Tag: teaching

The Greatest Happiness Possible – 26th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 15 Comments

Look deep into the eyes
Of the cat and dog freed from its cage
There to be seen
The root of all human happiness
To chase around the beach, cuddle and engage

Inspired by Existential Comics 566 (excerpted)
24th Sep 2025 – Shared with dVerse Poetics Tuesday

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good this morning. I got out of the house a couple of minutes early so that I didn’t have to rush to get to school.

Tuesday classes are pretty straightforward as they are grades 10 and 12 and whilst I had some strugglers, it was actually fun to try and get them to understand the minor grammar points.

Later, though, I was reminded about a lesson request I had before about the Thai TV show Hormones and I ended up putting that together during my break.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Whoever it is that fixes up our electricity supply and whoever it is that calls them when our power goes out.

The best thing about today was:

Having some time to sit down and write. I hadn’t really written anything for a few days and wasn’t feeling particularly inspired and so I forced myself into a writing headspace until I found it familiar again. I was fairly happy with the results, too.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

This evening, after dinner and after dark, the power suddenly went out. We went out to investigate and whilst most everyone still had power, a few random houses were out. I’m not quite sure how that works but anyway….

As I was walking back up our driveway, I had a feeling that I needed the bathroom, which was a bit annoying as there may only be one flush in the cistern. My stomach was telling me to hurry up and I got to the bathroom in the light of my phone and went to get the scoop from the big tub of water we keep stored there (in our second bathroom) when suddenly… it was too late. I had no control!

I was undecided whether to pull my pants down or not! I was scared I was going to spray the room. The smell was nauseating and, as I did finally manage to sit down, my guts emptied further as I sat there bewildered.

I could barely see anything with the light from the phone and was scared to even look but luckily I seemed to have contained most of it either in the bowl or my pants, which I duly rinsed in the shower with water from the tub, also showering myself.

I cleaned up myself, the bathroom and my clothes properly after the power came back.

My stomach is still a bit off and I’m just hoping that there are no surprises whilst I’m sleeping!

Amy thought it was hilarious and was immediately on the phone to her mum, describing everything and laughing her head off!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I encouraged Nong Fah to do some extra English study and to practice speaking with me more when she has a chance. I hope that she doesn’t get left behind in high school and then end up wondering what she should be doing.

I took this screenshot because I saw Iphone live in Tiktok and then found this welcome page text. Iphone is definitely not 18!

The Modal Headline – 25th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

Learning what to ignore
Can lead to learning more
Is this really news?
It may be just for views

Does the banner fright me?
Is it true? It might be!
You must stand up to defend
Cos this could be the end

Any should or would
Could be understood
What it means to kill
It will, it will!

Any headline and byline using modal verbs can safely be ignored as news.

Today I’m feeling:

A bit anxious and overexcited for some reason. I woke up, did exercise and everything, all feeling good but then something compelled me to drive fast to work when it really wasn’t that necessary.

Once at school, I relaxed and enjoyed chatting with the students and my first class was fine. The second, though (grade 8s), was very frustrating with kids playing dumb, sleeping or distracting others.

I gave up and set them a small task and waited for them to complete it so they could go. The kids playing up didn’t bother and rather than getting frustrated, I just let them do what they want.

I shouldn’t stress myself over it.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

One of the ladies in the office where the photocopier is. I didn’t bring any paper with me and it soon ran out in the machine. I went into the office and asked if they had more, but the first two replies were negative.

I kinda shrugged ‘ok’ and went back in to get my bag, but another lady followed me and pulled out a fresh slab of A4 from a box (so they obviously knew that they had some but didn’t want to supply it). I was grateful for her help.

We are a school that wastes tons of paper printing nonsense every day, yet isn’t keen on its teachers printing out worksheets!

The best thing about today was:

My frustrating morning class made me take some time to write up some new lessons this afternoon in the teacher’s room.

From there, I could see George teaching in the room opposite and I was surprised when the students started leaving, almost 40 minutes early.

I’m not sure whether to be bothered by him not teaching his full-length classes (he always arrives late to class too) or to figure that I should relax myself more in my own classes. I know I should give myself the opportunity to chill about it but also feel an obligation to do my best for my students.

Anyway, the day provided me with some inspiration as I put together some slides and did some printing.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

My mood was a bit up and down again today and I’m thinking to go back to my full dose of sertraline again. It’s not worth feeling like this just to try and stop taking it, really, with the only purpose to see if I can.

I have a half tomorrow and then will go back to a full pill again on Wednesday.

Something I learned today?

As I was going to my first class in the morning, I found Baipad talking with Cake. I didn’t know that they knew each other but they met during the last time they had scout week.

I told Baipad why I thought Cake was the smartest student I’ve had the pleasure of teaching and advised to stay around with her if and when she can.

I took this picture because Cap has secured a new spot, for a while, at least. Could he be a bookshop cat? I don’t think so.

Canon – 20th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 13 Comments

I have the words within my pages
My knowledge forms your future texts
Amassed wisdom sung from many sages
Collected comforts to which all connects

This power I pass for you to share
The lessons lived easily explain
To conquer chaos and choose to care
To shrink in size or grow to gain

Your personal action accumulates
Eyes sparkle like dancing diamonds
Mixing the messes of made mistakes
Form the future from many islands

Shared with What Do You See #263 and submitted to an AllPoetry assignment about alliteration.

Today I’m feeling:

OK, once I got going. I slept pretty well and my alarm was a bit of a shock. Exercise and a cold shower jazzed me up all right and once at school, it was fun to back around the students, which gave me some positive vibes.

It was a pretty easy day with one grade 12 class (who were more rowdy than usual but still did my work) and a quick grade 10 class that was excellent. I really like that class, but there are 47 of them, and it’s difficult to take time with some individuals that need help more than others.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Deciding to go to Oasis to pick up some dinner. I think I haven’t been there for more than six months now and the food is as delicious as ever.

The best thing about today was:

Being so happy and relaxed after my last class that I was still chatting with students around the school an hour later.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

Something I learned today?

I figured out what I was trying to remember yesterday! It was when I was in the bathroom, drying myself off after a shower. Just recently, I noticed that my right nipple is lower than my left! Maybe it’s always been like this – I’m not sure.

Anyway, I was wondering if it might be connected to the pain I have in my right shoulder. Maybe some muscles in there are not quite working properly.

I have a desire for symmetry!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I made Baipad and Q get up and walk this morning – just for a couple of minutes. I talked to Q but he couldn’t understand any English but Baipad translated everything quickly and easily. I told her that she should think about getting into translation work.

Later, in my grade 12 class, Men told me that he does translation for mobile games. Maybe a good contact for Baipad for the future.

When crazy Sarah steals my phone!

It Was Told – 19th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

Time out of mind, the rock of ages
The time of our lives was to be had
Foretold on ageing faded pages
Three heads good, foreheads bad

Sands a-trickle made to measure
Losing track as the dawn is cracking
Always racing towards some leisure
Begged and borrowed to be slacking

It’s up, beyond a blue moon hiding
To weave a future, past and pleasant
Dropped stitches will do their biding
When Nick manifests in the present

Shared with No Theme Thursday picture prompt (above) and Moonwashed Weekly Prompt – Foretelling

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good again, though my shoulder is hurting a bit, probably from overuse with exercise, hanging and general bad posture.

An easy day at school today, as I will come home for a psych appointment in the afternoon. I’ve given my afternoon class work to do – let’s see if they will actually do it!

For my morning class, only 4 students attended as the others were visting MFU open house today. It was good to be able to sit with so few students (who are all motivated too) and go through a simple lesson with some chitchat and we were all done with 30 minutes to spare.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

The hospital system here. I saw the psych and told him I’m doing ok on half a tablet a day, just getting a little dizzy and he said to keep going and gave me some more medicine to keep going. All up it cost me 250 baht – about 10 Aussie dollars.

The best thing about today was:

Having such a simple and straightforward day and being about to go about things at a fairly chill speed.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I played some guitar again but my wrist was straining during the warm-up exercise and I sucked at the song I’m always trying to improve on! Uh! Some days good, some days bad!

Predictably, most of my grade 10 students didn’t bother doing my class work. So annoying, having to constantly chase up students for work!

Something I learned today?

There’s something that keeps crossing my mind to put here but every time I sit down to do it, I can’t remember what it is!

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Baipad messaged me last night that she feels tired and bored and doesn’t want to come to school. She seems aware that her days are a little predictable and so this morning I arrived in the canteen where she and her friends always sit and I pulled her out and made her walk with me a little around school.

Whilst she was complaining and fighting me, I was telling her that it’s something different, break her routine and get off the phone. Although she wasn’t particularly impressed, I could see the smile on her face and that she was a bit more lively just after this.

I told her that we will do the same tomorrow and Wawa has to come with us too. Let’s see.

Tonkhaw took this picture of Satang during the class I missed today. Obviously busy…

The Disparity – 17th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

People will demand freedom of speech as compensation
For the freedom of their thought that remains in suspension

Disparity between desire for outward expression
And the actual practice of inner contemplation

A little poem based on the Soren Kierkegaard quote “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

Today I’m feeling:

Good again, even waking before my 7.30 alarm despite going to sleep well past midnight.

As I have to take Amy to the airport this afternoon, I know that I won’t succumb to an afternoon nap, which is good.

Amy goes to Pusan with her mum, dad, auntie and friend and she has already been frustrated with organising this trip, which she initially just intended to be her and her mum. I asked her yesterday if she was excited but she is mentally preparing for more frustration!

It did trigger me to investigate the possibility of going to Nanning for a few days in April, so I asked Ellen for some ideas on what to do there. I figure that it might be a way of easing Amy into the idea of travelling more in China.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

For our washing machine and the sunshine today, meaning that tonight I sleep in fresh, clean sheets again. I’ve been waiting for this for a few weeks already!

The best thing about today was:

Getting some more guitar playing in again and slowly making improvements. I go through cycles and at the moment I’m playing more guitar than I am reading, possibly helped by the fact that I’m constantly going to my room to kick off downloads of comics I’m interested in – so I guess there’s still a connection.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I very gently sent a message to Nancy at TLC asking why David and I are still getting all the junior high school classes again this semester. I know the answer but I’m suggesting to her that perhaps it is not quite fairly distributed among the three available teachers.

She replied that she will talk with Kru Tang about it. That made me chuckle a bit, as it seems Kru Tang is unaware of the reason it is not fairly distributed.

I’m stirring things a little bit and would like things to be more fair and it would also make the school happier that they don’t have to cater to one particular teacher’s selfish requirements.

I wonder what will happen next…

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I pointed out a huge cockroach to Safe while I was sitting reading in Utopia. Luckily, no one else was around at the time and the roach gave Safe a good chase and I think even got away, back outside via the door.

Chess With Pigeons – 15th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 1 Comment

Lined up against the wall
Identified with your tribe
Where does the mindset shift
From the rules that you prescribe?

This game isn’t easy
Yet played out every day
All uniquely similar
In deeds and words we say

Incited to live in fear
Lies are told as true
Only some allowed to win
But tell that you can too

A race to become less tolerant
Can be run in any way seen fit
Upend the board and strut around
Covering everything in shit

Inspired by this great post at The Renegade Press

Today I’m feeling:

Good once I got moving and going. Exercise and hangs were a bit more difficult today as my arms are tired from doing this more often but hopefully it will settle down to strengthening everything.

With a long day ahead, I’m still feeling positive and on top of things but definitely looking forward to resting up at the weekend.

Health:

Physical: 8
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

Ploughing through the day and continuing when I got home. Using energy is giving me motivation to draw on my reserves.

The best thing about today was:

A student that I hadn’t met before said, ‘Hi, Teacher Shaun’. I asked her who she was and we talked a little and she said ‘I like Teacher Shaun.’

I asked her why, and she said ‘I’m ใจดี๊’, meaning kind-hearted. As I’d never talked with her before, I assumed that she had heard this from other students.

Either way, it made me feel good.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

In my short break between classes today, I was hoping to enjoy some peace in the cafe but there was some meeting going on and I was relegated to an uncomfortable low table but I got on with a few things anyway. It was a bit rushed but it was good not to drop the energy levels and flake through the afternoon.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Amy is in a feisty, drunken mood and being a bit loud and dramatic. I’m doing my best to entertain her but the day is catching up with me and I just want to read and relax until I fall asleep.

Our cats were extremely scared and bothered by the fireworks for Loy Kratong last night. Amy let them both into the bedroom, which I knew was a bad idea but didn’t want to say anything.

Cap settled by my head, but Tigger was hiding under the lounge, and I got back to reading. After a while, I saw movement to my right, and Tigger had come out onto Amy’s bed. Unfortunately, he wasn’t sitting but pissing. I quickly got him off and pulled up the doona but it had also gone through to the sheet too.

I got them off the bed and into the washing machine and Amy complained that I wasn’t watching them whilst she got stuff prepared to sleep in the other room.

Art took this picture because the sunlight through the cafe window was giving a beautiful soft morning glow to Piti and me.

A Crack In The World – 13th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

What version of me did I show you?
Was the impression left in your mind
The enigmatic or the sad and sulky?
Which one would you prefer to find?

I was hiding, desperately
Trying to be anything but myself
To slip through a crack in the world
Leaving an image of someone else

I cross each bridge as I burn it
Wait impatiently for the credits to roll
Each day takes a small part of me
Once put together defines the whole

Inspired by a few paraphrased quotes within.

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good after a slightly better sleep last night and waking up with a start to my alarm. Some tough exercise, as eating ice cream for the last three days has increased my weight more than I would like.

It’s weird Wednesday with just one 50-minute class today at 12.40, so lots of sitting around, thinking, reading and writing.

(Later) I let my class catch up with the work that I had asked them to do and started checking those who had finished. In a flash, it was over and done with an exclamation of ‘shit’ when I was told it was time to finish!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 8

Today I’m grateful for:

The old uncle at the 20 baht shop who let me change over the light bulbs for a different colour and to pay the difference.

He was a bit slow working out the difference to pay, but I let him do it with a calculator and a phone, hoping that he might make a mistake in my favour!

The best thing about today was:

Finishing off the little project of writing 52 mini poems – an idea that I started a couple of months ago.

Though some of them are just little throwaway ideas and ruminations, there are a few that I rate quite highly.

Something I learned today?

It was Mimi’s 16th birthday today. I found out when I entered class and saw a mangled half-eaten cake on the desk! She’s from my new grade 10 class and I haven’t really got to know these new students yet but she seems to be a happy and friendly kid and the work she did today was good.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I dropped by to see Baipad as she was throwing up yesterday and didn’t come to school. She wasn’t there today either but I felt certain that she was feeling better and just being lazy.

I got her to agree to come to school tomorrow and also continued to try to encourage her to do something nice for the boy that she likes.

I took this picture because it’s a tough life for this fat little cafe cat.

Queen Of Dreams – 11th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 5 Comments

Holding your breath
Waiting for the turn
Hoping for the Queen of Dreams
with another lesson to learn

Rolling the dice
Waiting to settle
Dancing with the Queen of Dreams
with pedal to the metal

Playing the game
Waiting to win
Turning to the Queen of Dreams
without becomes within

Written for No Theme Thursday picture prompt (above) and Poets and Storytellers United – holding your breath

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good despite a slightly disrupted sleep, which I’m thinking may be down to the two double-shot coffees I have on the weekends. I only have one on weekdays, so perhaps I need to switch back to the double-ris on weekends.

Apart from that, I’m still in a good mood and my classes have kept me busy and entertained all day.

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Feeling energised and on top of things in my classes and doing all the things I needed during my 50-minute break.

The best thing about today was:

Feeling like an actual English teacher for a moment!

It’s weird to say but working more with some of the older students, who are more interested in actually learning and improving, has focused me a little more on teaching the language, more than just helping the students practice using language (by just reading and writing).

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

I still have a problem with no classroom available to teach my afternoon grade 11s and today ended up in the canteen, which wasn’t exactly ideal but everyone got on with it as best they could and I wrapped up pretty quickly, giving the students work to send me before the weekend.

Something I learned today?

Ipswich won their first game of the season yesterday! Hooray! They beat Spurs away from home two-one. Amazing!

I took this picture because ‘our’ little cow was resting here in the morning when I was about to leave for work. Left us a lot of useful poop too.

A Box Full Of Cubans – 6th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ 6 Comments

Blue and red both arm an expansion
Desperate to maintain and hide inside
Sighs at sixty years of sanction
When a box of darkness opens wide

Despite the embargo, we’ll flip this lid
Set fire to watch the ashes emerge
Behind the masks the ravaged skins did
Weave around the desire to purge

So let’s puff away and soak in glory
The winners crush dust into the floor
The fat man claims to make the story
And blockade away forever more

Written for an AllPoetry.com assonance assignment and using the Poets and Storytellers United prompt – “a box full of darkness”, as well as The Sunday Whirl Wordle #679 – sighs fire flip ravaged blue floor emerge masks ashes soak skin weave

Today I’m feeling:

Tired on waking as I didn’t sleep well. Not sure why, just felt uncomfortable through the night. Still, I got through exercise and hanging and took the time to grab a coffee at Utopia, which has helped get my brain moving.

A random thought that I had last night:

Thai teachers are children pretending to be adults

Foreign teachers are adults pretending to be children.

(When I say ‘Thai teachers’ I am, of course, being facetious and tarring them all with the same brush but it is something I feel at certain times. And when I say ‘foreign teachers,’ I was just talking about myself!)

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Amy’s family for accepting me into their family and tonight to enjoy a meal together for Dad’s 73rd birthday.

The best thing about today was:

My one 50-minute class for the day, in which I got energetic, berating late students, pushing students to quickly get some notes down, practice the grammar point until I felt like they had got it, all the while having fun and keeping everyone on their toes.

Slow internet connection meant that we ran out of time to play a quiz, so I assigned them to do it later and sent them off to their next class. Fast and furious.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

For some reason, the method that we get paid has changed and now we have to fill out a form to get the remainder of our wages in cash! Dangerous!

Luckily, since I use my phone to pay for things 98% of the time, I usually end up forgetting that I have any cash at all.

I should go to the optometrist and give this cash over as a deposit for new glasses before anything untoward comes of it!

Something I learned today?

The movie “Gravity” was more expensive to produce than the entire Indian Mars mission. That is just stupid! I’m all for art and movies but imagine what we could be doing with that money instead. Knowing the USA, though, it would be killing more brown people.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

Drunk Amy stole my thunder at the restaurant as I was ready to give our waitress a tip at the end of the meal but Amy decided she wanted to tip her when she brought two more beers and to make it worse, she had no cash, so it was me who gave it to Amy to give to her! Oh well!

I was still going to tip the waitress with the money I had ready but she had disappeared when we were leaving.

Sarah took this picture when she grabbed my phone and caught this action shot of Baitoey as she was running around.

The Silo – 5th November 2024

~ shaun tenzenmen ~ Leave a comment

There were many that day
Was it day? Is it night now?
Here, it’s not possible to tell
Time has lost all its meaning

We lined up waiting for the interview
It has been a long wait
But I will review all that came to pass
It was obvious, even as I said it
It took me a long time to figure it out
The master told me that messages were sent
But I had been slow to realise

Later, we all gathered round
And I wasn’t the only one
Most of us facing the review agreed
That we all took too long to realise
Then we returned to the silo
Perhaps one day, we can try again

A time-disoriented play on a life’s review in The Matrix or Heaven.

Today I’m feeling:

Pretty good again, though sadly, I was a little achy again this morning. Never mind, I’m still feeling relaxed and positive. Only a couple of classes today, one tomorrow and then that’s the week done for teaching! What a crazy school!

Health:

Physical: 7
Mental: 7

Today I’m grateful for:

Kru David for inviting me to get involved in a little project idea he has to sell a maths board game. It could be a money maker but for me, I feel that I can’t invest my time in this, especially as it requires effort in marketing it, which I absolutely detest.

The best thing about today was:

Being able to get back to writing poetry with a 3-hour break between classes today and working hard on two pieces. It’s now, when I realise that a lot of my time and effort is going into that writing, as I’m not just churning out the ideas anymore but trying to improve my work.

What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?

The sports boys in my grade 12 class were late to arrive this morning and what I was teaching was far above their capabilities, so I let them be, whilst trying to interact with them whenever I could.

I’m not going to be able to gift those boys with much knowledge beyond convincing them that they should at least give everything a shot.

Something I learned today?

Baby owls often sleep face down because their heads are too heavy.

Review your acts, Good and bad.

I good humouredly let Earn know not to talk to me in a rude way, even if it was just for fun. We were both laughing about it, but she understood what I wanted to convey.

One of my students sent me this today, along with some funny, cheeky comments.