Gate Duty...

[DavidSL]

Hello all,

I've just been offered a part-time job at a not too far away kindergarten to fill in the gaps of my currently lacking schedule. I work at a few kindergartens currently, but I'm turning up to teach and then leave. This new job is at one kindergarten for 3 days in the week, and it means I have to turn up at 8 (I start teaching at 8.30) for 'gate duty and assembly'. What does this normally include? I've never had to do this before. I did work at one kindergarten at which I would often stand waiting for the kids to go in before I did, greeting the parents with a polite wai and, 'Sawasdee Krab' but that's it. Then I would just walk in. If anyone could enlighten me, please do. It seems silly after a lot of experience teaching to be nervous about something so silly, but I do feel very under-pressure when being scrutinised by the parents.

[Scott]

Gate duty usually refers to standing somewhere and greeting the parents and students. It may also entail helping students with their bags and maybe taking them to the classroom. We have teachers who specifically stand close to the point where the school buses let the students off. They help get the bags out, help the students get out of the van etc. It's rather important that the vans get unloaded rather quickly because there is a long queue of vans.

If you do not know the students well, then I suggest just do the 'Good morning. How are you?" etc.

Morning assembly usually involves the National Anthem etc.

[sirchai]

"Gate duty" is also a way to show that they do have foreigners working there. Guess you'll have to join the morning assembly as well.

I know why we've got to do our gate duty. A lot of traffic, dangerous situations etc beside greeting the kids and Co......

[chowny77]

A 30 min turn up for gate duty before class is actually not too bad. If you have your plans prepared not a problem and sometimes it is nice to see the parents with the kids because if they turn out to be hell spawn you just say, "I know your mum and I will tell her what a bad boy/girl you are tomorrow". At my old school we had to be at gate duty well over an hour before classes started and had to do a speech every week on a rota. Some of my co-workers got away with this task by saying they were too nervous to stand infront of 500 kids.............thats what it is to be a teacher I thought and it is not like the speech is taken seriously anyway. It is just a way for the school to show the parents what they are paying for in the long run too.

[DavidSL]

Ah that's cool, it sounds OK then. I'd be a little nervous at first with the parents and everything, I'm used to meeting parents now but I still feel uncomfortable as I know how fickle things can be here. I'm 29, I'm presentable, I'm polite, but it still makes me uncomfortable to be stared at and scrutinised. Assembly sounds fun, though. Not sure I'd be uncomfortable in front of 500 kindergarten kids at all, but having all the teachers standing there would put me off, not to mention parents hanging around making sure I was making their school fees worth it!

[Scott]

Getting kids to school is a big chore for parents. Very few are interested in staring at you or in having a conversation unless they need to. Getting in and out of most schools is a headache of epic proportions. As long as you don't look like Bozo the Clown most won't give you a 2nd glance.

If you have to speak, it's usually something short and sweet and for the most part, the sound systems make these speeches difficult to understand. Most of the Thai staff neither care nor listen. Just go with the flow. It's a part of what the Thais consider as important.

Best of luck.

[DavidSL]

Thanks Scott, I appreciate that. I think added to the stress is the fact that the school is in an unknown area and I'm not even 100% if I have the job or not (waiting for a phonecall!), so that's making me feel a little on edge about starting something new. Good to know that it isn't much different from what I've had to do before!

[harrry]

As not a parent here but one who sometimes has to take my nieces to school or pick them up I am really impressed with the system here. Cars are moved on,kids are kept safe and ushered in and out of school quickly and it gives a chance to at least feel the school is responding to you when they wey or smile to acknowledge you.

In Australia taking or picking up kids is a shamble.

[teacher17]

I do gate duty at my school 3 days a week in the morning and it's really not that bad (except when it's hot...which is pretty much everyday...) They like it if foreigners speak English to the students (Good morning, etc) since they want the students to get into the habit of doing that everyday with the foreign teachers. They also have me shake hands with the students...

I do think it is also for "show." They like to show parents that the foreign teachers are involved in the mundane activities just like all the other Thai teachers. As I said, it's not that bad and I don't usually understand why so many foreign teachers complain about it (other than having to arrive to school a bit early).

[nottocus]

Never minded gate duty. Once a week. Chat with ya mates and check out the mums.

The boss actually had to call a meeting one day and tell all the male teachers that the checking out of mums was a bit obvious. He even admitted he needed to be more mindful in future.

[chowny77]

It has been a while since I have had to do gate duty. But thanks to nottocus..................I totally forgot about the only good about it was the chance to <deleted> watch.

[NoshowJones]

Ah that's cool, it sounds OK then. I'd be a little nervous at first with the parents and everything, I'm used to meeting parents now but I still feel uncomfortable as I know how fickle things can be here. I'm 29, I'm presentable, I'm polite, but it still makes me uncomfortable to be stared at and scrutinised. Assembly sounds fun, though. Not sure I'd be uncomfortable in front of 500 kindergarten kids at all, but having all the teachers standing there would put me off, not to mention parents hanging around making sure I was making their school fees worth it!

I have never been asked to do gate duty at any of my schools, I have even offered to do it, but was told "no thanks the Thai teachers do it".

[chowny77]

Ah that's cool, it sounds OK then. I'd be a little nervous at first with the parents and everything, I'm used to meeting parents now but I still feel uncomfortable as I know how fickle things can be here. I'm 29, I'm presentable, I'm polite, but it still makes me uncomfortable to be stared at and scrutinised. Assembly sounds fun, though. Not sure I'd be uncomfortable in front of 500 kindergarten kids at all, but having all the teachers standing there would put me off, not to mention parents hanging around making sure I was making their school fees worth it!

I have never been asked to do gate duty at any of my schools, I have even offered to do it, but was told "no thanks the Thai teachers do it".

Well that is interesting. Most schools are pushing like buggery to get farang on the gate duty.... fair play if you are not required.

[BlackArtemis]

At the most you might need to check off kids to make sure they have arrived and state what time.

When I am approached by parents about their specific child I just tell them that I can't talk right now (more than a simple hello etc) because I have to make sure students are marked as arrived or gone and if they want to talk in depth I can set up a meeting time for them that week. I have never had a parent ask for that yet, they really just want to talk about their kid.