First cooperation between the University of Education Karlsruhe and Savannakhet University – meet our new partners! 3/3

 

Hello, Everyone (Sabaidee Thouk Khon) it’s the first time for me to writing a post, I’m very happy to introduce myself to you. My name is Boutsaba LATTANATHONGXAI, I am 30 years old, I work in faculty of Business Administration for 6 years. Teaching and learning are used English in Savannakhet University, There are many teachers who graduate from abroad and They work at different faculties, and they can teach English language for English students and international students all of classes have in English. Students learn English. However it is difficult to plan for teacher. Due to the level of their English still poor. I think that it should rearrange the teaching method.

Hello, my name is Souksomboun INTHAVONG. I am 33 years ld, I live in Savannakhet Province. I am a teacher, I work in Savannakhet University, I teach English subject with year two students. I enjoy my job because I love teaching and working with students. For me the perfect teacher teaching at Savannakhet University should have excellent in qualifications and profession in some skills. They should have working plan or create lesson plan every hours. In addition, the teacher should be well-organized individuals with strong communications skills, and non-stop to develop technique in teaching or develop themselves to upgrade their knowledge in teaching every day, because if teacher good at pedagogical it will make students good at learning too.

Hello, my name is Oudonexay I am 30 years old, I am from Nonsavath Village, Kaisonphomvihan district savannakhet Province. I am a teacher at Savannakhet University, faculty of food science as My responsibility is teaching and researching as well. I will teach my students with doing research together which is very important for their learning in field study and also they have known the real situation in their study. Some students do experiment but some of them aren’t because it’s not enough Laboratory equipment to use.

Hello, everyone. My name is Souvannaly xayaseun, 31 years old. I was born in 1987, at Xonbouly district, Savannakhet province, Lao PDR. I have been working as a Students affair office in Savannakhet University for six years. I works in the Dormitory‘s students Unit at the University and be responsible for inspect students’ living and lead the students do activities and teach the Tour Business Management and Tour Guide Subject also. I have a Bachelor of English degree for Tourism and Hotel from Sousavath Collage, Vientiane Capital, in 2011. And Master degree of Tourism Development from Maejo Uniersity, Chiang Mai province, Thailand, in 2018.

Hello, I am Vixai Kethphommavong. I did a bachelor of education, majoring in English from Savannakhet Teacher Training College. I have been working in Faculty of Food Science, Savannakhet University since 2012. I am responsible for International Relation and teaching English for undergraduate students. For me, being a good teacher is not only to motivate students to maximize their results of learning, but also to encourage them for lifelong learning. Additionally, the good teacher should support students to express themselves in life and contribute good things to society as well.

Hello my name is Phetphouthone PHOMMACHAN. I’m 36 years old. I’m working in faculty of linguistics at Savannakhet University. I am a English teacher. I Teach reading subject for the English classroom. I’m teaching for year two  and year three. I Teach 4 hour per week. At savanakhet University many activities. But  I would like to tell you some activities.  Like There is a sport competition, There is an art competition, Make short story, National teacher’s day, National arbor’s  day and show for is faculty has product. I am very happy and thankful David that get me join to this class English club. I’m very much enjoying for learn. Everyone is very friendly and open the idea to share.

Hi! I am souphaphone KHANSOURIVONG . I am 30 years old. I have taught English subject at Savannakhet University for 7 years. I very like learning because the current education is a key of life to develop people especially my university. All teachers have the same role player.

Hello, everyone. I’m Souksakhone KHAMPHOUNAVONG . I graduated from SKU, department of English and I graduated from Savan administration Business College,and major is account. Now I work in the finance office at SKU, moreover I teach general English for 4 hours a week. I am a volunteer for one year and six month at SKU. I would like to talk about location of SKU. There are two campuses for Savannakhet University in Kaisone  city, Savannakhet province. The first campus is at NASENG village. The second campus is at NONGPHEU village with two faculties Food Science and Agriculture.

Hi, I’m Koungnang SINGKHAMPASERT. I’m 26. I live in Xaiyamoungkhoun village, Outhoumphone (SENO) district, Savannakhet province. I graduated from Teacher Training College. Now I’m a volunteer teacher in Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities, Savannakhet University. I have worked here for 3 years. I’m responsible for certificate and students’ scores of the faculty. Passed working and teaching in this university, I have good colleagues and good experiences. Thus in every task, there are different problems. Some I can do it perfectly, but some I need a good colleague to help and work together. When I don’t understand about working, they can help me with a good advice, easy way to work and help me about my teaching. I also teach 4 hours for “English for Mass communication” and 6 hours for “Language Practice” in a week. So it’s hard to work and teach at the same time.

 

Learning to walk in a different pair of shoes (David Schrep)

Being in the position to cooperate with our Lao partners at Savannakhet University challenges me in lots of ways. Coming here, it took weeks to find out which teachers would benefit the most from my English course. Together with Prof. Martin, I spent weeks packed with meetings, the organization of a written “QPT” (Quick Placement Test) conducted with more than 140 staff, interviews with 43 of those university teachers, all this while dealing with all these new impressions I am not used to, and, of course, more meetings. I remember asking myself if I was ever going to teach here one day, or if this preparatory process would take forever.

Even though Prof. Martin had already done a lot of groundwork and paved my way to Savannakhet, I underestimated the difference between Lao school- and Lao university-life.¹ I had not anticipated such a vast number of teachers who would want to learn English with me. I had to tell partners who actually wanted to learn English that they could not all learn English with me, which was heartbreaking, as this was not the reason why I had become a teacher, nor why I had come to Savannakhet – and you can be sure, we did not make these decisions lightly.

After all this preparation, the times I stumbled, fell, and got up again trying to find the best possible way, all the discussions and all these meetings, I am now enjoying my work with my new Lao partners tremendously. I am very impressed by their motivation and work ethic, also thankful for the importance they attach to my English course. I do not take it for granted that young teachers who teach several hours per week and who also have to shoulder additional administrative paper work duties of the university and who – mostly – have a family to care for and who also have part-time jobs in the evening or on the weekend devote their precious free time to work with me not only on improving their English proficiency, but also to improve their English-teaching skills.

Reviewing all these experiences from the last months and weeks together, I can truly say that all this extra effort during my (already very work-intensive) teacher-traineeship (Referendariat) to prepare my stay here – the extra work as a part-time waiter and working extra hours at school to save up money for the months ahead, the discussions with my friends and family who sometimes could not understand why my fiancée and I were so bent on doing this, as well as all the stress and energy it took to come here – it was definitely worth it!!

Text & photos by David Schrep & tandem-partners

 

Note

Note by the editor: David Schrep was a volunteer in Team III and worked at the secondary school in Ban Phang Heng in 2016/17.