I'm finishing up a one-year contract in Thailand at the end of May. Like all jobs, this one has had both its good and bad. My boss is great--the best I've ever had. However, students at my school seem to believe that they don't have to try too hard when it comes to subjects such as English. Indeed, no matter what the subject, students here think they can slack off in the classroom today and cheat on their exams tomorrow to make up for their shortcomings. Not only is cheating rampant at my school, but the instruction given by the Thai English teachers is also unbelievably inadequate. When I arrived here nearly a year ago, my students couldn't even use pronouns properly. This may seem like it's not such a big deal, but consider this--I'm talking about the BEST students in the school, the students who've attended English classes for over nine years! I've concluded, at least at my school, teaching English is futile. Until these students get serious about learning and stop their incessant cheating, teaching them will be futile. I don't how it is at other schools in Thailand, but I suspect it's more of the same everywhere else. On June 1, I will board a 747 bound for someplace, anyplace, that is NOT Thailand. Thailand--a GREAT place to visit. Not a great place to teach. I'm trying Korea next. I really hope the students there are hardworking and are as offended by cheating and cheaters as I am.

RhenoThai