University wastes time

[Leung Falang]

Evening, weekends are spent preparing for graduation ceremonies. Today is "teacher day" so all day spent bowing. Events seem to be more important than learning from kindergarden through university.

Tired students.....so wasteful

[claffey]

Life is fun here in Thailand.Enjoy it and don't even attempt to understand it!!

[TacoGuy]

Do you mean as opposed to constantly drinking your face off and then spending a day or two hungover in recovery as we do in Farangland?

[tubby johnson]

I teach at the university in your photo, and they forgot to inform the foreign teachers that classes were cancelled. I waited for an hour before leaving. Not that I really mind, getting paid to do nothing, but these endless speeches and military-style parades (and their silly uniforms) are turning our students into obedient and brainwashed drones stripped of their individuality.

[richard10365]

I doubt that immigration would stop you guys if you wanted to leave the country. If you guys are not happy, it doesn't make sense to stay.

[tubby johnson]

I doubt that immigration would stop you guys if you wanted to leave the country. If you guys are not happy, it doesn't make sense to stay.

So your first instinct is to cut and run when confronted by a challenge. Some teachers might disapprove.

[vtjforyou]

This is why they end so smart...

[Leung Falang]

I doubt that immigration would stop you guys if you wanted to leave the country. If you guys are not happy, it doesn't make sense to stay.

So your first instinct is to cut and run when confronted by a challenge. Some teachers might disapprove.

There is a lot of reporting in the media about education, and many of us on this forum spend time with students, or have students in school or universities, and would certainly love to see improvement in methods in order to see improvement in the outcomes. I have a hard time understanding why our interest in education and disappointment of same would be a catalyst for anyone to suggest we are unhappy with Thailand and should consider leaving. I though Kasetsart was a really good university in Bangkok, and assumed its daughter upcountry would be similar. I don't know if I am wrong on one count or two. We spent 3 months in the USA friending four KU Bangkok students, helping them out in a remote resort while they were on a state department work/travel program, and ended with a week long tour of our state.

[richard10365]

There is constructive criticism and there is a whiny banter that gets quite old as it is repeated over and over again in these forums. There is no surprise as to the environment you CHOOSE to work in before you start working. Don't apply for a job then complain about it after you get it and act like things are not what you thought they would be. Then come on to a public forum and complain about how you suffer the indignity of the cultural exposure that you're not use to.

There is nothing I hate more than to see a teacher stand up in front of students and complain about the system they have been entrusted to perpetuate. Even worse when they come from another country than the one they are teaching in and complain in front of students. Can you imagine how this would play out in a western country if an Asian teacher were to complain publicly about the system in front of students?

Do not think for an instance there are no students or their parents in this forum. There were 16,000+ international students studying in universities across Thailand in 2012. Along side those international students were 155,000+ Thai students also studying in these same programs. On top of these numbers are a multitude of students, international and Thai, studying in K-12 international schools. Do you think they don't read this forum? There are more than 180,000 members of this forum and in the last 60 minutes there were 6,000+ members on line. Of course they read this forum and see how you complain about being their teacher.

As a student in an international program I'm asking you to stop complaining publicly if it upsets you. You're not helping. If you want to share ideas about how to improve something please be professional and tactful about it and not sound like a backpacker teacher on a summer internship.

[tubby johnson]

There is constructive criticism and there is a whiny banter that gets quite old as it is repeated over and over again in these forums. There is no surprise as to the environment you CHOOSE to work in before you start working. Don't apply for a job then complain about it after you get it and act like things are not what you thought they would be. Then come on to a public forum and complain about how you suffer the indignity of the cultural exposure that you're not use to.

There is nothing I hate more than to see a teacher stand up in front of students and complain about the system they have been entrusted to perpetuate. Even worse when they come from another country than the one they are teaching in and complain in front of students. Can you imagine how this would play out in a western country if an Asian teacher were to complain publicly about the system in front of students?

Do not think for an instance there are no students or their parents in this forum. There were 16,000+ international students studying in universities across Thailand in 2012. Along side those international students were 155,000+ Thai students also studying in these same programs. On top of these numbers are a multitude of students, international and Thai, studying in K-12 international schools. Do you think they don't read this forum? There are more than 180,000 members of this forum and in the last 60 minutes there were 6,000+ members on line. Of course they read this forum and see how you complain about being their teacher.

As a student in an international program I'm asking you to stop complaining publicly if it upsets you. You're not helping. If you want to share ideas about how to improve something please be professional and tactful about it and not sound like a backpacker teacher on a summer internship.

Now that was a verbose whinge!

Grade: B-

Must try harder. Less repetition, more concision and clarity, less negativity, stronger arguments based on reality.

[Aussieroaming]

The only time wasted is the time spent doing nothing

[Aree Wongwanlee]

Let's look at another possibility.

How would life be like if going to school means homework, homework and more homework from grim teachers backed up by grimmer-looking headmasters supported by the grimmest-looking parents? How would life be like if going to school mean study, study and more study?

Yes, at times, it seems that school in Thailand is just one long series of holidays connecting one event to event which seems to have nothing to do with studying. But, hey, the kids are having the time of their lives. When they get out there into the real world, they will look back to their schooldays with fond memories. Which is the way it should be, no?

[Baa_Mango]

Try to skip time wasting ceremonies and create your own fun and useful activities and adventures. I noticed I could get 4/4 GPA quite easily, but really learned things when I tried to elevate my self and friends to new and challenging things, whether in the school, around the school, or just in Bangkok or Thailand in general. Many many opportunities exist but probably are not waiting for you at the ol' wai kru ceremony or grad rehearsal #4 ( Skipped all my grad stuff totally. (Rent a gown and have a photo shoot with your real friends, much more rewarding)

[cooked]

There is constructive criticism and there is a whiny banter that gets quite old as it is repeated over and over again in these forums. There is no surprise as to the environment you CHOOSE to work in before you start working. Don't apply for a job then complain about it after you get it and act like things are not what you thought they would be. Then come on to a public forum and complain about how you suffer the indignity of the cultural exposure that you're not use to.

There is nothing I hate more than to see a teacher stand up in front of students and complain about the system they have been entrusted to perpetuate. Even worse when they come from another country than the one they are teaching in and complain in front of students. Can you imagine how this would play out in a western country if an Asian teacher were to complain publicly about the system in front of students?

Do not think for an instance there are no students or their parents in this forum. There were 16,000+ international students studying in universities across Thailand in 2012. Along side those international students were 155,000+ Thai students also studying in these same programs. On top of these numbers are a multitude of students, international and Thai, studying in K-12 international schools. Do you think they don't read this forum? There are more than 180,000 members of this forum and in the last 60 minutes there were 6,000+ members on line. Of course they read this forum and see how you complain about being their teacher.

As a student in an international program I'm asking you to stop complaining publicly if it upsets you. You're not helping. If you want to share ideas about how to improve something please be professional and tactful about it and not sound like a backpacker teacher on a summer internship.

Now that was a verbose whinge!

Grade: B-

Must try harder. Less repetition, more concision and clarity, less negativity, stronger arguments based on reality.

Yes it will soon be against the law to criticise anything in Thailand if recent remarks by the prime minister are anything to go by.

[kurnell]

I doubt that immigration would stop you guys if you wanted to leave the country. If you guys are not happy, it doesn't make sense to stay.

How many nanoseconds this that chestnut take you to think up?

[SheungWan]

The graduation ceremonies which some want to criticise are an essential part of the education system. In many cases, the parents of the graduating students have spent a fortune paying for their child's education and the day itself is one of pride for the whole family. The form the ceremony takes varies a little from country to country but they are all quite similar. Staff who have taught graduating students should also participate if invited. The students like that.

[konying]

Do you mean as opposed to constantly drinking your face off and then spending a day or two hungover in recovery as we do in Farangland?

And yet In farangland uni graduate can count 11+7 without a calculator , funny that huh ?!

Edited November 2, 2014 by konying

[Mr Somtam]

Let's look at another possibility.

How would life be like if going to school means homework, homework and more homework from grim teachers backed up by grimmer-looking headmasters supported by the grimmest-looking parents? How would life be like if going to school mean study, study and more study?

Yes, at times, it seems that school in Thailand is just one long series of holidays connecting one event to event which seems to have nothing to do with studying. But, hey, the kids are having the time of their lives. When they get out there into the real world, they will look back to their schooldays with fond memories. Which is the way it should be, no?

Little black/white nah? How about 95% study (if the subjects make sense this can also be fun or rewarding to do) and 5% events. My school (im Dutch) had one sports day and a couple of excursions per year. More than enough for me. Most days we finished at about 2-3 pm, an hour of homework and saturday and sunday off. My thai nephew goes to school from early in the morning till about 5 pm or so and a lot of saturdays too! Looking at most of his books and homework I wonder what they do there..... Tit.

[Rhys]

Sometimes, just being around the scent of education is enough for certain types of students...all nationalities.