This past week on Thursday was Wan Wai Khru the equivalent to the American Teacher's day. The previous day the students were practicing their perfect wai position for the event. The perfect wai consists of hands in prayer position with thumbs touching their nose as they bowed down touching their heads to the floor . They also were making intricate flower arrangments called Kratongs to present to the teachers the following day. On Wai Khru, the school stage was decorated with different colored clothes and once all the students were seated Khru Khem and the Principle started making a 45 minute speech on a microphone that was way too loud. I of course had no idea what was going on but have gotten really good at zoning out during long thai speeches. The students sat paciently listening, yes even little kindergardeners. They were watched by the careful eye of a teacher who was protrolling with a bamboo stick giving students little hits on the legs or a tug to the ear if they were not paying attention. At one point they had the students close their eyes while they continued their speech to help the students focus and not play with their neighbors. After the speeches were finished the students said a few prayers and sang a song. Each grade then came up on stage where the teachers were seated and presented them with their flower arrangements and gave a deep wai. When the students were bowing down the teachers touch each students head giving a small blessing.
After the Wai ceremony was done, school elections started. This was for the position of lead student of the school. They are like the president of all the students, in charge of leading the morning prayers and assembly. I thought that this came at perfect timing since right now in Thailand is election season and is a good way for students to be familar with the process. First, all the voting stations were set up and the older students assigned roles. The positions included: passing out the voting paper, a table monitoring the voting, a student guarding the voting box, a student who would individually call out each vote, and a student tallying the votes on a board. It was completely student run which I was impressed by and they even let the kindergardener have a vote. In the end 6th grade girl Wiew won the election by a landslide. She is also my top student in english class. Once everything was finished I was told multiple times the day before that there would be no teaching on Wai Khru so I didn't plan any lessons or bring my teaching supplies. I heard the Principle on the microphone after telling students to go "rien pasa angrit" (study english) and I then knew that I would be expected to teach all 4 hours of my class. uuhhhgg okay here we go....
Voting box
6th grader ,Em, in charge of writing the votes
1st grader writing her vote
students cheering as
the votes are read
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