Mary cutting.

Mary cutting.

The school system in Thailand is not even comparable to the school systems in Canada. Last week I was called to the school on three separate occasions to talk with Peter’s teachers. One night all the grade 9 and grade 12 students that had ‘zero’s’ and their parents had to come for a general meeting. Zero’s are achieved from the classes that the kids have failed exams, not attended the classes or not handed in homework ~ they had failed the class.These zero’s are kept throughout the years from grade 7 to 9 and from grade 10 to 12. The meeting was to find out what the kids could do in order to get rid of these zero’s. The students need to fill out a paper and to go to each of the teachers and get a project that they need to do in order to pass the class. Now some of these kids have many, many zero’s ~ our son Peter, in grade 12, has 8 zero’s. However one of his friends has 28 zero’s and the father of the boy asked the teacher what could he do to pass- the teacher made a horrid face and said no - he has failed! What they needed to was get the course, the teachers name, the assignment, get it initialed by the teacher and when he has completed it he is to get it initialed again by the teacher.

John taping.

John taping.

Peter so far has completed 5 of his zero’s. He has a math test to do for one of them and he goes every lunch hour to work on 2 others that are in English.

Here are some pictures of the job he had to do to get rid of one of his math zero’s. He did have two choices, he could either sweep the teachers classroom for one week during lunch or do a ‘future board’. He couldn’t do the sweeping(whatever that has to do with math??!!) as he is taking these other English courses so then he choose the future board. Again, I am not sure what this has to do with math and it cost us money for all the supplies and he had a brother and sister helping him on it. Mary must of spend 4 hours just cutting out those little creatures and John put all the 2 sided tape on everything - Peter did the rest.

Peter working hard.

Peter working hard.

Wow, eh, isn’t it pretty??!! The kids have to do these regularly and I believe all it does is teach them how to cut and past. Oh well, again we are in their country and the kids have to do what they are asked. We will be so happy when all is said and done and Peter will of graduated(which isn’t like what they do in Canada it isn’t a celebration over here - they do nothing)

The finished product ~ Future board

The finished product ~ Future board