Teaching Internships

[loraporz]

Hi there,

Whilst on my hunt for teaching work in Thailand, I came across the idea of an internship.

What are your thoughts on these?

I've heard some good reviews of LoveTefl, but it's unfortunately an unpaid internship. While I'm aware most internships in Thailand are unpaid, I'm aware of a few who provide living costs at the least. If anyone knows of any, I'd really appreciate it.

I'm looking for internships which are preferably 2 months (possibly 6) as I have a current teaching position in the UK which I would be returning to after completion of the internship.

Serious replies only please

Thank you in advance,

L

[Mario2008]

An internship is part of an education and only as such would you not need a work permit.

[BruceMangosteen]

Scams here for NES's. You can call it that if you like but demand full wages. Otherwise, you will become the victim of a scam. The school and "agent" will split the money they claim from the M.of Ed. for your services. Same with some of the "volunteer" programs you read about. It's a wicked vicious circle you want no part of.

[Loaded]

Scams here for NES's. You can call it that if you like but demand full wages. Otherwise, you will become the victim of a scam. The school and "agent" will split the money they claim from the M.of Ed. for your services. Same with some of the "volunteer" programs you read about. It's a wicked vicious circle you want no part of.

A few errors in your post: schools pay wages; MEd supervises schools.

Job agencies in the West also get paid for their services. This is why they are called an agency. They connect schools, who can't find teachers, with teachers, who can't find jobs. Nobody is forced to use them. Nobody is forced to take their jobs.

Explain more why you think this is a 'scam'?

[BruceMangosteen]

Scams here for NES's. You can call it that if you like but demand full wages. Otherwise, you will become the victim of a scam. The school and "agent" will split the money they claim from the M.of Ed. for your services. Same with some of the "volunteer" programs you read about. It's a wicked vicious circle you want no part of.

A few errors in your post: schools pay wages; MEd supervises schools.

Job agencies in the West also get paid for their services. This is why they are called an agency. They connect schools, who can't find teachers, with teachers, who can't find jobs. Nobody is forced to use them. Nobody is forced to take their jobs.

Explain more why you think this is a 'scam'?

It's a scam because schools can and do hire people all the time at full wages, people with no experience and often without a college degree. The term "intern" and "volenteer" are often if not always a way to save money and scam the teacher. A probation of 60-90days is certainly normal but there isn't an "intern" program for Native English Speakers or Filipinos for that matter. It's all a scam, and most see through it. Your point is wrong about the limited role of the M.of Ed.. They approve the money, it's all about the money and not so much the qualifications and experience of the foreign teacher. I'm surprised so many have not caught on to this concept as it's played out each and every day.....

[Loaded]

Scams here for NES's. You can call it that if you like but demand full wages. Otherwise, you will become the victim of a scam. The school and "agent" will split the money they claim from the M.of Ed. for your services. Same with some of the "volunteer" programs you read about. It's a wicked vicious circle you want no part of.

A few errors in your post: schools pay wages; MEd supervises schools.

Job agencies in the West also get paid for their services. This is why they are called an agency. They connect schools, who can't find teachers, with teachers, who can't find jobs. Nobody is forced to use them. Nobody is forced to take their jobs.

Explain more why you think this is a 'scam'?

It's a scam because schools can and do hire people all the time at full wages, people with no experience and often without a college degree. The term "intern" and "volenteer" are often if not always a way to save money and scam the teacher. A probation of 60-90days is certainly normal but there isn't an "intern" program for Native English Speakers or Filipinos for that matter. It's all a scam, and most see through it. Your point is wrong about the limited role of the M.of Ed.. They approve the money, it's all about the money and not so much the qualifications and experience of the foreign teacher. I'm surprised so many have not caught on to this concept as it's played out each and every day.....

Your idea of a 'scam' is very different to mine.

You repeated that the Ministry of Education pays agencies. You are very confused. Schools (government and private) pay from their budgets. There have been some national pr initiatives by the government to bring teachers to rural schools organized through the British Council. This may have been paid by the MoED or by central government - I don't know - but agencies, and teachers, are paid by schools. You really do not know what you are talking about if you post this.

[BruceMangosteen]

Your idea of a 'scam' is very different to mine.

You repeated that the Ministry of Education pays agencies. You are very confused. Schools (government and private) pay from their budgets. There have been some national pr initiatives by the government to bring teachers to rural schools organized through the British Council. This may have been paid by the MoED or by central government - I don't know - but agencies, and teachers, are paid by schools. You really do not know what you are talking about if you post this.

It is you who we now suspect is shilling for the British Council, an "agency" as we all know.

I posted and repeated in correct context:

"The school and "agent" will split the money they claim from the M.of Ed. for your services."

Of course we all know the schools pay the agents and/or the teachers, but it is with money approved and budgetted by the M.of Ed..

The poster was asking about doing an internship here. I alerted him/her that it was a scam, he/she could get hired on as a real/regular "teacher" and that is that and that is true. Accepting no wage(volunteer) or greatly reduced wage is nothing but a scam the the school one way or another is pocketing the money along with the so called "agent" or if you prefer, "agency". Nothing wrong with working through an agency but get your money, they are certainly getting their's. Nice try my friend, but your color shines through. I know exactly what I'm talking about. I've seen it in person and talked with the so called "interns" and they all felt scammed. They were.

[zeichen]

If one is to volunteer for a school, that is fine but Mango in a sense is right. If there is an agent involved they are getting paid. I don't see why someone should be getting paid for someone else to volunteer. That does sound like a scam to me. However, there are many people that don't mind being scammed. Like that person who was charging 3k dollars to arrange for foreigners to stay at a Budhist temple for a month. Since it is actually free to do so, does seem to be quite bad making money off of people's generosity.

Agents in general will take a nice chunk of money placing teachers. I know in Korea a lot of teachers started becoming recruiters when the teaching market was drying up. I don't see a problem with that though. They are providing a service and can often help teachers get jobs quicker so you actually make more money than having 3-6 months of down time between gigs.

I think Mango is compiling a bunch of things into one lump sum though. There was a scam reported a year or 2 ago where some agency was taking 10-20k sa month from the teachers salary. The MOE alloted more money for a certain program in the rural areas, so the schools could hire better teachers. Salaries didn't increase though, only the profit for the agents.

[loraporz]

Thank you all for your input.

The reason I'm not looking at schools to hire me directly as a fully fledged teacher, is because I'm not in a position to commit to a year long contract at the moment.

I'm looking at internships because I want to get a feel for what it is like to teach in Thailand. I'm an EFL teacher in the UK looking to broaden my experiences and return to the UK to find a (hopefully) better paid teaching position due to my new experiences. It's also something I've always wanted to do. The longer I leave it, the less chance I have of doing it. An internship, I thought, would arrange my accommodation and school for me, and provide me with this teaching experience. I'm not doing it as a way to save money, I'm simply looking to gain teaching experience in a school (preferably in the south as i have family in Pattaya) for 1 - 2 months.

Thanks again for all your advice,

L

[Loaded]

Your idea of a 'scam' is very different to mine.

You repeated that the Ministry of Education pays agencies. You are very confused. Schools (government and private) pay from their budgets. There have been some national pr initiatives by the government to bring teachers to rural schools organized through the British Council. This may have been paid by the MoED or by central government - I don't know - but agencies, and teachers, are paid by schools. You really do not know what you are talking about if you post this.

It is you who we now suspect is shilling for the British Council, an "agency" as we all know.

I posted and repeated in correct context:

"The school and "agent" will split the money they claim from the M.of Ed. for your services."

Of course we all know the schools pay the agents and/or the teachers, but it is with money approved and budgetted by the M.of Ed..

The poster was asking about doing an internship here. I alerted him/her that it was a scam, he/she could get hired on as a real/regular "teacher" and that is that and that is true. Accepting no wage(volunteer) or greatly reduced wage is nothing but a scam the the school one way or another is pocketing the money along with the so called "agent" or if you prefer, "agency". Nothing wrong with working through an agency but get your money, they are certainly getting their's. Nice try my friend, but your color shines through. I know exactly what I'm talking about. I've seen it in person and talked with the so called "interns" and they all felt scammed. They were.

Why do you make things up?

[zeichen]

"The reason I'm not looking at schools to hire me directly as a fully fledged teacher, is because I'm not in a position to commit to a year long contract at the moment."

you do realize that you need a work permit and a proper visa and not a tourist visa to do this. So a school will need to go through the same commitment.

I think that you should just find a school in the area that you are staying. Shadow a classroom for a few weeks, help the teacher do some lessons and activities and perhaps doe some special project with them.

2 months is just a waste of time for you and the students. You will just get a glimpse and won't really help your development. You might be better just going to different schools from poor rural schools, city government schools, private schools. Examine the bilingual model classes, english only programs and the traditional classes where kids see native speakers for 1-2 days a week for oral communicationvand a Thai teacher for all other aspects of language

[bundoi]

The easiest way to do it legally do it is to come over mid March for 2 months and work in the Summer Camps aka English Camps that many schools run during the end of year break.

You will also have the fun of Songkran.

[loraporz]

"The reason I'm not looking at schools to hire me directly as a fully fledged teacher, is because I'm not in a position to commit to a year long contract at the moment."

you do realize that you need a work permit and a proper visa and not a tourist visa to do this. So a school will need to go through the same commitment.

Hi there,

Yes I realise I'd need to sort out longer than a 60 day visa but as I have family over there it's possible to get help doing that.

I can't take a year because of my current job unfortunately.

[loraporz]

The easiest way to do it legally do it is to come over mid March for 2 months and work in the Summer Camps aka English Camps that many schools run during the end of year break.

You will also have the fun of Songkran.

Cheers bundoi,

Will look into that. And yes, April! Been over a few times visiting family over Songkran in the past. Will never forget my mother's face after her make up was quickly splashed off while our Baht bus was stopped in traffic. Ha.