| March 12, 2007
Reflections and thoughts
Playground rules for my class of 5-year-olds this last week included,
“Don’t hurt the teacher on duty.”
With three quarters of this school year finished, I begin to
look back and think about all the years that I have taught at
Chiang Mai International School. My first two years here were
forty years ago. That first year, I had classes of nine fourth-graders
during the first semester and then twelve the second. At that
time most of the students were children of missionaries, with
a few military families due to the Vietnam War. In the military
families there was usually someone commuting back and forth. I
remember how impressed I was with one of these fathers who would
fly back to Chiang Mai for the parent-teacher conference and then
fly back to work.
One of those fourth graders I taught 40 years ago is here now
with his family and is working for the Baptist Mission. (Eleven
years ago I taught one of his children in kindergarten.) The school
was small 40 years ago. There were about 100 students from kindergarten
through eighth grade, compared to now, when we have more than
400 from kindergarten through twelfth. There were three buildings
then, and now we have seven, with a gymnasium being added this
school year. The reason the school continues to exist is for the
education of children of mission workers, but we now have many
Thai students as well as students whose families come from all
over the world. It is a wonderful mix.
Recently we held our semi-annual Thai Day, a day to celebrate
all things Thai. It included Thai performances by all the classes
as well as wonderful Thai dishes prepared and served by the moms.
This year’s theme was to honor the King of Thailand, who
has reigned for 60 years.
A week later, we held our annual Sports Day. It was enjoyed by
the younger students who felt no pressure to win, which was wonderful
and made the day most enjoyable.
At the end of March our high school students will present “High
School Musical” for all of us and the wider community to
enjoy. Each year they impress audiences with their performances.
This school year we will be losing 13 members of our teaching
staff for various reasons. It is always difficult to adjust to
this, but this year I will be one of those who is leaving. It’s
my task to get all that is in my classroom in some sensible order
for the teacher who comes after me. At this point, I can’t
imagine not being back, but I will adjust to that thought eventually.
I accept the fact that it is time to retire. I will say goodbye
with thanks and gratitude to both the school and the mission boards
that have supported me. I plan to be in the States for six months
to do what I can for the PC(USA), the Disciples of Christ, and
the United Church of Christ. I will then return to Thailand for
Christmas celebrations with my daughter Julie, her husband Andrew,
and their two children, Siree, age 7, and Aran, age 3.
A few weeks ago I enjoyed meeting and visiting over dinner with
a group from Scioto Valley Presbytery in Ohio. Our host was Bill
Yoder, who graciously shares his home with guests. Having lived
in Cleveland and Akron myself, and my folks living in Waverly,
I felt I had a lot in common with this group.
I would like to end my letter by asking for your prayers for
the large turnover of teachers and students at Chiang Mai International
School this next year. Please also pray for for all the changes
that we all deal with in life, that we may face them head on and
graciously.
My best to you all,
Michal Dobson
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 119
|
