Wei Kru

It was Teachers Appreciation Day last Thursday at our school, and boy was it ever not your run of the mill ‘let’s-go-to-Walmart-and-get-your-teacher-one-of-those-funky-World’s-Best-Teacher-coffee-mugs’ kind of Teacher Appreciation Days!  No Sir Ree Bob!  This was Wei Kru Day in schools all over Thailand, and I have to say, when it comes to acknowledging the work teachers do, the Thai’s really know how to put on an amazingly meaningful thanks-giving spectacle! At least at our school they do.  

Unlike North American society, Thai culture still fosters a deep respect for teachers and educators, as it does in many other parts of the world.  I've often wondered, especially after having worked in Africa and Asia, why isn't there a strong tradition of respecting the teacher in our 'civilized' western world, compared to these other cultures? What has caused teaching in North America to place near bottom in polls ranking public respect for the profession? Why is that?  Could it be because teaching has traditionally been a female profession and women, and their contributions to western society at all levels has been undervalued and disrespected for generations? Or could it be that people think it's an easy profession and believe that anyone can be a teacher - that it takes minimal skill and is essentially glorified baby-sitting? Or rather, could it be because some people think that we make tons of money (NOT) and have the summers off? Yup, could be all of the above, but I have to admit, this last one is usually the deep, reflective reasoning that's put forth by my good friends when they endow me with their opinion on the matter, you know those good friends who have been intellectually stunted at some time in their sorry lives, due to harsh chemicals they've been subject to during their Woodstock days, or to the lead paints (told you to stay away from those Made in China Matchbox cars!) that they've been in contact with when they were kids.  In any case, I digress; let’s keep that rant for another entry…

Wei Kru Day or Thai Teacher’s Day was first held about 60 years ago and has been held nationwide since then, becoming a vital part of the traditional Thai educational system.  Linguistically speaking, the word ‘kru’ was adopted from a Pali word ka-ru which means ‘hard or stress.’ Kru, therefore, depicts a highly sacrificing and hard-working career. So in English, kru can plausibly be translated as teacher, the one who relatively works hard in both teaching and making students disciplined as well as socially acceptable. “Wei” means to bow in Thai and it is also involves bringing your hands together as if saying a prayer. You rarely shake hands in Thailand, you “wei” when greeting someone. 

Wei Kru Day is always celebrated at the onset of a new school year, which in Thailand is at the end of May.  Ours school being international, we follow the western school calendar, and therefore, our Wei Kru is celebrated at year’s end. Although the Wei Kru ceremony may be an exciting and brilliant way to start the academic year, I personally think it’s more appropriate at the end of the year when teachers have spent the past ten months getting to know the kiddies and vice versa, - ergo, makes it so much more meaningful. 

In any case, the ceremony is held in June and always on a Thursday as this is thought to be an auspicious day by Thai Buddhists. On this day Thai students bring flowers to their teachers as a symbol of their respect and readiness to learn. The most popular flower to bring is called “dok khem” (needle flower) because it represents the student’s promise that his/her brain will be as sharp as a needle. Some students also present jasmine garlands.  Our kids had been prepped all week by their Thai Language and Culture teachers, so we were expecting quite a show. 

After the initial lighting of candles at the Buddhist alter and the recitation of a Buddhist prayer by the assembled students, the ceremony officially began with five of our senior students crawling on their knees up to the 5 members of the admin team and, heads bowed, presented each of us with an elaborately decorated “paan,” which is a golden container filled with flowers. Quite a humbling experience, in an uneasy, quasi unsettling kind of way. Not to say that this happens to me all the time, but I don't think I'll ever get used to people (even more so children) crawling up to me on their knees. Never will. Well, maybe the day I get the Governorhip General of Canada I'll have a change of heart; but for now, not my thing.       

The teachers were then called to sit in front of the students as the students repeated a Buddhist chant and sang a song that demonstrated their appreciation for their teaching and guidance. I didn't understand a word of what they sang, but it sure sounded movingly and solemnly good. One or two representatives from every K to 12 class came up and thanked each teacher...thanking them for the gift of knowledge, for their patience and even for their hugs, and last but not least, from the Grade 10's (ah those Grade 10's...gotta love them) for not giving them detention when they deserved it. After thanking their teachers for having taught them well in the past and encouraging their good luck in the future, all 150 of them then crawled up to their teacher on their knees with their heads down. Heads always bowed, they offered their teachers their individual bouquet of flowers wrapped with candles and incense.  The teachers accepted the flowers, some of them visibly moved and almost tongue tied with emotion. 

One last Buddhist chant and a collective wei by the students brought the ceremony to a close, but not before I finished it off with a few words. What could I say to this assembly of children who had moved me to tears with their kind words and expression of gratitude?  I told them that the past hour had truly been one of the most remarkable and memorable events of my 35 years as a teacher, and I was very proud and happy to be their teacher.  That's really all I could say.