News Forum - As Thai schools reopen, the effects of online learning are evident

[Thaiger]

As Thai schools reopen, the effects of online learning await to be seen, with many experts saying children will need to spend time catching up upon returning to classrooms. Barriers to online learning such as mental distress, missed school lunches, routine vaccinations, and possible exposure to violence and abuse, have all contributed to students’ falling behind. Many parents of these students lost their jobs when the pandemic hit, and many who didn’t had to quit in order to stay home with their children when schools were closed. The World Health Organisation has highlighted the plight of such students in Thailand, […]

The story As Thai schools reopen, the effects of online learning are evident as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Jason]

If there is one thing I could ask of the Thai Government, it's to be careful with the nation's children. The Government must guarantee that every high school student graduates this year.Those who had hoped to go to university, get to go to university. School students have had to cope with so much. Their parents have had to try and home school them...if they could. There must be no stigma attached to students who have lived through this pandemic. If the truth be known they have been brave...so very brave! I am reminded of the soccer team trapped in the caves. Give them time and they will shine again! To the school children of Thailand, these last two years have been a one in one hundred year event. It is NOT your fault. It will take time for us to make things better. But you have lived through the most difficult time and you future dreams are still possible :)

[LoongFred]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

If there is one thing I could ask of the Thai Government, it's to be careful with the nation's children. The Government must guarantee that every high school student graduates this year.Those who had hoped to go to university, get to go to university. School students have had to cope with so much. Their parents have had to try and home school them...if they could. There must be no stigma attached to students who have lived through this pandemic. If the truth be known they have been brave...so very brave! I am reminded of the soccer team trapped in the caves. Give them time and they will shine again! To the school children of Thailand, these last two years have been a one in one hundred year event. It is NOT your fault. It will take time for us to make things better. But you have lived through the most difficult time and you future dreams are still possible :)

I don't disagree but each student must be able to do the work, no gift graduations.  If the student passes the exams ok, if not give them help to succeed. 

[Rookiescot]

The online learning has been pathetic. It simply does not replace classroom work.

[DiJoDavO]

Students don't learn anything. Parents are mostly to blame. Students are left alone with the computer and anything they do, doesn't include school. 

Just the other day, a student didn't answer me. I have a rule, when I call a student and they don't answer, I'll call them again after a minute or 10, and if they are still not there, I kick them out, because they are not doing anything anyways (in the hope that parents will see that the class is turned off and blame the kid for not studying). 

Little did I know that I the parents got angry at me the same afternoon for kicking them out, and not to their kid. Need to find other ways to punish. Threaten them with cutting points I was told. But these students don't care, because they know that they will pass anyways. 

I could also ignore those students and let it be. But then a big problem will be ignored. How will the child learn that from doing something wrong, there will be consequences? These children will grow up without any pushback, and will become like those middle aged women here in Thailand who think that they are the center of the universe. They can't handle any criticism or pushback when they become older. 

When these students go back to school after having the time of their life playing games at home all day, they are in for a huge pushback, because suddenly they MUST do things. 

Parents will probably complain again why the teachers don't teach their kid to behave and why they are not smart, but when teachers do, they get blamed by the parents, because, hey, their kid can't do something wrong.

They either better go back to school asap, or the parents start to be involved a bit too. Lately Thai people get kids and expect everyone else to take over from there, while the parents should be the one who are responsible. 

In the meantime, this will keep going on and on. Students who say their mic is broken, students who type in the chat that their keyboard is broken (idk how stupid they think I am), students who suddenly have wifi problems right when I call them.

Teachers can't do much, because parents do anything to protect them. 

[nobusinessofurs]

I know exactly how you feel as a former high school teacher in Thailand. You are required to give the students a minimal grade to pass just so the school looks good, all at the expense of students true academic level.

[Stonker]

Extraordinary how a minor change in a re-write changes the entire meaning of the article.

In the original Bangkok Post article, "barriers to online learning" are just one of the many problems children are facing:

"School reopening planned for next month must not be delayed as children -- out of classrooms for many months -- are facing barriers to online learning, mental distress, risk of exposure to violence and abuse, missed school lunches and routine vaccinations."

While just the addition of "such as" in the Thaiger article changes the whole meaning, to say that all the other issues are "barriers to online learning":

 

"Barriers to online learning such as mental distress, missed school lunches, routine vaccinations, and possible exposure to violence and abuse, have all contributed to students’ falling behind."

 

[Stonker]

3 hours ago, DiJoDavO said:

Students don't learn anything. Parents are mostly to blame. Students are left alone with the computer and anything they do, doesn't include school. 

Just the other day, a student didn't answer me. I have a rule, when I call a student and they don't answer, I'll call them again after a minute or 10, and if they are still not there, I kick them out, because they are not doing anything anyways (in the hope that parents will see that the class is turned off and blame the kid for not studying). 

Little did I know that I the parents got angry at me the same afternoon for kicking them out, and not to their kid. Need to find other ways to punish. Threaten them with cutting points I was told. But these students don't care, because they know that they will pass anyways. 

I could also ignore those students and let it be. But then a big problem will be ignored. How will the child learn that from doing something wrong, there will be consequences? These children will grow up without any pushback, and will become like those middle aged women here in Thailand who think that they are the center of the universe. They can't handle any criticism or pushback when they become older. 

When these students go back to school after having the time of their life playing games at home all day, they are in for a huge pushback, because suddenly they MUST do things. 

Parents will probably complain again why the teachers don't teach their kid to behave and why they are not smart, but when teachers do, they get blamed by the parents, because, hey, their kid can't do something wrong.

They either better go back to school asap, or the parents start to be involved a bit too. Lately Thai people get kids and expect everyone else to take over from there, while the parents should be the one who are responsible. 

In the meantime, this will keep going on and on. Students who say their mic is broken, students who type in the chat that their keyboard is broken (idk how stupid they think I am), students who suddenly have wifi problems right when I call them.

Teachers can't do much, because parents do anything to protect them. 

I don't know what sort of school you're teaching in or what subject you're teaching so it would be wrong of me to criticise, but the idea of punishing children for not responding to on-line teaching by "kicking them out" as a solution and blaming the parents for failing to supervise their children wouldn't work around here in the countryside at all.

A number of the kids are living full time with grand parents, not parents, as the parents are away working in factories or the city. The parents / grand parents are not only not always able to supervise their kids during on-line classes as they have their own jobs to do, but many of them are far from computer literate or even fully literate themselves so they have no idea of what the on-line teaching is doing or trying to achieve.

Far from "having the time of their life playing games at home all day", the vast majority of the kids here, whatever their age, many of whom are anything but scholastic, can't wait to get back to school so that they can see their friends and do all the things kids enjoy doing together that they've been unable to do for so long.

Circumstances may be very different at your school with a different demographic, but that take on things here would be an abject failure as all the assumptions are wrong - for here.

 

[Soidog]

I perhaps shouldn’t post this as I’ve not been able to verify it. However, a friend of mine who teaches in a Khon Kaen school has informed me they have been told they will close again on Thursday following the detection of two positive cases in a school. I’m not sure if anyone who knows the town or the situation can verify? 

[Grauwulf]

Education In Thailand pre online was always poor and copying rubbish what the Bangkok post published still does not change that. Thailand's education system is archaic, a means to instill servitude to the uniform and a way for medium level civil servants to scam money from their own budgets. This will never change without a complete change in Government and National way of thinking...and that is unlikely to happen.

[LoongFred]

8 hours ago, Stonker said:

Extraordinary how a minor change in a re-write changes the entire meaning of the article.

In the original Bangkok Post article, "barriers to online learning" are just one of the many problems children are facing:

"School reopening planned for next month must not be delayed as children -- out of classrooms for many months -- are facing barriers to online learning, mental distress, risk of exposure to violence and abuse, missed school lunches and routine vaccinations."

While just the addition of "such as" in the Thaiger article changes the whole meaning, to say that all the other issues are "barriers to online learning":

"Barriers to online learning such as mental distress, missed school lunches, routine vaccinations, and possible exposure to violence and abuse, have all contributed to students’ falling behind."

Often small edits change the article completely. Efforts to maintain original meaning should be formost. Recently the editor added alleged... crime to and article, which changed the meaning (there was a confession in fact) but adding allegedly can be interpreted as not really happening. 

[gummy]

1 hour ago, Grauwulf said:

Education In Thailand pre online was always poor and copying rubbish what the Bangkok post published still does not change that. Thailand's education system is archaic, a means to instill servitude to the uniform and a way for medium level civil servants to scam money from their own budgets. This will never change without a complete change in Government and National way of thinking...and that is unlikely to happen.

It is of course 100% correct what you say and that fact is recognised in most other countries but unfortunately many Thais themselves and others with similarly low levels of education will just not or simply cannot except that as the truth. You often find that in defence of the Thai system people  make preposterous claims which perhaps they possibly believe is factual but  simply illustrates to others that they are somewhat confused.

[TheDirtyDurian]

So glad to have my kids back in school. 

[gummy]

7 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

So glad to have my kids back in school. 

Yes because, irrespective of the educational standards, good or bad, or anywhere in the world, children must have social interaction with others whilst they mature.

[LoongFred]

7 hours ago, gummy said:

It is of course 100% correct what you say and that fact is recognised in most other countries but unfortunately many Thais themselves and others with similarly low levels of education will just not or simply cannot except that as the truth. You often find that in defence of the Thai system people  make preposterous claims which perhaps they possibly believe is factual but  simply illustrates to others that they are somewhat confused.

Have you ever said anything good about life here, except weather is better than the UK?

[Stardust]

On 11/2/2021 at 3:36 PM, Thaiger said:

As Thai schools reopen, the effects of online learning await to be seen, with many experts saying children will need to spend time catching up upon returning to classrooms. Barriers to online learning such as mental distress, missed school lunches, routine vaccinations, and possible exposure to violence and abuse, have all contributed to students’ falling behind. Many parents of these students lost their jobs when the pandemic hit, and many who didn’t had to quit in order to stay home with their children when schools were closed. The World Health Organisation has highlighted the plight of such students in Thailand, […]

The story As Thai schools reopen, the effects of online learning are evident as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

Sure everybody kniw about thus situation a long time and unicef talked about it already ling time ago but the Thai media was quiet but tge rest of south east asia is aware about the mess in Thailand

 

 

[Stardust]

3 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Have you ever said anything good about life here, except weather is better than the UK?

For sure he knows life here better than you. How many children you had to raise in Thailand?! You understand the difference. Do you understand the difference to come for holiday to Thailand and living here and to care for a family? Sure you not understand 

[Stardust]

On 11/2/2021 at 10:10 PM, DiJoDavO said:

Students don't learn anything. Parents are mostly to blame. Students are left alone with the computer and anything they do, doesn't include school. 

Just the other day, a student didn't answer me. I have a rule, when I call a student and they don't answer, I'll call them again after a minute or 10, and if they are still not there, I kick them out, because they are not doing anything anyways (in the hope that parents will see that the class is turned off and blame the kid for not studying). 

Little did I know that I the parents got angry at me the same afternoon for kicking them out, and not to their kid. Need to find other ways to punish. Threaten them with cutting points I was told. But these students don't care, because they know that they will pass anyways. 

I could also ignore those students and let it be. But then a big problem will be ignored. How will the child learn that from doing something wrong, there will be consequences? These children will grow up without any pushback, and will become like those middle aged women here in Thailand who think that they are the center of the universe. They can't handle any criticism or pushback when they become older. 

When these students go back to school after having the time of their life playing games at home all day, they are in for a huge pushback, because suddenly they MUST do things. 

Parents will probably complain again why the teachers don't teach their kid to behave and why they are not smart, but when teachers do, they get blamed by the parents, because, hey, their kid can't do something wrong.

They either better go back to school asap, or the parents start to be involved a bit too. Lately Thai people get kids and expect everyone else to take over from there, while the parents should be the one who are responsible. 

In the meantime, this will keep going on and on. Students who say their mic is broken, students who type in the chat that their keyboard is broken (idk how stupid they think I am), students who suddenly have wifi problems right when I call them.

Teachers can't do much, because parents do anything to protect them. 

You call yourself teacher but you learned nothing about the current situation of Thailand! Most families have no flatrate wifi or can afford phones for their children or notebooks! As a teacher you should also learn about the backrounds. And as a techer you should read the unicef report of Thailand that exactly that is the problem! You talking for the majority of Thai students but you have no knowledge about the majority of the Thai students. To learn a bit more there is a good docu from cna about I made the link in an other comment.

[Fluke]

42 minutes ago, Stardust said:

You call yourself teacher but you learned nothing about the current situation of Thailand! Most families have no flatrate wifi or can afford phones for their children or notebooks! As a teacher you should also learn about the backrounds. And as a techer you should read the unicef report of Thailand that exactly that is the problem! You talking for the majority of Thai students but you have no knowledge about the majority of the Thai students. To learn a bit more there is a good docu from cna about I made the link in an other comment.

Nearly everyone in Thailand has internet connection and iPhone these days and can access the WWW and get online 

[Soidog]

I am told schools in Khon Kaen (all schools) will close from tomorrow for 7 days following two cases of Covid!  I’m afraid I don’t have a link to attach, but I have been told and checked again today with a friend who is currently teaching in Khon Kaen. Unless anyone living there knows differently. If true, it’s an absurd over reaction to two cases 

[gummy]

5 hours ago, Fluke said:

Nearly everyone in Thailand has internet connection and iPhone these days and can access the WWW and get online 

You really have lost the plot if you really think that. 

[AussieBob]

On 11/3/2021 at 1:10 AM, DiJoDavO said:

Students don't learn anything. Parents are mostly to blame. Students are left alone with the computer and anything they do, doesn't include school. 

Just the other day, a student didn't answer me. I have a rule, when I call a student and they don't answer, I'll call them again after a minute or 10, and if they are still not there, I kick them out, because they are not doing anything anyways (in the hope that parents will see that the class is turned off and blame the kid for not studying). 

Little did I know that I the parents got angry at me the same afternoon for kicking them out, and not to their kid. Need to find other ways to punish. Threaten them with cutting points I was told. But these students don't care, because they know that they will pass anyways. 

I could also ignore those students and let it be. But then a big problem will be ignored. How will the child learn that from doing something wrong, there will be consequences? These children will grow up without any pushback, and will become like those middle aged women here in Thailand who think that they are the center of the universe. They can't handle any criticism or pushback when they become older. 

When these students go back to school after having the time of their life playing games at home all day, they are in for a huge pushback, because suddenly they MUST do things. 

Parents will probably complain again why the teachers don't teach their kid to behave and why they are not smart, but when teachers do, they get blamed by the parents, because, hey, their kid can't do something wrong.

They either better go back to school asap, or the parents start to be involved a bit too. Lately Thai people get kids and expect everyone else to take over from there, while the parents should be the one who are responsible. 

In the meantime, this will keep going on and on. Students who say their mic is broken, students who type in the chat that their keyboard is broken (idk how stupid they think I am), students who suddenly have wifi problems right when I call them.

Teachers can't do much, because parents do anything to protect them. 

So many reasons why being a teacher sucks. Thanks for reminding me never to teach in Thailand.

[Stardust]

7 hours ago, Fluke said:

Nearly everyone in Thailand has internet connection and iPhone these days and can access the WWW and get online 

You have no knowledge about the situation of the majority of Thai familes. They have to pay their debts and cannot afford wifi for everybody. One phone they use as a hotspot but not with unlimited internet when the mb or g is finished then it is finished. Living in Thailand but have no idea or knowledge what is going on in this country and living in a box.

 

[Stardust]

7 hours ago, Fluke said:

Nearly everyone in Thailand has internet connection and iPhone these days and can access the WWW and get online 

Ok as I see you not talk with Thais then I give you example why I shocked sometimes. Example upper middleclass living in a condo, have a car and a proper smart phone. If you talk often with them you become more insides. The car and the phone is financed by loans, then you should have a little bit knowledge about the income level in Thailand to understand it. When I know how much income they have then realize from that they have their rents, electricity, all their debts every month I often with what money by their food. You think if you see the smart phones they can aford it? No they cannot they buy it by finance and do you think they have all high speed unlimited internet? No they have not. Now what do you think is going on in the lower income working class. I really often wonder how can sombody living but not realizing realities. My only answer they live in their own box and never reflecting.

[Fluke]

3 hours ago, gummy said:

You really have lost the plot if you really think that. 

Your poverty stricken village is not the real Thailand .

77 % of Thais own a smart phone and these days , only the remotest of areas have no internet connection