St Mary's school

[Drunk Monkey]

Ridiculous , HTF can u test a young kiddie like that and accurately access if they are worthy of a place ,who wheres the most flowery dress prettiest hair , total crap .. .. Its more so how much the parents can stump up in an under the table DONATION TO THE SCHOOL .. as to who really passes these fake crazy kingergarten tests .. its all about the money always has been always will be same as Don Bosco n all others

dm OMO

[Khun Paul]

Well said DM, tis true St Marys is part of the Don Bosco school empire with schools across the country and the world. A friend of mine recently had to stump up 20k for his son who passed for M4, which does not start until Feb.. Go figure, no money no place .
Plus they test anything and everything, and to my personal knowledge those that do not make the grade the first time are retested and retested, until by a stoke of luck seem to pass, The only failures I ever saw are those from Kindergarten to P1, P6 to M1, M3 to M4 , That may be to restrict the number of students to fit into the allowable number of students in the receiving year , or maybe the fact that each move costs money in some cases a lot of it . The Don Bosco Group is not cheap and never will be and the saying nonsense baffles brains, well in this case BS makes MONEY .

[Chriss]

Our daughter did a couple of tests to enter St Marys Kindergarten year 2, they were merely a check that she knew, most of anyway, her Thai and English alphabet, could add up and how good her writing was... Never a mention to myself or the wife of 'eroneous' payments just an explanation of school fees. I'm not saying it doesn't happen just not to us or any St Mary's parent we know.
There are far more applications for Kindy than they can physically place, guess they have to draw a line somewhere.

[mak]

Our daughter did a couple of tests to enter St Marys Kindergarten year 2, they were merely a check that she knew, most of anyway, her Thai and English alphabet, could add up and how good her writing was... Never a mention to myself or the wife of 'eroneous' payments just an explanation of school fees. I'm not saying it doesn't happen just not to us or any St Mary's parent we know.
There are far more applications for Kindy than they can physically place, guess they have to draw a line somewhere.

Yes, that's it in a nutshell. I have never heard of a payment under the table at SM. However, DB and UP are a different matter.

[rick]

Yes, our daughter failed the kindergarten entry test at Don Bosco 4 or 5 years ago, but got in to St Marys. More to do with the fact she was terrified of the crowds at Don Bosco and wasn't functioning. I have heard plenty of stories of demands for under the table payments at Don Bosco, certainly in the past, but never at St Marys.

Still have the 'closed tomorrow' problem...... Mak seems to get better info!

[tamada]

My wife and I also like St Mary's and we're very happy with our daughters progress but if I have to find any fault in the school it's their lack of communication to parents. With technology today it would be easy for the school to inform parents electronically, for instance, when they are to have a teachers day instead of a notice pinned to a board outside the class and our 5 year old telling us 'No school tomorrow.' Just my opinion.

You hit the nail on the head regarding the lack of communication. In terms of scheduling, sometimes it seems like they are flying by the seat of their pants. I suspect these issues apply to all of the schools here, not just St. Mary's.

I can confirm this seat of the pants flying is de riguer when it comes to the school calendar at the otherwise decent Udon Christian. This year seems even more last-minute but my oldest, now in P5 is more attentive and we get a better advance warning and a reason which is a bonus!

His first two schools down in Pattaya were similarly challenged. It was explained to me once how these private schools have a mandatory minimum of days per school calendar year that they are legally obliged to fulfill. The notification of this is seldom received before the long Songkran break or if it is, the administration is slow to act on it. They also have the list of public and special holidays, like teachers day, to fit into these timetables. But then you'll have special people dying or the government arbitrarily making up new public holidays so even the schools with the most adept office staff won't set anything in stone, let alone a published one. Keeps one on one's toes and more 'linked' to your kids edumacation IMHO.

[Khun Paul]

My wife and I also like St Mary's and we're very happy with our daughters progress but if I have to find any fault in the school it's their lack of communication to parents. With technology today it would be easy for the school to inform parents electronically, for instance, when they are to have a teachers day instead of a notice pinned to a board outside the class and our 5 year old telling us 'No school tomorrow.' Just my opinion.

You hit the nail on the head regarding the lack of communication. In terms of scheduling, sometimes it seems like they are flying by the seat of their pants. I suspect these issues apply to all of the schools here, not just St. Mary's.

it is not just schools that seem to have communication problems . Communication, is the art of creating understanding in another , BUT in Thailand they forget the last part of the definition, if they fail to understand, it is you who has failed to communicate, not the recipient for failing to understand .
Thailand will say I told you ( by a note/ verbally, maybe even a letter ) using electronic means so that you can prove not only you have sent the message but also that it has been seen, is not yet in their arsenal of communication skills.
That is not only the Government but also in personal communication it is not I think taught, plus you have a Thai thing, you lose face if you say I do not understand , so they never question . Even when I was teaching, when I asked my M2 class, why they never ask questions, I was told they never got an answer. So it is endemic .

[Laan Yaa Mo]

What did you teach, Khun Paul?

[Doodoo]

Be careful KP

This an Easterner and maybe laying a trap
People from the Western of Canada BC Alberta Manitoba Saskatchewan never trust them

Please Please Please

[jackspratt]

No need for the heads-up, Dd.

KP has shown over many years on UM (and UT) that he is astute enough to detect, and deflect, a trap - which Uncle Tilo's post certainly is not.

As I see it, as a fellow educator, Tilo is just looking to further establish, and therefore boost KP's credibility on UM .........not that he needs it of course.

And his inquiry is one that many have asked over the course.

[Khun Paul]

It is not what did I teach that is important , rather where, both Government and private schools , all suffer from the same malaise unable to communicate it is as if they consider themselves to important to take the time to impart information to the lesser persons ( parents ) .

Parents who seem by the way they treat teachers are in AWE of people entrusted by the Government or the Director to impart knowledge to their precious children . These same teachers who manipulate results to show how good they are, lie to parents about their children's abilities when in fact the little child is in fact as Thick as S*** !

Thai Culture, never tell the truth, never fail, always congratulate , watch as that child progresses, ,knowing that you have helped an idiot achieve the aim of being the most ignorant degree holder in the world ( that is why so many operate Tills in supermarkets ) .

That is why sadly for Thailand there are so few real success stories about children here, those that are , are either privately educated in one of the prestige schools ( of which Udon Thani has NONE ) or has spent time abroad studying . The average family whose children attend average schools , are not rewarded with outstanding success from their children , true they all pass but then so do the idiots . The system allows for those that fail to retake that year, but that option is never used, teaching thinking skills is too hard as the teachers rarely teach outside the box ( I know ) .

So communicate in a meaningful way to the parents is again impossible and why should they, parents are not viewed as Customers often an annoyance until they turn up at school then all is sweetness and light.

[newtovillagelife]

Be careful KP

This an Easterner and maybe laying a trap
People from the Western of Canada BC Alberta Manitoba Saskatchewan never trust them

Please Please Please

What do you know about Canadians DOODOO???....seems like you always have a useless comment to make about them or Canada.

[Doodoo]

Thats very nice/polite for being a Canuck??

[Laan Yaa Mo]

If what you say is true Khun Paul, it pretty well matches the state of education in Toronto. I had a kid approach me yesterday and ask where the history exam room was located. I told him the history exam is on Friday (today). 'Oh' he said, and 'what time is the exam'?' 'At one' I said. He asked,'morning or afternoon'?

I advised him to go home and get some rest, and then do some studying. Very few high schools schedule exams at one a.m., in fact, I do not know of any that do. 555

[Khun Paul]

Yes I have noticed over the years that the thinking ability of many decline due in part to this wonderful technological age of Smart phones ( which are not ) and the Internet which means that you really do not have to learn anything as the answer can be asked of an inanimate object and you get an answer , which in truth you do not understand and if it is the wrong answer, you can blame the Phone or whatever.
I remember once a aged Aunt of mine ( a very clever woman PHD with 2 Doctorates ) She replied, ,knowing where to find the answer and knowing which is the correct one .
These days they may know where to find the answer, but they have no clue as to which is the correct one . The children who learn to search, interrogate and check the answers are the bright ones, but to many that is HARD WORK.

Oh by the way, my posts reflect actual experience gained inside the Thai Education System only, does not resemble or reflect my own education in the UK Education system which was brilliant nor elsewhere where I improved my knowledge.
Military/ Police etc. .

[newtovillagelife]

If what you say is true Khun Paul, it pretty well matches the state of education in Toronto. I had a kid approach me yesterday and ask where the history exam room was located. I told him the history exam is on Friday (today). 'Oh' he said, and 'what time is the exam'?' 'At one' I said. He asked,'morning or afternoon'?

I advised him to go home and get some rest, and then do some studying. Very few high schools schedule exams at one a.m., in fact, I do not know of any that do. 555

If you feel the education system in Canada matches the state of education in Thailand, you are making an UNEDUCATED statement. Do you have any statistics to back that dumb comment up???

[GT93]

I employ a NZ university graduate every year. I'm sometimes surprised they got into university let alone graduated. Standards have slipped. I think one reason is because universities want money from foreign students and this lowers the bar for everyone.

As for Udonthani, I think Udon Pit is a great school for the best students. I taught English for a year or two to a 4 or 5 year old neighbour's son around 12 or so years ago. He went to Don Bosco and switched to Udon Pit at M 4 as he wanted to go to a top medical school in Bangkok. He got into the medical school at Chulalongkorn University. He said the stress and effort nearly killed him.

I also think farang often under-estimate the quality of the better Thai students. One of my memories teaching M 4 at St Mary's was one of the girls reading a 400 or 500 page book in Thai language about Abraham Lincoln. That's impressive for someone that age.

[Laan Yaa Mo]

They showed that fewer than half of the province’s Grade 6 pupils – 49 per cent – met the provincial standard in math in the 2017-18 academic year, a one-percentage-point decline from the previous year and a five-percentage-point drop since 2014.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... s-new-low/

[Khun Paul]

There are some extremely talented students around, I had one that could read speak and write in Thai, English and Mandarin , however he did spend each and every year with his Maternal grandfather in China during the summer recess.
As one pout it to me many years ago, schooling here does not present the correct challenges to prepare you for the sheer amount of work required if you need to succeed , school environment and culture of the no-fail in no way prepares you for University life where a fail is a fail there is no assistance especially in the good universities you require to graduate from if you want to succeed.

I remember tutoring a young man to go to a Uni in Australia, I told him the amount of work required was at least a 10000 work thesis each and every month in English was required and that his acceptance speech was to be in English . After four weeks of discussion and a little practice he declared himself ready and off he went.

He came back some two months later after being returned as his written English was so poor and he was unable to improve it .His father a good friend of mine moaned and I said , the fault was his son as he refused to listen and train. The boy even lost his job in the engineering company ( who had sponsored his Masters application to Australia ) .

The complaint from the boy was that it was too hard to meet the requirements he did not understand what was required , even though he was told not only by me but by the University who provided information in English and Thai.

[newtovillagelife]

They showed that fewer than half of the province’s Grade 6 pupils – 49 per cent – met the provincial standard in math in the 2017-18 academic year, a one-percentage-point decline from the previous year and a five-percentage-point drop since 2014.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... s-new-low/

World Education Rankings 2020....Canada 6th....Thailand 47th....I rest my case.