Schooling in Udon Thani

[KHONDAHM]

Indeed. The primary school here in our village was built in the 1940's. With wood. It received an additional wing made of concrete in the 1960's. No updates since then. It remains very "NatGeo" looking.

My daughter's school is allegedly the best public primary school in the city. It received a new building last year, but her classrooms are mostly in the old building where there are so many craters in the concrete floor, one feels as if one is walking on the moon. No A/C, crammed with students, etc., etc. The money is in the system. The problem is political and administrative will to allocate and manage it properly, IMO.

[rick]

Not exactly on topic, but as i am a bit rusty on child development (20 years ago). What would you consider to be the age at which your child would learn to recognise numbers, letters, both farang and Thai? My daughter (24 months) seems to be rapidly expanding her abilities in the last month. Wonder when to start her on reading.

[JR]

Start now. I did with my son when he was younger than that. Wrote words on papers in large letters and reading them to him one by one. Just a short period of time each time each day. You do not want her to lose interest.
A child this age can learn two languages simultaneously so if you speak English with her and your wife Thai, she will pick it up.

[Jing Jing]

One way to help children learn English in a fun way is to use the internet.You can use find some basic reading material at sites like starfall.org or http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org. Youtube has some read aloud storybooks but the problem is searching youtube. Rainbow fish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6S4IPMs5ZY or http://www.storylineonline.net/rainbowf ... en_yt.html is a cute kids story.

[parrot]

kd, you might be interested in the article at
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/28/books ... wanted=all

and
http://www.csos.jhu.edu/crespar/techRep ... port20.pdf (dated, but I believe still applicable as related to the Calvert Home School curriculum) (see page 6)

If you daughter hasn't studied about Matisse, Cézanne, Monet, Gauguin, Titian, and El Greco, she will in the Calvert program. All 8 or so of the children who studied the Calvert Art program while I was doing homeschooling enjoyed that part of the curriculum.

[Firfox]

Hi to everyone

I found the comments in regards to prioritising Chinese rather than English as a second language very interesting. I agree in part, based on where Thailand is geographically located, that proficiency in the use of the Chinese language would be an advantage. However, due to the English language being the chosen language of ASEAN and also an internationally recognised language surely one would want to prioritise English as a second language.

I may be a little bias for we have our own Englishg school in Udon Thani. I also home school our daughter and she is proficient in both languages. I am currently in Phucket (holiday0 and the taxi driver that drove us From the airport to Patong spoke Thai, English and his native tongue Malaysian. Thailand has alot of catching up to do!!!!!

[KHONDAHM]

@Parrot - The first article was interesting. I vaguely recall his earlier efforts and the controversy surrounding his proposed wrote approach to learning and using the list of 5,000 items as a measure of a student's learning experience. I do see that much of his approach is now reflected in the content and method of testing. That said, I'm personally more a fan of the methods employed even before my generation. That's when teachers really taught and students actually learned. None of that multiple choice nonsense. You knew it or you didn't; and if you didn't then teachers and parents cared enough to go the extra mile to ensure you did.

The other article describing an implementation of Calvert School learning is very helpful. Thank you.

The jury is out regarding whether my Precious will jump into the Calvert curriculum. There is a gap which needs to be filled between today and the end of P6. My son (3 1/2 now) will absolutely use Calvert. There is some interesting input available on their site wherein the recommend not rushing a child even if the child exhibits advanced learning capabilities at an early age. My son's speech is still developing, but everything else is well ahead of what they list as objectives for 1st grade. I actually think I am holding him back by letting him learn on his own on his iPad. He masters that stuff fast and the gets bored, so he plays non-learning video games more than he should to not be bored. It's hard for me to hold back teaching him, so I'm just trying to expose him to learning experiences instead (nature walks, explaining how things work, etc.). I think I may have no choice but to start actually teaching him at age 4 rather than wait until age 5 as suggested by Calvert.

[rick]

Well, yes my daughter has already started on languages long before 24 months. as suggested, my wife mainly speaks to her in Thai and myself in English. First words around 12-14 months were Daddeee, nana and starfruit. Has mainly lapsed into Thai as she hears that from all the other family members. She matches the 26 letters of the alphabet in shape puzzles, can read about 50% of numbers in car number plates and a few thai characters as well. Watches ABC youtube videos and says the letters; also knows where A is on the keyboard, B and C next. So will start on the reading books soon and counting. By the time she is 4 she will be posting here maybe.....

[KHONDAHM]

I'm of the mind that today's PC is obsolete. Microsoft's Windows 8 was the first major step away from the keyboard and mouse setup. I am looking for a suitable touchscreen Apple for my son to build upon his already "deep" iPad knowledge. He likes to use my Precious' Windows 7 laptop when she's not looking or at school, but I really see Apple as being the dominant brand for his generation. Steve Jobs new exactly what he was doing when he made Apple's devices so intuitive. He successfully set up Apple to capture the future. Microsoft belly-flopped with W8. As soon as today's IT managers are retired, Apple may very well take over the enterprise, too.

[parrot]

Don't have any school age kids of my own.....but just wondering: What's holding back an international school from opening in Udon? Back when I was finishing up my homeschooling stint (circa 2005), there was talk on a few fronts about opening up a school in Udon. But I never heard anything further.

Given the central location of Udon to Nongkai/Laos, Loei/Nongbualamphu and given the AEC fever pitch, one would expect some progress on opening up an international school.

Just wondering if anyone's heard anything from anyone who might know about those things.

Back when Udon was still a 2-bit town but beginning to come out of its shell, I'd ask Harry (Harry's Bar) why there wasn't a Villa-Market type store in Udon (NOT an actual Villa, mind you....that was beyond comprehension less than 10 years ago). Harry surmised that the expat population (back then) didn't have the kind of finances that could support shopping in such a store....enough to keep it open. Well, times have changed in Udon......CC, Villa, a host of higher end restaurants, and probably triple or more the number of fancy cars running around.....not to mention 25sq meter of condo space going for a cool 1.5 million baht and up. So.....what's holding back an international school?

Just wondering.

[KHONDAHM]

My wife has heard through the grapevine it is coming. No factual details, unfortunately. The rumor is that the current Chinese private school may be expanded. Probably around 2015. It makes sense, but also doesn't...

[Firfox]

I too have heard through the grapevine that there are discussions currently taking p lace about a private International School being earmarked for Udon Thani. Just be aware this will be a business venture and places will be very expensive and quickly taken up. A few issues that need to be taken into consideration how will they attract the teachers. There is currently a shortage of qualified English teachers in Udon Thani. What package will they offer in order to attract the appropriate personnel. An International school should have internationally qualified teachers. I am not talking about native English speaking teachers with a Degree in any subject and a TEFL. What curriculum will the school follow and where will the examinations take place. There are so many issues that will need to be resolved. An International school needs to operate to International Standards. Has Udon Thani got the infrastructure to make this happen?

[marjamlew]

A few issues that need to be taken into consideration how will they attract the teachers. There is currently a shortage of qualified English teachers in Udon Thani. What package will they offer in order to attract the appropriate personnel.

A real interntional school wants/needs properly qualified and expericened ex-pat teachers. Teachers who have up to date professional development and who implement worlds best practise. These teachers with 10 - 15+ years experience in western education systems don't come cheap. Some would be prepared to sacrifice some money because it cheaper to live in Udon than in say Melbourne but those who have mortages in their home countries don't really have that choice.
Also these teachers get an extra 10% of what they earn paid into their superannuation for retirement plus in many cases their own salary sacrifice and would also want to maintain this.
So they would want at least 160,000B a month (absolute minimum) plus 10% super from the boss.
I'll be on the first plane to the new Udon International School when they are ready. If they can accomadate me.

[wazza]

I'll be on the first plane to the new Udon International School when they are ready. If they can accomadate me.

Supose u want my 3rd Bedroom for Digs

Happy to rent it out on Melb rates to you. LOL

[marjamlew]

I'll be on the first plane to the new Udon International School when they are ready. If they can accomadate me.

Supose u want my 3rd Bedroom for Digs

Happy to rent it out on Melb rates to you. LOL

Sorry Wazza I forgot to mention the free accomadation in a secure, modern, gated community.

[Firfox]

Hello guys please get your quotes right: I never wrote "I'll be on the first plane to the new......."

I already live in Udon and we already have our own English school. I have no intention of working for any one else.

I think you will find that it was Marjamlew who expressed these thoughts. LOL

[parrot]

Ask.......and ye shall receive:

International School to Launch in Udon Thani
Udon Thani, Thailand, November 05, 2013

A new international school is being developed in the city of Udon Thani for kindergarten and primary students with classes to begin in August, 2014.

Udon International Education Partnership Ltd is investing over 150 million baht in the construction of the Udon Thani International School (UDIS) over the next three years. UDIS will be the first international school in the Northeast region and teach a UK and inquiry based curriculum to students.

UDIS aims to develop students who have creative, enquiring minds who can take responsibility for their learning, be culturally aware and who can understand the importance of sustainability for their community’s future.

Siriphat Pukpo, UDIS licensee, said of the school that “it has been a long time but now students in the Northeast region will be able to benefit from an international education without having to leave for Bangkok or Chiang Mai. We are very pleased to be able to bring an international education to people in Udon Thani and the surrounding areas.”

UDIS is based on the strategic Mittrapab highway and will help forge stronger links for the 2015 AEC agreement with students expected to join the school from neighbouring Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. UDIS is also expected to benefit local businesses seeking foreign workers who are more likely to relocate to Udon Thani if a quality education option is available for their children.

UDIS will begin construction of new kindergarten buildings in December 2013 with the construction of primary buildings to follow in 2015. The buildings will incorporate innovative environmental features in line with the school’s goal of sustainability with features including a green roof, solar energy, water recycling, cavity walls, day-lighting and airflow design.

Lindsay Stuart, UDIS Project Manager, said that the design and the construction of the building enable the creation of an optimal learning environment for children with free movement between learning and play. This helps learning to occur throughout the school day.

The school plans to begin classes in August, 2014 for kindergarten and lower primary students in a purpose built, state of the art facility that will be one of the best in Thailand. Applications for new students will open in February, 2015.

More information can be found on the school’s website at www.udoninternationalschool.com

[wazza]

wadnt their an Int school in Khon Kaen with majority Kiwi teavhers ?

[Firfox]

I have home schooled my daughter for two and a half years in line with the English National Curriculum. She is currently one year ahead of her English based counterparts (eleven year olds). I also run a successful English tutor school in Udon Thani based on Sri Chum Cheun. I started a thread on here a few years ago about opening the tutor school (some of the old timers will probably recall the thread). Just for information I am now 'testing the bath water' to see if there is any interest in our school providing a service in regards to delivering the English National Curriculum to other students aged 3 to 11 years of age. The school already has a license from the MOE and owns all the relevant resources. If there is any interest feel free to PM me. Thank you.

[mak]

wadnt their an Int school in Khon Kaen with majority Kiwi teavhers ?

KKVS School.