tmvolunteers.org

Thurs 24th Dec
You’ll notice that I’m missing a few days – wont go in to detail but suffice to say I haven’t been very well – nothing serious – and everyone has been very helpful and the staff at Thai Mueang hospital were great.

Fri 25th Dec
Happy Christmas! Back to school as feeling much better – how else would I want to spend Christmas Day but teaching! Had a lovely lunch, pork noodle soup, my favourite and something that I have every day. I must have been wished a Merry Christmas at least 100 times and the students knew a little bit of Jingle Bells and so we had a sing song.
I went to the beach just so I could say “I went to the beach on Christmas Day”! It was lovely and peaceful with hazy sunshine – but I can’t complain as there is snow in England and Germany. Just Anders and I having dinner as Net was busy at school, quiet meal, then I went home and Net was there with a young German volunteer, Christin from Baluga school. She stayed the night as we are all going to Phuket tomorrow.

Sat 26th Dec
Net picked us up at 08.00 and off we went to Phuket, her cousin and a friend were with us and once we arrived, we split up as we had different things to do. Christin and I went shopping, eating, booked in to the Crystal hotel. We did more shopping and then met up with Fon – my English teacher from school – with her husband Nae and son, Noney. We went to look at the sunset from a very popular place, Phrom Thep Cape. It was lovely but unfortunately cloudy and so not the greatest sunset but a lovely idea all the same. We all went to dinner and arranged to meet the next day.

Sun 27th Dec
Following an unusual American breakfast – we went to meet Andoo at the market, did some more shopping and waited for Fon. We went to Kata Karon beach and then to Patong beach for lunch. It was wonderful sitting there people watching and what amazing people. All foreigners – the only Thais on the beach were those working. I was fascinated by the ‘Lady-boys’. It’s quite difficult to tell with some of them, some of course are very obvious but others not so. Fantastic legs – no cellulite there! Apparently I have to be in Patong at night-time to really see them at their best, can’t wait. Christin and I caught the bus back to Thai Mueang and met Anders, Net and some of their friends at a restaurant on the beach, we had dinner then back to the house. Christin and I sat and chatted and talked girlie stuff, it was great.

Mon 28th Dec
I took two classes for Fon this morning as she was in a meeting. Went well and I back-tracked a little and was pleasantly surprised when the students remembered a fair amount of the work. We had a good time and I think they enjoyed themselves. Strange to think of students enjoying themselves in class but you have to understand that the Thai way is totally different to ours. Some students turn up 20 – 30 minutes late for class – but that’s okay, they were having breakfast! Some would ask to be excused – to nip to the toilets for a quick ciggie! Right – can you imagine this in the UK!
I went to the beach again but only for a little while and then back home to catch up on my blog. Met Anders and Net for dinner – had pork noodle soup! I’m going to look like a noodle soon! Back home to watch a film then bed. It’s absolutely pouring tonight but I guess I shouldn’t complain as it’s still about 28 degrees and its 20.30!

Some volunteers have been disappointed in their failure of being able to send across the English language to the students. It is a tough job as when we come here as foreigners thinking we have the knowledge and the tools required to be good teachers. We think we know, but we don’t.

First Impression
Turning up the first day at Ban Huaisai Primary School to be introduced to teachers, parents, all the students are lined up, standing in the sun. The principal is talking to the students through a microphone, connected to a loudspeaker system; with speakers strategically placed all over the school to make sure that everyone at school and the surrounding neighborhood can hear what the principal has to say to the kids. Parents have arrived to take a look at the “volunteer English teacher” “Nong told me that she is a farang from England…” “dunno where she’s from, I just came to see her complexion…” All 62 students, acting routinely to what the principal is saying, are all staring at you… with a kind smile the principal turns to you… and hands you the microphone, time for you to say something to everyone.

Yes, the first couple of minutes as a volunteer English teacher can to some be an overwhelming new experience, thinking of the thought process here; from the first time you saw our website, to now actually be standing here in a small village in Southeast Asia! Some volunteers: “What am I gonna say!?” and other volunteers, if not all: “Wow, it is hot here!” It’s time to realize that all the “order” and systems that we are used to in the western hemisphere… well, this is the eastern hemisphere, and what might seem logical at home has a totally different meaning here. Thailand and the Thai people are so very inviting for everyone to have a great experience and for that to happen one just need to try to understand just a bit of the unique Thai culture and how things are done in a polite Thai manner. Being kind hearted and open minded are also two qualities a volunteer English teacher should have. Shortly after arrival we have a talk about do’s and don’ts, teaching at a Thai school, Thai manners, lesson planning, and getting on with it.

Ideas
Creative ideas must come from the volunteer, your imagination is your limit, let it be your frontier to explore and come up with ways to convey the English language to the children. Many years of textbook teaching has produced very limited results in the student’s reading and writing skills, and even less in their conversational abilities. Aim for lessons getting the students out of their chairs and using the English language, literally. If the first week goes by with always having a positive attitude where students seemingly hardly make any mistakes and you are not the “correcting” teacher, you can go into the second week of teaching knowing some of the strengths and weaknesses of the classes and some students, prepared with lessons made by you, knowing it’s going to be fun. You will quickly find out who the eager students are and use them to your advantage in your teaching as they are not shy to speak. By advantage I mean that you could ask these students questions and even if they gave you a wrong answer you could feed them the correct and they will show their peers that speaking English is “eeeasy”.

Getting close to the students and try to understand their level of understanding is essential for an English teacher in Thailand. Some students will come to you even before you have taught your first lesson, they might just want to touch your skin and they won’t say a word, others after a couple of days, and few will never be anywhere near you throughout your entire volunteer teaching period. Use your skills and talents, you know which ones you have, and I know that you have various.

Ban Huaisai Primary School
About 250 people live in Ban Huaisai Village and that has been sufficient for the government to open a primary school. The people are mainly rubber-tree and palm-oil farmers, just are most other villages in District of Thai Mueang. With 62 students the school is entitled to 3 teachers and a principal, provided by the Thai Ministry of Education. The Thai teachers must be able to teach at least three subjects and are often teaching grades 1-3 in one classroom and grades 4-6 in another. “Teeacha… Teeacha!” adapt, learn and have a wonderful time.

Smiles
Anders

Have Fun!

I pop bubble wrap at 1.61 bubbles per second! I popped 196 bubbles in 2 minutes and 1.8 seconds at www.Virtual-Bubblewrap.com! Can you beat my score?

bubble wrap

Technorati Tags: bubble wrap