School
Okay, so I've done a week at school and there's several major differences as expected. First I teach in the most expensive part of the school section, so as well as teaching english (grammar - shudder), I also teach social studies in English and have a tutor group (what would be year 9 at home - 13/14 year olds).
The school day starts officially at 7.45 to stand outside for the flag and prays. The kids tend to get in around 7, and most travel between half an hour and and hour to get there. Then we have either assembly or reading from 8 - 8.40. I'm reading Harry Potter with my classes. The kids in years 1-4 then go til 11.20 and get a 50 min lunch, and the kids in years 5-8 get their lunch at 12.10. All lessons are 50 mins and taught in a mixture of thai, english and chinese. At 3.30 the school day end but then the kids have to (and I mean have to) attend homework club run by you for your own class til 4.45. Other than that because I'm in the expensive program class sizes are very small, not so much the case in other parts of the school. My tutor group just has 10 in it, and the biggest class in the whole of IP is 21, average size is about 12.
All the kids have nickname which you call them by, I currently teach a Cat, Gucci, Beam, UK, MUFC among other similar type names. The kids call you by your first name , but none of the thais can say Kathryn, because it has both a th and an r, in, so I get called miss Kate. It could be worse, Louise is known as Lewis. Homework is expected to be given each night and marked straight away, but its not too bad as even with the most demanding timetable you get 4 free lessons a day. Cover is pretty simple to, if a teacher is out and your free, just cover that lesson and we pretty much take turns. The only place to work is the desk in your room (even while others are teaching which can be very distracting in thai lessons if you forget your headphones.) In fact the only problem I'm having is the lack of resources for social study, I need to make them all from scratch but with the time I have its really not that bad. And while lunch is okay, it is rice everyday!
Not much else to say. Will update again soon.
The school day starts officially at 7.45 to stand outside for the flag and prays. The kids tend to get in around 7, and most travel between half an hour and and hour to get there. Then we have either assembly or reading from 8 - 8.40. I'm reading Harry Potter with my classes. The kids in years 1-4 then go til 11.20 and get a 50 min lunch, and the kids in years 5-8 get their lunch at 12.10. All lessons are 50 mins and taught in a mixture of thai, english and chinese. At 3.30 the school day end but then the kids have to (and I mean have to) attend homework club run by you for your own class til 4.45. Other than that because I'm in the expensive program class sizes are very small, not so much the case in other parts of the school. My tutor group just has 10 in it, and the biggest class in the whole of IP is 21, average size is about 12.
All the kids have nickname which you call them by, I currently teach a Cat, Gucci, Beam, UK, MUFC among other similar type names. The kids call you by your first name , but none of the thais can say Kathryn, because it has both a th and an r, in, so I get called miss Kate. It could be worse, Louise is known as Lewis. Homework is expected to be given each night and marked straight away, but its not too bad as even with the most demanding timetable you get 4 free lessons a day. Cover is pretty simple to, if a teacher is out and your free, just cover that lesson and we pretty much take turns. The only place to work is the desk in your room (even while others are teaching which can be very distracting in thai lessons if you forget your headphones.) In fact the only problem I'm having is the lack of resources for social study, I need to make them all from scratch but with the time I have its really not that bad. And while lunch is okay, it is rice everyday!
Not much else to say. Will update again soon.