How To Start To Feel The Results Of My Hard Work

[mssabai]

I have been teaching in Thailand for nearly 3 years now and I do really enjoy it. I have always loved being around children, but never considered teaching to be a job prospect in the UK due to the ridiculous demands placed on teachers. I also fell into, straight from uni, a very high powered, fast paced media job. I worked in this job for 5 years. It was usually incredibly stressful, however I always felt rewarded by my job. I knew I was good at it and I was rewarded with excellent job prospects and salary raises as well as constant positive appraisals from my bosses and positive feedback from clients. However I reached a plateau in my job and after a trip to Thailand, I fell in love with the place and wanted to experience teaching.

As I said I do really enjoy teaching. I enjoy the rapport I build with the students, I love the English language, I love the processes behind teaching and learning and my work/life balance has greatly improved. However one thing I really feel like I am lacking is any kind of real recognition from anyone else that I do a good job. I feel I work hard to create interesting and fun lessons. However I do often work with teachers who are just plain lazy and boring. It frustrates me, as I have always been quite a competitive person, that these people who obviously don't give two sh*ts get exactly the same rewards and recognition as me (ie not a lot). As I am working in a pretty farang free area, the schools round here pretty much have to take what they are given...there is no competitiveness in the job market.

My present school never has a Thai teacher in the lesson, and no teaching assessments are ever done. It is an excellent school, and my head of department and my agency boss are both fantastic people, but am I being selfish in wanting more job recognition that just knowing that my kids' English has improved?

Although I am definitely teaching for another year...it makes me question this as a long term plan because I just feel I need to get more out of my work. I couldn't do a job where I do not want to put my all in. But it is also hard putting a lot of effort in and ending up in the same position as people who put none.

Is this a problem any other teachers have come across? Is it just that I cannot be a teacher long term or is there a mind set in myself that I need to change? Am I perhaps just not a natural teacher, in that it is a job with few rewards and you have to accept the ones you get, or is there a way to get more from it? I am already getting involved in some separate business plans aside from teaching to keep my entrepeneurial side ticking over, but I am not sure this is enough. The thing is I love where I live, and my lifestyle and my job...I guess I just need to feel like I am worth a bit more. That I am really being pushed to be the best I can.

Edited December 3, 2009 by mssabai

[tonititan]

Unfortunately, that's typical of many teachers - hard work, long hours, and very little recognition (and sometimes pay). It's even worse in many western countries where teachers are often looked down upon instead of respected. Have you heard the expression, "If you can't DO...then teach." That saying disgusts me! Think about it, when you worked in a media job, did you have great respect for teachers? Did you think that they worked as hard as you did in your face-paced job? Probably not, and I'd hazard a guess that most people in the business world would answer the same way. But I bet most business people wouldn't last a week in a classroom.

I don't really have any advice, except to try to focus on the difference that you are making in the students' lives. I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

[elcent]

Are you waiting for extra X-Mas presents?

[PeaceBlondie]

mssabi, I know the feeling. After a non-teaching professional job where I was regularly and formally evaluated by prof. standards, I taught here. No real feedback or evaluations. I used my drive to excel without feedback. The Thai staff doesn't evaluate usually. You might seek it and not find it. Do your best.

[Nio]

The only praise Thai's ever give is to themselves.

They deserve everything, no one else deserves anything.

You are in a situation that will never change because no one cares.

You are just the next farang passing through.

If the excitement is gone, move on to something fresh and exciting.

To think in a Thai school you would ever be rewarded up and above a Thai? It is hard to believe after 3 years you still think that way.

Sad fact is we are all passing through life here, some 3 years, some 30 years and we will never be fully accepted same as a Thai

[Scott]

Recognition is an important part of any job as is feedback. Both help us. One makes us feel wanted and appreciated, the other helps us improve ourselves and set goals.

When working in a situation with little of either, you may have to build these in for yourself. Students can often give you both and it can be quite valid.

My experience has been very few thank yous and feedback which is essentially nothing more than negativity with little encouragement. Appreciation is sometimes shown, but it's not often spoken. And for some people it's hard to adjust to.

Don't try to compare yourself to other teachers--we have a number of teachers that I consider to lazy, but they really aren't. Teaching for them is an absolute breeze and they can fly through a lesson with grace, speed and elegance. Others work hard with mediocre results--but I see them as being on their way to better things.

Your post indicates that you are a good teacher because you have the qualities of questioning and insight. You are willing to change and to improve.

Thank you for being a teacher and thanks for posting. I am sure there are plenty in the same boat.

[NBD]

This mirrors my experience exactly. I worked in sales for about 5 years before coming to Thailand to teach and the rewards and recognition bear no comparisson. I'm not as in love with the job of teaching as you are, but I give it my all and I believe I do a good job. I do love the language and through teaching it have a better understanding of English than I did before.

My salary is actually well ahead of Thai teachers of similar experience, but compared to what I could be earning in the west, or even in Bangkok, it's peanuts. I expected that, but it does annoy me that no matter how well I do and no matter how long I stay I can't really get past the basic salary I started on. That's kind of unavoidable without being grossly unfair - any sort of commission/bonus based on results would either need the subjective opinion of an assessor, or the results of the students which are hugely influenced by other factors like their own motivation, the extent to which their parents can help, and whether or not the other Thai teachers think colouring in is more important. If I was rewarded by results I'd be fuming now, because my best M6 class are sitting round colouring in pictures and making paper flowers in preparation for their ceremonies tomorrow.

My fellow farang teachers are both decent guys and I get on well with them, but they do have episodes of extreme tardiness which pisses me off because it reflects badly on all of us. I blame this squarely on the hiring process - or lack there of - whereby pretty much anyone with a passport from an English speaking country can get a job via email.

I'm only just into my second term, but I am already starting to think teaching is not for me. It's a fun job now and again, with good students who want to learn, but for every day like that there's a good 2 weeks of frustration.

Have you thought of starting your own school? It occured to me, but I don't love teaching enough to give it everything, and like you I don't want to do a half arsed job. It seems to answer a lot of your problems though. Your rewards increase as your reputation and success gets you more students and higher fees, you choose your fellow teachers yourself, if any, and you get students who want to learn, or at the very least are aware that someone has paid good money for them to learn and will want them to make the most of it.

[Credo]

A friend and I started our own little school a long time ago. Later turned it over to another school that taught a different subject matter. It took time to build up a decent clientele, and it was a money maker. Unfortunately, it was also really a lot of work. Lot's of evenings and weekends. No holidays.

It also takes a special type of person to run their own business. You have be high energy and have a lot of motivation. I am happier being an employee than self-employed.

[Firelily]

Personally, I've had some horrible bosses and it always upset me when people who have no idea whatsoever tried to observe and assess my classes. I always appreciate that nobody is trying to tell me after 20 mins of observation how and what to do in a class where I spend 8 hours a day. It is a blessing to be left alone.... If I see that my kids are happy, their English is getting better, the parents don't find something to complain about day in day out, and there is a good team of colleagues who share ideas, discuss problems etc, that is all I need as positive feedback

[aussiebebe]

Hi, I think that in teaching, the OP should expect to feel the results of hard work at a much slower rate than in a sales job. Obviously. People of any age learn over time, it isn't going to be instant feedback like closing a deal.

If the OP is looking for enhanced remuneration, then obviously there are far better careers, but when I read;

It is an excellent school, and my head of department and my agency boss are both fantastic people

well, that's a career path mapped out right there: don't work for an agency who take a cut of your salary and do go and become head of department in another school if you want more money.

I share similar ideas to the OP's next summary; It is sobering when you meet much older people who are earning the same or less and it makes you think longer term, but there are opportunities;

Although I am definitely teaching for another year...it makes me question this as a long term plan because I just feel I need to get more out of my work. I couldn't do a job where I do not want to put my all in. But it is also hard putting a lot of effort in and ending up in the same position as people who put none.

Unlike the West, Thailand isn't very meritocratic, relationships are the deciding factor in who gets hired and who gets fired. Most foreigners struggle with this.

[Ijustwannateach]

The posts above regarding the relationship between skill and experience are apropos; it is hard to know how well you are doing something if you haven't been doing it long.

Aside from that, and especially if you are at a Thai school (rather than a true international school) you will have to set your own goals. Some examples:

1. If students from your school do go abroad to university, try to increase this number. Look at the test scores your students are getting on relevant standardised exams; attempt to improve them.

2. If they do not go abroad to university, but have a chance to go to the better universities here in Thailand, try to increase the numbers getting in to the top 5-10 universities in the country, or the top 2-3 in your region of Thailand- and pay attention to the tests and test scores given for those institutions.

3. If they usually do not have the chance to go to the better universities, try to increase the number who go to any university at all.

4. If most of them go straight into work, try to improve their chances to get better jobs.

5. If there is a dropout problem, try to increase the numbers who stay and finish M.6.

These would just be signs of academic success. You could make other sets of goals based on student self-esteem, or English ability, or pretty much anything else as long as it is related to what you are trying to do in the classroom and where the students are willing and able to go with their studies- but at any level of school, there is always a way to improve and set higher goals *somehow*. Good luck with it!

[mssabai]

Thanks very much for all the constructive replies. This is what I was looking for. I did not post this intending to moan about the Thai system or my wages etc, more about how I can personally get more from my job so that I can feel more forfilled. As I said I have great supportive bosses who show their appreciation to me. It is not about being told thank you, or getting a bonus, but more about having some personal goals to work towards.

Aussiebebe - I wasn't actually in a sales job, I was in a project management role which has a very clear process and goal and then an ensuing sense of accomplishment. I think this is what I miss. I enjoyed the way the pace moved from planning, and steady preparation into a frantic hairpulling frenzy and finally completion. Teaching is a much slower and steadier process where I guess I cannot expect to see results so obviously.

Ijustwannateach, you echoed what Scott and Peaceblondie seemed to be saying about setting myself my own goals. My problem with your suggestions is that I am teaching M1-M2...do you have any suggestions for personal goals I could set for this level?

I also think I am a little homesick at the moment, which is making me nitpick more than usual. My co-teachers are not bad people and are not always lazy. But I guess I feel that in another work environment I would be excelling in front of them through hard work (or maybe not, but at least I would have the chance to). The fact is I might not be a very good teacher, but there just doesn't seem to be any way of finding out either way in my current environment.

[Scott]

Setting goals for yourself needs to be done in the context of what you want to accomplish. They can rather small, such as coming up with a way to teach a certain concept about language. They can be larger.

The one I often work hard on with students is getting them to use the past tense. "What did you do last weekend?" and they reply "I go...." I feel a great deal of satisfaction when after weeks of it, they get it, and I don't mean on paper, but just say it naturally. Pick some things that you know they can master with help and that will make them much easier to understand.

As for yourself, try not to be too critical of yourself. If you are feeling homesick this will pervade how you view a lot of things, including your work. With Christmas and the holiday season coming up, you may need to be extra nice to yourself. Holidays can evoke emotions that are laying dormant.

Take care of yourself.

[kjhbigv]

You sound like a really good person. I am sure that one of those pupils that sit in front of you will make a difference one day. Hang in there! I know absolutely zero about teaching but I know that your efforts will be rewarded one way or another one day.