International School Teachers

[Introspection]

i'm off to do my pgce in primary next year and a year or two after it i hope to move ot thailand to work in an internationals school.

how does it differ to a uk school? are you still putting in the 50 hour + weeks people do over here or is it less/more work? any advice for someone wanting to embark on this kind of career?

[COBBER]

i'm off to do my pgce in primary next year and a year or two after it i hope to move ot thailand to work in an internationals school.

how does it differ to a uk school? are you still putting in the 50 hour + weeks people do over here or is it less/more work? any advice for someone wanting to embark on this kind of career?

One big differance is it helps to get a job as a teacher here if your an alchohloic.

[petecooper]

I imagine that developing sound spelling and grammar skills would be good advice for anyone embarking on a teaching career.

[samran]

moving this to the teaching forum. You'll get better qualified answers there.

Just a note, good interantional schools here won't hire anyone without a couple of years work experience in their own countries, so plan on 3 years training plus 4 or 5 years teaching back home.

[Thaiboxer]

International schools here will occassionally hire farangs who are already living here, provided they are qualified but the salaries on offer are MUCH lower than if they recruited you from the UK. Also, many of the international schools here will work you like a slave, so be prepared. If you don't mind the stress, the money (by Thai standards) is very good.

[PeaceBlondie]

I may not be much help on this one, but that never keeps me from commenting.

There are tiers of international schools in Thailand, many with tears. Some follow a UK curriculum, and other schools follow a USA system. Enrollment is supposed to have only a limited number of Thais. In some cases, nothing is as it appears to be. In theory, they are the best schools in Thailand, and they actively recruit at job fairs for certified teachers in their home country. They're well above the usual public (government, free) schools all over Thailand who merely want a TEFL teacher to really teach intensive English to serious students who might pay extra to be in an English program. Teachers for international schools are far more qualified than most EFL teachers, and probably have taught professionally in the home country after becoming fully qualified there.

Established EFL teachers might make 40,000 to 55,000 baht per month. True, top-tier intern'al schools might pay 80,000 to 120,000.

[Ijustwannateach]

The reports are true; they take their pound of flesh. Detailed lesson plans on every lesson (which, remember, is NOT the same lesson taught to 20 different groups like in TEFL, this is subject teaching!); constant duty periods spent in discipline and monitoring areas of the school; loads of detailed evaluation and paperwork. The pay may be double on average, but the work is, too.

"Steven"

[Introspection]

i suspected the workload was the same as back in uk if not more so thanks for clearing that up.

the other thing that seems a bit uncertain is how much experience you actually need to get these jobs?

the minimum is normally pgce with 2 years after it to be considered, but realistically will i get a job after 2 years? would i be better coming over and working in tefl for a year or 2 after and trying to get a local hire position? i just don't think i could handle spending 5 years postgrad working in the uk!

[samran]

Based on what people tell me who are teachers, working at an (good)International school is actually easier than back home. Not that you don't still work hard, but you are provided with lots of assistance such as TA's that you wouldn't get at home and the kids tend to be better behaved, making the job easier. The facilities are second to none as well.

[Introspection]

Thanks for all the advice.

I've posted this question on other forums but maybe you guys can help too.

I've missed the deadline to get into the pgde this year so i kinda have a year on hand. I'd thought of doing an MEd in TESOL thinking it would help me to get jobs at these schools when i'm applying. I know the language we teach is in english but it might prove i understand the needs of ESL students in the class. would such a qualification help me get these jobs ya think or a lot of effort for nothing?

[kenkannif]

Is possible to get work at the TOP Int. schools without a PGCE or specific teaching qual....pretty much down to the interview.

Just had a chap get a job at the Regents with an unrelated Ba and Ma and a TEFL on top (he's teaching EFL)....so worth trying!!!

[paully]

I've missed the deadline to get into the pgde this year so i kinda have a year on hand. I'd thought of doing an MEd in TESOL thinking it would help me to get jobs at these schools when i'm applying. I know the language we teach is in english but it might prove i understand the needs of ESL students in the class. would such a qualification help me get these jobs ya think or a lot of effort for nothing?

I suspect it'll be effort for nothing. I don't think an MEd in TESOL will add anything to your PGDE, but a couple of years in the UK post-PGDE will.

[Introspection]

I've missed the deadline to get into the pgde this year so i kinda have a year on hand. I'd thought of doing an MEd in TESOL thinking it would help me to get jobs at these schools when i'm applying. I know the language we teach is in english but it might prove i understand the needs of ESL students in the class. would such a qualification help me get these jobs ya think or a lot of effort for nothing?

I suspect it'll be effort for nothing. I don't think an MEd in TESOL will add anything to your PGDE, but a couple of years in the UK post-PGDE will.

well a few others have said similar things, basically that a 4 week TEFL might help me but an MEd isn't really worth the effort unless i'm wanting to go into TESOL as a career.

[paully]

I've missed the deadline to get into the pgde this year so i kinda have a year on hand. I'd thought of doing an MEd in TESOL thinking it would help me to get jobs at these schools when i'm applying. I know the language we teach is in english but it might prove i understand the needs of ESL students in the class. would such a qualification help me get these jobs ya think or a lot of effort for nothing?

I suspect it'll be effort for nothing. I don't think an MEd in TESOL will add anything to your PGDE, but a couple of years in the UK post-PGDE will.

well a few others have said similar things, basically that a 4 week TEFL might help me but an MEd isn't really worth the effort unless i'm wanting to go into TESOL as a career.

[paully]

If you've got time on your hands, you might want to do an MEd in an aspect of teaching research/methodology. More useful than one in Tesol IMO.

[alice]

Is possible to get work at the TOP Int. schools without a PGCE or specific teaching qual....pretty much down to the interview.

Just had a chap get a job at the Regents with an unrelated Ba and Ma and a TEFL on top (he's teaching EFL)....so worth trying!!!

Yeah, but he's been employed as an assistant and will be paid accordingly. The teaching staff were actually horrified that someone without teaching qualifications was employed, even as an assistant, but he was interviewed by the new head who thought an MA meant he must know how to teach. It was a mistake that won't happen again.