What the Thai teachers are thinking (in conformity)...

I saw this on the AjarnDOTcom forum. I've often asked myself, rhetorically, "What are they thinking?". I think this sums it up.



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"Our director sent us this today how kind of him and his caring team of social misfits to show what they feel for we minions."
11 / 6 / 09,

End of the school year;

Dear teachers and staff of PAIS, good and happy day to all of you.

Our school year is coming to its end. It was full of hard work , excitements and success.

The parents are arranging an appreciation party for you, which you deserve indeed.

Most of you will continue with the school and few will not.

For those who will not continue, due to the right sizing process the
school management undertaking, should not feel remorse , because the
world is full of opportunities awaiting for every body.

For all of you, I would like to humbly recommend some tips about how to be happy and stay long in your work place:

1- It is very important to understand the philosophy , vision and mission of your work place.

2- If you like it, you must contribute to it and enrich it so that you will become part of it.

3- If you don’t like it you have two options, (a) complete your one
year contract and walk away peacefully and keep on searching for a
place where you can work with full heart, (b) if you can’t tolerate the
situation give the management one month notice according to the
contract and walk away peacefully.

4- Don’t ever demean the management of your working place, if you are
not happy apply article3, a clash with the management will not serve
the purpose of your inner peace and therefore will deprive you from
happiness.

5- Don’t ever try to change things in your work place in your first
week believing that you know more than the people who initiated and
founded the organization, the founders have their own reasons , vision
and philosophy, give your self time to understand the organization and
become part of it, then your comments will find ears.

6- You can’t change the environment of any organization, either you
contribute to it or you will be seen as trouble agitator. In this case
apply article 3.

7- Every organization needs the human resources for it’s survival and success, be part of it by following these tips.

Finally, lots of thanks and sincere wishes for all of you. Life is so
short, it does not worth to be unhappy, understand its secrets and be
happy right now and for the rest of your life.

God bless you.
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Ron, to be honest, that does not sound (look) like it was written by a Thai teacher, somebody from another unnamed country in the region maybe, because of how it has been written and also how many times have you seen a Thai official sign off with, 'God bless you'?

Either way it does sound 'strange'. Which school is PAIS by the way, anyone know? I'm assuming that the 'IS' stands for International School?

Interesting.

Sounds like someone has turned on a brain and suggest to the teachers that they should leave if they don't like it there.

And we all know about the people that comes to a new job and try to change everything since "they" know better... Not always true, sure in time one should be allowed to come with suggestions and try to change things to the better but in the first few weeks of a new place, shut up and go with the flow...

Learn to know the place you work, learn to know your work mates... Learn what the goal for the company in the end is...
Nothing wrong with that, if you don't like them, move on! Good advice...

Yes, I agree that there are "signatures" in the post that indicate that it wasn't a direct message from a Thai administrative head. The use of English indicates that it may have been written by the Director and subsequently, at his behest, edited by a more "English-capable" subordinate. And it certainly doesn't sound like a government school like ours or yours - with the God reference, it would more likely emanate from a Srithammarat School, a Don Bosco, an Assumption, a St. Gabriel, a Bangkok Christian College, or some sectarian private "international" institution.

What strikes true, for me, is the apparent EMPHASIS by Thais, in general, for conformity. This emphasis appears in the many rituals and "celebrations" that are drilled into the young and followed "religiously". Sometimes this emphasis is manifested in mandates rather than requests "to do as the Romans" - case in point, the requirement for foreign teachers to attend a Thai Cultural Course. I'm confident that if all of the forum members gave it more thought they could think of many more examples.

And when I say "Thais, in general...", this phrase rings true for Thais because of their conformity. I wouldn't normally advocate generalizations, but when a society, a culture, emphasizes conformity, then it becomes valid to make such generalizations. Here's the "hot button" - if we (foreigners), too, 'do as the Romans', then don't we subject ourselves to inclusion in the generalizations of the social group? I'd love to hear from our local Anthropologist (he can reveal himself at his pleasure).