Postcards from Thailand #61: School's Out

For the last twelve months I've been tutoring 12 and 15 year old sisters in Maths.

Yes. That's maths with an 's'. Don't get me started!

I'm not a professional tutor, and teaching is not something I'd ever take on full-time but when the wife gets asked if she knows any English or maths tutors, she'll generally 'volunteer' me as I do have a degree in engineering, have CELTA certification to teach English as a foreign language and in the past, have done voluntary tutoring at adults' literacy classes.

It is work though, and I do try and avoid that terrible four letter word but in this case, the family and the kids were lovely and they fully understood that they weren't getting some square old bloke in a tweed jacket and plaid tie reading put of a textbook.

I've also enjoyed our the sessions. The kids worked hard and wanted to improve. The 'international' schools here on the island are generally poor due to them struggling to attract proper teachers with poor salaries but the young ladies did me proud, leaping from struggling 'C's to both proudly hitting 'A's in their end of year exams. Kids happy. Parents happy. Martin happy.

Sadly, the family are moving to Bangkok so I'm not going to be able tutor them any longer and I was rather looking forward to the eldest sitting her iGCSEs next year and getting a grade she'd never imagined she was capable of just a few months ago, but at least now she has the tools and techniques so she'll do just fine solo.

It's still always sad to say goodbye though but at least innthis case, we have a standing invite for dinner the next time we're in Bangkok and due to mum being a professional chef, the chocolate brownies I received as a parting gift were absolutely sublime. If only I could have taken a photograph worthy of them!

Wednesday today, keep going and the week is all downhill from here!

Best wishes to all

Martin


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09/07/2024
13756
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4 comments
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Did you ever put your CELTA in good use? I got mine many years, must have been one of the most difficult courses I ever did, even more difficult than uni and my professional exams, the grammar bit nearly killed me. Sadly I never got to use it. Non white native English speakers rank lower than white non native English speakers when employing English language teachers in Taiwan 🙄

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Good morning! I didn't. It was a full time study month of hell to get it and I hated the classroom experiences. The grammar was, (and still is) horrendous and I'd decided that I hated teaching that way, as well as in classrooms.

Now, I mostly teach toddlers and under 6s and I teach English as a communication skill and use Jolly Phonics rather than just a tool to get a good grade, hence needing to choose parents who want their kids to be confident to communicate in English rather than just a homework class.

The schools here just choose young white females with a degree in anything to look good for parents. The best teachers here are the Filipino teachers who are very well trained and qualified but get paid peanuts, albeit a little more than they would at home.

Thank you and hope youre well :-)

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Sounds like it's the same in all Asian countries...

Sitting out in the garden this morning on a rare day when the sun is out, can't ask for more of the English summer ⛱️🌞

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