Exams, Cheating, Paperwork and No Time, Isaan Thailand.

I can truthfully say, thank bloody hell that the exams are over as of today and that means no kids until we return on the 26th of October.

I do have to go on an English camp next week for three days, thankfully there are six of us foreign teachers going, so I will be able to relax in the evening with a few coldies and stories for sure.

The last two days have been painful, well the first day of exams was excruciating you could say. On Wednesday I had to proctor or invigilate year 12 students (18 year olds).

Like corruption in Thailand, cheating is rife amongst students. Many of the students try and cheat during their exams. They use anything from cheat sheets, writing on their legs, arms or hands, to whispering to other classmates and so forth.

On Wednesday I spent the day, shushing students, shaking my head at students, and on and on it went. In the end I had enough, the kids were complaining that I was too strict.

Truthfully, students have pretty well been let to do what they want to in tests or exams. I remember the first time I encountered the blatant cheating, I could hardly believe it. And when you see teachers helping the students, giving them the answers, it becomes a bit of a mockery.

There are kids in your classes that you know just won’t be able to do the test. They are too far behind their classmates; their level of English is too weak for them to pass. I have had students in years 7, 8 or 9 (13, 14, 15 year olds) who cannot do the alphabet. Cannot read the most basic of sentences; understand about 1% of what you are saying.

I used to get frustrated with these kids but not anymore. I blame the school now, they allow the students into the English Bilingual Programme (EBP), and the school seems to be more interested in the money than the actual student’s education. I and other teachers have tried for years to have entrance tests for all levels.

If a student doesn’t pass the tests, they cannot study in EBP, this would improve the standard of the EBP, which now, is not so good to be truthful. It would mean losing money for some years while the standard of the programme improves. Then in the future, your name and reputation would start to be recognised for quality.

To put it into context, some of my year 12 students I can have an excellent conversation with them on many different topics. They understand what is being taught in the EBP classes and participate well in class.

Then there are a few others, the really weak students who I truthfully say cannot put more than one and two words together, and that is when they are doing well. They would understand less than 5% of what is being taught or said. They cannot participate in activities, express views, read text and so forth.

I can put some blame onto them, as a few are really lazy and have no motivation to learn. I think they switch off because they are not sure if they are listening to English, Japanese, Chinese or any other foreign language.

As for teachers helping students, the first time this happened to me I was marking a paper, then I tallied the score and when I glanced at the name I had to do a double take. What? This can’t be..! No way! WTF….

The student could hardly read, was incredibly weak and I was not expecting him to pass. So I pull the student into the office, do the test again in front of my eyes. Of course he couldn’t! So how did you do this and this? Did a friend help you? After a little coaxing and maybe the odd threat I was greeted with, “Miss …. helped me. She told me the answers.”

Okay, before I went off I had to make sure. So straight away I dug out other students I knew who would struggle in the test and checked their scores. Again they were just too good. I would have loved them to actually have been able to achieve this mark or grade but it just wasn’t possible.

So, I gather them all, and they all say the same thing, “Miss … helped me.” I even asked the top student if this was true and it was confirmed. Yes, I blew my top. I said some very stern words to the teacher involved and also the department head.

That was many years ago. Now I write on the cover paper of the tests, that if I suspect a teacher has helped a student I will report it to the Director directly. It is straight to the point but there is no way for it to be misunderstood.

Anyway, just a little on the frustration of teaching in Thailand. Back to the cheating.

I eventually thought enough was enough, and the kids were taking the piss. So I went and spoke to one of our Brothers, after a brief summary of what was going on, and I asked him to address the students and offer some words of wisdom to them.

They were told very bluntly, if caught trying to cheat, it would be recorded, they would then be failed and their parents would have to come for a meeting. This went down like broken glass with the students.

Today, the first two tests there wasn’t a murmur, not a sound, no whispering, looking sideways at other’s test paper. No writing on hands or legs, cheat sheets and so forth. I almost felt a little guilty, well really I was laughing on the inside.

In five tests, 6 hours of testing I think I had to warn maybe four students, make eye contact and a shake of the head was sufficient.

Sadly now, I just have the exams to mark. And there of course isn’t enough time to mark them by the scheduled deadline. And report cards need to be completed and official paperwork as well.

Years ago, I used to take work home or spend many extra hours at school to complete work on time. Those days are long gone. I will complete the work only during working hours; if it isn’t complete it will be finished when the time permits.

The school needs to balance the hours of work with the load of work, at the moment my scale is out of tilt. It will mean that my students will suffer as I won’t be able to do the extra work in the classes. Making worksheets and marking them will be stopped and just teach from the book supplied.

That will mean that a topic isn’t as thoroughly explained or taught because of time restraints. But I have many better ways to be spending my unpaid time, many better ways. I am sure this sounds selfish but after many years of being unselfish it is time to be a little greedy.

Tomorrow being Friday, there will be no students, just a solid day of marking papers and grading. Saturday and Sunday I will not be doing a thing, other than watching the AFL and NRL grand finals. Monday more marking if it isn’t finished and then all the paperwork and start on the reports. On the 5th, 6th and 7th it is English camp. Then Friday I can try and wrap up whatever isn’t finished and on Saturday the parents are meant to pick up report cards.

The report cards I am writing are more than likely not going to be completed, not unless some miracle happens, but we will wait and see as this is Thailand 

Brunty