New International School Coming to Udon?

[moomoo]

Thats true, the lessons will be taught in english but what will the language of the play ground/ between the students be?

If there are a majority of thai students where thai is spoken at home wouldn't there be a tendency for them to speak thai with each other. To the detriment of their learning english?

Surely a international school benefits from having a multitude of nationalities so that there is no dominant language except for the one being taught in lessons.

Are there enough expats of any nationality prepared to send there kids to this new school. To prevent this happening?

Be interesting to see the mix of nationalities that attend when school starts

[Laan Yaa Mo]

emphasis on the Thai Language. Where besides Thailand can you use that Language?

Not many places. Only Penang, Malaysia and Singapore come to mind. Although if you are talking about the Chiang Mai and Isaan languages, speakers can be found in the Shan States of Burma, Sip-song Panna region of Yunnan Province, China and Laos. And the Ahom people of Assam State in India can understand the language of Northern Thailand.

[bumper]

Thanks Lann,

The young girl that is staying with us and going to public school can read English, actually speaking is another ball game. We have put her in English class. She was given a word list to read with probably a 100 words on it and told to read them. I had her read them to me, she was right on, on about 90% speaking and only minor corrections in pronunciation. Like me with Thai, don't use it you lose it.

That is where I will need to help. I'm suppose to help with simple sentences this week. Her parents never could do that with he a the don't speak English. I was actually very surprised at her ability.

[Teacher Dan]

Are there enough expats of any nationality prepared to send there kids to this new school. To prevent this happening?

Be interesting to see the mix of nationalities that attend when school starts

Considering the tuition fee of 190000 to 270000 per year, I rather doubt that enough expats of any nationality that are willing or able to pay that much for it, so I do believe you would find a dominance of Thai speaking students. I know of schools in Bangkok where they penalize students for speaking anything other than English--my friend teaches at one--but even then, the teacher's can't be present all the time and my friend tells me that Thai still dominates the schoolyard.

[kennyguk]

It will probably take a generation of students to pass through the new UT International school before they really start to churn out kids with really good English.

I'm currently working at a school where the EP has only been in a few years, the kids at lower P levels speak really good English with American accents as they have been taught that way since Kindergarten but at Matayom level it's more akin to the level of most Thais.

[amazonboy]

Thats true, the lessons will be taught in english but what will the language of the play ground/ between the students be?

If there are a majority of thai students where thai is spoken at home wouldn't there be a tendency for them to speak thai with each other. To the detriment of their learning english?

I have many experiences with international schools in Thailand, you can read my early posts, the majority of so-called international schools in Thailand are with vast majority of Thai nationals, and I can confirm most of kids speak Thai as language of communication in school, some school may have rules that only allow speaking English on campus, but most cases English is only spoken in classes, not outside the classes. My kids went through two "more affordable" international schools in Thailand and still could not learn English properly from schools, and to make situation worse, they were forced to take Thai classes, and this really messes up even more their English, plus all the students around them speak Thai, they were speaking very much Thai English, that is when I pulled them out and decided to send them and their mother together to school in Penang. Many of my Lao expats friends also send kids and wives there. The kids started to learn English very fast, because there is no dominant mother tone in their school, and without the nightmare of dreadful Thai classes, and they are not required to study Malay in Malaysia, the kids were quite relieved.

There are only very few international schools in Thailand that have majority non-Thai and with English speaking atmosphere, such as American School, and International School Bangkok, and several more, but these are so expensive and the entrance fees are ridiculous high for people stay here short to medium term, or people like me who can move back to Europe any time when my contract in Laos terminates.

When we heard there is a new school coming in Udon, we Laos expats really talked about it and many considered taking kids there across border, but we found out the tuition is crazy high with quality and future unknown, tuition fees higher than many long established international schools or English schools in Laos and Malaysia, and the lack of condominium housing at present time in Udon, the talk just died down.

From my experiences with international schools in Thailand, the new Udon school maybe just another rich Thai congregate, just like the schools my kids went in Bangkok, because I do not think enough foreign kids can occupy enough spots to make it English speaking international atmosphere. So if you are foreigner/Thai or Thai/thai couples and only wish your kids to expose some English, then it's alright, but if you are foreign/foreign couples and want your kids to speak fluently and properly and without Thai accent, then I think most of these schools will fail you.

[LoveDaBlues]

Are there enough expats of any nationality prepared to send there kids to this new school. To prevent this happening?

Be interesting to see the mix of nationalities that attend when school starts

Considering the tuition fee of 190000 to 270000 per year, I rather doubt that enough expats of any nationality that are willing or able to pay that much for it, so I do believe you would find a dominance of Thai speaking students. I know of schools in Bangkok where they penalize students for speaking anything other than English--my friend teaches at one--but even then, the teacher's can't be present all the time and my friend tells me that Thai still dominates the schoolyard.

Good common-sense post. Makes no sense to me to spend around $7,500 USD per year when I can put my child in a USA school for free. At St. Mary's (where my child has attended for 3 years) she has never had an A/C room. I've observed 30-40 kids per class. In the USA the school she will be attending has central heat/air. Around 16-18 students per class. Teachers average 14 years experience. My wife is amazed at how organized the schools are in America (at least the one my child will attend). We already know the dates for the entire school year including the whole year's lunch menu!

IMO, English skills are more important world-wide than the Thai language. So, I'm putting my kid in a USA school and have already purchased 1st grade Thai school books. My wife will talk/tutor our child in Thai so she doesn't fall behind. English will become her 1st language and Thai 2nd.

I'm not interested in debating anyone on where the better education lies, Thailand or USA. Rather, I would tell them to check the data for themselves. The top-ranked university in Thailand doesn't even crack the top 300 world-wide.....pathetic.

[Teacher Dan]

I'm not interested in debating anyone on where the better education lies, Thailand or USA. Rather, I would tell them to check the data for themselves. The top-ranked university in Thailand doesn't even crack the top 300 world-wide.....pathetic.

Good point about the Thai uni's that is why I'm looking at the international school first because I know that a Thai degree is not accepted at its value in any western nation--UK or USA. I saw a chart once that a colleague from DB (one who was also not retained) which showed that a BA in Thailand was accepted as anywhere from a high-school diploma to an Associates at most from a better university, a Masters is the equivalent of a BA anywhere else, and so on. That is why Thai doctors are not allowed to practice anywhere outside of Thailand as their doctorate is at best a masters anywhere else--even in other Asian countries. It all stems from the fact that people can literally pay for grades and degrees, which all starts at the school level where the students are taught that cheating, copying, or paying a friend to do homework is right and acceptable.

[LoveDaBlues]

I'm not interested in debating anyone on where the better education lies, Thailand or USA. Rather, I would tell them to check the data for themselves. The top-ranked university in Thailand doesn't even crack the top 300 world-wide.....pathetic.

Good point about the Thai uni's that is why I'm looking at the international school first because I know that a Thai degree is not accepted at its value in any western nation--UK or USA. I saw a chart once that a colleague from DB (one who was also not retained) which showed that a BA in Thailand was accepted as anywhere from a high-school diploma to an Associates at most from a better university, a Masters is the equivalent of a BA anywhere else, and so on. That is why Thai doctors are not allowed to practice anywhere outside of Thailand as their doctorate is at best a masters anywhere else--even in other Asian countries. It all stems from the fact that people can literally pay for grades and degrees, which all starts at the school level where the students are taught that cheating, copying, or paying a friend to do homework is right and acceptable.

Good post Teacher Dan. A friend of mine (retired American) just left Thailand on April 2nd. He was previously asked to teach in Udon Thani and accepted. He didn't need the income but just wanted to help and stay active. Anyway, it was a frustrating endeavor to say the least. It opened his eyes as to just how bad the educational system is here. He has a very sharp and studious adopted daughter who is 16 years old. When he checked the USA school she will be attending he discovered she is two years BEHIND her age group in USA. Just another example of the crap education here.

Still another (personal) example: My Thai wife was #1 in her class. She's pretty smart; I'd say sharper than
the average Thai. Anyway, one day she asked me to help her with some simple math. I asked her, "How come you can't do this when you were number 1 in your class?". Her reply, "Oh, I didn't like math so I just cheated on those tests".

Another example: (I have first-hand knowledge of this.) A young man (friend of family) wanted to apply for a job where a high school diploma is required. He didn't have one as he dropped out of school. A phone call and 3,000 baht later he had a professional looking high school diploma. He got the job. TiT. :-"

[socksy]

Every time it is approaching an end/start of term at St Mary's, I enquire as to which day is the last or first date. I can never get a definitive answer so if they can't organise term dates a year in advance what hope in hell do they have of actually being able to teach. The mind f*****g bogles. Plan a holiday - forget it.

[LoveDaBlues]

Every time it is approaching an end/start of term at St Mary's, I enquire as to which day is the last or first date. I can never get a definitive answer so if they can't organise term dates a year in advance what hope in hell do they have of actually being able to teach. The mind f*****g bogles. Plan a holiday - forget it.

lol. I know, I know...after putting my little girl and niece thru Saint Mary's for 3 years. My wife would talk to the teachers there and they always bitched about the low pay. hmmm.........wonder were all the money the parents paid is.....??? Typical Thai institution.......just another opportunity to scam/skim.

I consider myself fortunate to be able to take my little one to the USA for her education. I can understand others may want to but can't because of circumstances, my heart goes out to them.

[Teacher Dan]

Every time it is approaching an end/start of term at St Mary's, I enquire as to which day is the last or first date. I can never get a definitive answer so if they can't organise term dates a year in advance what hope in hell do they have of actually being able to teach. The mind f*****g bogles. Plan a holiday - forget it.

You think that's bad--I taught at DB for many years and early on I couldn't find out when summer school started on the last day of the term(we had to teach the summer school in April, so it was kind of important to know), but they would say that they didn't know when it was going to start and they'd call some time in March. Now my question was always, how on earth do they not know when it starts--what do they tell the parents? How do they get students to attend? Then as my sons got older and I started getting notes that they sent home and my sons could tell me what they said, I'd find out that they listed the summer school dates--they could send them home to parents, but they couldn't tell us foreign teachers.

Sometimes when someone went out on a limb to actually tell you dates, they ended up changing, so I think that is part of the reason no one can seem to tell you a date--no one wants to be the one who told people wrong when the date changes later. Saving face comes into play there, not to mention avoiding confrontation because when you tell a westerner the wrong dates, they will usually let you know about it--and not necessarily in a kindly manner. That always exasperated me to no ends because I'm a retired sailor who was used to having a plan for everything from PMS to ship's movements and ports of call. And the odd thing is that if you tell a Thai teacher or principal they will agree with you that it's a problem, but they won't do anything about it: the teacher will shrug and ask what can they do while the principal will just agree that it's a huge problem. Amazing......

[Teacher Dan]

lol. I know, I know...after putting my little girl and niece thru Saint Mary's for 3 years. My wife would talk to the teachers there and they always bitched about the low pay. hmmm.........wonder were all the money the parents paid is.....??? Typical Thai institution.......just another opportunity to scam/skim.

I myself have always wondered that as my niece just graduated from SM and my friend's daughter was a year older, so I know how much tuition is there. And I knew a few of the teachers there, so I knew how low their salaries were, but considering the school has no air conditioning and the structure hasn't changed noticeably (unlike DB) in the 9-years that I've been in Udon, I can't fathom where the money goes.

[bumper]

LDB, moving back to the states?

[LoveDaBlues]

LDB, moving back to the states?

Leaving May 13. Keeping the house here for the time being. Plan on coming back each summer when my daughter is out of school. I'll still support my wife's family and keep my niece in Saint Mary's; at least SM is better than the village school in the boonies.

[bumper]

Well I wish luck, Vegas?

[Barney]

The general conversation has drifted away from the specific topic of the new international school, probably just as well as it has become a bashathon. The school is only just being built and according to some it should not continue its erection. It is very obvious that not many if any have bothered to go and talk to the team setting things up. I have no Vested interest on promoting the school but have had email and now since moving to UT had personal one on one discussions to determine if it in fact would be suitable for my young girl. So far there are many green lights. I am not a teacher or have any formal education other than trade school and will most likely go on the facts before me not Inuendo or uneducated rumour. Facts are showing it will not be a Thai majority student population. I wish them well which ever way I choose, because as most are stating a Thai school education even where foreign teachers are employed is just not up to scratch, so why not let them have a go and bring something to town which seems to be missing.

[bumper]

For what it is worth, since I started this topic in hopes of finding a school for my Grandson. ( not happening) I did speak to them on the phone. It sounded promising. But, that was before we have gotten all this information. If it in facts works it would a good thing for Udon.

If it doesn't, well sometimes things just don't work out

[grievous]

I'm a little confused regarding comments that thai students in an english speaking school in Thailand will talk thai when they're not in the class room but students in a Malay school don't la.

[bumper]

Everyone always takes the easiest way. Sending your child to school by no means re leaves the parents responsibility.

The girl we have in English classes now. I sit with her and go over her homework. she knows I'm going to do that and she is ready.

some of what happens some of what happens in a child's education, can be blamed on teachers. Some can't.