what time should the esl teacher leave school?

[crickets]

I have seen some teachers come and go as they please during the day and some leave at 4.00 on the dot.when is it appropriate to go home at a govt school. Is it different for foreign and thai teachers?

[aidenai]

Depends on the school policy. At my school both foreign and Thai teachers have to be at school at 7:45 h and can leave after 16:10 h.

Friends of mine are teaching at another school in town but have to be at school at 08:00 h but don't have to be on the premises when not teaching.

[CindyB]

I volunteer at the local public school, which is a 5-minute bicycle ride from my home. I have a very goofy schedule, split shifts, etc. That schedule seems to change monthly. I'm present 5 minutes before class begins and leave at the end of class. One afternoon I have two classes in a row Just have to move classrooms. If they want me at school 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. the four days a week I volunteer, they would have to start paying me a LOT and give me a desk to work from and some supplies to work with, too. Our current arrangement works well for all of us.

[SlyAnimal]

Yeah it varies depending on the school

e.g. I had a friend who was teaching at a school in Lampang, and he wasn't even meant to leave the school grounds at lunch time (And it was compulsory that he pay the school x amount per month to have his lunch provided, regardless of whether he wanted it or not, and he couldn't/wouldn't eat about half of the dishes they selected).

By comparison, the school I was working at in RoiEt, allowed us to leave whenever we didn't have class.

Likewise, some schools require teachers to sign in and out during the school holidays, some require just once per week, some require the teachers to sign in/out every day, and others not only require them to sign in/out, but also to be present at the school during the holidays from 8am - 4pm, although a lot also can just go on holiday during the holidays.

Sometimes the rules which apply to Thai and Foreign teachers are different, and sometimes they're the same, a lot depends on the relationship between the school and the Foreigner, as well as the school's expectations. As Technically Thai teachers should be present from 8am - 4pm, including most of the holidays, and this should technically also apply to foreign teachers as well (The teachers then need to apply for annual leave over the school holidays if they want to not come in to school). However many/most schools are more relaxed than this, and allow their teachers a lot more leeway, particularly foreign teachers.

Apparently a lot of this stems from the fact that other professions / branches of government previously complained about how many holidays teachers had, and so Taksin's government* changed their policy in regards to how much time off teachers should have. It still hasn't caught on at a lot of schools though, since I don't think it was a popular change.

* That's based on what my wife told me a few years back, She could be wrong (Or I might have just remembered it incorrectly).

[garrya]

Why not fulfil your contractual obligations? I guess your expected leaving time is written down.

[SlyAnimal]

Why not fulfil your contractual obligations? I guess your expected leaving time is written down.

What's in the contract, and how these are interpreted, differ depending on the school. Teachers who leave school between classes, are still fulfilling their contractual obligations, based on the interpretation of them which the school/employees are using.

[jhwest]

Yeah they do come and go as they please and none other than one Phillipine male teacher at the High School in Danmakhamtia.

Sometimes can not be bothered to turn up on time, yet gets a contract.

[crickets]

I tend to feel bad when i walk out of school early occasionaly but some other farang teachers do it all the time. Thai teachers dont do it but im not sure what they think about the farangs doing it. I get the feeling its why they treat us as below them. Example wai kruu day. Farlangs are told to just stand out the back and watch.

[inzman]

One school I worked at, we were encouraged to go home in the middle of the day for a nappy. Can't beat that.

[NoshowJones]

One school I worked at, we were encouraged to go home in the middle of the day for a nappy. Can't beat that.

What?? You mean there isn't a toilet in the school.

[gerry123]

One school I worked at, we were encouraged to go home in the middle of the day for a nappy. Can't beat that.

a nappy ??how do you mean a nappy change??

[attrayant]

Why not fulfil your contractual obligations? I guess your expected leaving time is written down.

This. I don't know why they bother with writing up such a detailed contract that clearly states our expected start and stop-work times, then as soon as we sign it, we're asked if we wouldn't mind coming in 45 minutes early on Mondays and Fridays, and couldn't we stay an extra 30 minutes on Wednesday to attend the staff meeting (that's never in English).

[otherstuff1957]

At most schools I've taught at teachers were supposed arrive by 7:30 to 8:00 and leave at 4:00 to 4:30. However, all of those schools were 'open campuses' for teachers and we were/are able to leave for lunch or to do a bit of shopping.

[simon43]

If you have to ask when it is appropriate to go home, then maybe you are in the wrong profession.

- You attend the school according to the hours in your contract. (What other teachers do is not relevant)

- You arrive early or leave late, as is required to complete your workload.

Jeez, teachers who are out the door at 30 seconds past bell time p*ss me off

[crickets]

What time can esl teacher leave? When ever they want to of course.

[Too]

Hello!

It depends upon the school and the contract you've signed with them.

I started teaching about 5 months ago when I had only 7 classes a week and got paid by the hour.

And I started teaching 10 classes a week this term but was still paid by the hour.

However, I finally got a Non-B visa last month and then have started to get paid by the month now.

I was also paid for 3 days I took off work for a visa run to Vientiane.

So now I have been requested by the school to get there by 7am every Monday to meet the kids

but I can go to school a half hour before my 1st class starts and leave there right after my last class

is over on the other days, though I could go to school a half hour before my 1st class began and

leave there right after my last class was over every day. The Thai teacher have not been very happy

with me about it, but I don't care about it because I haven't been treated like all the other teachers yet.

We have the other foreign teacher, who has 18 classes a week, must go to school by 7am on one of the

days of the week and by 7:45am on the other days, and remain there till 4pm every day like all the Thai

teachers.

You should talk to your school director about it.

[lostinisaan]

If you have to ask when it is appropriate to go home, then maybe you are in the wrong profession.

- You attend the school according to the hours in your contract. (What other teachers do is not relevant)

- You arrive early or leave late, as is required to complete your workload.

Jeez, teachers who are out the door at 30 seconds past bell time p*ss me off

You wrote in brackets that it's not relevant what other teachers are doing.

But your last sentence makes me wonder. I hope that you're not the head teacher of a school who's monitoring others when they go home, call everybody, even the janitors "Ajarn" and sweep the classrooms tidy, just to show them how involved you are.

Perhaps you should mind your own business, because also the Thai teachers at our school have to wait until 4.30 (if there's no meeting). Students already leave school at 3.30.

Most of our Thai teachers are waiting at the scanner to sign out at 4.30. Is there something wrong with them?

Good teachers who work hard should have enough time for family and friends. Don't you think so?

Edited February 3, 2015 by lostinisaan

[simon43]

I hope that you're not the head teacher ...

I have been the KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster, all in the space of a few years.

I clearly had a different upbringing to you. Regardless of the job, salary etc, you stay until the job is done for that day.

I have zero time for clock-watchers - it usually indicates a lazy individual who has no real interest in the job.

[casualbiker]

I hope that you're not the head teacher ...

I have been the KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster, all in the space of a few years.

I clearly had a different upbringing to you. Regardless of the job, salary etc, you stay until the job is done for that day.

I have zero time for clock-watchers - it usually indicates a lazy individual who has no real interest in the job.

Or someone that is efficient and doesn't NEED to stay any later!

Also many here have been at the same school while you have been "getting the job done as a KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster" for the last few years!

Edited February 4, 2015 by casualbiker

[lostinisaan]

I hope that you're not the head teacher ...

I have been the KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster, all in the space of a few years.

I clearly had a different upbringing to you. Regardless of the job, salary etc, you stay until the job is done for that day.

I have zero time for clock-watchers - it usually indicates a lazy individual who has no real interest in the job.

Or someone that is efficient and doesn't NEED to stay any later!

Also many here have been at the same school while you have been "getting the job done as a KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster" for the last few years!

Reminds me of a "three in one" shop in Ubon.

You can have a coffee, got a chick satisfying your needs, while you're looking for the right type of gun, they're selling. P.S. I won't tell you where the shop is.

Wait, maybe I will, if you're also a three in one teeechaaa.

[lostinisaan]

I hope that you're not the head teacher ...

I have been the KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster, all in the space of a few years.

I clearly had a different upbringing to you. Regardless of the job, salary etc, you stay until the job is done for that day.

I have zero time for clock-watchers - it usually indicates a lazy individual who has no real interest in the job.

Which leaves an important question.

What/who are you now? Hopefully not one of these "lazy individuals". Is it possible to make a TVF member to a Headmaster?

Or maybe THE Supreme Commander of the teaching forum? Please mods.....

[casualbiker]

I hope that you're not the head teacher ...

I have been the KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster, all in the space of a few years.

I clearly had a different upbringing to you. Regardless of the job, salary etc, you stay until the job is done for that day.

I have zero time for clock-watchers - it usually indicates a lazy individual who has no real interest in the job.

Which leaves an important question.

What/who are you now? Hopefully not one of these "lazy individuals". Is it possible to make a TVF member to a Headmaster?

Or maybe THE Supreme Commander of the teaching forum? Please mods.....

He's a hotel owner! Third one now ohhh and third wife I believe. So if a jobs worth doing ..... and all that!

Actually I quite like Simon's threads .. down to earth and entertaining :-D

[samsensam]

Hello!

It depends upon the school and the contract you've signed with them.

I started teaching about 5 months ago when I had only 7 classes a week and got paid by the hour.

And I started teaching 10 classes a week this term but was still paid by the hour.

However, I finally got a Non-B visa last month and then have started to get paid by the month now.

I was also paid for 3 days I took off work for a visa run to Vientiane.

So now I have been requested by the school to get there by 7am every Monday to meet the kids

but I can go to school a half hour before my 1st class starts and leave there right after my last class

is over on the other days, though I could go to school a half hour before my 1st class began and

leave there right after my last class was over every day. The Thai teacher have not been very happy

with me about it, but I don't care about it because I haven't been treated like all the other teachers yet.

We have the other foreign teacher, who has 18 classes a week, must go to school by 7am on one of the

days of the week and by 7:45am on the other days, and remain there till 4pm every day like all the Thai

teachers.

You should talk to your school director about it.

visa run? does that mean you're working here illegally?!

someone should talk to your school director about that!

[casualbiker]

Hello!

It depends upon the school and the contract you've signed with them.

I started teaching about 5 months ago when I had only 7 classes a week and got paid by the hour.

And I started teaching 10 classes a week this term but was still paid by the hour.

However, I finally got a Non-B visa last month and then have started to get paid by the month now.

I was also paid for 3 days I took off work for a visa run to Vientiane.

So now I have been requested by the school to get there by 7am every Monday to meet the kids

but I can go to school a half hour before my 1st class starts and leave there right after my last class

is over on the other days, though I could go to school a half hour before my 1st class began and

leave there right after my last class was over every day. The Thai teacher have not been very happy

with me about it, but I don't care about it because I haven't been treated like all the other teachers yet.

We have the other foreign teacher, who has 18 classes a week, must go to school by 7am on one of the

days of the week and by 7:45am on the other days, and remain there till 4pm every day like all the Thai

teachers.

You should talk to your school director about it.

visa run? does that mean you're working here illegally?!

someone should talk to your school director about that!

The school director is probably one that couldn't find all the correct paperwork while pocketing the guys monthly salary and paying him by the hour!!!!!!

[jdinasia]

You work the hours in your employment agreement. Ignore anyone trying to judge you for not meeting their standards.

If you are a conversation teacher and your contract doesn't require time outside of class, then by all means go!

One of the places I work accepts only one half of one percent of applicants. I show up for classes and leave. If my boss wants me for an evening event or to work with teachers during the term breaks, I do it. But nothing other than time with my students require my physical presence at school.

[Scott]

I hope that you're not the head teacher ...

I have been the KG teacher, the Primary teacher, the Secondary teacher, the Assistant Principal and the international school Headmaster, all in the space of a few years.

I clearly had a different upbringing to you. Regardless of the job, salary etc, you stay until the job is done for that day.

I have zero time for clock-watchers - it usually indicates a lazy individual who has no real interest in the job.

I am a clock watcher. I arrive very early in the morning and I get a lot of work done before others arrive --provided they have opened the shutters and turned on the electricity. At the end of the day, I am absolutely beat and I need to have a decent meal. I am out of there exactly at quitting time (usually). I spend a fair amount of time doing work at home, where there is some peace and quiet.

I don't find it particularly fun to sit in the long queue of cars leaving if I can avoid it by being out of there at quitting time.

If they can want to stay later, they can change the contract and then I will consider it.

[Too]

Hello!

Thank you for your responses!

First of all, I just talked about my story to answer this topic, where it shouldn't matter if

I had to make a visa run or teach illegally.

It's been almost 6 months since I started teaching BUT I'm still applying for a work permit.

You can imagine how frustrated I have been by the fact that things have been going way

too slow here in Thailand, which I have to live with because I love the kids and teaching

them.

I won't do everything that all the Thai teachers have to do such as having to get to

school by 7:45 every morning simply because I haven't been treated like they are,

as I told you, BUT some of them have started to give me the cold shoulder by now

just because I just won't do the same things that they have to do.

As you know, the Thais are a group-oriented people, and they're not good at expressing

themselves by speech, especially to foreigners, but by attitude. Yes, they're very good at

ignoring and looking away! Yes, their faces will speak! I don't care about them as long as I

enjoy teaching here.

Yes, I know the Thai government subsidizes the schools that have foreign teachers with

a work permit.