Teaching Children in Prachin Buri
I have been working in a soul-sucking job that has done a lot to impede my writing progress, so it’s been a while since I sat down to the computer and did any work on it. As of this past Friday, I have been free on that problem so likely you will see more posts here more often.
While in Thailand I traveled to Prachin Buri and got wrangled into some impromptu teaching. Read on:
After the communal lunch, Phramaha Nattapong came to get me and took me to the school, where classes were in session and rows of uniformed children sat obediently, listening to their teachers and taking notes. We walked upstairs and approached one particular room. The teacher came out and I was introduced to her. We both made wais and greetings and I was invited to speak to the class. Phramaha Nattapong said, “You teach them now.”
“Teach them what?” I asked.
“Teach English. Talk to them. They like you.” Then both the teacher and my friend disappeared.
I was not prepared for what to say to the class, not having many words in common with them. I reviewed the English alphabet, which they already knew, and translated the few phrases I could think of – hello, goodbye, how are you, where is the train, you are very beautiful, and a few others I thought might be useful to them someday.
After about ten minutes of forced conversation, the teacher finally came back and thanked me for visiting the class. She then led the children in singing American songs, beginning with “Can’t Smile Without You.”
“Barry Manilow number one,” someone said after the song. How could I argue?
The singing continued as the children began to sing “Happy Birthday.” About the time the song ended the students began singing it again. The gesture of singing to me was very sweet and these children, all very cute, had made me feel welcome in a place where I was out of my element. However, I started wondering how long I could keep the smile on my face from sailing away on the winds and pictured myself having to bear hours of pre-pubescent kids singing in thick accents. It had its charm but not so much that I wanted to prolong the event.
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