Adventures Around the World: Teaching English in Chiang Rai

We have been spending the last couple of weeks volunteering at the Mirror Foundation, a non-profit that works on community developement of hilltribes in Northern Thailand. In addition to an english teaching program, they have many different projects going on at one time, including eco-tourism, an online handicrafts store, a tv-show for and about life in the villages, a computer proficiency program, construction projects. When we first arrived, we were surprised to find that no one really welcomed us or told us what was going on. Most of the Thai staff members are busy with other aspects of the NGO, so it is up to the other English-speaking volunteers to show the newbies around. Luckily, all the volunteers are really friendly and helpful, so it didn't take us long to get settled and understand how the system worked. Basically, each day of the week there are different schools to teach at, and it is up to you to sign up for things and make the most of your experience.

Our first teaching experience was an English camp at a high school in Chiang Rai town. It was and all-day event where we worked with sixteen to eighteen year-olds on their speaking and listening skills. It was a lot of fun because the students were really respectful and eager to learn.
There were four of us leading the camp: me and Leslie, our best friend at Mirror, Jess, and another girl named Karalee. We split the students into four groups and each played different game with them, rotating groups every half hour. Their English was quite basic, so we played simple games like Telephone, Simon Says, and Mother May I. In my group we also sang childrens songs such as Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, and Old Mc Donald Had a Farm. This was my favorite part of the day because the students had a lot of fun being silly and singing is a great way to rembemeber vocabulary.

Jess, me, and Leslie with some of our students

Our students were so much fun!

All the Thai teachers at the camp were also really nice. They treated us like royalty, constantly serving us snacks and asking us if we needed anything. At lunch time they busted out karaoke, and we all had a chance to show off our amazing vocals. Thai people love karaoke, and the teachers were all very good at it. It was pretty funny to hear one of the teachers sing the "Poka Dot Bikini" song. After the day was over, a bunch of the students wanted our all our contact information and one girl even told me that she loved me!

Leslie is showing off his karaoke skills

The rest of the teaching experiences that week were not as rewarding because the students were younger, so they were more boisterous and less respectful. On Thursday we went to an elementary school to teach third through sixth graders. The kids who wanted to learn were great, but there were a number of kids in the back of the class who weren't paying attention, kept leaving the room, or just refused to partcipate. It was frustrating because we really had no authority to discipline them, especially because we don't speak Thai.

On Friday we taught preschool children. Actually, I wouldn't say we taught them, we just played games and songs with them because they didn't speak any English at all. Some didn't even speak Thai, only their local hilltribe language. The kids were a handfull, but they were adorable! They really liked Leslie, probably because he looked the most Thai, and all the little boys were fighting to hold his hand. By the end of the morning we were all pretty sick of "Ring Aroun the Rosie" and were relieved when the two and a half hours were over. Leslie said that after that day he has a lot more respect for preschool teachers.