My stomach is hungry for noodle soup from my "family in law's" restaurant. I used to eat there often and sometimes help bus tables, but now with school I can rarely go. Today being Saturday, I can focus on noodels, in addition to KKEI and lesson planning of course.
The training in Buriram was enjoyable -- they called it spa time for us. We mostly discussed and exchanged, watched short movies the school uses to inspire their kids, and they demonstrated some contemplative activities/songs for us. I explored some of their classrooms during one of the breaks, which was helpful. Unfortunately, we couldn't observe any classes since it was the weekend -- most of the other Nong Waeng teachers were able to do that during the week-long training last time.
I thought the most productive time for us as far as group building was when we sporadically decided to play a game of volleyball. Unfortunately I haven't played volleball outside of middle school PE more than a decade ago, but it was still a good stress releaser. We've started to use it with the 5th graders, too, laying our shoes out to serve as the net. It seems like it has caught on at Nong Waeng -- they are building a volleyball court in what I suppose is the gym area.
The next weekend after the Buriram training, KKEI had our Action Research training. After listening to our different teaching roles, philosophies, and styles, P'Ben suggested we each list our questions and issues, and from that, decide on individual research themes. I'll post my own questions and issues in another entry -- they might serve as a fairly thorough journaling update as far as teaching goes. Here are each of our research themes:
P'Tuk -- How to improve her relationship with 3 particular students in her class
P'Dtaeng -- How her class is different from the mainstream
P'Soryor -- Defining his teaching technique -- perhaps deciding between integrated curriculum and contemplative education
P'Aom -- Improving teacher relationships and the teaching team process
V (Me) -- Mine is the same as P'Aom's, though we are developing our proposals individually as my teacher-teacher relationships and hers have different contexts.
P'Gaolee, P'Noos, and Jennifer couldn't make it to the training so they don't have themes yet. P'Buoy came; she is a Non Chai teacher who doesn't actually see herself as a KKEI member but sometimes joins in for activities. But I didn't understand her theme, and P'Aom could not explain it to me.
One weekend later we presented our full proposals to P'Ben and she gave us feedback. My proposal is unique as it is autoethnography, she told me, whereas P'Aom's doesn't include as much of the cultural theme. P'Soryor decided to change his theme to following 5 of the kids who were put back into his classroom from Chan Kra (the classroom I teach in with P'Gaolee). They decided to return to his classroom after one year in Chan Kra, and P'Soryor wants to see how they fair and also see how it affects his teaching/his classroom. They are kids who have trouble reading/writing/following information (for example from a video clip).
We talked for awhile about P'Tuk and P'Daeng's troubled students. P'Ben is very wonderful and likeable and has a lot of good advice and stories from her Waldorf teaching, so it has been so valuable to sit down with her these last 2 weeks as a group. Unfortunately (for us) she's moving back to her home province, so we will have to keep up the exchange through e-mailing rather than in person.
I'm going to leave you with a teacher highlight now, rather than a student highlight, as I am also privileged to work with many wonderful teachers. Actually working with P'Aom is quite a privilege -- she is very talented and an award-winning teacher, so I can't say how lucky I am for this experience.
My teacher highlight was with P'Buoy. She teaches M3 at Non Chai (the American equivalent of 9th graders). Yesterday since the kids at Non Chai were all doing boy/girl scouts and planting trees in recognition of a national holiday, P'Buoy and I spent the morning tie dyeing cloth. While clumping and banding the cloth together, readying it for its boil bath in a leaf soup called bai kwaang, P'Buoy asked me about KKEI. "Is P'Aom annoyed that she has to do everything for KKEI?"
I didn't really know what to answer to that. So I just gave her a summary of the changes we are trying to make in the organization. When I mentioned alternative education she laughed and said, "Everything is alternative education. The municipality is putting us through so many trainings on all kinds of alternative education." It's true. And now I think all the teachers in municipal schools feel they are practicing some kind of alternative education.
P'Buoy went on, "But after we go to the trainings we don't actually change the way we teach." She pointed to the kindergarten class behind us as an example. "The teachers have been told to make the kids feel comfortable, to not force them to spell, but the teachers are still having them spell!"
So I told P'Buoy that I hoped KKEI could offer something different than the municipality by bringing an international perspective. She said yes, that would be different and teachers would enjoy trainings by international teachers.
The co-teaching KKEI is also supposed to provide could also ensure that teachers understand or at least evaluate and think continuously about new teaching methods they may have been introduced to during trainings. How could the municipality not love us?? :D
I think it's important, though, that we ITT stress the invitation to learn and implement new methods of teaching, rather than forcing teachers into it. This will also set us off from the municipality's forms of alternative education. As fellow teachers rather than experts or political figures, we have the power to impress rather than force. That is one thing to love about this job! Of course we also have the power to flop, and that is one thing to keep us on our feet.
Jun 18, 2011
Finding a Routine
I was just on a bus for a few hours with teachers from 3 schools -- Nong Waeng, Nong Wat, and Nong Koo. These are the 3 schools trying out the new kind of curriculum and school structure, as far as I can tell based largely on team teaching and mind mapping. The school where we are now staying models this methodology and is overlooking and training us. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet; I'm sure it will help to see the real thing.
The funny thing to me about his alternative methodology is the process by which it is being imposed on all of us. It's probably a great methodolgoy, but mind mapping for every element of a curriculum might seem excessive for some teachers. On the other hand I can't see how imposing team teaching could be a bad thing (as I alluded to in my last entry) -- I suppose because team teaching seems a less finite aspect, and should open doors rather than close them.
The effect the new methodolgoy has on my position at Nong Waeng is not so great, that's for sure. Not having the majority of my time to spend with my supposed teaching team, and not having one straightforward classroom is starting to wear on me in the context of everyone else having it. But maybe it will just take longer for me to become part of each teaching team and eventually I can be part of 3 teams, settled in 3 classrooms, and have a good handle on all 100 or so of my students. It would be awesome if I could follow my current P4 class all the way through P6. But that would take the 3 years everyone wants an ITT member to stay, and I'm not sure about that yet.
For now, I'm going to try spending my whole Wednesday with P6 and my whole Thursday with P4. That will only leave Tuesday for my Nong Waeng KKEI classroom, but hopefully after 1 month of this I will know and feel more comfortable with both the P4 and P6 students and teachers, and can return my usual time with P5.
I wish I could have been here to see the P5 classroom transition from being little monsters to the mature kids they are now. I don't know specifically what to attribute the changes to, and want to help ensure the other classrooms also have success leading the kids towards maturity. Is it simply the contemplative activities or are their other aspects to highlight and help the other teachers see and maybe adapt? This is actually P'Noos and P'Aom's challenge right now -- passing on their experiences to the other teachers at Nong Waeng.
KKEI is having an "action resarch" training next weekend, led by P'Ben from the local Waldorf school (which is who P'Goong was talking about last KKEI meeting). ...So the KKEI-Waldorf acquaintence continues. Maybe leading towards a partnership some day??
The great thing about P'Goong's participation in KKEI is her method. She asks questions to push people and provides resources to make for a feeling of moving towards sucecess. I hope I can develop my own faciliation of KKEI by watching and working with her. In fact, probably all of the current KKEI leaders could learn something from P'Goong, and thus we could develop more facilitators in the group rather than stepping over the potential ones.
I enjoyed planning and facilitating the last meeting with P'Dtaeng, but unfortunately I think I stepped over her at the end, as we were running late and she has a slower facilitation style. I haven't asked her how she felt about our faciliattion partnership yet, but should do so in the coming week.
Jennifer has decided to volunteer her time with KKEI teaching three days a week in P'Tuk and P'Daeng's class and one day a week with me and my P4 Nong Waeng class (the most difficult class I have). I think her Non Thun expereince will be a challenge, as she has yet to understand their philosophy and style. Additionally, when we did our last check-around it was clear that P'Tuk and P'Daeng, themselves, feel very challenged and heavy this year. Who wouldn't teacing 30 or so kids from levels P1 to P6 all at the same time...and when their last year was not the most successful?
The rest of our check-ins were more positive -- mostly wanting more of what we already have. Mine was a little less so, the major point of mine being, "I'm squished between top down policy and bottom up wants and needs." But I also shared this quote, which I will leave with you:
"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn... "is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins,...you may see the world around you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the thing for you." --T.H. White, The Once and Future King
And the way I see it, everyone in the world is in some stage of depression, whether that's denial, anger, bargaining, or acceptance. So if we can create an environment of learning everywhere, including schools, that will be the first step to making the world a better place!
Before I really really sign off, I also want to share a couple student moments, since I am blessed to spend most of my time with kids:
1) I was happy to see Non from P4 improve 1,000% from last week's English class. He is the only student I was able to get to stay with me after class, sending him to lunch a little late. I asked him why he beat up the other kids and he said he lost his temper. So we talked about keeping our temper by counting to 10 and breathing in and out. And I asked him to help his friends, too, since they didn't stay behind to talk to me. I also told him he seems very smart and able to do the assignments but a lot of the kids who are trying aren't able to do it because he and his friends weren't creating a good learning environment, and that we'd have to stay on the basics forever if they didn't help each other.
This last class Non was totally keeping people in check and taking repsonsibility for himslef and others. I have to compliment him ASAP so I don't lose him again!
2) I want to adopt Pon from P5. I've always loved Pon. Last year his fatehr died, leaving his aunt (?) and neighbors to look after him. This year he seems very down and seems to have little energy to do anything, though he's intersted once he can get himself to do it. Last Wednesday he wouldn't go to Chonobot District to study silk with the rest of the class. He said he was too lazy to go. Before we left him behind, he asked me about America:
"Do people kill each other in America?"
"Yes."
"A lot?"
"Yes, I think so."
"People kill each other a lot here. A whole lot."
He said he'd do his English homework instead of go. And he watched the bus drive away from the second floor of the school, following us around the building.
I think silk just doesn't interest him.
The funny thing to me about his alternative methodology is the process by which it is being imposed on all of us. It's probably a great methodolgoy, but mind mapping for every element of a curriculum might seem excessive for some teachers. On the other hand I can't see how imposing team teaching could be a bad thing (as I alluded to in my last entry) -- I suppose because team teaching seems a less finite aspect, and should open doors rather than close them.
The effect the new methodolgoy has on my position at Nong Waeng is not so great, that's for sure. Not having the majority of my time to spend with my supposed teaching team, and not having one straightforward classroom is starting to wear on me in the context of everyone else having it. But maybe it will just take longer for me to become part of each teaching team and eventually I can be part of 3 teams, settled in 3 classrooms, and have a good handle on all 100 or so of my students. It would be awesome if I could follow my current P4 class all the way through P6. But that would take the 3 years everyone wants an ITT member to stay, and I'm not sure about that yet.
For now, I'm going to try spending my whole Wednesday with P6 and my whole Thursday with P4. That will only leave Tuesday for my Nong Waeng KKEI classroom, but hopefully after 1 month of this I will know and feel more comfortable with both the P4 and P6 students and teachers, and can return my usual time with P5.
I wish I could have been here to see the P5 classroom transition from being little monsters to the mature kids they are now. I don't know specifically what to attribute the changes to, and want to help ensure the other classrooms also have success leading the kids towards maturity. Is it simply the contemplative activities or are their other aspects to highlight and help the other teachers see and maybe adapt? This is actually P'Noos and P'Aom's challenge right now -- passing on their experiences to the other teachers at Nong Waeng.
KKEI is having an "action resarch" training next weekend, led by P'Ben from the local Waldorf school (which is who P'Goong was talking about last KKEI meeting). ...So the KKEI-Waldorf acquaintence continues. Maybe leading towards a partnership some day??
The great thing about P'Goong's participation in KKEI is her method. She asks questions to push people and provides resources to make for a feeling of moving towards sucecess. I hope I can develop my own faciliation of KKEI by watching and working with her. In fact, probably all of the current KKEI leaders could learn something from P'Goong, and thus we could develop more facilitators in the group rather than stepping over the potential ones.
I enjoyed planning and facilitating the last meeting with P'Dtaeng, but unfortunately I think I stepped over her at the end, as we were running late and she has a slower facilitation style. I haven't asked her how she felt about our faciliattion partnership yet, but should do so in the coming week.
Jennifer has decided to volunteer her time with KKEI teaching three days a week in P'Tuk and P'Daeng's class and one day a week with me and my P4 Nong Waeng class (the most difficult class I have). I think her Non Thun expereince will be a challenge, as she has yet to understand their philosophy and style. Additionally, when we did our last check-around it was clear that P'Tuk and P'Daeng, themselves, feel very challenged and heavy this year. Who wouldn't teacing 30 or so kids from levels P1 to P6 all at the same time...and when their last year was not the most successful?
The rest of our check-ins were more positive -- mostly wanting more of what we already have. Mine was a little less so, the major point of mine being, "I'm squished between top down policy and bottom up wants and needs." But I also shared this quote, which I will leave with you:
"The best thing for being sad," replied Merlyn... "is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins,...you may see the world around you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honor trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then -- to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting. Learning is the thing for you." --T.H. White, The Once and Future King
And the way I see it, everyone in the world is in some stage of depression, whether that's denial, anger, bargaining, or acceptance. So if we can create an environment of learning everywhere, including schools, that will be the first step to making the world a better place!
Before I really really sign off, I also want to share a couple student moments, since I am blessed to spend most of my time with kids:
1) I was happy to see Non from P4 improve 1,000% from last week's English class. He is the only student I was able to get to stay with me after class, sending him to lunch a little late. I asked him why he beat up the other kids and he said he lost his temper. So we talked about keeping our temper by counting to 10 and breathing in and out. And I asked him to help his friends, too, since they didn't stay behind to talk to me. I also told him he seems very smart and able to do the assignments but a lot of the kids who are trying aren't able to do it because he and his friends weren't creating a good learning environment, and that we'd have to stay on the basics forever if they didn't help each other.
This last class Non was totally keeping people in check and taking repsonsibility for himslef and others. I have to compliment him ASAP so I don't lose him again!
2) I want to adopt Pon from P5. I've always loved Pon. Last year his fatehr died, leaving his aunt (?) and neighbors to look after him. This year he seems very down and seems to have little energy to do anything, though he's intersted once he can get himself to do it. Last Wednesday he wouldn't go to Chonobot District to study silk with the rest of the class. He said he was too lazy to go. Before we left him behind, he asked me about America:
"Do people kill each other in America?"
"Yes."
"A lot?"
"Yes, I think so."
"People kill each other a lot here. A whole lot."
He said he'd do his English homework instead of go. And he watched the bus drive away from the second floor of the school, following us around the building.
I think silk just doesn't interest him.
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