60 students per class at University, difficult to handle?

[Nokkeaw]

Is it difficult to control 60 university students? Do they behave? Right now I am teaching 30 Matayom students and they make me crazy. So I can't imagine if they are like this in university but with 60 people.

Also is it normal to have so many students in one class in university in Thailand?? I don't know if I should accept this job.

Edited August 22, 2016 by Nokkeaw

[muzmurray]

The control of the class is down to you, if you doubt you can do it, then you probably can not.

 

Yes, depending on the subject, classes of that size are not uncommon.

 

Where is the job, there are many levels of universities and therefore students.

[BruceMangosteen]

My experience is limited, but generally at the University level you don't have the discipline antics you endure with Mat. students. You can always just throw said problem students out of the class at the University level. You can also at the Mat. level but the Thai staff will come down on you as being unable to control them etc.. But University students are adults, don't want to learn anything, fine, go play in traffic. 

[muzmurray]

36 minutes ago, BruceMangosteen said:

My experience is limited, but generally at the University level you don't have the discipline antics you endure with Mat. students. You can always just throw said problem students out of the class at the University level. You can also at the Mat. level but the Thai staff will come down on you as being unable to control them etc.. But University students are adults, don't want to learn anything, fine, go play in traffic. 

 

No you can't just exclude students - remember that they are paying customers and you are there to provide a learning service.

 

That said, generally the students who do not want to learn will not attend lectures anyway = problem solves itself.

[bluebluewater]

Universities in the States will often have hundreds of students in an entry level class such as freshman english, history, etc.

 

It's all lecture stuff from a grad assistant.  No discipline or control problems to speak of.

[Snackbar]

It is the best job going. As little as 10 hours classroom time per week and long holidays. And non of the nonsense that goes with government schools

 

Class size isn't a problem. Clarify expectations, instruct' to an appropriate level. It really is very easy.

 

 

[BlindMagician]

Teaching what, and how?

 

Some serious universities where it is assumed, and mostly correctly, that they are adults who can listen and think a bit, lecture up to the order of 1000.

 

The same serious unis might have small group tutorials, sizes down to 4 students.

 

History, engineering, English...?

 

It goes on...so narrow down your parameters a bit?

 

[tomwct]

I teach at a large university in Korat and my average class is 40 with a high of 50. The one subject I teach where 40-50 is too high

is Conversational English. I have told my department 30-35 max, otherwise, the students will not learn effectively!

[mesterm]

Does it matter? They'll all be playing with their phones anyway.

[bark]

Not if you are a teacher, who is organized.

If you can't handle the flames, get out of the Kitchen ! Chef Ramsey.

[MissAndry]

1 hour ago, Snackbar said:

Class size isn't a problem. Clarify expectations, instruct' to an appropriate level. It really is very easy.

 

 

If you are teaching conversational English a class of over 8 would be pointless.

If you are lecturing about English, class size wouldn't matter.

[sometimewoodworker]

22 minutes ago, MissAndry said:

 

If you are teaching conversational English a class of over 8 would be pointless.

If you are lecturing about English, class size wouldn't matter.

If you can't teach more than 8 students conversational English then your method of teaching is somewhat limited.

 

There are systems that will enable successful conversational English teaching in class sizes ranging up to about 30 students at university level.

[atyclb]

have lectured all 3 and 4th year nursing students together in a big hall at abac and they were great not english though.

[Fookhaht]

Most posts are pointless until the OP tells us the subject he's teaching.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LazySlipper]

I hope you are not referring to the job offer advertised by Siam U. not too long ago...

Edited August 26, 2016 by LazySlipper

[BruceMangosteen]

15 minutes ago, Fookhaht said:

Most posts are pointless until the OP tells us the subject he's teaching.
 

 

I disagree. A discussion about the discipline disparities between high school and University students is interesting to many of us. Please keep it going. I assumed most would just excuse the student but was told no. That leaves me waiting for examples of how to punish a good looking 18 year old Thai lady in a University setting distracting your teaching and class.

[akentryan]

Taught accounting and auditing at several universities in Thailand. Never had a class size over 30. Would have been hard to do classes much bigger than that.

[richard_smith237]

120 to 150 students in the First Year of my University (in the UK)...  High failure / drop out rate with about 30 entering the final year.

 

Students paid attention, if we didn't we would struggle and knew we may well end up failing. We knew the failure / drop out stats - We were adults, it was down to us. 

 

I get the impression that things are quite different in Thailand and the possibility of failure is much less. 

It seems that a 'no-fail-system' or rather one where lecturers are encouraged not to fail students leads to an inherent immaturity and lack of respect. 

 

Perhaps I am wrong, however, I see the underlying 'system' as the issue, at University level class control should never be an issue. 

 

60 Thai Students... A serious Subject at a serious University (i.e. Chula, Thammarsat, Bangkok, Rangsit, Chiangmai etc) the class control shouldn't be much of an issue...  at lower level Universities which accept less diligent students there may be greater disruption. 

 

I see it as an extremely difficult task to control a Class of people who don't want to be there and don't really care if they pass or not. At University students are adults.

 

Disruptive students at this level simply have no respect for others who wish to learn and as such should be asked to respect others, if they can't comply with the requests they should be excused / asked to leave for the sake of the others in the class. Handled delicately and politely I suspect this is the only way to deal with disruptive students at a University / adult level. 

 

Edited August 26, 2016 by richard_smith237

[Rod Gold]

I have met some ex-pats who speak openly of desiring to handle 60 students or more. 

[Dtaw]

How much do Thai universities pay?

[tonray]

9 hours ago, Dtaw said:

How much do Thai universities pay?

 

Generally less than 30K per month with a housing allowance. But this is generally for 12 - 16 contact hours per week, ability to come and go as per your class schedule so while it is not a job that will make you rich, it will not kill you either.  many Holidays, easy access to private tutoring of students to supplement your income. Many of us find it a welcome change after a few years of zoo keeping at a government high school.

[BruceMangosteen]

3 hours ago, tonray said:

 

Generally less than 30K per month with a housing allowance. But this is generally for 12 - 16 contact hours per week, ability to come and go as per your class schedule so while it is not a job that will make you rich, it will not kill you either.  many Holidays, easy access to private tutoring of students to supplement your income. Many of us find it a welcome change after a few years of zoo keeping at a government high school.

 

You can come and go as you please at a Government high school as well. Just take control of the situation, stop being played as a puppet. OO and God Bless. 

[Dtaw]

Lower than what I was hoping, but hey, for 10-16 hours a week...

[Rhys]

Would you believe 500-1000 students in an English lecture class with a western instructor... so cost effective yes...

[ghworker2010]

On 8/27/2016 at 6:45 AM, tonray said:

 

Generally less than 30K per month with a housing allowance. But this is generally for 12 - 16 contact hours per week, ability to come and go as per your class schedule so while it is not a job that will make you rich, it will not kill you either.  many Holidays, easy access to private tutoring of students to supplement your income. Many of us find it a welcome change after a few years of zoo keeping at a government high school.

I have to agree with this comment and one above saying that its an easier ride than teaching at a high school. The long holidays are nice and don't forget that you don't need a TL. 

[lostinisaan]

On 8/27/2016 at 6:45 AM, tonray said:

 

Generally less than 30K per month with a housing allowance. But this is generally for 12 - 16 contact hours per week, ability to come and go as per your class schedule so while it is not a job that will make you rich, it will not kill you either.  many Holidays, easy access to private tutoring of students to supplement your income. Many of us find it a welcome change after a few years of zoo keeping at a government high school.

 

 

 There's a lot more "zoo keeping" at government primary schools where you have to be from 7 to 5. 

[tonray]

1 hour ago, lostinisaan said:

 

 There's a lot more "zoo keeping" at government primary schools where you have to be from 7 to 5. 

Yes but in Mattayom level they breed in captivity. Hormones are bad for learning. 

[lostinisaan]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

Yes but in Mattayom level they breed in captivity. Hormones are bad for learning. 

 

 Yep, you're right. But I prefer the "hormone problem" to a crowded classroom full of grade one students who call you teacher Farang.....lol

[muzmurray]

15 hours ago, lostinisaan said:

 

 Yep, you're right. But I prefer the "hormone problem" to a crowded classroom full of grade one students who call you teacher Farang.....lol

 

They only call you that because you let them, or because you have not taught them your name.

[muzmurray]

18 hours ago, lostinisaan said:

 

 There's a lot more "zoo keeping" at government primary schools where you have to be from 7 to 5. 

 

Not just government schools - most primary students are the same, regardless of the institution.

 

Not everybody has to be at school from 7-5, in fact that seems like longer than most. I normally see 07:30 - 16:00/16:30