Teaching With No Experience

[Dan75]

I would like to move to LoS and see teaching english as an idea for work. I read many posts by people but don't fully understand where I stand in my position.

I am male, 29 and English below is my profile

1. I have no teaching experience

2. I don't have a degree but have an HNC in engineering and many other qualifications including electrical installation

3. I see myself as above average intellegence

4. I have no facial hair or piercings

Is there any point in pursuing teaching as a career or is there anything I can do to strengthen my credentials?

[mbkudu]

Hi Dan 75. I was once in your same situation. I had a technical certificate to repair automobiles when I first arrived in Thailand and no teaching experience at all. As an American native speaker I had no problem finding work. Keep in mind that this was more than 12 years ago, so things have changed since then, but not all that much. When I look back on my career as an English teacher in Thailand, I think that I should have gone for a TEFL certificate before I started. It would have given me a good foundation to start with and I would have avoided most of the embarrassment that I went through as an inexperienced and unqualified 'teacher.'

I guess my point is, spend the US$1,000-1,400 for either a TEFL or CELTA certificate. You can do it in Thailand much cheaper than where you are (US, UK,

AUST., ect). The only roadblock you will encounter is the lack of a bachelors degree to obtain a work permit. This subject has been discussed thoroughly here.

I am of the opinion that if you apply at a school and they are impressed with you and want to hire you, they will get you a work permit if you ask for it. Good luck.

[Ijustwannateach]

Dan, sorry for being a grammar Nazi on you, but you ARE asking us for evaluation here- and your post does not fill me with confidence in your English syntax- not that that really matters here, since even Germans can get jobs teaching English- but it will keep you more towards the bottom of the wage scale 'cause the better schools have Thais that will actually catch some of your mistakes. You're probably looking at 30K a month in Bangkok, tops; if you get lucky and make a few connections you could maybe land 40K a month (but this might take a year or two)- and private teaching could extend you a few thousand more. If you get the TEFL then you might get a work permit, but it'll be much harder if you don't. If this kind of budget/preparation sounds acceptable to you, then come away- but I don't want to give you unrealistic expectations.

"Steven"

[PeaceBlondie]

Dan75, have you asked yourself why you're thinking of teaching English in Thailand? It's not easy, it's darn difficult. Did you enjoy school as a kid? Do you see yourself teaching 51 kids that didn't want to come to English class today? Or if you get a part time job at a language school, can you work split shifts that change every week, with classes that fluctuate and even cancel? Have you travelled or lived in non-native countries that have a different culture, language, alphabet, major religion, than England has? Can you tolerate extreme heat and humidity, mixed sometimes with polluted air, strange smells, and loud noises?

If your heart says yes, come on. If your little head says yes, don't come here.

[bkk barney]

dan

dont listen to the poofters, hel.l just turn up and teach the halfwits

[merlin1]

Dan75, have you asked yourself why you're thinking of teaching English in Thailand? It's not easy, it's darn difficult. Did you enjoy school as a kid? Do you see yourself teaching 51 kids that didn't want to come to English class today? Or if you get a part time job at a language school, can you work split shifts that change every week, with classes that fluctuate and even cancel? Have you travelled or lived in non-native countries that have a different culture, language, alphabet, major religion, than England has? Can you tolerate extreme heat and humidity, mixed sometimes with polluted air, strange smells, and loud noises?

If your heart says yes, come on. If your little head says yes, don't come here.

So that's what a bucket of cold water in the face feels like!

Good questions, all, I must admit. I'd never considered my own school experience as a factor but it makes sense. I hated high school but loved university and enjoyed teaching there. This probably has more to do with my tormented adolescence. Maybe I should think twice before jumping into Matayoms...

[Dan75]

Thanks guys for the honest replies. I was never really any good at written English at school. I would very much like to live in Thailand and at the moment are exploring the possibilities of work and I seem to hear alot about teaching. If I'm honest I don't know if I would enjoy teaching especially if it is as hard as you make out, I can have stress and sh*t all day in England. My feeling is though that I don't want to end up doing a job that keeps me around westerners all day I like the Thai people and would like to work along side them in soom capacity.

[Ajarn]

Thanks guys for the honest replies. I was never really any good at written English at school. I would very much like to live in Thailand and at the moment are exploring the possibilities of work and I seem to hear alot about teaching. If I'm honest I don't know if I would enjoy teaching especially if it is as hard as you make out, I can have stress and sh*t all day in England. My feeling is though that I don't want to end up doing a job that keeps me around westerners all day I like the Thai people and would like to work along side them in soom capacity.

Working in a Thai office isn't the nirvana you might think. Lots of shit going on in every Thai office I've worked in, and it seems to get worse as the educational levels in the office go up...H.e.l.l., to me, has always been an office full of Thai female ajarns....

Watch out for Reality

[roadie]

On a similar note, I'm also considering teaching English in Thailand but I'm not a graduate. I dropped out of my English Literature degree due to illness and would consider myself to have a good understanding of the language. I intend to enrole on either the TEFL or CELTA course in Bangkok. However, the fact that I may not be able to work legally does worry me.

I’m also 29 and I’m currently a financial data analyst in the UK. What are my chances of finding work legally?

[Dan75]

What are your plans? To just turn up and take the course over there or will you do it here in the UK before hand? I have the headache of these questions but hopefully something will come up.

What's made you want to live in Thailand?

[roadie]

I intend to take the course in Thailand, as I wouldn't be able to take that kind of time off while working in the UK.

Two years ago I travelled in Thailand for 18 months and have continued to visit regularly. I speak passable Thai and am learning to read and write. Being in the country would allow me to study more formally as there is nothing available where I live.

I guess I've got the Thai bug - I like the people, the food and the culture. The work permit does bother me though. If I'm unable to work legally, I would have to re-think as I don't want to run that risk.

Any chance of getting a work permit without the degree?

[kenkannif]

^ Possibly, maybe!

Check other threads about obtaining a work permit without a degree, there's a lot of information on here about it.

[Harry Palmer]

are you asking for something like this...

1. easy job. only requirement: speak english

2. don't want any challenges, no prep work, no grading

3. i know i am not much of a choice but i just need to earn

enough to pay for whatever hobby i have today

if your future really hangs on this one hope, wouldn't you think that trying to be more prepared for it would enhance the possibility of having a happier future? (read: certificates, etc.)

[withnail]

I agree the problem is not whether you will find work or not. The work permit issue is debatable but lets just say there are ways round it and there are a lot of teachers here without one (not me I might add).

The real question is whether you want do do the job for a long time or not. Sure you can teach without knowledge, experience or giving a xxxx and there is enough work about that you could teach badly and half arsed for the rest of your life but that would be ultimately very unsatisfying.

My suggestion would be do some research (try searching for lesson plans on google) and if you're still interested come here and do a TEFL you'll know by the end of that if this is something you want to continue doing.

Secondly don't pay to much attention to everything you read on here by some of the "proper teachers" there is still a place for someone over here that might not be a born teacher but is willing to try their best.

[roadie]

Harry,

1, I'm not looking for an easy job. I'm currently a financial analyst (no walk in the park) with experience of training colleagues on new and exisiting processes. What I need is something that is more rewarding than my current vocation.

2, Happy to take on new challenges - prep, grading etc. That's part of the job spec, isn't it?

3, Not sure what kind of a teacher I would make but I know I'm conscientious, professional, a good communicator and have a sense of humour.

I'm looking at TEFL/CELTA courses for mid 2005 as I couldn't enter the profession without some formal training. I'm on holiday in LOS in November and have arranged to sit in on some classes while I'm there. I'm doing my preparation now for a move in a years time. This is not something that I'm entering into lightly and the fact that I haven't just hopped on the boat should tell you something?

[withnail]

I also notice that you're planning on living in Koh Samui. Now whilst there is is teaching work available there I think it would be very hard to establish a long term career out of it. Now I don't want to sound patronising but I'm guessing you haven't spent a lot of time in Thailand or Koh Samui and I'm wondering if you've really though this through at all. I know from experience that teaching is great but a very demanding job and also that you need to be really serious about moving to Samui. On a first visit the place is beautiful but it becomes very small after you've spent any time there. Also bear in mind that once you're there and not earning a lot of cash it becomes very costly to leave the island which you will have to do for visa runs.

Also I'm guessing that the people you met there both Thai and farang had some involvement with the tourism industry and whilst I don't have anything against that you have to ask yourself a) do I want to spend my life going from bar to restaurant all day every day and is there anyway I can do this and hold down a teaching job.

If you want to spend time on Samui I think you should first save up some cash and try living there for a few months and see if you still like it. Another tip would be to try and budget yourself on 25 - 30 000 baht a month when you first get there because sooner or later you'll probably have to get used to it.

Hope everything works out.

[roadie]

Withnail - Samui doesn't interest me, much prefer the city life - must be another forum member.

Two years ago, I travelled in Thailand for 18 months, so I feel pretty comfortable with the country. Just hope I can secure the right teaching position - legally!

[withnail]

sorry that was to dan75 the original poster but good luck to you as well

[Ijustwannateach]

Withnail - Samui doesn't interest me, much prefer the city life - must be another forum member.

Two years ago, I travelled in Thailand for 18 months, so I feel pretty comfortable with the country. Just hope I can secure the right teaching position - legally!

Honestly, it's really, really, really, really hard to land a legal TEFL teaching position here. Took me 2 years with the best of intentions (and, for TEFL, some of the better qualifications). The schools lie, lie, lie. Make sure when you apply for the job that they're serious about giving it to you and that they can. If you wanted extra insurance, I would reject any school out of hand that had never given anyone a WP before- they may use this as an excuse, once they realize the paperwork and the expense, to say "oh, we wouldn't have promised it if we'd known it would be so much trouble." Make sure that they know that a condition of your accepting the job is that all the paperwork be correct, and agree on a minimum agreed timeline (2-3 months is fair). If you're not hurting for time/job offers, I'd even say you should make a contractual condition that your salary goes up a certain amount every month after the timeline with no proper WP and visa and that all visa trips after the first are paid by the school, to make it more and more painful to the school the longer they refuse to do the legwork. Schools which balk at any of this probably have no intention of getting you the WP anyway.

Naturally, you have no recourse other than to refuse to accept the job at first, or to quit it later- and that's what you must do if the school won't play by the rules.

For Samui, I don't the the opportunities are that good- and for all those opportunities, there are teachers coming right out of that TEFL school in Ban Phe! Don't know about language schools, but I think there's only ONE actual public school on the island (and it doesn't look so rich). Prospects for that do not look good unless you're already financially independent.

"Steven"

[kenkannif]

Mate Ban Phe is miles from Samui? It's near to Pattaya?

Don't you mean the TEFL on Samui TEFL course? I think there's more schools than that to be honest, and you've got businesses and hotels etc. But still far harder than here in BKK. Hopefully old ToS will be on to have his say in regards to working there. I did know a nice Indian lady that was offered a position in Samui for 25K a month (not bad for there). I also know a chap that got a teaching gig in Koh (I can't spell this) Phang Ngan!

[Ijustwannateach]

Oops, idiot me. My brain was thinking Ko Samet when I read Koh Samui- please ignore that part of my post!!!

[withnail]

You can't really say that 25k a month is good for Samui when it's one of the most expensive places in the country. Especially when you factor in visa runs.

[Dan75]

I also notice that you're planning on living in Koh Samui. Now whilst there is is teaching work available there I think it would be very hard to establish a long term career out of it. Now I don't want to sound patronising but I'm guessing you haven't spent a lot of time in Thailand or Koh Samui and I'm wondering if you've really though this through at all. I know from experience that teaching is great but a very demanding job and also that you need to be really serious about moving to Samui. On a first visit the place is beautiful but it becomes very small after you've spent any time there. Also bear in mind that once you're there and not earning a lot of cash it becomes very costly to leave the island which you will have to do for visa runs.

Also I'm guessing that the people you met there both Thai and farang had some involvement with the tourism industry and whilst I don't have anything against that you have to ask yourself a) do I want to spend my life going from bar to restaurant all day every day and is there anyway I can do this and hold down a teaching job.

If you want to spend time on Samui I think you should first save up some cash and try living there for a few months and see if you still like it. Another tip would be to try and budget yourself on 25 - 30 000 baht a month when you first get there because sooner or later you'll probably have to get used to it.

Hope everything works out.

Withnail

Thanks for the advice I think that deep down I know your right and it is proberbly because I had a very good two weeks on the island that has made me choose there as a permenant place to live.

I also spent time in Chang Mai and to be honest am now thinking that would be a much better place to live as there is more to do. I also realize that this post looks like I have not thought much about a move to LoS seriously but I will not just make the move like Rodie without any solid preperation. The country has had an impact on my life like nothing else ever has and seeing so many other expats out there is only an encouargement.

One question though how do people live for long periods of time in Bkk don't you get claustrophobic with the amount of cars on the road and the amount of people?

[Jockstar]

Why do you like Samui? I spent 2 days there and that was enough. Anywhere that has a Macdonalds i would rather not be there. A city like BKK is different. ie its a city and not an island. Chawang is not my idea of a good holoday with its fake plastic Irish pubs, American food chains and whores pestering you when all you want is a beer.

[kenkannif]

You can't really say that 25k a month is good for Samui when it's one of the most expensive places in the country. Especially when you factor in visa runs.

Phuket is in my opinion more expensive and wages there are quite often around the 25-30,000 Baht mark.

Yes, I can (and did!).

It's good for a non-native speaker and IMO ruddy (I didn't know you couldn't say the b word;) good for an Indian. I should have added WP (so no Visa runs) would have been sorted as well as a accomodation!

Edited September 19, 2004 by kenkannif

[withnail]

kenkannif we've had this conversation before, nobody I know on samui with a work permit has been able to get a one year extension I myself used to have one and was still forced to do the 90 day runs.

When I say it's not good for Samui I don't mean it's below average I just mean that in my opinion it's not enough. Although with accomodation included that's not too bad.

To answer Dan75s question I find that the traffic in BKK is something that you get used to and that BKK actually gets better the more time you spend here. However with samui the opposite can be said in that the beauty of living on an island is something that you get used to and the more time you spend there the more boring the place becomes IMO.

[withnail]

Also if you live in BKK it is very easy and inexpensive to get almost anywhere. If you want to sit on a beach it is possible to wake up early get a bus to Koh Samet for example and be on the beach before midday. If you live on samui and want (or need) to get to BKK you're looking at 13 hours on a bus/train or a very expensive flight.

[kenkannif]

Again for a non-native speaker I think that's a good wage. And she would have been able to live on it reasonably well I think (but yes I could be wrong!).

Do all teachers on Samui (even goverment school teachers) not get the one year extension on their Visa? Did you have one as a teacher or something else?

[withnail]

something else (as you well know) but I didn't realise that teachers fell into a seperate category I thought it was a suratthani law. However it surprises me that all of the teachers on samui have a work permit.

[kenkannif]

Mate I didn't know who you were when I posted that (sorry darling, big kiss coming your way . I doubt they all have (I mean they don't here where it's kind of easy to sort it) but if they're a kosher government school, or even if we were based there I'm sure we could get the year extension. Sorry for the confusion (on my part!).