Best Of Both Worlds Academically - Is It Possible?

[up2you2]

I am thinking of sending the below to several schools locally, does anyone have any comments, suggestions or constructive advise they could add to this request please:

Dear Sir,

I am in a dilemma, do I bring my child up in an Asian Thai culture and environment academically, or with a western language and predominantly western thinking.

A lot of people tell me you simply can't have both, and that I have to make a decision one way or the other. A watershed moment.

So the reason I'm writing to you is as far as you are concerned does this have to be the case?

Is it simply not possible to have the best of both worlds?

I have some questions which I would be grateful if you could answer:

1) Are you concious and familiar of the syndrome Third Culture Kids, and if so what are you actively doing to alleviate it in your school?

2) Following some recent experiences I have been shocked at the literacy levels of Thais.

To the degree that they were unable to read, understand and write in their own language.

In the event that I was to consider sending my child to your establishment, would you be averse that I could test the level of your Thai speaking staff, with a written and oral test?

3) From what age do you start and expect to finish, that your students will be fully conversant in the Thai language orally and in writing?

4) What lessons, subjects and how many hours in total during the week, are devoted to being taught exclusively in the Thai language.

5) If your Thai staff had to pick five must read books in Thai by the age of ten, what would they be?

6) How do your Thai staff circle the dichotomy of face and the truth?

[Scott]

I wouldn't change a thing. I also wouldn't expect a response.

[thatp]

The nearest thing to the best of all possible worlds is to send your child to a good Catholic school, preferably in a big city, where most of your child's would-be schoolmates have proper middleclass upbringing.

[siampolee]

up2you2

Sound advice from both Scott and thatp.

I indeed agree with what they say , my suggestion is that you find a decent E.P. in a decent Catholic school,. religion isn't pushed and the standards are usually good.

Possibly if you could give us an idea of your location and the fee range you are able to afford helpful suggestions would be forthcoming..

[Firelily]

Just check it is not one of at least three Catholic schools known so far for putting up a Nazi parade for their sports day.

[culicine]

up2you2

Sound advice from both Scott and thatp.

I indeed agree with what they say , my suggestion is that you find a decent E.P. in a decent Catholic school,. religion isn't pushed and the standards are usually good.

Possibly if you could give us an idea of your location and the fee range you are able to afford helpful suggestions would be forthcoming..

Just to add to that:- I've worked in a Thai catholic school 10 years. It's the EP, where many of their subjects are taught in English - the Thai teachers teach the usual subjects - Thai, Thai social, buddhism, etc. The Thai program is eclusively Thai, bar English, which is taught by western teachers. I can say that the students in the EP are much more assertive and outspoken then regular Thai students. They have no problem pointing out any error I might make on the board, or approaching me with other issues. However, they know not to transfer this behaviour to Thai teachers. So they learn both western and Thai norms and values. Teaching and testing are also quite different, comparing both Thai and foreign teachers - the former mostly using typical "entrance style" multiple choice questions, though a number of their exams also involving writing their own answers. We are still supposed to follow the Thai curriculum, though how you teach it can be quite different from that of Thai teachers - more "open ended" questions can be asked, for example.

Overall EP's (good ones,. that is), are a good medium for mixed race students. If you want fluency in english, good International schools would be better, as they force students to speak english most/all of the time. However, their Thai language skills generally lag behind. I also discovered in the lower grades, the Thai curriculum is generally one year advanced compared to (British) International school - e.g. My school grade 8 = international school grade 9.

However, beyond that, A-levels, IB, are much more in-depth that what is in the Thai curriculum (Thai students need to study up to 17 subjects, even to grade 12, so they cannot get into depth in any particular subject)

Also, many of our good students can still enter Thai language programs at good universities, whereas a large number also go to International programs. It's really up to the ability and motivation of the students - good ones will excel in either program.

[aussiebebe]

My suggestion would be to visit in person, not send a letter. My own two cents is that good bilingual schools in Bangkok are full of Thai and Western staff who try to create 'the best of both worlds'. Many expat parents choose bilingual schools for their children and are very happy.

[FWIW]

Personally speaking, I would take that letter, and bury it in a deep dark place. Awful, simply awful. "Circle the dichotomy"?? "From what age do you start and expect to finish,..". Yucks. Make it simple, make it direct and to the point. Nobody has the time to wade through badly written elliptical tosh to work out what you are actually after.

Try along the lines of:

Dear Headmaster (or better yet, do you homework and use the correct name)

I am the father/mother of an X year old boy/girl that I am considering enrolling in your school. I would like to make an appointment with you to discuss your schools teaching philosophy, and in particular what programs are in place for multicultural children.

sincerely

[serenitynow]

If you cannot afford to send your child to an international school here in Thailand, you cannot afford to live here IMO. That, or you are willingly sacrificing your child's education and future prospects for your own desires. That said, most of the international schools here aren't even as good as the better public schools available in the US and I imagine Great Britain, but some are so do some thorough checking is my advice.

BTW, were you going to be sending the letter in the OP in English, or were you going to have it translated into Thai?

[ROMANOBA]

No offense, but your questions are pretty naieve.Face and appearance are EVERYTHING in this country, also inside the educational system.To ask ANY qeustion about the skills of a teacher is a kind of ' lese majeste'' crime in this country.If you want your child to have a normal education, just avoid ANY thai school, the only choice are the superexpensive international schools teaching in english, but eveb there do not expect the same quality in teacher you would expect in Europe or USA.

I

I wouldn't change a thing. I also wouldn't expect a response.

[ROMANOBA]

I met here in Thailand 5 english teachers ( thai teachers); 2 did not speak english AT ALL, one could say onlky superbasic phrases with a terrible accent, and 2 spoke english like my son of 3 does; I could understand them, with some effort, and using a 100 word vocabulary spectrum.And you want to TEST the skills of thai teachers?....

No offense, but your questions are pretty naieve.Face and appearance are EVERYTHING in this country, also inside the educational system.To ask ANY qeustion about the skills of a teacher is a kind of ' lese majeste'' crime in this country.If you want your child to have a normal education, just avoid ANY thai school, the only choice are the superexpensive international schools teaching in english, but eveb there do not expect the same quality in teacher you would expect in Europe or USA.

I

I wouldn't change a thing. I also wouldn't expect a response.