Faozee's story by Teacher Laura
Phuket Has Been Good To Us is more than an educational charity. Yes, the main aim is to improve the English language skills of the students, but it also provides a learning environment where the children can take risks and grow in confidence in all areas of their life. The teaching and methodology that the Foundation adopts, coupled with the after-school programme, Coconut Club, means that sessions are active, productive, fun and relevant.
When children are emotionally literate (ready to learn) they feel secure, they are happy and in a comfortable environment. This is when successful learning takes place. The teachers and volunteers at PHBGTU provide this for the students and it’s clearly reflected in the children’s behavior, motivation, and achievements. For me, this is particularly relevant for a student whom I have personally followed since I worked for the Foundation. His name is Faozee.
When PHBGTU started teaching at Kamala school in 2007 we were an unknown entity. A lot of the children hadn’t had contact with foreigners before and certainly hadn’t had much English language education and it took a little while for everyone to be at ease with the new situation. Faozee was pretty small, I think about 6 years old. He was scruffy, distracted and generally a bit reluctant to learn.
Faozee was a difficult student. However, his willingness to attend classes and try to learn English increased significantly as he warmed to us - always hanging around the teachers’ room hoping to be invited in for a game or even a little healthy snack. Faozee soon gained self-esteem and became much more confident in his learning. This change became even more evident when Faozee found an interest in photography through one of our Coconut Club activities.
Today Faozee is a motivated student and is headed into his final year at RPG 36, Kamala School. Faozee does not have the best English in his class but he is well known and well liked by the teachers and his peers. He is also a role model for the younger students, always helping out at school events and lending a hand at PHBGTU birthday parties and student activities. Faozee also shared with his current teachers that he would like to go to University when he graduates to become a teacher one day!
I have personally followed Faozee for the last 11 years and have observed how PHBGTU has helped him not only progress in English, but to develop stronger relationships, have more ambition and really helped him to grow into the wonderful, happy, responsible teenager he is today! Phuket Has Been Good To Us’s approach gives support, positive reinforcement and security that children need in order to really want to do the best they can. Working simultaneously with the care and education they students receive within their schools means that the students are much more likely to reach their potential. Faozee is proof of this.
-Laura Gray
Senior Teacher and English Programme Coordinator, September 2007-June 2009.
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