weak teaching methods and skills are exposed to parents and they can’t act like the little dictator, slapping kids around etc.

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Another was a girl wearing trousers when going out on days off.

Oh the horror

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

One potential answer was of a female student speaking nicely, being kind and speaking nicely.

Good to see doubling up on the speaking nicely. 

[mikebell]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

one area of the curriculum that even exhibits gender bias. 

Anyone stayed awake during the Driving Licence video - an arrogant Thai male patronises a female learner. (He then consumes lots of beer and drives off killing a couple of motor cyclists.)  The last bit was a joke.

[The Cipher]

15 hours ago, Laughing Gravy said:

I want Thailand to be at the forefront of educational research and innovation.   When I get back I will be pushing this.

How would you advance that agenda? I think education reform is needed and a very noble goal, but it's such a monumental task.

 

I'm not even sure the government would know how to go about it if they ever really wanted to - plenty of Western systems have already failed at overhauling education for the modern world.

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, The Cipher said:

How would you advance that agenda? I think education reform is needed and a very noble goal, but it's such a monumental task.

 

I'm not even sure the government would know how to go about it if they ever really wanted to - plenty of Western systems have already failed at overhauling education for the modern world.

Impossible to even think about educational reform in Thailand until you address the problem of corruption, Thailand does in fact give a good budget for education but unfortunately it is not filtered down for purpose and instead lines the pockets of the officials and all others involved.

[starky]

My daughter got exactly that question in her online learning. Tbh it was ridiculous I have 2 daughters and I really don't want them learning that sort of bias. I'm not some mad SJW but we are living in a time where girls should be encouraged to achieve whatever they would like to achieve with a gender bias.

  I would love to post the lesson here as it was pages of absolute rubbish about boys do this and girls do that but unfortunately the well known private catholic school logo is on the headers and I would hate to risk defamation claims.

Edited September 19, 2021 by starky

[Artisi]

19 hours ago, JoePai said:

I was very upset when I only got 16 out of 20 questions right in my nephews test*

 

*note to self - must do better !!

But were the questions coherent and was the correct answer "correct"? 

[Tropicalevo]

A brilliant scheme.

'Government for Dummies' springs to mind.

Chapter one - military coup

Chapter two - how to control the masses.

 

Brainwash the young.

Old folks dying for lack of Covid vaccine and the poor are all spaced out on kratom and marijuana.

 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Thailand does in fact give a good budget for education but unfortunately it is not filtered down for purpose and instead lines the pockets of the officials and all others involved.

The standard monthly salary for Western English teachers in the govt schools has been around 30k baht. This actually starts at the top as 60k baht. From there down to the teachers, many hands come out. The employment agency, the school director, the heads of dept in the school. Their primary concern in getting teachers hired is getting this cut, not educating the kids. It's why you get guys showing up hungover to play Hangman. It's why you get retired farangs wanting to do volunteer work shooed away. Fortunately they seem to have recognized the need to attract better teachers, and thus with qualifications, up to 45k can now be negotiated.