Lessons From Floods: What's Missing From Textbooks?: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

CHALK TALK

Lessons from floods: What's missing from textbooks?

Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

Last month, students at a school in Chiang Mai severely agitated foreigners attending the annual parade. Striding into the ground was a student, who through makeup and costumes looked much like Adolf Hitler, Germany's notorious leader during World War II.

Following criticism from foreign media - mainly from Europe where over 6 million Jews were exterminated under Hitler's order - there was an investigation. It turned out the students had only slight education about the Holocaust. In our textbooks, there is little information about it. No surprise then that Hitler was portrayed as a hero by the students. It sparked a question on how influential is Thailand in the global society when its citizens know so little about the history of others.

The concern is international knowledge. On the national scale, the current disastrous floods are exposing another fact - Thais know and care so little about geography.

Villagers do not understand how changing geographical landscape can affect their daily activities. They encroach on forests to support their own families, without knowing such action could lead to mud and landslides and flash floods. That is not surprising, though, given that most barely finished Grade 6 and have little interest or time to gain more knowledge from a few public libraries.

Poor knowledge about Geography

What is surprising is that city dwellers, most of whom gain bachelor degrees, know so little about the geography of their provinces and their country. Only recently did some pay attention to weather forecast. But at the same time they can spend day and night online searching out the features of a new gadget or update themselves on their friends' status. Most shrugged when the north of Thailand witnessed storms and heavy rainfall in July. Only now have they learned that all the water that could not be diverted elsewhere is hitting Bangkok's lower plain. That is the rule of gravity.

Most just woke up when the water reached Bangkok. Having little knowledge, they are bewildered by the floods and scramble for solutions which are not logical. Some asked if the water could be diverted to a dry place like Nakhon Ratchasima, the province which is 187 metres above sea level, against Bangkok's 3m.

Few know how the water from the north is diverted to the sea. The Chao Phraya River is their only answer and they have no idea on the functioning of the Tha Chin and Bang Pakong rivers which are connected with many canals-in diverting water to the east and west of Bangkok. Without this knowledge, they were satisfied with the flood barriers, which could not forever block massive waters and would create havoc with a deluge like that Bang Bua Thong residents witnessed.

what's lacking

Poor knowledge in history and geography could be attributed to poor textbooks and teaching methods.

For decades, history and geography have been bundled into a single subject during the planning for what they are to learn in the coming years. If Hitler's history is to be taught in Grade 9, those dropping out while in Grade 8 will never know about his cruelty.

Concerning geography, students are taught about major rivers but they never know about their capacity. They are never challenged to answer how the rivers should be used to cope in a storm year like this, something that will require calculation. Most do not have the knowledge of tide movement - which will influence flood level in Nonthaburi and Samut Sakhon in the days to come. Mostly, they are taught to recite facts like the number of provinces, famous tourist destinations and mostfound minerals. They are not challenged to think how their daily activities could be adapted to make a better use of geography.

The result is nobody cares about city planning. They don't care or lack knowledge if their construction is blocking floodways. They leave that in the hands of civil servants.

Our kids are not yet taught how our nation coped with the floods in 1995 - the second biggest since 1942. Perhaps, it's not too late to teach them how we handled the 2011 flood, asking at the same time, if it were they who were in control, how this catastrophe could have been prevented..

-- The Nation 2011-10-24

[cloudhopper]

[wana]

young thais are way more interested in the next mobile phone or trendy motor scooter or the latest fashion clothes or watching some sports game than learning how to prevent disasters or how this kind of thing works in other countries

they put complete trust in the ministers imbeciles who are "experts" to handle everything

no thai ever looks to other countries to see a better way to do things ,they are very non -critical people ,trusting people like politicians simply because "they are politicians " to make all the important decisions for the good of the nation when the decisions usually are based on lining their own pockets and the art of "not losing ones face"

[MaxYakov]

Our kids are not yet taught how our nation coped with the floods in 1995 - the second biggest since 1942. Perhaps, it's not too late to teach them how we handled the 2011 flood, asking at the same time, if it were they who were in control, how this catastrophe could have been prevented..

No it's not too late. It's too early since many are now learning about floods from the school of hard knocks or soon will be. And what will be taught that would elicit educated answers from the students about how it could have been prevented? Will the curriculum turn the students into flood management experts?

It's not just the kids that have to be educated. The Thai owner of a Visa Run firm stated that 'It's never happened before" (flooding in Bangkok) when I indicated concern about getting out of Bangkok and to Cambodia.

I think the flood management regime are the ones who should be questioned about this disaster and then potentially ... no, ideally, replaced with competent individuals.

Edited October 24, 2011 by MaxYakov

[MaxLee]

WEll the thing is, all that the kids are taught is to sit still and obey with the ultimate rule, to MEMORIZE without knowing why it is right... Most Thai teachers beat the crap out of the children, taking away their most natural instincts to play...

I am an English teacher, that's why I witness all that shit that's going on in the class rooms. I mean for foreign teachers it is quite a pain to teach a class of 30+ kids because they are gonna take advantage of when a foreign teacher cannot communicate effectively with them. You see what I mean? I mean some teachers are nice to help me out, but some of them are really <deleted> who do nothing to help me and shift the blame on me "behind my back" of course with that typical attitude "Why can't that foreigner do shit, and why is he so soft??"

The thing is in Western culturee\s we do not beat children in order to make them obey unlike countries like Thailand. And that is what Thai teachers and kids do not understand. You see, the government departments and Educational ministries always blames Computer games and Action games for kids to be violent,... but IMO it is the teacher themselves who SHOW violence to beat up the kids, So kids do not learn about violence in Action games or movies only,.... but guess what .... FROM THE TEACHERS themselves who beat them up day after day after day for making noise, and for questioning the teachers for disobeying them damping down the natural instincts from day one. Some children even wanted "to show me how to punish children", so she gave me a ruler and expected me to "put judgment on their naughty friends"

Bottomline is,... it is wrong to BEAT children IMO, but on the other hand,... and especially as foreign teacher who hasn't learned how to use violence against children, if you fail to put disciplinary issues on the table, which almost fails dramatically, those kids run wild and their NATURAL INSTINCTS tell them "THIS TEACHER CAN'T DO S%$$ against us, SO we take advantage" Their natural instincts tell them to take advantage of the "Foreign teacher who can't speak Thai anyway"

So disciplining 30-50 students in a classroom "WITHOUT actually BEATING THE CRAP out of them" is almost impossible, I mean,.. those kids were not taught "self discipline" by iether their parents of their teachers who know nothing about a child's natural instincts. It is a struggle but I need that money. Well actually it is not the worst place yet, I am sure everywhere else is much worse than where I teach...

Edited October 24, 2011 by MaxLee

[aussiebebe]

I think the article reaches a poor conclusion; even the British Prince Harry famously dressed in a Nazi costume to a fancy dress party once - he was Eton educated, so it's best not to judge too harshly others from a non-European culture, lest it invite criticism of our own piecemeal understanding. For example it's only since the 1980s that books and reports have acknowledged the forgotten millions of non-Jewish victims of the Third Reich. This raises uncomfortable questions about how our own political circumstances influence the teaching of history in our schools.

It's also a stretch to link flood management with lack of geographical knowledge or education. There have been so many coups and attempted coups that political instability has prevented any one government from contributing strongly to the development of a longer term water management plan. Despite this Bangkok has develop a network of defenses and just last year His Majesty opened a shortcut canal in Samut Prakan province to help with the floods.

[Jerrytheyoung]

it is not city planning which is missing but a proper Country planning. The investments have been concentrated on Bangkok by all Governments until now. The result is a megapole in which any modification costs a lot. It should have been better to decentralise. then some areas must be reserved for buffering the potential floods: it must be mapped. construction in those areas forbidden. In the same time,high risk flooding protection or special precautionary measures have to be implemented. All this is a long term policy which will take dozens of years to be implemented.

In France, 50 years ago, Paris was regularly flooded. In the Alps mountains, we had regularly chalets destroyed by avalanches or flash flooding by torrents. It has taken around 20 years to fix the flooding issue of Paris, by reserving buffer areas, constructing a serie of dams and organising the water management. Also, nowadays the risky areas have been identified, nobody can build on those areas, Government or local institutions have bought back the existing constructions.

It has been decided to limit the development of Paris and to decentralise in order to revitalise the other areas: it is a cheaper policy that letting the megapole becoming monstruous, with a huge income imbalance between populations, the megapole sucking all investments.

On this aspect, development of transport is a key infrastructure issue, particularly a proper train network with a connecting speed acceptable as per modern standards . If Khon Khaen, Roi Et, Sakhorn Nakhon were at two hours from Bangkok by train, there will be no problem for decentralisation of activities, transportation of heavy goods and machinery. industrial activities will find better locations with less risks, investment costs may be lower and socially you avoid migration of population, making people happier to find jobs at proximity of their villages.

Such a policy need a strong political will, the creation of an Agency with the ad-hoc powers and finances, it is a long term policy. In France, all governments independantly of their political color have respected "l'amenagement du territoire".

To my Thai friends, the harsh lesson of today is that you have to rethink your organisation: protecting Bangkok from flooding has a too high price, more it appears that it is more and more difficult to manage: decentralise and organise the whole Thailand territory: this will minimise the costs not only in money but also the social costs.

Edited October 24, 2011 by Jerrytheyoung

[hellodolly]

Not sure how learning geography is going to help prevent floods.

That would come under water management and be tought at a higher level of education than primary.

Perhaps that is the problem just pass the buck to the closest subject and avoid tghe real problem.

Also strict laws regarding water mismanagement should be made and enforced. This would cover deforestation.

I know where I come from geography never once touched on preventing floods. If I remember correctly it portrayed them as beneficial the Nile flooded and enriched the soil for families to grow their crops.

Edited October 24, 2011 by hellodolly

[sirchai]

WEll the thing is, all that the kids are taught is to sit still and obey with the ultimate rule, to MEMORIZE without knowing why it is right... Most Thai teachers beat the crap out of the children, taking away their most natural instincts to play...

I am an English teacher, that's why I witness all that shit that's going on in the class rooms. I mean for foreign teachers it is quite a pain to teach a class of 30+ kids because they are gonna take advantage of when a foreign teacher cannot communicate effectively with them. You see what I mean? I mean some teachers are nice to help me out, but some of them are really <deleted> who do nothing to help me and shift the blame on me "behind my back" of course with that typical attitude "Why can't that foreigner do shit, and why is he so soft??"

The thing is in Western culturee\s we do not beat children in order to make them obey unlike countries like Thailand. And that is what Thai teachers and kids do not understand. You see, the government departments and Educational ministries always blames Computer games and Action games for kids to be violent,... but IMO it is the teacher themselves who SHOW violence to beat up the kids, So kids do not learn about violence in Action games or movies only,.... but guess what .... FROM THE TEACHERS themselves who beat them up day after day after day for making noise, and for questioning the teachers for disobeying them damping down the natural instincts from day one. Some children even wanted "to show me how to punish children", so she gave me a ruler and expected me to "put judgment on their naughty friends"

Bottomline is,... it is wrong to BEAT children IMO, but on the other hand,... and especially as foreign teacher who hasn't learned how to use violence against children, if you fail to put disciplinary issues on the table, which almost fails dramatically, those kids run wild and their NATURAL INSTINCTS tell them "THIS TEACHER CAN'T DO S%$ against us, SO we take advantage" Their natural instincts tell them to take advantage of the "Foreign teacher who can't speak Thai anyway"

So disciplining 30-50 students in a classroom "WITHOUT actually BEATING THE CRAP out of them" is almost impossible, I mean,.. those kids were not taught "self discipline" by iether their parents of their teachers who know nothing about a child's natural instincts. It is a struggle but I need that money. Well actually it is not the worst place yet, I am sure everywhere else is much worse than where I teach...

"It is a struggle but I need that money."

Even speaking Thai doesn't change their attitude. They enjoy that foreigners do not beat the shit out off them.

Teaching English in Thailand isn't easy. But they'll love you, if you're a little bit funny and not just in for the money.

Edited October 24, 2011 by sirchai

[sirchai]

young thais are way more interested in the next mobile phone or trendy motor scooter or the latest fashion clothes or watching some sports game than learning how to prevent disasters or how this kind of thing works in other countries

they put complete trust in the ministers imbeciles who are "experts" to handle everything

no thai ever looks to other countries to see a better way to do things ,they are very non -critical people ,trusting people like politicians simply because "they are politicians " to make all the important decisions for the good of the nation when the decisions usually are based on lining their own pockets and the art of "not losing ones face"

How can you make such a statement? Is it much different in other countries that younger people like phones and scooters more than any other BS?

In which country do they learn how to prevent disasters in primary schools?

How many other 'more developed' countries are producing people who also don't know much about other countries, or cultures?

It's not the student's fault that the country is how it is,in a country where no student can fail. Please ask their teachers how much they know about Adolf Hitler's Eva Braun and Albert Einstein's theories…

Edited October 24, 2011 by sirchai

[USExpat]

young thais are way more interested in the next mobile phone or trendy motor scooter or the latest fashion clothes or watching some sports game than learning how to prevent disasters or how this kind of thing works in other countries

they put complete trust in the ministers imbeciles who are "experts" to handle everything

no thai ever looks to other countries to see a better way to do things ,they are very non -critical people ,trusting people like politicians simply because "they are politicians " to make all the important decisions for the good of the nation when the decisions usually are based on lining their own pockets and the art of "not losing ones face"

This isn't just related to young Thais, The youth around the world are growing up clueless, and under educated.

[unanimosity]

it is not city planning which is missing but a proper Country planning. The investments have been concentrated on Bangkok by all Governments until now. The result is a megapole in which any modification costs a lot. It should have been better to decentralise. then some areas must be reserved for buffering the potential floods: it must be mapped. construction in those areas forbidden. In the same time,high risk flooding protection or special precautionary measures have to be implemented. All this is a long term policy which will take dozens of years to be implemented.

In France, 50 years ago, Paris was regularly flooded. In the Alps mountains, we had regularly chalets destroyed by avalanches or flash flooding by torrents. It has taken around 20 years to fix the flooding issue of Paris, by reserving buffer areas, constructing a serie of dams and organising the water management. Also, nowadays the risky areas have been identified, nobody can build on those areas, Government or local institutions have bought back the existing constructions.

It has been decided to limit the development of Paris and to decentralise in order to revitalise the other areas: it is a cheaper policy that letting the megapole becoming monstruous, with a huge income imbalance between populations, the megapole sucking all investments.

On this aspect, development of transport is a key infrastructure issue, particularly a proper train network with a connecting speed acceptable as per modern standards . If Khon Khaen, Roi Et, Sakhorn Nakhon were at two hours from Bangkok by train, there will be no problem for decentralisation of activities, transportation of heavy goods and machinery. industrial activities will find better locations with less risks, investment costs may be lower and socially you avoid migration of population, making people happier to find jobs at proximity of their villages.

Such a policy need a strong political will, the creation of an Agency with the ad-hoc powers and finances, it is a long term policy. In France, all governments independantly of their political color have respected "l'amenagement du territoire".

To my Thai friends, the harsh lesson of today is that you have to rethink your organisation: protecting Bangkok from flooding has a too high price, more it appears that it is more and more difficult to manage: decentralise and organise the whole Thailand territory: this will minimise the costs not only in money but also the social costs.

And France could learn a thing or two from Thailand about immigration.

[Thai at Heart]

Main lesson is that just because someone is a Thai elected official and has access to a micro-phone, that they really have no idea what is going on whatsoever.

Why the people look to the politicians to come up with the plan to solve a natural disaster I really don't know. The reputation of the all seeing all knowing pooyai has really taken a hammering from this event

[unanimosity]

Main lesson is that just because someone is a Thai elected official and has access to a micro-phone, that they really have no idea what is going on whatsoever.

Why the people look to the politicians to come up with the plan to solve a natural disaster I really don't know. The reputation of the all seeing all knowing pooyai has really taken a hammering from this event

Politicians and anybody else given the power to make decisions about the disaster are given the power to profit by it. The worse it gets, the more their 30% of foreign aid disbursements increases.

[Bakseedaa]

Dumb and Dumber comes to mind...!

[Thaddeus]

Dumb and Dumber comes to mind...!

And Idiocracy

[alexakap]

In which country do they learn how to prevent disasters in primary schools?

USSR.

North Korea

China

...and a few more.

Feel the difference.

[Samuian]

Well it seems the writer of above article does some "meditation" on the pressing subject, if the point is missed or not, shouldn't be up to the audience of the TV community in this case, as the audience is foremost foreign and thinks as usual "we know a lot" (better)!

(Why didn't some tell "them" BEFORE hand that there are several pressing problems with future possible flooding?)

More so, the ignorance spills high like a tsunami as if there weren't any floods in Australia, who failed there to "educate the kids"?

As if there was no Katherine devastating much of the south of the US of A. a city like new Orleans, who missed education there, who is responsible for those failures and the dead, loss of property there, who's to blame in this blame game, who missed the point?

As if there weren't massive and devastating floods recently in India, Pakistan, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, France and many other places... it's time to wake up - if so, "Thai", at least those presumed "manners or behaviors" which are solely preoccupied assumptions, unfairly contributed towards "Thai-People", statements with this kind of coloring, just underline one more time the sickening superiority complex of the western mind of Mr. & Ms.Average !

Ask yourself if it isn't about time for us ALL, for the governments in general to change course, to change direction and NOT to allow f.E. the Brazilian government to flood vast areas of the Brazilian rainforests.....what's next "world financial crisis", well this time it's not 1997. this time the baby's born in the very core of it all - Wall Street where till recently simply no one ever failed by birth!

well, well well we shall ask ourselves WHAT CAN WE DO for those left with nothing!

get our act together!

Edited October 24, 2011 by Samuian

[Tywais]

Not sure how learning geography is going to help prevent floods.

That would come under water management and be tought at a higher level of education than primary.

Perhaps that is the problem just pass the buck to the closest subject and avoid tghe real problem.

You're thinking too much like a Thai. You need to lay a foundation of understanding, in this case Geography, before jumping into a more specific/defined area such as hydrology. One of the weaknesses of the Thai education system I've noted is the lack of interdisciplinary education/training. I call it the blackbox mentality whereas they aren't taught to apply other disciplines to a problem (thinking outside the box) but focus myopically on a specific area without understanding cause and effect from other areas.

A bit like studying to be a Doctor without having studying Biology. Sure, you might get there but it will be a long and bumpy way.

Perhaps they should consider course work like the UK Geography Teaching site, it appears to be for Primary 7 grades:

Resources - Are you flood ready?

Author: RGS-IBG

The KS3 Resources strand of the Action Plan for Geography is run by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

See full resource module and review this resource

This unit of work teaches resilience in the context of water and flooding. It delivers an understanding of awareness, preparedness and knowledge of what actions should be taken in the event of flooding; and of how changing physical and human processes bring about flooding in the first place. This unit nurtures vital skills for what might be termed "environmental citizenship", giving life-long advice about the protection of homes - and the need to always keep an open and inquiring mind that can identify risk.

The unit closes with a look at the interdependence that exists between different groups of people and businesses living on flood plains. Using the metaphor of "river team players", students will think about how local groups can work together to try and build community resilience to flooding (becoming sensitive to the risks associated with some land-use changes). Attention is thus paid to the citizenship dimensions of flood management.

This is a busy, interactive and inspiring unit of work that teaches plenty of traditional physical geography yet also delivers vital knowledge to young learners that will well-equip them for life.

Geography Teaching Today

[CMFarang]

CHECK THIS OUT !

FLOODING 101 for the Amateur.

This is a huge file ,but shows some of the water that is passing and some of the different types of dikes .

About 3/4 of the way down the Page , It does take some time to Load, there are some new ideas on Flood Control Devices. Very Interesting.

http://www.manitobap...itoba_Flood.htm

FLOOD CONTROL

It took me a few days to find this LINK , Well Worth the Time to L@@K

You may even want to pass this onto those that are in-charge of the ? Dikes ?? Dykes ? ** Barriers **

Loved the way we here in Chiang Mai Sand Bagged the River Road to protect the prestigious homes along it , only to Flood out a Hospital, back in 2005.

This years flood here was an avoid and ignore scenario for me, I guess I am learning.. hehehe

Edited October 24, 2011 by CMFarang

[EarthAlien]

Three essential chapters are missing

1) The chapter on "How to develop and apply common sense"

2) The chapter on "Social responsibility"

3) The chapter on "Consequences arising from actions"

There are many other chapters and sub topics but those 3 IMHO would be a great start.

Let's add to it a provision that all students are not only permitted to ask questions but they are actually encouraged to do so. That at least would allow the introduction of the "missing chapters" to be properly understood, explored and applied (hopefully) rather that the poor students being told that their only task and requirement is to memorize texts and to blindly accept whatever they're told as being absolutely correct and not to question the authority of the teacher or the system!

[Skywalker69]

+1

[Jerrytheyoung]

it is not city planning which is missing but a proper Country planning. The investments have been concentrated on Bangkok by all Governments until now. The result is a megapole in which any modification costs a lot. It should have been better to decentralise. then some areas must be reserved for buffering the potential floods: it must be mapped. construction in those areas forbidden. In the same time,high risk flooding protection or special precautionary measures have to be implemented. All this is a long term policy which will take dozens of years to be implemented.

In France, 50 years ago, Paris was regularly flooded. In the Alps mountains, we had regularly chalets destroyed by avalanches or flash flooding by torrents. It has taken around 20 years to fix the flooding issue of Paris, by reserving buffer areas, constructing a serie of dams and organising the water management. Also, nowadays the risky areas have been identified, nobody can build on those areas, Government or local institutions have bought back the existing constructions.

It has been decided to limit the development of Paris and to decentralise in order to revitalise the other areas: it is a cheaper policy that letting the megapole becoming monstruous, with a huge income imbalance between populations, the megapole sucking all investments.

On this aspect, development of transport is a key infrastructure issue, particularly a proper train network with a connecting speed acceptable as per modern standards . If Khon Khaen, Roi Et, Sakhorn Nakhon were at two hours from Bangkok by train, there will be no problem for decentralisation of activities, transportation of heavy goods and machinery. industrial activities will find better locations with less risks, investment costs may be lower and socially you avoid migration of population, making people happier to find jobs at proximity of their villages.

Such a policy need a strong political will, the creation of an Agency with the ad-hoc powers and finances, it is a long term policy. In France, all governments independantly of their political color have respected "l'amenagement du territoire".

To my Thai friends, the harsh lesson of today is that you have to rethink your organisation: protecting Bangkok from flooding has a too high price, more it appears that it is more and more difficult to manage: decentralise and organise the whole Thailand territory: this will minimise the costs not only in money but also the social costs.

And France could learn a thing or two from Thailand about immigration.

Certainly, we have to learn from every Country...An open minded attitude is the best for the Progress. unfortunately, in every country you have narrow minded people and a rather small part of the English Native speaking community spend its time blackmailing the French: theit black sheep.. Fortunately, most of the English speaking Community is more open minded and have overpass the attitude of the Middle Age, the !00 years war between French and English,....

Edited October 24, 2011 by Jerrytheyoung

[fullcave]

thanks for a good whine session... next..

WEll the thing is, all that the kids are taught is to sit still and obey with the ultimate rule, to MEMORIZE without knowing why it is right... Most Thai teachers beat the crap out of the children, taking away their most natural instincts to play...

I am an English teacher, that's why I witness all that shit that's going on in the class rooms. I mean for foreign teachers it is quite a pain to teach a class of 30+ kids because they are gonna take advantage of when a foreign teacher cannot communicate effectively with them. You see what I mean? I mean some teachers are nice to help me out, but some of them are really <deleted> who do nothing to help me and shift the blame on me "behind my back" of course with that typical attitude "Why can't that foreigner do shit, and why is he so soft??"

The thing is in Western culturee\s we do not beat children in order to make them obey unlike countries like Thailand. And that is what Thai teachers and kids do not understand. You see, the government departments and Educational ministries always blames Computer games and Action games for kids to be violent,... but IMO it is the teacher themselves who SHOW violence to beat up the kids, So kids do not learn about violence in Action games or movies only,.... but guess what .... FROM THE TEACHERS themselves who beat them up day after day after day for making noise, and for questioning the teachers for disobeying them damping down the natural instincts from day one. Some children even wanted "to show me how to punish children", so she gave me a ruler and expected me to "put judgment on their naughty friends"

Bottomline is,... it is wrong to BEAT children IMO, but on the other hand,... and especially as foreign teacher who hasn't learned how to use violence against children, if you fail to put disciplinary issues on the table, which almost fails dramatically, those kids run wild and their NATURAL INSTINCTS tell them "THIS TEACHER CAN'T DO S%$ against us, SO we take advantage" Their natural instincts tell them to take advantage of the "Foreign teacher who can't speak Thai anyway"

So disciplining 30-50 students in a classroom "WITHOUT actually BEATING THE CRAP out of them" is almost impossible, I mean,.. those kids were not taught "self discipline" by iether their parents of their teachers who know nothing about a child's natural instincts. It is a struggle but I need that money. Well actually it is not the worst place yet, I am sure everywhere else is much worse than where I teach...

"It is a struggle but I need that money."

Even speaking Thai doesn't change their attitude. They enjoy that foreigners do not beat the shit out off them.

Teaching English in Thailand isn't easy. But they'll love you, if you're a little bit funny and not just in for the money.

[robsamui]

When it comes to education in Thailand then, as long as there is a 'no fail' policy at both school and university level, any sort of potential reform is meaningless until the 'no-fail' aspect is removed and students are obliged to learn and perform in the first instance.

R

Edited October 24, 2011 by robsamui

[robsamui]

Three essential chapters are missing

1) The chapter on "How to develop and apply common sense"

2) The chapter on "Social responsibility"

3) The chapter on "Consequences arising from actions"

There are many other chapters and sub topics but those 3 IMHO would be a great start.

Let's add to it a provision that all students are not only permitted to ask questions but they are actually encouraged to do so. That at least would allow the introduction of the "missing chapters" to be properly understood, explored and applied (hopefully) rather that the poor students being told that their only task and requirement is to memorize texts and to blindly accept whatever they're told as being absolutely correct and not to question the authority of the teacher or the system!

Phew!

'Common Sense'. 'Social Responsibility'. 'Consequences arising from actions'.

Are we on the same page here? It is Thailand we're taking about, isn't it?

R