The Teachers Council of Thailand, an entity under the Education Ministry's supervision, is responsible for maintaining professional standards of teachers and educational personnel across the country. Foreign teachers must also pass a training course on Thai language and culture, as well as professional ethics.

Teachers from across the globe

Chandrakasem Rajabhat University provided 20-hours of training for foreign teachers at their university's faculty of education from October 1 to 3.

Thirty-five foreign teachers, mostly from the Philippines, the United States, Australia and the Netherlands, learned selected areas of Thai culture from the curriculum prepared by the Teachers Council of Thailand. Other trainees from Germany, Belgium, Uganda, South Africa and China also joined the three-day training program, which is taught by six lecturers from the university.

Many participants have lived in Thailand for a while, some for as long as six years and others for a year or two, mostly teaching in Petchaburi, Ayutthaya, Roi Et, Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Chumphon, and Uthai Thani.

A touch of Thai culture

The Thai culture training covers various areas, such as Thai language, manners, and arts and music. The various positions of the `wai gesture' and the appropriate sitting positions are also explored.

Associate Prof Prapai Bowornrithidet, director of the Teacher Development Center, which conducts the training at the university, says that the training also aims to show foreign teachers how to distinguish appropriate from inappropriate behaviors, such as not touching another person on the head.

Maria Fe Gorduiz, a teacher from the Philippines, teaches English, Math, Science, and Arts and Crafts at Chumphon Anuban School in Chumphon province. She says she has a deeper understanding of Thai culture from the training. Now she sees a staunch difference between the way some students would now use their feet to switch off the fan, as opposed to the appropriate manners of not pointing with the feet.

We try to do everything to help teachers to adjust to the Thai culture and lead a happy life with the least number of problems, says Ajarn Pinit Punchuen, deputy dean of the faculty of education at Chandrakasem Rajabhat University. He adds that knowing the appropriate language will also bring good relations with their students, coworkers and parents, as the teachers are also taught the basic Thai vocabulary and conversations.

`Thainess' in the classroom

Rebecca Ringhand, an American who teaches lower primary levels at Anuban Petchaburi School, says the training will assist her and other foreign teachers who must communicate with their very young students in Thai.

``The cultural part of (the training) is particularly helpful because when we teach them things like health or art, we must not teach them only Western ideas,'' says Ringhand, who acknowledges that she will use the Thai culture in her lessons.

Mehmet Emin Onuk is from Turkey. He has been teaching English conversation, Science and Computer in Grades 1 to 6 at Aroonpradit School in Petchaburi province for six years.

He says he can apply what he learned to create his lessons, work-sheets and tests. For example, when he teaches his students English which is used in a restaurant situation, the English vocabulary will come from Thai family life, Thai friendships and Thai manners.

With the exception of lessons on Thai dance and music _ which present the elaborate folk dances of Thailand's four regions, along with the meanings of the various body gestures _ August Behm, who is from the Netherlands and teaches English conversation in a school in Petchaburi, says he is already familiar with most of the materials on Thai culture and tradition because he has lived in Thailand for three years and is married to a Thai.

The training on Thai culture, however, would be most beneficial for newcomers to Thailand, he adds. Likewise, Ringhad, who has lived for a year in Thailand, says she speaks much more Thai than what is being taught, pointing out that about 85 percent of the teacher-trainees have been in Thailand for a while.

Assistant Prof Kanjana Koowattanasiri is head of the university's Business English program and teaches Thai language and culture at the workshop. She says that there is nothing in the application form, given by the Teachers Council of Thailand, to indicate the Thai language background of these foreign teachers. She notes that it is difficult to conduct a course with people from very different Thai language levels.

Professional ethics

The Thai regulations that govern professional ethics are universally standard, but there are some that are particularly Thai, says Ajarn Pinit.

Teaching is a highly respected profession in Thai society. As a result, all teachers need to behave in a respectful manner and serve as role models for his or her students in terms of their speech, physical and mental conduct, he adds.

The ``wai khru'' ceremony honors teachers on every national Teacher's Day, and acknowledges the importance of the teaching profession in Thailand.

Ringhand suggests the training on professional ethics should include more information from the Thai perspective. She says that the teachers discussed what are good learning practices in areas such as teaching methods, using technology and curriculum development, but she would like to hear more on what Thais want to see foreigners do or what they believe is good.