TLDR;
• Easy to start
• Supportive community
• Self-discovery and growth
• Livable wage
• Be careful
My journey began as one face among seventy. On that first day of training, I felt out of place. "Do I belong here?" I wondered. The session offered support and useful tips to what's to come of the year ahead, yet I still questioned if I could handle it.
By the end of training, the isolation vanished. Many of my peers shared my anxiety, and veteran teachers were honest about their own early struggles. The fellowship and merrymaking made the training fly by. The schedule gave us just enough time to get your bearings before the real work began: teaching.
My first day at Kalasin Pittayasan School (KPS) was a nerve-wraking; That's expected. "What-ifs" ran through my mind, but I followed the lesson plan and the formulated procedures. By the end of the day, the experience wasn't that bad.
As weeks turned into months, I embraced Thai culture and learned about Buddhism, gaining new perspectives. Teaching became a rhythm. Lessons flowed because I understood the foundation supporting them. The laughter from my students felt welcoming because we genuinely had fun during class. After a long weekend excursion, I realized my focus had shifted: I stopped getting in my own way and started thinking about what mattered to the kids.
I didn't grow into this role alone. From the start, my manager believed in me, nurturing my skills and my confidence. She made me realize, teachers like me, were worth the effort to upskill. Entry level teachers, like myself, are often average at first, but SINE values the capacity to learn. Their support encouraged me to stay open-minded. Eventually, I even trained a new batch of teachers — I'm as surprised as you are.
Thanks to the team in Isaan, KPS, and SINE Educate, I'm fortunate to call this job a "wayfinding" experience. I am about to complete my first year. I plan to continue with SINE and give it my best effort. Who knows what's next; I’ll just go with the flow and continue my journey.