Teaching Reflections

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March in Thailand brings sweltering temperatures and, therefore, the end of the school year. Private schools have finished classes, and public schools have only 3 weeks left. With the school year coming to an end, I have been reflecting on my teaching experience thus far.

I still find it hard to believe I've been an English teacher for 6 months. That is, until I hear my kids using all the vocabulary I've drilled into their brains over the weeks. When I arrived here, I was the first foreign teacher (aka English teacher) that had ever worked at Ban Paklok. So besides the few students whose families work in tourism, these kids spoke no English. Grades 1-6 can now greet me based on the time of day (morning/afternoon/evening), tell me their names, age, where they live, go to school, what grade they are in, and describe the setting around themselves.

The biggest improvement, however, is actually with my kindergarteners. They have been subjected to my lessons for an hour a day, 5 days a week- which is a lot for 5 year olds! It has paid off; my students can tell me the weather, days of the week, months, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, animals, family members, common school objects, basic opposites, and many more things! And trust me, they won't stop talking! They love to impress me and always tell me at least one English word everytime I walk by. I love going to school every morning knowing I get to see their smiling faces, eager to learn whatever I'm going to teach. Nothing has ever felt so rewarding 😊

As the year wraps up, I am busy coordinating with my boss about what the next few months bring. I have agreed to stay through July, bringing my time in Thailand to exactly one full year. My plans afterward are not set in stone yet; rather, I haven't even found the stone to set them in yet. What I do know is that I would like to backpack around Europe for a few months, I would love to be home for Christmas (since I've been away the past two), and I'm considering teaching English in South America in the near future.

One of the most exciting things about my lifestyle is that even when I "plan", new opportunities are constantly presented to me and, next thing you know, I'm headed in a whole new, unforeseen direction. I'm like a jellyfish in the current, moving whichever direction the tides take me, except maybe with a little more purpose…

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