ragamuffin

My friend lives pretty deep in one of the Petchburi 5 sois, though.

The area would be convenient because of the BTS station but I really don't know yet how my days would look like. I might be spending my evenings in the library working on my thesis, who knows. I checked the sois on Google streetview and they're really very narrow. My friend says a lot of students and office workers live around there, however, he would not explicitly describe the area as "safe". He goes out in the night to grab some food but then he's Thai and not obviously a farang walking around in the dark. I just don't want to feel too restricted although in general I really don't ming living like the locals.

I've been to Bangkok various times and am moving there in January for a four-month research stay.

My budget is limited because of small scholarship and I'm therefore looking for rather "local" accommodation instead of condos.

Well, some of my Thai friends say living in a soi shouldn't be a problem unless I walk back home alone too late but I worry a little, to be honest.

So far, I've been looking for rooms around Chula and BTS Phaya Thai (Petchburi Soi 7) in particular because one of my friends lives around there.

Any recommendations on safety issues, especially for females?

Thanks!

What about Wish@Siam?

I saw an ad for 10.000 Baht - any info on that?

Pomrak

I did a quick online search and found one advertised there for 15k a month

Appreciate if you can share contact details if you are aware of any being rented out in the 10k range?

Many thanks

Same here!

One of my friends lives in Petchaburi Soi 5 and recommends this area. It has a short cut to BTS Phaya Thai, many students around and office workers he says. Looks alright on Google streetview. I'll check out the ones you mentioned, too .

Thanks a lot!

Rangnam sounds like a good place - in case anyone can recommend specific residences, please give me a shout .

M.A. thesis and PhD prep work on English Language Teaching (ELT) in Thailand: "The character of ELT in Thailand: CLT, postmodern pedagogy or a regional variety?"

CLT = Communicative Language Teaching

I don't mind taking the bus, BTS etc. as long as Chula is easily accessible and it won't take me too long getting there.

I'll also need to go to Ploenchit from time to time (language school).

I have, no vacancies :|.

1.you clearly have no idea about what is cheap in BKK-10K is high medium

2.your eternal worries about females being more prone to nighttime hassles is also quite unThai unneeded, and BKk has no clear ''unsafe''zones-this is not the USA

3.best bet would be to contact Chula-uni first, they have some special flats on their grounds for overseas exchange students/researchers.

(PS: cheap rooms with free WiFi inside are VERY rare). But free WiFi is common all over BKK-bigcity-at least close to any govt. bulding and school and even in most parks now.

I know what cheap means. Friends of mine lived off Ramkhamhaeng for 2500 quid. They didn't have to travel to Chula, though.

This is not my first time in BKK and on-campus acommodation is a) fully booked and very restricted. Therefore not an option.

WiFi IN the room is necessary since I'll have to work on my thesis and would like to stay in touch with my folks at home. Skyping in libraries etc. won't do.

I'd really appreciate recommendations regarding housing up to 10.000 Baht including bills. The less the better, but still: I don't feel too comfy in darkish sois and would prefer to live around BTS/MRT.

Thanks!

I'm coming to Chula for research from January until mid of May 2013.

Unfortunately, I'll be living on a tight budget due to a schorlaship and can't afford more than 10.000 Baht per month including bills.

What I'm looking for is a safe (I'm female, wouldn't want to walk around dark sois a lot) and clean place with WiFi in the room, A/C and decent access to Chula and Ploenchit at best (language school).

I wouldn't mind sharing a flat with the right people either, although I do know it's not common in Thailand.

Have searched various sites and offers already but have so far not been too successful.

Thanks !

The reason, in part, for the emphasis on teaching grammar is that it is rather concrete and it's easy to test. Thailand is absolutely nuts about tests, testing, test giving, cheating, selling answers, etc. etc. At many schools, KG students actually sit for a written test.

If it's about actual conversation, listening, understanding or speaking, then it is a whole other kettle of fish to assess and many of the local teachers can't generally do it.

So grammar and nonsense sentences are the assessment tool that is used.

...in contrast to the official approach of CLT in the latest MOE documents, which is a shame but not very surprising.

A couple of the tests' "conversation" sections I have at home consist of multiple choice options asking for the right answer to e.g. "What's your name?". One can choose between "7 o'clock.", "Boxing", "Linda" and "no, thank you".

Jesus.. why is everyone so aggressive... give this girl a break. She asked a simple question and replied in a very polite way to all your attacks. I have a feeling that some people are feeling a bit threatened by someone who is obviously so well-qualified.

ragamuffin, you can definitely find a job as a non-native speaker if your English is really good, which I'm assuming it is since you lived and studied in England and judging by your experience and degree. The main deciding factors are: 1 - if the employer is a Thai or a Native Speaker of English (most Thais are not able to distinguish between accents or evaluate how good your English is, which is why they use one's nationality as the main selection criterion); 2 - what kind of institution you are applying to - if the place is more results-oriented, your passport is not so important, but rather what you can do; whereas if the place cares more about "image" then they need to be able to tell the parents that they have "British", "American" etc. teachers. (not to mention that even there... as everyone knows, just being female or blond or both helps tremendously...!!)

As for the 6 months, yes that is indeed a problem and most places will not hire you for such a short time. So I would say your only option seems to be working freelance for a language school (teaching either young learners or adults or both).

Hope this helps.

It does indeed - all topics tackled. Thanks ;-)!

You know that proper teaching is a fulltime job?

"Why do you think someone would need to lower their expectations to hire me for something which is my profession and I am good at?"

So, you think my reply, quoted here, is offensive. It is not my own opinion or preference or choice that Thai schools hire a native speaker with a degree in philosophy and no teaching experience whatsoever rather than a non-native with a degree in teaching English and years of experience. Debatable? Of course. Feels like hel_l? Certainly. You want to bang someone's head into a wall after the 10th interview? No doubt. But it does not change the facts. You can't start banging those heads and demanding an explanation like you did from me, quoted above. It is a valid question. But, for the sake of your mental sanity, just get used to the reality here. I was offering advice based on what I have seen over the years. Yes, if there is a hole to plug quickly, a non-native speaker who is only available for 6 months or so is more than invaluable. I got lucky, that's how I started, as a compromise, and then I was watched closely for a year before positive feedback from parents and colleagues convinced management that my accent can be overlooked after all, and I was allowed to stay on. There are some schools that are very strict, others are lenient, but we will never ever be considered the top choice.

Thanks a lot for your comment - I was seriously interested in a reply :-)!

Do you think my having a British accent would make a difference, or is the mere label "native speaker" decisive?

Of course I've already made the experience that a picture of the perfect English teacher does exist in Thailand, however, it's always good to hear what people who have already gone through the hiring process think.

The question has been answered about the hiring of non-native speakers. They are hired and they can get work, especially if they are well qualified and coming from a western country is a definite plus. I know schools who employ 50% or more Filipino teachers. They speak English, but they are non-native speakers. Some are well qualified and do an excellent job; others less so.

Some of the posters on the forum have years of experience in teaching and are quite familiar with the problems of people who come and work a short period of time and then leave. They are stuck with cleaning up the mess, for lack of a better word, of unfinished classes, doing exams and giving grades.

As someone who works more on the Administrative side, I can tell you that I am familiar with going through the work of verifying the degree, getting the paperwork together for a non-immigrant B visa and a Teacher's License and then a work permit, only to have the teacher leave. My director is quite familiar with the costs of employees like that. And from the Admin side, it's a big job hiring foreigners. And often, we get to start all over with everything when the teacher leaves.

You will likely learn little about Thai education in general, but a lot about a particular school. There are some things they all have in common, but the devil is in the details--and those are quite specific to individual schools.

A full teaching load will give you little time to view how the system works; you will be very busy working.

You will have to take both the good and bad from other posters and listen to their suggestions and criticisms if you want to learn about education in Thailand.

Thanks for the info, Scott.

As already mentioned above: I do NOT want to teach in Thailand for research reasons. The thesis stuff happens before and is not my driving force for coming there. Apparently several people got this wrong which might have caused their biased first impression.

I'd also appreciate Firelily sharing her point of view on my initial questions, really.

Six months and non-native teacher, well there is one very specific case when someone with this background would be a godsend - if a teacher drops out during term, and an urgent replacement is needed, most schools lower their expectations a little. You just need to be in the right place at the right time.

Why do you think someone would need to lower their expectations to hire me for something which is my profession and I am good at?

If you want to go on the offensive, why not, I can only tell you what I see in everyday life around me for years and years.... if a principal has 2 months to hire a new teacher, they will be picky, they may prefer a certain age or accent or gender for example, if they have two hours, they will take the first applicant who looks reasonably ok.

I am a non-native teacher myself and I would have lots to tell, but you know what, I don't care if you swim or sink or whatever, because your attitude just stinks, it is not right for Thailand.... these reactions won't get you very far in a Thai school with its conservative hierarchy.

Good luck, anyway.

Which attitude and reactions?

I asked a serious question and every reply I get is offending.

Would you at least try to explain what went wrong?

RagamuffinWhat gives you the idea of my wanting to teach in Thailand as a part of a dissertation paper?

All you know is that I am writing my final thesis about Thailand and ELT, which surprisingly is a result of my experience made teaching as a volunteer. In other words: I am genuinely interested in research on this topic.

My request about employment opportunities concerns a period after my graduation. Nothing to do with the thesis you're referring to.

I take your point and if you consider I am incorrect I apologise to you.

However I still think that you as a teacher are not aware of the impact your short term teaching plan will have upon your charges, also one needs to remember your co-teachers too , they too have to pick up the pieces.

The teaching profession in Thailand certainly within the language school and cram schools sector suffer badly or rather their students do (read customers) from the antics of transient teachers and their lack of qualifications and reliability which in view of your experiences you are probably well aware of.

The normal Monday to Friday school teaching normal subjects according to the national curriculum in the man seems to have managed to solve the transient teacher problem. However recently at our school we had that problem rear its ugly head due to a teacher being somewhat economical with the truth with regards to commitment of one year.

The children (year 5) took it hard, sadly we also discovered a number of other matters concerning this transient, who I might add, had a track record that was good and genuine, however this post with us was at the end of the grand world tour that had been happening for the last four years with this particular teacher.

The children concerned are making up the lost time as they are with a stable committed teacher, who, like all of our staff has been here for some 3 years and is actually the newest recruit so to speak.

Our staff service average is 7 years, stability is assured and there is a great student , teacher, school relationship, we are aware of the students foibles and quirks we are aware of what the performance and behaviour pattern is, education is not just the 3 Rs.it's a lifestyle.

Education is about the role we as teachers play in our students lives,along with the impact we have on them , I well remember all of my teachers from 1950 to 1962 and the way they shaped my life one person in particular stands out above all others, without her influence I would not be the man I am today.That also goes for my university lectures as well

That student teacher relationship is vital, even more so in this modern age when in most cases the students see more of their teachers than they do their parents..

That is what I am trying to get you to understand, the fact that teaching is not about Me, I, Myself, it's about our students, they are the reason we are teachers, those students are the reason we are at the school , those students are the school not me, you or Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all.

I wish you well in your career however it seems as if that old saying

''An expert knows very little about a great deal and a specialist knows a great deal about very little.'' is indeed going to be coming into play.

Strange as it may seem I may well be regarded as a fossil but as both a parent and a teacher perhaps my insight may be a trifle more informed than yours in the area of practical application of theory as I am sure other teachers who may read this will feel the same too.

Thank you, siampolee.

I appreciate your insight and especially your attitude a lot.

It's good to see that there's dedicated farang teachers in Thailand who care about their students and share a student-centred work ethics with me.

Everything you say about the teaching profession is correct and of course I will have to learn my own lessons which comes with time, but as the child of two teachers with a grandfather having been a teacher and myself having chosen my course of studies wisely, I can assure you myself being one of the teachers (to-be) you should worry less about .

Ragamuffin

While totally agreeing with what you say: you're picking on the wrong person, mate.

It hits me hard being thought of as irresponsible and naive and I do not think that I have given you any reason to attack me like that.

A response like that indicates to me someone who is far too sensitive and reading the wrong message..

Ragamufiin, I have passed an opinion based upon my personal experience of working here in Thailand both as a teacher and a head of department, I have not attacked you in any way, contrary to what you may think.

Ragamufiin,

No offence, but there really isn't any need to lecture me about teacher responsibilities or the precondition of being aware of Thai culture.

The issues you've raised are generally justified, but why do you assume me being part of the group you're criticizing?

You might have read that my background is a professional one which of course requires specific knowledge and work ethics - IMHO.

That above quote from your good self indicates to me certainly that you are rather self opinionated and in reality look down on those you consider lesser mortals, I like many other professional qualified teachers here, are here for the right reasons not as part of a dissertation paper.

Jesus o_O.

What exactly is your problem?

I'm starting to lose patience about all these assumptions, seriously.

What gives you the idea of my wanting to teach in Thailand as a part of a dissertation paper?

All you know is that I am writing my final thesis about Thailand and ELT, which surprisingly is a result of my experience made teaching as a volunteer. In other words: I am genuinely interested in research on this topic.

My request about employment opportunities concerns a period after my graduation. Nothing to do with the thesis you're referring to.

If you have any questions feel free to ask them, but could you please stop accusing me of whateveryouthinkmymotivationis out of nowhere?

Thank you.

Let's play fair here, otherwise there are going to be posts deleted and warnings issued.

The sensitivity to teachers coming and going is mostly (but not entirely) related to the age of the students, with younger kids being more sensitive. This is particularly true with a homeroom teacher or where some bonding has taken place. There are a number of ways of handling the separation issues when a teachers leaving is anticipated.

True.

German secondary schools change some subjects/teachers biannually without negative effects for the students - same at colleges/unis, by the way, which are organised on semester basis.

This does of course not apply to classroom teachers and young(er) students for the above mentioned reasons.

I am not planning to disrupt young souls .

Exactly I am not talking about qualifications.

I am talking about obligation to students, you cannot drop into the lives of Thai students (or any other students for that matter) for six months having little or no knowledge of the eccentricities of Thai culture and the Thai educational system.

Students are not toys to be played with on a capricious whim as part of a learning curve for a teacher, that learning curve must and in fact has too include the very people you are there for. The students.

Teachers are there because of the students, not the other way around, relief teaching may well be the ideal scenario for you in your own country or possibly a teacher exchange programme.

However most teacher exchange programmes last for one year normally, be flexible Ragamuffin.

Believe you me even after nearly twenty years of teaching here and mixed with my U.K. teaching experience along with being married to the wife and father to our mixed race kids I'm still learning, it's still that challenging enjoyable learning curve.

No offence, but there really isn't any need to lecture me about teacher responsibilities or the precondition of being aware of Thai culture.

The issues you've raised are generally justified, but why do you assume me being part of the group you're criticizing?

You might have read that my background is a professional one which of course requires specific knowledge and work ethics - IMHO.

While totally agreeing with what you say: you're picking on the wrong person, mate.

It hits me hard being thought of as irresponsible and naive and I do not think that I have given you any reason to attack me like that.

I did my MEd Thesis (in Curriculum and instruction) on research done in Bangkok. PM me if you have any specific questions about research in Thailand (and in Thai schools) and I will give you my honest opinion(s).

IMHO, looking at local teachers (even of English) might require you to speak Thai or require the services of a translator....

Thanks, I've already made that experience ^^.

Will pm you!

Six months and non-native teacher, well there is one very specific case when someone with this background would be a godsend - if a teacher drops out during term, and an urgent replacement is needed, most schools lower their expectations a little. You just need to be in the right place at the right time.

Why do you think someone would need to lower their expectations to hire me for something which is my profession and I am good at?

Ragamuffin.

The idea of a six month period is skewed,if you start the school year you should finish that school year.

Your students are the most important people in your life as you are to them as their teacher.

As teachers we are in a very privileged position and we exert great influence on our charges, they, the children are the reason we are there.

If the students are to be used by you as a sounding board to further your theory and practice you would indeed be well advised to stay in your home country and possibly work as a supply teacher rather than come to Thailand and confuse the kids you come into contact briefly even more.

Children need continuity in their education, not someone who drifts in and out of their lives with nary a care or concern as to whether those children are actually getting the benefit of your teaching.

Excuse me?

There's no necessity to tutor me about students and their needs or not abusing them to propel whatever you think I am planning to - no worries, as a teacher to-be I have always been and still am aware of my responsibilities .

My question was plain, simple and out of honest interest, as I do of course know that contracts for less than a year exist. The only thing I do NOT know is whether they are common.

Any child I've worked with and/or taught has benefitted from my being their teacher and so (I believe) would the pupils in Thailand.

If not for a whole year, then at least for the period of time I could spend with them - which will very likely be far better than (don't get me wrong) what many "English teachers" crossing their way will be able to offer them. That much I do already know about the Thai school system.

Ragamuffin.

What's the situation like for non-natives with a very good command of English plus a degree in ELT? Do they find jobs?

If you measure up to the criteria you quote I assure you there will be little or no problem in securing a decent position.

Believe you me some of the native English speaker applicants that I have interviewed over the years have at the best been able to muster a smidgen of pidgin Neanderthal, yet have claimed the most amazing qualifications and indeed have had impressive employment records.

However, this being ''The Land of Smiles'' I and my fellow interviewers on the panel have dissolved into mirthful hysterics at the comedy parody and material presented to us at interviews.

Ragamuffin if you have the qualifications you will be welcomed with open arms, don't give up.

Cheers, I've not even really started yet though ;-).

Posted my qualifications in another thread as I've been thinking about applying after graduating in spring/summer 2012 for quite some time now (I'll be 30 at that point).

Are six months' contracts common or available at all?

My aim is not to stay in Thailand for a far longer period because I'd like to join a PhD programme on Educational Studies at home and need to finish the school part of my teacher training in Germany as well (plus my husband to-be will keep his job in Munich and not join me).

This is what might hopefully find me a decent position:

Non-native (German), will be holding a degree in ELT and Social Studies for grammar school teachers to-be (University of Munich, Germany), have already worked as a volunteer in Thailand teaching English, several internships at German schools, one year abroad at Warwick Uni (England) and part-time job at BMW World's Junior Campus working with children (German/English), plus the regular tutoring jobs next to uni (English lessons). Female and do speak/understand Thai neetnoy :-).

May I ask for which institution you interview applicants?

"We" is the school where I work. Currently no openings as the school year has started. Your chances are pretty good.

Many schools look for a 'white face', not necessarily a native speaker. A number of Europeans have near-native speaking ability and get hired quite easily.

Some will but almost always at a pay rate lower than that of a native

or even a Thai English teacher.

The latter I doubt, to be honest.