Teaching Experience at Interkids Bilingual School

Teaching Experience at Interkids Bilingual School
Messages from Ms. Lindsay Black
“My experience teaching at IBS
was amazing and unforgettable.”
The very first day I felt welcomed and
was greeted with a smile. Everyone at
IBS was very helpful and friendly
throughout my entire stay. Everyone also
went out of their way to ensure that I
was included in all of the events and
activities and I also felt part of the IBS
community. It was very nice to see all of
the different teachers getting along and
working together even though there was
a language barrier. I really liked how all of the teachers were always smiling and welcoming towards
the students and parents in the morning at the large gate. The teachers came to work ready to teach
and rarely complained about their duties. The school always tried to accommodate and work with the
parents to guarantee the best learning environment for their student. One of my favorite memories
from working at IBS was attending and performing the Teacher’s Day celebration. I felt so honored
to be a part of the Thai dance performance and the foreign teacher performance. Also, the speech
given by the director was so inspiring, moving and heartfelt that I started to tear up. I will never
forget that event and hopefully try to bring some of that
tradition to my school in America. It was also very great to
experience and witness all of the great school spirit that the
students and staff all had. All of the events were very
elaborate and really showed the parents how much this
school treasures their students and honors each event. Also,
for each event it was very nice to see how the students and
teachers all put in the extra time and effort to prepare and
clean up. Lastly, it was really amazing to be part of such an
amazing work environment. All of the teachers came to
school prepared and put in so much effort on a daily basis to
provide the best education to each student. All the teachers
and the administration are not only very hard working, but
are also always smiling, joking and enjoying life to the
fullest. Being able to complete your job and teach the
children while also having a smile on your face and laugh
throughout the day is what really sets the good work
environments and the amazing work environments apart and
IBS is unquestionably an AMAZING place to work at.
My only suggestions would be to orient the foreign teachers a little more at the beginning before they
start working. Show them how to check the books and the form to record the book checking. Another
suggestion would be to inform the teachers a little more in advance about upcoming expectations and
changes. Many teachers have families at home and it is considerate to provide them with the
upcoming changes to uniform or events or grading policies a few days in advance.
Thank you so much for hiring and allowing me to be part of the IBS community. I will never forget
all that I have learned while working at your school and will bring it with me where I teach next!

Messages from Ms. Carly Sethman

“Thai-changing Experience” Before I made the decision to move to Thailand my life
was filled with uncertainties and I was becoming increasingly more nervous about my “life plan.”
I graduated college with a dual Bachelor’s of Science in elementary and special education and spent
the next three years teaching in a variety of different settings trying to find where I felt fulfilled.
Growing up I had distinct dream of joining the PeaceCorps after college graduation and to make a
small difference in the world by teaching in a country in need of teachers. Reality of life as a poor,
naïve college alumni set in after graduation and I chose the path more well beaten to work and save
money. Three years later, unsettled, unsatisfied, and craving the dream I once had, I discovered
teaching abroad through the programs Greenheart Travel and XploreAsia. September 30, 2016 the
airplane carrying me and my absurd amount of luggage landed in Bangkok, Thailand and my life
hasn’t stop improving every day since.
Through a well designed TESOL course and cultural
emersion program developed by XploreAsia, I spent
the first month learning and adapting. The program
facilitates job placement throughout Thailand using
a layout of preferences from the participant. My
preference list included only one: ‘Anywhere
EXCEPT Bangkok.’ Ironically this is precisely
where I was placed. They call it serendipity, when
something happens by chance in a happy or
beneficial way.
I was linked with a private bilingual school located on the outskirts of the city, Interkids Bilingual
School (IBS), where I have been teaching K1-3 and grades 4-9 in English, phonics, and reading.
“Serendipitous” is the word I choose to describe my experience teaching here at IBS thus
far. I’ve compared IBS to the 5 star resort of schools in Thailand. At our school, students learn using
a cross-curricular approach in Thai, English, and Chinese. They are given a rigorous class schedule
and are facilitated to carry the morals of today’s leaders. The organization, support of management,
and welcoming school environment are aspects of IBS that impressed me from the start. I am
continually overwhelmed with the incredible extra-curricular activities and events offered at this

school. I have been immersed in such culturally diverse activities organized by IBS including student
achievement, teacher recognition and Thai/Chinese holidays.
Many differences exist between the American schools I grew up
and taught in and the Thai school system. Although they both
carry benefits, the love, warmth, and family-like environment
that exists at IBS should be compared second to none. I am in no
position to rate and compare the quality of education across
Thailand, nor America. I am young and in the scheme of life
have only experienced a small amount. What I can testify to
however, is the quality of experience I have gained by becoming
a part of the IBS family. Moving to Thailand has completely
changed my life but working at IBS has made that life change
more positive, joyful and uplifting than I could have ever
anticipated.
During this journey I’ve inadvertently stumbled over my own
world views and collided with unfamiliar ground. All the while,
the welcoming and accepting culture of my co-workers and
management provided me with comfort and confidence to get up,
dust myself off and develop personal growth to see the world as
the bright place it is. I am confident my experience in Thailand
would be completely different had I not chosen XploreAsia, had
my preferences totally disregarded, and been placed to teach here
at Interkids Bilingual School.
Messages from Ms. Kim Staflund
To
the
management,
staff,
parents,
and

students
of
Interkids
Bilingual
School
(IBS):

As
my
one
semester
of
teaching
at
IBS3
comes

to
an
end,
I
want
to
express
my
gratitude
and

appreciation
to
you
all.
These
six
months
in

Thailand
have
been
wonderful
beyond
my

expectations;
and,
although
I’ll
be
delighted
to

see
my
friends
and
family
back
in
Canada
again

very
soon,
I
will
definitely
miss
all
my
new

friends
and
my
IBS
family
here
in
Bangkok.

I’ve
always
had
a
great
deal
of
respect
for

teachers,
but
that
respect
has
grown
even

stronger
after
being
a
part
of
this
school.
Even
before
the
school
year
officially
began,
in
early

May
2016
I
was
asked
to
attend
a
team
building
day
for
all
the
full-‐time
teachers
of
IBS1,
IBS2,

and
IBS3.
On
this
day,
I
got
my
first
real
glimpse
of
the
professionalism
and
dedication
of

everyone
at
IBS.
So
much
thought
and
planning
went
into
every
single
presentation
and

activity.
It
wasn’t
only
about
educating
us;
it
was
about
making
the
day
fun
for
us
so
we
would

enjoy
our
time
together.
That
extra
bit
of
preparation
takes
a
real
effort,
and
I’ve
continued
to

see
this
level
of
effort
put
in
by
IBS
management
and
staff
with
everything
from
morning

assemblies
and
daily
classroom
management
to
the
more
elaborate
celebrations
such
as

Asanha
Bucha
and
Buddhist
Lent
Day,
Thai
Language
Day,
and
Mother’s
Day.

When
I
told
my
family
back
in
Canada
that
we’re
at
school
by
seven
o’clock
every
single
day
so

we
can
“Wai”
the
students
and
wish
them
a
good
morning
as
they
arrive,
they
were
impressed.

That’s
not
something
we
do
in
Canadian
schools;
but,
as
a
parent,
I
can
definitely
see
the
value

in
it.
I
know
how
hard
it
sometimes
is
to
drop
off
a
child
at
school—especially
the
little
ones

who
are
crying
because
they
just
want

to
stay
at
home
with
mom
and
dad.

That
kind
of
thing
hurts
a
parent’s

heart;
so,
I
think
it’s
great
that
IBS

sees
its
teachers’
responsibilities
as

not
only
teaching
the
students
but
also

providing
them
with
a
safe
and
caring

environment
all
day
long,
to
give
their

parents
that
extra
peace
of
mind.
I

think
it’s
a
beautiful
thing
that
the

students
are
greeted
by
their
teachers

with
a
“good
morning”
every
single

day,
and
I
enjoy
doing
it.

I’m
not
only
impressed
by
the

teachers
at
this
school,
but
also
by
the
students.
I
continue
to
be
amazed
whenever
I
see
five-‐
year-‐olds
standing
on
a
stage,
holding
a
microphone
in
their
tiny
hands,
and
doing
public

speaking
in
front
of
large
groups
of
their
peers,
teachers,
and
parents.
Actually,
I’m
impressed

when
any
of
the
students
do
it;
and
I’ve
seen
many
of
them,
in
all
age
groups,
stand
on
that

stage
and
either
speak
or
sing
or
dance
in
front
of
large
crowds
of
people.
I
suppose
I
have
no

excuse
for
how
nervous
I
sometimes
feel
when
I’m
handed
a
microphone
and
asked
to
say
a

little
something
to
our
students’
parents.
If
these
kids
can
do
it,
then
so
can
I.

Thank
you
also
for
hanging
that
Canadian
flag
up
at
IBS3.
I
know
the
main
reason
for
hanging

up
those
flags
is
to
show
each
parent
all
the
different
countries
your
teachers
come
from
to

help
make
their
child
a
child
of
the
world.
I’m
sure
that
makes
them
feel
proud,
but
I
want
you

to
know
it
also
made
me
feel
proud.
I
love
my
country
as
much
as
you
love
yours,
so
that
little

extra
attention
to
detail
on
your
part—even
something
as
simple
as
hanging
up
a
flag—
touched
my
heart.
It
made
me
smile.

Truth
be
told,
I’ve
never
been
treated
as
well
as
I’ve
been
treated
by
everyone
at
IBS.
You’ve
all

gone
above
and
beyond
to
make
my
time
here
really
special,
and
I
do
appreciate
it.
And
my

students?
What
little
sweethearts
they
all
are!
Boy,
am
I
going
to
be
in
for
a
rude
awakening

when
I
return
to
Canada
and
I’m
not
smothered
with
the
hugs
and
“I
love
yous”
of
several

children
every
time
I
walk
into
a
room.
I’ll
definitely
miss
that,
and
I
promise
you
I’m
really

cherishing
every
little
hug
I
get
from
them
during
these
last
few
weeks
at
IBS.

I
want
you
to
know
how
very
grateful
I
am

for
the
experience,
and
now
it’s
time
for

me
to
return
home
to
my
family
in

Canada.
I
miss
them.
It’s
as
simple
as
that.

It
was
always
my
intention
to
return

home
eventually.

What
I
didn’t
expect
was
how
much
I

would
grow
to
love
Thailand
while
I
was

here!
I
can
definitely
see
myself
visiting

again
some
day,
and
I’ll
be
sure
to
stop
by

IBS
to
say
hello
when
I
do.
Thank
you

again
for
a
wonderful
and
life-‐changing

experience.
I
will
miss
you
all
very
much.

Teaching Experience at Interkids Bilingual School

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