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Why we chose to study for a Masters in Education near Jomtien
Martin, Beverley and Beer with
summer campers.
Susan Joyce
Asian University’s Master of Education programme in Teaching English
to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) has almost completed its first year,
and the three current students are looking forward to their graduation and
returning to real teaching.
I took the opportunity to talk with them and find out where they had been
before and where they plan to go after they complete their studies. Martin
is from England, Khun Beer from Chiang Rai and Beverley from Wales.
It is a very small class so they have all had ample opportunity for
discussion as well as listening to regular lectures.
Martin gained his first degree in Production Engineering at Nottingham
University, and then worked in Germany for a while before returning to the
UK for an MBA at Sheffield University. After ten years, mostly working in
IT, he came to Thailand as a dive master, and spent three months in Thailand
and three months in Australia. He took a dive instructor course in Thailand
and decided that he would like to stay on in the land of smiles.
He wanted to get a qualification that would allow him to continue to work
here, and having tried his hand teaching in the UK and Germany, and enjoyed
the challenges that it posed, he looked for a professional qualification
that would enable him to teach.
He wanted to live near the sea, didn’t fancy the traffic and pollution of
Bangkok and of course wanted to study in English. With a little surfing, he
found a suitable English language programme on the Asian University web
site.
When Martin finishes his studies later this year he hopes to be able to find
employment in a similar location, not in a big city, but near the sea, and
somewhere where the cost of living isn’t too high.
Khun Beer is a tourism management graduate from Mae Fah Luang University,
where she studied in English, in the north of Thailand. She has worked in
the service industry in Bangkok and at the Don Muang airport information
desk as well as Mae Fah Luang University’s registrar’s office.
She wasn’t finding the work fulfilling and really wanted to become an
English teacher, so she went along to the education fair at the Queen
Sirikit Convention Centre where she saw Asian University offering a one year
M Ed course. Other universities offer longer part time courses, or courses
that weren’t taught in English, so she opted for Asian U. Khun Beer is the
only one of the M Ed students living on the campus, which she finds
conducive for study.
She enjoys living near the sea and is taking the chance to see the area
around Pattaya which is quite different from her home area in the North of
the country.
She hasn’t decided what comes next, but she is enjoying the teaching
experience, so that is likely to be the way for her to progress.
The third student is Beverley from South Wales. Beverley has travelled a
lot, mostly for pleasure and often finding work in the new locations. She
was awarded a BA Honours degree in Politics from Liverpool University and
obtained a CELTA from Swansea. She has already taught in Korea, China and
the UK. Beverley found out about Asian University on the internet, while
still living in the UK, and did the calculations to convince herself that it
was cheaper overall to come to Thailand to study (taking into consideration
the fees and the cost of living) as well as the bonus of living by the sea
with plenty of sunshine.
Compared to many of the places where she has lived, Pattaya offers more
attractions for westerners; cinemas, good value food and restaurants,
numerous markets, and she especially mentioned chocolate, cheese and other
dairy products that she missed when living in China! One criticism of
Pattaya was the lack of reliable public transport, as well as the isolation
of the university campus. However, she is enjoying the course and looks
forward to moving on to the next location and starting teaching again, for
real.
The three students have been doing their teaching practice locally, at the
Austrian Thai College, the Huay Yai primary school (where Asian University
students have also gone to teach English) and in The College at Asian
University. This week they taught on the English Summer Camp at Asian
University, as shown in the photos taken by Ajarn Robert.
Asian University staff will follow the careers of these first three M Ed
graduates with interest when they leave here later this year.
Magical Easter at Baan Jing Jai Orphanage
Adene Paykel, PILC
With Fairies, an Easter Bunny and a playground brimming with chocolate
eggs, it was always going to be a magical and memorable afternoon for
the children at Baan Jing Jai Children’s’ Home.
After arriving on Harleys, thanks to the boys (Yanik and Wild Bill) from
Jesters Care For Kids (it’s amazing how fairy travel has advanced) the
children were treated to story time.
More than 50 children huddled together as they listened intently to
stories of the Easter Bunny and his Fairies, and just how those eggs
landed at their house!
Their excitement and enthusiasm was barely containable as they lined up
to begin the hunt. With a nose for chocolate and an eye for candy more
than 70 eggs were located in less than a minute, forcing the Easter
Bunny to re-lay some of his eggs. It seems even the fluffy white rabbit
has to recycle these days!
The delight and pure joy these children expressed should be bottled, it
was a simple gesture but I’m sure it will be talked about for a long
time to come at Baan Jing Jai.
The delight and pure joy
these children expressed should be bottled.
Easter Bunny (Rachael
Hoag) arrives on the back of Yanik’s Harley.
Easter Bunny and Fairies
(L to R) Ingrid Cunliffe,
Rachael Hoag and Kathleen Petras.
The Easter “crew” and
children gather for a group photo.
Easter Bunny (Rachael
Hoag, Vice President PILC)
leads the children on a chocolate Easter egg hunt.
Khiri Travel and Riksja Online donate to the Government Orphanage School in Luang Prabang
Khiri Travel Director
Frans Betgem hands over the donations
to Mr. Sengchan, the Headmaster of the school.
Frans Betgem, Director
Last week Khiri Travel and Dutch company Riksja Online surprised
the pupils of the Government Orphanage School in Luang Prabang, Laos
with a donation comprising several hundred school uniforms, two large
cooking pots and two boxes with toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap.
The Government Orphanage School is located on the outskirts of Luang
Prabang and at this moment houses 393 orphans and children from poor
families.
Khiri Travel Director Frans Betgem personally handed over the donations
to Mr. Sengchan, the Headmaster of the school. “We feel very honoured to
be able to lend a helping hand, also on behalf of the clients of our
Dutch partner Riksja online,” Frans admitted.
Khiri Travel Co., Ltd. is rapidly growing as one of the leading inbound
travel companies for Thailand and Indochina, with eight office in the
region. Riksja Online is a Dutch internet travel company.
Graduation certificates
presented to local students
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Pattaya City Education Office presented certificates to students from
the 10 schools under Pattaya City jurisdiction who had graduated from
the kindergarten and secondary levels in the 2007-2008 educational year.
 Mayor
Niran Wattanasartsathorn presides over the presentation of certificates
to graduating kindergarten and secondary school students.
The first ceremony was held on March 20 at Pattaya School No 2, with
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn presiding.
A total of 764 students received certificates, 413 of them from
kindergarten level and 351 from secondary level. They were from five
schools, namely Pattaya Schools 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9. On March 21, Pattaya
City Education Office held the ceremony for students from Pattaya
Schools 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10, the venue being Pattaya School No 7.
Mayor Niran said that although kindergarten and secondary education is
not high-level education, it is basic and vital to the future of the
child. Thus it acts as the base from which further achievements in
education and life are built, and which instills the moral and social
principles that are so important to individual fulfillment and to social
cohesion.
Kindergarten students line
up to receive their certificates.
The Regent’s School Summer Concert
This year’s Summer Concert on March 27 promised to be
something special. Following on the tradition of variety being the key
component to success and with more talent on show than ever before, the
Music Department set to work creating a program that aimed to have
‘something for everyone’.
 The
35 piece orchestra performs a brilliant rendition of Dansyre.
Over 400 parents, friends, pupils and staff all packed into the Globe
theatre. The evening began with the dramatic entrance of the 35 piece
orchestra who performed a brilliant rendition of Dansyre. This was
followed by an emotional Londonderry Air and then a version of Raiders
March which seemed to be really enjoyed by the entire audience. The
scene was now set for a fast paced concert with over 100 pupils from
year 5 to year 13.
In no time at all we were almost at the interval, having heard songs
from the growing primary choir (or Melody Kids as they are now known),
an incredible performance of IB students’ compositional work and
breathtaking performance of the Regent’s School string groups,
highlighting the success of Narong’s string programme. The first half
closed with one of the Christmas concert favourites, The Soul Band who
performed Rescue Me and I Feel Good by James Brown.
The second half also started with a bang and another Regent’s first, the
newly formed Percussion group, led by year 12’s Pierre. The 8 strong
group played the massively complex and challenging piece, Drums Galore.
The energy and passion on display was awesome. The variety continued
with performances from the cast of the school musical and Great Balls of
Fire, the beautiful Valse Opus 64-2 by Chopin and then a fantastic Tango
Por Una Cabeza from the film, Scent of a Woman.
3 more items followed before the finale; the classroom performances of
Africa, a year 9 performance of The Flying Pickett’s Only You,
performances by the newly formed brass groups and then the breathtaking
Korean drummers - the entire sequence highlighting the truly
international flavour of life at The Regent’s.
One more slick set change meant it was time for the finale. Ham from
year 12 led the orchestra with a mature performance of Gymonopodie by
Satie and then the orchestra and Melody Kids combined to play their
version of Whatever, by Oasis and sung by Lisa from year 9.
Speaking with audience members on the way out, it seemed that people
were pleased with the high level of performance and variety on offer
during the evening. The show was a massive success and we look forward
to the next concert at The Regent’s, Pattaya.
The 8 strong percussion
group plays
the massively complex and challenging piece, Drums Galore.
The breathtaking Korean
drummers highlight
the truly international flavour of life at The Regent’s
The Soul Band performs
Rescue Me and I Feel Good by James Brown.
The scene is set for a
fast paced concert with
over 100 pupils from year 5 to year 13.
The ever growing Melody
Kids are set to perform.
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