e hënë, 11 qershor 2007

The game...."Hot Potato"... Thai style!


Last week I had the rather unique experience of teaching at Nongkhai's most prestigious high school. With well over 3000 student enrollment, I almost felt as though I was back in Rialto Unified School District! This school boasts of a bi-lingual program that teaches all subjects in English (at a cost to the parents who want their students to participate!) This school also teaches a variety of foreign languages including French, Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese. It's an amazing school.




The teachers opened their classroom doors and allowed me to teach. I was truly impressed with the students' level of English... whether it be listening comprehension, writing and speaking. I could only wish that I spoke one tenth the amount of Thai these young kids spoke in English!

The last period of the day was devoted to the various clubs on campus. I went to one of the air conditioned rooms where the bi-lingual students attend classes. That day however, the students were playing a game based on the old "Hot Potato" theme. Only this Thai version had a new twist and was a bit messy I must say!




Instead of passing around a potato... the students sat in a circle and passed around containers of talcum powder! While the music played, the students frantically tossed the container on to the next person.



When the music stopped... the students left holding the containers could shake a handful of talcum into their hands.... and then... rush over to another student and smear the powder all over the other student's face!




This process did not go on many times before the air in the room was heavily clouded with fine particles of talcum powder. All was done amidst a great deal of squealing, laughter ... and of course students chasing each other around the room. It was all something of a circus type atmosphere to be sure .... and obviously the kids loved it!




As you might guess.. I quickly found another club to go visit! It was the Vietnamese club and even though I did not understand anything that was said... well, at least I could breath!

1 koment:

Unknown tha...

What are the guiding principles in that culture that would allow the students to do this to each other and not fight? Or better question, do they fight?