Page 17 - MASALA LITE ISSUE 88 | JANUARY 2018

COVERED 17
“To succeed you also have
to be passionate about
working with children and
love what you do, because
this profession can
be exhausting.”
“Most of us have grown up very
family-orientated and so working with
children comes so naturally to us.”
What have you learned from your profession?
The one thing I have defi nitely learnt is PATIENCE.
Apart from that, I have also learnt classroom
management and organisational skills. Being a
teacher has brought out the creative side in me.
Why do you think most Thai
Indians pursue this career path?
I believe that pursuing a teaching career has
become an ideal job because of the working hours
and the holidays. However, to succeed you also
have to be passionate about working with children
and love what you do, because this profession can
be exhausting.
Why do you think this career fi eld has gained so
much popularity among your group of friends?
I think most of my friends have chosen this career
path because they have grown up with educators in
the house.
What do you love most about your work? And
what is the biggest challenge?
Children have a thought process that is very
diff erent from adults, and their emotional
responses to situations can sometimes appear
extreme and illogical. I believe that the biggest
challenge is to be able to relate to these children
on their level and understand why they are acting
a certain way. That’s also what I love most about
my work; when I am able to understand what is
causing a certain change in their behaviour and
fi nding ways to tackle it.
If you weren’t a teacher, what would you have been?
I have always dreamed of being a teacher so I really
can’t see myself doing another job.
SONAM DINANI
Special Art Teacher at OISCA International Kindergarten
What infl uenced your decision to go into teaching?
My love for children! They see the world a little diff erently to adults and they
show it through their art. I get inspired by it. They are the future thinkers.
What is a typical workday like?
I teach all age groups from Pre-K to K3 (ages two to six years old). Sometimes,
I even substitute as a homeroom teacher in the event a teacher calls in sick.
If the day requires, I even meet prospective parents and take them on tours
around the school, answering their inquiries. Every day is diff erent, which is the
best part!
As an art teacher, what do you fi nd most worthwhile?
Seeing a student smile because you made them feel special and comfortable.
I also fi nd it rewarding when I see my students progress and mature. The best
example of this is when they want to help their friends. And of course, receiving
touching anonymous messages that say things like ‘I love you’ or ‘can you come
to my house for coff ee?’ I also love it when they approach you privately and give
you hugs for no reason. There’s no better feeling.
What are the future goals you hope to achieve?
To be able to not only teach the basic requirements from the curriculum, but
also to teach them how to be a good person and how to survive in this world.
What have you learned from being a teacher?
The number one thing is patience! Art is such a fun and messy subject where
sometimes children don’t even wait for your instructions before they start
fi ddling with the materials in front of them. This happens most of the time!
Being in this kind of environment has taught me how to be calm, yet still be
able to take full control as a leader to make sure they stay focused.
Why do you think most Thai Indians pursue this career path?
Most of us have grown up very family-orientated and so working with children
comes so naturally to us.
ALL- A C CESS INT O B ANGK OK ’ S C ONTEMP OR AR Y INDIAN LIFEST YLE