Assumption College Or Alternatives

[will2003]

Next year my wife will be moving to Australia and we are currently investigating schooling options for her two sons, both Thai nationals. They are presently being schooled in Bangkok.

From commencement of term May 2007 we will require a school that offers full board facilities. The older son will commence Mathayom 1 in 2007 and the younger son will commence Prathom 5 in 2007.

We have heard about Assumption College which is by chance located close to my wife’s family in Laem Chabung.

Perhaps forum members may offer some opinion of Assumption College or opinions of other schools offering full board facilities in the Chonburi region as it would obviously be advantageous if the school was located close to family so that family contact is easily maintained.

Cheers

[sriracha john]

My missus taught there for 3 years and has detailed to me a littany of problems with that school. It is a testament to her dedication and perserverance that she was able to continue to work their and suffer through their conditions for that length of time. Among their many shortcomings, the school's overly liberal use of corporal punishment would be enough for me to never send my own children there.

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN THERE.

You may wish to consider Garden International School in nearby Rayong Province, which has boarding facilities. It has a British-based curriculum and quite reasonable fees for an international school.

Edited July 30, 2006 by sriracha john

[will2003]

Mmmm thanks for that John.....from your post it certainly doesnt sound promising. How long ago did your wife teach there? Any idea of the fees for Garden International? Would it be suitable for Thai kids 12 and 9 yrs old with little English abilities. I downloaded a list of schools and didn't see that one listed .....do you know if they have a web site? There is also an Assumtion in Rayong.

[PeaceBlondie]

This is mostly a forum for teachers, and we have a separate forum for family matters. Moved to Family, where you should get better answers.

[sriracha john]

Mmmm thanks for that John.....from your post it certainly doesnt sound promising. How long ago did your wife teach there? Any idea of the fees for Garden International? Would it be suitable for Thai kids 12 and 9 yrs old with little English abilities. I downloaded a list of schools and didn't see that one listed .....do you know if they have a web site? There is also an Assumtion in Rayong.

Their website addy is http://www.repsrayong.com/

Also, they are a member of ISAT (International Schools Association of Thailand) and their website provides a quick synopsis (including fees) at:

http://www.isat.or.th/member_schools_detai...id=mm8835431643

On the ISAT homepage is a search function that can help you to find other reputable schools to look at.

The school has special ESL classes that your sons could attend to get them up to speed if they need it.

The Assumption school in Rayong is very similar to the one here in Sriracha and from what I understand classroom over-crowding and what I would consider excessive punishment of students occurs.

[Jasmine]

I would have to agree with Sriracha John on this. I taught at an Assumption School (primary) and found the use of corporal punishment excessive (hit with sticks for really minor offences like forgetting to bring a book to class).

Also I don't know how it is today but when I worked there, there were 70 kids in each class.

[Ijustwannateach]

From knowing conditions at several of the Assumption, um, branches, I'd concur with other posters in saying avoid, avoid, avoid. Avoid, avoid, avoid. That's not to say there will be many much better options in Chonburi. This is one of the reasons rich Thais in the provinces send their kids to Bangkok to stay with relatives and go to school.

"Steven"

[jingjingna]

SrirachaJohn,

I am interested to know more about the poor conditions your wife had to put up with at Assumption.

How recent was her experience?

I have been at Assumption Sriracha for over two years and have not witnessed anything untoward. Over the last year or so if anything, Assumption have made improvements to their working/conditions and contracts.

The standard education programme classes do have upto 50 children in a class, still too may in my opinion but then parents do have the option to pay for their child to enter the English Programme where student numbers are limited to 25-30 per class.

As for corporal punishment, it is not encouraged by any means and my contract specifically states that the use of any such form of punishment is strictly forbidden for Foreign staff. I cannot speak for the Thai teachers.

Bear in mind that the majority of children at Assumption come from middle class backgrounds. The parents are mostly well off. I doubt very much that any parent would put up with their child being on the receiving end of harsh punishment. A complaint to the Director would soon see to the teacher in question being terminated as Thai teachers are ten a penny here.

The best advice to the OP would be to go and inspect the school for himself, speak to the teachers who have been their a while to get a better idea.

All the best!

[sriracha john]

I would say the worlds of the farang staff and the Thai staff are quite different at Assumption.

Unfortunately for the students, most spend the majority of their time with the Thai staff.

[jingjingna]

Indeed so Sriracha john...not just as Assumption.

[sriracha john]

Indeed so Sriracha john...not just as Assumption.

With the notable exception being what I recommended, eg. Garden International or similar. There the students are exposed to farang staff almost exclusively with NO corporal punishment and classrooms with 10 - 15 students with a much higher level of learning achieved.

Certainly they are more expensive, but then, where a child's education is concerned with its

life-long ramifications, the expense is easily justified. If it's at all financially possible, it is really the only viable choice to make.

[will2003]

I appreciate everyones comments and there is much to think about. No doubt we have the boys quality of life away from their mother to seriously consider.

Will

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Indeed so Sriracha john...not just as Assumption.

With the notable exception being what I recommended, eg. Garden International or similar. There the students are exposed to farang staff almost exclusively with NO corporal punishment and classrooms with 10 - 15 students with a much higher level of learning achieved.

Certainly they are more expensive, but then, where a child's education is concerned with its

life-long ramifications, the expense is easily justified. If it's at all financially possible, it is really the only viable choice to make.

Seconded

[jaffacake32]

I also worked at Assumption College in SriRacha for 3 years, leaving just over a year ago. Corporal punishment is still very common there, even for minor offences. The classes can be very large however most of the children that I knew personally and professionally enjoyed attending Assumption. The school has a feeling of being one big family and the children are proud to wear their Assumption uniforms. In my opinion, however, a better educaiton would be found at an International School where there are smaller class sizes and less emphasis on sport (Assumption in famous for this).

There is an International School in Laem Chabang, I think it the Easten Seaboard School but this follows the American curriculum. More commonly I know people from SriRacha send their children to International Schools in Pattaya.

[sriracha john]

I also worked at Assumption College in SriRacha for 3 years, leaving just over a year ago. Corporal punishment is still very common there, even for minor offences. The classes can be very large however most of the children that I knew personally and professionally enjoyed attending Assumption. The school has a feeling of being one big family and the children are proud to wear their Assumption uniforms. In my opinion, however, a better educaiton would be found at an International School where there are smaller class sizes and less emphasis on sport (Assumption in famous for this).

There is an International School in Laem Chabang, I think it the Easten Seaboard School but this follows the American curriculum. More commonly I know people from SriRacha send their children to International Schools in Pattaya.

Just to clarify, the International School Eastern Seaboard (ISE) is a terrific school (and btw, technically located in Bang Lamung) and I certainly would have encouraged it to be utilized, but unfortunately it does not currently offer the boarding the original poster was seeking, hence my recommendation for Garden International in nearby Rayong.

[Neeranam]

I would think very carefully about sending your Thai sons to an international school. It's a lot of money. More importantly, I've known a lot of Thai kids at international schools, and I don't like the result that I see. They are spoilt and lazy, thinking that their rich Daddies will support them for ever, which they often do. The talk that goes on in the class is terrible - kid of like my Daddy is richer than yours. If you have plenty of money, fine, but if not, it's a big gamble.

Do you want them to forget their Thai roots and think they are better than Thais? - this is what I've seen happen on many occasions.

I'm not going to send my kids to International schools. Thai schools are good enough for my half-caste kids.

If it's so important that they learn in English, use the saved money for extra tuition.

I recommend Assumption College - and there is Corporal Punishment still goes on, and great I say, especially for Thai boys that age.

[thaiintokyo]

I was attended the ACS some 20 years ago.

“Corporal punishment” yah.. still can remember the test…

Without it, it is not Assumption. and without it, I am sure I would be a difference person today.

it is a boy school, back to my time 20 years ago, it was a really hardheaded boy school. the job for the teacher in this school is not just teaching whatever on the book.

This school packed with kid from all over the country, kid from middle class family, kid from rich family, some (but not uncommon) kid from mafia family, and farang kid (I have seen3 during I was there, one of them was a supper hardheaded farang kid I have ever seen.)

all of us lived under the same rule. Whoever dear to break the rule (most of us did). The big stick always their, it is ready to hit the bad boy ass really hard no matter how big your family name is. some of the punishment was actuary … mann..*#^_*+”/@#…(he was a good teacher, but I hope he has already retired or dead by now.)

to me (and all of my friend from the ACS), this school gave me the best life-experience ever.( in spite of the corporal punishment) It was just like a camping with 20-30 of your closest friends for 6 years. as a kit, it was just fun fun and fun all the time. That was the best part to me.

however I have seen quite a number of kid couldn’t adapt to the life over there, and most of this kid leave the school in lest than 3 months. (it is really depended on an individual.) The unbearable corporal punishment often been one of the easiest execute for this kid to use as a reason to leave the school. (I had never complained about the punishment to my parent. Because I think it is not really that hard. even if I did complain, I could guess my dad answer.)

[jingjingna]

Good points raised Neeranam!

[tuky]

I only wish they could do something about the intersection at the main entry to ACS, it is like running the gauntlet.

[sriracha john]

I learned even more from the missus today about Assumption. Interestingly, her father even attended there, which is going back 40 years, when all subjects were taught in English by farang priests.

Examples of corporal punishment: failed to turn in homework resulting in a severe caning on the buttocks, spilled juice on the cafeteria floor resulting in a slap to the head, talking in class resulted in a teacher placing a student in a cardboard box outside the classroom which was then closed up by the teacher and the student remained in this box for an hour. Other examples are a teacher who always held a yardstick (meterstick?) even when walking around the grounds and she hit students with it during every class of every day. Another extremely abusive teacher was finally fired upon the insistence of a student's parents after he broke their son's arm during a punishment session. The crime: an improperly worn school uniform.

While measures have been taken to curb the more outlandish levels of punishment, much of it persists... it's just less visible and occurs behind closed doors with threats of even more severe punishment if the student tells anyone. The open form of punishment has gone from physical abuse to verbal abuse with teachers calling students stupid or idiot with frequent use of other ridiculing and belittling comments.

As girluk78 pointed, Assumption's reputation is one that focuses entirely on the non-academics... primarily the sports teams and marching band. It is also well-known as a "reform school" or a place for sending juvenile delinquents.

I wouldn't send my children there.... ever... not in a million years. I love them too much.

[sriracha john]

Just finished a wonderful Mother's Day party with the family... and had a chance to speak further to the missus's father about his experiences at Assumption.

As a side note, he shared with me...

That two of Assumption Sriracha's more illustrious alumnae are:

Chuwit Kamolvisit

AND

Sondhi Limthongkul

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Now there's a worry

[jdinasia]

I kept my poster of Chuwirt with the sledgehammer and crazy-eyes ... i love it!

[Neeranam]

I kept my poster of Chuwirt with the sledgehammer and crazy-eyes ... i love it!

Cool poster - never seen it before.

[Sakeopete]

This is an old thread is there any up to date reviews of Assumption Sri Racha?