Grade Levels & Schools- In Thailand, there are two main grade levels, "Prathom," which is the equivalent of elementary school in America (grades 1-6), and "Mattayom," which is grades 7-12. Schools that teach Prathom are referred to as "Primary" schools and schools that teach Mattayom are referred to as "Secondary" schools. My school is unique, as it teaches a mix of grades 1-9 (and kindergarten). However, we still refer to it as a primary school. Students can legally drop out of school in 10th grade, and many do (especially in farm country where I teach!)
Level Grouping- All Thai students take an exam when they are very young- before elementary school, that determines if they are in the advanced, intermediate, or lower ability levels. In the Thai school system, there are usually eight (you heard right...EIGHT) different level groupings. A class titled Prathom 1/1 is the highest level of first grade, and Prathom 1/8 is the lowest level. At my school, we only have three levels (/1, /2, and /3) and I only teach the top students. I have mixed feelings about level grouping. On the one hand, it groups most of the similar children and motivation levels together, on the other hand, it divides students. It's a fact that the lower level classes have students with lower motivation levels, and I could even argue that grouping students holds many potentially motivated bright students back. From everything I learned through education courses, when you have some brighter kids with less brighter kids, the brighter kids tend to help the less bright kids, and the balance works effectively. It's a tricky debate, but I think that elementary school is too young to segregate students. Also, if some young students are poor test takers, this is problematic too.
Pass/ Fail- And by Pass/ Fail, I mean that all students pass with a "P." Even if a student comes to class one third of the time and never turns in a single homework assignment, every Thai teacher must pass the student, and she or he must continue on to the next grade. (As you might imagine, this can be very problematic).
Uniforms- All students must wear uniforms, and the uniforms are the same throughout the country, so every student really does look alike! College students have opted to continue to wear uniforms too, which my visiting American friends found unimaginable. However, Thai students are used to it, so it's just a continuation of what they already know. (Thai college uniforms were recently ranked sexiest in the world: http://www.irrawaddy.org/archives/10688). In many schools, there are strict regulations for a student's hair length, as well. At my school, all girls must have bob haircuts just below their ears, and boys must have very short hair. If a teacher finds a student's hair length unsatisfactory, she or he can cut it right there on the spot (normal in Thailand).
Corporal Punishment- Is legal, as long as it follows government guidelines to be "on a certain part of the body and a certain 'strength.'" This whole year I have been trying to find out more details about these so called "guidelines," to little avail. However, what I have noticed (at my school at least) is that corporal punishment is not used to beat or abuse the children. (This is the stigma associated with this term in America). It is a little swat with a switch or a skinny bamboo rod on the back of the knees or hands when students misbehave. It sounds crazy, but many students actually giggle and find it funny when they or a friend gets swatted. I have never witnessed anyone being beaten- but that is the (legitimate) concern. Besides corporal punishment, I have seen teachers come up with some pretty entertaining forms of punishment- including having students run in circles around trees, or having them link arms with their friends (who were also talking) and having them "crab walk" twenty yards, or so. I have also seen teachers cut naughty students hair (or if their hair is simply too unruly or long). It might sound crazy to you, but when you look at the results at my school, my students are so well-behaved and respectful that it would shock most Americans. (*I should mention that I have never personally used corporal punishment...these are simply my observations). It works here. Personally, I feel that when corporal punishment is used in a gentle disciplinary manner, as it is at my school, it can actually be a very effective tool that is relatively harmless. I know that Americans are reading this right now gasping in horror, but you should see how it is at my school. (If you'd asked me this a year ago, I would have been gasping right alongside you!) Also, don't gasp too much, nineteen states in the US still have corporal punishment. Is your state one of them? http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/14/tagblogsfindlawcom2012-injured-idUS142529947620120814
Teachers- Teachers in Thailand have a tremendous amount of power. It is one of the most highly respected jobs in the country, and teachers often are "higher" (status wise) than students' parents. In my experience growing up in America, this was flipped: Teachers had to bow down and work to keep the parents happy, in most cases.
ONET Exam- The placement exam secondary students must take to move on to college. I wish I knew more of the details about this exam (exactly who takes it, how many times a student can take it, if it's used for government achievement monitoring as well...) but this exam really does stink. It stinks big time. The ONET is entirely unfair- often with no correct multiple choice answer (students must choose the best out of four completely incorrect multiple choices) and many questions simply do not make any sense. From once glance as a native English speaker, it is clear that this exam is written entirely by Thais (who think that they speak English correctly). I have graded multiple practice exams for the other Thai English teachers, and out of 30 questions you're lucky if 10 of them make any sense or have a decently correct multiple choice answer. If I was a Thai student, I would be completely discouraged, not to mention outraged! If this happened on the ACT or SAT the College Board would have law suit after law suit. The test is unfair. At our May Fulbright meeting, all of the Fulbrights brought up the ONET with our directors. Our directors told us that the ONET is written by elder Thais who have degrees in English, and that having a younger Thai, or native English speaker (god forbid) proofread their questions would be considered taboo and impolite (because of course, in Thai culture when you are older you are always correct). Very interesting, right? If you want to check out an absolutely ridiculous real question from the ONET that made news (with an underlying message about premarital sex), check it out: http://jezebel.com/5903479/thai-teens-pressured-to-choose-soccer-over-sex
If you google "Thai Education System," you will find article upon article written by Western teachers bashing the Thai education system. They argue that the Ministry of Education is outdated, and that students are unmotivated and lazy. Some even argue that Thai education is actually decreasing from what it used to be, while other countries such as Vietnam are rapidly increasing. In an initiative to combat this, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra thinks that the answer lies in tablets (a short poignant article on her tablet initiative can be found here: http://www.economist.com/node/21556940). However, Bill Gates sees many problems with this idea, as he says that "just giving people devices has a horrible track record." (To read the rest of his thoughts on the future of technology in higher education, click the link here: http://chronicle.com/article/A-Conversation-With-Bill-Gates/132591/). While the Thai school system and the Ministry of Education has a lot of work to do, I wanted to share some observations that I have made from the past 11 months teaching at a Thai government school, and there are a lot of non-traditional components that are very important, efficient and special, but easy to overlook.
Brain Gym- Every morning, the whole school sits in small groups with one "group leader" doing Brain Gym. If you are unfamiliar with Brain Gym, it's a series of physical movements designed to "wake up" your brain. Some moves look similar to yoga poses, and others involve (patting your head and rubbing your belly) at the same time. I think that this is a wonderful way to start the day.
Meditation- Following Brain Gym, every student meditates in the morning for a few minutes.
Arts & Crafts- In these same small groups, different students work on different crafts for the remainder of the morning "assembly." Crafts include: beading keychains, embroidery, knitting, etc. Better yet, the crafts are sold to visitors when visitors tour our school- so students foster an appreciation for helping to support their school (I think that this is a very special thing).
Cleaning- In America, schools hire janitors to do most of the work. Not so in government schools in Thailand. Every morning when I arrive to school every student has a broom in their hands. They sweep the school ground, sweep my classroom, straighten my desks, water the school flowers, and even...mow the lawn! (I have a great picture I took today of two older students- male of course, trimming the playing field). Students learn discipline and to take care and respect their place of learning. (Schools do have janitors, but their jobs are mainly to unlock/ lock doors, etc...not so much cleaning.) Would this fly in America?
School Farm- My school (specially) has a school farm. On the farm, we have pigs, ducks, chickens, fish, frogs, a mushroom house (so cool), and...RICE PADDIES! Every student, starting in about 4th grade, contributes to helping take care of the farm, and learn how to run an active farm. I love this initiative, because (all) of my students are farmers' children, so this is a real-life relevant valuable skill. I also love that it's outdoors, and values a different, creative, non-traditional skill set: working with your hands, learning about different animals and what they need, etc. The school farm is also great because much of the food used in school-wide lunches comes from our very own school farm! We are self-producing (which is a wonderful thing), and students feel encouraged knowing that they are helping in a very valuable way: Feeding our entire school!
Relevant, Fun Classes- Just as working on the farm is "real-life relevant," all students at my school go to cooking class. The best part of this class, for me, is that students usually bring me a sample or two of what they've made. I've tried everything from sticky rice soaked in coconut milk "kanom" (snacks) to the BEST fresh squeezed lemonade I have ever tasted. The students are proud of their concoctions, and cooking is a valuable skill (and a very appreciated skill in Thailand!) I also had a lot of fun sitting in on a "broom making" class the other day. It was so creative: students gathered straw, and the teacher had brought in some old flip flops. From one flip flop students poked tiny holes in it, and then stuck a large stick through and lots of straw "bristles." Voila...a homemade broom! Cooking and Broom-Making might not be Math and Science, but it is working with your hands, and requires a whole different kind of intelligence, if you ask me.
School Bank- My school has a mini school bank where students can go to get change if they want to buy snacks or supplies from the school minimart. Students work at the school bank in their free time, helping hand out correct change with the supervision of a teacher. (Real world much?)
One Big Happy Family- At my school, as mentioned, kindergarten through ninth grade all learn together at the same school. This means that older students help younger students learn to behave appropriately, and younger students, whether consciously or subconsciously, learn the order of things and what's next for them. In school assemblies, the youngest students sit at the front, and older students are usually responsible for looking after them. Coming from someone who survived New Trier High School's "freshman only" campus- it's sometimes beneficial to have the seniors show the freshman what's up.
It's taken me almost a year to realize this, but just because it's what we know doesn't mean that it's right.
Students playing on a giant wooden swing in the playground.
Soccer
More swing fun
Students playing "Tak-raw" (like kick volleyball)
Students must use their feet, knees, chests, and heads
to get the ball over the net. (I love watching them play!)
Our school field
Forts and structures where students can hang out
are found throughout my school (love it)
Our playground
Nap time for kindergarten
One of our school dogs
School Mini-Mart & School Bank
At the minimart students can buy snacks, paperclips, whatever!
Students help count money and make change at the school bank.
Another one of our school dogs
2nd grade
(Also, can you imagine spending your whole day at
school in your socks or bare feet?!)
Students playing in their free time
The flowering vines at the entrance to my school :)
M. 2/1 taking great notes
P. 3/1 working hard on their "Body Parts" worksheets
I am big on pair work, and this group works
excellently in pairs.
Pair work
One resourceful student pulled out his English dictionary
Labeling away!
Two of my brightest students.
While some students had dictionaries, others who did
not found a large poster of the Human Body in our classroom.
(This picture warms the cockles of my heart)
Completed Worksheets:
With younger students, I try to add a creative/ coloring
component. These students gave their person a cool "hair flip" :)
Green hair. I love it.
Black hair, just like them.
Hearts all around
Some funny worksheets that older students worked on.
#9 "I have ten shoulders."
This one is just fabulous...almost every answer is wrong.
#4 I smell with my finger
#5 I see with my shoulders.
#6 I walk with my ears.
#7 I comb my hands every day.
# 8 I lie on my teeth.
#9 I have ten eyes. (Yikes!)
This next section of photos is called "The Desk Collection."
I am intrigued that, despite the impeccable care of the school
and school grounds, desks are somehow not included.
Closeup
So much whiteout in school. Thai students love using their rulers
to write straight lines, and whiteout for when you write incorrectly.
My desks, all in a row :)
Broom-Making Class!
Some straw
Love these girls (I don't teach them)
With our brooms
P'Candy teaches this class. She is such a creative teacher.
These girls also bring me things that they cooked in class :)
School's Out!
4th grade possy of boys hogs the swing
trouble makers
more trouble makers...
Yet, very happy :)
Having fun
Great shot...finally!
Me with one of my favorite 4th graders. So obedient and sweet!
Who needs a playground when you have a tree?
I'm sure this playground wouldn't comply with all kinds
of standards in America, but it looks okay to me :)
Don't fall off!
Boy students in their Thursday "Scout Uniform"
riding Ban KuMuang's school bus.
Students, not a lawn service, trim the lawn.
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