Learning from another land
A group of doctorate students from Thailand visited area schools this week to learn about American schoolsBy Jodelle Greiner
Article Photos
COTTONWOOD - High schoolers in Thailand are already starting to specialize by sophomore year, said Thai educators who are visiting area schools, but it's not the students' choice.
If a student shows an aptitude for arts or science, the teacher will steer the child into classes in those areas, said Premjit Larsen, who was interpreting for the group from Thailand when they visited Lakeview High School Thursday. They visited the seventh and eighth-grade choir students being directed by Cheryl Jeska and observed an art class in the morning.
The basics don't change, said the Thai group, who are teachers and working on their Ph.D. degrees. The students are spending three weeks at Southwest Minnesota State University as a part of their curriculum.
"Budgeting, we don't have enough money to support," said Narong Sopin, a primary school teacher in Udon Thani, Thailand.
They still concentrate on the core subjects of reading, writing and arithmetic, and their grade system is similar to the American system with kindergarten for three- to six-year-olds, primary school through sixth grade, and six years of secondary, then university, said Piyawan Thonganantiwong, an English teacher from a municipality school in Udon Thani, Thailand.
"I am a teacher, teach English," said Thonganantiwong. "Use phonics, best way to teach student to pronounce.
"The teachers take care of the special education here," she added. "One teacher takes care of one student. When we're back in Thailand, must tell my principal, it's better for students."
Thailand has an inclusive education and the teachers don't have aides to help, said Montri Vong-Ra-Khon, vice dean on the faculty of education at Rajabhat University in Udon Thani, Thailand.
The Thai group was amazed at the student/teacher ratio in the classroom.
"Fifty to 60 students, one teacher," Thonganantiwong said is the norm in Thailand.
Metro students would have more students, smaller schools less and every school doesn't have enough teachers, said Chaweewan Yokin, a teacher for special education in Thailand.
In some schools on the border, 60 territory policemen teach elementary students in the rural areas, Larsen said. They are trained by university professionals.
The visitors are learning a lot, said Bob Larsen, director of counseling and testing services at Southwest Minnesota State University, because the trip is part of the course they are taking to obtain their Ph.D. degrees. They will receive one credit for a graduate class in education, a requirement to obtain the degree.
The idea for the exchange developed over time, Larsen said. He and his wife, Premjit, who is Thai, know people in Thailand who were interested in developing the project.
Last year was the first year the Ph.D. students came. This year, a total of 20 students and four advisers came Oct. 25. They've been touring area schools in smaller groups and took a field trip to visit some sites in the state and region.
"It's been wonderful," Larsen said of the whole experience. "Such a wonderful group, gracious, working hard and having fun."
Larsen hopes to experience the project from the other side when SMSU takes a global studies class trip in June to Thailand with the Jazz Ensemble, faculty and administration.
"We hope to have at least 20," Larson said. "When we're there, we hope to (present) performances."
