End of WEEK 2

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Well we made it through week 2 of the trip and week one of the TESOL Course. Have also begun to feel at home in the hotel, it is a little out of the way I am finding, but very close to the school. Staff are great. The Thai food in the little resturaunt is excellent. Everyone will be happy to know that this week I did not eat any other food for lunch opr dinner other than Thai. Found a great resturaunt last night, the only way in is to walk through the kitchen and the dining area is in the middle of the building, no windows. The food was the best I have had yet though.

The TESOL course is an eye opener. It is very heavy, lots of work in school and back at the hotel. There are seven of us in the course, three Americans, two Britr, an Aussie and myself.

On Wednesday we watched real english teachers at work in a high school in central Bangkok. The school has 6 thousand children, that is not a mistake it is 6 thousand. There is a full size Olympic pool, a full size stadium, Halifax could only hope for, a full size theatre, loads of cafeterias, a park area and it goes on and on. Almost 3 times as many students there as there are at my daughter's university back in Canada!

We have had one 3 hour class on Thai culture and particular the dos and don'ts in a classroom. Just one example, Thai children copy each others work all the time. It is part of their helping culture. So as a foreign teacher you do not try to change that. You can explain on test day that there can't be any copying that day and they will abide by that becasue they see the need for it during a test.

In Thai culture it is also very very important that you do not cause someone to loose face so you have to always be careful if a child makes a mistake to not dwell on it but to offer positive reinforcement immediately. This lady had lots of good tips.

I have not had time to travel about and today when I have a bit of time the rains have set in so a great day to sit and relax with a book.

Talk soon

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Photos

The Hotel
Hard to get a good pic, no room.

The School
A branch of Chichester University in Englad

Comments

[Richard]

School again!
Well, how does it feel to be hitting the books? Hope you are the best student in the class: Canada's reputation is at stake.