Supporting a child upcountry

[think_too_mut]

thai3 started a thread about this in Relationships, to add a view from a different angle I thought this forum is more appropriate.

 

Ok...my gf's sister has a daughter (the father did a runner shortly after her birth) that's 7 years old.

 

The girl had been deemed a "dummy in the family". My gf discovered back in September that the girl can't read nor write, although other kids from her class (many neighbours) can. She spent her whole holiday reteaching the girl and all went well.

From position 27 (of 31) in the class, just before Xmas she climbed to 14th.

During Xmas and our visit to her hometown, I really liked the girl and found her to be bright, cheerful and very intelligent. Over 5 days, the girl's mother came to realization that the girl had been unfairly held back by everyone. One month on, the test last Friday, showed the girl is now 7th out of 31.

 

Anyway, while there, I told my gf that we can't live in luxury and let her niece leave school at age of 13 and what can we do if the girl carries on and keeps up with good grades.

 

Surprisingly to me, my gf said that no money would change anything (they are ok with what they've got).

Grandma gets 5K per month from my gf (from me so far) and mother does occassional work for another 3-4K.

 

However, she said, she'll set up an account in the girl's name and save 1K per month into it, I don't have to worry.

That would be a present for the girl when she's 18. Should be 150K baht in today's money. Good for a start, one can build a house with that, even today.

[whosyourdaddy]

TTM

 

Good on ya.

 

Up counties schools are so underfunded with teachers working 20-30 peroids per week on 6500B. Add up to 55 students in a class and no-aircon, it would be a crap learning enviroment. A muang school would be better than a rural school.

 

But as a teacher, a poor student usually comes from a family with puts other things above education. Parents have to sit down with thier offspring and do the HW together. If parents take an interest so will the kid.

 

WYD

[Khun_Kong]

whosyourdaddy said:

... If parents take an interest so will the kid.

 

WYD

 

With ~25 years teaching/research experience under my belt, my firm belief is that this is the major factor.

[keekwai]

"But as a teacher, a poor student usually comes from a family with puts other things above education. "

 

Parents (grand parents actually as they are the ones usually raising the kids) upcountry don't give much of a damn about their kids education. The future for the typical village kid is an early marriage then farming or going to work in a factory. Other than basic reading skills there is really no apparent advantage to learning all the the superfluous BS, world history, geography (this one may come in handy so they can point out Taiwan or Malaysia on a map) advanced math skills. If I sound cynical I am.

 

As pointed out earlier a school in Muang (town) is superior to the village schools but there is often a transportation issue not to mention the cost. And homework needs to be taken more seriously.

[think_too_mut]

>As pointed out earlier a school in Muang (town) is superior to the village schools but there is often a transportation issue not to mention the cost. And homework needs to be taken more seriously.

 

I went to her school once, probably 500 children attend it. The place is not a real town but far from being a village.

It has a large vocational high school too.

So, I guess, it's a "muang" type of school.

[keekwai]

Sounds like a good alternative to one in a village. And it's a plus having the vocational school available.

[Guest]

It is nice to read about somebody doing something nice for a child. As for myself, some seem to think I am a cheap Charlie, which in a wayI am, but I plan on putting 2 children (they are cousins) thru college. Maybe, my heart will change and i might help more.

 

Recently, I bought a small piano for the 2 children. I was amazed at how they would let one play and then the other (known as sharing). Both have talents. One is a girl, the other is a boy. They both played the piano as if they had taken lessons. Since then, I have looked at buying a piano for them that cost a lot more.

 

Right now, I am putting together a computer for them. I get much enjoyment watching the children learn. They seem to be like sponges.

 

Every once in a while, I buy them some books. Actually, I let them pick out the books and then I pay for them.