Topic: Bodindecha 1

[ajarnnormal]

As this thread was deleated I am writing it again. Bodindecha 1 the hell hole at the end of Soi 96 Lad Prao. I worked there for one school year. It is by far the worst experience I have had in all my years of teaching. The school is a BIG one 5000 students. Discipline in this school is nil. I stopped 9 fights in my time there. There is never a Thai teacher around after each period because they nearly run back to there Department. this is because all hell breaks loose then. Well that is not my main reason for writing this thread. The English Department was a real horrible place. Cold atmosphere and plenty of Thai teachers bringing down the Farangs. They would gossip in Thai and if you came within earshot would carry on the conversation in a whisper. The head of the English Department will give you know support with anything in fact the opposite. She will just tell you to go away and leave her alone if you have a problem. One time one student grabbed me by the shirt and threatened me. i took him quickly to see her to avoid knocking him out. Her punishment was that she sat him down on the floor for one hour. That was great for him as he missed another class. The English Department has two computers between 40-50 staff. One is connected to the internet. these break down at least twice a week. they are only fixed when A Thai teacher wants to use them. There are two printers with one catridge between them. These are museum pieces that have seen better years. there is one Thai teacher in the English Department who we called the 'Poison Dwarf' she will plot your downfall from day one and is right up the Head of Departments backside. this school so I am told used to be one of the best in Thailand and now lives of it past reputation. the Director does not have his hand on the pulse in this school and does not want to. When one of my better students went to see him to complain about the school she was told go away and don't be so stupid. This school should be on the Hall of Shame as it is a hell hole. I have no reason for sour grapes I finished my contract and was asked back.

[ajarnnormal]

There is more. One teacher who was asked to teach M1 students at this school came with all good intentions to do well. He came to me the second week and said 'I have them in the palm of my hand'. I knew then that it was the end for him. He was taken away after two more weeks by the men in white coats. The classrooms are HOT. The foreign teachers get there classes mainly on the fourth floor. There are ceiling fans but they do little to keep you and the students cool. The students are hot and this only adds to them not wanting to learn. corruption is rife. One Thai teacher is happy to let her students do nothing. Then when it comes to exams she rings the parents and tells them that their son or duaghter will never pass their examx as they have done nothing all term. she then charges them to take extra classes so that she can make sure they pass. I have seen other foreign teachers take classes and lock the doors so students can't get out and also so other students can't get in. I have seen students jumping out of the windows from one class to the next. It is no good complaining to anyone because nothing is done. Even the Thai teachers have lost control of their classes. So it is hard for foreign teachers when the English spoken is virtually none. I was asked to go back for a further term but I would not work there again for double the money. This school is now getting known by Thai parents and they are now sending there kids elsewhere. One other thing. Some of the classes are split but sometimes the Thai teacher will not show up for the other half and you will take the lot. There is never an explanation for this. My advice is stay away from this school there are much better ones out there.

[mabel]

hi..just want to inform you that bodin decha 1 is located at lardprao 94 not 96..........

[ajarnnormal]

Yes Mabel you are right. You can not miss it. I am sure that you will smell it before you get there.

[Uncle Che]

Posts that dealt more with Thai Government schools than with the school in question have been split off from this topic.

[ajarnnormal]

Good call Uncle Che. the last one had nothing to do with this school. Ta

[fredoomofspeach]

Well it has been a year since I worked at this school and it was one of the reasons that I stopped teaching. I have worked in other schools in Bangkok but nothing likre this. What has been said about this school is all true. the cold English Department and the Head of that Department. Everything is just the way it has been written. My experience was because I went for help regarding my classes to the so called Head of Department I was told to go back to my seat and till this day that person never spoke to me again. the Head of the English Department spoke to me through other teachers. In the end it became unbearable so I complained to the Director about it and was asked to leave. The Director is a seat warmer. you never see him on the front line. i don't think he knows or cares what goes on in that school. When I signed up for the second term there. I was virtually thrown a contract in Thai and asked to sign it. when I said what does it say, I was told sign it or leave. I understand that some of the teachers still there are being treated like shit because the so called head does not like them. I believe that. I also believe that this school has been given the money to improve it's Language Department but chooses to spend it elsewhere.

[ajarnnormal]

You are right about the school mate. Because there have not been many Foreign teachers there only an agency of late they think that they can get away with treating you like shit. If they find out who you are writing this you will get a phone call telling you to lay off. I know they have done it to me. The truth hurts and I'm sorry to say this once great school has been brought to it's lowest position by incompetant admin staff and lack of respect for the foreign teachers. Not to mention the iffy goings on.

[mabel]

There's really something wrong with management of the Foreign/English Department of Bodin. Just want to tell you what happened to my daughter when she first entered at Bodin as M.1 student she took the entrance exam for the 'gifted kids' in English and the school said she wasn't able to pass the written exam...but my daughter told me that she was able to answer all the EASY questions. She also told me that the questions are very easy for her because she studied in a Bilingual School from Grade 1 until Grade 6 and all her teachers are QUALIFIED and DEDICATED NATIVE SPEAKERS. I know how qualified they are because its very easy to tell if they just bought their degree at Khao San or not. After failing the entrance exams for the 'gifted kids' I bring my daughter to her former English teacher(s) and asked them again how well my daughter doing in their class, they told me that she's doing very well in reading/comprehension, writing and conversation. My daughter can speak fluent English because my relatives can't speak Thai. Then I found out that most of the 'gifted kids' in English are selected even before the exams because of their connection(s).Some Thai teachers at Bodin don't even care if the students can understand the subject taught or not because what is important to them is the after-school special class that they can earn more. And also, they're just wasting their time checking the girls hair almost everyday. The school has a lot money but the administration is not willing to make any improvement. Lastly, my daughter was able to get in there through the draw but before that some teachers told me that if I wanted to secure a seat I need to pay a tea money but I refused because what's the point...there's a lot of school in Bangkok. I also ran out of patience with the stupid school policies. Lucky for me, my husband realised that my kids have a better future if we move them to another school........ so now they're going to study in the US of A.

Ajarnnormal,  my eldest daughter told me that she can remember you because of your bad experience(s) from her school and she told me that she felt sad that you resigned...she wants you to know that you're a good teacher and Bodin is at the losing end when they let you go.   

[ajarnnormal]

Wow. What a great insight into what I have been trying to say but have not had the same view as you. As you are speaking as a parent of a student at this school it is for me even grater proof of what goes on at this school. i knew about the way thay the gifted program students are selected and it stinks of 'Pay and you are in". Some of the students in this program are far from gifted but they have paid their "Tea money". Please thank your daughter for the compliment and I wish her well in whatever she does in the future. I understand that Bodin 1 is getting worse and that is from the students and some of the Thai teachers that I have spoken to. I am sure if more of the foreign teachers would speak up this school should be on the Hall of Shame.

[ajarnnormal]

My daughter can speak fluent English because my relatives can't speak Thai. Then I found out that most of the 'gifted kids' in English are selected even before the exams because of their connection(s).Some Thai teachers at Bodin don't even care if the students can understand the subject taught or not because what is important to them is the after-school special class that they can earn moreThis is what I was talking about regarding the after school classes. They are fixed and it is terrible. This is not the Farang teachers. There were two students who were children of the Thai teachers and they failed a test by the Farang teacher in charge but he was told they have to pass. There were too many on the gifted program for them to be gifted.

[kingfish]

hi..just want to inform you that bodin decha 1 is located at lardprao 94 not 96..........

Actually you are both wrong it's on Ramkamhang 43/1.

[Mods-Rockers]

I thought it was bodin 3 on lardprao 94

[kingfish]

I thought it was bodin 3 on lardprao 94

No, but Udom Suksa is on Lad Phrao 96. Bodin 3 is Lad Phrao 60 something and then Bodin 2 is also somewhere nearby....i think.

[ajarnnormal]

Just to put the record straight. Bodin 3 is in Soi 69 Bodin 1 is on Ramkamheng as you say. Bodin 3 is right out Navamin Road.