Thai teachers urged to return to classroom

[NoshowJones]

I live near a school.

Big one.

There is always loud noise coming from the school, always.

From 7 in the morning till 7 in the evening.

I wonder when they study?

In my own country I lived near a school.

Big one.

There is loud noise coming from the school, when the school opens, in the pause, and when the school ends.

Rather different

To most kids in Mattayom classes, their social life revolves around the school, they get together and play games before the flag raising in the morning, and again after classes in the afternoon, up to around 7pm.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... and work that had no effect on students' learning be lessened ... everyone has to pay attention to in considering why Thai education quality has failed to improve.' Well, the latest nonsensical dictum certainly won't help.

[johninbkk71]

Sorry for not understanding this, but who is taking care of the classrooms while the teacher is out of the classroom? If the time these teachers are spending outside the classroom is when the kids are elsewhere (on break, art class, wherever), then it doesn't indicate that. If it's during class time, then I assume other teachers are covering the class?

Wrong assumption. The students are left to their own devices. Maybe complete wirk set by the missing teacher.

[Scott]

The problem has less to do with the teachers and more to do with the administrators all the way up the ladder.

[timmyp]

Sorry for not understanding this, but who is taking care of the classrooms while the teacher is out of the classroom? If the time these teachers are spending outside the classroom is when the kids are elsewhere (on break, art class, wherever), then it doesn't indicate that. If it's during class time, then I assume other teachers are covering the class?

Wrong assumption. The students are left to their own devices. Maybe complete wirk set by the missing teacher.

You're saying the students just sit there unsupervised? That's hard to believe.

[Si Thea01]

"assessments, academic competitions and training, a recent survey found."

drinking coffee, sleeping, working second job... etc etc....

My wife is a teacher od some 28 years and I might I ask, even though I doubt if you would know her, if you put her into your generalisation of this subject?. She works 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. often late a night and also over weekends preparing studies for her students for the following week. She not only does this but twice a year, at her and other co-workers expense, take the students in the year they teach, on trips to various educational facilities, none of which they would ever have the chance of doing if it was left to the parents. I can assure you the hours my wife and many teachers at her school work, would never afford the time to work a second job, let alone sleep at work. If she did it would be instant dismissal.

She also spends extra time with the poorer students, teaching them the Thai language, which is her speciality, as they have no hope learning at home owing to their parents' inability to speak the language fully. She also contributes funds to buy uniforms, feed the children during the day, as their parents have no funds. Sure, they have assessments, academic competitions and training but it does not state how often many of these situations have to be paid for, and not by the government but by the teachers.

Why have you have made a derogatory statement? Are you seeking to defame the teachers? Are you able to tell me what evidence you have to make such an irrational statement? Please be specific and name the schools and teachers involved. But no, even if you knew, which I doubt, you wouldn't have the guts to do so as the laws of Thailand would soon catch up with you. Just a rash generalisation I think. Do you even live in Thailand? What is it with Thai bashing? Do you think your uneducated statement is being smart. It aint.

[geoffP]

That doesn't even take into account all of the work they're expected to take home with them for no additional compensation.

Absolutely abysmal situation.

That reminded me of my first teaching-post in England. Wendy, our Head, was struggling down the corridor with two large bags of students' books. She challenged me "Where's your homework for marking, Geoff?" I took a floppy-disk from my pocket. "Bastard!" she said. I was teaching technology.

[Mango Bob]

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"assessments, academic competitions and training, a recent survey found."

drinking coffee, sleeping, working second job... etc etc....

My wife is a teacher od some 28 years and I might I ask, even though I doubt if you would know her, if you put her into your generalisation of this subject?. She works 12 hours a day, 5 days a week. often late a night and also over weekends preparing studies for her students for the following week. She not only does this but twice a year, at her and other co-workers expense, take the students in the year they teach, on trips to various educational facilities, none of which they would ever have the chance of doing if it was left to the parents. I can assure you the hours my wife and many teachers at her school work, would never afford the time to work a second job, let alone sleep at work. If she did it would be instant dismissal.

She also spends extra time with the poorer students, teaching them the Thai language, which is her speciality, as they have no hope learning at home owing to their parents' inability to speak the language fully. She also contributes funds to buy uniforms, feed the children during the day, as their parents have no funds. Sure, they have assessments, academic competitions and training but it does not state how often many of these situations have to be paid for, and not by the government but by the teachers.

Why have you have made a derogatory statement? Are you seeking to defame the teachers? Are you able to tell me what evidence you have to make such an irrational statement? Please be specific and name the schools and teachers involved. But no, even if you knew, which I doubt, you wouldn't have the guts to do so as the laws of Thailand would soon catch up with you. Just a rash generalisation I think. Do you even live in Thailand? What is it with Thai bashing? Do you think your uneducated statement is being smart. It aint.

I couldn't agree with you more. My wife has 21 teaching hours, 3 subject in 3 different grades not including the hours to work with students to prepare them for speech contests. Weekends and Holidays working at school is the norm. Bravo to your wife.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Mango Bob

[slapout]

In private schools, I would guess there is more in class time, but there is an equal amount of nonsense which has little to do with academic achievement.

Having had 2 children in Thai and for in international school and Thai for 14 years, in CM, I think they (teachers) are no better nor worse than the Thai teachers I calcuated that the regular teacher spent 50% of her time out of the classroom,l granted some of this included the students being with him/her but to travel to a French resturant 4 times each semester for French credit seems somewhat shady, especially as the teacher and assistants ate free, Students paid their own tab.

[Tiffer]

The issue is the quality and quantity of contact hours and instruction students receive, not the number of hours teachers spend teaching.

Here endeth the lesson!

[Tiffer]

They forgot about how much time they spend not going to class ON time. Thai trachers are ALWAYS 15 to 30 minutes late to any and every class they have. If you don't beleive me go to a school and snoopp around and see for your self. I taught here in Thailand at all levels and this is the routine.

I'm never late and I have workloads ranging from 27 - 30 hours a week.

The vast majority of my Thai colleagues also turn up on time...

[greenchair]

I just dont understand this.

From my 20 years experience in thai schools,the thai teachers do not get out of class enough. They are in the class all day,not even a break at lunch time as they must feed and care for the kids. And school holidays are a joke. They are swamped with work and useless training sessions,when they should be resting and replenishing themselves. From what i have seen. Everybody is making money accept for the teachers themselves. Yet they are expected to devote their lives to the school. The moe and bosses want more and more for no extra pay. Most of the teachers work 10 to 12 hour days, and most week ends ,but only get an 8 hour pay.

These people including foreign teachers are being seriously taken advantage of, while a minority benefit from all profits. These dedicated people are simply burned out and have lost will to care after a few years of being exploited.

[attrayant]

Sorry for not understanding this, but who is taking care of the classrooms while the teacher is out of the classroom? If the time these teachers are spending outside the classroom is when the kids are elsewhere (on break, art class, wherever), then it doesn't indicate that. If it's during class time, then I assume other teachers are covering the class?

Wrong assumption. The students are left to their own devices. Maybe complete wirk set by the missing teacher.

You're saying the students just sit there unsupervised? That's hard to believe.

Whenever I'm asked to do a last minute cover for a Thai teacher (who's either attending a seminar or in a meeting), I point out that I have no relevant material and don't know what to teach. The response is "just talk to them, say anything, then ten minutes you can leave".

[Si Thea01]

Sorry for not understanding this, but who is taking care of the classrooms while the teacher is out of the classroom? If the time these teachers are spending outside the classroom is when the kids are elsewhere (on break, art class, wherever), then it doesn't indicate that. If it's during class time, then I assume other teachers are covering the class?

Wrong assumption. The students are left to their own devices. Maybe complete wirk set by the missing teacher.

You're saying the students just sit there unsupervised? That's hard to believe.

Whenever I'm asked to do a last minute cover for a Thai teacher (who's either attending a seminar or in a meeting), I point out that I have no relevant material and don't know what to teach. The response is "just talk to them, say anything, then ten minutes you can leave".

Don't know what schools you are referring to but at my wife's school, a government establishment in Udon, nothing like this occurs. Children are supervised throughout the day and none are ever left to their own devices. Are you referring to a private or government school?

[onlycw]

It takes a change of attitude as well.

* Flag service taking too long? What a way to ruin the first class of the day! Students often will be like 10... 15 minutes late into a 50 minute class. Enough said.

* Once a week - forget it!

* Grammar centric material - yeah, but can they speak?!?

[attrayant]

Don't know what schools you are referring to but at my wife's school, a government establishment in Udon, nothing like this occurs. Children are supervised throughout the day and none are ever left to their own devices. Are you referring to a private or government school?

I honestly don't know how to classify my school. Students pay tuition but the school also gets partially funded from the government. It has the word "college" in its name but it's nowhere near university level material that I'm teaching. Students are anywhere from 15 to 22 years old depending on whether they're "upper" or "lower" level.

Flag service taking too long? What a way to ruin the first class of the day! Students often will be like 10... 15 minutes late into a 50 minute class.

Yes that happened this morning... 20 minutes late! Making matters worse, next week is midterm exams and I'm still trying to catch up on material that I couldn't deliver because of cancelled classes last week and the week before.