Mournfull Monday

Well, Monday is always a good bad day. Its good because I have 4 P3s to teach and only 1 P2. Its bad because its a Monday and I have to teach 5 periods out of 6 ( there is a 7th but it actually cuts across everybodys lunch hour so if you are unlucky enough to get that its reduced lunchtime time ).

Its a bit of a struggle this week with the 3s though as I am introducing Time and how to tell it. Time itself is in some cases an almost impossible concept for Thais. When was the last time someone turned up on time for example?

They keep on getting mixed up with "to" and "from" I have used a model clock, drawn one on the board with "past" and "to" got them to write 60 minutes = 1 hr, 30 minutes = half an hour and still after 3 lessons and 95% of them stil think everything is quarter past or to and getting mixed up. The couple of worksheets I have given out to help the book are producing results like "6 o'clock past 30" or "6 past quarter". Dont know how else to do it though.
Just need to keep on plugging away.

When I was walking into school, I noticed a big platform on the assembly area. Hmmm, another presentation? Yup. This time it was "Happy Feast Day My Director" or at least that was what was up on the board behind the platform. Turns out the Head honcho is named after a saint and it was the Saints day. So speeches and free ice creams for the kids ( yes, at 9am! ).

So anyway, suddenly 5 minutes before it all starts the project manager here suddenly bursts in and says we have to go and attend the thing. No one had bothered to tell us in advance or just as likely, he forgot to tell us last week. Either way, surprise surprise.

So, more of the usual boring speeches and being stuck in the corner and nowhere near the important people.

Unfortunately, it meant that the first period was cancelled which was my only free period of the entire fecking day. I still had to teach all 5 lessons, some lucky so and sos got away with teaching only 3.