Cash-strapped teachers offered loans to clear debts

[Odysseus123]

There have been three students in my village who were prepared to do the hard yards and learn English.I was, and am, very proud of their progress in a sea of poverty, ignorance and sloth.

 

All three have gone on to good jobs in the tourist industry-one on Samui and two in Bangkok.The young female is so good that she spends her time mimicking,Aussie,British and American accents when she is in my company.

There is an up and coming 16 year old boy whose parents deny him the pleasures of his anarchic peers (hurtling around the village at 2 am,sitting on Facebook all day) and he too is progressing well in English and hopes to become a doctor one day.I am very sure that he will do it.Parental discipline (otherwise non-existent here) self discipline,motivation and a clear and distinct goal does wonders in life-any life.

 

I might add that the 16 year old boy speaks better English than any Thai English teacher that I have ever met-and I've met quite a few.

[maewang99]

On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 9:30 AM, pentap said:

This report is kidding!

RIGHT?

Most have pots of money!

Unbelievable!

 

there are two "teachers". 

there's only one kind of farlang. eh, get it?
and there is Thai.... and life is simple.

don't need to think. eh?
 

but ****teachers**** in Thailand come in ****2**** flavors.

for sure.  very distinctly............. two. 

 

teachers is different.

there's the Tea Money teachers who work very hard... and get paid very little....
 

and the other group.... to whom they aspire.... for whom fingerprint machines are needed just to try to get them to show up for the flag raising ceremony...... or at least step out of their cars to hit the fingerprint machine before zooming off.....

 

this story doesn't bother to delve into that at all. it says that the debt thing involves all of the teachers..... that's what it implies... if you think about it... at all.  it's a problem for "teachers" in general.  ????

well.... I would bet that this narrative uses "teacher" in a general way.... to keep it a simple narrative... one that Bangkok can solve with a simple solution for everyone.  presto bingo.

not.  I'm gonna guess it's just like the fingerprint machines.

and that "Thailand is a poor country"....... 

so we have to guess fingerprint machines save money.... and the western countries don't use them because.... well, they don't need to save money. they are rich. aha.  makes sense. I got it!!!!!

say what???????????????

 

Edited May 10, 2017 by maewang99

[ben2talk]

23 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Parental discipline (otherwise non-existent here) self discipline,motivation and a clear and distinct goal

I tried 'parental discipline'. I think it's over-rated. The goal is self awareness which should lead to self-discipline (and the ability to understand when it's needed) bringing with it a greater sense of freedom to do what I like (and I like to speak English).

 

Having already observed that English teachers make virtually difference in schools, I moved on to corporate teaching (very casually...) It's easy to spot the one or two 'learners' in each batch of students... the rest generally behave like rocks that will freely admit to being incapable of learning and then spend the next few sessions proving themselves correct.

 

No matter how many lifelines I throw them, they prefer to stay submerged. Speaking fluent Thai doesn't help matters, because I have a shirt, tie, and white face, they cannot understand. Will not understand. This is their way. It goes well beyond discipline...

[Odysseus123]

46 minutes ago, ben2talk said:

I tried 'parental discipline'. I think it's over-rated. The goal is self awareness which should lead to self-discipline (and the ability to understand when it's needed) bringing with it a greater sense of freedom to do what I like (and I like to speak English).

 

Having already observed that English teachers make virtually difference in schools, I moved on to corporate teaching (very casually...) It's easy to spot the one or two 'learners' in each batch of students... the rest generally behave like rocks that will freely admit to being incapable of learning and then spend the next few sessions proving themselves correct.

 

No matter how many lifelines I throw them, they prefer to stay submerged. Speaking fluent Thai doesn't help matters, because I have a shirt, tie, and white face, they cannot understand. Will not understand. This is their way. It goes well beyond discipline...

Whilst I do understand your point of view I have noticed that in all four cases the parents of the students had some things in common.

1.They were engaged in full time work-not professionals by any means-but it showed that they too had self discipline.

2.None of the students were given or allowed to drive motor scooters.They all caught the baht bus to school.

3.All seem to have imposed some sort of curfew in terms of the internet.

4.All seemed to have clear goals for their children.

 

However,I know that I am straying off topic and am distracted by a situation which is developing just now-a clear case of inadequate professional knowledge coupled with Thai subservience to authority.Darned if I know what to do about it and I think that I have taken it just about as far as I can go...

 

 

Edited May 10, 2017 by Odysseus123