School Niches - How To Distinguish?

[phormio]

2.  Choose your target market and keep them narrowly in your mind forever.  Trying to be all things to all people will not work.  If you want to teach the (dull) masses, do so- and make it clear to the super-smarty students that's what you're doing so they'll go elsewhere.  If you lie to them and mix them with the dull boys and girls, they'll go elsewhere anyway- and they'll be angry.  Conversely, if you want a real elite school, don't take just anyone because of the money- otherwise you will wind up with all dullards just the same.

If the school has a niche, how can you tell them apart(during a job interview) and use this knowledge to increase the chance of getting a job offer?

[PeaceBlondie]

phormio, I think Steve was mixing his advice there: how a prospective teacher should look for the right kind of school with its own niche; how the teacher should advise the smartest or richest students, once he's a teacher there; and how the management of the public or private school should market itself and categorize its students.

When you're new in Thailand, even if you read everything on the web including the applicable forums, you still probably won't know enough about the particular schools where you're applying. A franchise isn't the same at all branches; generalizations about govt. matayom schools only go so far, etc.

If you have an interview, try to find out what you can about the school. Of course, ask questions during the interview (not that it helped me much, the first time; it was like being interviewed by deafmutes between their endless stream of overfilled classes).

[Ijustwannateach]

As PB says, my other thread is actually not advice for teachers- it's advice for the school administration/owners, which is not always advice that is good for teachers.

On the other hand, I think I understand phormio's question- how should a teacher package himself to suit this kind of administration, assuming it actually exists!

And finally, I agree with PB again- that the best way is asking other current or former teachers about the school and the real conditions on the ground there, and deciding if that's where you'd LIKE to work. If it is, then there are several things you can do (in a standard job-interview-like way) to make yourself more attractive to the personnel office on the basis of the school's niche:

1. Emphasize your experience with the age group/gender/nationality/religious persuasion/intellect level/economic level of the vict..., er students. For example, at a Christian-oriented school it would be wise to bring up those missionary relatives or a preacher father. If there are a range of students at a school and you prefer to teach the older ones, emphasize that you like teaching the more difficult subjects. If it's a school with a lot of Asian students, bring up those years travelling in other countries.

2. If you think the place you're at is a "well-established" or high-performing school, emphasize your credentials, qualifications, and experience. If the place is a new fly-by-night with a clueless administration that'll take any psychopathic brat, talk about how you're "good with kids."

3. Don't forget the effect you'll have on your prospective coworkers- don't make them feel threatened, if they're dodgy KSR types and you really want the job. On the other hand, if it's a solid school, don't make them think they'll have to work with a fool.

4. If it's a semi-high-so kinda school, it can help to have a relative of someone important or connected to the school vouch for you. This takes connections and time in Thailand, but it can really make a difference.

"Steven"

[phormio]

Thanks for your replies