Thursday, February 28, 2008
...
Down down you bring me down,
I hear you knocking down my door and I can't sleep at night,
Your face, it has no place,
No room for you inside my head I need to be alone.
Brown, Squire, Reni & Mani
I hear you knocking down my door and I can't sleep at night,
Your face, it has no place,
No room for you inside my head I need to be alone.
Brown, Squire, Reni & Mani
Monday, February 25, 2008
Song for My Sugar Spun Sister
It's been a long time since I wrote to you so I thought I'd better make a good job of it. Every time I hear Ce Matin La by Air I think of you, a brass Yorkshire trumpet/accordion combination on soft French beats, like a sassy mid summer wine flavoured with Compo type stunts in disused bath tubs against rolling green hills. Biggie Smalls is my man these days, hence the delay in writing.
I'll never forget that first foray into Laos (Ce incursion la); Peruvians, French lessons, spring rolls, chocolate pancakes, tubing, a life changing sunset, Beerlao and an attachment to the local herb that bore pipe dreams which became reality when the sultry Mekong mist and haze faded.
Your prediction long ago came true, shortly after last seeing you in Halifax I came back. I was going to go to India but was talked out of it. I went to China instead. On the way, I stopped off in Vientiane to arrange my Chinese visa and bumped into Dtock. The visit to China was delayed although I did eventually make it to the breathtaking (in every way) Tiger Leaping Gorge. I was soon back in Laos and then believe it or not Thailand. We live together in Bangkok now with our four month old son, Bamboo. He's usually in good spirits but he went for his inoculations yesterday and has been overheating and tetchy since. He's playful and communicative like me, good looking, placid and easy going like his Mum. When he cries he screws up his face like I frown on a bad photo, it's uncanny it reminds me of my Dad in a bad mood, thankfully he doesn't cry too much.
Bangkok still attracts the chaff of the west and we're hoping we can get out of here before too long. We're planning the greatest of escapes whilst dodging the sun, tuk tuks and natives with no peripheral vision. Last I heard from you you were in Latin America with a Hawain called Victor, if you get to Little Havannah yell 'Viva Fidel' or you in Africa? Keep going keep going wherever you are.
Take it East
I'll never forget that first foray into Laos (Ce incursion la); Peruvians, French lessons, spring rolls, chocolate pancakes, tubing, a life changing sunset, Beerlao and an attachment to the local herb that bore pipe dreams which became reality when the sultry Mekong mist and haze faded.
Your prediction long ago came true, shortly after last seeing you in Halifax I came back. I was going to go to India but was talked out of it. I went to China instead. On the way, I stopped off in Vientiane to arrange my Chinese visa and bumped into Dtock. The visit to China was delayed although I did eventually make it to the breathtaking (in every way) Tiger Leaping Gorge. I was soon back in Laos and then believe it or not Thailand. We live together in Bangkok now with our four month old son, Bamboo. He's usually in good spirits but he went for his inoculations yesterday and has been overheating and tetchy since. He's playful and communicative like me, good looking, placid and easy going like his Mum. When he cries he screws up his face like I frown on a bad photo, it's uncanny it reminds me of my Dad in a bad mood, thankfully he doesn't cry too much.
Bangkok still attracts the chaff of the west and we're hoping we can get out of here before too long. We're planning the greatest of escapes whilst dodging the sun, tuk tuks and natives with no peripheral vision. Last I heard from you you were in Latin America with a Hawain called Victor, if you get to Little Havannah yell 'Viva Fidel' or you in Africa? Keep going keep going wherever you are.
Take it East
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
It's a Hard Knock (White Monkey) Life
This is by far the best rant I have ever read concerning teaching in Thailand. I cried laughing after reading this...
I have "some" moaning and groaning to do, so I guess I'm here at the right place to do so!
Teaching in Thailand at high school level is a farce and complete bullocks. In 2 years time I taught at 6 different high schools, ranging from the rich, private school to the poor government schools. Teaching at high school could better be referred to as teaching at "hell school".
I came to Thailand on 7 separate occasions, 7 consecutive years. I saw students everywhere in their cute white/black, white/blue uniforms. I saw great respect for their King and for monks and Buddism in general and I thought it would be a teachers heaven to teach such respectful and obedient people. I have some very good Thai friends and so I was so naive to think everybody was like that.
So.....as soon as I started to teach in Bangkok, I saw that my dream became an absolute horror movie. Children at school (high school that is) have no respect whatsoever. Don't get me wrong, not every student was bad. I had some nearly perfect classes like Mathayom 6/1, 5/1, 4/1 and these student were obedient and respectful and did what I asked them to do (doing their assignments, reading texts and so on) and it was a real pleasure to teach them, but unfortunately 90% of the classes following slash 1 (Mathayom 6/3, 5/3 whatever.....) were most of the time absolute hell. Especially the Mathayom 3, 4 slash 4,5 where pure hell.My biggest frustrations at school:- classes ranging from 30 up to 50 students in one class (impossible to handle and to teach)- Thai substitute teachers sometimes present, sitting in the corner of the class, who were supposed to help keeping order, doing nothing, just hang behind their desks without interfering- fighting, phoning (with their mobile phones), playing music on their mobile phones, playing soccer in the class room etc., you name it, I have seen and experienced all of it- people enter the classroom far too late and start to create chaos among the others- complete and utter disrespect in some classes because they think you are a farang, a white monkey (this was said to me in my face on several occasions)
At all schools I had no right to straighten them out. There are no rules whatsoever. Yes, I went to the head of department and the director on many different occasions and they came with me to the classroom and then after some "harsh talks" with the students, they were quiet for 5 minutes and then everything started again. I had classes full of wannabe pop stars, checking their faces and their Korean/Japanese soap-styled-hairdo's in their little pocket mirrors every single moment, just sitting there chewing gum and laughing about me. I had some very hard confrontations with them, telling them that they could laugh about me and disrespect me but at the end of the day I would still make my money and that is far more than they will ever make at the 7-eleven when they leave school.
Wise ass little shit-heads everywhere. They leave their books at home on purpose and just sit there wasting their time while chewing gum and completely disrespecting you. I had a Thai teacher, she was one of the English teachers that taught them 3 hours a week, and this woman always came to my worst classes, just to have a "peek". These classes were absolutely disastrous, no books, no understanding whatsoever of the English language, you name it.....She used to come to my class and ask me: "what are you going to teach them today?". I said to her:" they didn't bring their books again, like every day and they don't understand a word of English, so I can not read with them and practise pronunciation, so there's nothing much I can do". So she used to react a little pissed at me every time and so one day she started to get on my nerves and I told her:"Why is it, that these children have no understanding whatsoever of the English language while you, a Thai teacher who speaks Thai perfectly and also English perfectly teaches them 3 hours a week?". "If I would be able to speak Thai perfectly like you do and had the ability to explain them every single word, I bet your ass they would speak English quite well within a year". Yeh, bingo, she silenced....but didn't like what I said.
Yes, and I didn't like it, this same questioning routine several times a week while they don't handle any set of rules to straighten these children out who are unwilling to learn.Yes, nice line-up every morning at 8. Nice pep talk every morning at 8, but nobody gives a shit.I see 60 year old teachers who are working for the same school for more than 20/30 years and they don't have the energy anymore to do anything to improve the situation.
At one school some Thai teachers told me in my first week that my next 2 hours that day would be absolute hell and that no teacher could handle them, but that day I handled them perfectly, but every hour is a struggle, a war of words and mimic, a complete and utter headache crash course.
The list of what is wrong in the educational system in Thailand is endless and this is due to the system, the parents and the teachers.The system: at most schools were I was there were no exams! People just pass to the next year. No pressure, no study, no nothing.The parents: they don't give a shit and lack any substantial knowledge whatsoever to motivate and educate or force their children to study. School is just a building where you drop your pain-in-the-ass children and have some hours of peace and quiet. Later in the evening? Let's watch some soaps: evening long, brainless entertainment with beautiful-bad-acting-screaming-white-skin models (in whatever word order you want...).
After school they eat and then most of the children disappear again in the soi and go to the game-shops and play computer games till midnight or after, nobody gives a shit.The teachers: most Thai teachers don't care anymore, they just make a living and get their money anyway. Almost every farang teacher that I know does the same (and I know at least 30 in Bangkok). They tell me:"what the f*ck do you get angry about? The are just monkeys......take your money at the end of the month and just don't care about them! That's Thailand! It's a joke!
At the expensive private high schools they don't do much also, otherwise Hi-so daddy will take his child from school and put them somewhere else and teaching is big business in Bangkok, for the schools that is! Rich parents pay a lot to see their children off at some Hi-so school where the real native English speaking "monkey" teaches and where you have "English summer camps".
They all want "the real deal" to teach their children English.My list is endless. And also this "native English teacher" bullshit. The Thai still thinks that everyone coming from a native English speaking country is top and anyone else, non-native speaker is not good enough. What a big laugh! It's such a farce! I had a conversation with a guy from Manchester the other day and the day after with an Irish guy and don't forget the Cockney accent or Aussie..... God help us! Even I could hardly understand them!There are native English speaking teachers around for more than 20 years and what is the level of English till now among the common Thai? Zero and non-existing! Only some rich Thai people who have the money to go to some of the better schools, or the ones who can afford to go abroad, are able to speak English to a certain extend.And yes....all these little hustlers in the tourist areas like Khaosan and Silom/Sukhumvit, bar girls and such, they know to a certain extend to "use" the English language, standing or horizontal.
It's one big joke and unfortunately a sad one.I see teachers getting hired and getting paid 40/50.000 Baht a month, who have absolutely no good knowledge to be at these positions. But just because they are "handsome" and/or know the right people, schools and universities offer them a job (even ask them to marry their daughters...). Why do I get angry? I came because I like Thai people, I came to help them, no problem if I have to stay longer to teach them as long as they are eager and willing to learn, I will stay, even though it's my own time, nothing paid, I don't care.I am a real teacher..
Jeff K taken from Ajarn.com
Take it East
I have "some" moaning and groaning to do, so I guess I'm here at the right place to do so!
Teaching in Thailand at high school level is a farce and complete bullocks. In 2 years time I taught at 6 different high schools, ranging from the rich, private school to the poor government schools. Teaching at high school could better be referred to as teaching at "hell school".
I came to Thailand on 7 separate occasions, 7 consecutive years. I saw students everywhere in their cute white/black, white/blue uniforms. I saw great respect for their King and for monks and Buddism in general and I thought it would be a teachers heaven to teach such respectful and obedient people. I have some very good Thai friends and so I was so naive to think everybody was like that.
So.....as soon as I started to teach in Bangkok, I saw that my dream became an absolute horror movie. Children at school (high school that is) have no respect whatsoever. Don't get me wrong, not every student was bad. I had some nearly perfect classes like Mathayom 6/1, 5/1, 4/1 and these student were obedient and respectful and did what I asked them to do (doing their assignments, reading texts and so on) and it was a real pleasure to teach them, but unfortunately 90% of the classes following slash 1 (Mathayom 6/3, 5/3 whatever.....) were most of the time absolute hell. Especially the Mathayom 3, 4 slash 4,5 where pure hell.My biggest frustrations at school:- classes ranging from 30 up to 50 students in one class (impossible to handle and to teach)- Thai substitute teachers sometimes present, sitting in the corner of the class, who were supposed to help keeping order, doing nothing, just hang behind their desks without interfering- fighting, phoning (with their mobile phones), playing music on their mobile phones, playing soccer in the class room etc., you name it, I have seen and experienced all of it- people enter the classroom far too late and start to create chaos among the others- complete and utter disrespect in some classes because they think you are a farang, a white monkey (this was said to me in my face on several occasions)
At all schools I had no right to straighten them out. There are no rules whatsoever. Yes, I went to the head of department and the director on many different occasions and they came with me to the classroom and then after some "harsh talks" with the students, they were quiet for 5 minutes and then everything started again. I had classes full of wannabe pop stars, checking their faces and their Korean/Japanese soap-styled-hairdo's in their little pocket mirrors every single moment, just sitting there chewing gum and laughing about me. I had some very hard confrontations with them, telling them that they could laugh about me and disrespect me but at the end of the day I would still make my money and that is far more than they will ever make at the 7-eleven when they leave school.
Wise ass little shit-heads everywhere. They leave their books at home on purpose and just sit there wasting their time while chewing gum and completely disrespecting you. I had a Thai teacher, she was one of the English teachers that taught them 3 hours a week, and this woman always came to my worst classes, just to have a "peek". These classes were absolutely disastrous, no books, no understanding whatsoever of the English language, you name it.....She used to come to my class and ask me: "what are you going to teach them today?". I said to her:" they didn't bring their books again, like every day and they don't understand a word of English, so I can not read with them and practise pronunciation, so there's nothing much I can do". So she used to react a little pissed at me every time and so one day she started to get on my nerves and I told her:"Why is it, that these children have no understanding whatsoever of the English language while you, a Thai teacher who speaks Thai perfectly and also English perfectly teaches them 3 hours a week?". "If I would be able to speak Thai perfectly like you do and had the ability to explain them every single word, I bet your ass they would speak English quite well within a year". Yeh, bingo, she silenced....but didn't like what I said.
Yes, and I didn't like it, this same questioning routine several times a week while they don't handle any set of rules to straighten these children out who are unwilling to learn.Yes, nice line-up every morning at 8. Nice pep talk every morning at 8, but nobody gives a shit.I see 60 year old teachers who are working for the same school for more than 20/30 years and they don't have the energy anymore to do anything to improve the situation.
At one school some Thai teachers told me in my first week that my next 2 hours that day would be absolute hell and that no teacher could handle them, but that day I handled them perfectly, but every hour is a struggle, a war of words and mimic, a complete and utter headache crash course.
The list of what is wrong in the educational system in Thailand is endless and this is due to the system, the parents and the teachers.The system: at most schools were I was there were no exams! People just pass to the next year. No pressure, no study, no nothing.The parents: they don't give a shit and lack any substantial knowledge whatsoever to motivate and educate or force their children to study. School is just a building where you drop your pain-in-the-ass children and have some hours of peace and quiet. Later in the evening? Let's watch some soaps: evening long, brainless entertainment with beautiful-bad-acting-screaming-white-skin models (in whatever word order you want...).
After school they eat and then most of the children disappear again in the soi and go to the game-shops and play computer games till midnight or after, nobody gives a shit.The teachers: most Thai teachers don't care anymore, they just make a living and get their money anyway. Almost every farang teacher that I know does the same (and I know at least 30 in Bangkok). They tell me:"what the f*ck do you get angry about? The are just monkeys......take your money at the end of the month and just don't care about them! That's Thailand! It's a joke!
At the expensive private high schools they don't do much also, otherwise Hi-so daddy will take his child from school and put them somewhere else and teaching is big business in Bangkok, for the schools that is! Rich parents pay a lot to see their children off at some Hi-so school where the real native English speaking "monkey" teaches and where you have "English summer camps".
They all want "the real deal" to teach their children English.My list is endless. And also this "native English teacher" bullshit. The Thai still thinks that everyone coming from a native English speaking country is top and anyone else, non-native speaker is not good enough. What a big laugh! It's such a farce! I had a conversation with a guy from Manchester the other day and the day after with an Irish guy and don't forget the Cockney accent or Aussie..... God help us! Even I could hardly understand them!There are native English speaking teachers around for more than 20 years and what is the level of English till now among the common Thai? Zero and non-existing! Only some rich Thai people who have the money to go to some of the better schools, or the ones who can afford to go abroad, are able to speak English to a certain extend.And yes....all these little hustlers in the tourist areas like Khaosan and Silom/Sukhumvit, bar girls and such, they know to a certain extend to "use" the English language, standing or horizontal.
It's one big joke and unfortunately a sad one.I see teachers getting hired and getting paid 40/50.000 Baht a month, who have absolutely no good knowledge to be at these positions. But just because they are "handsome" and/or know the right people, schools and universities offer them a job (even ask them to marry their daughters...). Why do I get angry? I came because I like Thai people, I came to help them, no problem if I have to stay longer to teach them as long as they are eager and willing to learn, I will stay, even though it's my own time, nothing paid, I don't care.I am a real teacher..
Jeff K taken from Ajarn.com
Take it East
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
So Young
On Sunday evening Bamboo made his first substantial forward motion and in finding a technique that if not graceful was at least somewhat workable decided to go for his first challenge and traverse length of the bed in front crawl.
After weeks of spinal flexions and extensions, finding himself in all manner of different positions and places, it was only a matter of time before he put the two movements together and came up with the wriggly worm technique of motion. Without much strength in his arms to prop him up and legs like unusually large bollards for a boy of three and a half months, it wasn’t going to be pretty. With steely Bamboo determination, he pitched his feet in for purchase and glided on his face. Once a steady rate of momentum was achieved he made up quilt in an impressive amount of time and celebrated his achievement by bringing up his last meal.
In celebratory style father wryly quipped to mother ‘at this rate it won’t be long before we can to send him to the shop’
Take it East
After weeks of spinal flexions and extensions, finding himself in all manner of different positions and places, it was only a matter of time before he put the two movements together and came up with the wriggly worm technique of motion. Without much strength in his arms to prop him up and legs like unusually large bollards for a boy of three and a half months, it wasn’t going to be pretty. With steely Bamboo determination, he pitched his feet in for purchase and glided on his face. Once a steady rate of momentum was achieved he made up quilt in an impressive amount of time and celebrated his achievement by bringing up his last meal.
In celebratory style father wryly quipped to mother ‘at this rate it won’t be long before we can to send him to the shop’
Take it East
Friday, February 08, 2008
Discussing Gender in Thai Society
Is it wrong not to always be glad ?
No, its not wrong - but I must add
How can someone so young
Sing words so sad?
Sheila Take a Bow, The Smiths
My highest level class is at the equivalent of lower sixth form in the UK, we've just covered a chapter talking about gender and the differences between men and women and how these differences can manifest themselves in culture and language. I then set the class the essay question for their end of term score: Are boys and girls treated differently in your home culture? Are they taught differently? Discuss similarities and differences in the ways boys and girls are treated.
The first piece of work I had to mark was this, all grammatical errors and syntax have been left 'unadulterated' to give the reader an authentic feel for the writer's raw originality, this is from one of the more gifted students (seriously).
In Thai culture, the family teach boys and girls differently. The boys mostly do anything with father and the girls mostly do anything with mother.
Most of Thai family think that the boys have to do anything with father because father is a man and they can teach the boys about how to be a gentleman. Father can teach the boys everything such as play football, ride a bicycle or do anything that the boys have to do.
Thai families think that if the boys mostly do anything with mother, the boys maybe homosexual or may be bisexual or may be deviate. Similarly, the girls mostly do anything with mother such as cooking, sewing, to iron clothes or how to be a good housewife or how to be a good lady.
So Thai family teach the boys and the girls differently. Because of a lot of reasons such as deviation, homosexual, how to be a good lady, how to be a gentleman etc. Most of Thai family give liberty to the boys and the girls but they also have rules for the boys and the girls to do anything in the right way and in the future, their boys and their girls will be a good gentleman and a good lady.
Panoopong Piroosawan.
I may call the Thais disorganised but when it comes to mind control they're geniuses. Nearly every essay contains myopic, chauvinist, nationalist rhetoric and sentiment. I wish I'd set the task how to make the perfect somtam.
Bob Dylan once said "Colleges are like old-age homes; except for the fact that more people die in colleges than in old age homes, there's really no difference." By that reckoning I'm in the business of mass genocide. And don't tell me you can't have genocide against your own race.
Take it East
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