Been Offerred Teaching Work- How Much Salary Is Fair?

[jayinoz]

I have been offerred teaching work in a countryside school, approx 120km south of CMai. My duties will be to teach Science, Maths and English to High School students 12yo to 18yo.

<FONT size=3 face="Arial Black">I have a BA and TESOL. Plus a few years experience back in Australia teaching Migrants in Aussie. I know a reasonable amount of the Thai language to get my point across to them, yet the Science and Maths students are to be taught in English at the request of the Director of the school.

The director tells me they pay all their teachers per week. Most people in this forum quote monthly rates, yet from what I know most pay weekly. As you could not wait a month to be paid if only living off a teachers income. Luckily I do not simply live off the teaching income yet should be paid what is considered a FAIR rate for my skills.

I know they could low ball me with 8-10000bt per week (Novice rate), yet would like to get near 20000bt per week. What are my chances?

A few experienced teachers I have spoken too seem to agree that no one will get near 20000 every week to start, unless Private Uni, or you been head hunted, etc OR more commonly you have been with them a number of years already.

What would your expectations be seeing as the school has approached you for employment? Yet have not offerred a salary to date? They have requested I make presentatons to the school on certain important topics to evaluate my skills and they have been very happy.

:jap:Thanks Ajan's

Edited August 1, 2010 by jayinoz

[Loaded]

120 km south of Chiang Mai = Lampang

Highly unlikely you'll get the rates you mentioned. 25-35,000 baht per month is realistic.

20,000 baht = £400. Unlikely you would earn that per week teaching in the UK with your qualifications so not sure why you feel it would be a fair wage here.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Loaded

[Scott]

I don't know of any schools that actually pay by the week. Per month, 25-35,000 would be a standard wage for a good school. A lot pay less.

Best of luck.

[aidenai]

AFAIK on average.

Government EPs 25,000 - 35,000 THB/ month

Private School EPs 25,000 - 40,000 THB/ month

International Schools 55,000 - 120,000 THB/ month

[otherstuff1957]

I've never heard of anyone here being paid weekly. All of my jobs - even the part-time ones - are monthly. As for getting 80K/month, unless you are teaching at an International School or are working 2 jobs, it just isn't going to happen.

Most upcountry teachers earn about 25 - 35K per month, which is why I live in Bangkok!

[jayinoz]

All of you were correct- the Director was dismayed at my request for 20,000bt every week. And yes they pay only monthly. And yes the most they are prepared to offer is either a 1 year contract of 35,000bt pm (40 hr pw) max with free housing or 350bt ph casual.

80K bt was completing out of the question. The free housing are run down houses that are not worth much, plus have my own house here anyway- but they still not willing to increase wage even if not wishing for free house.

As I did not really wish for a full time position, as teaching is not my career. Stockbroking is my trade, yet the financial crisis temporarily put an end to making serious money with 50+ clients on Wall St. I have retained only approx. 15 clients once heading OS and need approx. 4-5 hours daily to service their needs.

So have signed on for 350 bt per hour (Approx 15 hrs pw) for No 1 reason to stop the boredom from analysing so many annual reports, No 2 intergrate better into Thai society via language and culture skills No 3 being more social in an active learning environment, No 4 some extra cash apart from the highs and lows of the stockmarket. As I only receive a 5% commision on stocks as long as I outperform the market Av. by over this amount. Which is harder to do than you may think, even for the very experienced.

Naturally you will never get rich from teaching in any country... I only thought I could get approx. 80K bt pm as I had heard of others who get more than this. They must have been paid by International schools, as I think the 2 guys mentioned this in the fitness centre in BKK a few years ago. Yet my school near lampang is not an International school, it is a private school with 2200 High School students.

Lamphun is only 30km south of CMai. Lampang is approx. 100km, so it just outside this area.

Anyway International schools are the highest paid for the full on career orientated teachers, which is not me. Even with a good amount of education, and experience you need to really be in the know with people AND I am told many have PHDs and live and breath teaching. So i will not be striving to get to the 6 figure bt amount at anytime. As I listed my priorities above in the order I see them.

I am used to teaching older teenage to young adults in Uni, so High school came as a little bit of a shock. Especially the 12-16 yo boys, many are a pain in the butt- yet I guess i was just as bad 18 odd years ago.

Naturally better pay in BKK, lower in CMai by approx. 30% I have found then countryside comes in less again. Countryside should try to attract better teachers IMO- in the Lampang and Lamphun provinces there are only 6 High Schools listed as World class stardard I am told. 2 in lampang and 4 in Lumphun. These ones would offer better pay, I got told all the names yet cannot remember them.

I think this salary listing is correct for BKK ONLY;

AFAIK on average.

Government EPs 25,000 - 35,000 THB/ month

Private School EPs 25,000 - 40,000 THB/ month

International Schools 55,000 - 120,000 THB/ month

Forget International schools unless you in the know with wealthy farangs and rich thai. Plus you have a PHD in Education I am told. There is definately a reason why these teachers get paid multiple amounts as the rest of us. The Farang teachers would be considered top class teachers in their homeland as well. Well done to any teachers whom achieve these sorts of wages in a low paying country for teachers.

Anyway not all of us do it for the money, yet a good wage is an extra incentive to do better I have found. I suspect on my current wage I it will be lower on my priority list for work, as I have other commitments that I need to support my immediate and extended families on. Not a lot is left over at the end of each month. 80K bt would have been a nice little extra earner, as the stock market continues to struggle to gain momentum.

Cheers for all the replay guys and girls.... :jap:

[jayinoz]

AFAIK on average.

Government EPs 25,000 - 35,000 THB/ month

Private School EPs 25,000 - 40,000 THB/ month

International Schools 55,000 - 120,000 THB/ month

Hi Aiden,

Where did you get these figures from- I cannot find them on the teaching authority of Thailand website?

Is anyone willing to state whether they have been able to get work with an International school with less than a Masters or PHD?

What did you do to gain entry into the much higher paid International school system? I gather once you are in the system you will always demand the much higher pay.

I suspect most get headhunted from other schools when they hear of a very good teacher from a Private or government school. Then make them an offer.

Anyone been headhunted? Are their more exclusive agencies that get you into the international school system for a price.

As i suspect the teaching system will follow in the same vain as most other business I have experienced in Thailand and other Asian countries. Money talks.

Maybe worth paying a large fee for a placement as your return on investment may be fairly short.

i was amazed to hear an American 25yo needed to pay an agency 100,000bt simply to be placed in a government school for only 20,000bt pm. And he is required to work from 8am to 4pm Mon-Fri. Plus put a weekend trip every month ofr such a small figure. He said once he factors in all his prep work he is working 60 hours per week. For the tiny sum of 5000bt per week. 1000bt per day for 6 to 7 classes, sometimes a full day of 8. Naturally a government school, he saids he is then made to feel bad because the Thais and Philopinos get less for the same work, Very poor deal, naturally he got work elsewhere for more. Even though he was on a 1 year contract. he saids he losses he 100,000bt,

Has anyone heard of Farangs paying an agency 100,000bt to be placed into crap paying jobs- surely not. I only heard this today and I was absolutely shocked.

Edited August 4, 2010 by jayinoz

[Phatcharanan]

International Schools 55,000 - 120,000 THB/ month

Is anyone willing to state whether they have been able to get work with an International school with less than a Masters or PHD?

What did you do to gain entry into the much higher paid International school system? I gather once you are in the system you will always demand the much higher pay.

As i suspect the teaching system will follow in the same vain as most other business I have experienced in Thailand and other Asian countries. Money talks.

Yes. Have a BA and PGCE although currently studying for an MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics (Joint degree)

The 'true' Internationals require home country teacher certification (generally) and experience teaching your home-countries curriculum. Depends on the position you are applying for of course.

Agencies that act for the good Internationals take their commission from the school, not the applicant and even then it is only if the applicant is successful.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Phatcharanan

[jayinoz]

International Schools 55,000 - 120,000 THB/ month

Is anyone willing to state whether they have been able to get work with an International school with less than a Masters or PHD?

What did you do to gain entry into the much higher paid International school system? I gather once you are in the system you will always demand the much higher pay.

As i suspect the teaching system will follow in the same vain as most other business I have experienced in Thailand and other Asian countries. Money talks.

Yes. Have a BA and PGCE although currently studying for an MA TESOL and Applied Linguistics (Joint degree)

The 'true' Internationals require home country teacher certification (generally) and experience teaching your home-countries curriculum. Depends on the position you are applying for of course.

Agencies that act for the good Internationals take their commission from the school, not the applicant and even then it is only if the applicant is successful.

So their is the 'pretend' internationals then... that just name themselves as such.

What is the PGCE?

Sounds like the BA and PGCE solely got you into the international school. Plus your working experience back in home country.

Sounds like some teachers simply get transferred to run the branch in Thai. I am sure many get more than 120K bt if this is the case.

So the rest of us with other degrees and standard TESOL with experience may have a chance at 2nd tier Internationals I guess- maybe being 50K bt pm. If you know of people in the school already- right place right time, etc. 2nd tier International will be the highest you can hope for- IMO. I was way off the mark thinking I could request towards 80K bt pm with my qualifications and experience. Still do not think I am worth as little as 35K bt pm or 350bt casual rate. Very low.

[Taro]

I don't think you can get 50,000 outside of Bangkok with just a BA. So even 50,000 is aiming too high.

[Phatcharanan]

So their is the 'pretend' internationals then... that just name themselves as such.

What is the PGCE?

Sounds like the BA and PGCE solely got you into the international school. Plus your working experience back in home country.

The PGCE is Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Generally required by the UK in order to achieve Qualified Teacher Status which would allow you to teach in UK state maintained schools (the public system)

The PGCE is a requirement if your degree is in any subject other than Education.

I am not saying that the 'other school' is a 'pretend' International but obviously some have different academic standards than others.

[jayinoz]

Persoanlly I think the qualifications may help you into certain positions but when you are IN. Then it is all you.

This goes for any profession. I seen PHDs who would always be my subordinate when I was an IT Manager several years ago. As some simply work far harder, better leaders, organisers, etc. So once you get into a school whether you have only a TESOL, BA or the highest PHD on earth it is all you after that fact.

But yes in gaining the work the qualifications matter to a degree, even more is the people you know IMO. Plus like it or not the way you look and your presentation plays a large part.

Thus why many backpackers have trouble finding work above 200bt ph unless brought a suit and all prepared. They the only ones who will take the 200bt ph jobs however.

[aidenai]

Where did you get these figures from- I cannot find them on the teaching authority of Thailand website?

Looking at adverts on teaching websites and experience.