There's a Certain Greatness to Their Lateness

**MDJase** · 23rd September 2012 16:34

Don't compare yourself to Thai teachers. They get away with murder, while you cope the blame for everything. I've seen Thai teachers turn up for the first class of the semester and then disappear, and only to reappear again at the end of the course. Farang teachers get into trouble just for finishing class 20-30min early. I'm guessing the ones who do get away with murder have been working at the uni for their whole life and has a fook load of political power. TIT eh!

EDIT: Damn it! You beat me to it keekwai! I was gonna post that wiki quote.

**keekwai** · 23rd September 2012 16:35

Originally Posted by rijb

What do Thai teachers (the ones that care) do when a student is late?

Smile, and ask "Is everything OK?"

**banjo** · 23rd September 2012 16:46

Yep. That's the one I read....

---Update---

I suppose at the end of the day we're only getting paid to teach classes, not transform the culture. If the Thais themselves wanted to get students into the classes on time, it'd be done. But it's obviously not thought to be too important.

On that point, I've always been curious where and when the transformation takes place. Because somewhere along the line something changes, and the seemingly hopeless students hatch out like butterflies emerging from their chysalises (sp?) into people who work in and run what is a pretty efficient economy.

**tomcat** · 23rd September 2012 16:58

Originally Posted by banjo

Because somewhere along the line something changes, and the seemingly hopeless students hatch out like butterflies emerging from their chysalises (sp?) into people who work in and run what is a pretty efficient economy.

...those who remain hopelessly entrapped in their chrysalises, never to fly, work for the civil service, become politicians, shop assistants or gangsters...it's the Thai-Chinese that have a claim to efficiency and highly effective and adaptive corruption skills...

**banjo** · 23rd September 2012 17:15

Originally Posted by tomcat

t's the Thai-Chinese that have a claim to efficiency and highly effective and adaptive corruption skills.

Maybe - but as students they are often as not feckless loafers.

**tomcat** · 23rd September 2012 17:19

Originally Posted by banjo

but as students they are often as not feckless loafers

...those are the ones from wealthy families...their corner offices are waiting for them...

**dingoman13** · 28th September 2012 09:22

Originally Posted by MDJase

I learnt escape goat in high school

Maybe the teacher was talking about "a scape goat"?

Did you show up late for that lesson?

Btw, the French used "escape escargots" but gave that up when they couldn't get away quickly enough.

**cluezo** · 28th September 2012 09:28

**WilliamBlake** · 28th September 2012 17:15

Originally Posted by Wiki

In ancient Greece a cripple or beggar or criminal (the pharmakos) was cast out of the community, either in response to a natural disaster (such as a plague, famine or an invasion) or in response to a calendrical crisis (such as the end of the year). In the Bible, the scapegoat was a goat that was designated (Hebrew לַעֲזָאזֵֽל ) la-aza'zeyl to be outcast in the desert as part of the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement, that began during the Exodus with the original Tabernacle and continued through the times of the temples in Jerusalem.
In psychology and sociology, the practice of selecting someone as a scapegoat has led to the concept of scapegoating.

Well, there you have it.

Now, to look up "toadying"...

---Update---

Etymology: 19c: shortened from toadeater - an assistant or servant to a charlatan, one who would pretend to eat poisonous toads so that his master could show his expertise in ridding the body of poison.

**Dutchy** · 28th September 2012 17:40

Originally Posted by dingoman13

Btw, the French used "escape escargots" but gave that up when they couldn't get away quickly enough.

Which explains their willingness to just surrender instead.

For the kids at school (M1-M3), I do the jumping jacks thing. Here's the one that gets me: Skipping class and leaving their bags in the room. Student affairs now has a great laugh every time I bring a bag to them.

For the M4-6 kids, I generally don't care. I just call roll at the beginning of class and three unexcused absences they automatically fail. This works pretty good for the M4-5 classes and the first semester of M6 because they're worried about their grades for university. By October, most of the M6 students have been admitted to uni so they blow off the second semester, which is great for the M6 teachers.