Teachers license

[fin5prtw]

Hello,

 

I am currently on my 2nd teaching waiver from Khrusapha so I am starting to consider my different options for further education so that I can obtain my teaching license. I am considering the University of Derby iPGCE, the course is entirely online, I've heard that Khrusapha are not keen on online courses, but my school thinks that this one would be okay and that I would be able to get my teachers license following completion. Does anyone know if it would be deemed sufficient for the license? Or am I better doing the Nottingham University PGCEi which I know they accept (but costs a lot more!!!).

 

TIA

[Isaanbiker]

They usually issue three provisional licenses; a third one is shouldn't be any problem, especially when you're staying at the same school. They don't like it when people "jump" schools.

 

No idea if the Diploma in Teacher Education from a University of the Philippines with an office in Bangkok is still an option.

 

If you've got a degree in any field, a Diploma in Teacher Education will be sufficient to get you the license. 

 

I've done mine a while back, and paid around 60 K, payable in monthly installments.  A few years ago it was with some classes in Bangkok; if enough people signed up, you could also go to Korat and other places. 

I've just seen that they currently do not offer any courses, should you be interested, please send them a mail. 

Please see: http://www.saintrobertsgroup.com/ADMISSIONS/

[fin5prtw]

40 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

They usually issue three provisional licenses; a third one is shouldn't be any problem, especially when you're staying at the same school. They don't like it when people "jump" schools.

 

No idea if the Diploma in Teacher Education from a University of the Philippines with an office in Bangkok is still an option.

 

If you've got a degree in any field, a Diploma in Teacher Education will be sufficient to get you the license. 

 

I've done mine a while back, and paid around 60 K, payable in monthly installments.  A few years ago it was with some classes in Bangkok; if enough people signed up, you could also go to Korat and other places. 

I've just seen that they currently do not offer any courses, should you be interested, please send them a mail. 

Please see: http://www.saintrobertsgroup.com/ADMISSIONS/

Thank you very much, I have heard of this one and I'm considering it, but I'm still leaning more towards the PGCEi as my current school would prefer that I have this qualification, they will give me a decent pay rise when it is complete and (in my opinion) it will give me better career prospects in the future... Saying that, your suggestion is definitely work considering as it is a lot more affordable! Thank you ???? 

[Isaanbiker]

If I were you, I'd really think about how long you're planning to teach.

 

But if you're still youngish, then continue studying and go for a Master's. 

 

The "Filipino university" had such an offer for an amount that would be affordable. And you can pay them in monthly installments.

 

  Best of luck, whatever your decision finally will be. 

Edited July 14, 2019 by Isaanbiker

[thequietman]

4 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

If I were you, I'd really think about how long you're planning to teach.

 

But if you're still youngish, then continue studying and go for a Master's. 

 

The "Filipino university" had such an offer for an amount that would be affordable. And you can pay them in monthly installments.

 

  Best of luck, whatever your decision finally will be. 

The Masters doesn't get you a licence either. Even for the provisional TL, they won't give it until you show your bachelors. Explaining that the masters supersedes the bachelor goes right over their heads. ????

[thequietman]

On 7/11/2019 at 3:06 PM, fin5prtw said:

I am considering the University of Derby iPGCE, the course is entirely online, I've heard that Khrusapha are not keen on online courses,

Amazing, isn't it, that they think that their educational establishments and those in the Phils are better than the University of Derby, a well recognised Uni that is way better than their top university here in the LOS. ????

 

Online or not, no university in Thailand comes close to the recognition of the Uni of Derby and still they persist with their nonsense.

 

It really does astound me when they talk about the 'quality' of Thai uni's, when they are all in fact an affront to education and are strictly designed for what's important here - 'Show'

[BobbyL]

If you don't plan to go home to do a PGCE then I would recommend doing a PGCEi. I know a few people who have done that and been able to get into some of the mid - level international schools in BKK. 

[fin5prtw]

I'm fairly certain that I'm going to do a PGCEi as I don't plan on returning to the UK and I plan to teach in Thailand for the foreseeable future. You can use some credits from the PGCEi towards a Masters Degree, so that is there if I wish to pursue it later... 

 

I know that the PGCEi from Nottingham, Sunderland and Keele Universities qualify you for a Thai Teachers Licence, but the Derby one is new and all online, so I'm just concerned that after completing it I will find out that I still don't qualify for the Thai Teachers License... It probably is sufficient, but it would be nice to get some sort of confirmation before starting the course ^_^ 

[thequietman]

2 minutes ago, fin5prtw said:

I'm fairly certain that I'm going to do a PGCEi as I don't plan on returning to the UK and I plan to teach in Thailand for the foreseeable future. You can use some credits from the PGCEi towards a Masters Degree, so that is there if I wish to pursue it later... 

 

I know that the PGCEi from Nottingham, Sunderland and Keele Universities qualify you for a Thai Teachers Licence, but the Derby one is new and all online, so I'm just concerned that after completing it I will find out that I still don't qualify for the Thai Teachers License... It probably is sufficient, but it would be nice to get some sort of confirmation before starting the course ^_^ 

It would be nice, yes BUT this is Thailand and by the time you finish it, it may or may not be acceptable. You rolls the dice and you takes your chances. It's all a shambles and that's how they like to roll!

[fin5prtw]

7 minutes ago, thequietman said:

It would be nice, yes BUT this is Thailand and by the time you finish it, it may or may not be acceptable. You rolls the dice and you takes your chances. It's all a shambles and that's how they like to roll!

Hah! So very true... !!!

 

Sigh >.< 

[Isaanbiker]

2 hours ago, fin5prtw said:

I'm fairly certain that I'm going to do a PGCEi as I don't plan on returning to the UK and I plan to teach in Thailand for the foreseeable future. You can use some credits from the PGCEi towards a Masters Degree, so that is there if I wish to pursue it later... 

 

I know that the PGCEi from Nottingham, Sunderland and Keele Universities qualify you for a Thai Teachers Licence, but the Derby one is new and all online, so I'm just concerned that after completing it I will find out that I still don't qualify for the Thai Teachers License... It probably is sufficient, but it would be nice to get some sort of confirmation before starting the course ^_^ 

Dear OP, please get in touch with Khurusapha ( Teacher's Council of Thailand) and ask them in an email if your chosen path would satisfy them.

 

Before I signed up for the "Filipino Diploma", I wanted to go for a Masters in English that would have taken up to three years on weekends.

 

I was already registered, knew my first assignment when I luckily decided to make sure that such a Masters would really be accredited.

 

  When TCT replied, I couldn't believe my eyes. They told me that such a Masters wouldn't be sufficient to get the full license?!

 

 The mostly online course for the Diploma in education is more a joke, to be honest. Many people had just copied and pasted their stuff from certain websites, but it didn't seem to matter.

 

  They can and hopefully will tell you right now if your institution will be accredited.

 

But please use easy English and please be aware that such an answer can take a few weeks.

But they do answer your questions. I had to "read between the lines" but finally understood their message. 

 

I hope that you'll have good luck!! Here's a link: http://site.ksp.or.th/contact-us.php?site=englishsite&SiteMenuID=17

 

[Isaanbiker]

17 hours ago, thequietman said:

The Masters doesn't get you a licence either. Even for the provisional TL, they won't give it until you show your bachelors. Explaining that the masters supersedes the bachelor goes right over their heads. ????

Yep, amazing, innit? I meant to go for a Masters after her first course. It's indeed more than a joke that such a Diploma is accredited while a Masters in English isn't.

 

 They're so stubborn and might not understand the difference it would make.

 

But their regulations are so strange, it could be that the Masters in English for them isn't directly education related. Even when it is. 

 

I don't think that it's possible to explain that to soldiers in power. 

 

   

[dakineto]

On 7/14/2019 at 10:26 PM, thequietman said:

The Masters doesn't get you a licence either. Even for the provisional TL, they won't give it until you show your bachelors. Explaining that the masters supersedes the bachelor goes right over their heads

This comes straight from Khurusapa?

I read this one here from ajarn.com which suggests quite the opposite: 

 

I know a few foreign teachers who never finished their Bachelor Degree and they are a little stressed out about that fact, vis-à-vis the (not so) new teacher licensing regulations from The Teachers Council of Thailand. In an effort to help them, I compiled the following list of several websites that refer the surfer to various online and/or distance learning college/university programs.

 

This is the site for The University of Leicester (England) and its' Distance Learning Masters Degrees in Applied Linguistics, Educational Leadership or International Education. Why am I putting this link into an article to help people who never finished their Bachelor Degree? Because Leicester has the right, like any other British University, to accept students into their Masters level programs who never finished their Bachelors, as long as they judge that you have enough teaching experience to equate with what you would have learned in the last two (major focused) years of an Education bachelor degree. Why just get a Bachelors when you can spend 2 to 3 years and graduate with a Masters from a university that is accredited by The British MOE? It costs around 300,000 Baht, but WHAT a deal! I already checked with both The British Embassy and The British Council and the both assured me that it is legit. You will have to type a rather lengthy essay, explaining to them why you think they should admit you to the program. Obviously, if you have several years of teaching experience, this will help you sell yourself. You'll also need a few references, the more impressive the better and you will have to show them your transcripts from any college level courses you DID take. They may accept you or may not. A great program all around.

 

[fin5prtw]

On 7/15/2019 at 4:23 PM, Isaanbiker said:

Dear OP, please get in touch with Khurusapha ( Teacher's Council of Thailand) and ask them in an email if your chosen path would satisfy them.

 

Before I signed up for the "Filipino Diploma", I wanted to go for a Masters in English that would have taken up to three years on weekends.

 

I was already registered, knew my first assignment when I luckily decided to make sure that such a Masters would really be accredited.

 

  When TCT replied, I couldn't believe my eyes. They told me that such a Masters wouldn't be sufficient to get the full license?!

 

 The mostly online course for the Diploma in education is more a joke, to be honest. Many people had just copied and pasted their stuff from certain websites, but it didn't seem to matter.

 

  They can and hopefully will tell you right now if your institution will be accredited.

 

But please use easy English and please be aware that such an answer can take a few weeks.

But they do answer your questions. I had to "read between the lines" but finally understood their message. 

 

I hope that you'll have good luck!! Here's a link: http://site.ksp.or.th/contact-us.php?site=englishsite&SiteMenuID=17

 

Thank you so much for this! I have sent them an e-mail, I will let you know the response ????

[guru]

There was a Scottish teacher at my school who only had a Masters degree and not a Bachelors. Never understood it but some peculiarity about some Scottish universities calling their undergraduate degrees masters degrees. Anyway they would not issue a Thai teaching license as couldn’t show a certificate with Bachelors on it. Bonkers. This was a few years back mind.


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[aidenai]

I only have a master degree from the University of Greenwich, U.K. Got my teacher license in 2011 and renewed it in 2016.

[guru]

I only have a master degree from the University of Greenwich, U.K. Got my teacher license in 2011 and renewed it in 2016.

That’s good to hear and shines a promising light on this thread. Don’t know what the common denominator is with thequietman’s experience (post 5) and my Scottish friend who was refused but something strange is going on.

[guru]

I only have a master degree from the University of Greenwich, U.K. Got my teacher license in 2011 and renewed it in 2016.

Could it be that the Greenwich Masters in Education is deemed postgraduate whereas my friend’s Scottish Masters in Education was deemed undergraduate due to the peculiarity of the four ancient Scottish universities and didn’t meet their criteria? Unless you also submitted a PGCE or something akin? I really have no idea.

[Isaanbiker]

1 hour ago, guru said:

That’s good to hear and shines a promising light on this thread. Don’t know what the common denominator is with thequietman’s experience (post 5) and my Scottish friend who was refused but something strange is going on.

That's different to others, because Aidenai has passed all questions of the teacher's license tests that were pretty tough. Most of those who've tried have failed.

 

   Again, a Master's in English does not qualify for a teacher's license, I'd tried that a few years ago and they ( TCT) told me that it's not accredited.

The reason might be that they want to see a BA in education. 

[aidenai]

1 hour ago, Isaanbiker said:

That's different to others, because Aidenai has passed all questions of the teacher's license tests that were pretty tough. Most of those who've tried have failed.

 

   Again, a Master's in English does not qualify for a teacher's license, I'd tried that a few years ago and they ( TCT) told me that it's not accredited.

The reason might be that they want to see a BA in education. 

Thanks, Isaanbike.

 

I reacted to a reply of guru and reports in the past that The Teachers' Council of Thailand wants teachers, applying for a temporary teaching permit or teacher license, to have a bachelor degree. Well, as written before, I only have a master degree.

 

As Isaanbike wrote, I didn't get my teacher license because of having a Grad. Dip. T.P. or PGCE(i) but because I passed all sections of the Professional Knowledge Tests when they were still conducted.

 

Master degrees that are accredited for a teacher license are AFAIK only master degrees that are master degrees in education or equivalent. Master degrees in English language or its aspects don't qualify.

Edited July 24, 2019 by aidenai

[Number 6]

Any respectable university would never accept a student for a master's degree without a bachelor's degree. This is just a money spinner. This is simply not how things work. It is though possible to do a joint program. I'm not calling into question some shonky universities actually accept students into a master's without a bachelor's. It's just highly unorthodox.

 

The "school by the sky train" educational value is limited at best. At the same time the vast majority of schools will not give you a raise upon completion of any degree or program (almost all). Unless you're making 60k or see that as easily attainable OR planning to work in another country I don't see how a master's is financially beneficial for jobs in Thailand. Even 120k thb amortized 5 years is about 3k per month. Roughly 5% off a 60k pm salary. You're losing money for the privilege of working. That's not how it's supposed to work.

[aidenai]

Any respectable university would never accept a student for a master's degree without a bachelor's degree. This is just a money spinner. This is simply not how things work.

I am afraid you are not familiar with higher education systems in other countries than UK, USA, AUS, NZ, CDN or IRL.

[guru]

I am afraid you are not familiar with higher education systems in other countries than UK, USA, AUS, NZ, CDN or IRL.

When I did my 3 year BSc degree, there were students in some of my lectures who enrolled into the University straight into a 4 year MSci degree. I wonder if these students get awarded both a BSc and a Masters or just a straight Masters?

[aidenai]

When I did my 3 year BSc degree, there were students in some of my lectures who enrolled into the University straight into a 4 year MSci degree. I wonder if these students get awarded both a BSc and a Masters or just a straight Masters?

AFAIK, graduating with a masters does not include a bachelors.

[aaacuna]

Hello! Would like to know if you finally went for Derby or Nottingham? Thanks for any info 

[fin5prtw]

I got a notification via e-mail of someone asking me about which one I decided to do, but the post has disappeared now... Anyway, if that person is reading, I decided to do the Derby iPGCE, I am about half way through it now. I chose it because it was more affordable than the Nottingham one (Nottingham you have to pay in 3-4 instalments over 6 months, whereas Derby you can pay monthly over 11 months). If anyone wants to ask me questions about the course, please feel free to PM me or reply to this. 

[Stanners]

Hi, i have been following your post as I am in a similar situation. I am currently in Thailand and Nottingham seems to be the most popular course but I too have found cheaper alternatives. I don't want to pick the wrong course though if not approved by TCT. Did you find out if the Derby course was approved in the end?

 

Thanks

[fin5prtw]

I was also very worried about this, but the lady from the school office who deals with WPs/Visas/TCT says that she confirmed with TCT that Derby is accepted (or at least was at the time of starting the course). I addition, there are A LOT of people on the course who are based in Thailand, so I am assuming that the other people on my course have also checked with TCT. 

 

[Stanners]

Thanks for getting back in touch.

 

That's good to know. Have you met or spoken to anyone else that did the same course as you? Did your school recommend the Derby course or did you do all the research yourself? Are you in an international school already? I do wonder if there is an element of judgement from schools or is it really just the same piece of paper at the end of the day? I know Sunderland seems to be the best because of the practical element but that is not an option for me as it is too expensive and I am not currently in an international setting.

 

How is it going so far? Are you able to apply what you're learning to your current teaching practise?

[fin5prtw]

It's a relatively new course, so I haven't met anyone else that has completed it yet, but there is a good dialogue and a 'cafe forum' for people on the course where we can socialise and get to virtually know one another and support each other through the course, there are people teaching in all sorts of schools and universities all around the world, it's very diverse. I already teach at an International School, most of the other teachers did the Nottingham PGCEi years ago when it was half the price that it is now, two others did Sunderland, but one of them failed as apparently it is much harder, hence the higher regard. I think that the Nottingham and Derby iPGCE courses are held in a similar regard, certainly not as valuable as a UK PGCE & QTS, but they will definitely help you to improve your career options. 

 

So far I am half way through the course, it is very interesting and I have gained a lot from it, but it is exhausting and a lot of effort, especially as I also have a 2.5year old daughter at home as well as teaching full-time, but I am enjoying it and I would say it is definitely worth doing if you don't want to/can't go back to the UK to do the PGCE/QTS there.