Teacher Transition From Thai Pvt School To Inter'Ntl School

[doontp]

I have been teaching at a Thai private school for almost 4 years and I am now thinking about applying for a teaching position at an international school.

I was told that a heavier workload comes along with a better salary. I was also told that education is taken much more seriously and I would be looking forward to it.

Can anyone describe their experience in transitioning to an international school from a Thai private school?

Is the workload heavier? Have you ever had to stay after school to get work completed on a timely basis?

Had you ever had to bring work home such as marking papers and/or checking exams, in order to meet a deadline?

Any other positives/negatives?

[Tyrellius]

You should check this thread out. Might answer a few of your questions.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/558070-workload-at-international-schools/

[culicine]

Are you a qualified teacher, PGCE, Grad Dip Ed, or BEd? Without at least one of those it would be difficult to even get a look in at the better international schools. Even though I have been in a private Thai school over 10 years, and have a Grad Dip Ed, I could not even get an interview at second tier schools - Most good schools also want home country teaching experience.

[quandow]

I lucked out having a skill that (surprising to me!) no one else wanted to apply. I teach guitar at several international schools, a day or two here and there. Before that, I was teaching full time at a private Thai school, so I have seen both sides of these systems. At the Thai school, the APPEARANCE of teaching was the goal. Absolutely NO student failed, we had to see to that. Schedules were recommendations and vacation dates were never to be trusted. At the international schools, quite the contrary - student education is taken quite seriously, schedules are rock solid and teachers are expected to maintain a high level of professionalism. Hope that helps.

Edited July 1, 2012 by quandow

[culicine]

I lucked out having a skill that (surprising to me!) no one else wanted to apply. I teach guitar at several international schools, a day or two here and there. Before that, I was teaching full time at a private Thai school, so I have seen both sides of these systems. At the Thai school, the APPEARANCE of teaching was the goal. Absolutely NO student failed, we had to see to that. Schedules were recommendations and vacation dates were never to be trusted. At the international schools, quite the contrary - student education is taken quite seriously, schedules are rock solid and teachers are expected to maintain a high level of professionalism. Hope that helps.

So in an international school, a student consistently fails subjects (or is considered much below expected standard). What happens with that student? There will be much pressure to promote this student to the next grade due to the enormous expense of these schools.

Actually, current rules in Thai schools is that they do NOT need to promote students to the next grade level. In the past, parents consent was required to keep a student in a grade level, but that is not the case now. We have had several repeat a grade, and a number preferred to leave the school rather than repeat.

[LucidLucifer]

I lucked out having a skill that (surprising to me!) no one else wanted to apply. I teach guitar at several international schools, a day or two here and there. Before that, I was teaching full time at a private Thai school, so I have seen both sides of these systems. At the Thai school, the APPEARANCE of teaching was the goal. Absolutely NO student failed, we had to see to that. Schedules were recommendations and vacation dates were never to be trusted. At the international schools, quite the contrary - student education is taken quite seriously, schedules are rock solid and teachers are expected to maintain a high level of professionalism. Hope that helps.

So in an international school, a student consistently fails subjects (or is considered much below expected standard). What happens with that student? There will be much pressure to promote this student to the next grade due to the enormous expense of these schools.

Actually, current rules in Thai schools is that they do NOT need to promote students to the next grade level. In the past, parents consent was required to keep a student in a grade level, but that is not the case now. We have had several repeat a grade, and a number preferred to leave the school rather than repeat.

There is no failure of sorts to prevent a child from moving from one year to the next, the only time it really happens in the UK is if the child is SEN or EAL, and would benefit by staying in the year below.

Each child is given a National Curriculum level; that is the level that they have achieved and are working at. Appropriate differentiation and support will then be given to that child, that could be due to them under achieving, or excelling. It's all about personalised learning, not about passing and failing.

[think_too_mut]

... The better schools recruit almost exclusively from abroad and offer 'foriegn hire' contracts, which are loaded with all the benefits mentioned above and much more. If you are a qualifed teacher (usually meaning that you are licensed in your home country) you would seriously be selling yourself short if you accepted a local hire contract anywhere.

My daughter is in full blown International school in Japan. Just compared the prices with Bangkok Pattana school.

What is for her 800,000THB for next year in Japan, it's 600,000THB at BKK Pattana.

One thing, the classes in Japan always have 2 teachers: class owner, a native speaker, professional teacher with experience from their native country + assistant teacher, a Japanese national bilingual or excellent English, also a professional and certified teacher.

The class last year had 12 students (went to 14) and 2 teachers. Always. So daily duties of a teacher are shared, the assistant doing home work checking and all the admin tasks.

One of the teachers told me that they are "a chain of people" who circulate around the world and their next post will see them inheriting furniture and fittings from the teacher who is leaving for another place. People out of the chain can step in but will be fully certified and experienced teachers from 1 of 7 (only those 7) English speaking countries.

Can't imagine a local, unless going for assistant teacher and native Japanese, could break in.

Salaries are not significantly higher than in their native countries (~40-50K US$ a year) but housing and opportunity to put their own children into the school for 30% of the price and get them out of the creaking US education is a great boon. 4 times 3 years and their kids are at Uni age.

Edited July 10, 2012 by think_too_mut