Thinking about being a teacher in Thailand?

[LaaMok]

http://www.ajarn.com...ecember2004.htm

[papa_soda]

(Quote) Epilogue

I wrote this piece a few weeks ago. One of the regular teachers went back home for a couple of months and we seem to be having difficulties finding a decent replacement. That means some of the other teachers – including me – have a pretty full schedule. I’m teaching eight hours a day on weekdays and always finish late. Never mind, it will get more relaxing next year and it means more money as I get paid by the hour. Only problem is I don’t have to spend right now… Cheers!

 

Sod that

[DirtyDisco]

a good read, shame i hate kids, so not the job for me...

[Esco]

thanks for posting.... thinking about givin in a shot in 10 years or so when I got some dosh in the bank

[vboy]

Good read thanks. What qualifications do you have if you don't mind me asking. I'm sure other BM's would like to know what qual's one would need.

 

Secondly, what sort of average salary could you expect?

 

Thanks

[paranoidandroid123]

Since returning from Pattaya a week ago I have been looking into this field. Get yourself on http://www.tefl.com/. Looking at the job advertisements it seems a degree is required, but a friend has told me that sometimes this is not the case. The wages seem to be 30000 baht per month, so visits to Walking Street would be limited. I am planning on doing the Ban Phe course in August, so I can visit Pattaya at weekends. How long a drive is this?

[MARKOTINO]

Plan on teaching there for 2-3 years when in my early 30's around 30-35 age. Only 19 now and want to be a teacher in UK any way and it would look good on a cv for a big hefty pay rise or even a HoD( Head of Department) role which got you 5 k a year min extra at my high school when i move back to the UK

[Gator001]

Actually I think you will find the TEFL teachers are regarded at about the cockroach level. not sure it will help a teaching career in the UK somehow

[MARKOTINO]

No but teaching abroad, a second language, showing enthuasim for teaching by wanting to do it some where different, not the actual TEFL. I have spoken to my ex head master and a number of teachers about this.

[El Cata]

All of these topics, & infinitely more, have been done to death on the ajarn forum here:

 

http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/

 

(very) rough summary:

 

If you are qualified to teach in your home country (Degree, PGCE) & have 2+ years experience in your home country, then you can command a salary of 100k+ pm, with a plush condo & return flights home once a year. Expect to live like the King, however, you will be worked to death.

 

If you have a degree (in anything) & a TEFL certificate, in Bangkok you can command a salary of 30k to 60k, depending on many factors (mostly luck.)

 

If you have no degree, expect 30k or less, 30+ contact hours & to live like a Thai. You are lower than a cockroach

Edited September 2, 2009 by El Cata

[m0r1arty]

...(very) rough summary:...

 

Thanks for the summary El Cata. Just out of curiosity what about volunteering to teach? I'm a long time lurker and was thinking of finally taking the plunge and heading out there for maybe a year if visas are possible.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Montien]

If you are qualified to teach in your home country (Degree, PGCE) & have 2+ years experience in your home country, then you can command a salary of 100k+ pm, with a plush condo & return flights home once a year. Expect to live like the King, however, you will be worked to death.

I have to agree with the salary on this statement. i am a teacher in the UK and have been thinking of teaching in LOS for some time now. The salary at first completely put me off.

 

Ok so i don't want to get infront of myself just yet but now been offered the oportunity to work in a BKK international school with an agreed miniumn salary that meets my needs. Therefore it looks like i am off full time in September but will keep the board posted.

 

Has for being worked to death well that sure won't be any different to working in the UK schools then.

Edited December 18, 2009 by midlandmale40

[sinclair1969]

Wanting to be a teacher in Thailand is one thing, being one is something quite different.

[Hancock]

How much do teachers earn in the uk?

If a teacher earns 500 pound a week in the uk,after tax that would be about 400 so take home pay for the month would be 1600.Thats being qualified as well which you dont need in thailand.

If the teacher is renting a house in the uk,at a guess on average they would pay 600 a month.

So that leaves them with 1000 pound,the average costs of running a car in the uk costs 2.500 pound a year 50 pound a week.

So now that leaves 800 pound a month then food has to be at least 50 pound a week the odd takeaway etc(thats just supermarket not dining out)so now thats 600 a month.Then if you like smoking say 20 cigaretes a day at over 5 pound a packet thats about 150 a month.So now that is 450 a month then alcohol,house insurance,fishing ,golf or whatever hobby you have etc etc etc

Put it this way its hard to save anything and the way things are at the minute in the uk most people are in debt and stressed lol.

This country is a joke we are raped by taxes we are taxed on everything same as america and many places i think.

if you earn say 10 pound an hour here the government rob you every week 25 percent they call it a TAX,then you buy a pack of ciggies for 5 pound at least 3 pound is TAX another robbery buy the government,so out of that 10 pound i have 4pound 50 then petrol for my car to get to work lol is TAXED at 70 percent its a joke so if you put 20 pound petrol in your you only get 6 pound of petrol and the government get 14 pound.

 

I think i would rather be a teacher in Thailand even if people think 30,000 a month is a joke.

I was talking to a teacher when i went to ubon a dutch fella he is on the basic 30,000 a month but was doing another course to earn more money,he told me you dont have to speak thai and the course was easy.Like someone said on this thread before you can earn more but you do long hours i would not like to work long hours lifes is for living not working.

If you rent a house away from the likes of pattaya (remember your working not on holiday)you can get a nice house for less than 5000 a month probably equivalent to 15000 in pattaya the dutch guy told me his last teaching job gave him a motorcycle as well but he rented his own property.You would rent close to the school so even if you had to buy a bike for say 900 pound, you can stick your car back in uk to expensive much easier to get by with just a motorbike in thailand than the uk.You will be glad to hear i wont go in to expensives working and living in thailand (not on holiday)because most of you know roughly how much you can live on away from the tourist spots.

Iam lucky with work at the minute in the uk but if i had no work or i wanted to teach i would do it in a heartbeat.

It would suit me as i have a tgf and young son and i think i could have a better life there than in the uk with my family as i work a lot of hours here in the uk.

Even if you dont have a tgf go for it it has to be better than living and working in the uk if you have work that is.

Someone posted you will live like a thai and be lower than a cockroach imo that is bollox for a starting salary 30,000 to 60,000 (you would probably get better paid jobs the longer you stayed) a month in thailand someone else mention not many short times at Walking Street lol you are working, pay for a short time back home it will cost you half a weeks wage for one hour and she will probably be a minger lol.

You would work less hours than the uk and be a lot happier go for it even if only for a few years do it right and you wont regret it.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Hancock

[Hancock]

Since returning from Pattaya a week ago I have been looking into this field. Get yourself on <a href="http://www.tefl.com/" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.tefl.com/" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.tefl.com/" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.tefl.com/" target="_blank">http://www.tefl.com/</a></a></a></a>. Looking at the job advertisements it seems a degree is required, but a friend has told me that sometimes this is not the case. The wages seem to be 30000 baht per month, so visits to Walking Street would be limited. I am planning on doing the Ban Phe course in August, so I can visit Pattaya at weekends. How long a drive is this?

Its not much of a drive mate but if your thinking of teaching imo you want to stay away from pattaya to expensive,

You can get your end away anywhere in thailand just not as easy or plentiful as pattaya.

Good luck if you go for it.

[Hancock]

Its not much of a drive mate but if your thinking of teaching imo you want to stay away from pattaya to expensive,

You can get your end away anywhere in thailand just not as easy or plentiful as pattaya.

Good luck if you go for it.

Just noticed your post on this thread is a few years old

Did you go for it if?

[wilko]

If you're going to teach English in Thailand it is just about essential to have a degree.

you'll need a "B"B visa and a work permit - these should be arranged by your employer - who pays is up for grabs.

 

Essentially a "B" visa can only be got outside the kingdom, but then on it gets hazy - some people claim to have got one without leaving and others claim to have jobs without degrees - there is also a cultural awareness program that teachers are meant take at their own expense - about 60k baht - but this seems to have frittered away with schools able to differ for 3 years per student.

 

I find it a matter of some concern though that prospective teachers post questions asking how to get to the nearest brothel yet have shown absolutely no interest in who or how there future students might be.

[jakestevernson]

If you have a degree, do a TEFL (one month) and then you are good to go. If you don't have a degree, there is work but it's hassle getting the visa, permit, etc You can get a fake one, but I don't think it's worth the risk.

[Al.]

At the lower end of the scale 30,000 per month and I suspect some would struggle to get that you would struggle to maintain a decent lifestyle especially if you like going out for a drink and mongering which is something you had best be discrete about especially if you are teaching children.

 

For someone living here on a pension who just wants to supplement his income and at the same time give him another interest it is not a bad idea.

 

Al.

[wilko]

If you are going to teach in Thailand....

Get your qualifications in order.

You may well need to do the "cultural course" - 60k baht

You'll need a police report from your home country.

 

you need a DEGREE and a TEFL certificate - if you haven't you will encounter all sorts of problems and probably end up working illegally.

 

if you are a qualified teacher you'll get a higher salary.

 

If you are looking to use it for a holiday or to finance your sex life - FORGET IT!

 

any school worth it's salt won't employ you.

 

Teaching is a profession not a way to finance your holiday - and you have STUDENTS - you are responsible for teaching them English - whether they are adults or children it is your responsibility to turn up on time - every time - be well dressed, and be able to TEACH.

 

If you can't do this you will be sacked and you will find that your reputation goes with you.

 

If you are caught with illegal or forged paperwork you could end up being locked up before being deported - you can literally be waltzed out of the classroom.

 

I have had to interview prospective teachers and there are certainly some people who think that they can "try it on" - believe me if you know anything about education these people stick out like a sore thumb and it is only a matter of time before someone reports you to the authorities.

Edited June 29, 2010 by wilko

[filibuster]

At the lower end of the scale 30,000 per month and I suspect some would struggle to get that you would struggle to maintain a decent lifestyle especially if you like going out for a drink and mongering which is something you had best be discrete about especially if you are teaching children.

 

For someone living here on a pension who just wants to supplement his income and at the same time give him another interest it is not a bad idea.

 

Al.

 

Good advice Al.

[Hallmark]

I went down the teaching path last year for various reasons and I've got to say I hated it with a passion.

 

I saw the ad for teaching and spoke to a couple of Bangkok teachers,both of whom I had trouble understanding due to their accents and thought if they can do it so can I.

 

I haven't got a degree but I was educated to a good level so I thought I'd be ok,I signed up for the TEFL course with the promise of a job and a work permit starting June 2009.The cost was 43,000 bt.They did provide me with a job but the work permit part was a con.They got me a job with a private school 4 days a week,2 days in Bangsaray and 2 days in Banglamung,20,000 bt a month,both schools were delapidated and very run down.

 

The 1 week course itself was very iffy,we had about 2 hours each in a classroom at a school and that was our training,but it wasn't until I started working that I realised that actually the course had been a total waste of time.

 

We were told on the course that we would always have a Thai teacher with us to help.....WRONG.....As soon as I turned up for a lesson the Thai teacher would disappear for food,sleep or to talk to their friends,I would say that 90% of the time I was just left to it.

 

I was told the school would get me a work permit or protect me from the police......WRONG......When I asked at the school about a work permit or anything else I was basically told "up to you".So everytime I saw someone at the school who looked official I was out of there until I knew who they were and that they were safe.

 

There were no text books for me at all,I had to make up the work as I went along,some of it worked,some didn't.I tried to source good books but the school wouldn't pay,I'd download work from the internet and then have to get it printed,the school would pay for the printing eventually but it was always a struggle to get the money,

 

There were always problems of one sort or another which the Thai teachers didn't want to help me with.I think the fact that I was on more money than they were caused a lot of resentment towards me.

 

The children were well...........,the boys were ok until they hit puberty and after that they were either murder or as good as gold,the girls on the other hand were great all the way through the ages,the girls wanted to learn,the boys didn't,sounds familar yes !

 

Exams were a joke too,I was told that every child had to get above a certain percentage,no one was allowed to fail so even the older boys who never showed up for class and couldn't speak a word of English had to pass.I was even asked by the Thai-English teacher to have a look at this years national English exam and to give her the answers so she could teach the children the right answers.I got into trouble once because some of the girls were asking me to help them with their work,I wouldn't give them the answers but I helped them to work out the answers which upset the Thai-English teacher.

 

I know I was doing well though because now and again I'd bump into the parents and they'd say that their children always said they liked me and it was fun.

 

I'd had enough when it came to the big holidays and the school again said they wouldn't pay me anything for the holidays after saying they would consider it.

 

I know of only 1-2 people that were on my course and that are still teaching,one is full time the other is part time,both of them have said the same to me about the schools and the course.

 

Personally I will never even think about teaching again,I hated it,there were some good things,some of the children were good but generally I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.I know there are people teaching who enjoy it but I also met others who were just going through the motions.There's good schools and bad,I obviously got the bad.

 

Never again.

[wilko]

I went down the teaching path last year for various reasons and I've got to say I hated it with a passion.

 

I saw the ad for teaching and spoke to a couple of Bangkok teachers,both of whom I had trouble understanding due to their accents and thought if they can do it so can I.

 

I haven't got a degree but I was educated to a good level so I thought I'd be ok,I signed up for the TEFL course with the promise of a job and a work permit starting June 2009.The cost was 43,000 bt.They did provide me with a job but the work permit part was a con.They got me a job with a private school 4 days a week,2 days in Bangsaray and 2 days in Banglamung,20,000 bt a month,both schools were delapidated and very run down.

 

The 1 week course itself was very iffy,we had about 2 hours each in a classroom at a school and that was our training,but it wasn't until I started working that I realised that actually the course had been a total waste of time.

 

We were told on the course that we would always have a Thai teacher with us to help.....WRONG.....As soon as I turned up for a lesson the Thai teacher would disappear for food,sleep or to talk to their friends,I would say that 90% of the time I was just left to it.

 

I was told the school would get me a work permit or protect me from the police......WRONG......When I asked at the school about a work permit or anything else I was basically told "up to you".So everytime I saw someone at the school who looked official I was out of there until I knew who they were and that they were safe.

 

There were no text books for me at all,I had to make up the work as I went along,some of it worked,some didn't.I tried to source good books but the school wouldn't pay,I'd download work from the internet and then have to get it printed,the school would pay for the printing eventually but it was always a struggle to get the money,

 

There were always problems of one sort or another which the Thai teachers didn't want to help me with.I think the fact that I was on more money than they were caused a lot of resentment towards me.

 

The children were well...........,the boys were ok until they hit puberty and after that they were either murder or as good as gold,the girls on the other hand were great all the way through the ages,the girls wanted to learn,the boys didn't,sounds familar yes !

 

Exams were a joke too,I was told that every child had to get above a certain percentage,no one was allowed to fail so even the older boys who never showed up for class and couldn't speak a word of English had to pass.I was even asked by the Thai-English teacher to have a look at this years national English exam and to give her the answers so she could teach the children the right answers.I got into trouble once because some of the girls were asking me to help them with their work,I wouldn't give them the answers but I helped them to work out the answers which upset the Thai-English teacher.

 

I know I was doing well though because now and again I'd bump into the parents and they'd say that their children always said they liked me and it was fun.

 

I'd had enough when it came to the big holidays and the school again said they wouldn't pay me anything for the holidays after saying they would consider it.

 

I know of only 1-2 people that were on my course and that are still teaching,one is full time the other is part time,both of them have said the same to me about the schools and the course.

 

Personally I will never even think about teaching again,I hated it,there were some good things,some of the children were good but generally I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.I know there are people teaching who enjoy it but I also met others who were just going through the motions.There's good schools and bad,I obviously got the bad.

 

Never again.

 

sounds like a fairly good account of the down side of teaching.

however a small amount of research could have given you an inkling what you were letting yourself in for....

 

I have to say that not only is a one week course a waste of time and money, I doubt if it would be accepted by the authorities as a valid qualification - without a few thousand baht clipped to it anyway.

 

I also think it is a mistake to consider teaching children unless you are a fully qualified teacher as the wages are so low.

 

If you are prepared to do evening work and make yourself "indispensable" there is money to be earned - but quite frankly a lot of the teachers I meet aren't really made of the right stuff to earn a good living regardless of their profession or the country they are in.

 

at the end of the day you need to be the "type" who can teach and the kind of person who will learn - you really need to understand the workings of the English language - being a "native" speaker is only half the job.

[Geeberish]

At the lower end of the scale 30,000 per month and I suspect some would struggle to get that you would struggle to maintain a decent lifestyle especially if you like going out for a drink and mongering which is something you had best be discrete about especially if you are teaching children.

 

For someone living here on a pension who just wants to supplement his income and at the same time give him another interest it is not a bad idea.

 

Al.

 

I'm definitely in the latter category. Retiring on 4% of my savings without ever having the possibility of earning another dime is just too scary to me even if all the simulations using historical return data tells me that I'll be fine. The question though is why the being discreet part any different between the two types of teachers? OK, the one without a pension will have more to lose if he loses his job, but the second one also loses his supplemental income and a huge part of his daily activity.

[Jebb]

For what its worth, a mate of mine from Australia did the 6 week course in BKK and found it quite good. They initially placed him in a school with kids and he said most of them just didnt want to learn. He then was placed at the Military base near Ban Chang and loved it because they all wanted to learn to speak to advance their careers and he ended up being very happy with teaching.