Thread: I Showed Students Ajarn.com

I have one really interested and interesting group at a BKK uni a couple weeknights a week (I will forever AO) and tonight I had the projector and the internet up, for to show them a few St. Valentines things online (video's, songs, etc.). But before I got into it, they started asking would I be there for the next course. I told them right here probably, but I'm also looking at a few jobs up country. We got into what the two provinces on my list were like, I told them all about the two jobs, we got into what they thought both places would be like for me, what they recommended, and I fired up the maps and the info online as we went.

Then I got the crazy idea to show them how one such as myself goes about FINDING such a job. On to Ajarn.com. I felt like I was pulling 'the curtain' back or something, committing some kid of deadly TEFL sin. But I just could resist.so... Take 'em for a tour...look- look at all the training courses!!! we gotta keep track of immigration, look a guru! of visas!, here's some writers (who's face is that - mai shua!), here's info about different regions...they got a kick out of stuff like ''Taxis, Buses...or Horse and Cart?'' and ''What's the likelihood of a good beating?''...really eating it up. On to NEWBIE FAQs...spent a good 35 minutes looking at this, discussing what goes through a farang teacher's mind coming over here...the way we see things. Really great discussion going on, full force!

There was no way I was gonna tread anywhere near the forum, for 'tis sacred ground ,of course, but we had a blast on the site. They were really blown away by it. I had an idea they would be.

I don't know...just thought I'd share. Damn good class it was. After the Ajarn.com tour we talked about the kinky pagan fertility rites that lead to st. valentines day and what foods were the best aphrodisiacs....

Who said teaching in Thailand wasn't fun?!?!

Think I might have to swear off of kids all together. Teaching adults is where its at. My inability to handle Thai teenage behavior has been really depressing me recently, felling like a damn failure! maybe I should just give it up! At least that's the way I feel after a day like today...horrid behavior and disinterest from the teens...fun, involvement, and cool dialogue with the adults....PEOPLE! *sigh......*
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Nice one.

Matthew, wassa madder wit you? You breakin' my balls? How many times I have to tell you to keep it in da family? It's too bad, you was a good kid.

Bags not hiding the body this time.

Be ready for a flood of Thai students trying to make conversation in the pub.

Next time send them to ThaiVisa if you like them, and *£$%^%*£$%^%*£$%^%*£$%^%*£$%^%*£$%^%*£$%^%*£$%^% if you don't.

What's the first rule about Fight Club?


Nah serious, that's pretty cool...I played Chalkies with my students a few times...

Told you that you would have fun there little buddy!! Who is 6 inches taller than me.

5 foot 10 JD, Matty is just over 6 foot 3. He was on a basketball scholarship at uni. Little known fact.

so say five and a half, or five and three quarters.

Originally Posted by Reg Young

You broke kayfabe.

What?

Originally Posted by aging one

He was on a basketball scholarship at uni. Little known fact.

I was out on the court at school just now. My how things have changed. Amazing what a little spondylitis will do to you. The movements and strengths required for b-ball are exactly the things I've lost. Those who've met me would probably never guess I was a true blue athlete once upon a time not so long ago. At least, as far as Bard College students go (www.bard.edu you can tell at a glance it ain't Big East)! Did find out I can still easily dunk an rugby ball though.





Some BIG NEWS recently (you get the picture )

Raptors Close out Blue Jays 73-57 for first ever win at Polytechnic University 01-13-07 The Bard College Raptors defeated the Blue Jays of Polytechnic University 73-57 en route to their first ever victory over Polytechnic in Brooklyn, NY. The Raptors second consecutive win against the Blue Jays dating back to last season. The Raptors were lead by a pair of juniors; Raymond Arocho, Jr. (21pts) and Demitrius Washington (16pts) as well as Freshman sensation Justin White who chipped in with 19 points of his own. The Raptors are next in action when they play host to Keuka College on Tuesday January 16th in an 8:00pm contest.

Still not sure we've ever beat the PARSONS SCHOOL OF DESIGN


Anyway, back on topic, it was very neat to see how interested they were in all the stuff on ajarn. The whole topic of WHO THE HELL YOU ARE AND WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE DOING HERE is, IMO, pretty ripe for engaging conversation practice if approached in the right way. That is, not in a way that the conversation revolves around you personally, but you as a representative of the farang teachers and workers here....

Open question...how often do you speak about yourself and your 'real life' here in classes?

Often in the form of an analogy, in order to try to get them to think.

Originally Posted by Matthew

Open question...how often do you speak about yourself and your 'real life' here in classes?

My kindergarten kids just aren't that interested mate.

Between you and me I'm pretty sure they don't think I exist outside of the classroom.....