More young UK teachers set to head this way

[PeteC]

"......The British Council, the Thai Ministry of Education and programme sponsors welcomed some 248 English language assistants from 41 UK universities to Bangkok in June, marking the beginning of their nine-week journey....."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 42744.html

[bapak]

Do they have Work Permits?

[bapak]

Do they have Work Permits?

I only make the above comment as I know a large number of retired teachers here who would gladly offer their services free to local government school but cannot because of Retirement Visa rules / Work Permit.

I am perhaps being petty but I wonder just how many of the "... 248 English language assistants..." will be totally disillusioned with teaching after experiencing the Thai school system. Perhaps the Education Department will very carefully select the schools they will be assigned to.

[fft100]

Someone told me the other day that the new international school at black mountain (see other thread for a lot more on this), will only be hiring teachers from the UK, and not deliberately targeting foreign teachers already working here. Which is good news as existing talent in HH is being spread dangerously thin at the moment. The education dept are going to have to get more helpful wrt to wrk permits etc.

[PeteC]

^ The International Schools I'm familiar with all do that. They sign them on a 2 year contract, with option for them to extend if wanted and agreed by both parties. They do hire from other schools sometimes, but usually when the teacher is looking and walks in for a talk. Pete

[dtaai-maai]

There's a vast difference between the English language teaching assistants I assume are referred to in the OP and teachers qualified in specific subjects working under the UK curriculum.
With the sort of fees Black Mountain are talking about, I'd be expecting extremely high recruitment standards if I were a potential parent.

[Jose]

just one thing students can do work experience and internships without work permits, you can pay them expenses but nothing more. Obviously there is scope to abuse this.

I work (support staff) for a International school in Bangkok and all expat teachers have work permits and are fully qualified.

I would predict that almost all of the new school in Hua Hins teachers will come from outside of Hua Hin. For two reasons, 1. there are probably very few if any fully qualified teachers in Hua Hin ( PGSE). 2. The management of the school will probably bring a lot of staff from their previous schools in Bangkok.

[JimmyGreaves]

just one thing students can do work experience and internships without work permits, you can pay them expenses but nothing more. Obviously there is scope to abuse this.

I work (support staff) for a International school in Bangkok and all expat teachers have work permits and are fully qualified.

I would predict that almost all of the new school in Hua Hins teachers will come from outside of Hua Hin. For two reasons, 1. there are probably very few if any fully qualified teachers in Hua Hin ( PGSE). 2. The management of the school will probably bring a lot of staff from their previous schools in Bangkok.

PGSE?

[dtaai-maai]

PGSE?

"Sir-tificate" of course. Duh... Same as a PGCE, but achieved at knight school.

[richard]

I'm curious

I'm not really into 'teachers' so forgive me for being a little blunt

I went to very good schools thanks to my parent's sacrifices and the odd scholarship but it was during an era when teachers were qualified up to the hilt (academically and religiously) but their teaching skills (getting the message across), interpersonal skills, encouragement and bonding was abysmal. Sooooo I dropped out as soon as I could and became a James Dean disciple.

During that adolescent period I did encountered some good teachers who actually encouraged me and convinced me I could do well. They were in the minority though and were envied so smothered by the 'little Hitlers' who could only punish.

Well after I grew out of my adolescent years (I think I was 40 at the time ) I mingled with many teachers and during my years working for Cambridge University I realised I'd had a bum deal and should have been born 20 years later. I now have a great respect for good quality teachers. I could never have done the job. I wouldn't have had the patience and commitment.

So my curiosity leads to this question which I hope those of you teachers/lecturers will answer for me.

Why would a fully qualified top teacher want to teach in Thailand where education is known to be backward and Thai culture presents an additional hurdle and those with money ship their kids to Europe for a proper education?

[dtaai-maai]

I can think of a number of obvious reasons why qualified teachers would want to spend a year or two in Thailand. Most of them begin with 's' (e.g. sun, sea and sand...). I doubt many international schools have the same cultural problems as those within the Thai system. And the money's better. There may even be a few genuine altruists out there.

[Big Boy]

Why would a fully qualified top teacher want to teach in Thailand where education is known to be backward and Thai culture presents an additional hurdle and those with money ship their kids to Europe for a proper education?

I would think their reasons for wanting to work in Thailand are much the same reasons that many of us want to be here.

[Spitfire]

To attract "real" teachers who are properly qualified, then schools (of all types) need to offer decent salary and benefit packages. Attracting potential teachers to Hua Hin should be easier than many other places but they [schools] will still need to offer a good deal as places such as Hua Hin are not the cheapest ones to live in.

Otherwise, and I think many educational establishments find this, it is hard to attract people and convince them to move away from Bangkok as the salaries are way better there. If the foreigner is qualified in the subject that he / she wants to teach or has a degree in education plus a CELTA or DELTA then these sort of people want good salaries plus benefits along with being somewhere that can offer a wide range of goods and facilities....hence many qualified teachers never get beyond Bangkok.

The inland provincial schools / universities must find it even harder. Often, many foreigners only end up living in such places because it's where their wives / girlfriends come from.

The problem often is that a school or university administration is run by some oldie that just can't swallow giving the foreign teachers a good deal....especially when the Thai teachers there work under a system that is akin to slave labour during the rule of a Pharaoh.

[richard]

I can think of a number of obvious reasons why qualified teachers would want to spend a year or two in Thailand. Most of them begin with 's' (e.g. sun, sea and sand...). I doubt many international schools have the same cultural problems as those within the Thai system. And the money's better. There may even be a few genuine altruists out there.

Thanks. Point taken

Perhaps I'm assuming the sun, sea and sand is just for retirees and people with minimal ambition in terms of furthering their careers

[Vital Spark]

One possible reason for teachers wanting to come here (apart from all the esses) is that, generally, Thai students have more respect for teachers than, perhaps, some students in the West. This would make the teaching experience far more enjoyable. With the cost of living here also much lower, an International School salary can go a long, long way.

VS

(Our posts have crossed, Spitfire, but I'll leave mine as it is, apart from the fact that the Thai teachers at our particular establishment have a pretty good deal. )