aarontendo

Get ready to be taken for a ride.

Yes, they may be looking to reducing the number of foreign teachers from UK, America etc, so they may cap salaries in the future to 30k as stated. This was bought about by the recent discovery that many teachers working here without correct papers, qualifications and were far from professional etc.

I guess you couldn't argue with them given the quality of expat teachers in Thailand.

Could you show me some evidence to back up you claim about the quality of teachers?

Thailand has some of the worst PISA scores in the region, and declining further seems to be the trend. Teachers working here are part of that, as much as people would like to deny it.

What evidence are you looking for in specific? It's long been a nation where people work illegally without the proper paperwork. Do you expect someone to post up a specific number of individuals?

Grad students ok, undergrads not so much.

I see the difference, but there's still the matter of grades and authority hanging over everything. That being said, I think it's fine provided there's a sincere connection, the teacher is not using predatory tactics, and the student is not just infatuated. And I would suggest waiting until the course is over. Sometimes students aren't as impressed with the teacher when the position of authority is taken away.

I should have been more specific. In no way, shape, or form should they be your students. I figured we already knew that!

Also, I think we have to distinguish between when a person as a uni instructor meets an honest to goodness girl he likes (and he wasn't looking for) and a fella who's there for that as a primary purpose.

Grad students ok, undergrads not so much.

Never been asked for a background check, offered it at two jobs third one just didn't bother. Par for the course here it seems.

Every single teacher I know that has a college degree is on a 12 month contract. Only folks staying on 10 or 11 month contracts are those without degrees or noobies here.

Work illegally and you're more likely to get shat on. Sorry. The visa change is doing the same thing that changes in the edu visa did.

Many people with college degrees and temporary teaching licenses are not. I know people who are working legally, work permit plus temp license, but their contracts will run out in Feb and then they are on their own until the next term starts in May/June.

Double entry tourist visa is good for people that want to change jobs as well. Contract ends in Feb/Mar, you don't renew, so visa is finished. A single entry is cutting it too close to find a new job and get them to do the paperwork for a new Non B. Most schools are simply incompetent at this stuff. People are going to have serious visa issues next year.

The situation just isn't gonna be workable for many without DE TV. And yes, it affects mostly noobies, but that is what most people are. That is who government schools employ, most people don't want to stay 10 years at those places. These people are gonna have major headaches and are gonna leave. No one is gonna want to put up with it for the crap salaries here when you can make so much more in China or even Vietnam. Government schools are gonna face serious problems getting farang staff.

Oh I don't disagree here. I've long said that Thailand didn't offer enough benefits to fill their labor market with degreed teachers. They sure as shit don't offer enough to get fully licensed or masters degree holders. The powers that be, in my opinion, are making it that the majority of teachers will be from ASEAN nations, and only the higher paying, wealthier schools will have a farang teacher. At least legally anyways.

I know plenty of newbies here who were able to get decent jobs on 12 month contracts with school, hell I work with a fair number. It's in part due to timing but also due to not jumping on a job straight away.

Every single teacher I know that has a college degree is on a 12 month contract. Only folks staying on 10 or 11 month contracts are those without degrees or noobies here.

Work illegally and you're more likely to get shat on. Sorry. The visa change is doing the same thing that changes in the edu visa did.

Buy him another tablet to keep at your place.

You can't be serious.

Why not ??? Easy solution.

Eh, tablets are pretty portable. The whole point is to transport them.

A lot of schools search kids bags. It's not uncommon.

I am not sure what the best solution is, but years ago, we had students who brought mobile phones to school, which was forbidden. They would come to my office in the morning and ask if I would keep it until the end of the school day, which I did.

Eventually the school set up a place in the morning for students to deposit their phones and now they are returned at the end of the day.

Perhaps once you explain it to the school or the teacher, your son can give the phone/tablet to the teacher until the end of the day.

So wrong.

A kids lunch time is their own. Also in between class. If a kid answers or looks at the phone during class then take it for that class. Can never take it for the day, that is theft. Definitely cannot take it for the month as in the OP.

Big big problem if a father messages with an issue and the kid ends in danger.

Why should the child have to give the phone or tablet to the teacher? They werent using it, it was in the bag. Nothing to do with the teacher.

Schools can and do have rules that they set. Lunch time isn't their own, sorry. They're on school grounds and the school is in charge of what is happening. Phones and tablets are a wonderful tool for education, but also they are highly disruptive devices in the learning environment. if lunch time was their own then they wouldn't get in trouble for bullying during it, but we know they do (or should as the case may be here).

See, the mistake you're making is treating the children like they're rational adults. They're not, hence why they're um...still children.

I do agree that holding it a month is a bit silly, especially as I've mentioned they're learning devices as well. Holding it until the end of the day is perfectly fine. It's actually a burden on the teacher, as they then take on responsibility for it should it end up lost.

Go to the local police, report it stolen, and provide the name place of work of the thief.

Ask them to recover the stolen property in school hours, and offer them a suitable reward for their trouble.

Alternative

Turn up at school during the day, ask to see the principal

Shout and scream until the thief is punished, make it as public as possible.

Thais hate confrontation.

They will then exact revenge on your son by giving him bad grades.

Which would be inappropriate and totally unethical as an educator...oh right, it's Thailand! =)

To be honest teachers ain't the brightest bunch. I had colleagues in my teacher prep program who struggled with the general skill exam. I wish I was joking.

my daughter was learning English at school and she was asking me about nouns/ proverbs/ pronouns etc

i did make me wonder if the teaching method was somewhat back to front

there was a home work project she brought home sort of easy multi choice paper which i did help with but the paper came back as incorrect choices made

now i know what i advised was 100 pc correct so the teacher in this case was wrong i gave up after that

besides her teaching has come about from listening to my wife and myself in general conversation OK she is fortunate to have an English speaking environment at home

A friend's step daughter was taught by another mutual friend's now ex wife. She was given home work to name items of clothing. We were having a beer at his place and he produced the questionaire. In particular 1 question. Answers were sweater, pullover, jersey, and jumper. He asked us what we thought, and being Brits from the North. We said jumper. Wrong it's a sweater. She even wrote on the paper. Don't ask Farang, they don't know how to speak English.

Sounds like my kinda girl. As often as I've had to hear "It's just English, mate...not British English" this made me smile.

Fingers crossed they are leaving, they are sad people who are generally illiterate, incompetent and.....a*se holes. How am I qualified to say that? Evidenced at several schools for my children, and talking to them. Rather embarrassingly for them actually!

Come on..you don't expect to get prime quality teachers in Thailand

..in the same way that I don't expect prime quality whaen I eat at a 30 baht restaurant.

..and what are the alternatives to farang teachers (however flawed)...Pinoys?

This is the most likely outcome. Trained teachers as a bonus, and cheaper of course. Thailand will never get enough prime quality educators here, we all know that. Salaries are too low and professionalism is non-existent.

Sounds like folks are going to have to get legal or go home. Good opportunity for the licensed teachers, I suppose.

And I suppose that you're one of them, right?

Absolutely.

Absolutely photoshopped Could you send me a "copy", please? ​

Heh. You probably know by well that I really don't care much about what the TV community thinks of me, this goes double for the TEFL teachers in this industry, and goes triple for the ones in Thailand.

Yes, I'm fully qualified to teach in two states in America (go go reciprocity!). Yes, I hold a masters of education. Yes, I'm still pursuing further advanced qualifications as well. No, I will not be sending those out here.

Not sure why one would have to prove anything, it's not as if becoming a qualified teacher is difficult. It's a year long course and a few exams. It was just something I decided to do once I had taught in Korea for two years...figured may as well get my papers done up right if I decided to go home and work in education, which is the case at this point in my life.

Yep, seems the best compromise for all involved really.

Perfect score. Granted, I'm a teacher in the West. I also fully support some sort of basic skills exam for entering the teaching profession.

Eh have a talk with the teacher one-on-one, explain the situation. If I had a parent who did such I wouldn't mind returning the property, of course. I would also ask that if possible it would be nice to lave it at home, but in this case perhaps the teacher can simply hold the tablet for the student until the end of the school day. That seems pretty reasonable.

It's obvious which people are teachers and which aren't. Good idea, go in and start telling the kids that their teachers are wrong on everything. Then when your kids learn jack shit because they don't listen to their teachers I'm sure you'll be whining about that too.

Seriously, why would any teacher WANT to keep a kids tablet? I've had to confiscate phones from kids, it's a pain in the ass but necessary when they are always trying to sneak them under their tables to play the newest Gem bullshit game.

Schools have rules that are vastly different from other parts of society. Bell schedules, detention, uniforms anyone?

Everyone is ignoring the perhaps obvious fact that the boy wasn't, in fact, obeying the rule. Very possible he was <deleted> around on the tablet and got caught. Uh oh better tell daddy a lie because, we'll kids are kids.

In any event, pretty sure thats how the teachers story will go.

We're off for three of the days. Two government holidays and one for Bike for Dad. Happy days are a'coming =)

Well, the love may be gone. Question, are you the only one on six month contract? If so, run. Burn the six days and run.

But I agree w/ all, contracts in May.

The not paid for April thing. Yeah, maybe they will push all wages down and this is just another stick in your eye. Something seems to be in the works. Insidious passive aggressive threat.

This just does so not need to be in a contract.

You're in a bind. You had never stated if you have a degree and I presume you've burned a few waivers. NES?

They can hire one of the newly trained BC teachers rotflmfao.

Me, sheeeeit I'll be asking for 20% more. If they value what I bring, great. If not, plenty of walking dead. I'm past caring. Caring costs. Edutainers have at it.

PS I'd love to see the clause about not paying for April. Separate agreements, how is this even legal?

You should sign regardless then work until you get June's pay and then quit.

If you are a commodity, I think plenty of desperate schools come June. Pay goes up.

Does anyone know if this is legal?

The clause states:

Employees not wishing to renew their contract at the completion of the school year, the existing contract will terminate at the end of March and no salary payment will be made for April.

I've seen contracts like that, but the language was somewhat in the opposite direction. The contract stated that it would go through March, albeit if teachers signed on for the next year they would get April paid.

Thanks for the well wishes. I know there are a lot of villages in the North of Thailand that don't have power yet, lots of tribes. They arent contaminated by the soap operas

can i come....sounds interesting,thai soaps have contaminated every walk of thai life,like its ok to shoot each other,its ok to attack each other,and its ok to have a bit on the side.I might like the hill tribes and no soap!

Reminds me of Eddie Murphy in the 80s.

Living in a third world country and broke...damn man that's why ya gotta plan ahead some.

Well to be fair yes of they're getting dates lined up that's not so bad. However, if there's an end of contract bonus one has to ask how that is handled in this case.

I don't think there are any Anti Teachers here. But there are many Anti towards wandering minstrel bums who were useless back home who now teach here.

I'd like to think you're right, but it's not the impression I get from reading the thread. The "wandering minstrel bum" is a great phrase but isn't really borne out in reality.

Eh, I dunno it seems to be pretty common. I know there are some wonderfully dedicated people here working here. However, there are just as many folks doing it to extend the good times in Thailand.

One only needs to look at the overall perception of TEFL in the greater educational sphere to see this.