Tips For Those Wanting To Work As A Teacher In Thailand

[garro]

Here are some tips for people wanting to come teach in Thailand.

www.associatedcontent.com/article/1932538/how_to_successfully_find_work_as_an.html?cat=59

What do you guys think?

[Scott]

Thanks Garro, excellent article--and in keeping with Thai tradition, many people have just made the 50% grade!

[garro]

At least 70% is a must for people in our school!

[Scott]

Sure Garro, they get 70%, but I know they are CHEATING!!!

(And with that I will stop with the sarcasm, because it really is a good article).

[garro]

So do you have any tips you might like to add Scott?

Or anybody else?

[Scott]

Garro, I am being facetious and I don't think your teachers cheated. The article stands by itself. I can't think of anything to add to it, or to dispute. It's a good article and thanks for posting it.

[garro]

Garro, I am being facetious and I don't think your teachers cheated. The article stands by itself. I can't think of anything to add to it, or to dispute. It's a good article and thanks for posting it.

I guessed that you were being facetious Scott, but I just thought it would be nice if people added their own tips for teaching in Thailand.

[PeaceBlondie]

Do not expect Thais to communicate, teach or learn well, to administer a school, to think critically, or to resolve problems. Lower your expectations drastically.

[garro]

Do not expect Thais to communicate, teach or learn well, to administer a school, to think critically, or to resolve problems. Lower your expectations drastically.

You are right PB, we cannot change the Thai part of the equation, but at least we can change our part of the equation sometimes. I think teachers should act professionally even if we are not always treated that way.

[orpheus454]

Do not expect Thais to communicate, teach or learn well, to administer a school, to think critically, or to resolve problems. Lower your expectations drastically.

Bad advice.

A good teacher *always* expects their students to learn well, whatever that may mean in various contexts, whether in Thailand, Tennessee or Timbuktu. It's part of the job description.

Students may not always live up to our expectations, but they will always learn (and behave) down to the lack of them.

Further, think not so much in terms of "realistic" expectations, but, rather, "genuine" expectations. Kids can smell a fake a mile away.

[Scott]

I think the advice from PB is about the Thai administration, not necessarily the students!

[PeaceBlondie]

Yes, mostly about adults. However, it applies partly to Thai students, too. Be professional always, and be realistic/genuine.

Added/// I understand garro's article was not aimed at those who had already beeb professionally trained educators in the West, considering teaching in Thailand.

[bungy007]

Do not expect Thais to communicate, teach or learn well, to administer a school, to think critically, or to resolve problems. Lower your expectations drastically.

Bad advice.

A good teacher *always* expects their students to learn well, whatever that may mean in various contexts, whether in Thailand, Tennessee or Timbuktu. It's part of the job description.

Students may not always live up to our expectations, but they will always learn (and behave) down to the lack of them.

Further, think not so much in terms of "realistic" expectations, but, rather, "genuine" expectations. Kids can smell a fake a mile away.

Actually, a good teacher always expects some of his students not to learn well - which is why he is in the job. Therefore, good advice would be to concept check after you have taught to discover those who haven't picked up your teaching. You can set about repairing/retransmitting your message.

Realistic expectations is the right choice of word. Teachers often can be guilty of over reaching when setting the goals of their lessons. Thailand is not at the front of the line when it comes to taking up a challenge (unless they are khunying eating or sleeping competitions) so you are best-off with extremely limited goals and working upwards as and when you feel appropriate

[garro]

I think ultimately students retain only a small amount of what they hear in class. I think the main thing they learn is a set of skills with application way beyond whatever subject is being taught.

[Ijustwannateach]

Yes and no... the whole science scheme in Britain was set up on this basis in the 80s and 90s, in terms of trying to teach general skills regarded as important for science, even though not linked to specifically scientific content- and it was apparently a miserable failure. The lesson seems to have been that although by learning specific skills students may generalise, they need the content base to have a place from which to start.

I've always thought this is why math classes are so hard for students to profit from- especially abstract topics like algebra, which students usually learn years before they are in a science class advanced enough to use them in applications.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

Geez,

I often wonder what a lot of you guys are doing teaching in Thailand... why not go to a country where schooling is cherished and respected a lot higher and where teacher salaries are also a lot higher? The vast majority of teaching English language to Thai students is a lesson in futility and madness - rote learning of English very rarely works and the Thai system is not set up to improve things... teach is a manner that equates to the students mentality - sanook and jai yen yen!

... know what you are getting into and the amount of knowledge that you can bring to your students, and enjoy the challenge. taking things so seriously and overlaying western teaching ethics/standards onto Thailand's system will result in the teacher going totally insane!!

This is a sweeping genralization and I am sure there are some excellent results being obtained in some places... but for 99.5% of the time the above is true. Don't sweat it too much, just enjoy it and understand why you have chosen to teach here :-)

Not great advice, but my two pennies worth.

Cheers

[sk1max]

Geez,

I often wonder what a lot of you guys are doing teaching in Thailand... why not go to a country where schooling is cherished and respected a lot higher and where teacher salaries are also a lot higher? The vast majority of teaching English language to Thai students is a lesson in futility and madness - rote learning of English very rarely works and the Thai system is not set up to improve things... teach is a manner that equates to the students mentality - sanook and jai yen yen!

... know what you are getting into and the amount of knowledge that you can bring to your students, and enjoy the challenge. taking things so seriously and overlaying western teaching ethics/standards onto Thailand's system will result in the teacher going totally insane!!

This is a sweeping genralization and I am sure there are some excellent results being obtained in some places... but for 99.5% of the time the above is true. Don't sweat it too much, just enjoy it and understand why you have chosen to teach here :-)

Not great advice, but my two pennies worth.

99.5% is an interesting percentage. I'm so happy that 89.75% of my colleagues are 97% happy & contented 77.75% of the time. The work being done by English teachers here in Thailand is, in my humble opinion, very good 99% of the time. The benifits to Thai students is immeasurable, but 99.5% sounds good. The biggest secret in Thailand is that teaching is porobably THE best job a falang can find. Oh. that's 100% accurate.

All percentages found on the internet are erroneous 100% of the time.

[Scott]

The education of children is a complex issue with a number of variables that can't easily be quantified or measured. Different children learn differently--this is true with language. So the aquisition of English will vary greatly. Students can appear 'thick' and then suddenly take off in the learning process. Some students read well, but can't speak well. Some speak well, but can't read etc.

For teachers it's important that you not look at what you do simply as a job. It's a profession and it's a part of a process that includes giving information, reinforcing information and teaching them a method of learning.

I've been privledged enough to have been here long enough to see my G. 1 & 2 students graduate from G. 12. By and large they have done well. Teaching requires patience, firmness and dedication. It's the lowest paid job I've ever had, but it's one of the most fulfilling. It's also quite a bit of fun most days.

The students in Thailand aren't significantly different than students anywhere else. The school system is, but the students aren't. But that's a topic for a whole different thread.

[garro]

I've been privledged enough to have been here long enough to see my G. 1 & 2 students graduate from G. 12. By and large they have done well. Teaching requires patience, firmness and dedication. It's the lowest paid job I've ever had, but it's one of the most fulfilling. It's also quite a bit of fun most days.

I agree. The high of walking out of school after a good day is hard to beat..