My favourite moment of teaching was probably when I was
teaching ‘Time’ and, in lieu of a board eraser I used my hand. I then wiped my
hand across my cheek (on accident) leaving army stripes on my face. The kids
found this hilarious. One boy took out his pen and drew stripes across his
cheek too (Ha! I’m a trend setter!).
My teacher partner, Steph, commented “You look like GI Joe”
while I got the class to chant (chanting is the preferred method of teaching in
Thai schools. I don’t know how much I believe in it, but it’s not for me to
challenge their methods. After a month here, hearing Buddhist chants in
markets, temples and around I realise just how ingrained chanting is in the
culture, it makes sense it’s the centre of education, though I think the
students memorise things they can’t understand) “One forty five is quarter to
two, Two forty five is quarter to three, Three forty five is quarter to four…”
and they perfectly echoed the intonation in my British accent. I try to over-enunciate
everything I say so they hear distinct vowel sounds. Basically, I speak with Received
Pronunciation, think stereotypical ‘posh’ British- Hermione Granger or Mary
Poppins.
So that’s my best TEFL moment. Looking like GI Joe, sounding
like Mary Poppins, trying not to laugh as a chorus of Eton-sounding Thai
children chanted number patterns.
