Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post Reply
blondieaka
udonmap.com
Posts: 22
Joined: March 11, 2016, 11:56 am
Location: Author

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by blondieaka » May 17, 2016, 3:17 pm

We have just moved to Udon Thani Town from Phuket. Can anyone advise on the best school( not international) for our grandson who is 11years/ P5. Thank You.



rct
udonmap.com
Posts: 1149
Joined: September 24, 2007, 8:29 am

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by rct » May 17, 2016, 7:25 pm

Looking forward to seeing the debate here!

My kids are in grades 4 and 2 at Don Bosco.

User avatar
12345
udonmap.com
Posts: 616
Joined: April 1, 2014, 3:34 pm

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by 12345 » May 17, 2016, 7:39 pm

Daughter at Don Bosco also, and just OK. Sadly, one of the better schools UT has to offer. About 20 k per semester. Her 3rd and last year. Did earlier schooling at St Mary's, all girls, so mute subject, though I wouldn't recommend it. DB being better, about same cost, AC'd.

hairyharry
udonmap.com
Posts: 230
Joined: December 29, 2009, 7:45 am

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by hairyharry » May 18, 2016, 12:07 am

Don Bosco isn't for every boy. Some do extremely well, others might as well stay at home.
Choice is fairly limited unless you are considering government schools as well.

What is your grandson interested in ?
What subjects does he enjoy? Which subjects do not interest him?
Is he/are you comfortable with a large government school or is he coming from a smaller private school.

User avatar
grievous
udonmap.com
Posts: 635
Joined: November 28, 2010, 4:21 pm
Location: Udonthani

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by grievous » May 18, 2016, 1:10 am

All schools have pro's and con's.
Things too consider would be class sizes, how well the language programs work, and if the school provides a happy comfortable place for your child to learn.
My children are at Appapatcharat (I think that's the spelling) although I have some experience with UDIS & paramin which I can elaborate on later.

User avatar
GT93
udonmap.com
Posts: 7848
Joined: June 5, 2009, 9:37 am
Location: Auckland

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by GT93 » May 18, 2016, 1:15 am

What's the best government / local government school for that age? Anuban Udonthani? Perhaps a lot of kids from there go to Udon Pit or Satri Rachinutit? I think they are among the better high schools in Udon.
Lock 'em up - Eastman, Giuliani, Senator Graham, Meadows and Trump

User avatar
Khun Paul
udonmap.com
Posts: 7743
Joined: September 16, 2008, 3:28 pm
Location: Udon Thani

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by Khun Paul » May 18, 2016, 5:56 am

The best school, well it is horses for courses isn't it. There are supposedly three good High Schools , Udon Pitt Satri ratchinutit and Don Bosco, two of these are continuing to surpass expectations with sound management and forward thinking one of them has declined from a good based co-ordinated teaching approach to a fragmented and badly directed school I am talking about DB . Which sadly has seen the decline over the last two years , it is in reality 4 schools in one with each segment doing its own thing coupled with the instructions to teachers that ALL students will pass no matter what.

Students learn from educated teachers which seems right but as the school in question has NOT upgraded its English books over the last three years one wonders what the hell they are doing. And reduced native English speakers from 5 Hrs a week down to three, for the English programme, although they say they have good English Thai Teachers that in reality is a crock of poo. ( They have one or two )

Annuban is the best junior school next to Udon Pitt, money does not buy you a good education, it is the quality of the School .

Kindergarten, well Udon Wittaya has one as does DB and St Marys , there is one inside Rajabhat I believe I have heard of good reports from those .

If your child is unable to pass the test to access the aforementioned schools then it is really Hobsons choice, most of the larger Wittaya schools are OK, the mistake many parents make is to enrol their children into one of the schools popping up all over the town offering to teach their children, it is the same stuff taught differently and for many it is a socail gathering, nowt to do with learning, just taking the money and offering promises that cannot be kept.

blondieaka
udonmap.com
Posts: 22
Joined: March 11, 2016, 11:56 am
Location: Author

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by blondieaka » May 18, 2016, 7:25 am

Thank you for the replies. Aston came from a large school in Phuket but with smallish class sizes ( 15 children) and 2 teachers per class.
He speaks/reads/writes fluent Laos/southern Thai, English and some Mandarin..he will tell you American ..lol
Loves Sport, Science and Music and has apptitude for languages.
He also makes friends easily.
Thank you, your replies have given us a starting point. :D

User avatar
12345
udonmap.com
Posts: 616
Joined: April 1, 2014, 3:34 pm

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by 12345 » May 18, 2016, 9:20 am

Don Bosco whittles down the grade class size, and number of rooms, as they progress through grades. Those not making the grade, need to go elsewhere. There were 4 rooms in 10th grade, then 3 rooms in 11th and now 2 rooms for 12th grade, and one that my daughter is in, now 24 ish per room. And was pointed out, will be the smallest graduating class, along with the dumbest, .....grade point average, so far, oh joy........ :oops:

She take her Uni entrance exam in October...... [-o< [-o< [-o<

User avatar
Khun Paul
udonmap.com
Posts: 7743
Joined: September 16, 2008, 3:28 pm
Location: Udon Thani

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by Khun Paul » May 18, 2016, 10:07 am

Don Bosco has a very strict test from M3 to M4, about 65% fail it and go elsewhere or move to tech Colleges, the rest move to M 4 which is far stricter and almost divorced form the rest of the school in classes, activities etc. if you thought about it M3 students have at the end of the academic year exams and tests, for the school in all subjects, 'O net' exams in statutory subjects ( which they must pass ) and of they wish to go into M4 yet another set of tests to achieve that in fact if they have 10 subjects lets say they will take about 21-24 exams just to complete M3, why the details of the
'O net 'cannot be used to determine a students capability is beyond me and why they take end of term tests for the school is yet another illogical process. In fact after three years there the amount of tests the students take and the time wasted doing those tests is incredible, especially when the Salesian tests are fraught with problems, wrong answers, badly construed questions and basically a load of absolute rubbish, prove nothing at all except students can take tests which they will all pass at 60% if not they are retaken again and again until they do. Really good teaching what !!!!!!.

There has always been an element of money to obtain M4 to M6 at DB and I doubt that has changed although not always The head of those years is father promote who is of the old school of teachers a fair and very educated man who runs it completely separate to the rest of the school the only good point of DB it would seem left since the new Director took over. a couple of years ago.

User avatar
12345
udonmap.com
Posts: 616
Joined: April 1, 2014, 3:34 pm

Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by 12345 » May 18, 2016, 10:33 am

Khun Paul wrote:There has always been an element of money to obtain M4 to M6 at DB and I doubt that has changed although not always The head of those years is father promote who is of the old school of teachers a fair and very educated man who runs it completely separate to the rest of the school the only good point of DB it would seem left since the new Director took over. a couple of years ago.
I shake my head sometimes myself, on teaching geared toward tests, instead of just an 'overall' knowledge, that would pass any test. TIT

Also TIT, though haven't experienced it, the money thing. Daughter came over from St Mary's to DB, 9th to 10th grade and was one of just 4, I think, getting admitted from that year. Admitted simply on grades, NO money incentive needed, though I think her English skills helped a lot, as won / placed well in many English competitions while at St Mary's. Of all the students in her class (12th grade), Father only seems to talk to her in English, and Father does seem to actually care, and main reason for transfer over to DB.

beachboy8166
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: October 9, 2016, 2:01 am

Re: Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by beachboy8166 » October 9, 2016, 2:14 am

we currently live in California and will be moving to Udon Thani around April 2018. my daughter is currently enrolled in kindergarten here in the USA. i need a contact name, phone number and /or email address to see what paperwork is needed and if there are tests (some idea of what she will need to know). She was born in USA but her mother was born and raised in Udon Thani area. She can speak and understand Thai. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

User avatar
Khun Paul
udonmap.com
Posts: 7743
Joined: September 16, 2008, 3:28 pm
Location: Udon Thani

Re: Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by Khun Paul » October 10, 2016, 6:53 am

If you read this forum and others on Schooling here in Udon, you may very well shake your head in disbelief, many schools can and do offer good basic teaching to the vast majority, however and I say this kindly, your daughter brought up in the US of A will find a complete culture shock coming here and although may speak Thai , this will in no way prepare her for the onslaught of culture change. Teachers are not the nice helpful people they are supposed to be ( not all I admit ) . Subjects are taught with little or no deviation from the book. To name but a couple of problems, thinking and critical thinking at that is almost unheard of .

Your daughter will be streets ahead in general knowledge and in life skills due entirely to that way she has been brought up, which I am sure your wife will explain.

In fact taking all that into account I would think the best school for your dauighter would be Satri Ratchinutit a girls school considered quite highly by many including me.

fdimike
udonmap.com
Posts: 1876
Joined: July 7, 2005, 10:11 am
Location: Udon Thani

Re: Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by fdimike » October 10, 2016, 7:26 am

I would have to agree with KP. Local government schools are not even in the same league as what is available in the US/Europe/Australia. Rote memorization is the way things are taught here. Competent Thai teachers who claim to teach English are few and far between. Since the OP's daughter is only in kindergarten then I would think St. Mary's school or Don Bosco would be of interest. There are a number of other private primary schools available here as well to include a newly opened Catholic school just north of Udon Thani with an associated kindergarten and a newly re-done International School to name just a couple. The OP can do a simple Google search to see a list of primary schools available here. I hope this helps.
An ex-pat in the Land of Smile

User avatar
rick
udonmap.com
Posts: 3238
Joined: January 9, 2008, 10:36 am
Location: Udon, or UK May-August

Re: Best Thai School for P5 Student

Post by rick » November 22, 2016, 3:19 pm

My daughter goes to Kindergarten at St. Mary's, and although not brilliant teaching, is 'adequate' i would say. children are taught a mixture of Thai and English, at Kindergarten level this is mainly emphasis on being able to recognise and write the English and Thai characters, plus counting. Of course my daughter could do this already (well except the writing part) but there is some progress.

After having seen what has been said about some of the purely private schools in Udon, I think that you will find a lot that will disappoint and the extra costs will provide little extra on the achievement side.

Post Reply

Return to “Education/Schools”