Back in School

With the winners of the bingo game. I gave them Canada stickers and tattoos for awards
Peter and the kindergarten class, they were adorable!
Loved to have their picture taken!
Sweet
Getting ready for Valentines Day with cards and roses

Back from the meditation retreat I stopped in at the Wat Suan Dok Elementary School next door. I have been trying to find a place in Thailand to do some volunteer work where I don't have to pay to do so. It's tough as most large organizations need money more than actual people to help out.
I met a really nice Thai lady teacher who then introduced me to Peter Pope, an interesting Englishman, who's been teaching there since May. He was a terror in school back home he explained to me with no real teaching experience, he just took a TESL course in Chiang Mai, so he figures his teachers would be just shocked to hear what he is dong now. The kids now adore him and have learnt so much English and even better, to trust a foreigner. Peter said it's been a challenge with usual politics and him being male, but he loves every minute of it. We decided I would come help teach the next 2 days with his English and Computer classes.
The first morning I arrived excited and eager to teach. Then we found out a teacher was away that day and instantly had an extra 20 kids for the morning! Mass chaos and noise, I had a headache in about 2 minutes.....these children come from an assortment of backgrounds and a few have learning disabilities but they are sweet, rambunctious and happy. We ended up playing Bingo with having to yell out the names of actions in English and they matched up with the picture on the card. Every time they got one they cheered loudly.
It's a very relaxed atmosphere but I am so impressed at the knowledge these kids have especially on computers, they love it! I helped the patum (grade) 4s with typing on Excel spreadsheets which they race though so they can play games, even the kindergarten kids were whizzes at the games that Peter spent all his own money on and his spare time downloading onto each computer in the class (they have 18). He also rearranged the classroom and got upgraded equipment for the school as well.
After the first day back at school, I left totally exhausted and wondering how some one can do this 5 days a week! Kudos to you Peter, the kids are very lucky to have you!