Cru (teacher) Bradley

Jenna and I doing some Thai dance on Friday

Tuesday morning I woke up and remembered that I’m actually here to work, not just play. I took a quick cold shower and put on “teacher clothes.” Luckily, there is no uniform for teachers so at least I get to dress myself. However, I’ve never actually had to wear working clothes. Oh yes, I’m now a part of the shmazy working class; a person who wears knee-length black skirts that zip all the way up to my navel, shirts that cover my shoulders and cleavage, and heeled shoes. I also tuck my shirts in.

Some info on the school: It's a private school in Samut Sahkon that functions as an EP (English Program). A majority of the classes are taught in English, like math and science, but the kids also have regular Thai classes and regular English classes. It's a trilingual school so there are also classes in Chinese. When they graduate, the children are expected to be fluent in English and Thai and have a large grasp, if not fluent, in Chinese. Because it is an EP school, the school must conform to whatever regulations the Thai Ministry of Education passes. The Ministry of Ed passes new reforms and new regulations each year that usually cancel out the regulations they passed last year. It leads to an extremely unstable teaching/learning environment. Most schools disregard the M of Ed but our school orders us to follow their guidelines exactly. The sad truth is that these kids couldn’t care less about school or their lessons. Some kids there really do want to learn but others are just rich snobs (reminds me of a school I once spent 15 year at) who have been known to sleep on the floor during classes, throw things at the teachers and some senior classes can’t recite the alphabet in English. The P.E. teacher told S and I that one of the students, who is autistic and nick named “Kong”, threw his Thai teacher out of the second story window. The teacher left the school the next day and Kong now takes classes online.

Some of the nursery students. The kid in blue
is one of my favorites.

But I don’t have to worry about any of that because I’m teaching Aanubaan, also known as Kindergarten. As predicted, these kids are adorable and I want to take them all home with me. While they might be wild at times they also can recite the ABCs, count to 20 and even read small words, depending on the age group. There is Nursery: 2-3 year olds, K-1: 3-4, K-2: 4-5, and K-3: 5-6. I’ll be teaching K-1. 

We arrived at the kindergarten on Tuesday, which is a quick van ride away from the main school, after lunch to meet everyone and all the kids. Summer school is still in session and regular term starts on Monday. Up in the foreign teachers lounge we met the three Chinese teachers and the two English teachers who are actually from Turkistan and Cameroon. Both have been very nice and accommodating as Jenna and I shadowed their classes.

The Nursery classes were the funniest to watch. It’s utter chaos. There are about 10-12 2 and 3 year old students in the class, laying on pillows with teachers behind them. One at a time they come up to do the activity the English teacher has set up for them and then they run around the room as the homeroom teachers chase them. They are literally pulling the children by their legs across the floor back to their mats. Others are cradling the kids as they are screaming and having a total breakdown. One little girl made a run for it out the door but was caught just as she was closing the classroom door. It’s the best birth control ever. 

(Photo credits to Jenna)