Solution to my qualification headache

[ldb123]

Hi and thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Ive been wanting to come out and teach in thailand for some time now but as im sure you can imagine getting my head round whats required and the visa rigmarol has been a bit of a mission but think ive finally got there.

As i understand it, i can come out and teach with a BA in anything and get 2yr waiver from the tct, i can also get a 2yr extension on this making 4 years in total. Now, if were to study the 1yr pgcei online distance course from nottingham uni in those 4yrs i can then get a 5yr teaching licence from the tct and renew that every 5 years, have i got this right or is there something ive missed?!

Thanks in advance

LB

[casualbiker]

Correct.. you could also currently study a teaching diploma course from Thailand, Philippines or any where else.

one year Teaching diploma courses are about 80k Thai baht.. PGCEi is 160k.

Probably worth the extra IF you have the available funds!

[ldb123]

Thanks for confirming that casualbiker, doesnt seem so bad after all. Once i get all these qualifications i can teach in govt schools, lang schools but what about universities or do i need a B'Ed for that?

Cheers

Lee

[aarontendo]

Universities often ask for masters degrees, and I would suspect most wouldn't care much if you have a B.Ed or not. Perhaps if you're teaching in a faculty of education or something =)

They do not, to my knowledge, require completion of the thai culture course or having any credits in education and such, as they don't fall under the thumb of the teachers council.

[ldb123]

Thanks Aaron.

Do you know if i can chop and change scolls once i get my 5yr licence or do i have to stay at the same one and do i need to do a culture course to get a 5yr licence or is it just the pgcei they're after?

What would be my salary potential with the pgcei in Bangkok, still 35-45000 or would it go up to 60-70000?

Thanks

Lee

[Mario2008]

Universities set their own requirements and do not require a teaching license. Language schools also do not require a teaching license. The teching license is basically for elementary and secondary schools.

With a 5 year licence you can change schools.

[ldb123]

Thanks mario

[casualbiker]

Op. If you teach you speciality, science then you could easily get 50-60k + from a good EP program. Third tier international school.. forget university work as the pay generally is low initially but it all depends where and if they REALLY want you!

[ldb123]

My BA is going to be in either history (more expensive but more enjoyable) English (cheaper and less enjoyable but probably a better choice as its in a more suitable subject) or English and another subject like philosophy (75% english 25% other subject), if you were going to a degree out of tbe above subjects what would you choose and why?

Thanks :-)

[casualbiker]

English with English literature

[ldb123]

Ok thanks. Ill be doing through the university of london and their English course is just Language and no literature but guess its better than nothing

[aarontendo]

If you're that early in your studies then why not consider which subjects you want to teach? Do you want to do primary or early childhood education? If so, consider a B.Ed degree. If you're thinking of teaching secondary level English or History than perhaps those courses with a PGCE added on? I just think that if you're going to plan years down the road you may as well get your teaching qualification sorted out too =)

[ldb123]

Hi aaron, its basically down to finances, the only way i can do a degree is online, the chepaest, by far, is university of London, £5,500 for a BA in English. If i studied B.Ed its 9k a year for min 3 years which is totally out the question. Thanks for your thoughts though.

Lee

[casualbiker]

Idb123. Can you put a link for that online degree?

[ldb123]

http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/goldsmiths/ba-diphe-certhe-english

thanks

[ldb123]

what a day today has been! im currently trying to peel myself off the ceiling!

It hasn't been confirmed but im 99% confident im right.. im entitled to get a student loan (even though im 39) because ive never studied before, this means i can study The Open University and not University of London which is a result in itself, and i only have to pay back 9% of anything i earn over the threshold, the threshold in the UK is £21,000 in Thailand it currently set at £12,600 which works out to 52,500 tbht a month, so ill pay 9% on anything i earn over that, which in reality isn't going to happen or if it does it will be minimal, happy dayz indeed!

Now,if i get myself a job in a state school in Pattaya or Bangkok im guessing the pay will be around 35-45,000 tbht, so if i do some private teaching as well i can earn another minimum 7-17,000 tbht on top or is this normally paid in cash?

[Rhys]

check your salary ranges....regarding your state schools...

[ldb123]

I thought out side bangkok they were 35,000 and bangkok itself around 45,000. Am i way out then?

[Rhys]

YES... your ranges are a bit high.....and of course it just depends what GOVT school you will work at...additionally, you need to check your work permit regs for additional teaching... depending on who and where you are teaching your ranges are a bit in Chieng Mai.

Just because your from a western country with a basic degree... does not automatically put you in the salary range.

Try this out.. 20...25...28K..gov school in and out of Bangkok... international schools pay well, but as you are starting out, it will take you sometime to get into the system.

Do more research before making the move...

Consider the cost of living out here, housing, transportation and all that.. then take in all the regulations Ministry of Education will throw on you... because are going to teach in the high schools(?)

Then may your lucky stars be upon you that you work at a school, a govt school (?) that will take you.. because other teachers will and do work at lower salary ranges.. and those are some of your challenges.

However... do your research.. and obtain a degree that is in TEFL or TESOL... this will keep your dream more real..

[aarontendo]

Great news man glad to hear that about your loans. As an American color me jealous! =)

There are jobs in Bangers offering north of 45k, but often as others have said in EP or the better private schools. Some of this I believe comes down to if they use an agency or not. As a fresh off the boat it would be a little harder to get at those jobs, or at least that's what my experience has been. I see far too often that jobs are posting at the 30k - 32k range, and that's possibly on an 11 month contract.

[ldb123]

Thanks Aaron, appreciated.