Cycles of Poverty

Postbox letter from Robert

Wealthy foreign businessmen and women own a number of pseudo-International schools in Thailand and they charge the locals exorbitant tuition fees.

Why education reform in Thailand is imminent

The Thai MOE surely has to begin the formal development of rules and regulations.

If the Thai education system was in fact reformed where certifications and teachers qualifications were vetted, then so-called teachers would indeed have to resort to “flipping burgers” in their native countries simply because they have no real qualifications to represent themselves as teachers.

An undeserved promotion

Foreign teachers are powerless to stop problem students advancing

Last year in my P1 class I encountered a student named Oat (not his real name). Within minutes of meeting this child it was apparent that he had some sort of behavioral problem. He was extremely active, running from room to room, disrupting classes throughout the whole school. The other teachers tried to control him but it was close to impossible.

Discipline in the classroom

The 800-pound gorilla no one talks about

On more than one occasion last semester when I was teaching at the local high school I walked out of classes because I wasn't able to control an unruly crowd of 35 teenagers.

Problems with the Thai public education system

A list of almost twenty issues that certainly need looking at

I want to list some of the more egregious problems and describe reasonable solutions. Testing and implementing the solutions on a small scale will come later, if at all.

Expensive desk ornaments

Let's figure out how to fix the education system

I fully expect the majority of farang teachers to disagree with me and the approach I'm advocating. If you don't want to participate, fine, go drink a Chang and reflect upon your superior knowledge.

Everyone will pass!

Postbox letter from Roy

I’ve been teaching here a little over twenty years and have heard students say they don’t care if they fail because they know they will still pass.

Cheating or helping?

Is it better to simply observe students and not try to fix things?

I learned a long time ago to not expect Thai people to think or behave the way we do in California. I've come to realize the futility of trying to impose Western values on this ancient culture.

What if you were the Minister of Education?

A fun challenge to see if you, as a teacher, could do better.

Could you create the 'perfect' educational environment? In these positions, you'd have the power over some of the issues facing us every day as teachers, but not all. Some problems can only be addressed higher up the chain, at the ministry level.