Thai Crisis - Student Holidays = Teacher Holidays?

[kyddbase]

I work at a school in which the first day of school was affected by the protests in Bangkok. They told the students that the school year will begin on May 24. They told the teachers to report all week to basically sit around in the office and be bored. We are not inside the red zone, but we are a part of Bangkok schools. My question to anyone is: Are there other schools out there in which only the teachers are going to work and not the students? Please let me know... we have a meeting tomorrow and I would love some good info to speak about. Just wondering if this is legal to make the teachers come in or maybe thats just how things work.... maybe I believe the latter.

[Scott]

Yes, our school has the same thing. The teachers have to work but there are no students. I would guess it would depend on if it is a private or public school and under whose jurisdiction it falls. Another school that I know of has all the Thai teachers coming to school but the foreign teachers don't have to.

[Scott]

Oh, I forgot to add, welcome to the forum.

[surangw]

any chance the international schools ( St. Johns in our case) will give some rebate on tuition ? or at least make lessons to the students online?

[Ijustwannateach]

If you're not in the Red Zone, and they pay your salary, I guess they can ask you to come in.

If my school were in the Red Zone and they asked me to come before the crisis was over, even though students were not expected to come- I would probably ask them if they thought it was easier for them to locate another teacher to hire who WOULD go in that area, or to wait until the violence was over before asking me to come back.

That would set the rusty thinking wheels a'movin'. I think at the moment other teachers should also be aware that Bangkok is not looking like an exactly attractive spot, and it is likely many teachers will not come back from holiday. Let the schools know it's a worker's market.

[Sisaketmike]

Oh, I forgot to add, welcome to the forum.

Well, you’ll have to stay there so many times without students, if it’s not a public holiday. The best time to prepare lessons, to talk to- may be- more experienced teachers, to go online to look for teaching material. You signed a contract, that’s it.

You’ll have to work, but the students will have to study. Be glad that you’ll have your salary for not teaching.

What’s so bad about being there? Being a teacher here means you’ll have to be available when the school wants you to. Wish you a great time without being bored.

[Loaded]

So you are in a safe area and are being paid but not having to teach AND you are complaining. Too many farangs teaching in Thailand with this attitude whinging and poisoning staff rooms imo. Why don't you do something constructive with the time?

I can't believe you are asking is it legal. You signed a contract to start on a certain date and now you want an immediate holiday as you think it's illegal for the school to force you to go to work.

My advice is return home immediately... please.

[jjp]

any chance the international schools ( St. Johns in our case) will give some rebate on tuition ? or at least make lessons to the students online?

there is work on the server for the students for the above named school and i suggest you ask your child to log on his student drive/your email account and access the work.

[321niti123]

My school too, international school closed for the week, teachers need to go to school in the morning, email homework check work, give work, online learning, etc.

[surangw]

any chance the international schools ( St. Johns in our case) will give some rebate on tuition ? or at least make lessons to the students online?

there is work on the server for the students for the above named school and i suggest you ask your child to log on his student drive/your email account and access the work.

thanks for the info, will do

[Scott]

I have cleaned up the thread--meaning deleting some posts. This sub-forum has stricter rules on a number of issues. It is for teachers and about teaching for those that are interested. We are not a large community and getting along is a part of a community.

We are currently in a rather difficult situation and staying on topic is important during troubling times.

[Scott]

A number of schools have told staff to stay home on Thursday and Friday as well. If you know of any other these schools, feel free to post them.

[asiantraze]

New semester to begin on Monday or a week later

from www.nationmultimedia.com

An Education Ministry meeting Friday agreed to allow all schools in Bangkok to start their new semester on Monday except 28 schools located in "red zones" or special control areas that will be allowed to start on May 31.

The special control areas are considered to be risky for students to travel to. Many of them are still being cleaned up after the clashes between troops and antigovernment protesters.

The Nation

Note:

Does anyone know what the 28 schools are? Appreciate a swift response.

Edited May 21, 2010 by asiantraze

[culicine]

A number of schools have told staff to stay home on Thursday and Friday as well. If you know of any other these schools, feel free to post them.

It will depend on the school management, your location, and private or a government.

I'm in Nonthaburi (private school), and during wednesday (10am) we closed the school and students were asked to go home. We stayed until 3pm. No students or teachers go to school the rest of the week, though the Thai teachers had to go. Now it seemed a little unnecessary, though I did get some school work done at home anyway!

[Scott]

This is taken from the live updates in the news thread:

TAN: For inquiries in to school opening dates please call 1579

[asiantraze]

This is taken from the live updates in the news thread:

TAN: For inquiries in to school opening dates please call 1579

Thanks to this. Tried calling the number and extension 0, someone answered. I am wondering though why my school will open for the students by the 24^th as I see it located in the hot zone (Phaya Thai area).

Was it just my Thai? Coz the person on the other line couldn't speak English well – and I tried very hard. "Pert" (not "Peet") is open in Thai, right? Or, can I just know exactly the hot zone? I actually intend to have a short break if my school is to open by the 31^st coz I toiled working on everything since the last weeks, nothing more to do with regard to preparation.

I hope they will announce soon which schools really are to open by the 31^st.

Edited May 21, 2010 by asiantraze

[NormanW]

We have students that have come from our sister school in BKK to sit their IGCSE and IB exams set by Cambridge.

Some teachers have also made the journey.

If students don't sit these exams now, they either sit the ones in November or apply for special mitigating circumstances and get a given grade after their work is assessed by Cambridge.

I think it is wise they are sitting their exams now, which they have been studying for over the last two years.

Stay safe.

Norman

[EvolvingApe]

A number of schools have told staff to stay home on Thursday and Friday as well. If you know of any other these schools, feel free to post them.

It will depend on the school management, your location, and private or a government.

I'm in Nonthaburi (private school), and during wednesday (10am) we closed the school and students were asked to go home. We stayed until 3pm. No students or teachers go to school the rest of the week, though the Thai teachers had to go. Now it seemed a little unnecessary, though I did get some school work done at home anyway!

I did my time in the military a long time ago. I took an oath at the time to guarantee my willingness to give my life if asked or it were needed. This job for something like 1250 USD a month doesn't get that kind of dedication from me. My school also expected teachers to report although the city was under emergency decree and a government imposed 'holiday' all week. I didn't go. If they cut my pay for it I'll make official complaints to the Labor Dept, which will probably get me nowhere, and will then write to CNN, BBC, my nations embassy etc. about it. I look forward to asking the school owner if he has ever been on TV before. I already take a big enough risk driving a motorcycle 20 km to work without doing it during the build up to a civil war.