First and foremost, this teaching experience has been worthwhile. It has been a challenge, and at times so difficult that I didn't think I would make it to the end of the semester.
Walking into the classroom for the first time I didn't know what to expect, but I thought that most students would at the very least have a book and pen....but no - a lot of the students I taught didn't bring a bag to school, let alone a notebook and pen. So teaching methods quickly had to change, and I needed to adapt quickly.
In one week I would teach 20 classes; with about 26 students a class. Michelle would take the other half of the same class. I'm thankful that I never had to have the whole lot of them at the same time. Classes were scheduled for 50 mins, but I would still have students walking into the classroom well into the lesson. If you cast an eye over the rest of the students, I'd say 50% were trying to do the work...30% were on their mobile phone, and the other 20% would keep walking around the room apparently not able to sit in the same seat for more than 1 minute!!! Oh the joys!!!
Every now and then I would have a Thai teacher wonder past, and next thing - WHACK!!! that sound was the bamboo stick they carry around to control these kids hitting the table. I did see a couple cop a whack of the stick too. Hmmmmm
However, I have had a invaluable teaching experience here. The Thai students like to have fun - so if you planned fun activities than they were putty in your hands (mostly). I liked how there were not shy in volunteering for activities. And I did have some really awesome, intelligent students that would correct my spelling.....
At the end of all this I am walking away confident that teaching is what I want to do. I have these students here in Thailand to thank for a 'real' time. I especially won't forget the times when students would all of a sudden break out into song and dance during the lesson - it is all about the FUN here. It is not worth doing if it is not fun!!! Though I am trying to forget the time when condoms went flying around the classroom....
