Teach Travel Asia Report – December 2011
Some of our December students pose for a picture after an exhausting but exhilarating day at our non-profit English camp.Overview
Most of the students made their way from Bangkok down to Hua Hin on their own, at separate times. This was because several clients arrived in Thailand early and did not want to stay in Bangkok long because of the high hotel prices.
On their first star-filled Friday evening in Hua Hin, the students and staff came together for a South African style Welcome Braai! Complete with BraaiBroodjies (almost like a grilled cheese sandwich with onions and tomato), beef kebobs, plenty of chicken, beer, and mixed drinks; there was laughter all around! Excitedly talking about upcoming plans and their first week in Thailand, the braai lasted late into the evening.
Students and staff alike making new connections and talking about their first week of Thai culture and language classesA week later, at 11 o’clock in the morning on a warm Sunday, the students and staff gathered together with Brian and his truck, to donate nearly 400 kilos of pineapples to the loving and lively elephants at Hutsadin Elephant Sanctuary. As soon as we filled the entire truck with pineapples, we made our way to the Elephant Sanctuary. The Sanctuary currently has nine elephants that have been rescued, almost all from abusive situations.
Teach Travel Asia students received the opportunity to observe P’Toom teach an English lesson at Tetsaban Ban Takiap School the morning of December 21st. The lesson presented used grammar and games to teach the students English. Beginning with a song that every student sang in unison, including claps and hand gestures, P’Toom taught the fifty students about prepositions. He followed up the song with dialogues and writing activities. The lesson ended with a game of balloon toss, where prepositions were used to designate directions. We are excited to include an observation day in each TESOL course this year, because it allows students to see the practical use of classroom management, and some techniques on giving directions using very little English.
Students in P’Toom’s English lesson learn their prepositions through a game of water balloon toss. Being away from family and friends for the Holidays can be difficult.
December students came together to celebrate both Christmas and New Years, with a pageant, beachside Braai, and lighting lanterns.
Filled with creativity and ambition, the December Group wrote, rehearsed, and performed a new type of Christmas Pageant at the Tedsaban Ban Takiap School in the third week of class. Invited by P’Toom to create a performance for the children at the school, in honor of Christmas, the December Group created a play complete with music and dance. The play was a huge hit, and the kids loved it. Based around the story of Snow White, the play had a wonderful message: that giving and sharing contributes to happiness.
The wicked witch and her minions learn an important lesson about the power of giving.The final component of each TESOL course is a non-profit English Camp. This month’s camp took place at Tedsaban Ban Takiap School, under the direction of P’Toom, whom we worked with all month. Each student prepared two different lesson plans, one for the younger group that was heavily based on activities, and one for the older group, based around a grammar point. Every student did amazing, and both the kids and the Teach travel Asia students felt accomplished at the end of the day. Watching students progress into teachers is rewarding and encouraging!
Placement
Placement went quickly and easily for the December Group. We were able to place couples and friends in the same area, if not the same school. Due to an issue with a school partner, Janine Page ended up having to go to a couple interviews that didn’t prove fruitful. She was reimbursed for travel expenses to the school, an hour away.
Most of December’s group was placed in or around Bangkok, or Hat Yai, with Janine ending up in Petchaburi.
Brendan Mettler plays a game of memory match with students to help them learn about tools on the farm.Improvements Suggested
At the end of each course, we ask students to fill out course evaluation forms. We will take all of the feedback given and make the necessary changes to increase student satisfaction and address any issues that come up:
What, if anything, would you have improved on the course?
- Consistent information from Agent and Teach Travel Asia.
- Receipt of all items listed as included in Starter Pack.
- More classroom decoration to inspire creativity!
Is there anything else you would like to know?
- More Thai language lessons
Course Issues
Those that did not receive free transportation and were in Bangkok within 4 days of the beginning of the TESOL course were reimbursed for the ride down.
Due to the floods the supplier of Teach Travel Asia t-shirts was unable to fulfill our t-shirt needs for the group so each member of the group was refunded for the price of the shirt, which they had paid for in the starter pack.
Improvements Made or Planned as a Result of Issues and Feedback
In order to minimize course issues in the future, Teach Travel Asia began Skype final briefings for all clients before they come to Thailand. We have already found that with the Jan-Feb group this has better prepared the clients for the transition.
Teach Travel Asia will add a more extensive Thai language resource within the textbook we are currently revising, as well as provide information on inexpensive Thai language courses in the area. We are currently working on a way to extend the Language portion of the orientation for at least one more day.
Teach travel Asia will be decorating the classroom with both English language teaching materials, as well as Thai language learning materials. This will help the students learn Thai as they learn to teach.
