The Roar!

It's rare, very rare, for me to meet a Thai student that's unlikeable.


But what about that disruptive, gum-chewing, cell-phone-using, never-shuts-up in class, "teacher- pen, paper, book, no have," student who highly resents having to learn English?

Well, he, and it's nearly always a he, will often show absolute politeness, delight at seeing me and concern for my welfare should he bump into me at school.

Individually, they are really good kids. Get them together in a class though, and the result, more often than not, is noise. True, that's probably a problem in schools everywhere, but Thai classrooms are LOUD! Even with good classes of motivated students it's a battle to reduce their deafening roar to a productive hum. It's very satisfying when that is achieved though.