The Real Measure of a Good Teacher.

[thequietman]

On Friday, one of the teachers in our department was told in no uncertain terms that he was a great teacher, nay an excellent teacher, nay the dogs Boll@@ks. Why you may ask, was he afforded this huge compliment and declaration of his teaching abilities.

Are his lesson plans amazing, is his teaching style second to none, do the students love and appreciate him, does he have a BA in Education with PGCE and a full teachers licence ?

No................... but he did wear the stupid shirt they got made for him, that looks like a table cloth and has shoulder pads to boot. It is now official. Myself and another teacher who have been with the school 10 years combined are crap because we won't wear this monstrosity ! He has been there 7 months !

He even told us about this himself as he felt it was ridiculous. He is a lazy sod too but is quite special.

So, what is the measure of a top teacher in your school ????

Keep on trucking.

[Scott]

Pretty much the same criteria is used where I work. It varies from time to time, though.

[lostinisaan]

It's certainly true that wearing those fantastic "teacher's clothes" seems to be a very efficient way if you want to be one of the best teachers on this planet.

One at my school has an outstanding command in how to use a broom most effectively, calling all of them, even the janitor "Ajarn" does seem to help him being THE best teacher in lower northeast.

No need for him to "create" any lesson plans, even gate duty seems to be not mandatory for him. He's special, as he helps many other people to survive, by sending most of his salary to another country every month.

Unfortunately, speaking with a "brown tongue" seems to boost peoples' teaching capability in an enormous way. BTW, "Wai" everybody with the highest possible gesture and you're already a great teacher.

Whenever a Thai teacher comes into our office, the broom seems to fly into his hands and wussh...he starts flying, aeehh cleaning. Then he always bows down, that you might think he'll fall over, to show the needed respect, a Thai teacher deserves.

Hope I could help you, Op and you'll use my advise to be a better teacher from now on. Keep them brooms busy and watch your tongue.

[Suradit69]

Myself and another teacher ...

Maybe he also understands the proper use of reflexive pronouns.

Sounds like the worst aspect of the soap opera is your perceived loss of face in the all-important popularity contest.

Edited November 22, 2014 by Suradit69

[Johnnie99]

OP your problem lies in the fact that as pig-headed as you are, you think yourself above the rules of the school.

If the school says you should wear that which they provide - presumably free of charge - and yet you don't, yes, you do lose out in the popularity contest in which you seem to think you are.

Griping because someone else obeys the rules is childish and really does show that you are less of a person that the teacher who obeyed the rules.

[paulfr]

I doubt it has anything to do with the shirt.

Follow the money.

Teachers with long experience have racked up years of raises that make

them expensive. Admins like to push them out and hire

young new teachers to save the extra 200,000 baht per year

that you are making.

I may be cynical, but that is my guess.

[thequietman]

Myself and another teacher ...

Maybe he also understands the proper use of reflexive pronouns.

Sounds like the worst aspect of the soap opera is your perceived loss of face in the all-important popularity contest.

Apologies grammar police.................... Another foreign teacher and I..........do i pass? do i win anything?

Face...... I don't need no stinking face. It's not a popularity contest, it's just the absurdity of it all.

[thequietman]

I doubt it has anything to do with the shirt.

Follow the money.

Teachers with long experience have racked up years of raises that make

them expensive. Admins like to push them out and hire

young new teachers to save the extra 200,000 baht per year

that you are making.

I may be cynical, but that is my guess.

Nope, no raises in this large creche for teenagers unfortunately. It's not in the budget you see ! However, jollies to Pataya are. Go figure.

[thequietman]

OP your problem lies in the fact that as pig-headed as you are, you think yourself above the rules of the school.

If the school says you should wear that which they provide - presumably free of charge - and yet you don't, yes, you do lose out in the popularity contest in which you seem to think you are.

Griping because someone else obeys the rules is childish and really does show that you are less of a person that the teacher who obeyed the rules.

Nope, shirt was optional. I would have, however, preferred them to have used that money to buy markers, ink and paper. Something seemingly there is no budget for.

[lostinisaan]

OP your problem lies in the fact that as pig-headed as you are, you think yourself above the rules of the school.

If the school says you should wear that which they provide - presumably free of charge - and yet you don't, yes, you do lose out in the popularity contest in which you seem to think you are.

Griping because someone else obeys the rules is childish and really does show that you are less of a person that the teacher who obeyed the rules.

I believe that people should treat each other with respect on such a forum. Unfortunately, also in "real life."My dog eats bones, I don't."

Calling somebody "pig- headed" seems to be way over the top of a "healthy criticism".

Edited November 22, 2014 by lostinisaan

[lostinisaan]

Myself and another teacher ...

Maybe he also understands the proper use of reflexive pronouns.

Sounds like the worst aspect of the soap opera is your perceived loss of face in the all-important popularity contest.

Apologies grammar police.................... Another foreign teacher and I..........do i pass? do i win anything?

Face...... I don't need no stinking face. It's not a popularity contest, it's just the absurdity of it all.

Caught you right in the act. No double negatives, even when from America. But you're absolutely right about your post/thread.

If "teachers" have to wear the right shirt, hold a broom properly and Wai Thai teachers in a way that it's already funny, plus calling everybody "Ajarn", then there must be something wrong, when those brown tongued "teachers" become to "Supreme Commanding Educators."

Yep, absurdity is the right word.

[thequietman]

Myself and another teacher ...

Maybe he also understands the proper use of reflexive pronouns.

Sounds like the worst aspect of the soap opera is your perceived loss of face in the all-important popularity contest.

Apologies grammar police.................... Another foreign teacher and I..........do i pass? do i win anything?

Face...... I don't need no stinking face. It's not a popularity contest, it's just the absurdity of it all.

Caught you right in the act. No double negatives, even when from America. But you're absolutely right about your post/thread.

If "teachers" have to wear the right shirt, hold a broom properly and Wai Thai teachers in a way that it's already funny, plus calling everybody "Ajarn", then there must be something wrong, when those brown tongued "teachers" become to "Supreme Commanding Educators."

Yep, absurdity is the right word.

Sorry, it's a quote. My bad, I should have put in in inverted commas. That's what I get for slagging you before. Busted

[lostinisaan]

OP your problem lies in the fact that as pig-headed as you are, you think yourself above the rules of the school.

If the school says you should wear that which they provide - presumably free of charge - and yet you don't, yes, you do lose out in the popularity contest in which you seem to think you are.

Griping because someone else obeys the rules is childish and really does show that you are less of a person that the teacher who obeyed the rules.

Nope, shirt was optional. I would have, however, preferred them to have used that money to buy markers, ink and paper. Something seemingly there is no budget for.

It really happened! I had the allowance to buy school supplies for 4 K and feel like a King now. No more kids calling me "Kee Nok", got enough copy paper and markers until the end. ( hopefully not my own end)

Same problem at my former school. Markers were worth gold, as we seldom had any. Foreign teachers fought multiple wars and some of them were even so tricky and gave others sleeping pills to have access to their desk to rob them.

Was only good luck that nobody got killed, these days.

[razer]

Lazy teachers, lax in discipline, who pass every student no matter what are the preferred teachers in Thailand. Thai students complain a lot about teachers who require students to pay attention in class rather than allow them to play on facebook, and who will fail a student who doesn't speak English well enough to pass a test or too lazy to come to class.

[wvavin]

If Thai teachers are that good, Thailand would not be last on the ASEAN list!

[SOTIRIOS]

...........for whatever reason......once you have fallen out of favor.....it's only downhill from there.....

[lostinisaan]

...........for whatever reason......once you have fallen out of favor.....it's only downhill from there.....

Or a blonde 20 year old good looking blue, or green eyed female teacher from Tasmania shows up looking for a teaching position.

[EASYDOGG]

What strikes me about the OP is that he is more concerned with how his colleagues are viewed in the eyes of the school than his own performance. It is not a competition. You are paid to teach to the best of your ability and follow commands. If you spent less time venting on a public forum and more time on preparation (INCLUDING learning grammar) you might be a better teacher and win the next popularity contest.

I also second the comments on you defying the dress code. That says a lot about you.

Edited November 22, 2014 by EASYDOGG

[toooa]

Figure out which egos need to be massaged, and humor them.... simple

[toooa]

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OP your problem lies in the fact that as pig-headed as you are, you think yourself above the rules of the school.

If the school says you should wear that which they provide - presumably free of charge - and yet you don't, yes, you do lose out in the popularity contest in which you seem to think you are.

Griping because someone else obeys the rules is childish and really does show that you are less of a person that the teacher who obeyed the rules.

So the message here is obey. Don't think too much do what you're told. Forgive me but how exactly does blind obedience make one a better person? Maybe you could school us on the finer points of good moral character?

[quandow]

Lazy teachers, lax in discipline, who pass every student no matter what are the preferred teachers in Thailand. Thai students complain a lot about teachers who require students to pay attention in class rather than allow them to play on facebook, and who will fail a student who doesn't speak English well enough to pass a test or too lazy to come to class.

Teachers failing students? What Thailand do YOU live in? I've been teaching here over 4 years and have to give some students extra credit for signing their names "neatly" on their final exams just to grease them up and squeeze them through the goalposts of passing. This is a "no-fail" country. It's even worse where I'm at - the teachers who give near-failing grades are thought of as lousy teachers. No bad students, only bad teachers. ALL my students get A's and B's and I am regarded as a very good teacher. Bwuhahahahaha!!!

[Somtamnication]

My jaideeness is measured not by my qualities as a teacher, but by the amount of kanom I give to the Thai teachers.

[brianp0803]

My school is supporting teachers giving failing grades.

It must be documented what work the student is missing or what tests were failed.

Parents are called on on habitual failing students.

I am sure the grade eventually changes to pass but the parents needs to be notified first about missing work or failed tests.

Dressing appropriately and being a team played is important in any profession. You may be an excellent teacher but if you don't dress by Thai standards and participate in extra events then an employer's opinion of you will be lower

[whiteman]

20000 per month to bend over in a silly shirt I rather make that on the thai sharemarket you can have teaching in Thailand

[Scott]

Wearing the appropriate clothing is important, especially in Asian countries. It is 2ndary to teaching, though and needs to be put in that category.

A school I am aware of also allows students to fail, but the students grade is listed as passing when it is recorded for the records that go to the area education office. Essentially, there are two reports. One where the parents and student know they failed and one showing they passed.

[lostinisaan]

Wearing the appropriate clothing is important, especially in Asian countries. It is 2ndary to teaching, though and needs to be put in that category.

A school I am aware of also allows students to fail, but the students grade is listed as passing when it is recorded for the records that go to the area education office. Essentially, there are two reports. One where the parents and student know they failed and one showing they passed.

I believe wearing appropriate clothes is important in all countries, for almost all occupations. Would you employ somebody as the HRM of a big company wearing a mechanic’s clothes?

I usually have to give them at least a percentage of 60 something %. Even to those who never participate. I don’t waste any more time through testing, make some marks about them from one to five during the term, which basically counts for their written assignments, speaking and understanding ability, behavior, etc.

It’s in my eyes wasted time to test them after each unit when using a particular book.

Would I be allowed to give them their grades they deserve, about 75 % would fail. But then I’d fail myself, as well. Go with the flow, or you’ll eat yellow snow…….

I never heard that teachers tell the students' parents how bad their kids really are in a certain subject.

Excluding when they "offer" to tutor them after class.

[Scott]

Asia puts a greater emphasis on the company uniform than do most Western countries. Outside of Asia, I have never hired or had much of a comment made on what someone wore to an interview. In Asia, it is sometimes the first comment and the deciding factor.

I had a very nice, well trained and experienced teacher who arrived from overseas and had an appointment which allowed him no time to check into a hotel. He came from the airport to the school and did an excellent demonstration and had an excellent interview. The Thai admin did not approve of his apparel -- and he was not poorly dressed. He had on dress-type pants, trainers and a button down shirt, but no tie. Not good enough for them.

Regardless of what we think, dress is more important in Asia and I am not careful to let people know the dress code which will get them through without negative comments.

The Thai admin do not like confrontation and they see themselves as bosses in a stricter sense. Questioning a decision is seen as insubordination most of the time. Asking questions is seen as questioning their authority.

If you are a good teacher then emphasize that and center on that strength. Leave your more eccentric qualities at home and if you have questions and comments try to direct them to someone who can give you guidance on how to approach it.

In order to win the war, sometimes you have to lose a few battles.

[EmptyHead]

Anyone here ever been asked to wear the scouts uniform?

At our school, all the teachers (execpt farang) have to wear it on a certain day. The big PE teacher looks like a right &lt;deleted&gt; in it !

The measure of the best teacher at our school is: he understands Thai culture so well, so we all love him.

[atyclb]

"Image (way) over substance" is the rule. you too could be teacher of the year if when in rome do as the romans do.

[lostinisaan]

Anyone here ever been asked to wear the scouts uniform?

At our school, all the teachers (execpt farang) have to wear it on a certain day. The big PE teacher looks like a right <deleted> in it !

The measure of the best teacher at our school is: he understands Thai culture so well, so we all love him.

"Quality clothes on empty headed people, over quality teachers" seems to be the rule in Thailand.

I did order a boy scout uniform for Wednesdays, as well a "Ten Star General" uniform for Mondays. Have to go with the flow.....