Negativity About English Teachers In Thailand On Here?

[Chittychangchang]

There seems to be a lot of negative comments on here about English teachers in Thailand.

Personaly i think it's commendable and rewarding to teach in a foreign country, I intend to try it myself at some point in my future.

I don't understand the negativity on here, would someone care to enlighten me.

Thanks

CCC

[sms747]

Many are not really qualified, oh but we all know you don't have to be to be a great teacher right. Many do it just as a way to stay and enjoy themselves here and do not really care much about what they are actually doing, and in some cases that is more harm than good. They will tell you how much the School and kids love them but then move onto another one within a few months, or even weeks. If they were doing a good job how come the Thai kids are so poor in English, sure the education system is to blame, but then 'teachers' with crappy qualifications and the wrong motives hardly help matters. There are some good ones, but far more bad 'uns.

Edited November 6, 2012 by sms747

[krisb]

Ive never heard any....

Teachers are cool.

Hey ever remember the scene from the movie "Stripes" with Bill Murray?

Best scene ever when his mate teaches English...gold!

[krisb]

Many are not really qualified, oh but we all know you don't have to be to be a great teacher right. Many do it just as a way to stay and enjoy themselves here and do not really care much about what they are actually doing, and in some cases that is more harm than good. They will tell you how much the School and kids love them but then move onto another one within a few months, or even weeks. If they were doing a good job how come the Thai kids are so poor in English, sure the education system is to blame, but then 'teachers' with crappy qualifications and the wrong motives hardly help matters. There are some good ones, but far more bad 'uns.

Demand out weighs supply....simple.

[ThaiRich]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives. They live here for any of several reasons. They didn't plan for the future and in a small village in Thailand is the only place they can afford to live. 2) They couldn't find a woman in their own country, so they come here and use their money to get and keep a woman and she and her family are a constant drain on his finances. 3) Some people are just hateful and bitter and criticize anything and everything they can. And there are some people on this forum that can only feel good about themselves if they are belittling someone else.

[krisb]

Found it! Edited November 6, 2012 by krisb

[ThaiRich]

Found it!

I had forgotten all about this. hahahaha

[Shot]

Ive never heard any....

Teachers are cool.

Hey ever remember the scene from the movie "Stripes" with Bill Murray?

Best scene ever when his mate teaches English...gold!

Funny stuff

Edited November 6, 2012 by Shot

[barefoot1988]

a restaurant owner told me he dont like backpackers and teachers. btw he seems to be offended at me for ordering a promotion meal with just mineral water instead of the typical sugary beverages or alcohol and he is assuming me to be either a backpacker or a teacher. eventually i got really pissed off and did a stupid move by giving him a 1000 baht note for a 200 baht meal and asked him to keep the change

Edited November 6, 2012 by barefoot1988

[thaicbr]

Found it!

Nothing wrong with that. He got them relaxed and involved

sent from my Q6

[thaicbr]

a restaurant owner told me he dont like backpackers and teachers. btw he seems to be offended at me for ordering a promotion meal with just mineral water and assuming me to be either a backpacker or a teacher.

Thai or Foreign restaurant owner?

sent from my Q6

[ThaiRich]

Found it!

Nothing wrong with that. He got them relaxed and involved

sent from my Q6

AND THEY LEARNED SOME ENGLISH...It is an English class and all of the students in the class learned some English. I would say he is a dam_n good teacher.

[krisb]

Found it!

Nothing wrong with that. He got them relaxed and involved

sent from my Q6

AND THEY LEARNED SOME ENGLISH...It is an English class and all of the students in the class learned some English. I would say he is a dam_n good teacher.

Not as good as when he became a soldier with Bill Murray, John Candy and Sgt.Hulka...

Sorry Chitty, off topic. But gold.

[tullynagardy]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives.

I`ve really noticed this, the Issan forum especially. So many people simply not happy with "their lot." They deal with this by trying to belittle others and drag them down also.

I think the sight of a normal 22 year old having the time of his life teaching is almost sickening to some fat old guy who feels trapped in a foreign country, with nothing but death to look forward to.

[theslime]

Geez I know a few (Teachers) of English and they are bigger Drinkers than my PissHead Mates. They have no Money so must make ends meet to stay here in an Oven of a Room and guts the Local Whiskey. <deleted> eating.

[thaicbr]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives.

I`ve really noticed this, the Issan forum especially. So many people simply not happy with "their lot." They deal with this by trying to belittle others and drag them down also.

I think the sight of a normal 22 year old having the time of his life teaching is almost sickening to some fat old guy who feels trapped in a foreign country, with nothing but death to look forward to.

Your attitude is a bit off as well... I'm a fat old guy having the time of his life teaching.. who's happy not to be trapped in my home country

[ThaiRich]

Not as good as when he became a soldier with Bill Murray, John Candy and Sgt.Hulka...

Sorry Chitty, off topic. But gold.

dam_n it Krisb. Now I'm digging through my DVD's looking for this so I can watch it tonight.

[ThaiRich]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives.

I`ve really noticed this, the Issan forum especially. So many people simply not happy with "their lot." They deal with this by trying to belittle others and drag them down also.

I think the sight of a normal 22 year old having the time of his life teaching is almost sickening to some fat old guy who feels trapped in a foreign country, with nothing but death to look forward to.

Your attitude is a bit off as well... I'm a fat old guy having the time of his life teaching.. who's happy not to be trapped in my home country

No it's not. I said and he quoted "many people (NOT ALL).. I am fat and old and I am having a great time here teaching and I wish I would of done it 30 years ago.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives. They live here for any of several reasons. They didn't plan for the future and in a small village in Thailand is the only place they can afford to live. 2) They couldn't find a woman in their own country, so they come here and use their money to get and keep a woman and she and her family are a constant drain on his finances. 3) Some people are just hateful and bitter and criticize anything and everything they can. And there are some people on this forum that can only feel good about themselves if they are belittling someone else.

And some people that match any and all of the above also happen to be teachers.

Personally I think a lot of it is simply the same socio-economic snobbery many complain about wrt the Thais. Teaching isn't a respected nor well-paid profession back in many of our home countries (more fools us), and here the average rates of pay are less than what many Thai professionals make.

When I tell people my whole household manages on a total food budget of B140-170 per day, the reaction is more often disdain rather than admiration.

Finally many many people teaching here would rather work at anything else, even for less money if they could manage to find the work, but they just can't seem to manage to do so.

Definitely bottom of the pecking order in this chicken yard.

PS truly qualified-back-home schoolteachers working for the top dozen or so international schools here make 3-8 times what the TEFL (English-language) ones do, plus a full expat package, sometimes pretty generous too, so therefore gain a bit of respect, but still a long way down from the professional corporate expat.

[ThaiRich]

^{Another good example of an excellent English teacher is Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam.}

^{He taught those people all the cuss words in one lesson..}

[DP25]

If they were doing a good job how come the Thai kids are so poor in English, sure the education system is to blame, but then 'teachers' with crappy qualifications and the wrong motives hardly help matters.

Most Thai children are not taught by foreigners. Have you ever spoken to a typical Thai English teacher? The ones that are teaching the students most of the time? If you don't speak Thai, don't bother, because they don't speak English. There are plenty of unqualified foreign teachers in Thailand, but an unqualified native speaker is a major improvement over the majority of Thai English teachers who do not even speak the language they are teaching.

[mrtoad]

The thing is there's are good and bad ones, same as anywhere else. I have a few teacher friends in Bangkok, they all work very hard and are dilligent about their work,have worked at the same school for over 5 years, and are generally settled here in stable relationships. They are TEFLers for clarification. I also have a few of my old university mates working here at the International schools, and other than qualifications and salary, they are no different.. Yes, they like a few beers at the weekend, but they are certainly no different in the way that they behave than many expats in cushy jobs. I have seen plenty of well paid expats acting far, far worse.

English Teachers are just to easy to bash, for a number of the keyboard warriors here, who are probably tucking into a Chang at10am, while these guys are out working.

[dean999]

I understand where your coming from. I have noticed a lot of hate on here. I don't mind a bit of banter but some people just can't help but bash everything from bar girls to brits and even take it as far as bashing spelling.

I've started to come on TV less and less because of it.

[ThaiRich]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives. They live here for any of several reasons. They didn't plan for the future and in a small village in Thailand is the only place they can afford to live. 2) They couldn't find a woman in their own country, so they come here and use their money to get and keep a woman and she and her family are a constant drain on his finances. 3) Some people are just hateful and bitter and criticize anything and everything they can. And there are some people on this forum that can only feel good about themselves if they are belittling someone else.

And some people that match any and all of the above also happen to be teachers.

Personally I think a lot of it is simply the same socio-economic snobbery many complain about wrt the Thais. Teaching isn't a respected nor well-paid profession back in many of our home countries (more fools us), and here the average rates of pay are less than what many Thai professionals make.

When I tell people my whole household manages on a total food budget of B140-170 per day, the reaction is more often disdain rather than admiration.

Finally many many people teaching here would rather work at anything else, even for less money if they could manage to find the work, but they just can't seem to manage to do so.

Definitely bottom of the pecking order in this chicken yard.

PS truly qualified-back-home schoolteachers working for the top dozen or so international schools here make 3-8 times what the TEFL (English-language) ones do, plus a full expat package, sometimes pretty generous too, so therefore gain a bit of respect, but still a long way down from the professional corporate expat.

Well, I guess it's a dam_n good thing I am not here to be respected. I'm having a great time teaching. I live in a nice house fully air conditioned, with UBC gold and internet connection all paid for by the school. Plus 30,000 a month in salary for 15 teaching hours. If I'm not in a schedule class I am not required to be at school, which means 2 days a week I am finished by 11am. Oh yeah and 3 months off a year completely paid. I am here because it is a dam_n good life and I had gotten tired of the 60 hour work week in the west.

[ThaiRich]

I understand where your coming from. I have noticed a lot of hate on here. I don't mind a bit of banter but some people just can't help but bash everything from bar girls to brits and even take it as far as bashing spelling.

I've started to come on TV less and less because of it.

Well they can bash the bar girls and the brits all they want. But leave my spelling alone.

[tullynagardy]

but still a long way down from the professional corporate expat.

I think if we heard this kind of snobbery towards teachers from someone working in say Morgan Stanley in BKK, it would be slightly more understandable. It tends to eminate mostly from older guys, "i`v e lived hear so long I`m nearly a local" types, usually shacked up in a sleepy village with a girl half their age.

Of course I`m stereotyping slightly but definetly true to a certaion extent.

Ps I`m not a teacher and nothing wrong with living in Issan with a young girl (as long as you dont moan about it :-p )

Edited November 6, 2012 by tullynagardy

[ThaiRich]

but still a long way down from the professional corporate expat.

I think if we heard this kind of snobbery towards teachers from someone working in say Morgan Stanley in BKK, it would be slightly more understandable. It tends to eminate mostly from older guys, "i`v e lived hear so long I`m nearly a local" types, usually shacked up in a sleepy village with a girl half their age.

Of course I`m stereotyping slightly but definetly true to a certaion extent.

Ps I`m not a teacher and nothing wrong with living in Issan with a young girl (as long as you dont moan about it :-p )

Truer words have never been spoken.

[StreetCowboy]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives. They live here for any of several reasons. They didn't plan for the future and in a small village in Thailand is the only place they can afford to live. 2) They couldn't find a woman in their own country, so they come here and use their money to get and keep a woman and she and her family are a constant drain on his finances. 3) Some people are just hateful and bitter and criticize anything and everything they can. And there are some people on this forum that can only feel good about themselves if they are belittling someone else.

So they come on here to denigrate their fellows by way of generalisation.

The embarrassing thing is that I'm so naive I actually think you were being serious.

SC

[Quickmill]

a restaurant owner told me he dont like backpackers and teachers. btw he seems to be offended at me for ordering a promotion meal with just mineral water instead of the typical sugary beverages or alcohol and he is assuming me to be either a backpacker or a teacher. eventually i got really pissed off and did a stupid move by giving him a 1000 baht note for a 200 baht meal and asked him to keep the change

A bit OP, Barefoot you are not a backpacker neither a teacher but you teach me a good selling Technic.......I will say, "you can't buy my coffee machine because you can't afford it right?........... sbamm cash on the table

Back to the OT I knew some teachers and ALL are good guys, well prepared and with proper reference, the problem are the programs teaching system of the different schools which often did not allow to these teachers to show their capacity

[ThaiRich]

Because many people(NOT ALL) on this forum are very unhappy with their lives. They live here for any of several reasons. They didn't plan for the future and in a small village in Thailand is the only place they can afford to live. 2) They couldn't find a woman in their own country, so they come here and use their money to get and keep a woman and she and her family are a constant drain on his finances. 3) Some people are just hateful and bitter and criticize anything and everything they can. And there are some people on this forum that can only feel good about themselves if they are belittling someone else.

So they come on here to denigrate their fellows by way of generalisation.

The embarrassing thing is that I'm so naive I actually think you were being serious.

SC

I must be hitting the nail on the head. More people agree with me than disagree with me.