Day 88: 6/27/2018
I have read a great deal about teaching and learning for the past few months. The more I read, the more I am skeptical about education in Thailand, especially English education.
As far as I can recall, in most of the classes, I was taught to remember and understand but never to question, criticize, or challenge what I learned. All knowledge were static and, to put it more straightforward, untouchable. To me, teachers were somehow authoritative figures who I should never question or doubt their abilities, proficiency, moral or ethics.
To be a good student back when I was a young kid meant I should listen carefully, write what was written or shown on the board word for word, try to give the correct answers when called upon, memorize all content learned and get good grades. To pass an exam with a good grade was an ultimate goal as a kid.
To me, education was never about discovering something by myself, or asking a question. Rather, it was about being given or fed with knowledge or something I had no idea what to do with by teachers or authorities. Even worse, I never learned to form questions, hypothesize, or basically think for myself.
My recent readings, especially regarding dialogic teaching, and the power of talk have made me wonder what has been happening and is still happening with Thailand’s education. No, I am not saying that western cultures or one particular teaching strategy, method, theory or approach is better than the other. Nor that I question the efficiency or effectiveness of the current system of Thailand’s education.
I just wonder …..
1) where and how far can we go with the current beliefs regarding teaching, learning and education; and2) is there any better way to deal with this, to better educate our children who will soon enough be adults living and ruling our beloved country in the near future.
Certainly, I have no answers to these questions myself. I do not even know where to start when it comes to dealing with challenging issues like these. One thing I know though that I could be a change myself. I can be that one person to try out new things with my students and figure out things together along the way. Of course, it will never be the best case or the best strategy but at least it may or can work with my students, my particular context and that means it helps the future of my students even for a tiny bit. That would worth all the effort.
I see potentials we, all Thais, have and believe that we can become even better, greater, “together”.
On a side note, today was OK. I followed the plan pretty well. One thing I am still a bit worried is the fourth supervision meeting tomorrow. I have to read more before it.
6/27/2018 11.20 pm.
edited 6/28/2018 11.29 am.
