My student's parents - ages

[Somtamnication]

I always wondered why mostly moms pick up the kids (if at all) and rarely see any dads, but do see grandparents at the school.

This week I am doing a lesson on family (P4 and P5). Very basic stuff. Today, I had them write about ten words (I, is, old, years, Mother, Father, he and she, etc.

The final two where How old is my Father? and how old is my Mother? On the first one I wrote My father is____________ years old. On the second I wrote ___________ mother ____ _______ ______ old.

Well, mom got a HE is, from most students. That is after they had to translate it from the 10 words prior.

Anyways, my point is this: I was astounded at the ages of the parents.

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

One mother, was 20. Their son is 10. Father is 30. Now, this boy has something very wrong with his eyes. When he looks at you, his eyes move rapidly left to right. He looks at the notebook when writing, quite closely and I sit him by the white board.

When I saw his mother's age, I joked with him and said, you mean 30? No 20 he said. I looked up and his friends all said chai chai. Jing jing. You do the math. Very disturbing.

Most of the moms got pregnant between 10 and most where 14-17 years old. One twin girl (separate class, same age written in the book) wrote father was 24! These kids, again, are age 10.

[bundoi]

Ah really? You just noticed today and how long have you been working at that school?

[Somtamnication]

2 years? I don't understand your question. I leave before 4 pm, so I never see all the pick ups. Your point is?

[harrry]

Of course you realise that this sort of question can cause real concern with children especially those who do not have a father mother grandmother etc.

[Somtamnication]

Fully aware of that. They could have written anyone, and I told them so. I am very sensitive to that, especially during Mother's or Father's Day.

[aidenai]

I always wondered why mostly moms pick up the kids (if at all) and rarely see any dads, but do see grandparents at the school.

This week I am doing a lesson on family (P4 and P5). Very basic stuff. Today, I had them write about ten words (I, is, old, years, Mother, Father, he and she, etc.

The final two where How old is my Father? and how old is my Mother? On the first one I wrote My father is____________ years old. On the second I wrote ___________ mother ____ _______ ______ old.

Well, mom got a HE is, from most students. That is after they had to translate it from the 10 words prior.

Anyways, my point is this: I was astounded at the ages of the parents.

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

One mother, was 20. Their son is 10. Father is 30. Now, this boy has something very wrong with his eyes. When he looks at you, his eyes move rapidly left to right. He looks at the notebook when writing, quite closely and I sit him by the white board.

When I saw his mother's age, I joked with him and said, you mean 30? No 20 he said. I looked up and his friends all said chai chai. Jing jing. You do the math. Very disturbing.

Most of the moms got pregnant between 10 and most where 14-17 years old. One twin girl (separate class, same age written in the book) wrote father was 24! These kids, again, are age 10.

What's your question again?

Edited January 27, 2014 by aidenai

[harrry]

Fully aware of that. They could have written anyone, and I told them so. I am very sensitive to that, especially during Mother's or Father's Day.

OK some are not and I have had my daughter come home in tears and that was in Australia.

Edited January 27, 2014 by harrry

[Somtamnication]

I always wondered why mostly moms pick up the kids (if at all) and rarely see any dads, but do see grandparents at the school.

This week I am doing a lesson on family (P4 and P5). Very basic stuff. Today, I had them write about ten words (I, is, old, years, Mother, Father, he and she, etc.

The final two where How old is my Father? and how old is my Mother? On the first one I wrote My father is____________ years old. On the second I wrote ___________ mother ____ _______ ______ old.

Well, mom got a HE is, from most students. That is after they had to translate it from the 10 words prior.

Anyways, my point is this: I was astounded at the ages of the parents.

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

One mother, was 20. Their son is 10. Father is 30. Now, this boy has something very wrong with his eyes. When he looks at you, his eyes move rapidly left to right. He looks at the notebook when writing, quite closely and I sit him by the white board.

When I saw his mother's age, I joked with him and said, you mean 30? No 20 he said. I looked up and his friends all said chai chai. Jing jing. You do the math. Very disturbing.

Most of the moms got pregnant between 10 and most where 14-17 years old. One twin girl (separate class, same age written in the book) wrote father was 24! These kids, again, are age 10.

What's your question again?

Never said it was a question. It is an observation, hoping for others to jump in and give their opinions about THEIR students.

[manarak]

you also have to consider that many kids will call "mum" a woman who is not their biological mother.

families reconfigure very often and very oddly in Thailand.

some give their child to a friend, and the friend is then considered the new mom.

some live with their new wife together with the formar wife in the same house

that many Thai women get children at a young age is also widespread, especially in rural areas where they don't give much thought to birth control and where doesn't make sense to wait for a long time before making a child anyway, because there are no other perspectives for the girls because of education.

[sirchai]

I personally do not think that the one guy's mom was pregnant, when she was 10. And that beside biological facts.

I do have loads of students ,where I know that the biological mom had left them and they grow up with a relative, or a friend of their family.

As a matter of fact, after a while they'll call them mom, especially if the real mom isn't coming back.

The reason for in my opinion is the society, as a woman with a child will find it hard to find another Thai guy who raises her child.

Thailand isn't a child's paradise at all, to put it this way. Had an awesome chat with a good looking mom, who'd a little accident when I had my gate duty. She was a doctor,who'd just moved to the northeast from Bangkok.

When I walked them to our first aid room, the first she'd mentioned was that she's single, got her own clinic, etc...what a beauty she was..... .

Wanted me to teach her son immediately. When I replied that I'm married, there's no more interest in tutoring her child-.

P.S. Another sad fact is that most Thais don't really know how old their relatives are. When they say 20, they could mean 20+ and it turns out that they're wrong.

Many of my students are not aware that they're already 12, so they always say that they're 11 years old.

Edited January 28, 2014 by sirchai

[zeichen]

Sirchai is right. I doubt that most kids actually know their parents age until at least high school. M3-6.

I also don't really see the practicality or purpose of this activity. Are you teaching numbers? If you are discussing family relationships there would be a lot more effective activities.

Also you must know that most parents work and grandparents/uncles-aunts help raise kids. If kids are usually late or picked up late it is because the parents do actually take care of everything and still work.

[Scott]

Math is not a skill that I trust among many students.

[sirchai]

Math is not a skill that I trust among many students.

A very good one, indeed. I had made a worksheet for grade six with ordinal ordinal numbers last week and made some questions at the end of the worksheet.

One of them was : How many hours are there in one year? Not many knew how to do simplest math. Some even had a 3, or 6 digit number.

Oh my Buddha, and that's easiest math. Glad that I can still count my wives with one hand.-

Hope not too many of them will become brokers.

Edited January 28, 2014 by sirchai

[Somtamnication]

I was trying to get them to think out of the box. I know, I am thumping my head on the wall.

The lesson was simple. How old is your ........whatever.

The problem is, when I walk in the classroom, they stand up and say the usual robotic "good morning Teacher, how are you today" crap.

When they say it in a group, they "understand" what they say.

Pull them out of the group and ask "how are you today", they have a look of complete idiocy. When I ask them, again, how are you today, they say fine thank you and you. Then I immediately ask "and how is your mother" and they have no clue.

Anyways, in the lesson, I wanted them to hear "how old are you" "how is your ...." in the same context.

In this particular group, with the boy who might have had a "10 year old mom", P4, never had an English teacher, Thai or otherwise.

Yes, simple math concepts. My wife, a uni graduate, asked me the other day what 10% of 120 was!

[zeichen]

"ordinal numbers"

I think that you meant cardinal numbers. ordinal numbers are for putting things in order first, second, third, so it isn't about adding or math skills.

"think out of the box"

am I the only one that hates this expression. Because what people really mean is using critical thinking or deeper cognitive reasoning. Most people when they use the box metaphor they are actually just making a separate box to put that different stream of logic in.

[Somtamnication]

Whatever.

Fact is, you ask them how old their mom is, they do not correlate that with how old are you. The same with how are you. They do not understand how is your mom. Sigh.

By using the phrase think out of the box, Zeichen, I mean that I want them to stop being frecking robots and stop that rote sh1t.

Do you teach?

[harrry]

You may like to consider this article:

http://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/docs/09_02_02.pdf

especially page 39 when setting multi step proplems for your children.

[sirchai]

"ordinal numbers"

I think that you meant cardinal numbers. ordinal numbers are for putting things in order first, second, third, so it isn't about adding or math skills.

"think out of the box"

am I the only one that hates this expression. Because what people really mean is using critical thinking or deeper cognitive reasoning. Most people when they use the box metaphor they are actually just making a separate box to put that different stream of logic in.

Please, no confusion. The lesson was based on ordinal, as well as cardinal numbers.

The questions at the end of the worksheets were just to check their ability in math.

How many seconds are there in one minute? Then how many hours in one day? How many hours in one week/year,etc... Etc.....

My point was that most kids can't do easy math. It's not about what I'd taught them before.-,

Edited January 29, 2014 by sirchai

[iTravelNow]

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

In what region of the country was this?

[iTravelNow]

I personally do not think that the one guy's mom was pregnant, when she was 10. And that beside biological facts.

I do have loads of students ,where I know that the biological mom had left them and they grow up with a relative, or a friend of their family.

As a matter of fact, after a while they'll call them mom, especially if the real mom isn't coming back.

The reason for in my opinion is the society, as a woman with a child will find it hard to find another Thai guy who raises her child.

Thailand isn't a child's paradise at all, to put it this way. Had an awesome chat with a good looking mom, who'd a little accident when I had my gate duty. She was a doctor,who'd just moved to the northeast from Bangkok.

When I walked them to our first aid room, the first she'd mentioned was that she's single, got her own clinic, etc...what a beauty she was..... .

Wanted me to teach her son immediately. When I replied that I'm married, there's no more interest in tutoring her child-.

P.S. Another sad fact is that most Thais don't really know how old their relatives are. When they say 20, they could mean 20+ and it turns out that they're wrong.

Many of my students are not aware that they're already 12, so they always say that they're 11 years old.

I have a private student in the capital. He calls his nanny, whom they have since he was a baby, "his sister". Nothing wrong with that. But he immediately added that she is helping the family since he was very small. So, he said; "she is my baby sitter" (at age 20+) - lol

I had to tell him that he is out of age of being called a baby.

When I was in the Arab world, parents love to call their children baby. That is a ridiculous disrespect of their own children. I always intervene and ask the parents to not call a 10+ year old a "baby".

Besides not being aware of age is also that they usually don't know when parents where born. Actually they know little of their parents. Maybe just a lack of interest in communication.

[iTravelNow]

"think out of the box"

am I the only one that hates this expression. Because what people really mean is using critical thinking or deeper cognitive reasoning. Most people when they use the box metaphor they are actually just making a separate box to put that different stream of logic in.

Thinking out of the box, I think, is mostly referred to the standard Education or thinking in society. I am teaching mostly private. I can see the very broad gaps and loads of missing general knowledge. I agree with @Somtamnication, that in the groups they seems to perform well but individually are very weak. When I work with my students I avoid in going too fast and request fast answers - at least in the beginning. I give time for them to think of their own answer. That is "out of the box thinking" for them.

But @zeichen mad his point. I am questioning if there is truly "a pure" out of the box approach. At one end you always end up in one of the boxes.

[Somtamnication]

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

In what region of the country was this?

Phuket.

With regards to students not knowing the age of their parents. I have to disagree. They are not idiots, they just simply are not taught to question and analyze. If they do not know their ages, I always tell them "about" "dee gwa" in Thai.

As their Thai English "teachers" are teaching it only in Thai, these kids will be forever lost in English. I can only do so much with a 1 hour per week or 3 hour per week session.

For Asean 2015, the p6 class (12-13 year olds) are painting flowers of Asean. 'nuff said.

[iTravelNow]

You may like to consider this article:

http://www.princeton.edu/futureofchildren/publications/docs/09_02_02.pdf

especially page 39 when setting multi step proplems for your children.

Nice link - Thanks!

[iTravelNow]

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

In what region of the country was this?

Phuket.

With regards to students not knowing the age of their parents. I have to disagree. They are not idiots, they just simply are not taught to question and analyze. If they do not know their ages, I always tell them "about" "dee gwa" in Thai.

As their Thai English "teachers" are teaching it only in Thai, these kids will be forever lost in English. I can only do so much with a 1 hour per week or 3 hour per week session.

For Asean 2015, the p6 class (12-13 year olds) are painting flowers of Asean. 'nuff said.

I have being teaching in the Arab world and relocated back to the capital after three decades of absenteeism. The one thing that did not improve here is their ability to communicate in English. But their academic level in the language seems to have improved.

Also, what has not changed is their lack of "general knowledge". What we in the west seems to take for granted to know looks being mainly missing. Make a test with your students: show them the map of the world with no names of countries or seas. Now ask them to tell you what they know and could tell you. Don't ask the group ask the individual and the others must keep quite. Do the same with the US map. My finding is that simple locations, that is considered to be general knowledge, can't be identified such as: the shape of Florida, Italy, England, African continent, India. That is not by Children 12-15 - no, by University students. I haven't yet don this test with adults - working on it.

After teaching a Student now for 6 months, 2x per week 2hrs each time - I have reached the point that he thinks and answers lightly and without fear. He wrote me recently an eMail telling me how he feels. We have gone beyond of "teaching" English. We talk of the world, politic, education, jobs and business, sport - you name it. We have become friends and that is how we speak - open and without fear still with respect for each others knowledge and hiccups.

I love my job that never gets boring

[Scott]

Unless you have access to the school records, there is no way of ascertaining the ages of the parents. Where I work, the parent that most often drops off the children is the father. The afternoon pickup seems to be slightly higher with mothers, although quite a few students are actually transported by grandparents. I know a few of the parents and the father drops the children off at school on his way to work.

There are a lot of variables to consider, including who in the family works, who is available to pick up the student, do they have a car, or two cars, how far too the school.

[iTravelNow]

Unless you have access to the school records, there is no way of ascertaining the ages of the parents. Where I work, the parent that most often drops off the children is the father. The afternoon pickup seems to be slightly higher with mothers, although quite a few students are actually transported by grandparents. I know a few of the parents and the father drops the children off at school on his way to work.

There are a lot of variables to consider, including who in the family works, who is available to pick up the student, do they have a car, or two cars, how far too the school.

BTW, you have a great quote that fits this discussion: "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. -- by Eleanor Roosevelt"

[Scott]

This forum is restricted to English only with the exception of the Thai language forum. Please discontinue the use of romanized Thai or discussion of the Thai language.

[claffey]

I'm teaching History in the UK. Most of my students struggle to point to Germany on the map of Europe. Some of them can't even point to Ireland! Don't be so arrogant to think that our education systems at home are perfect. While the Thai education system has its flaws it prepares Thai students for Thai society. And it does that quite well...Every education system indoctrinates its peoples. In the west its done by neglecting certain topics or views. The UK curriculum for History has an obvious anti German slant while it doesn't address the troubles in Ireland in any detail... Your viewing the Thai education system through a westernised prism. Ask Thai students to find some Asian countries neighbouring Thailand and they may be more successful...or not....

The fathers were mostly late 20s, early 30s. Some are 50s.

The mothers were *****mid 20s****, a few 30s and two 40s.

In what region of the country was this?

Phuket.

With regards to students not knowing the age of their parents. I have to disagree. They are not idiots, they just simply are not taught to question and analyze. If they do not know their ages, I always tell them "about" "dee gwa" in Thai.

As their Thai English "teachers" are teaching it only in Thai, these kids will be forever lost in English. I can only do so much with a 1 hour per week or 3 hour per week session.

For Asean 2015, the p6 class (12-13 year olds) are painting flowers of Asean. 'nuff said.

I have being teaching in the Arab world and relocated back to the capital after three decades of absenteeism. The one thing that did not improve here is their ability to communicate in English. But their academic level in the language seems to have improved.

Also, what has not changed is their lack of "general knowledge". What we in the west seems to take for granted to know looks being mainly missing. Make a test with your students: show them the map of the world with no names of countries or seas. Now ask them to tell you what they know and could tell you. Don't ask the group ask the individual and the others must keep quite. Do the same with the US map. My finding is that simple locations, that is considered to be general knowledge, can't be identified such as: the shape of Florida, Italy, England, African continent, India. That is not by Children 12-15 - no, by University students. I haven't yet don this test with adults - working on it.

After teaching a Student now for 6 months, 2x per week 2hrs each time - I have reached the point that he thinks and answers lightly and without fear. He wrote me recently an eMail telling me how he feels. We have gone beyond of "teaching" English. We talk of the world, politic, education, jobs and business, sport - you name it. We have become friends and that is how we speak - open and without fear still with respect for each others knowledge and hiccups.

I love my job that never gets boring

[Somtamnication]

Nope. I wrote earlier about a p6 student taking me by the arm to a map on the wall and asking me where England was.

It was a map of Thailand with its neighboring countries! You are comparing apples to oranges. Forget geography, UK students are far better at analytical and independent thinking than their Thai counterparts. Irrespective of the core curriculum.

[bina]

some things you should know:

if they are from villages, then they probably havent a clue as to age since many if not most families of the older generation dont celelbrate birthdays. there are two days a year, mother's day (Queens day) and father's day (King's day) and thats that.

also, specific ages are not important as older, younger, same age groups.

thirdly, when translating from thai, everyone is either a maternal older uncle or aunt, or a paternal older uncle or aunt, or same, but younger...

our immigration office has a real problem when my husband cant say who my family is, only mother/father, big sister little brother etc... including my close friends as elder sisters.

also there is a distinct lack of knowlege of past: dead relatives, names, when they died, and why.

in israel family /family trees are super important, and my daughter and i tried with out success to draw up a family tree of my husband's very large extended thai korat village family. he only discovered a few years ago that he had a twin brother that died in childbirth, an older sister that died in infancy and a brother taht also died from fever at a very young age. only because we bugged his mother to tell us about who all family members are/were.

as for ages of mothers, yes many give birth quite young as in some areas girls were married by age 15.

and a large percentage are being raised by grandparents/'aunts since many of the men are overseas foriegn workers, and /or the mothers working in large cities. so extended families raise the children.