C
Ivor the Engine
Nowhere man
Agree Coffee. Done it a few times.
Ivor the Engine
Nowhere man
Try it and see? The kids may not think of you as a crusty old expat?
isanbirder
Surin Dinosaur
Some schools are actually asking local farangs to teach conversation to primary students. Teach is a big word; what it really means is playing games and interacting with them so that they think of English as a spoken language rather than just another classroom subject. If you like kids and are good with them, it must be great fun.
Prakhonchai Nick
You chose a custom title
I am sure they would with Co-Co! LMAO1
(especially of an old person) outspoken and irritable."a crusty old expat"
synonyms:irritable, cantankerous, irascible, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, grumpy, grouchy, crotchety, short-tempered, testy, crabby, curmudgeonly, peevish, cross, fractious, pettish, crabbed, prickly, waspish, peppery, cross-grained;
The problem being is that volunteers are working illegally unless they have written permission to do so (work permit?). If you are on a retiree visa you can not work, any kind of work, even Non-Paid volunteer work, without valid government permission to do so. Many retirees, and expats on a marriage visa, would be only too happy to help out in this area, but want to do so LEGALLY so as not to endanger their visa, or possibly get in trouble that would cost them money (fines) for their humanitarian efforts.
Many village schools will let you do this, and do appreciate the free help, but it is not legal, and could possibly cause you problems if a Thai complains (especially a Thai 'English teacher' who thinks you are taking a job from a Thai person).
Many village schools will let you do this, and do appreciate the free help, but it is not legal, and could possibly cause you problems if a Thai complains (especially a Thai 'English teacher' who thinks you are taking a job from a Thai person).
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CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Only Cent has come close to picking up the point of my question.
The OP asks "Volunteer to visit a rural village school and spend time interacting with the future of Thailand"
That does not suggest teaching (a worthy pursuit even if the frustrations of working with Thai masters/Thai education systems renders the effort almost pointless) or any contribution of a permanent nature. As Cent correctly points out, that is not allowed without a WP.
My question challenges whether such activity makes ANY difference at all - given that formal/legal/professional teaching is probably a fruitless exercise in many cases.
Many conversations with many teachers often centered around the frustrations of trying to teach within the shambles that was the Thai education system. The futility was often described as 'pissing into the wind'.
So, a visit (as described in the OP) will not make a scrap of difference. It could, no doubt, be an enjoyable occasion for all involved but the only real benefit is to the visiting Farang who can claim to have contributed to "the future of Thailand" and increased their own level of Thainess.
The OP asks "Volunteer to visit a rural village school and spend time interacting with the future of Thailand"
That does not suggest teaching (a worthy pursuit even if the frustrations of working with Thai masters/Thai education systems renders the effort almost pointless) or any contribution of a permanent nature. As Cent correctly points out, that is not allowed without a WP.
My question challenges whether such activity makes ANY difference at all - given that formal/legal/professional teaching is probably a fruitless exercise in many cases.
Many conversations with many teachers often centered around the frustrations of trying to teach within the shambles that was the Thai education system. The futility was often described as 'pissing into the wind'.
So, a visit (as described in the OP) will not make a scrap of difference. It could, no doubt, be an enjoyable occasion for all involved but the only real benefit is to the visiting Farang who can claim to have contributed to "the future of Thailand" and increased their own level of Thainess.
C
Coffee
Guest
You are precisely...
...correct.
Your highlighted words were the only intent and meaning of what was written in the OP. You successfully grasped that. (IMHO) ThumbUp6
Unfortunately some of your other statements do tend to support your initial post (on this thread). Those statements do make one sound like a 'C.O.F.'
(No worries as you are not alone.) Think1
A wise man once said , "You are precisely what you believe is wrong with the world."
Might be a good time for a change.
With my 3,000th post I bid you all a brighter day as I'll be taking a break.
Good luck in all your endeavours discovering your passions and obtaining true inner peace.
CO-CO said:
...correct.
Your highlighted words were the only intent and meaning of what was written in the OP. You successfully grasped that. (IMHO) ThumbUp6
Unfortunately some of your other statements do tend to support your initial post (on this thread). Those statements do make one sound like a 'C.O.F.'
(No worries as you are not alone.) Think1
A wise man once said , "You are precisely what you believe is wrong with the world."
Might be a good time for a change.
With my 3,000th post I bid you all a brighter day as I'll be taking a break.
Good luck in all your endeavours discovering your passions and obtaining true inner peace.
Things that I have done and seen others do to help out the kids:
Take them, a few kids, or a whole class, to a local cultural site (Khao Phanom Rung, etc.). Give them something many of the poorer family kids never get a chance to see, their own culture. Many have never been. Pay for their food and drinks at a local shop nearby the cultural site for their lunch, gasoline, your own vehicle or a rental van (many vans are available on the weekends to rent out, and the driver lives right there in the village already. Tell him what you are doing and see what kind of a deal he may give you). Tell their teacher that the kids need to behave all week in class, and turn in all their homework, if they want to go on the weekend 'field trip'. Gives them all some incentive and something to work toward.
Buy the local school soccer team some new jerseys, balls, etc. Sponsor their team. The girls teams are usually the most neglected in this area.
Buy maps of Thailand and the world for the childrens' classrooms. Things to learn from and brighten up their usually quite dull classrooms. Even laminated posters of birds and animals, etc. are appreciated by the local teachers, and the kids.
Buy a new concrete table and chairs and donate these for the kids outdoor or indoor lounging areas (many are broken and barely usable in the poorer village schools). It's not big money to do so.
Sports equipment. Badminton rackets and birds. Krataw balls and net. These are very inexpensive to donate to the kids and their school for their physical education and recreation.
Offer to paint a classroom, and buy the paint and brushes/rollers, and help the teacher and kids paint the room. (Bring a ladder or two.)
ASK the teachers what is truly needed and lacking. What do they suggest would be helpful, for the kids education and enjoyment. Their budgets are very limited compared to most city schools.
Donate your older working DVD player and DVD movies (In Thai and in English), appropriate movies, and educational stuff. Older working TVs as well.
Buy books in Thai the teacher approves of for the whole class - that they have no budget for usually.
The rural village schools are the most needy. And rural is just out of the city really, or where you live in a village.
Etc.
These small things can make a small difference in the kids lives and education.
There are also a couple Wats used as orphanages outside of Surin city. Ask your wife or girlfriend where they are. Donate old, usable clean kids clothing, or buy some new stuff for them. And don't forget some stuffed animals and candies for the youngsters.
Just some ideas that could help.
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westofhere
Surin Legend
And make sure you take a couple of chaperons with you too. ThumbUp6