Moving to Bangkok in March, getting a job as a teacher, tuition fee waiver for kids?

[madmak]

I got a job in Bangkok and am moving the family there from US in about 2 months. My wife is a school teacher here in the US with a Masters degree in Education and 10 years of teaching experience (8 years in private schools with IB programs and 2 years in public schools). we have 2 kids aged 5 and 2. Some questions for this awesome community

 

• Should my wife apply for jobs while we are still here in US or apply after we move there in March? I assume schools are actively recruiting for the next school year already?
• What kind of salary to expect for teachers with her profile and experience?
• Do we get discount for Kid's tuition if they go to same school my wife teaches at?
• We are considering living in Asoke/Nana or Sathorn area to be close to my work (Siam). Our top school option is NIST since ISB and Patana are too far from my work. Are they other great schools we should consider?
• What is the application/interview process like?

 

thanks!

[allane]

While my qualifications are less impressive than your wife's, I taught high school in Bangkok for 15 years, ending in 2010. International schools hold hiring fairs in the country to which they are affiliated, and that is where they find almost all of their teachers. Have her go online and see what she can find.

Most schools offer full, or at least substantial, tuition fee waivers for their teacher's children.

I leave the rest of your questions to those with experience in international schools.

[GLewis]

You really need to be hired from abroad.  The cost at NIST for those two youngsters is going to run you $20,000 usd per year to start. Other expenses on top of that as well. The top tier schools are all very expensive, and the areas you are looking to live are also top dollar.   I think a lot more research is in order before you pack up and move over.

[madmak]

thanks for the informative responses guys! We are moving because of my job, which pays substantial enough that we are moving family from US to Bangkok :). The teaching job for my wife is primarily an extra income and if it helps save the kids' tuition then even better (tuition will be our primary major expense).

[Suradit69]

41 minutes ago, madmak said:

We are moving because of my job, which pays substantial enough that we are moving family from US to Bangkok :

Based on experience with international hires generally, not specifically in Thailand:

 

Usually the better schools taking on international hires offer housing assistance/allowance and such things as some form of help with school expenses for dependent children. At the very least, their HR office should be able to provide help or suggestions regarding your wife's employment opportunities and your children's schooling. Presumably you would be their first hire bringing along a family.

 

Check out what sort of documentation she'll need to supply regarding degrees and experience. Usually easier to arrange while in the US rather than from abroad... and some may want actual certified degrees/diplomas rather than just transcripts.

 

You might also check out Search Associates website: https://www.searchassociates.com/

 

 

[jenny2017]

 

As others have already mentioned, you should try to find a job when still in the States. The traffic is a big problem in Thailand and you might consider that when your wife's applying at an institution.

 

  Commuting only  5 kilometers in a busy area can take a long time, so you should be careful when choosing a position. Get all documents certified by the institution and leave it sealed in an envelope.

 

 I think that it would make sense to apply for a Thai teacher's license because it makes not just visa extensions much easier. And please get a police clearance, even when nobody has mentioned that yet.

 

  Best of luck!!! 

[Scott]

Off-topic post and replies removed.