Teaching Outside Contracted Hours

[pattaya001]

Hi,

If I gained employment as a full-time teacher with a reputable teaching establishment, would it be legally permissable (or am I legally bound) to teach outside of contracted hours? Perhaps there are clues as to what a contracted teacher is allowed to do or not allowed to do, which increases an unagreeable wage into the more agreeable salary (i.e. 32,000-45,000)?

Edited June 10, 2008 by pattaya001

[PeaceBlondie]

Ideally, it should be shown in the contract (do insist on a copy, before the Director or God has signed it, and after!). But if they also tell you informally that there might be ONE or TWO weekends per year for parents' meetings or field trip, that might be okay. You can also ask if gate duty is required in morning or evening, or lunch room or study hall monitoring, etc. Should be in the contract, but the first time they ask you for extra duty, I suggest that you smile and say, "Okay, just this one time, I think I can maybe do it, but it was not in the contract."

[Ijustwannateach]

Usually there is a catch-all clause in the contract which reads something like "and must complete all normal duties of the teacher," etc., etc. A *reasonable* number of after-school meetings, weekends, and gate-duties should be expected as part of this. If your school is otherwise very lenient and reasonable about your office-hours, I'd say it would be foolish to fight this- but if your school's a stickler, you might want to refuse- however, that could lessen your prospects of keeping the job.

It's a matter of picking your priorities and your conflicts.

[pattaya001]

Nifty, direct background info, however, I am sure there are more personal experiences in how to willfully volunteer one's self into the 40,000 salary bracket? When I last taught 6 years ago at..., monthly salary was 24,000 baht in doing full-timer hours, in that, my status as a part-timer! Full-timers work less hours. I know we can't be too direct, I am, as you can see from previous experience, quite flexible. However, how flexible are the authorities with ''teachers'' supplementing income, and when they do routine checks, are the teachers who have a work permit without a degree blacklisted or are those teachers without a work permit, but in possession of degrees less wrist slapped, if any of this is making sense, direct or indirect, or otherwise?

Edited June 11, 2008 by pattaya001

[mizzi39]

Hi,

If I gained employment as a full-time teacher with a reputable teaching establishment, would it be legally permissable (or am I legally bound) to teach outside of contracted hours? Perhaps there are clues as to what a contracted teacher is allowed to do or not allowed to do, which increases an unagreeable wage into the more agreeable salary (i.e. 32,000-45,000)?

You are only obligated to work the hours stated in your contract. I am contracted for 18 teaching hours per week, however I am only scheduled to teach 14 hours per week. If needed I can be asked to teach up to the 18 hours which is stated in my contract, and would need to comply, but I am rarely asked to teach beyond my schedule. A good school will also allow you to leave when you have completed your classes for the day enabling you to pursue other "financial ventures". I do know of some schools that insist that you stay the whole day regardless of if you have classes scheduled or not. I have one friend who has all of his classes scheduled before lunch, yet he is required to stay until 4:PM. The schools take on this is that they are paying him much more than the average Thai teacher so the school wants to get the most for their money. A good rule of thumb is to get all the facts before signing any contract.

[pattaya001]

I certainly see the difference in the hours I used to work as a part-imer [30-32 weekly] and the hours you currently teach, with WP. However, I am unclear if your teaching hours take into account actual lesson plans, that would make big difference? Little details make all the difference.

Presently, I am in Thailand waiting for receipt of degree papers. Later, I will either seek a full-time teaching post or refer myself back to the United Kingdom to work on an oil rig. They take poeple from all works of life, apparently. And if all else fails, well, if all else fails, I shall continue to live in Thailand on a half-yearly basis, on and off. So not in the UK, but here with wife and child.

[pattaya001]

I've looked at several archived pages and seen the thread on ''The high cost of teaching legally in Thailand'' and it is worrying, however, it is what it is, and I remain flexible for the future, to a point.

However, I've one query:

I have limited teaching experience, a BA (about to have) and a TEFL, but how long can a school extend the probationary period for a starting teacher, in that, make legal the ''defintion'' of working without a WP, two-three months, indefinite? I am fixated on such matters am I not, but more than that, decisively interested.

If there is an existing thread relating to this exact question on another page, then by all means continue to flame this posting. Thank you.

[mizzi39]

I've looked at several archived pages and seen the thread on ''The high cost of teaching legally in Thailand'' and it is worrying, however, it is what it is, and I remain flexible for the future, to a point.

However, I've one query:

I have limited teaching experience, a BA (about to have) and a TEFL, but how long can a school extend the probationary period for a starting teacher, in that, make legal the ''definition'' of working without a WP, two-three months, indefinite? I am fixated on such matters am I not, but more than that, decisively interested.

If there is an existing thread relating to this exact question on another page, then by all means continue to flame this posting. Thank you.

I am sure that there are many threads that could answer this question if you have the time to search, but I will share with you what I know from my own personal experience. I guess that a probationary period would be up to the school as I never went through one (even as a brand new teacher). A good school (or agency) knows how to make a foreigner legal. There are 15 farang teachers who teach in the EP at my school and our director makes sure that everyone is legal since it is a school policy (and the law) It is just a matter of compiling the proper paperwork so that your paperwork is streamlined through immigration, but some schools simply cannot be bothered or don't know how to go about this because they do not employ enough foreigners and it is the "not knowing" that creates the problem for the farang who wants to go legit. As you may already know, the steps are: non B (3 months)-teachers license-WP-Non-b (1 year) extension. Now about the culture course and TLT. All 15 of us received a 2 year exemption from the Teachers Council. Our director made a simple phone call to the TC and explained to them that it would be physically impossible to meet this requirement before the start of the new term. The TC sent us Teachers License exemption letters that are good for 2 years. So this letter is in place of your teachers license that covers you for your non-b, WP, and B extension.

No GOOD school wants you working without a work permit so the turn around time from obtaining your B visa to work permit is about 3 weeks, or at least that is how long I waited. Remember, it is your responsibility to make sure that you furnish your employer with the proper paperwork, but it is THEIR responsibility to get you legal. Hope everything works out for you!

[pattaya001]

I appreciate your input. To the point and factual. Thank you mizzi39.

[Mario2008]

Just to make clear. There is no probation period for a Work Permit. There might be one in your labour contract, but not in the WP. The duration of a probational period should be in your contract.

Without a workpermit you are not allowed to work, including during a probation period. You are not even allowed to work as a volunteer without a WP.