Concern Over Plan To Reduce Homework: Thai Education

[webfact]

EDUCATION

Concern over plan to reduce homework

THE NATION

Expert warns of unintended impacts

BANGKOK: -- Concerned by the Education Ministry's move to reduce homework for students, an education expert yesterday warned that such a policy must be implemented carefully, otherwise it would reduce students' skills instead of providing more time for them to learn from different activities.

newsjs

Professor Sirichai Kanjanawasee, former dean of the faculty of education at Chulalongkorn University, said he agreed with the move to reduce the amount of homework, but teachers will have to be watchful of the impact on students.

"Teachers in different subjects should discuss and plan together how they would reduce the amount of homework. For example, they could integrate a lesson on two or three subjects into one assignment. So students could practise the required skills of all these subjects in the assignment. They should adjust their teaching as well, making it more integrated with other subjects. Also, they should adjust examinations to be more integrated," he said.

It's up to the ministry to set guidelines on the proper amount of homework, he said.

"The number of assignments varies from school to school. I'm worried that some schools that ordinarily assign their students little homework will be given even less homework," Sirichai said.

Dr Panpimol Wipulakorn, director of the Rajanukul Institute under the Department of Mental Health, said primary-school students should spend no more than an hour doing homework or reviewing their lessons at home; secondary-school students should spend no longer than two hours.

A similar homework-reduction policy was implemented about 10 years ago, but academic achievements crept lower. Since then, the ministry has had students study harder and do more homework.

According to the Office of the Basic Education Commission, from the next academic year, teachers would have to plan together to integrate curricula, teaching and homework assignments. Students would then have more time to learn from activities outside classrooms.

Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said primary-school students had very little homework, but upper-secondary students had to do much more.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva sees the homework-reduction move as a "junior populist policy" that could indulge children.

Parents and students have mixed opinions.

"I study eight subjects per day and have assignments from every subject, and also deadlines for handing in the assignments are similar. So I don't have enough time for other activities," said Phuno Thepsathija, a Matthayom 5 (Grade 11) student in Bangkok.

A mother of a Prathom 3 (Grade 3) student said her daughter had many assignments sometimes, but she could handle them.

Students commenting on an Internet forum agreed that exercises are useless if they are boring. Teachers should keep homework using creative ideas to spark learning, they said.

A mother of a Matthayom 6 (Grade 12) student urged the ministry to leave the homework matter up to the schools because each school is different. She worried that some students would spend more time on unproductive activities, like chatting online.

-- The Nation 2013-01-31

[noitom]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

[Robby nz]

We have 9yr old P 3 boy who stays with us and his cousin, a girl in the same class comes to our place to do her homework.

We also have another boy from the same class who comes to our place to do his homework.

Each one has a different amount of homework each day as the homework they have mostly depends on what they have or have not finished in school.

The girl usually has very little of none while our boy has only a small amount, he other boy who is easily distracted has a lot.

Our boy and his cousin are bright kids and close to the top of their class, the other boy is way down.

However since he has been coming here he has improved greatly and I will say that is because of a good healpful environment to do said homework.

In his case homework has been what has pushed him along and helped him to want to learn.

Parents need to take an interest in their kids homework, check what the kids have done and help where needed, and the Govt should keep their sticky fingers out and leave it to the teachers to decide.

[Robby nz]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

[Thaifever]

The Thai Education Ministry is at it again. Not long ago they were suggesting students do more homework in order to keep up with Japanese and Korean students as their test scores were lower, even though Thai students were already spending more time on homework than their Japanese and Korean student counterparts.

This is the Thai Education Ministry's way of justifying their existence. And why would they have answers? For they too are graduates of the Thai education system.

Although I think our western education system is far from perfect, and I think we need to change the way we learn and how information is processed and what information is processed, I think the Thai education system is simply a waste of time.

I've taught in the Thai system, and although myself and many of my foreign co-workers had many suggestions on how the system could be improved. We were told that we are foreigner's and we will follow their system. The director also told us that soon they won't need foreigners teaching in Thailand, and that she is looking forward to that time lol. There's just too much pride and ignorance in Thai culture to have anything change in a decade or three. So it will just stay the same. And why not? It keeps everything cheap, and I love a cheap massage, cheap knock-offs, and a cheap holiday. Yay pride bearing Thailand

[Tywais]

integrate a lesson on two or three subjects into one assignment. So students could practise the required skills of all these subjects in the assignment.

About the only thing I do agree with in the OP. One of the biggest weaknesses I've seen and discussed with other Ajarns is the lack of interdisciplinary training. Without it they won't think 'outside the box'. That is one of the strengths of my education. Many times I've worked with a student or technician and they focus on one specific thing and miss the global picture to solve a problem. When I work with them I give them hints as to how to solve the problem but won't solve it outright for them even though it would be quicker for me.

[arthurboy]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

Not so Robbie. The system is broken.

While I fully agree that overcrowded classrooms are not conducive to effective teaching and learning, the current education curricula content and teaching methods are archaic. Couple this with a 100% blind emphasis on passing 'tests' and achieving a high GPA score to get to the university of choice, then you have a recipe for mediocrity and an absence of real world skills to prepare children for the future.

[phosphorescent]

There have been a lot of studies done recently on the value of homework and most of them have come to the same conclusion.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-10-24/study-finds-homework-has-limited-value/4330514

[Payboy]

In my school years, this would've starved my proverbial dog to death.

[Robby nz]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

Not so Robbie. The system is broken.

While I fully agree that overcrowded classrooms are not conducive to effective teaching and learning, the current education curricula content and teaching methods are archaic. Couple this with a 100% blind emphasis on passing 'tests' and achieving a high GPA score to get to the university of choice, then you have a recipe for mediocrity and an absence of real world skills to prepare children for the future.

That is probably so however the subject is homework not the overall education system. Even though I did include overcrowding but I did so to show that some kids dont do their work at school and in the case of this particular class have to do it as homework.

In the case of the 3 kids that we have here and the other two who come from time to time I can tell you that homework has indeed benefited their education.

[cup-O-coffee]

This entire system and all the factors involved is one great pile of crap, and they are discussing it as if it were a pile of cookie dough. There is no place to begin without having to consider all the other factors at the same time.

You cannot raise one standard and leave all the others untouched. Each factor is critically dependent upon the other. These factors include, but are not limited to, environment at home and school, parental involvement, discipline, self-restraint, materials, teaching and learning abilities, and so on and so on.

Is reducing the homework a cure or a symptom? No one can know anything because the culture makes crap and lies about it all and tells you it is cookie dough. Discussing anything about a Thai system of processes and procedures is like controlling leaves blowing in the wind.

There's a saying in World Class Competitiveness that goes, "Change begins with me". Another saying is, "Change the way a man thinks and you change that man. Change the way a society thinks and you change that society."

Every time I read about Thais and their education system, I always get a feeling of pity in my mind because I am convinced that their culture is anathema to learning and then being educated as a result. Oh, they are learning and being educated alright, but as to how that is being done I have serious doubts that anyone can put their finger on it and deter or nuture it. It seems it is more of a side effect than anything.

And finally, I have discoverd a truth in my time here. That truth is that Thais seem to do an awful lot of talking, yet nothing ever seems to get done and the results are rarely productive and always more consequential to those results (self-defeating, so to speak). End of story.

Edited January 31, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[laurenrebecca]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

Robby exactly. I am an English teacher for Anuban 2 and Prathom 4/5/6 in the far north in Phrae Province. My students do get assigned homework, but it is never more than 30-45 mins a week, and they always learn about it in class; it is just application of what we went over. The assignments change every week so there is constant need to think outside the box when doing assignments. I encourage creativity, and the students are rewarded for their level of work.

My school is a public Government school, and yes the students have a good deal of homework. But many of my students advanced to the regional competitions in Chiang Mai just last month, and 3 of the teams have advanced to compete in Bangkok for best in the country in Computer Science, Science and Math.

I think that the system of "all Thais" does not apply. Yes, there are schools that are exceptions to the rule and have extremely low standards and fail to achieve them. There are also the schools with teachers and faculty that care, and will truly go the extra mile for their students. I believe most schools fall into the latter.

[hellodolly]

The Thai Education Ministry is at it again. Not long ago they were suggesting students do more homework in order to keep up with Japanese and Korean students as their test scores were lower, even though Thai students were already spending more time on homework than their Japanese and Korean student counterparts.

This is the Thai Education Ministry's way of justifying their existence. And why would they have answers? For they too are graduates of the Thai education system.

Although I think our western education system is far from perfect, and I think we need to change the way we learn and how information is processed and what information is processed, I think the Thai education system is simply a waste of time.

I've taught in the Thai system, and although myself and many of my foreign co-workers had many suggestions on how the system could be improved. We were told that we are foreigner's and we will follow their system. The director also told us that soon they won't need foreigners teaching in Thailand, and that she is looking forward to that time lol. There's just too much pride and ignorance in Thai culture to have anything change in a decade or three. So it will just stay the same. And why not? It keeps everything cheap, and I love a cheap massage, cheap knock-offs, and a cheap holiday. Yay pride bearing Thailand

You have touched on a point there that most people over look in there blind desire to turn Thailand into a tropical version of back home.

You say and why not and then list your reasons. What about the Thai's reasons. For the most part they are a happy lot they bear there difficulties with ease they enjoy life. Unlike the western way of not enjoying life. The western way of life is to enjoy what they can buy with money and looks good.

If The Government really wants (and we know they don't) to improve the quality of the education in Thailand they will have to stop listing things that they meaning others (not themselves) must do and do some thing them selves. Like have the same policies for more that the time it takes to change the minister to reward some one qualified "almost" to be mayor of dog town to be the minister of education. It has to begin at home and home in this case is the cabinet.

just enjoy things they can buy and look good with.

[hellodolly]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

Robby exactly. I am an English teacher for Anuban 2 and Prathom 4/5/6 in the far north in Phrae Province. My students do get assigned homework, but it is never more than 30-45 mins a week, and they always learn about it in class; it is just application of what we went over. The assignments change every week so there is constant need to think outside the box when doing assignments. I encourage creativity, and the students are rewarded for their level of work.

My school is a public Government school, and yes the students have a good deal of homework. But many of my students advanced to the regional competitions in Chiang Mai just last month, and 3 of the teams have advanced to compete in Bangkok for best in the country in Computer Science, Science and Math.

I think that the system of "all Thais" does not apply. Yes, there are schools that are exceptions to the rule and have extremely low standards and fail to achieve them. There are also the schools with teachers and faculty that care, and will truly go the extra mile for their students. I believe most schools fall into the latter.

I love your post.

There is one point I would disagree with you on. Not in the context you meant but in a broader sense.

"I think that the system of "all Thais" does not apply"

I believe that some students should be singled out and put with students of compatible abilities and likes.

As is they are held back with the ones who do not have the ability they have or the desire to learn.

Also students who through no fault of there own are slow. We do them no good expecting them to keep up with the people who are faster than they are. They can be just as smart if not smarter it just takes them longer to reach a conclusion.

[h90]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

Worse is how they learn.

If you get something to calculate and you calculate it right but the way you think yourself than it is wrong. Because you need to copy exact the steps the teacher told. Every non-conform thinking is wrong....

[Robby nz]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

Robby exactly. I am an English teacher for Anuban 2 and Prathom 4/5/6 in the far north in Phrae Province. My students do get assigned homework, but it is never more than 30-45 mins a week, and they always learn about it in class; it is just application of what we went over. The assignments change every week so there is constant need to think outside the box when doing assignments. I encourage creativity, and the students are rewarded for their level of work.

My school is a public Government school, and yes the students have a good deal of homework. But many of my students advanced to the regional competitions in Chiang Mai just last month, and 3 of the teams have advanced to compete in Bangkok for best in the country in Computer Science, Science and Math.

I think that the system of "all Thais" does not apply. Yes, there are schools that are exceptions to the rule and have extremely low standards and fail to achieve them. There are also the schools with teachers and faculty that care, and will truly go the extra mile for their students. I believe most schools fall into the latter.

I am no teacter nor do I have any ambition to be one and can only talk about the situation we have at our place.

It seems to me that even some bright kids can fall behind because of peer pressure and teachers not having the time to give attention to individuals.

Perhaps I should elaborate on peer presure: A great example is the boy who now stays with us, sent to maths and art comps this year and 2 medels at school prize giving last week.

His father is in jail for drugs, his mother works long hours but calls him every day and he stays with her on her days and nights off, he stayed with his grandfather before he came to us and was often left on his own.

Before he came to us and at the start of his stay he was always in trouble at school now he is acheiving and I expect that will continue and, hay he is even starting to think for himself now and take pride in acheiving.

Then there were the other naughty kids at school who he had gravitated to as it had been more fun to be with them than do do school work, he has pretty much got out of that now but as with any 9yr old still likes his fun.

I dont take any credit for this, as I said I am no teacher rather I think its the environment we provide that has helped him, however I do tell him how proud we are of him when he does good

Homework and careing parents who want their kids to advance can be a great help.

But there are some parents who are in no position to really help their kids with homework.

One situation is the boy who comes to our place every day after school. His parents sell fried chicken in the market in the afternoon and evening not finishing till about 10 O clock they would like to help but at the time he needs help they are working.

Answers I have none but cant help thinking that homework helps with kids education.

[scorecard]

integrate a lesson on two or three subjects into one assignment. So students could practise the required skills of all these subjects in the assignment.

About the only thing I do agree with in the OP. One of the biggest weaknesses I've seen and discussed with other Ajarns is the lack of interdisciplinary training. Without it they won't think 'outside the box'. That is one of the strengths of my education. Many times I've worked with a student or technician and they focus on one specific thing and miss the global picture to solve a problem. When I work with them I give them hints as to how to solve the problem but won't solve it outright for them even though it would be quicker for me.

Totally agree with Tywais, very well said.

I worked for many years for an international management consultancy, a certain % of new recruits were Thais who had just finsihed their MBA or similar but in many cases had never worked. Getting them to 'think globally' / think about all the factors in the bigger picture at hand required a lot of prompting and it generally took a lot of time to eventually make them realize they had to 'think globally' all the time, and get them to see that the work delivered to clients had to be 'global'.

As a very different point, at the consulting company we often had one or two new recruits (just finished MBA, never worked) who did not pass probation. Why, because they believed, and mentioned with no hesitation, 'I have just completed 5 / 6 years of study, I'm now entitled to relax and take it easy.'

When this happened one of the seniors (Thai or foreigner) would usually mention 'so you feel you are now entitled to get a salary (in fact a long way above minimum pay rates) for doing nothing / you feel you are entitled to relax and get paid. So give me an estimated time line when our company will be bankrupt?' And/or, 'why should you do no work and the other staff here should work? Response: blank looks and no comments.

In one stubborn case the Thai senior retorted with ' My question is serious and I want a detailed answer by Friday'. The young lady concerned was in fact disruptive, was not producing anything and was pushing other juniors to support her stand. Friday came, she was told to give her response, her response 'why are you wasting my time on this question?'. She was sacked on the spot.

Another 'global' example, quite a few times in my lecturing for both BBA and MBA programs, when I give course projects I would add a final smaller requirement (deliverable) to the assignment or project: 'you must mention a connection between the main current project and another subject (within the whole MBA studies)'. This often stumped the students, and needed a lot of hand holding for them to finally find a connection.

Edited January 31, 2013 by scorecard

[maturebrit]

integrate a lesson on two or three subjects into one assignment. So students could practise the required skills of all these subjects in the assignment.

About the only thing I do agree with in the OP. One of the biggest weaknesses I've seen and discussed with other Ajarns is the lack of interdisciplinary training. Without it they won't think 'outside the box'. That is one of the strengths of my education. Many times I've worked with a student or technician and they focus on one specific thing and miss the global picture to solve a problem. When I work with them I give them hints as to how to solve the problem but won't solve it outright for them even though it would be quicker for me.

fully agree....I also had similar issues with a few....bit by bit it was overcome but the saying "a gram of prevention is better than a kilo of cure" still is a hard concept for them to grasp

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tominbkk]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

I think you are way over-generalising here. I've known lazy students, hard-working students and everything in between.

I agree though that too much busy work is given out.

[ginjag]

Well many posters are giving their versions of more or less homework--some need more some need less--Helping in many RURAL schools I see on a daily basis pupils turn up for their next lesson Ha Ha no tea to teach-WHY because th teachers are in a meeting this is normal during school times.

This is bulls#hit NO meetings should be taking place during lesson time. This happens to many classes during any given day, no wonder the kids are not catching up with work.

Look outside the school room you will see loads of kids playing sport in their uniforms waiting for the next class-if a teacher arrives.

Sorry to speak about my past but it should apply today--ALL teacher meetings were taken AFTER SCHOOL.

overclassed rooms, staff shortages on away trips DURING school days, we call them teachers perks-holidays.

In near all cases it's not the teachers fault but the heads and admin at schools that create this.

[15Peter20]

What will happen to all those providers of 'extra classes' outside of school whose job is to complete the homework from the students' day school? Job losses on the horizon in this sector....

On another note, I've been regularly checking the homework of my 6-year old boy from a private school in Chiang Mai. It usually takes him about 10 minutes. His last maths homework contained questions like 1+0= and 2+3= . I have been teaching him maths myself on average for 30 mins 2 or 3 times a week during term time for the last year or so. He can add and subtract 3-digit numbers and multiply 2 and 1 digit numbers. I'm not saying this to show off. I totally believe that all kids have the potential to do this at that age and that many Thai schools are letting their students down terribly by not recognizing their potential at all.

If you don't want to leave the degree of your child's aptitude to some chance genetic predisposition, and don't want to allow the Thai school system to let your child's brain - a pinnacle of thousands of years of human evolution - stagnate and never approach its true potential then I thoroughly recommend spending a bit of time teaching them basic maths and English in your own home at an early age.

The way homework is set and done is just a tiny part of what's wrong with education in Thai schools, but it shouldn't be done away with.

Edited January 31, 2013 by 15Peter20

[jayboy]

The amount of homework set has very little to do with educational success.Finland, which has a remarkable record of broad spread achievement in education, imposes very little homework on children.Thailand's disfunctional educational system needs thorough going reform setting a heavy homework burden won't help.

Still as light relief I love Khun Abhisit's mad comment:

"Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva sees the homework-reduction move as a "junior populist policy" that could indulge children."

No wonder this obsessed man is floundering politically.

[Jawnie]

The way I see it is that the Education Ministry doesn't know what it wants, really. Thailand has issues and problems that are not educational in nature but affect education directly.

One is that it has been an agricultural society for centuries and still is for the most part. It is fairly common that education is not stressed or important in agricultural societies. The world has or is transitioning from agricultural-based societies and Thailand is pretty much only beginning its real transition in this regard. So, the mindset in the Education Ministry is stuck in both places, probably because many of the people there come out of rural society and don't truly understand how important education is or how to approach education in the 21st century.

That is one possibility. The other is the issue with governance in Thailand. Those in power or positions of authority and power will not benefit if the population is well educated. It is to those leaders advantage that Thais remained relatively uneducated so that Thais don't realize how poorly and unfairly Thailand is governed. This is a really big and complex subject for Thailand and will not change until it is dealt with head-on. In other words, you can't expect people to become educated but then not notice what is right/wrong with the world around them. Enough educated Thais who are not from the 'ruling class' means the ruling class loses control of the debate and of the prevailing orthodoxy. A well-educated Thai population will inevitably lead to greater pressure for better civil liberties, a more functional civil society, ie., activism that actually works, and lead to a push of greater equality of opportunity.

This is the promise of education, right? Why would it be any different in Thailand?

With much of Thai society still greatly influenced by a 'rural' mindset regarding education, coupled with the lack of real opportunity, it is little wonder that the Education ministry doesn't get it right.

I've met plenty of Thais who are well educated. If I get the chance, I asked about their parents. It is typical that professional, educated Thais have parents who were the same and who made their kids work hard...extra hard, in school.

[hellodolly]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

Worse is how they learn.

If you get something to calculate and you calculate it right but the way you think yourself than it is wrong. Because you need to copy exact the steps the teacher told. Every non-conform thinking is wrong....

that was a problem for me back in the day. I could come up with the answers but it did not make the teacher happy. But that was over 50 years ago.

Typing that kind of opened up a different view of things. 50 years can change a lot of things. Still there is discusion on the best way to teach.

[h90]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

Worse is how they learn.

If you get something to calculate and you calculate it right but the way you think yourself than it is wrong. Because you need to copy exact the steps the teacher told. Every non-conform thinking is wrong....

that was a problem for me back in the day. I could come up with the answers but it did not make the teacher happy. But that was over 50 years ago.

Typing that kind of opened up a different view of things. 50 years can change a lot of things. Still there is discusion on the best way to teach.

I was lucky enough to go in a technical school where it was OK. Be able to find own solutions to new problems is extreme important but not honored in Thai schools....

[Payboy]

The amount of homework set has very little to do with educational success.Finland, which has a remarkable record of broad spread achievement in education, imposes very little homework on children.Thailand's disfunctional educational system needs thorough going reform setting a heavy homework burden won't help.

Still as light relief I love Khun Abhisit's mad comment:

"Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva sees the homework-reduction move as a "junior populist policy" that could indulge children."

No wonder this obsessed man is floundering politically.

Grasping at straws, obviously.

[hellodolly]

What will happen to all those providers of 'extra classes' outside of school whose job is to complete the homework from the students' day school? Job losses on the horizon in this sector....

On another note, I've been regularly checking the homework of my 6-year old boy from a private school in Chiang Mai. It usually takes him about 10 minutes. His last maths homework contained questions like 1+0= and 2+3= . I have been teaching him maths myself on average for 30 mins 2 or 3 times a week during term time for the last year or so. He can add and subtract 3-digit numbers and multiply 2 and 1 digit numbers. I'm not saying this to show off. I totally believe that all kids have the potential to do this at that age and that many Thai schools are letting their students down terribly by not recognizing their potential at all.

If you don't want to leave the degree of your child's aptitude to some chance genetic predisposition, and don't want to allow the Thai school system to let your child's brain - a pinnacle of thousands of years of human evolution - stagnate and never approach its true potential then I thoroughly recommend spending a bit of time teaching them basic maths and English in your own home at an early age.

The way homework is set and done is just a tiny part of what's wrong with education in Thai schools, but it shouldn't be done away with.

I see no job looses on the horizon if and that will not happen they put proper teaching systems in to use. They would require a lot more teachers. but they like many other places in the world including some of the so called advanced civilized countries will continue with classes containing more students than one teacher can adequately teach.

I agree A parent should involve themselves in the teaching process that was how I learned my basic mathematics from my father. I would caution teaching beyond there capabilities. Science tells us the brain like the body must mature and I believe it as a general rule around 7 that this occurs. Because they can do it does not necessarily mean they should.

[Lucie]

Thai students and children get no guidance on "prioritizing" tasks and work. They have no work ethic or sense of reward for "achievement. They are not driven by achievement success. They are driven by "compatibility" and fraternity with their sakdi na network and pecking order. When it comes to schoolwork they have no discipline, the work has little meaning or application. They waste time and dilly dally about chit chatting and playing games and uploading pictures.

They have never been taught "order" and priority of work tasks. It doesn't mean anything in Thai culture. Homework in Thailand is merely busy work , it is not designed to teach or for students to learn and take interest. Thailand education is a sham and everyone knows it. They are not prepared for adult life. Everyone who knows and understands Thailand knows that the system is broken long before homework is assigned. Assigning homework at any level of volume in Thailand is an exercise in futility.

What aload of crap!

Any time I see things that refer to 'all thais' I know I am about to read BS.

Tell me how many kids do you have at your place doing their homework?

There are some great teachers out there teaching very bright kids who will go on to make their mark in both this country and in the world, there are also not so good teachers and kids who will never be anything but unskilled labour but thats the same in every country.

Unfortunatly the schools are mostly overcrowed with to many kids in a class which makes it impossible for even the best teacher to give individual attention.

That is what the Govt should be giving their attention to.

Homework is a way in which a kid can study without interfearence from other kids who dont really want to be there.

Parental supervision is also a big help.

Not so Robbie. The system is broken.

While I fully agree that overcrowded classrooms are not conducive to effective teaching and learning, the current education curricula content and teaching methods are archaic. Couple this with a 100% blind emphasis on passing 'tests' and achieving a high GPA score to get to the university of choice, then you have a recipe for mediocrity and an absence of real world skills to prepare children for the future.

I agree completely. I have taught in Thai schools for 10 years, and my kids are now in the system too. Their homework tasks are completely meaningless, just a time-filler to make less savvy parents think that the teachers are doing their job well. The in-class tasks are mostly a waste of time, too. My son has "Health" class once a week. He spends each one copying a page of the textbook into his notebook. It he doesn't finish it, the rest is for homework. How can that a) teach him anything, prepare him for real life, or c) inspire in him a love of learning?

We're out of here next year!

[alanferdi]

We have 9yr old P 3 boy who stays with us and his cousin, a girl in the same class comes to our place to do her homework.

We also have another boy from the same class who comes to our place to do his homework.

Each one has a different amount of homework each day as the homework they have mostly depends on what they have or have not finished in school.

The girl usually has very little of none while our boy has only a small amount, he other boy who is easily distracted has a lot.

Our boy and his cousin are bright kids and close to the top of their class, the other boy is way down.

However since he has been coming here he has improved greatly and I will say that is because of a good healpful environment to do said homework.

In his case homework has been what has pushed him along and helped him to want to learn.

Parents need to take an interest in their kids homework, check what the kids have done and help where needed, and the Govt should keep their sticky fingers out and leave it to the teachers to decide.

If home work is rewriting a printed book.!!!! Stop this charade, education is teaching to be thinking and creative.... But that is too much for the twachers to handle! I have know teachers who teach with mistakes and when it is pointed out the student is penalised.... Just because the teacher lost face!

[MaxLee]

Well the whole point is that most schools in Thailand teach about rote learning and memorizing stuff to the "BRAIN-DAMAGE-DEATH' of several student's brain cells. Is it any mystery then, that these kids and youngsters feel a resentment towards education teaching authorities over the years for the rest of the school lives.

I think kids need to move their a$$es to learn, because learning doesn't always take place in the classrooms, sitting and writing homework, but doing the goodwill for many people in life long learning, would be a better thing in the future;