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jandajoy

I've been a school principal in various countries for a while and that's my view. Have I tried it in Thailand? No. That's not the point. The question was about assessing the suitability of a school. The suggestions I've made are what I would advise. If they don't /won't work here more's the pity. Maybe if more parents stood up for their kids it would work.
If the OP wants to find out what kind of school he/she's sending his kids too, and spending the money, I'd suggest that the ideas I've put forward are valid, sensible and, if it's a half way decent school, do-able.

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momo8

International schools?

Having parents sit in on classes is disruptive to students. In the course of a school tour it may be the norm to visit a class into which your child will go into but any other curriculum, procedures and other matters are usually discussed with the parent in the office where the parent has the opportunity to express any concerns or queries.

Camel Toe

Newest teacher, yes, a joke. No one stays for long is what I'm hearing. So typically Thai to invest millions in appearances. High rate of teacher turnover could only be attributed to a few factors. I think we already know what they are. Nawty's got a real dilemma goin on due to his location I think.

jandajoy

I don't think I need to justify or qualify my self to you or any one else.

But to clarify, based on my experience, the questions I would be asking are as I've stated above.
Any school, Principal or teacher should have no problem with such requests.
Teaching is not some weird mystical practice. Teachers egos are often troublesome but that needs to be dealt with. From the parents point of view it's the outcomes for their kids. Not, wether a teacher feels comfortable or not.

momo8

If you applying for a job sure, as a parent? Laughable that a principal of an international school would let a parent waltz into the staffrooms to have a chat with the teachers after sitting in on a lesson.

I suppose you should invite him/her for a beer down at the local after that experience as a sign of gratitude.

jandajoy

How trite. What do you know about school proceedures?

momo8

Completely, in HK and big international schools in Shanghai.

You spelt 'procedures' incorrectly too.Tsk, tsk principal.

jandajoy

In what capacity?

jandajoy

No delete that ^
I don't really care and I'm not going to get into this with you. My advice to Nawty stands. What he does is up to him.

Cheerio O

momo8

Something to do with schools going for IB accreditation and authorization and in an advisory capacity to HK gov NET scheme implementation.

Also as a parent.

hillbilly

A handful of my friends (qualified UK, US and OZ teachers) have worked at either one or both campuses. When their contract was up, they all went elsewhere.

I have participated in activities in both schools albeit as an competitor.

Some of what has been said is fairly close to the truth(IMO). The BKK school is now accrediated and trying to improve.

The upcountry school continues to attract the students who have been kicked out of other international schools or were never accepted into one.

The original owner of the school, I believe use to own some big insurance company in Thailand. The dream was to have a school out in the boonies to keep students out of mischief.

I would encourage to Nawty to visit the schools and the classes while in session. Any decent teacher won't care.

Parents often want to know what sort of questions they should ask. The best one is "How much do the teacher's make?" If the teacher's are not making B70,000 and up, the school doesn't really care about education. I realize this might be upsetting to some folks, but in my experience this is the cold fact.

Good international schools upcountry are as rare as hen's teeth. They all have their good and bad points to varying degrees.

I realize that Nawty maybe between a hard spot and a rock. However, if one was to enroll their kids at the KY campus, take them home every night and play an active role in the educational process, it could work.

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Nawty

Well, certainly a lot to think about.

When I visited the school it seemed to be a very nice place to learn, the teachers were aplenty and the principle was english and very nice and helpful.

Walking around and looking in all of the classes, there was no unruly behaviour, we were also there during the lunch or break period so all the kids were exiting the classes and in halls etc while we were finishing up.

No unruly behaviour and ALL of the older kids waid us as we passed, never seen that before.

But, that was the public view, the real view could be very different and judging on reports is something to worry about.

And yes, the attending school only and coming home at night and keepin up with everything may help turn it into a positive point.

Maybe I am trying to talk myself into it. We will surely be visiting the school again a couple of times prior to any decision and asking the right questions certainly helps.

We were aiming at moving up there for the end of his grade 1 year here in Bkk which I think is May next year. So still some time to find things out.

Basically it is a serious consideration, because if we cannot find a good school within 15/20 minutes from where we will be living, then we will not move from Bkk. They will not be sent to a thai school that is for sure.

I have had other thoughts recently and more so overnight about home schooling, but will write up all those thoughts at a later date.

Thanks for all the info and input, keep it coming if any more comes to light.

I also went to that ajarn site, did not even know it existed until someone mentioned it and I googled it. Some info there on St Stephens, but most is from 2005 and one guy who applied and got a job there and was to start in Aug 05. He was never heard from again lol.

Nawty

Also, dont really like the sound of 'the ky campus' for some reason....

Rattanaburi

The place on Wipawadee Rangsit seems pretty good. A Filipino friend told me that he got layed off there because the new management doesn't like Filipino teachers. I'm not sure if this is true. Seems to have pretty good quality and the staff seem to care from what I have seen of it. I have been there. One strange thing I noticed was that the buildings weren't made of cement or at least the walls were covered with sometype of material.

jandajoy

Absolutely. Well said.

Camel Toe

Didn't Nawty post stating he had two children at 300,000 (each?). I'd think they'd welcome him and a whole panel of his friends to sit in.

Nawty

Yes, 2 kids, but the second will not be there for couple of years as they do not do Kindergarten.

But yes, when they are both there, 300k each and then transport to and from daily and all the extra extra crap you have to dish out for.

A friend and I were talking about this 2 days ago. Another friend in Singapore has just almost completed schooling 2 kids, said it cost him $1million all up.

My friend said...no kids by the way...when does he expect to get a return of that investment !!!

We always talk of the huge cost of education and often you hear...'its an investment in the future of your children'....well thats a croc a crap, its a cost in the future of your children. Pointless looking at it as an investment. With an investment you seek a return of your principle and a profit per year from it. Here all you do is spend it and you do not get a monetary return of principle or profit on that $1million.

But you do get a lot of joy if your children grow up smart and well educated and end up with good jobs or better still, businesses of their own and that makes it worthwhile. But do not try to fool yourself that it is an investment, it is a cost and a cost that you should be glad to incur.


By the way, this thread has generated some very good information re the school I was looking into, both here in the thread and by PM's and via another 2 forums which I joined to seek more info.

This is far more information in a much much shorter timeframe than what I got from TV when I posted it over there end of last year or earlier this year.....so just proves this is a good site with good people and not the fools most people think you are

good2bhappy

I have taught at a 2nd tier International School( in Thailand).
I was asked if I didn't mind a parent coming in to observe. I think it went quite well. I was not bothered as I was used to observations and evaluations. In no way did I consider that my teaching technique was being assesed.

Nawty

I would think that if a teacher denied it, then you would have to think why and is that teacher scared or not confident of their technique or control of the class, or relationship with the kids etc etc.

If a teacher has good skills and confidence, they would want to show it off and relish the experience. its not like a parent will be wanting to sit in on a class every day...at most what..once a month...at most.

If a principle did not allow it, then I would say the same as above, but they know their teachers are crap and dont want you to see it.

Disruptive ?? I don't see it, don't think an adult is going to be making paper airplanes and sending them accross the room, or passing notes to the other kids, or making a pea shooter.....I am more mature than that.

In fact a good teacher could make it a bonus and bring the parent into the process, questions and stuff like that.

My opinion anyway.


Also any Peds in there might be a tad nervous of being caught out.

Camel Toe

Too true. Investing in your children's future is a lot different than putting your money up for grabs so some wealthy Thai can invest what you've invested and get the return for himself.

FYI an EP in this town charges 70,000 a year. There are 12 foreign teachers there earning 32,000 a month. Once I calculated every school expense I could think of, down to the copy paper. With the tuition paid to the school, all staff salaries paid, all operational expenses paid, there was about 18,000,000B left over, per year.

The classrooms were in shambles, lighting fixtures took months to be attend to, desks were at least 10 years old, sports equipment looked worse than an urban ghetto school in Harlem.

While I was there a grant came their way, I wasn't privy to the sum of course. With an unknown portion of that money they hired Burmese workers to redo the facade, improve the garden, put up an awning over the drive. Classrooms remained the same. That was four years ago and they are still the same.

Damn Nawty, with your proposed tuition expense you could build a little red school house on your property, fit it with desks, a whiteboard, a small library, a sound system and 50" TV screen. Hire a home schooler and get the neighborhood kids to join in, and charge them!

Just a thought.