Happy Travels

TEACHING is something that occupies my days. It takes a fair amount of time on preparation and organising and then there\’s travel to the schools and back. I do not plan the lesson but assist in preparation and packing in boxes to take on the TVC truck to the schools.

First school of the week is at Chai Thai Mai and talk about hectic! We have two classes called in these schools P5 and P6 that would be ages about 10-12. We arrive there is no teacher to direct us to where we can hold the class and there is no sign of the class even though the grounds of the school are scattered with children.  So we take all the materials to an open area underneath what is the computer room. It is tiled and open and large and of course one takes off one\’s sandals to walk on it. This week we had a Thai woman from the TVC to drive us and fortunately found the class and directed them to us. There seems to be no discipline and certainly no teacher comes to us. The next class we would never have found except Goi who arrived back to the school got them for us. They can be disruptive and noisy and crazy at times. It is hard going particularly when some understand english pretty well and others really seem to find it difficult. I wonder if our accents confuse them – there\’s Andy from England with his accent who says \’thoom\’, there\’s Jenny also English who says \’thumb\’ and there\’s me who also says \’thumb\’ the correct way. And Ken the main teacher who says \’thumb\’ proper too.  Some students are not shy and speak quite easily and clearly and some who will not speak at all. I imagine how clever they are to learn – it takes me a lot of time to grasp language particularly by just listening. In Thailand their way of teaching is chalk and talk. They are expert at copying.

Then the next school of the week is Fai Tha which is slightly closer to Khao Lak (KLk). They too are unruly but have this large assembly each morning with incredibly loud speakers and then three students stand on a dais at the front and they dance this dance which is merely a lot of arm and handmovement. Then at the end of about 5 minutes dance, they are marched into school by a band led by a student, with mace, and followed by drums and then other strange instruments. The classes are hard going too.

And there is an orphanage called Home and Life we go to for a lesson once a week, all ages and held in a room with lots of doors and windows and the place has lots of mosquitoes nipping us. This orphanage has recently been re-built with money donated by, I think, either a German man or company.

We teach on Friday at a lovely school in Koh Nok and the class is about 55 of all ages. The teachers also wear a uniform top which is very colourful and has a marine scene on it. The children\’s uniform is red and their shirt has same colourful marine scene on it. This place is very close to the Andaman Sea and the village feels and looks great. I would love to spend a little time in the place so anyone who wants to come to Thailand, do a little teaching, meet some villagers, witness the culture etc. this would be a great place. The school is small enough, 55 students, to not be lost in. The teachers here were the friendliest, seem to have a more disciplined regime too, and some even spoke english. This is rare in Thai schools.