Question to people that have taught in Thailand

[MrBiker]

I started a teaching job this year which has the typical 20 hour teaching contract. The only way to make this worth my time is to minimize the amount of work that I put in to this venture. The school has all kinds of meetings, duty and other time sinking activities. I will give my 100% effort to teaching the students, preparing for the class, grading and any other student related activities.

 

What happens to teachers that skip all the other stuff? What is the office culture like here? Am I going to get fired for skipping meetings, duty and not staying at my desk during 3-4 hour gaps in my schedule? 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by MrBiker

[puchooay]

When you sign a contract to be a teacher you are not just signing to teach. You are signing to be a member of staff at the school. That generally means being at school for the normal school hours and not just going home after your last class, or turning up just before your last class. Additionally, going missing between classes , even if they may be a couple of hours apart, is not such a good idea.

 

With teaching comes paperwork, grades, checking students' work. There may be some other duties such as gate duty or checking students during break, usually in the primary schools. 

 

If you want to try and get away with not doing this I would suggest you are not cut out for it.

 

Your first sentence "The only way to make this worth my time", to me, suggests this is not the job for you.

Edited June 22, 2021 by puchooay

[qwertyuiop]

19 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

What happens to teachers that skip all the other stuff? What is the office culture like here? Am I going to get fired for skipping meetings, duty and not staying at my desk during 3-4 hour gaps in my schedule?

 

They run the risk of not having their contract renewed. It will very much depend upon the school and those in charge.

They will always be able to let you go when it suits them if you do as you state

As suggested by an earlier poster find alternative employment

 

Working at a language school would appear to be a better fit for you

[MrBiker]

Do schools typically let people go in the middle of the term or do they let them finish the contract? 

 

I agree that a part time position is probably a better option for me. I am just wondering what work culture is like in Thailand and how to go about my business. I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either.

Edited June 22, 2021 by MrBiker

[puchooay]

2 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

Do schools typically let people go in the middle of the term or do they let them finish the contract? 

 

I agree that a part time position is probably a better option for me. I am just wondering what work culture is like in Thailand and how to go about my business. I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either.

You say you have already started your job.

 

What is in your contract and what was agreed when you signed it?

[bwpage3]

8 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

Do schools typically let people go in the middle of the term or do they let them finish the contract? 

 

I agree that a part time position is probably a better option for me. I am just wondering what work culture is like in Thailand and how to go about my business. I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either.

You get hired to do as you are told, no different than any employee in any company.

[bwpage3]

Did they give you a work permit?

[Surelynot]

I offered to take a 20% pay cut if they left me alone to do the only thing that REALLY mattered.......planning and presenting interesting lessons that addressed the requirements of the curriculum.................fat chance........management view all teachers as bone idle wasters whose time needs to be filled pointless dross.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Surelynot

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

You've gotta do the gate duty. Everyone wants to see the farang face. Appearance is a top priority in this country, regardless of whatever's really going on, as you can see in the news. Heh. Customary is one day per week. If more, say you need the time to prepare lessons, which is why you should spend some time at your desk.

 

Appearance is also why you should be at the meetings. How many are they making you attend? I've only been to 2-3 important ones in a school year. If more, ask to cut out early at a few, around test time as your excuse. Again, you'll need to be at your desk sometime working on tests. Pro tip: Leave your bag and some piles of papers on your desk, if you wish to be out for awhile.

 

One thing you can skip out on are the lesson plans. You'll have to prepare and show these for the first month or two, so they can see how you work. After this, they'll forget about them. You will however, need to have made the students do some assignments, and have scored some of them in order to give grades.

[MrBiker]

14 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

I offered to take a 20% pay cut if they left me alone to do the only thing that REALLY mattered.......planning and presenting interesting lessons that addressed the requirements of the curriculum.................fat chance........management view all teachers as bone idle wasters whose time needs to be filled pointless dross.

Did you end up leaving the job or did you suck it up and do what they wanted? 

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

Did you end up leaving the job or did you suck it up and do what they wanted? 

On 70k GBP as a classroom teacher.......sucked it up.

[puchooay]

3 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

Did you end up leaving the job or did you suck it up and do what they wanted? 

I don't understand. You got a job. You signed a contract. I guess you read the contract?

 

Now you are using phrases like "suck it up". You are saying things like " I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either."

 

I really think you have taken the wrong job.

 

[MrBiker]

15 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

You've gotta do the gate duty. Everyone wants to see the farang face. Appearance is a top priority in this country, regardless of whatever's really going on, as you can see in the news. Heh. Customary is one day per week. If more, say you need the time to prepare lessons, which is why you should spend some time at your desk.

 

Appearance is also why you should be at the meetings. How many are they making you attend? I've only been to 2-3 important ones in a school year. If more, ask to cut out early at a few, around test time as your excuse. Again, you'll need to be at your desk sometime working on tests. Pro tip: Leave your bag and some piles of papers on your desk, if you wish to be out for awhile.

 

One thing you can skip out on are the lesson plans. You'll have to prepare and show these for the first month or two, so they can see how you work. After this, they'll forget about them. You will however, need to have made the students do some assignments, and have scored some of them in order to give grades.

The duty is once a week but its an hour extra in the morning and an hour extra at night, making a 10 hour day. I am on top of all my work, lesson plans, grading everything. For now I have been leaving as soon as my work is done and coming back right before my class starts or to sign out. No one has said anything yet to me personally but they keep harping about this kind of thing in the meetings. As far as I am concerned I am not going to sit at my desk if I am done all my work, not for the the amount of money that they pay. 

 

 

 

 

It was my mistake taking this contract. I was led to believe by other teachers / friends that this is like a part time job, and with the 20 hour teaching on the contract I wrongfully assumed that it was. I already have other online work that I do in the evenings so its pretty crazy to work 8 hours during the day and then online at night. I enjoy the kids, the lesson planning and the grading of the papers.

Edited June 22, 2021 by MrBiker

[puchooay]

4 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

It was my mistake taking this contract.

I believe so. If your permission to stay is not connected to your job then no real harm in holding your hands up and resigning.

 

Explain everything to the school. They may listen but I doubt it. If they make a special case for you they will need to do it for all teachers.

Edited June 22, 2021 by puchooay

[Surelynot]

3 minutes ago, MrBiker said:

The duty is once a week but its an hour extra in the morning and an hour extra at night, making a 10 hour day. I am on top of all my work, lesson plans, grading everything. For now I have been leaving as soon as my work is done and coming back right before my class starts or to sign out. No one has said anything yet to me personally but they keep harping about this kind of thing in the meetings. As far as I am concerned I am not going to sit at my desk if I am done all my work, not for the the amount of money that they pay. 

 

 

 

 

It was my mistake taking this contract. I was led to believe by other teachers / friends that this is like a part time job, and with the 20 hour teaching on the contract I wrongfully assumed that it was. I already have other online work that I do in the evenings so its pretty crazy to work 8 hours during the day and then online at night. I enjoy the kids, the lesson planning and the grading of the papers.

I read comments on another thread about teachers being made to stay till 5pm each day....even though their last lesson finished at 3.30pm.......management in schools is atrocious....they have no idea of how to manage and motivate staff other than through fear and contracts.........I used to despair at the things they came up with.

[MrBiker]

14 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I believe so. If your permission to stay is not connected to your job then no real harm in holding your hands up and resigning.

 

Explain everything to the school. They may listen but I doubt it. If they make a special case for you they will need to do it for all teachers.

My permission to stay is based on this job, but I can get Covid extensions and later an education or volunteer visa so that doesn't worry me too much. My online work pays more than this school for less than half the hours. I was thinking to go to the admin and try to negotiate a part time deal with them where they will pay me per class and let me keep the work permit. I am not sure if this is a thing or not. I don't want too give to many details about the school. 

Edited June 22, 2021 by MrBiker

[Surelynot]

10 minutes ago, puchooay said:

I don't understand. You got a job. You signed a contract. I guess you read the contract?

 

Now you are using phrases like "suck it up". You are saying things like " I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either."

 

I really think you have taken the wrong job.

 

.....not everything is written into a contract.......many expectations arise from the school's culture and from the management's ability to lead by example and motivate staff.......if they simply impose pointless tasks on their staff it becomes soul destroying ......

[MrBiker]

5 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

I read comments on another thread about teachers being made to stay till 5pm each day....even though their last lesson finished at 3.30pm.......management in schools is atrocious....they have no idea of how to manage and motivate staff other than through fear and contracts.........I used to despair at the things they came up with.

Most of the teachers are happy in this school but the majority of the foreign teachers are non native speakers (AKA non westerners). So for them the pay is basically a gift from the heavens. 

[recom273]

Just now, MrBiker said:

My permission to stay is based on this job, but I can get Covid extensions and later an education or volunteer visa so that doesn't worry me too much. My online work pays more than this school for a less than half the hours. I was thinking to go to the admin and try to negotiate a part time deal with them where they will pay me per class and let me keep the work permit. I am not sure if this is a thing or not. I don't want to give to many details about the school. 

 

This is worth trying, I used to have a deal where I did 13 periods in 3 days. I was in the same boat as you, over twice the pay for less work. I buddy of mine also has a similar deal, but this was through an agency, rather than a direct contract.

[puchooay]

4 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

.....not everything is written into a contract.......many expectations arise from the school's culture and from the management's ability to lead by example and motivate staff.......if they simply impose pointless tasks on their staff it becomes soul destroying ......

If someone has qualifications to be a teacher and has the personal attributes to be able to manage a class of unruly students, I would expect them to have the skills to ask questions with regards to simple things like work hours, duties, timescales and the like.

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, puchooay said:

If someone has qualifications to be a teacher and has the personal attributes to be able to manage a class of unruly students, I would expect them to have the skills to ask questions with regards to simple things like work hours, duties, timescales and the like.

You seem very naive..........many things creep into the school day and beyond.......breakfast clubs.........break-time support.....lunchtime lessons......after school clubs......weekend trips....school plays.....school choirs.............meeting concerned parents..........pressure is brought to bear by SLT who do none of these things and if they did they are on twice the salary anyway.

[puchooay]

2 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

You seem very naive

After 20+ years of teaching in Thailand, I would have to disagree.

 

I have always been able to negotiate what is involved in the job and when.

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, puchooay said:

After 20+ years of teaching in Thailand, I would have to disagree.

 

I have always been able to negotiate what is involved in the job and when.

25 years teaching in Germany .........conned every step of the way into a longer and longer school day with less and less 'free' time to do the job I was supposed to be doing.

[EricTh]

1 hour ago, MrBiker said:

Do schools typically let people go in the middle of the term or do they let them finish the contract? 

 

I agree that a part time position is probably a better option for me. I am just wondering what work culture is like in Thailand and how to go about my business. I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either.

 

I don't think a foreigner can get a work permit for a part-time job, remember we're not citizens of Thailand.

 

There is a minimum number of work hours required for a work permit.

 

Working illegally on a tourist visa is a no-no.

 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by EricTh

[MrBiker]

3 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

I don't think a foreigner can get a work permit for a part-time job, remember we're not citizens of Thailand.

 

There is a minimum number of work hours required for a work permit.

I know people that teach part time at universities and at language centers which provide work permits. 

 

 

 

Quote

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by MrBiker

[robsamui]

It seems  to me that you have little interest in being a teacher. You see it merely as a 'job' and not the vocation that it would automatically be if you were dedicated.

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by robsamui

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, robsamui said:

It seems  to me that you have little interest in being a teacher. You see it merely as a 'job' and not the vocation that it would automatically be if you were dedicated.

 

That made me laugh......rose tinted spectacles.......teaching hasn't been a vocation for decades......it is a job and not a very pleasant one.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Surelynot

[jwest10]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

I don't understand. You got a job. You signed a contract. I guess you read the contract?

 

Now you are using phrases like "suck it up". You are saying things like " I don't want to be a push over who does everything he is told either."

 

I really think you have taken the wrong job.

 

There are so many of them of all Nationalities who do the least as they possibly can and yet allowed to get away with it and yes the so-called older generation and very good teachers  are forced to retire, yet they have more commitment  and desire than many much younger teachers but son take the salary. Just stating the truth!!!

[jwest10]

1 hour ago, MrBiker said:

My permission to stay is based on this job, but I can get Covid extensions and later an education or volunteer visa so that doesn't worry me too much. My online work pays more than this school for less than half the hours. I was thinking to go to the admin and try to negotiate a part time deal with them where they will pay me per class and let me keep the work permit. I am not sure if this is a thing or not. I don't want too give to many details about the school. 

Work Permit needed for on line?? Just asking

[ThaiFelix]

I worked as a teacher for 10 years at one school which was part of a very large chain.  Most operated the same.  Other schools outside the chain I couldnt comment.  I took the job on knowing what to expect by asking both the admin and other teachers.  Back then we got a bonus each year (added to salary every month) if you did everything you signed up to do.  Those like you who didnt want to do duty or had too many sickies etc etc got no or next to no bonus and they were always the ones complaining about low salaries 5555!  Those who didnt want to keep to what they agreed to when applying for the job also made it difficult for those who had no problem keeping to their word.  Little extras were taken off everybody everybody just because a few selfish losers couldnt be bothered.  For example some would sneak home early or if they had a few hours before the next lesson.  We had one guy who used to go fishing!!  As a result the school locked the gates and wouldnt let anybody leave during school hours....everybody suffered.  Nobody could simply go out to pay bills or meet for lunch during their lunch break  .  Very rarely were people sacked.

 

In addition Thai teachers work almost twice the hours us long noses do and we are paid a lot more.  This can cause unrest among the natives which is why we often had to come in after exams and everything is finished and just sit in our offices while the Thais had their exams.

 

Not much different to working anywhere and in any job, if you take the job on then clearly you cant complain afterwards if you dont see sense in what you agreed to.