Teachers Position In Maesai

[Limbo]

25.000 Baht a month, elite school. See the Chiangmai Forum under the Chiangrai section.

[Limbo]

Pre-school level and the subject is English.

Sorry.

[Rumpole]

"Excellent opportunity"??? 25,000 a month??? Yeah, right. Peach of a job.

[PeaceBlondie]

If they pay you 25,000 EVERY month, get you a work permit, help you with your visa, maybe give you cheap medical, and you teach no more than 20 contact hours per month for which you need to prepare - you can survive in Mae Sai. You might even save 5,000 baht a month in the long term. Wow, after five YEARS you might have 300,000 saved up, be married to an immigrant from Myanmar, and have two kids.

Mae Sai, the end of the world. If you want to do volunteer work, okay. If you're a small town person, okay. No, thanks.

[Ijustwannateach]

Anything under 30,000 for 12 months/year plus proper paperwork should not even begin to be described as an "excellent opportunity." Even WITH 30,000 for 12 months/year plus proper paperwork that's not really an EXCELLENT opportunity- more of an "industry standard" kind of opportunity.

[KhunLing]

I think you could live very easily on that salary in Mae Sai.

It's a high salary for that part of the country.

The negative? There's absolutely NOTHING to do.

[Totster]

I think you could live very easily on that salary in Mae Sai.

It's a high salary for that part of the country.

The negative? There's absolutely NOTHING to do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We should make it easy to save money...

totster

[Ajarn]

Anything under 30,000 for 12 months/year plus proper paperwork should not even begin to be described as an "excellent opportunity."  Even WITH 30,000 for 12 months/year plus proper paperwork that's not really an EXCELLENT opportunity- more of an "industry standard" kind of opportunity.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maybe excellent teaching opportunity?

'opportunity' should not automatically be translated only as 'money', I feel. Not much in the way of details offered, so I understand it's hard to judge except by the salary .. Still, might be something special for someone out there

[Ijustwannateach]

Naturally, almost anything could be a good opportunity for someone, somewhere. No doubt there are people already living on pensions and independently wealthy who might be interested in charity work, and no doubt there are some folks in Bangkok who are, erm, underqualified and need another alternative if they want to pay their way in Thailand.

However, for the MOST part, the phrase "excellent opportunity" when applied to offering jobs means a "better than average" opportunity with respect to the existing labour market, mostly referring to average working class joes who have to do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay in the course of a normal career. And without any further details or narrowing of the types of candidates suggested for this job, I take it at the most general meaning- in which respect, it is certainly NOT an "excellent opportunity."

[Khutan]

"excellent opportunity"

Maybe there are some good fringe benefits like;

1. Flexi-time; Start as early as you like and finish as late as you like.

2. Teaching with influence; Have as many extra students in your class - 75 Maximum.

3. Cultural Exchange; No Air-con, Work for a very moody boss, have no idea whats happening to your "contract"

Just some thoughts

[ProThaiExpat]

Help, curious, pre-school is kindergarden, isn't it. Do they actually teach English at that level and if so, how? Most pre-schools I have seen consist of adult "herders" and game leaders?

[Ajarn]

Help, curious, pre-school is kindergarden, isn't it.  Do they actually teach English at that level and if so, how? Most pre-schools I have seen consist of adult "herders" and game leaders?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Games are where it's at for the littlest ones. Worksheets and such, unless it's colouring, won't fly too far. Just the basics, like colors, numbers, alphabet...Games and songs. No need to get serious at this level, because just the exposure is a good start. It would be a mistake to mention English Grammar now and give them nightmares and possible mental scarring..

Some schools start English from Anubaan 1, but most all schools now have English in the curriculum from at least P1

[Ajarn]

"excellent opportunity"

Maybe there are some good fringe benefits like;

1. Flexi-time; Start as early as you like and finish as late as you like.

2. Teaching with influence; Have as many extra students in your class - 75 Maximum.

3. Cultural Exchange; No Air-con, Work for a very moody boss, have no idea whats happening to your "contract"

Just some thoughts

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good thoughts, too

As we can see, 'excellent opportunity' means different things to different folks, but none of us can speak for anyone else except ourselves. There is no 'universal truth' about such subjective ideas, and the OP didn't offer any of his own interpretations of 'excellent opportunity', for us to judge by.

I remember when there was an opening at Rajabhat Kanchanaburi, and they tried to recruit me from another university. The Thai teacher who initialy spoke with me, emphasized three or four times that there were no women ajarns in the English Deptartment- the main source of problems in most schools I've worked in, and this Thai male teacher recognized it as a selling point, too

[Ijustwannateach]

Now, that *IS* funny!

[lopburi3]

Help, curious, pre-school is kindergarden, isn't it.  Do they actually teach English at that level and if so, how? Most pre-schools I have seen consist of adult "herders" and game leaders?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sure do. Grand daughter had homework the first day of first year of Kindergarten here in my Bangkok mooban. Numbers and letters books with photo of object beginning with the letter and both English and Thai words for the object. Homework is going over these and answer a question sheet each day (normally draw lines to relate like objects). In second year of Kindergarten some of the questions are quite complex and I have been known to flub a few (yeah; not surprising, I know).

Will add that this is not an international type school - just a normal private Thai Kindergartner (but teachers do seem to obtain a lot of US type teaching materials).

[mijan24]

Some good responses some very wise some not.

Many, I can't say all have overlooked 2 very important points:

The original post extracted from the Changmai Forum

A good English teacher needed in Mae Sai. Preschool-level. 25.000 Baht a month.

About three hours teaching a day but presence during the whole day required. Willing to prepare materials. Help with finding a house.

Montessori-oriented.Three languages, English, Chinese and Thai.

Partly Burmese children from well-to-do homes.

Preferably qualified.

Send me a note with some information about yourself.

PS. The salary is the same as that of the average foreign teacher at Mae Fah Luang University.

Point 1. THE MONTESSORI METHOD OF TEACHING

Mijan24

Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. - Socrates

I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions

in which they can learn. - Einstein

http://www.answers.com/topic/montessori-method

http://www.montessori.edu/

http://www.vmschool.com/page7.html

http://www.vmschool.com/page8.html

http://www.keystoneschool.com/faqs.html

http://www.mcsdurham.com/montessori.html

Point2. Preferably qualified ?? as a teacher or in the Montessori Method

Mijan24

Edited June 16, 2005 by mijan24

[Ijustwannateach]

I see.... so the number of hours is average-to-good (15 hrs) and the method is "special," so special they want candidates to have another qualification, but not pay anything significant for it. It's like the universities that want folks to have a Master's degree and pay them under 30K a month. They'll might attract retirees who want beer money, but it's doubtful many of them would have the energy to deal with pre-schoolers.

So what will happen? They'll finally wind up taking anyone willing to work in the area for peanuts. This will include:

1. Qualified people who just happen to be trapped there for some reason and want a job (if they're lucky)

2. Qualified people who're either angels or *very* unselfish who're willing to work at that rate (if they're VERY lucky)

3. Backpackers who are native speakers of English (if they're lucky)

4. Backpackers who are NOT native speakers of English (most likely)

5. Beginning TEFLers of various kinds (even odds) who aren't qualified or experienced enough to work in Bangkok

Montessori? How many foreign Montessori-qualified teachers can there be in ALL of Thailand?

"Steven"

[Ajarn]

It's like the universities that want folks to have a Master's degree and pay them under 30K a month. They'll might attract retirees who want beer money

Steven, I wish you would not do so much of this kind of belittling of others to make your spin on things. Many university teachers have families and have been doing their jobs quietly here for longer than you or I have been here, and most are very good at what they do and are worthy of anyone's respect, not comments such as yours. These are not desperate folks, retirees looking for beer money, or any other description I've seen from you.

[Ijustwannateach]

Personally, I have nothing against retirees who want beer money. Some of them are my best friends. They are fully qualified teachers with long careers who've decided to retire in Thailand- they have pensions and need a bit more so they don't touch their savings. But since you do seem to have something against them, let's examine my statements and see if they have anything to do with these friends of yours:

These are foreigners you're talking about- and they're getting paid the government standard TEFLer wage, roughly 27K as I remember it, right? and the ones you're talking about are NOT subject teachers who are getting paid much more for proper research or after raises (since they've been here so long)? I somehow doubt it.

Remember, we're referring to those who are willing, NOW, to take a 25K job in Mae Sai teaching preschoolers.

"Steven"

[Ajarn]

Personally, I have nothing against retirees who want beer money.  Some of them are my best friends.  They are fully qualified teachers with long careers who've decided to retire in Thailand- they have pensions and need a bit more so they don't touch their savings.  But since you do seem to have something against them, let's examine my statements and see if they have anything to do with these friends of yours:

These are foreigners you're talking about- and they're getting paid the government standard TEFLer wage, roughly 27K as I remember it, right? and the ones you're talking about are NOT subject teachers who are getting paid much more for proper research or after raises (since they've been here so long)?  I somehow doubt it.

Remember, we're referring to those who are willing, NOW, to take a 25K job in Mae Sai teaching preschoolers.

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Steven, my message was not intended to flame you to provoke a defensive response, but I can see your experience in the university scene is limited, and you already think you know what's up, so I see no point in trying to change your mind here, either. Mai pen rai

[Ijustwannateach]

All right, then. I don't know what I'm talking about but you're not going to explain it- you're clearly better informed, then.

My viewpoint of the uni scene comes from many friends of mine who *do* work within it. Perhaps I simply know the wrong people- but they do tend to be older, retired types with pensions, and the ones who are doing English teaching in that scene do get terrible initial salaries with small wage increases. Some people *do* have good salaries, but they tend to be teaching in other specialties. I fail to see how I've misunderstood the scene, or why it doesn't tend to attract younger people who need real careers.

"Steven"

[Rumpole]

It is not just a question of the ridiculously low salaries, which have not increased for the last 15 years or so, and the lack of other benefits. Thai universities generally offer a very poor working atmosphere, with xenophobic Thai ajarns and administrators, ridiculously large numbers of office hours, compulsory overtime at unsociable hours, few paid holidays, signing-in or even clocking-in every day like some blue collar factory worker etc., etc., etc. People with experience of teaching at universities in other countries simply will not put up with this kind of BS for very long. Why should they? Plenty of other places which offer either much less hassle or at least ensure that you are adequately compensated for putting up with it.

Edited June 18, 2005 by Rumpole

[Ajarn]

"Your Milelage May Vary"

[mijan24]

Steven

Mijan24 calling you seemed to have taken issue with my post yet my intention was to highlight two points that I felt readers/responsees had overlooked.

Also it was - Montessori-oriented. so who knows to what degree - Limbo has gone silent start to wonder if it was a genuine post in the first place.

The -Three languages, English, Chinese and Thai may hold interest for some??

Mijan24