How Much Academic Muscle Do You Need To Teach Fingerpainting?

[hendo]

How much academic muscle do you need to teach kindergarten? For those of us with kids, we have a pretty fair idea of what 'a hard day at kinder' involves. It's up at the crack of dawn and off to the office, clocking-in at 8am. Then it begins ...

The meetings kick off in earnest. Proceedings begin with the internal briefing, generally a Doctor Suess story expertly told by one or possibly two of the bosses. These can go on for over an hour, unless something untoward like a projectile vomiting or dummy-spit interrupts the flow of things. In true corporate kinder style, then it's on with an old business shirt and down to some serious finger-painting. Around 10am the pace moves up a notch or two. Generally, there's a brainstorming, followed by a show of crayons to reach a resolution: "Hands up! Who'd like to go outside and play with Mrs Barton? And who's going to make things with Playdough on the mats with Miss Sawitree?" It's music. It's pantomime. It's playing dress-ups. It's non stop - other than morning tea, a quick bite at lunch, and a day punctuated by several mandatory naps. It's not University.

My wife and I are helping a 19y/o family friend try to find work as an assistant kindergarten teacher. The hopeful helper is Thai by the way, and her folks are deceased. Most of the schools are looking to hire for the 07/08 academic year and unsurprisingly there are a fair few positions up for grabs. Let's see if others think they might be setting the bar too high.

Most of the ads we've found on the schools' websites looking for preschool teachers and assistants require Native English Speakers; B.A or B.S in related field with Education Degree; 2-3 years teaching experience, and Teaching certificate . Kindery teachers are the salt of the earth in my opinion - I may still even have a crush on one of mine.

I'm taking the liberty of paraphrasing from our girl's application letter ..."It is said that experience is the best teacher. Well, I hope it makes me the best teacher." She goes on, "A wise teacher told me that a school should educate even the youngest children to love school. I love that!" You can't disagree with that. Kids go there to learn socialisation skills and goof off a bit, to lessen the shock of the new when graduating to the primary school of hard knocks - what age is that these days?

These patient kindy people have to contend with everything from pissed pants to delayed post-partum angst from both mum and dad. My kindy teacher, Mrs Barton, was like an expert hostage negotiator; coaxing me out of mum's Kombi wasn't easy for either of us. I hope the moderators don't mind me linking to our girl's application letter - it is patently vital to the story.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1194/113870...1997f3f37_o.gif - 19 y/o Tae's heartfelt application

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1338/113962...bce472dce_o.gif - my heartfelt recommendation

What am I missing here? Here's a girl who is an absolute angel - and a veritable kid magnet. She's 19, doesn't drink or do the RCA strip; she works too hard, including studying in her spare time. All this dedicated 'kid' has ever dreamed about is looking after kids. While I helped her a little with punctuation and vocabulary, the sentiments above are unprompted and entirely hers.

She explained how her father died and her mother informed her that she would have to leave school, a tear rolled down her cheek. She swiped it away and gave me a grin as if to say, but now I'm going to put all that right, "I'm not going back to school. I'm going to kindergarten." I graduated from that institution 40 years ago now - but that comment made me want to weep like a baby. As we tapped out that letter, she trusted her fairy godparents were going to make her wish come true.

Degree of Difficulty 10/10. Hands up who thinks she's got a hope in hel_l! I'm already holding half a dozen rejection letters that she is not aware of. I'm waiting for just one where somone at least offers to meet her. I haven't got the words to tell her what sort of response she is going to get. By all means PM me if you have some, because I'm at a sad loss. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Richard Henderson

Bangkok

[Thaivisa Moderators - I did not post this in the teaching section - I think it deserves a slightly wider audience. Nor is it an employment ad. I request that it remain here where it will stand an even chance of being read by people with preschoolers.]

[canadiangirl]

Degree of Difficulty 10/10. Hands up who thinks she's got a hope in hel_l! I'm already holding half a dozen rejection letters that she is not aware of. I'm waiting for just one where somone at least offers to meet her. I haven't got the words to tell her what sort of response she is going to get. By all means PM me if you have some, because I'm at a sad loss. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Richard Henderson

Bangkok

Hi Hendo,

kudos to you for doing your best to help this girl! She seems very nice, and I really hope that she can get the kind of job she is looking for.

I have to say: her picture seems to be showing A LOT of skin for a kindergarden teacher! It seems a bit too racy for that kind of job. To be honest, I've never interviewed anyone in Thailand, so I might be way off the mark, but it seems to me that a more respectable, nurturing, serious look in her picture might serve her better. I would definitely change the picture.

I like her letter, it's very heartfelt. It's not as "professional" as many letters, I think, but I personally like the human tone better -- it seems like people write the same boring cover letters for jobs all the time. This one stands out to me.

Has she thought of applying to Thai-speaking kindergardens, not just English-immersion ones?

[solent01]

So she didn't get the job...... Blah Blah Blah

pre school for my little one is at home with mum and dad.

[englishoak]

I have to agree with Canadian here, the photo is not reflective of any teacher in a school. Change it it for one more fitting for the position she is applying for.

Image is everthing in LOS you know that, and she's portraying the wrong one as a teacher IMO

Good luck to the girl though.

[hendo]

Thanks to the first poster. I'm not sure about too much flesh, but I'll crop that shot. She was dressed for a christening from memory. Anyway. Kids need a defacto mum as much as a master. It wasn't the warmth and sincerity of Mrs barton's B.A or B.S that I remember today. What the kindergarten teachers' role undoubtedly lacks in salary it makes up for in satisfaction, I'm told. Most of my friends worship their kindergarten teachers. As for the kids, 99.9% of the time it's a no brainer.

People will probably be divided, but I think there is too much emphisis of scholastic achievement - and the pressure is being applied younger and harder. I want a well adjusted kid, not a robot. Like I said, I'll always rember my kindergarten teacher with fondness. I am not saying that there aren't millions of extremely well qualified kindegarten teachers, who also boast a heart of gold. The intrinsic satisfaction of moulding these little mites into happy and well adjusted members of society surely cannot be reward enough, can it? It is for the girl we're attempting to help. I am not impartial here, which is precisely why I appreciate your comments. As to the second poster, it sounds like you need to get out of the house a little bit more. What sort of bitter & twisted response is that? It's not you I'm concerned about - couldn't give a ###### - but for your poor kids.

Sincerely,

Richard Henderson

Bangkok

[hendo]

I appreciate the several remarks regarding the photograph. And thank you.

I am sorry, but I disagree. My wife is an educated Thai woman from a very

good family - she lectures in marketing at a Bkk university. We both agree

the photo stands. Can we PLEASE put this one to bed! I don't want this thread

to become a debate on fashion or whether a Summer dress is too revealing.

[it is almost inevitable that some duck will not respect this polite request].

RH

[endure]

"[Thaivisa Moderators - I did not post this in the teaching section - I think it deserves a slightly wider audience. Nor is it an employment ad. I request that it remain here where it will stand an even chance of being read by people with preschoolers.]

As to the second poster, it sounds like you need to get out of the house a little bit more. What sort of bitter & twisted response is that? It's not you I'm concerned about - couldn't give a ###### - but for your poor kids."

It is an employment ad and you are flaming. The thread is closed.