Village education

by **nkstan** » May 28, 2010, 8:48 am

KHONDAHM wrote:I, for one, think that it would be fruitful for ALL falangs to support ONE or TWO schools (i.e. one east and one west) and send our kids there. There are a lot more families being established in Udon and it should be truly do-able within the next few years.

Our home and my 8 y/o remains in Pattaya solely so she can attend a pilot school that is semi-private. It is run by the government and collects tuition (a bit steep at THB 53k/term + books and uniforms) from the parents. They have an English program building and a Thai program building (1/2 price). The teaching quality in the English program is decent, not "great"; they do actually learn and the teachers do actually teach. I would compare it to a low-average performing suburban school in the States. It is improving year after year.

We need something like that in Udon.

I agree with the comments about home-schooling. This is her 2nd term in a school and she remains at the top of her grade in every subject (except Thai language - lol - but her reading/writing in Thai is improving now that it's the wife's turn with her). I stopped teaching her intro-algebra at the beginning of her first term (P2, now in P3) because I knew she needed to make the adjustment to a class environment. BUT we still read together every Sunday no matter where I am. We are currently on Chapter IX of "Alice in Wonderland" (original version with all those weird and dead words (unless you're British ). No video games or TV on Sunday. Only reading. That is the LAW in my house.

While normally unremarkable, I say it only to stress that WE, the parents, are our child's teacher. At the elementary level, the school system should be just where they go to prove what they learn and pick up additional tidbits not covered in the home. All to often, I see parents literally dump their kids off and let the school system teach and/or raise their children, then complain about the quality of education they receive. Get involved! Believe me, I (lol - certainly not my WoW addicted wife) could make every excuse about not having time and it would be true, but we find time when we MAKE time and it is always quality time better spent for the effort.

I can only hope that there may be enough like-minded parents around Udon interested in improving A (as in single) school over the next few years. My son, now 5 weeks, needs somewhere to go eventually. It would be nice if it could be in Udon.

You sound like a dedicated father and parent KD,unfortunately,but maybe not,I don't think there are that many as motivated as you.Trying to motivate a group large enough to accomplish your honorable objectives stated,would be some kind of an accomplishment indeed!

Therefore ,those with your dedication,should,IMO,focus on homeschooling as a more realistic plan!

Keep up the great parenting,your children are lucky indeed! =D>

by **trubrit** » May 28, 2010, 9:19 am

As one who has taught in both a private school(Paid) and in the local school (unpaid) it comes down to one thing , discipline. Both sets of pupils were approximately the same age group 14-16. In the former the students were taught respect and discipline. I don't mean the cane on the hand type. I mean . Don't speak when I am talking. If you want to ask a question, raise your hand and await your turn. In the latter it was sheer bedlam. Phones going off, teacher baiting with sexual innuendo and students just getting up and walking off . This was the standard throughout the entire school, so it wasn't just me failing . It happened when the Head was present .It didn't take me long to realise the kids, most of them , really didn't want to learn . So I was wasting my time .
After that i confined myself to teaching commercial English to adults .As for donating equipment . I bought a complete computer set up and gave it to a school to help . Not long after I found out that the invoice I paid had been submitted as an expense claim by a member of staff . :evil:

So help your local school by all means but make sure it is really wanted by both staff and students .

by **stoneman** » May 28, 2010, 9:51 am

Frankie 1 wrote:
stoneman wrote:
Wouldn't it be better to sponsor that neighborhood school in stead of just one girl? Then maybe all the kids in that school can benefit.
Are there people on this forum who do some volunteer work for their local village school? for instance, donate a computer for a computer room or help with teaching English now and then? Or look after the kids when the local teachers are gone for the day on training? Or go with them on a sports day to be a referee? You are also part of the community where you live.

Frankie....The neighborhood school has over 500 students and I feel it is a better use of my time and money to support one little girl who wants to learn than to give 1,000 baht a month to the public school, which would just disappear..This private school is less than a km from the large public school..

As to donations to the schools, we have donated several computers to the school in my wife's village...much smaller school and they seem to appreciate this more than the huge public school where we live...

Stoneman

by **stoneman** » May 28, 2010, 9:57 am

nkstan wrote:Many of the ''good'' private schools are limited to the early grades only,the kids get a good exciting start! After that, the resources are limited,and the advancing acheivements are stunted as the teacher interest and quality folds up,the curriculum becomes burdened with extra classes,textbooks material becomes to far advanced for the student interest and ability,so they are skimmed selectively and the focus is shifted to teaching what will be tested for grades,lesson plans become non-existent,questioning and wonderment on the part of the students becomes non-existent!

Stan..

Yes, I realize that this is a pending problem and something that we will be faced with in the coming years...Right now if I could not find a good school, the answer would be pack up the family and move to Oklahoma...This is our plan, but we are hoping to wait until he is ready for high school...Assuming we can find the school here that will keep him growing till that time...if not, we go back early...

George

by **grozza** » May 29, 2010, 9:16 pm

from my limited experience with village education i must say they dont lack disipline,but i do agree with the extra tutoring.my wifes two nephews were educated in the village school and are doing really well in life.
one is a it manager in bangkok earning good money,the other is in the thai air force learning to be a air traffic controller.having said that they did put in the extra work on weekends,the funny thing about the tutoring it was done at there village school by there teacher.
having said all that i was always told you only get out what you put in doesnt matter what school you go to.

by **parrot** » November 9, 2011, 7:26 pm

As there's been much written about Thai education, home schooling and private education, I thought some forum members with school-age children might find this read interesting. It's a long read, so saddle up with a can of your favorite beverage or a cup of good coffee.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/magaz ... wanted=all

by **KHONDAHM** » November 10, 2011, 1:40 am

Skimmed it. It's a long-winded recount of some writer growing up with hippie-ish parents who homeschooled him and his 3 siblings in Mexico and down-scale places in the US. They end up leading typical lives as adults after 3 graduate college and one drops out.

I did not find it interesting enough to read thoroughly.

by **yanbotha** » November 28, 2011, 11:52 pm

From last many years many changes has been done in the education system like on line education programs and also animated education C.D or some educational seminar held by some country. also in village the government also held some educational program so the public of the village can know what is the literature and what is an education ? and which are the advantages of education?

by **dbriggins** » November 29, 2011, 9:55 pm

Having worked with village schools for 5 years back in the 90's, results are mixed, but are highly dependant upon the participation of the parents, the desire of the teachers, and the quality of the head teacher. If the parents don't care, neither to the students, and no level of ability on the part of the teachers is going to help. Where the teachers could give a rats ass, the influence and participation of the community is blunted. Their best hope is to rotate the teachers out and get new ones. The head teacher can help influence both parent participation and teacher enthusiasm. But if he's a slacker, then he can be easily bypassed. If the Khruu Yai is a martinet, with appearance being all important, then god help the students. So in a sense it's a crap shoot, but parental participation is key. It's not the money, it's the enthusiasm for learning and developing that's important. It's possible to get a world class education with a slate board and pencil and paper, but no amount of electronic gadgetry will overcome lack of interest on the part of parents.

Village education

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