the good, the bad and the ugly

The Good: The school announced that we'll have 12 month's salary instead of 11.

The Bad: We'll have the 12 months salary IF we'll be in school before 7:30 and will go home by 5:00 pm. Last time we should be in school before 8:30 am and go home by 3:30 pm. How could I blog with this new time schedule.

The Ugly: The kindergarten teachers are now required to make grades. I only meet my learners once a week, Thai names are hard to memorize and I will make grades to about 1,000 learners!

What do teachers make?

with my M.4 (equivalent to 4th year high school) students
in year 2006 at Maha Panya School

A friend of mine sent a nice article through email. I would love to share this with you and to all the TEACHERS out there:

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Barbara . Be honest. What do you make?"
Barbara, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents CAN'T make them sit for 5 without an iPod, Game Cube or movie rental. You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding ISN'T EVERYTHING. I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life

( Barbara paused one last time and then continued.) Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make Mr. CEO? His jaw dropped, he went silent.

What a profound answer! I'm proud to be a teacher...once again.