In this week, I did a lot of observation time since my school Udonpittayanukoon was the biggest school in Udon Thani. I thought I was lucky enough to be in Udon Thani province because I got the biggest University (UDRU) and the biggest school Udonpittayanukoon of course there are great people, students, place, and education program.
This picture was the first time of my friends and I who came from different place to came to Udonpittayanukoon. I have to arrived to the school before half past seven. Of course for the first time our buddy take us to the school and that was my first moment to know about "song thew" (the small car or minibus in Thailand). I just need ten bath to ride song thew and about 5 minutes to reach the school. It was very excited because I can meet with Thailand's students and I talk with them even in the simple conversation.
For the first time in Udonpittayanukoon School, the one of English teacher, Mr. Alex took us on the stage in front of the director, about 300 teacher and 4000 more students. Mr.Alex introduced us to the member of Udonpittayanukoon school and let us to introduce ourselves one by one in simple way.
When welcoming us, Udonpittayanukoon school showed the dance
from the students and we were enjoyed it because one of the dance was K-Pop. J
All school in
Thailand held flag ceremony even Thailand was the only one country in ASEAN
which has not colonized by other country. The flag ceremony in Thailand
especially in Udonpittayanukoon was flexible. After the flag raised, the
student could sit down in the place they stand as long as they listen what the
commander of ceremony speech. People should stand up and stop doing anything
when they hear the anthem of Thailand as the symbol of respect.
My friends and I got
good office in Udonpittayanukoon. The office was the office of several
International Program teacher’s office (Mr. Yo, Miss Sonam and the others
teachers). The teacher in this office were friendly and kind. Sometime, they
asked us about our project in Udonpittayanukoon, about our country, shared
about the experience, shared about our individual information, shared about the
habitual of the students, they asked us to go lunch together in the canteen and
they told us that we could make coffee or tea in the office. Sometime, some
teachers from Philippines (Mr. Steve) and India (Mr. Sha) came to our office to
share their activity and scholarship experience. I felt comfortable, welcomed
and enjoyed in this place.
As long as in the
week of observation, I went around the school and found temple in this school. Mr.
Boem as one of English teacher accompanied us to go to the temple to see the
activity in the temple and I saw the students learn about praying in front of
Buddha statue. After that, Mr. Boem took us to see the music instruments and
Mr. Boem and one of the teacher played the music instrument, besides the other
female teachers danced and sang. It was really awesome and I liked the sounds
of the instrument because it was so classic and original. One of the instrument
was like flute but the name was Zither , the instrument seem like guitar was Pong Lang and
the instrument that played by hitting was Bamboo Mouth Organ.
In my observation
week, I learned how my mentor teacher Miss Fah taught the students in huge
number. Before the class started, the students stood up together and greet the
teacher. The classes those taught by Miss Fah were regular classes. At least
the amount of the students in one class was about 37 students and the biggest
was 52 students. Even there were in huge number they still focused on the
lesson. Miss Fah used microphone because the class was big and a lot of the
students. Actually, Miss Fah class focused on grammar but Miss Fah also improve
the student’s ability in speaking, writing, listening and reading. The source
of the lesson took from the book. In teaching and learning process, Miss Fah
make students more active by asking question, asked students to come forward
and sometime called the students by the attendance list.
Besides Miss Fah
class which was regular class, I also got one International Program class. The
teacher was Mr. Robert or we called him Mr. Bob. The students in this class
less than regular class, about 31 students. Mr. Bob also focused on grammar as
Miss Fah di in teaching English. After checked the attendance list, Mr. Bob start
the lesson by writing the lesson and ask the students what kind of sentence was
that?.
In the week of
observation, I also learned about electronic media that support me and my
friends in teaching learning process. One of Mathematics teacher in
International Program, Mr. Marvin taught us how to operate the projector. Since
the projector was little bit different from power point because it used special
pen that we can draw in the slide. After all it was very attractive, useful and
make student give more attention to the teacher explanation.
Since we have no
class yet to teach, in our spare time we go to the canteen and tried to enjoy
the volley ball and besides the volley ball stadium there was office where the
information that should be inform by the speaker announced. The teachers were
excited when they met us and make conversation also took some pictures with us.
On Saturday of
observation week, Udon Thani Rajabhat University lecturer (A-Jarn Kim) and the
buddies took us to city tour by their private bus. The first place was Red
Lotus Sea but it was not real sea. I thought it was big lake with a lot of
beautiful pink lotus blooming. To see the lotus bloom we had to come in the
early morning. A-Jar Kim told us to gather at 5 a.m so we can reach the place
and still could see the lotus bloom. In the Red Lotus Sea, we rode small boat
and it is free because the UDRU paid for us and in the middle of the lake we
saw, enjoy, took picture, and took video with beautiful lotus. It was the great
and the first experience to see a lot of lotus in from on my eyes.
After finish took a
lot of picture in the lake, we back to the edge of the lake and enjoyed the
landmark on that place. In this picture, my friends and I took a picture in the
agreement monument between Thailand and South Korean.
Beside the lake, there
was also a beautiful temple with red and gold ornament. I entered the temple
but I did not take a picture. I just took a picture with my friends outside of
the temple. Then Beside the temple there was music instrument but it was
special, only for pray. It called “Gong” and if we want to hit “Gong”, we have
to hit in odd number. Actually in my country, Indonesia, had the same one. The
shape and the name are same just the color sometime different, it could be
black or gold. In Indonesia, people used Gong for escort the traditional dance
and it was one of traditional music instrument especially in Java.
On sunday, it was our freeday but we did not want to
spent our special time in Thailand just stay in the dorm. Luckily, my friend,
Resa, and I had same buddies; Victoria and Orange. Therefore, on Sunday
afternoon at 4 p.m we went to Nong Prajak. We asked our other three friends
(Widhi, Nadya and Dwi) to go with us. In Nong Prajak, there is a lake and the
dolls of Duck family. After taking picture with the duck’s family, my friends
and I buy ticket and ride duck boat. We enjoyed the sunset in this place. In
the night, we went to dinner together.
