Visit to Wat Sra Kra Beuang School
Whenever a chance comes to go out of Bangkok and visit the rural areas of Thailand, there is a ripple of excitement. Lopburi, by Thai standards, isn't that far away. But with a two-hour drive ahead of us, an early start was in order.
Wat Sra Kra Beuang School is located around 200 kilometers north of Bangkok in a rice-paddy strewn paradise of greenery and lush tropical foliage. With only 90 students, the school doesn't have many facilities, and only 7 classrooms. Because of its rural location, many of the children who attend the school are from families involved in agriculture and farming. These fun-loving students have few of the opportunities available to their city-bound peers, and often find our visits to the school initially intimidating, but ultimately rewarding and instructive. The students have developed an endearing enthusiasm to learn English and show their knowledge with pride.
Spencer International's visits to Wat Sra Kra Beuang school forms part of the link with Chichester College's TESOL programme. Today, nine trainee teachers and the supervising trainer were off to meet the children and spend a day of English fun. The group consisted of prospective teachers from South Africa, America, Belgium and England. With four weeks of methodology, teaching practice and intensive study, these teachers were ready to try their skills on students with a real interest in learning.
