The Different Between Dek Thai And Dek Farang

[maxwasan]

This was translated by Max ( 16 yo thai boy ) from thai webboard.. if any of this wrong...forgive me..

"I used to study in American and I saw a lot of different between Thai kids and Farand kids..

In Summer many kids in American work...

In Summer most kids(in bkk) get extra class or go to tutor school..

American kids in science program work in lab every week..

Thai kids in science program work in lab every year (once a year) because teacher says too much to study, no time for lab and why would the schools have lab for?

In America, none kid go to tutor school...because there is no tutor school to go

Because kids are lazy or nomal schools are good.

In Thailand we hardly see kids not go to tutor school.

Because kids are diligent or nomal schools are bad...

In America kids don't have too much respect for the teacher, they don't fear the teacher...because the teacher can't give their point(grade GPA) or when they test, they use the same test in every school..

In Thailand kids admire teacher,they respect all the teacher...but some of them just pretend.....because the teacher can decide their grade,life and GPA or Thai kids are respectful...

In America most kids live in apartment or away from their parents when they old enough..or when they are married, they live on their own..

In Thailand most kids live with their parents,take care their parents. Event they are mirried,most of them still live with their parents, become big family or visit their parents sometimes..It's warm and lovely..This thing we can hardly see with Farang kids..

In thailand kids study hard...very very hard..harder than farang kids..but why doesn't Thailand develop to be better..because of That Child Center(kids call kwai center:buffallo center) because they don't understand about this system, so do the teachers...

this is just comparison.....that was translated by me.

Thanks for come and read it.

Max...16 yo..Yupparaj Wittayalai school...Chiang Mai

[pnustedt]

Interesting post Max.

I don't have much experience about the difference in educational systems but I do see a marked difference between the attitudes of Dek Farang and Dek Thai.

Generally speaking Dek Farang considers it is his parents' responsibility to support him - afterall they bought him into this world, he didn't ask them to. Whereas Dek Thai considers it his responsibility to support his parents - afterall, they bought him into his world and he owes them his life.

Many farangs have difficulty getting their mind around this difference in concept.

[Guest IT Manager]

Having seen the results of both systems, I suspect the idea of student centering is the one which works best.

Max's post is very accurate regarding the social aspects of parent/child relationships in Thailand as opposed to the child/parent role reversal of the foreign student.

A morning sitting in a coffee shop in Kad Suan Kaew in CM was an interesting lesson for me a few years ago, and now makes it hard for me to recommend strongly that people educate their kids there, (International Schools), foreign student or not.

While I don't propose to go into details, on 2 occasions I have been asked about International schools, I just say to the requester, go to the shopping centre and sit in MacDonald's or Burger King or whatever it is, at 11.00 AM on a Saturday.

Then make your own mind up.

[leonah]

I'm currently working in an interesting situation and there are things that I would love to change. Teaching in Korea, there is a meld of eastern and western culture. The Buddhist basis of the society is washed with the influence of 50 years of American Forces established throughout the country. This has impacted the teaching of independent thought processes and teaching by rote. But the burning desire to get the best GPA is the real push. This push for the "best" GPA has increased the student suicide rate phenomenally, now considered the highest in the world according to reports I heard last month.

I can understand Thai students wanting to take additional classes to improve their stills and GPA, but at what cost. If the school training is not to international standards then can anyone blame them. And how does a student choose the "after school", school or tutor? Usually by the record of the number of students that were accepted to one or another of the "best" universities. Doesn't this reflect more on the learning ability of the students that were accepted rather than on the ability of the teaching staff? Food for thought there.

I have seen many institutes that are not interested in the students learning, merely in the almighty dollar/baht. However, that applies to any country where English is the second language.

There is another observation I'd like to make, that of the behavior of the students as highlighted by Max. Thai students are very respectful to their teachers, but I found this more a cultural attitude. In Korea, although teachers are held with the highest esteem, as in Thailand, the students do not have the same respect for foreign teachers.

They don't see foreign teachers as offering anything of benefit or significance, and after working here I can understand why. There are still those who are here as a marketing tool for the schools that employ them rather than as a provider of education for the students.

That being said, there are many who are here for the students and to those I take my hat off. It's hard work trying to teach kids who have no respect for you or your teaching ability, but once you've proven yourself and earned their respect, it's worth every ounce of effort you have put into your students, because that's when you see the students learn and have pride in their new found abilities.

I hope that Thai students don't lose their respect for teachers, but can also find good ones. I love teaching, and especially watching minds open, as students begin to understand and then develop their own independent thought processes.

It's just a beginning, but don't lose heart Max. Keep your respect for your teachers. Learn what you can from them, but most of all develop your own capacity to learn, and ability to seek new information. Don't just swallow what you're told. Prove it! Test it! And make a success of your lifes' studies. In all successes there are failures. It's not that you fail, it's that you learn from the failures and turn them into greater success.

Many students in Korea don't understand this and choose suicide over the possibility of failure. And these students are usually the best academically.

[sbk]

Great post Leonah. However, what would be interesting to see is how successful in life are the best students academically. Historically, at least in the US (and I believe in the UK as well) , many of the most successful people in the business world/literary world/art world were not the best students. The most successful people are usually the ones who learn to think independently, outside the box. And in doing so, would necessarily come up against the norm of tests and homework that you find in school. Thomas Edison was described as a dunce as a child, and Albert Einstein's parents feared he was mentally disabled. Henry Ford was barely literate. Winston Churchill failed the entrance exam to Sandhurst twice. Pablo Picasso had to be tutored by his father because he could barely read.

I agree with Leonah on this one, it's best to try and fail than not try at all. I have felt that one of Thailand's biggest handicaps is an educational system which seems to discourage independent, creative thought and encourages fitting into the 'norm' and being like everybody else.

[leonah]

It is the same in Australia, and that is why I encourage ... Learn what you can from them, but most of all develop your own capacity to learn, and ability to seek new information. Don't just swallow what you're told. Prove it! Test it!...

There is so much more out there for "students of life", but that's what's missing in the schooling system. The encouragement of innovation, "stepping outside the box" as you put it.

But we can't throw out the "baby with the bath water", as there are those who have needed and succeeded through the "whole" academic process.

Ultimately I guess, it depends on the direction that the individual wishes to take in their life's learning.

Encouraging the student to test the boundaries, even the "accepted" norms, should be a part of the formula for teaching. How else do we discover that this or that theory, which has been accepted and tested through academic process, was flawed.

All success to those who challenge the boundaries. They will bounce and fail, but ultimately succeed.

[Blindman]

Many students in Korea don't understand this and choose suicide over the possibility of failure. And these students are usually the best academically.

Your so right IT

Im half Korean half Vietnamese. I was raised in Australia and my father sent me to Korea in 1990 ( Korean University) to study. I couldnt handle the pressure put on me after 3 months of study and left , in doing so i bacame a disgrace to my father and my step sisters. It was one of the worst feeling i've ever had in my life.

A few of my sisters friend took their own life during the year that i was there which was tragic , but not as tragic as the fact that the parents of those poor students didnt know why they did it.

[Blindman]

Woop!! I ment Leonah... sorry