This Quick Fix For Thai Schools Is Failing Our Children

[dumpling]

It also doesn't help when your universities suck too (although big improvements from Mahidol). Even my grade school decades ago had better facilities and bigger libraries.

The only way out is to send your kids to overpriced private schools. And even those don't guarantee a good education.

Kids should be learning Chinese, then English, then true diplomacy (non Thai) and international cultures.

You have hit the nail on the head even if you didn't realise it.Thai schools = business , problems will arise if schools which are held in lesser regard rapidly improve and start to poach students away from the more expensive schools.

A change in attitude from Thai parents is the key , when they learn that paying more does not equate to better standards of education then things can start to change.

As I mentioned previously Schools = business the quickest way to change how a business operates is to vote with your baht.

Lets hope and pray that things do change for the sake of the children.

[Tanaka]

My experience here is that students have been learnt to read and speak some English,but have no idea what the words mean. I think the system need over hauling and the losing face is the big issue, teachers do not want to be shown up for not coming up with the goods. But hold on I have been speaking English for 60 years, dont expect to be as good as me, now how can I help you?

I was taken by a local senator to a school where I am living, I offered to come along and help with conversational English, a group just sit around and chat, that was a month ago, no one has got back to me. I think its the losing face thing, lets not put the students first.

Please do put them first and I can help you a couple of hours a week free.

You have spoken English for 60 years? And you still do not know how to speak properly. And you want to "teach"? For the sake of the children, find something else to occupy you with.

[TPI]

I know it's sad but I don't think that the Thai Ed. System (?) is ever going to change! Every teacher gets their bonus from the text books they sell or failing that, from the extra classes in their private language school. What would a Thai Matyom teacher do with only 18-20 students in the room? She or He would still sit at their desk, still have the children come to them on their knees for their work to be checked, still only be worried about what the teachers room was having for lunch!

A waste of time suggesting change, a new outlook or even using gasp, horror, "multimedia"....it's against our Thai culture is the cry! Dam_n and blast!

[Teddy3943]

I agree that the general level of education is too low. My conversations with my wife's university friends and her colleagues at the school where she works as a teacher have learned me that the level of knowledge is far below the western standards. Also most people don't comprehend simple calculating. Example: I was preparing to have a house built. So we needed to raise a part of the plot of land we owned. Due to the measurings and the position of the house I knew how long, wide and high the new raised part should be. We called a "professional" company and there came three men to our property to see how it should be done. I told them that I measured everything already and that we needed 720 kubic meter. One man had a calculator at hand and asked my wife how I could know that. I said the raised part should be 30 meters long, 24 meters wide and one meter high. This makes 720 kubic meter. They didn't believe me and started to measure again what I had already done. I told them that it was not needed to do that since I put some matking poles at the right spot.. But nevertheless they measured and came out with the same results. Then they said: we don't measure in kubic meters, but in truckloads. I asked how many kubic meters would fit in one truckload. They said eight kubic meters. So I said then you need 90 truckloads. Again they didn't believe me and started talking and using the calculator. I almost lost my patience, but my wife said that I should "chai yen, yen" The three men needed almost one hour to come at the same result which western educated people know in an instant. After that I experienced may times similar ignorance regarding calculating and logical thinking. This is one of the basics in education. So don't talk about to introduce English as the second language as long as the whole system of education is bad. Didactics is the first thing teachers should be able to practise. Then the next step is improving the level.

[truethailand]

I agree that the general level of education is too low. My conversations with my wife's university friends and her colleagues at the school where she works as a teacher have learned me that the level of knowledge is far below the western standards. Also most people don't comprehend simple calculating. Example: I was preparing to have a house built. So we needed to raise a part of the plot of land we owned. Due to the measurings and the position of the house I knew how long, wide and high the new raised part should be. We called a "professional" company and there came three men to our property to see how it should be done. I told them that I measured everything already and that we needed 720 kubic meter. One man had a calculator at hand and asked my wife how I could know that. I said the raised part should be 30 meters long, 24 meters wide and one meter high. This makes 720 kubic meter. They didn't believe me and started to measure again what I had already done. I told them that it was not needed to do that since I put some matking poles at the right spot.. But nevertheless they measured and came out with the same results. Then they said: we don't measure in kubic meters, but in truckloads. I asked how many kubic meters would fit in one truckload. They said eight kubic meters. So I said then you need 90 truckloads. Again they didn't believe me and started talking and using the calculator. I almost lost my patience, but my wife said that I should "chai yen, yen" The three men needed almost one hour to come at the same result which western educated people know in an instant. After that I experienced may times similar ignorance regarding calculating and logical thinking. This is one of the basics in education. So don't talk about to introduce English as the second language as long as the whole system of education is bad. Didactics is the first thing teachers should be able to practise. Then the next step is improving the level.

we all know what the problems are from the head teacher driving his Merc to the grunt teacher whacking kids with the stick. Dont lose any sleep over it, do what I do, spend time teaching them your self. Until there is a clear out from the top, and I dont just mean the education system, the whole thai way of live you cannot expect their system to turn out anything but thick tw4ts.

[orpheus454]

My experience here is that students have been learnt to read and speak some English,but have no idea what the words mean. I think the system need over hauling and the losing face is the big issue, teachers do not want to be shown up for not coming up with the goods. But hold on I have been speaking English for 60 years, dont expect to be as good as me, now how can I help you?

I was taken by a local senator to a school where I am living, I offered to come along and help with conversational English, a group just sit around and chat, that was a month ago, no one has got back to me. I think its the losing face thing, lets not put the students first.

Please do put them first and I can help you a couple of hours a week free.

Love it... :-)

Don't call us Nong, we'll call you...

[dighambara]

The writer makes some good points. Overcrowding, antiquated teaching methods and poorly trained teachers are some of the big problems in the schools. The "no-fail" policy is another, but is inextricably linked to the culture of "losing face" on both the part of the school and the student, and the overcrowding problem.

However, I think the writer ignores one of the biggest problems with big budget education reform programs: corruption, which is rampant among the educational administrators in Thailand. Spending more money doesn't do any good, if it just lines the pockets of administrators.

With respect to the English as a second language declaration, while it is true that the proposal to recruit retired teachers from America got a poor reception from current TEFLers in Thailand, let's face the facts: why would any U.S. retired teacher travel 8,000-10,000 miles to work in overcrowded, under-resourced, poorly managed schools, for under $1,000 per month? It's just not going to happen.

What about hiring a few of the 30,000 Americans who live here permanently..??

As I have said previously, many of the folks living here are retired and additional income isn't their priority. Plus, America has a history of helping those in need with volunteers. A volunteer program, similar to the volunteers working with the Tourist Police, could be introduced to the public schools. A win-win situation, but the volunteers should be recognized by / recognizable to the community as teachers...

[dighambara]

When I read the title I thought they meant the quick fix was to fail our childern.

Sounds good to me if they can't do the work hold them back eventually they will come to understand that education is not just a social thing.

Yes the teachers could do a better job. (that is not to say that some of them are not doing the best they can and a great job of it.)

But it is time to get the students involved. After all did you want to stay behind a year or two and face the social stigma of being stupid.

Just a Suggestion. Not a end all be all solution but a part of one.

As for them learning English Why? What about Chinese, I believe at this point just get them to read and do mathematics is far more important.

English is the defacto world language. It is even the official second language of China...

[Johpa]

Why, oh why should Thai children learn Chinese first?

To better be able to help China?

The English language is more or less the world language, even in China this is recognised.

Knowing Chinese gives one the possibility to do things with China and Chinese

With English it is possible to do business with nearly the whole world.

Maybe it is because that by the time that they grow up China (the PRC) will have the largest and most important economy on the planet. Once upon a time French was the dominant language and one can still see historical traces of that bygone era in the international postal system. Today French is a minor language. The English language only became dominant with the colonial rule of Britannia and later the American Empire. Well the sun did set upon the British Empire and the sun is about to set far more precipitously upon the American Empire as my local yankee lemmings head for the cliff. And there is little doubt that within 20 years, or sooner, the Chinese Empire will be dominant. So why not teach them Chinese? Once the dollar (and other western currencies) drops back down to about 15 baat most of the neo-sahibs and other ex-pats won't be around to talk to. But the language issue is not the critical issue in Thai schools and as long as the government fears people who are capable of critical thought nothing will change as the ruling elite is quite happy with the local lemming mentality.

[dighambara]

But hold on I have been speaking English for 60 years, dont expect to be as good as me, now how can I help you?

I was taken by a local senator to a school where I am living, I offered to come along and help with conversational English, a group just sit around and chat, that was a month ago, no one has got back to me. I think its the losing face thing, lets not put the students first.

Please do put them first and I can help you a couple of hours a week free.

Face it: just being an old man and a native speaker in a certain language doesn't makes you to teacher of that language.

Hold on - Neither of you has the grammar, spelling or punctuation of a native speaker...

[mca]

Thai students need to learn more about their geography and history to see how this physical and cultural background has shaped them

Slightly problematic when some events are simply expunged from the history books.

[cup-O-coffee]

Didn't the Education Ministry just scrap the plan to make English as a second language because it would give the impression that Thailand was colonized? I think they are instead going to make English the official foreign language, and announce the plan soon. Sorry if I missed it in a prior post, but I saw no article updates.

[dighambara]

I am an expat British retiree, I am also a qualified science teacher with experience of teaching English as a foreign language, I would like to offer my services for free to local schools but when I read my retirement visa rules I find that I cannot, even if I work for free I still need a work permit.

I have met many Thai teachers of English, I once was a guest at a conference of such, most could just about manage to hold down a job at the checkout of my local supermarket in England.

My point exactly, from prior posts. Where I live, there is an American VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post, with 60 regular attendees (over 300 members), many of whom would like to help in a similar manner, but their visas prohibit working in any way, even volunteering to assist for free requires a work permit.

[SergeiY]

I am an expat British retiree, I am also a qualified science teacher with experience of teaching English as a foreign language, I would like to offer my services for free to local schools but when I read my retirement visa rules I find that I cannot, even if I work for free I still need a work permit.

I have met many Thai teachers of English, I once was a guest at a conference of such, most could just about manage to hold down a job at the checkout of my local supermarket in England.

My point exactly, from prior posts. Where I live, there is an American VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post, with 60 regular attendees (over 300 members), many of whom would like to help in a similar manner, but their visas prohibit working in any way, even volunteering to assist for free requires a work permit.

Being an old man and war veteran doesn't make you to a teacher.

[a99az]

I must agree the standard of teaching and discipline is very lacking. I was asked to attend a teaching seminar given by some visiting English teachers at our school. On the third day they gave a simple grammar test to the Thai teachers who teach English grammar, all they needed to do was punctuation. After the test, they asked for a volunteer to step out and correct the simple four line sentence. One brave sole went forward and destroyed it, it became almost unreadable. As for discipline I see teachers at my school totally ignoring students who are plugged into phones or laying on the floor at the back of the class chatting or just walking out and skipping off class. I was told last term that it is most important that the students have sufficient marks to pass in English.

It is sole destroying trying to teach students who hand in work that is photo copied from there friends, some even forget to take off there friends name, they know we teachers must pass them, so many just go through the motions of learning. On average I have 50 students in a class, and the rooms small, the classes are void of any decoration and anything that is put up is soon damaged or goes missing.

The school has over 3000 students and 100 Thai teachers, so before you say anything one foreign English teacher is not going to change things, at least not very fast, but I am working on it. What a mess.

[jayjay0]

The writer makes some good points. Overcrowding, antiquated teaching methods and poorly trained teachers are some of the big problems in the schools. The "no-fail" policy is another, but is inextricably linked to the culture of "losing face" on both the part of the school and the student, and the overcrowding problem.

However, I think the writer ignores one of the biggest problems with big budget education reform programs: corruption, which is rampant among the educational administrators in Thailand. Spending more money doesn't do any good, if it just lines the pockets of administrators.

With respect to the English as a second language declaration, while it is true that the proposal to recruit retired teachers from America got a poor reception from current TEFLers in Thailand, let's face the facts: why would any U.S. retired teacher travel 8,000-10,000 miles to work in overcrowded, under-resourced, poorly managed schools, for under $1,000 per month? It's just not going to happen.

What about hiring a few of the 30,000 Americans who live here permanently..??

As I have said previously, many of the folks living here are retired and additional income isn't their priority. Plus, America has a history of helping those in need with volunteers. A volunteer program, similar to the volunteers working with the Tourist Police, could be introduced to the public schools. A win-win situation, but the volunteers should be recognized by / recognizable to the community as teachers...

And just what are they going to teach them. How many of them can speak Thai. That is a major factor. After that can they teach what are they going to teach. Teaching English would keep some of them out of the bars thats about it. As I said learning English here is about as important as learning Thai back home. They need teachers to teach subjects like Math, social studies, history, geography and yes Thai. How many of these 30,000 expats can teach these subjects and is there Thai good enough to do it. Teaching English solves nothing.

The first Thai class I took was teaching grammar. Not my strong point. I can just imagine the poor kid being told in one class to say (good no) and in the other one it is( no good).

[chmiroau]

My experience here is that students have been learnt to read and speak some English,but have no idea what the words mean. I think the system need over hauling and the losing face is the big issue, teachers do not want to be shown up for not coming up with the goods. But hold on I have been speaking English for 60 years, dont expect to be as good as me, now how can I help you?

I was taken by a local senator to a school where I am living, I offered to come along and help with conversational English, a group just sit around and chat, that was a month ago, no one has got back to me. I think its the losing face thing, lets not put the students first.

Please do put them first and I can help you a couple of hours a week free.

Um, please for give me, but if you do decide to teach English, then I am sure that you will have to take a serious look at grammar, or maybe I was 'taught' in a different way than back in your day.

[chmiroau]

It is a sad thing that when many Asian people go overseas to an English speaking country, they are judged on their grammar, sometimes quite harshly. Good modern grammar is essential for these kids. Sadly this is also compromised by the simple fact that many, if not all the ESL text books are written in American style, and do not have a broad range of the English that is used throughout the rest of the world.

Sadly this last fact is much more broader than ESL. I feel that it is even more sad that because of general American beliefs, many text books have been compromised in their content. This is especially so in the field of science, where the religious overtones forced onto many publishers (in fear of poor sales because of religiously controversial subject matter) by means of financial pressure. The more extreme of this group can cause untold financial damage if the boycott such publications if they disagree with some of the content. I have seen such things in ESL text books too.

The fact is that because of the above, many of the worlds text books are carefully written so that they may fit within the same guidelines as described above.

I feel saddened about the education system here in Thailand, and I do try to do my bit to help with my kids, but it is an up hill battle. Money is not the 'fix everything' magic bullet. The general consensus is that the police here are underpaid and as such causes the corruption we all know about. There is a big chance that this kind of thing also happens in the education system.

There is a way to fix this, but I am sure that that wont happen, at least not in my life time, but I can't say what that is on this medium. Sad isn't it????

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/367/world-science-academies-hit-back-against-creationists

[basjke]

I am an expat British retiree, I am also a qualified science teacher with experience of teaching English as a foreign language, I would like to offer my services for free to local schools but when I read my retirement visa rules I find that I cannot, even if I work for free I still need a work permit.

I have met many Thai teachers of English, I once was a guest at a conference of such, most could just about manage to hold down a job at the checkout of my local supermarket in England.

Excactly my thoughts.The Thai English teachers haven't had the right training to teach English.The majority of Foreign English teachers are here because otherwise they can't survive living in Thailand,not because they are qualified teachers.

[chmiroau]

But hold on I have been speaking English for 60 years, dont expect to be as good as me, now how can I help you?

I was taken by a local senator to a school where I am living, I offered to come along and help with conversational English, a group just sit around and chat, that was a month ago, no one has got back to me. I think its the losing face thing, lets not put the students first.

Please do put them first and I can help you a couple of hours a week free.

Face it: just being an old man and a native speaker in a certain language doesn't makes you to teacher of that language.

Hold on - Neither of you has the grammar, spelling or punctuation of a native speaker...

Here here. Sadly this is common amongst all 'native' English speakers..... I am sure that if you checked most of the 'native' Thai speakers, this is common here too.

[chmiroau]

I am an expat British retiree, I am also a qualified science teacher with experience of teaching English as a foreign language, I would like to offer my services for free to local schools but when I read my retirement visa rules I find that I cannot, even if I work for free I still need a work permit.

I have met many Thai teachers of English, I once was a guest at a conference of such, most could just about manage to hold down a job at the checkout of my local supermarket in England.

Excactly my thoughts.The Thai English teachers haven't had the right training to teach English.The majority of Foreign English teachers are here because otherwise they can't survive living in Thailand,not because they are qualified teachers.

Maybe true, but in my experience this does not make up the majority. I have found that the majority (slight) of ESL teachers actually do care about what they are teaching the kids, not forgetting the adults.

[basjke]

I am an expat British retiree, I am also a qualified science teacher with experience of teaching English as a foreign language, I would like to offer my services for free to local schools but when I read my retirement visa rules I find that I cannot, even if I work for free I still need a work permit.

I have met many Thai teachers of English, I once was a guest at a conference of such, most could just about manage to hold down a job at the checkout of my local supermarket in England.

Excactly my thoughts.The Thai English teachers haven't had the right training to teach English.The majority of Foreign English teachers are here because otherwise they can't survive living in Thailand,not because they are qualified teachers.

Maybe true, but in my experience this does not make up the majority. I have found that the majority (slight) of ESL teachers actually do care about what they are teaching the kids, not forgetting the adults.

I think there is a difference between caring and being qualified.

I do not consider a steam course here in Thailand as a qualification.

[johncat1]

As a teacher we must be allowed to fail students !!

At the moment we are not allowed to fail a student even if they play football every day and never study English

With the Thai system if we give a student Zero they can appeal and be asked to just clean the classroom or for a Thai teacher,........ clean their houses and do chores

We are then told to upgrade the stupid uneducated students to Grade 1 even though they have never studied English

The problem is Students ( mainly boys ) know they cannot fail so they never come to class or study

BUT I am happy they do not come because I can spend more time teaching the girls and gays who want to learn English and Know the importance of English today

I often keep failed students waiting several years before attempting to upgrade them , The school is not happy with this !!

This year I tested over 1,100 students at my school nearly 150 failed ALL BOYS !!! but most never attended classes

The Thai system is " copy ..... copy.........copy "

I would hate to go into a hospital and worry if my Thai doctor got his qualifications by copying his friend in his exams !!

[spiderleghead]

The writer makes some good points. Overcrowding, antiquated teaching methods and poorly trained teachers are some of the big problems in the schools. The "no-fail" policy is another, but is inextricably linked to the culture of "losing face" on both the part of the school and the student, and the overcrowding problem.

However, I think the writer ignores one of the biggest problems with big budget education reform programs: corruption, which is rampant among the educational administrators in Thailand. Spending more money doesn't do any good, if it just lines the pockets of administrators.

With respect to the English as a second language declaration, while it is true that the proposal to recruit retired teachers from America got a poor reception from current TEFLers in Thailand, let's face the facts: why would any U.S. retired teacher travel 8,000-10,000 miles to work in overcrowded, under-resourced, poorly managed schools, for under $1,000 per month? It's just not going to happen.

thank you - a voice of reason.

[sirchai]

I agree that the general level of education is too low. My conversations with my wife's university friends and her colleagues at the school where she works as a teacher have learned me that the level of knowledge is far below the western standards. Also most people don't comprehend simple calculating. Example: I was preparing to have a house built. So we needed to raise a part of the plot of land we owned. Due to the measurings and the position of the house I knew how long, wide and high the new raised part should be. We called a "professional" company and there came three men to our property to see how it should be done. I told them that I measured everything already and that we needed 720 kubic meter. One man had a calculator at hand and asked my wife how I could know that. I said the raised part should be 30 meters long, 24 meters wide and one meter high. This makes 720 kubic meter. They didn't believe me and started to measure again what I had already done. I told them that it was not needed to do that since I put some matking poles at the right spot.. But nevertheless they measured and came out with the same results. Then they said: we don't measure in kubic meters, but in truckloads. I asked how many kubic meters would fit in one truckload. They said eight kubic meters. So I said then you need 90 truckloads. Again they didn't believe me and started talking and using the calculator. I almost lost my patience, but my wife said that I should "chai yen, yen" The three men needed almost one hour to come at the same result which western educated people know in an instant. After that I experienced may times similar ignorance regarding calculating and logical thinking. This is one of the basics in education. So don't talk about to introduce English as the second language as long as the whole system of education is bad. Didactics is the first thing teachers should be able to practise. Then the next step is improving the level.

we all know what the problems are from the head teacher driving his Merc to the grunt teacher whacking kids with the stick. Dont lose any sleep over it, do what I do, spend time teaching them your self. Until there is a clear out from the top, and I dont just mean the education system, the whole thai way of live you cannot expect their system to turn out anything but thick tw4ts.

Excuse me please dear Sir. To do what you're doing is a kind of insane, with all respect.

You should learn the English language, before teaching it. You're making me sick.

Please do not hesitate" to teach your self." Holy shit. :jap:

[way2muchcoffee]

Teaching English would keep some of them out of the bars thats about it.

I must disagree. A high school diploma and good English speaking skills will earn a person as much as double the salary of someone without the credential and language skill. Not only will the salary be higher but the working conditions will be much more pleasant/comfortable. This may be limited to Bangkok but there it is. Who wouldn't be happier with twice the pay and better working conditions?

[sirchai]

As a teacher we must be allowed to fail students !!

At the moment we are not allowed to fail a student even if they play football every day and never study English

With the Thai system if we give a student Zero they can appeal and be asked to just clean the classroom or for a Thai teacher,........ clean their houses and do chores

We are then told to upgrade the stupid uneducated students to Grade 1 even though they have never studied English

The problem is Students ( mainly boys ) know they cannot fail so they never come to class or study

BUT I am happy they do not come because I can spend more time teaching the girls and gays who want to learn English and Know the importance of English today

I often keep failed students waiting several years before attempting to upgrade them , The school is not happy with this !!

This year I tested over 1,100 students at my school nearly 150 failed ALL BOYS !!! but most never attended classes

The Thai system is " copy ..... copy.........copy "

I would hate to go into a hospital and worry if my Thai doctor got his qualifications by copying his friend in his exams !!

So, you're "teaching your superficial English" 'to mostly gays and girls, because the boys are playing football every day? Most boys are doing some type of sport.

You're calling them "stupid uneducated", not mentioning that you might be the reason that they don't show up in your classroom?

"I often keep failed students waiting several years before attempting to upgrade them , The school is not happy with this !!"

Do you really think that people who're doing this job successfully will believe you???

Well, I've got to say sorry, but would you try to teach my son, I'd just take him to another school.

There's an agreement on TV that we don't play Grammar police with each other, but how can you call them "stupid and uneducated"? Take a look at your written production.

How educated are you that puts you into a position to write such nonsense?

Look in the mirror and you'll know the reason why they're not attending your class. So you tested 1,100 students? I don't even want to know how.

Sorry, but you're making me feel bad being a foreigner in the LOS. Sorry, I've got to puke now. Your fault.:jap:

Edited October 21, 2010 by sirchai

[SergeiY]

I must disagree. A high school diploma and good English speaking skills will earn a person as much as double the salary of someone without the credential and language skill. Not only will the salary be higher but the working conditions will be much more pleasant/comfortable. This may be limited to Bangkok but there it is. Who wouldn't be happier with twice the pay and better working conditions?

What is a "high school diploma"? The one from the American education system? That is good enough to become a English teacher here and no higher or real education required? And the other dudes don't even have that kind of "diploma". OMFG.

[animatic]

The real issue is educators are trained in the old school,

and while some aspire to modern methods, the majority

would rather not lose face by adopting something new,

since that implies they are not doing a good job.

This clearly shows FACE is the biggest impediment to progress.

The second biggest is economic.

Funds MUST be put in PRACTICAL application to

improve teaching standards AND systems.

What they don't seem to grasp is that:

They are losing more face by creating BAD STUDENTS

than they could possibly lose by any perceived loss of face

in learning and applying improved methods.

A mobious loop of ineffectiveness.

Who can possibly break this cycle?

As to the comment about someone being a native speaker for 60 years,

but not being a good teacher in a conversational setting, 'well that dog don't hunt.'

Anyone with proper conversational skills can always help someone who doesn't,

as long as the person they are speaking with is willing to listen and learn WHY

that person speaks well in their native tongue. Example is the best teacher.

Edited October 21, 2010 by animatic

[animatic]

As a teacher we must be allowed to fail students !!

At the moment we are not allowed to fail a student even if they play football every day and never study English

With the Thai system if we give a student Zero they can appeal and be asked to just clean the classroom or for a Thai teacher,........ clean their houses and do chores

We are then told to upgrade the stupid uneducated students to Grade 1 even though they have never studied English

The problem is Students ( mainly boys ) know they cannot fail so they never come to class or study

BUT I am happy they do not come because I can spend more time teaching the girls and gays who want to learn English and Know the importance of English today

I often keep failed students waiting several years before attempting to upgrade them , The school is not happy with this !!

This year I tested over 1,100 students at my school nearly 150 failed ALL BOYS !!! but most never attended classes

The Thai system is " copy ..... copy.........copy "

I would hate to go into a hospital and worry if my Thai doctor got his qualifications by copying his friend in his exams !!

So, you're "teaching your superficial English" 'to mostly gays and girls, because the boys are playing football every day? Most boys are doing some type of sport.

You're calling them "stupid uneducated", not mentioning that you might be the reason that they don't show up in your classroom?

"I often keep failed students waiting several years before attempting to upgrade them , The school is not happy with this !!"

Do you really think that people who're doing this job successfully will believe you???

Well, I've got to say sorry, but would you try to teach my son, I'd just take him to another school.

There's an agreement on TV that we don't play Grammar police with each other, but how can you call them "stupid and uneducated"? Take a look at your written production.

How educated are you that puts you into a position to write such nonsense?

Look in the mirror and you'll know the reason why they're not attending your class. So you tested 1,100 students? I don't even want to know how.

Sorry, but you're making me feel bad being a foreigner in the LOS. Sorry, I've got to puke now. Your fault.:jap:

While his delivery is not diplomatic his point is correct.

Passing students just because they sat through the course period,

but yet learned only a fraction of what is in the curriculum for that period

is the recipe for sending 'uneducated' adults out into the world.

The point is if you didn't actually learn the material then you ARE 'uneducated'.

The student has not applied the education provided in front of his/her face.

If the teachers or their bosses pass someone all their life so they,

or their parents don't lose face, then that child will lose face

repeatedly as an improperly educated adult.

There is no argument you can make that refutes this.

And I am raising a 'successful student' at the moment,

so I DO know something about this subject.

Edited October 21, 2010 by animatic