Teenager's take on how to reform Thai education

[kunnatee]

He's not as bright as people make out. He needs to string his words more carefully, or he'll get nowhere!

Sunisa.

He's 16, and in a society where everything brainwashes him into not asking questions.

Yet, he questions the system.

Did you do the same when you were 16, สุนิษา?

Being able to put things into questions in such circumstances is much more a sign of intelligence than forming perfect sentences without a few contradictions.

Do you remember how you used to think at 16, and how it has (i suppose) evolved since.

His speech will become better as he gets to think more about it. They've only been at it for around 3 months I think.

He doesn't come from a foreign background which would make it easy to point out all the problems of the Thai system. The very fact that he questions it and dares question the raising of the flag is rather miraculous.

To the poster who said "until then, you're just talking"

That was pretty low : He probably doesn't have the possibility to study abroad

And that was quite wrong : The group has been on several TV shows and mentioned in other shows.

One of my student is one of the main speakers of the group and it definitely has had some impact in our school, and beyond. Students chat about it on facebook; old students give their opinions, teachers feel they have to defend their rules; making fools of themselves in the process by insisting for instance that shorter socks or longer hair would be a sign that the educational system is decaying, only to have to say the next day that new directives from the ministry allow boys to grow their hair longer.

The idea that he'd have to write a thesis about it in order for it to be recognized also seems to me to be a copout, or a sad lack of hope in the power of motivated people.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

- George Bernard Shaw

"Disobedience, in the eyes of any one who has read history, is man's original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion."

- Oscar Wilde

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[tingtong]

Everyone seems to have missed the only real action needed. MAKE THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY SIT AND PASS EXAMS, not just get automatic pass marks. How are they supposed to learn when they are not being taught properly or sitting exams, they need to be taught that "face" is nothing to worry about and to be taught the truth about the world, not the rose coloured thai crap they are taught now. Becoming responsible for their own future welfare will make them have to accept their faults and their capabilities without the arrogance they exhibit now, it might also help stop the inter school bashings/killings we see.

kind a like the chicken or the egg was first...

how about not only the students, BUT ALSO THE TEACHERS actually sit and pass the exams they suppose to teach about...then maybe more kids and eventually adults would be able to perform simple math without a calculator, read a book for the fun of it, or speak a second language after 19 yrs studying it till university graduation...

[kriswillems]

Let me first say: I respects this boy.

But this boy is not going to be 100% happy in Thailand.

The chances are high that he'll change or leave.

He might be too brave for his own good and might become a victim of his own intelligence.

In the past many intelligent writers and professors had to leave the country because their opinion and writings where "illegal".

If you look at the recent changes in laws directly and indirectly related to freedom of expression, you'll notice that Thailand is going backwards, not forwards.

The nail that sticks out gets banged down.

[noitom]

The reason why students don't study, don't pay attention, laugh, joke around, and play games during class is because the outcome of education , that is achievement, is not a highly valued characteristic of Thai culture. There are many other issues, curriculum, teacher qualification, parenting, but the core issue, achievement , is not regarded as of value. Thailand is all about patronage, who you know, nepotism, and favor payback for jobs.

Parents don't discuss world and new events at home, there is no intellectual exchange, there is no family value placed on knowledge.

[kiwiinasia]

Good luck to him, he will need more than luck of course.

Flag saluting does not build a nation, it helps build a nation of yes men/women, which Thailand needs more of.

Just kidding.

[Noistar]

Everyone seems to have missed the only real action needed. MAKE THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY SIT AND PASS EXAMS, not just get automatic pass marks. How are they supposed to learn when they are not being taught properly or sitting exams, they need to be taught that "face" is nothing to worry about and to be taught the truth about the world, not the rose coloured thai crap they are taught now. Becoming responsible for their own future welfare will make them have to accept their faults and their capabilities without the arrogance they exhibit now, it might also help stop the inter school bashings/killings we see.

kind a like the chicken or the egg was first...

how about not only the students, BUT ALSO THE TEACHERS actually sit and pass the exams they suppose to teach about...then maybe more kids and eventually adults would be able to perform simple math without a calculator, read a book for the fun of it, or speak a second language after 19 yrs studying it till university graduation...

I always despair at the 19 years or whatever that they spend, exposed to English and achieve very little.

I would have to go along with the argument that it's not the students fault. They are merely robots in a system which ensures they don't need to know effects. They just 'do'. Failure or not is down to the school, not the students.

For such thoughts to be openly expressed by somebody locked into the system is amazing. I would like to think his observations will be the start of something.

Is there similar feedback in Thai media? Are his friends going to suddenly think that now it's time to think and not be a robot?

We can but hope

[Noistar]

The reason why students don't study, don't pay attention, laugh, joke around, and play games during class is because the outcome of education , that is achievement, is not a highly valued characteristic of Thai culture. There are many other issues, curriculum, teacher qualification, parenting, but the core issue, achievement , is not regarded as of value. Thailand is all about patronage, who you know, nepotism, and favor payback for jobs.

Parents don't discuss world and new events at home, there is no intellectual exchange, there is no family value placed on knowledge.

Spot on.

When they can't even find Thailand on a map of SE Asia, any world affairs don't have a chance. Step-daughter thinks Vietnam is Thailand, wife thinks Borneo!

I am trying to bring current affairs into the home but at the risk of "why don't you do things the Thai way if you want to live in Thailand?"

[Yooyung]

I think things will change, it is just going to take a while. My son, who is now 5 has spent pretty much half of his life so far in Thailand and the other half in Aus. He has gone from speaking English only to now, in the space of only 4 months being able to converse in both languages. There must be quite a lot of kids like him growing up with English at home, with a native speaking parent. I am going to install in his brain the importance of asking questions and thinking analytically. I am aware that all this will need to be done within the context of Thai culture...but he will know better than I how to tread carefully. The amount of knowledge that will be available to my son (being fluent in English) is limitless. I am hoping that he is just one of many young people that can bring another perspective to Thailand, while also being aware of how to slowly but surely integrate new ideas, without being seen as too much of a know it all outsider, as I would be if I barged into a room speaking Thai and telling everybody how to do things!!!

Lets not forget though that the reason why many of us are here is precisely because Thailand is NOT like the west. Yes, to us the way Thais do things can seem frustratingly inefficient, they dont speak straight a lot of the time. I however prefer that in some ways to the confrontational manner in which things are done in the west. This is why I say that changes need to be made, but I dont want this place to change too much. There is a point where the opposite is just as destructive( or annoying), arguing for the sake of arguing is something that used to happen around the dinner table at my parents home. It was kind of interesting for a while, but last time I went home I couldnt be bothered. The arguing til your blue in the face and then 'agreeing to disagree' got old pretty quick. I guess Thailand has changed me somewhat. This kind of aggressive discussion just doesnt happen here. Are they losing out because of it? I dont know....

Anyway, things will change here slowly, its inevitable. I would like to have some diluted input into it through my son.

[jackr]

Why do you find education in Thailand so problematic?

Some () teachers should not be teaching.

[timber]

Its interesting to note that the street kids around the temples in Angkor Wat speak better English

than college graduates in Thailand because they have to.

[phetaroi]

As a former teacher and administrator in the States, the student here has some good points and some bad points.

I dislike the name of his "network" -- the Thai Students Educational Revolution Alliance. Revolution? Oh come now. Reform fine, but that's a lot different than a revolution.

I agree that students should be able to challenge teachers -- depending on how far one takes that. And what do we really know about that young man? Perhaps he really is "a problematic youth".

"The lack of welfare for both teachers and students" -- what does that mean?

"power centralised in the hands of teachers and school administrators" -- yup teenagers don't know what they need to learn...only what they want to learn. There's a big difference. Should there be some student input? Of course.

Overcrowded classrooms"...having been in a few Thai classrooms where there were over 40-50 per class, I'd have to agree.

"I am blunt...like when I called for the abolition of Thai traditions." There needs to be a balance here. Some traditions need to be tossed. Others maintained. Some modified. But it's not up to a teen to decide that. It's up to an entire nation.

"For instance, we've been told to stand in respect of the national flag because it's true "Thai-ness" and people are barred from questioning this practice." There's nothing "bad" about that, even though one may nor respect ones own culture.

"Students are taught to become bosses. ... children to become robots." Well, which is it -- boss or robot. Can't be both.

ABout 15 or 20 years ago I had a student here in the States who was sort of revolutionary of sorts in school. I recently got back in touch with him through Facebook, and he said he was embarassed by how smart he thought he was back in middle school.

[swifty5x5]

"Q : What are the other major problems?

The lack of welfare for both teachers and ........power centralised in the hands of teachers...... ? what? Paradox.

Q : Why do most other students not seem to have any problems with the system?

They don't study.

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I'm surprised ..........but that's how I've always been. - Surprised at a constant?? Paradox

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He's not as bright as people make out. He needs to string his words more carefully, or he'll get nowhere!

Sunisa.

Would you be Thai by any chance ???

Exactly...one of the main problems with what passes for learning in Thailand: form is ALWAYS valued over content.

Then there's another problem it should be content over form. Who cares if form is correct if content is rubbish.

[Ianatlarge]

After browsing through three days and three pages of comments on this topic, I cannot find many people who speak in support of the current Thai edu system!

[PhoenixRising]

"Getting Thai student to REALLY THINK HARD is a challenge the size of Mount Everest. They don't like to THINK." Yes, and Mount Everest has been climbed. New skills and ways of thinking are often resisted at first. If you wish to be a good teacher, you have to be willing to put in all on the line, be real and work your ass off. If you are unwilling or unable to do that, you should get out of the classroom and find an easier job that won't perpetuate the poor performance as things currently stand. You have to be creative, you have to have passion and you have to have endurance to be a teacher worth the name "teacher". It can be a revolutionary job.

Thai students don't care about your hard work, endurance, passion or creativity as a teacher. They only care about how easy and fun you are as a teacher. Make them laugh and have nothing but fun and they think you are a good teacher. Make them study or learn something and you are a BAD teacher. Try to get them to think for themselves and you are doomed. Not every country has students who are generally like this.

I taught at schools where the M6 students rarely ever came to any of their classes. WHY?! Because they know the system; they show up right around exam time and 'request' repairs to their grade. So they expect to pass just by asking for 'repairs.' It's a bit hard to teach students who don't even bother to come to class. Don't you think you're being too idealistic in this part of the world that doesn't value a serious education?

[yooper2001]

Thailand waits way too long to teach English to a child. This should be taught in grades 1 thru 5. My grandson is 3 years old and can speak English and Russian ( his mother is from Ukraine ) it is amazing to see young school children I grade 2 and 3 speaking Spanish and English

listen Thailand to this young man and change to give the young a chance to have a bright future