Is this breaking my contract?

[onlycw]

11 hours ago, soleddy said:

After 16 yrs here (with CELTA. MBA, MA, BSc. IELTS examiner 2 years and 7 years at top Uni+ 5 years revising crap exams for gvment here) I am now over 60 and ageism does happen! Most certainly. If you were in the Uni before 60 and you are good, they keep you. I quit at 55 to enter gvment).

 

You are correct about 35,000. I was paid 35,000 15 years ago. Public schools rarely pay more (+only 15,000 to Flips if they can wing it). 45,000 is possible in some places, but they are choosy or else work you hard. Main problem is still bitchiness and jealousy of natives ++ in-house fighting between Thai factions--plus (as another poster has said) excluding you from year gradings, book choices and changing your classes ++ asking extra "editing" from farangs.

 

All-in -all too much flak for 35 or 45k, but they have foot-shot themselves because the keen young chalkies with BAs don't come any more. China pays double. Vietnam is disorganised about visas but nicer people and money a bit better. Even Russia wants people. Thailand is spent but it was always dodgy unless you were lucky, cos the kids don't care and want IPhones, and the teachers (once they pass the teacher exams) are useless and lazy (ok 5% are good). ask any kid how and what they did in M1-M6 (either nothing or copy Run Ran Run) if you don't believe me.

In addition, these "world class standard schools" fail to specify what exactly they want their foreign teachers to do.

 

Observations, yes. Communication (and be that impromptu criticism like at a restaurant or a massage palor), no. They cannot be arsed to communicate with foreigners, is that it?!?

 

OP, a friend landed a great job in China. Making 4 x the salary and having a large furnished condo... Look around before you choose to "take a year off".

[puukao]

On ‎8‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 5:26 PM, Andrew108 said:

I’m not in Thailand at the moment. I had 5 years of teaching there and I’ll be returning next April. I’m getting a CELTA before I start teaching again and I can’t see myself teaching for less than 45K a month. So I don’t know.... perhaps I’ll head straight for China. 

I don’t think it would be worth teaching for anything less than 45K and most agents are advertising positions in the 35K range. 

I’ve just hit my big 50 and I’ve heard there might be some age descrimimation. We’ll see - but right now I’m not applying for any positions. 

Even 45k in BKK is bad.  not horrible, but I think a salary that low would make you re--think your worth.  I wouldn't do BKK for under 55.  If you want to save money, find a place maybe in KK for around 40 or 45 and live like a monk.  Yes, for sure, China pays better.  In fact, Thailand might be near the bottom.  I think you must have another reason to be in the country.  I honestly don't think "learning the language" is a good answer, but that's just me.  Why?  Go to China for about 5-years, or S. Korea, and then come back to Thailand as a tourist and study the language.  Thailand for women?  OK, good answer, but then I still think you need deep pockets and then why worry about 45k (should be pocket money).  Age discrimination?  I think more in the big cities.  Less supply, easier to overlook age (so I've heard).  also, never take a 10-month contract.  what else?  in a perfect world, you go to the school and meet with many teachers and decide if these are the people you want to spend your life with and deal with their drama.  The jealous of your paycheck is impossible to hide, and that might wear on you.  also try to find a few people that speak English, or all-day you will be unable to have a conversation with anyone.  We just hired two foreigners who speak English, and it's a nice change.  

[Andrew108]

This is going way off topic. But the only way it would work for me in Thailand is if I had a decent day job and supplemented that income by working online. I expect my total earnings to be between 65K and 75K. Anything less than that is a problem.

[puukao]

The one thing I am learning is certain schools have much more money than you think.  Friend told me in BKK they went from 30k to 35k to 40k to 50k in one year for new English teachers.  And I've seen weekly hours drop from 25 to 18 because the farang said she wouldn't work that much.  Just take a stand, draw the line, and be ready to walk away.  If I made 50k one month while one teacher made only 15k, I don't feel bad at all.  I just tell them, "well, go out and make more money."  That's the end of that conversation.  Unfortunately, everyone knows everyone's salary.  I told them when everyone complained 30k was too much for farangs, "wait until new teachers get 100k.  Go complain and demand more (then I laugh).  If you made 30k, would you give money to people who made less?"  Now I'll never work for under 50k, no more than 18 hour weeks, and only two weekends a year.  And never nights.