Do Your Kids Attend The School Where You Teach?

[simon43]

Although I currently work in Myanmar, my 'home' and family are in Thailand - Phuket for my wife and ex-wife, and Bangkok for my young son who is 7 years old. As my son grows older, I am concerned about his schooling. He holds both Thai and British nationality, but his English language skills are not very good, primarily because he attends a mediocre school.

I know that some (many?) international schools in Thailand will offer a free place for the child(s) of their teaching staff, and this certainly interests me as a way to enable my son to attend a good school for little cost, (and indeed for me to forge a closer relationship with him).

Does anyone on this board teach at a school which their child also attends? Any good/bad points about this scenario? My long-term goal would be to work for an international school in Thailand so that my son would be able to benefit from this good schooling.

Thanks

Simon

Edited March 16, 2013 by simon43

[draftvader]

Our daughter attends the International Kindergarten where my wife teaches. They have ensured that they have no cross-over in the school with my wife teaching the year above our daughter. Next year our daughter will reach the age where she would be in my wife's year. There is a strong chance that they will move my wife up or down a year so that there is no overlap again.

Our daughter loves her education at the school and misses it when she isn't there. We also benefit as my wife understands (and myself to a degree) the teaching methodologies of the school and we are able to utilise them at home providing our daughter with a solid framework for her life.

The only negative point has been a little bit of finger pointing by some of the Thai parents who believe our daughter's education is secondary to their child's. The school is on our side here and, on a personal level, I think they should think a little more carefully as they would like their children to attend my wife's class next year (they are all assuming that she will be in the same place). On the whole it is working as a VERY positive experience for all of us.

[isawasnake]

I would not pay a dime for and children I had to "learn" at the school I teach at. It is considered a great school to, somehow.

[diddums]

I would not pay a dime for and children I had to "learn" at the school I teach at. It is considered a great school to, somehow.

How goods you teachin em like ?

[saakura]

I would not pay a dime for and children I had to "learn" at the school I teach at. It is considered a great school to, somehow.

What he said??

[mixolydian]

My boy goes to the school I work at. Its been wonderful and I'm looking forward to sending my daughter there when she is older. Its an international school with 100% foreign teachers from US, Canada and UK

Most of the teachers are exceptional but there a couple teachers I wouldn't want teaching my son because I don't think they are any good. Fortunately my school is big enough that I can choose between teachers.

[Scott]

My job takes me to a number of different schools under the same management. When you work at a school, you tend to see the negatives more than the positives, IMO. Actually, if I had school-aged children I would send them to the schools, with the exception of one school. That school simply has a turnover rate among teachers (Thai teachers) that is uncomfortably high and children need consistency.

Even some of the teachers that I consider to be sub-standard seem to have a lot of students who do well in their subject. One of the schools has been in the top 100 schools in Thailand (based on test scores).

Different strokes for different folks, I guess

[mixolydian]

As a side note... I did have to teach my son not to call me daddy at school and he seems to understand that our relationship is a little different from home. the other students with parents teaching at the school all take it in stride as well from what I can tell.

[simon43]

Thanks for this useful information. Of course, if I were to enroll my son into the school where I teach, I'd have to be sure that I intended to work at that school for the next few years. I think I'd need to get one year under my belt there before I took the major step of enrolling him.

As a side note, my current employer in Myanmar has offered to enroll my son for free, but I think his Thai mother would probably not be happy for him to attend a 'Burmese' school

[culicine]

Thanks for this useful information. Of course, if I were to enroll my son into the school where I teach, I'd have to be sure that I intended to work at that school for the next few years. I think I'd need to get one year under my belt there before I took the major step of enrolling him.

As a side note, my current employer in Myanmar has offered to enroll my son for free, but I think his Thai mother would probably not be happy for him to attend a 'Burmese' school

Are you in an International school there? I ask because I have had a couple of Burmese students in the past who attended an International school there. Their english was excellent and one just got accepted to MUIC at Mahidol. Indeed, the few Burmese staff we have had in the past also have excellent english relative to the Thai staff at my school. Mind you I believe they also came through good schools there.

My son is also at my school. I had him in the Thai program for a couple of years but he found it difficult - pitching the work above the students heads in typical Thai style. Apart from that the Thai teachers didn't like students asking them questions. Now he is much happier and doing much better studying in english for most of his subjects. I send him to a private teacher to work more on his Thai language skills. The benefit is that you can keep a close on on your child and can have regular contact with his teachers to check on his/her progress.

[simon43]

Are you in an International school there?

I'm VP at an EP school in Yangon, about 400 kids and a good reputation. My son speaks Thai as his first language, then Lao and English. I'm keen to improve his English language skills because he's in a fairly rare position of being able to live/ work in Thailand or in the European Community without need for a work permit.

So there is plenty of time to teach him, but my own funds could not cover international/EP school fees.

[otherstuff1957]

Bringing him to Yangon for a year or so two would do wonders for his English ability. I know that you ex would probably worry about him losing his Thainess, but he would not forget his first language in that amount of time & it would force him to speak English.

Some of my students have gone off to the US or Canada for anywhere from one month to one year. Their English comprehension always improved and a couple of them could now almost pass for Native Speakers.

[Boxclever]

Why don't you spent more time with your Son and teach him English?

You're a rich Hotelier right? you can affort the education!

Get your priorities right Simon

[Somtamnication]

My job takes me to a number of different schools under the same management. When you work at a school, you tend to see the negatives more than the positives, IMO. Actually, if I had school-aged children I would send them to the schools, with the exception of one school. That school simply has a turnover rate among teachers (Thai teachers) that is uncomfortably high and children need consistency.

Even some of the teachers that I consider to be sub-standard seem to have a lot of students who do well in their subject. One of the schools has been in the top 100 schools in Thailand (based on test scores).

Different strokes for different folks, I guess

Then your measuring stick regarding this one sub-standard is a bit one sided. If the students are doing well, then as the manager, you should be happy. Animosity aside.

[Scott]

My job takes me to a number of different schools under the same management. When you work at a school, you tend to see the negatives more than the positives, IMO. Actually, if I had school-aged children I would send them to the schools, with the exception of one school. That school simply has a turnover rate among teachers (Thai teachers) that is uncomfortably high and children need consistency.

Even some of the teachers that I consider to be sub-standard seem to have a lot of students who do well in their subject. One of the schools has been in the top 100 schools in Thailand (based on test scores).

Different strokes for different folks, I guess

Then your measuring stick regarding this one sub-standard is a bit one sided. If the students are doing well, then as the manager, you should be happy. Animosity aside.

As a manager, I know that the school could be much, much better than it is.