Friday, March 16, 2007
26th February. Monday at school.
With my background as a teacher I was fascinated to glimpse Thai education in action.
There is no doubt that Jessica is now more self disciplined than a year ago and I presume this has much to do with the time spent in school, which she seems to enjoy.
From a Western educator's eyes the schooling seems very structured and rigid and the hours are long.
School opens at about 8 o'clock and during the first hour all the classes of "infants" come together for prayers singing and stories, which involve much shouting, rather like in a pantomime.
Children arrive at any time during that hour.
Children stay at school each day for as long as the parents need or for special activities and I think there is supervision until 6 o'clock. Jessica has been staying for an English class.
The classroom work seems boring to me, with much repetition of copying things. There seems little scope for self expression or creativity. Children are not encouraged to learn about the world around them as they would be in a UK school.
There is no emphasis on display. Outside Jessica's classroom were some pictures of Father Christmas - all neatly coloured in and nearly all the same. They had obviously been there for weeks.
I sensed that the teachers cared about the children and were kindly.
The children wear a uniform and so do the teachers. On my first day there the teachers were all in yellow T shirts - the colour that expresses devotion to the King.
There will be another blog posting of pictures taken on a different day and you will see the teachers in a uniform like the children's.
This is Jessica's class. She is 3 back on the left. She is taller than her classmates.
Time for prayers. Jessica has hands together, but her eyes are on something along the room.
Mam makes sure that Jessica has got things right.
There is no doubt that Jessica is now more self disciplined than a year ago and I presume this has much to do with the time spent in school, which she seems to enjoy.
From a Western educator's eyes the schooling seems very structured and rigid and the hours are long.
School opens at about 8 o'clock and during the first hour all the classes of "infants" come together for prayers singing and stories, which involve much shouting, rather like in a pantomime.
Children arrive at any time during that hour.
Children stay at school each day for as long as the parents need or for special activities and I think there is supervision until 6 o'clock. Jessica has been staying for an English class.
The classroom work seems boring to me, with much repetition of copying things. There seems little scope for self expression or creativity. Children are not encouraged to learn about the world around them as they would be in a UK school.
There is no emphasis on display. Outside Jessica's classroom were some pictures of Father Christmas - all neatly coloured in and nearly all the same. They had obviously been there for weeks.
I sensed that the teachers cared about the children and were kindly.
The children wear a uniform and so do the teachers. On my first day there the teachers were all in yellow T shirts - the colour that expresses devotion to the King.
There will be another blog posting of pictures taken on a different day and you will see the teachers in a uniform like the children's.
This is Jessica's class. She is 3 back on the left. She is taller than her classmates.
Time for prayers. Jessica has hands together, but her eyes are on something along the room.
Many trees had pieces of writing in both Thai and English - proverbs and wise sayings. One that I photographed had the words "To Die to Spite the Graveyard" - I wonder what that means to a 5 year old!
After 8 hours at school, Jessica comes home to do her homework. This involves a couple of pages of perhaps copying Thai or English letters and numbers, maybe some sums and writing a word by a stencil that she can colour in.
After 8 hours at school, Jessica comes home to do her homework. This involves a couple of pages of perhaps copying Thai or English letters and numbers, maybe some sums and writing a word by a stencil that she can colour in.
Mam makes sure that Jessica has got things right.
Jessica proudly displays the completed work.
This is a sample of some of the work.
Next term Jessica will attend the English programme in another building and with a different uniform. Most of the work will be in English I shall be interested to see if the English programmes embraces an English style of education.
