Teaching English in a classroom where I don't know the local language is challenging. That challenge is exacerbated by the level of chaos that reigns. Pickup trucks selling merchandise with loudspeakers blaring slowly cruise the street about ten yards from the classroom. The sound coming through the open windows is so loud that spoken voices in the room are drowned out. Students from other rooms drift in and out as do teachers and others I don't even know. Students that belong in my room suddenly appear in the middle of the hour. Teachers pull students out of class to send them on errands.
Yesterday while I was teaching(?) 5th grade two 4th graders came in to distribute sandwiches to the 5th graders. There were 4 kinds of sandwiches from which to choose. It was bedlam until each student had the sandwich of his/her choice. The 4th graders were already in the room before I saw them or I would have kept them out but apparently other teachers wouldn't do that.
During classes I see teachers wandering to other rooms, in the office on a computer or just standing around. Education does not seem to be a very high priority.
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| Teachers chatting noisily during another teacher's lecture to the students. No one seems to care that the students aren't listening. |
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| Christmas decoration. Every Thai student can sing Jingle Bells. |
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| 6th graders My and Mata. |
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| Ann leading exercises to help students warm up. |
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| 4th grades Dai and Natsaree on the 2nd story deck outside of the classrooms. |
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