Satree Phuket School

[Daren]

I'm applying for a job at Satree Phuket School and I was just wondering if any one here can give me some information, either first hand or otherwise. It's a very large school, but what about its reputation? I have worked at a large EP in Nakhon Si Thammarat for the past 4 years so I have some idea of what it might be like, I'd just like some specifics.

Thanks folks!

[Somtamnication]

They are always looking for teachers (hint). As with Kajonkiet, Darasamoot and Tai Hua, they are slave drivers. The admin work is ridiculous, long hours and the students are not motivated. They also may ask you to hand over your passport for keeps.

Good luck.

[TryAgain]

They are always looking for teachers (hint). As with Kajonkiet, Darasamoot and Tai Hua, they are slave drivers. The admin work is ridiculous, long hours and the students are not motivated. They also may ask you to hand over your passport for keeps.

Good luck.

What utter rubbish. The school has never kept passports, the teachers have lots of holiday and free time, and most of the students are fantastic. Sure, like all Thai schools it has its problems, but nothing like the ones you mention.

I don't know much about Thai Hua but teachers I know from Darasamoot are fairly happy with their jobs. Satree is trying to recruit teachers at the moment, and to write such a poor report that is wholly untrue is frankly unhelpful for teachers looking for work and students that need good teachers.

[markg]

They are always looking for teachers (hint). As with Kajonkiet, Darasamoot and Tai Hua, they are slave drivers. The admin work is ridiculous, long hours and the students are not motivated. They also may ask you to hand over your passport for keeps.

Good luck.

What utter rubbish. The school has never kept passports, the teachers have lots of holiday and free time, and most of the students are fantastic. Sure, like all Thai schools it has its problems, but nothing like the ones you mention.

I don't know much about Thai Hua but teachers I know from Darasamoot are fairly happy with their jobs. Satree is trying to recruit teachers at the moment, and to write such a poor report that is wholly untrue is frankly unhelpful for teachers looking for work and students that need good teachers.

Agreed. Utter rubbish. I know teachers from Darasamut, Satree and Thai Hua and all of them, on the whole, are happy with their lot. Admin work is kept to a minimum (lesson plans and grading students), working day is 7.45 to 4.30. No weekend work unless HM King and Queen's birthday celebrations are at the weekend in which case teachers attend the ceremony at SapanHin.

Kajonkiet is another story but then this is a thread about Satree.

I've never worked there but i've heard many good things about the place. The teachers i know are professional and motivated.

Yes students in ALL schools worldwide are going to be unmotivated some of the time. Some children just are..........

[Somtamnication]

Markq, you are the admin for the Stamford program at Tai Hua. What a surprise, a happy post about Thai Hua!!

Satree is always recruiting and it has nothing to do with "happy" teachers at the school.

To the OP, good luck. Not all are as bad as Kajonkiet, but beware. Ask the right questions (12 month contract? What is the turnover rate of the foreign teachers? Will you have to work for 3 months ILLEGALLY until probationary period is over? If the school is raided by the police, how will the school protect you during those long 3 months?)

[markg]

Markq, you are the admin for the Stamford program at Tai Hua. What a surprise, a happy post about Thai Hua!!

No i'm not.

Satree is always recruiting and it has nothing to do with "happy" teachers at the school.

To the OP, good luck. Not all are as bad as Kajonkiet, but beware. Ask the right questions (12 month contract? What is the turnover rate of the foreign teachers? Will you have to work for 3 months ILLEGALLY until probationary period is over? If the school is raided by the police, how will the school protect you during those long 3 months?)

To the OP. You have to understand that schools employing TEFL people often employ a number of oddballs and misfits. Those people often havent fitted in with life in the West, and often don't gel with teaching in the East either.

You certainly do have to ask the right questions. Also ask to speak to a number of current teachers if possible. Certainly ask what their turn-over rate is - but understand that the turn-over rate with TEFL is high everywhere. It's the nature of the business. People leave for loads of reasons - and not just because the school is bad. Darasamut have just lost a few long term respected members of staff - all for personal reasons. Nothing to do with the school.

I personally know of no school that has teachers working illegally through their probationary period. New teachers come on a type B visa and the schools submit the paperwork for the work permit. This can take 2 months. The delay is with the labour office and not with the schools.

There is no realistic way around this from a schools point of view.

I know a number of teachers at Satree and they are all happy and have been there 12 + months.

Hope this helps.

[Somtamnication]

And while they are waiting for the 2 month blue book to be issued, THEY ARE WORKING illegally, even with the wp3 receipt. You just contradicted yourself, Mark.

Did not know you left Thai Hua. Thanks for the correction.

[markg]

And while they are waiting for the 2 month blue book to be issued, THEY ARE WORKING illegally, even with the wp3 receipt. You just contradicted yourself, Mark.

Did not know you left Thai Hua. Thanks for the correction.

I don't really know what your point is in relation to Satree Phuket.

ALL schools operate under the Phuket labour office machinations. You earlier implied that it was the SCHOOLS who were purposefully allowing teachers to work for 3 months illegally and that the schools were bad for doing so.

In fact, the delay is with the labour department.

How should schools get around this then? What's your suggestion? Hire someone and let them sit at home on 'gardening leave' for 2 or 3 months whilst labour get round to issuing the work permit?

It's unrealistic.

You appeared to be advising the OP "Will you have to work for 3 months ILLEGALLY until probationary period is over? "

This is just how it is with schools in Phuket. It's not the schools' fault. There is NO benefit to the school in having someone on the premises with no work permit -quite the opposite in fact.

A school can fire someone within the probationary period with a work permit.

I don't know what you're getting at.

Let us know which schools can hire someone on the Monday and have the work permit by the end of the week.

You're not the guy who holds the ignominious trophy of being fired from all 3 schools are you? If you are then the OP should take your advice with a pinch of salt and speak to teachers at any of the schools mentioned who have worked there for 12 months or more.

There was also a thread within the teaching in Thailand forum some time ago from labour in BKK to say that it wasnt illegal as the delay was with the labour office.

[Somtamnication]

Again, it does not mean that they are working legally, as you stated, while waiting for the work permit (if it was even applied for in the first place).

And you should know, that whatever one govt. office says in one province, is absolutely worthless in another.

The OP should ask many questions before accepting any offer at all mentioned schools, period.

No trophy on my mantelpiece for head English teacher at Tai Hua!

[steelepulse]

Pistols at dawn between you two? Why the animosity somtam?

[Somtamnication]

I just hate hypocrites.

I will not hijack the OP´s thread. To the OP, please ask lots of questions. ´nuff said.

[Somtamnication]

Good luck to the OP.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Somtamnication

[makavelithedon]

Darren,

It's run of the mill. Nothing more, nothing less.

As for the rest; wide negative aspersions as to other teachers who work in Thailand, incorrect legal positions, cheap shots on motivation and that one person's view of a school can be vastly different to another for a multitude of reasons. I think the posters said more about themselves than Satree Phuket.

Take where you worked previously for some length of time and expect it to be more or less the same!

Edited March 22, 2010 by makavelithedon

[NickD]

To anyone wanting to teach in Phuket, each school has its pros and cons, so just dive in and sink or swim and have a Plan B ready if things don't work out.

If you've got a multi-entry visa, be wary that you'll probably get a single entry non-B to go with your work permit, which ties your long term stay in Thailand to your work permit - lose that, and you lose your visa... Caveat emptor and all that.

[napalm]

Pistols at dawn between you two? Why the animosity somtam?

:cheesy:

[Somtamnication]

This thread has 9 lives, like a freegin´ cat. That was in March, and now is August. Old news.

Any news from the current teachers at this oh so wonderful school?