Negativity About English Teachers In Thailand On Here?

[SteeleJoe]

To talk about OPs original topic i do think this negativity come from the farang who live here and do nothing, they will make fun of a person who need to work and earn money in Thailand, laugh and call him poor pretend english teacher who have to live on 20k baht per month.

On the other side i must say i do find funny,everytime talking to farang and he go on and on on about how much thai people respect teacher in society

YES but this respect for thai teacher ONLY, definately not for farang as many grow up with learning falang are stupid, and no good

Really the average Thai student respect farang teacher about as much as the soi dog turd he have to walk over on street

What do you do for a living here? You seem to know a lot about Thai students!

I had a very similar question: you speak in such broad terms and with such casual authority -- where and how did you come by this knowledge of Thai attitudes and contemporary Thai culture?

Edited November 9, 2012 by SteeleJoe

[tingtongtourist]

To talk about OPs original topic i do think this negativity come from the farang who live here and do nothing, they will make fun of a person who need to work and earn money in Thailand, laugh and call him poor pretend english teacher who have to live on 20k baht per month.

On the other side i must say i do find funny,everytime talking to farang and he go on and on on about how much thai people respect teacher in society

YES but this respect for thai teacher ONLY, definately not for farang as many grow up with learning falang are stupid, and no good

Really the average Thai student respect farang teacher about as much as the soi dog turd he have to walk over on street

What do you do for a living here? You seem to know a lot about Thai students!

I had a very similar question: you speak in such broad terms and with such casual authority -- where and how did you come by this knowledge of Thai attitudes and contemporary Thai culture?

to answer the last few question to me.I been here long enough to know thai language and understand what Thais do say when they think the farang cannot understand them

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I was out in Ang Thong last week and a cousin of my girlfriend is a teacher there.She said she had talked to her bosses and wanted to know if I'd be interested in teaching kids english in the school.I told her I didn't have any qualifications for teaching but she said it wouldn't be a problem.Just sit in a classroom for 4 hours a day and get paid 30,000 bhat a month.Surely things can't be that messed up over here,that any old joe soap can teach english in a Thai school ?.

Surely they can and are.

Just make sure to get it in writing about those hours, most make you show up at say 7:15 and expect you to stay past 3pm, sometimes late into the evening if something's going on, no special treatment compared to the Thai teachers.

[SteeleJoe]

To talk about OPs original topic i do think this negativity come from the farang who live here and do nothing, they will make fun of a person who need to work and earn money in Thailand, laugh and call him poor pretend english teacher who have to live on 20k baht per month.

On the other side i must say i do find funny,everytime talking to farang and he go on and on on about how much thai people respect teacher in society

YES but this respect for thai teacher ONLY, definately not for farang as many grow up with learning falang are stupid, and no good

Really the average Thai student respect farang teacher about as much as the soi dog turd he have to walk over on street

What do you do for a living here? You seem to know a lot about Thai students!

I had a very similar question: you speak in such broad terms and with such casual authority -- where and how did you come by this knowledge of Thai attitudes and contemporary Thai culture?

to answer the last few question to me.I been here long enough to know thai language and understand what Thais do say when they think the farang cannot understand them

Interesting. I've been here nearly 3 decades (some of it as a teacher) and have been quite proficient in Thai for most of that time -- and yet I would never have written, said or thought what you have (in the quoted post).

The ol' paranoid myth of "what Thais say when they think the farang cannot understand them" ...as I said on another thread not long ago, funnily enough the only people I ever hear talking about that are people who don't speak Thai*.

*I'm not so naive as to think Thais never badmouth Farang or that there aren't some who are anti-Farang. (Just as there are Farangs who badmouth other Farangs and/or Thais and are anti-_____.) Nor am I one of those fools who idealize Thais and refuse to think they could ever be unkind or less than admirable. It's just not been my experience that Thais sit around saying nasty things about Farang or even spend much time thinking about them.

Edited November 9, 2012 by SteeleJoe

[tingtongtourist]

To talk about OPs original topic i do think this negativity come from the farang who live here and do nothing, they will make fun of a person who need to work and earn money in Thailand, laugh and call him poor pretend english teacher who have to live on 20k baht per month.

On the other side i must say i do find funny,everytime talking to farang and he go on and on on about how much thai people respect teacher in society

YES but this respect for thai teacher ONLY, definately not for farang as many grow up with learning falang are stupid, and no good

Really the average Thai student respect farang teacher about as much as the soi dog turd he have to walk over on street

What do you do for a living here? You seem to know a lot about Thai students!

i do not work here but i did live with thai family for many months some time ago.One time i remember i was asking a child about her english lesson at school and the farang teacher,one thing she did ask if every farang english teacher must first be a drunkard before being teacher as every farang she ever see in her school is like this

[mancub]

Having witnessed a Tefl trainer trying to convey to a class of 10 yr olds that the verb being used was in the "past " tense , by playing a charade of pointing over his shoulder for 10 mins ...and only succeeding in making them think he was impersonating the safety demo of an airline stewardess..............my personal conclusion was that it would have been far more beneficial to all concerned, if he'd simply used very basic Thai to make the point !

Still ,it used up a good part of the lesson !

[SteeleJoe]

To talk about OPs original topic i do think this negativity come from the farang who live here and do nothing, they will make fun of a person who need to work and earn money in Thailand, laugh and call him poor pretend english teacher who have to live on 20k baht per month.

On the other side i must say i do find funny,everytime talking to farang and he go on and on on about how much thai people respect teacher in society

YES but this respect for thai teacher ONLY, definately not for farang as many grow up with learning falang are stupid, and no good

Really the average Thai student respect farang teacher about as much as the soi dog turd he have to walk over on street

What do you do for a living here? You seem to know a lot about Thai students!

i do not work here but i did live with thai family for many months some time ago.One time i remember i was asking a child about her english lesson at school and the farang teacher,one thing she did ask if every farang english teacher must first be a drunkard before being teacher as every farang she ever see in her school is like this

Ah, well. There you have it. With your knowledge and experience you should write a book (about the Thai attitudes towards bilingual education and foreign teachers).

Edited November 9, 2012 by SteeleJoe

[TommoPhysicist]

I would broadly agree with both of you.

Tingtong in the big cities.

SteelJoe in the small cities and more rural areas.

[Vinny1967]

I was out in Ang Thong last week and a cousin of my girlfriend is a teacher there.She said she had talked to her bosses and wanted to know if I'd be interested in teaching kids english in the school.I told her I didn't have any qualifications for teaching but she said it wouldn't be a problem.Just sit in a classroom for 4 hours a day and get paid 30,000 bhat a month.Surely things can't be that messed up over here,that any old joe soap can teach english in a Thai school ?.

Surely they can and are.

Just make sure to get it in writing about those hours, most make you show up at say 7:15 and expect you to stay past 3pm, sometimes late into the evening if something's going on, no special treatment compared to the Thai teachers.

I don't think I'd be taking the job.I was just a bit surprised that they asked me to work there and that they'd be willing to employ someone without any qualifactions.Ah well I suppose they just see it as someone who speaks english.Don't matter where they're from,as long as they can teach the kids a few words.

Almost forgot this detail.When I asked why they wanted me,they said that the other local school was more expensive but didn't have any english teachers,so they wanted to use me to lure new students to the school.Bloody bizzare

[chiangmaikelly]

Having witnessed a Tefl trainer trying to convey to a class of 10 yr olds that the verb being used was in the "past " tense , by playing a charade of pointing over his shoulder for 10 mins ...and only succeeding in making them think he was impersonating the safety demo of an airline stewardess..............my personal conclusion was that it would have been far more beneficial to all concerned, if he'd simply used very basic Thai to make the point !

Still ,it used up a good part of the lesson !

Now this is true. And funny. I mean really funny if you think about it.

[tingtongtourist]

Steel joe, yes i agree what you do say in the last lines.

really I dont see direct hate or very nasty words directing to farang but there is some very discreet words they use and certain way they will say that tell their real message and what they want to speak.

when the few times i hear something that is hidden negative it did shock me enough to ask...why you think like this?

many times the answer is same..that ...... (someone else) tell them

[tingtongtourist]

To talk about OPs original topic i do think this negativity come from the farang who live here and do nothing, they will make fun of a person who need to work and earn money in Thailand, laugh and call him poor pretend english teacher who have to live on 20k baht per month.

On the other side i must say i do find funny,everytime talking to farang and he go on and on on about how much thai people respect teacher in society

YES but this respect for thai teacher ONLY, definately not for farang as many grow up with learning falang are stupid, and no good

Really the average Thai student respect farang teacher about as much as the soi dog turd he have to walk over on street

What do you do for a living here? You seem to know a lot about Thai students!

i do not work here but i did live with thai family for many months some time ago.One time i remember i was asking a child about her english lesson at school and the farang teacher,one thing she did ask if every farang english teacher must first be a drunkard before being teacher as every farang she ever see in her school is like this

Ah, well. There you have it. With your knowledge and experience you should write a book (about the Thai attitudes towards bilingual education and foreign teachers).

OK i will send you copy

[poanoi]

Having witnessed a Tefl trainer trying to convey to a class of 10 yr olds that the verb being used was in the "past " tense , by playing a charade of pointing over his shoulder for 10 mins ...and only succeeding in making them think he was impersonating the safety demo of an airline stewardess..............my personal conclusion was that it would have been far more beneficial to all concerned, if he'd simply used very basic Thai to make the point !

Still ,it used up a good part of the lesson !

Now this is true. And funny. I mean really funny if you think about it.

You have a twisted sense of humor,

but very well, so do i

[Neeranam]

Steel joe, yes i agree what you do say in the last lines.

really I dont see direct hate or very nasty words directing to farang but there is some very discreet words they use and certain way they will say that tell their real message and what they want to speak.

when the few times i hear something that is hidden negative it did shock me enough to ask...why you think like this?

many times the answer is same..that ...... (someone else) tell them

In some parts of the country, especially Isarn the older people will say to kids something like "if you don't eat your dinner the farang will come and get you".

When I was young my grandmother used to say a similar thing, except replacing farang with another 'bad' word.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Almost forgot this detail.When I asked why they wanted me,they said that the other local school was more expensive but didn't have any english teachers,so they wanted to use me to lure new students to the school.Bloody bizzare

Not at all, even the government schools are actually run as little private businesses, just as government departments are money-spinning businesses for the bureaucrats that have purchased the franchise.

The only real function of the farang teacher is to make the boss look good and to help the school market itself to parents who have to pay extra under the table, the better the reputation the more money the corrupt administrators make.

Very few people above the actual teachers actually care about the education of the youngsters.

[bobbysamuels]

I teach at a tutoring franchise and we are sent out to do business work shops and teach at schools. I agree with those who say that the public schools are rubbish and that most teachers are just dopey idiots who turn up hung over, but there are a lot of us who actually do a very good job. My GF teaches at a college and has a class of 30 students who always arrive 30 minutes late for a 1 hour lesson once a week. She can only teach them with the amount of time she is given. Plus the fact that they only have one class a week and then walk out and don't bother putting it into practice. It's not always the teachers fault, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

Where as in private tutoring companies that cost an arm and a leg to do, i feel that most students are actually on the right track as long as they want to learn and put it in to practice once they leave.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I teach at a tutoring franchise and we are sent out to do business work shops and teach at schools. I agree with those who say that the public schools are rubbish and that most teachers are just dopey idiots who turn up hung over, but there are a lot of us who actually do a very good job. My GF teaches at a college and has a class of 30 students who always arrive 30 minutes late for a 1 hour lesson once a week. She can only teach them with the amount of time she is given. Plus the fact that they only have one class a week and then walk out and don't bother putting it into practice. It's not always the teachers fault, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

Where as in private tutoring companies that cost an arm and a leg to do, i feel that most students are actually on the right track as long as they want to learn and put it in to practice once they leave.

Although we disagree about issues of sexual morality, I can tell you one very important thing for your TEFL career after fourteen years here, mostly spent in the various sectors of that business.

You are far far too qualified to work for that outfit, and you can do much much better, and not just financially. They are famous for being close to the bottom of the barrel in the commercial sector.

Edited November 9, 2012 by BigJohnnyBKK

[bobbysamuels]

I teach at a tutoring franchise and we are sent out to do business work shops and teach at schools. I agree with those who say that the public schools are rubbish and that most teachers are just dopey idiots who turn up hung over, but there are a lot of us who actually do a very good job. My GF teaches at a college and has a class of 30 students who always arrive 30 minutes late for a 1 hour lesson once a week. She can only teach them with the amount of time she is given. Plus the fact that they only have one class a week and then walk out and don't bother putting it into practice. It's not always the teachers fault, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

Where as in private tutoring companies that cost an arm and a leg to do, i feel that most students are actually on the right track as long as they want to learn and put it in to practice once they leave.

Although we disagree about issues of sexual morality, I can tell you one very important thing for your TEFL career after fourteen years here, mostly spent in the various sectors of that business.

You are far far too qualified to work for that outfit, and you can do much much better, and not just financially. They are famous for being close to the bottom of the barrel in the commercial sector.

really? that is very good to know.

well its short term i really want to use my criminology and psychology for something here but really struggling in finding something in that field

[BigJohnnyBKK]

really? that is very good to know.

well its short term i really want to use my criminology and psychology for something here but really struggling in finding something in that field

May be possible I don't know, but certainly harder than this:

Get your relatives to help with the paperwork to set up a training business, find a local with top academic credentials to front for you, get some decent salespeople - base maybe 5K per month, 10% commission, telesales group to set up appointments for them and pitch your services directly to the corporate market.

There are starving farang by the score at dirt cheap rates as you know to do the actual teaching if you prefer to stick to the business side, that market doesn't require actual qualifications, just low corporate-level appearance and presentation skills and a professional manner.

Like shooting fish in a barrel, you'll be able to sell the biz and retire within a decade.

[bobbysamuels]

really? that is very good to know.

well its short term i really want to use my criminology and psychology for something here but really struggling in finding something in that field

May be possible I don't know, but certainly harder than this:

Get your relatives to help with the paperwork to set up a training business, find a local with top academic credentials to front for you, get some decent salespeople - base maybe 5K per month, 10% commission, telesales group to set up appointments for them and pitch your services directly to the corporate market.

There are starving farang by the score at dirt cheap rates as you know to do the actual teaching if you prefer to stick to the business side, that market doesn't require actual qualifications, just low corporate-level appearance and presentation skills and a professional manner.

Like shooting fish in a barrel, you'll be able to sell the biz and retire within a decade.

thanks for that

but i was hoping to not actually teach at all and work as a criminologist or psychologist since i'm only planning to be here for a year or two.

but very good tip, i'll definitely look into it

[maxme]

Steel joe, yes i agree what you do say in the last lines.

really I dont see direct hate or very nasty words directing to farang but there is some very discreet words they use and certain way they will say that tell their real message and what they want to speak.

when the few times i hear something that is hidden negative it did shock me enough to ask...why you think like this?

many times the answer is same..that ...... (someone else) tell them

Perhaps if you tried to mingle in the educated circles you would see the light of day.

[chiangmaikelly]

really? that is very good to know.

well its short term i really want to use my criminology and psychology for something here but really struggling in finding something in that field

May be possible I don't know, but certainly harder than this:

Get your relatives to help with the paperwork to set up a training business, find a local with top academic credentials to front for you, get some decent salespeople - base maybe 5K per month, 10% commission, telesales group to set up appointments for them and pitch your services directly to the corporate market.

There are starving farang by the score at dirt cheap rates as you know to do the actual teaching if you prefer to stick to the business side, that market doesn't require actual qualifications, just low corporate-level appearance and presentation skills and a professional manner.

Like shooting fish in a barrel, you'll be able to sell the biz and retire within a decade.

thanks for that

but i was hoping to not actually teach at all and work as a criminologist or psychologist since i'm only planning to be here for a year or two.

but very good tip, i'll definitely look into it

Probably should take a local course first. You have to get the move in the photo down pat before you can start on Thai Criminology 102.

[chonabot]

t, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

I'm sorry but have you been to every school in Thailand?

How can you possibly come up with such a sweeping statement?

[chiangmaikelly]

t, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

I'm sorry but have you been to every school in Thailand?

How can you possibly come up with such a sweeping statement?

I think it is because he is 23 years of age. You know everything at 23. I was in Thailand when I was 23. Knew everything about it. Less now.

[maxme]

t, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

I'm sorry but have you been to every school in Thailand?

How can you possibly come up with such a sweeping statement?

I think it is because he is 23 years of age. You know everything at 23. I was in Thailand when I was 23. Knew everything about it. Less now.

So that means we shouldn't trust anything you say now or?

[james5121]

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 )

I thought the whole point of shacking up with a girl half your age (or in my case third my age ) was to moan OMG.

[BookMan]

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 )

I thought the whole point of shacking up with a girl half your age (or in my case third my age ) was to moan OMG.

Are we talking about a moan of joy? Or a moan of bitterness?

[chiangmaikelly]

t, but yes the majority of the teachers are very bad who don't give a crap.

'm sorry but have you been to every school in Thailand?

How can you possibly come up with such a sweeping statement?

I think it is because he is 23 years of age. You know everything at 23. I was in Thailand when I was 23. Knew everything about it. Less now.

So that means we shouldn't trust anything you say now or?

You can probably trust it. I would imagine I am better informed than you.

[bermondburi]

A lot of people could be jealous. I put my kids into a bilingual program at a well know private school that has about 30 schools in Thailand. The teachers there, if they had been there for a few years were all on 50,000 + a month. With work on the side a lot of them were on 60-70 a month. That is probably more than a lot of retirees get. To get the proper retirement visa you have to have 65,000 a month. Many people stat just on a marriage visa or by showing a lump sum in the bank. Teachers in an international school could be on 150+ with full benefits

Sent from my GT-P1000T using Thaivisa Connect App

[BigJohnnyBKK]

A lot of people could be jealous. I put my kids into a bilingual program at a well know private school that has about 30 schools in Thailand. The teachers there, if they had been there for a few years were all on 50,000 + a month. With work on the side a lot of them were on 60-70 a month.

My receptionist earned more than that fifteen years ago.

The fact that that's considered a decent wage for what teachers have to put up with here is sad.

Sure wish I was making that much ATM 8-)