Sunday, 8. Dec. I arrived at the village Baan Khum Pa Pha. The village is SSW of Bueng Khan, next the river Songkhram. In walking distance is Ban Kham Yang School which I have found on GoogleMaps.
Yesterday was my first schoolday. Director of the school is Kiddy Chai, 35 years old, speaking English very well. He has been buddhist monk for 15 years, then he left the monastery, married and became director. The school is small, 6 classes, for each school year one. Around 120 kids are at this school. The youngest are 5 years old. In towns there are also high schools, but here in the countryside there are no more possibilities for the kids.
According to the timetable there should be lectures from 9-12 and 13-15 o´clock. Kids get a lunch at school.
I arrived with Nalinrat -who helps with translation- at 8:15. Some kids played around. At 8:30 a bell rang. at 8:45 the bell rang three-times and the ids took up position: girls separate from boys, the younger in front. They sang the hymn and the flag was raised. The children return to their classrooms, put off their shoes.
The school has too few teachers, Kiddy Chai tries very much to get some more. But now part of the lectures cannot be hold and kids have to amuse themselves. Teachers have high status and children stand up, do their greetings when a teacher enters the classroom.
Director Kiddy Chai and I go for the lecture for the oldest. Program are 3 questions and answers: How to greet, askingg for the name and from where a person is. Kiddy Chai write stye sentences to the blackboard (which is in this case a whiteboard!) and the kids really paint them. Then they should be spoken.
The thai system is used to go for learning by heart, calling children to the front of the classroom. In Austria teaching natural sciences (as I did) is surely closer to this system than teaching a language…But my intuition called for another style. But I am with the director!! How to master this situation? To pay respect, but to find an approach to the children that they enjoy the lecture and are not afraid of making a mistake! To transport a meaning is much more important than correct grammar….
But Kiddy Chai is very wise: He gives the structure and lets me work then. So we get used to each other and he has a proof of my work.
I start my role-play: I say the question, change my position to the child´s one and answer. Soon some kids understand, help their classmates and our play is successful. After a short while they switch the sentences very well. Then I show them with the help of the globe where I come from. My second lesson is similar
Then the director has a meeting with some local politicians, he fights for a new place for sports. I am introduced and get another Bai Ci Chua ceremony. Then my first school day officially is finished. I work together with a teacher for some songs, my sister gave me (she was director of a primary school). One song is about names. But the song only permits names with two syllables, but the Thai names are soooo long! The nicknames are shorter, I hope we can do that.
At 16:30 I am finished. So many new impressions! I hope the director and the kids enjoyed my work.
Now I will try to post with the help of my iPhone which I can use as a hotspot. Tomorrow will be easier, the school has better equipment as I expected
Helga, so wonderful to read and learn from our newest Krue! The children and teachers look ever so happy to have you! What a grand adventure and how amazing to share it with others. Thank you for all your kindness and great teaching! joan
Does your site have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to send you
an email. I’ve got some suggestions for your blog you might
be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.
Since this is my first blog I appreciate very much hints to do it better!
Life is here so intense for me, that there is not enough time to write down all my observations.
Here my email:
gundl2@gundl2.at
I will think about a contact page!
Helga
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