How Much Do You Take For Holding Seminars For Thai English Teachers per Hour?

[lostinisaan]

Hello and Sawasdee Kharp,

Just had very good news in form of a phone call that I'll have to prepare and do a seminar for some Thai English teachers at the end of this month.

Of course was it made in a way that I couldn't say no, even without finding my racehorse's head in my bed. But I didn't plan a holiday, so it will be fun and some good money will come in as well.

Why I've posted this, might many of you guys out there think? Too many Thai head teachers/administrators are pocketing good money that comes from the educational area xxx offices for such purposes. Here we go.

I don't know why, but i always had and have the good luck, (could also be bad luck, depending on how you're looking at it) that the schools I work(ed) at are/were the ERIC, or now called PEER centers of the province.

At my former school, I guess I was too naive to really go for it, held various seminars, where the Thai head really ripped me off and I finally received almost nothing for it.

I remember that I had to sign a document where the amount wasn't yet filled in, but saw it after I signed it and was shocked to see 1,900 baht for one day for me. 700 baht/day for my colleagues from the Philippines.

In the evening of the last day of the seminar we met at a nice restaurant, where our Thai head teacher already sat there with her husband, and a big bottle of Regency, I remember a weird conversation with this guy that Thailand would only have two seasons and he'd know it, because he's a science teacher.

Why argue with an ignorant guy was all I thought about the not well educated freak. I had to listen to things like that they have separated beds and other utter

Oh my god, please let this evening have an end, were my thoughts. All I ordered was a tuna steak with mashed potatoes, which was only 220 baht.

Then the shock.

Our Thai head teacher gave all of us a 500 baht bill and I couldn't believe it. I hated the guy who'd already drank half of the Regency, his speech got more and more disappointing and I found a very good excuse to get out and drive home.

I made the math at home and found out that our Thai head teacher "only" pocketed about 8,500 baht. Plus some expenses for food that never arrived at the seminar. That was my wakeup call and I said to myself that something similar would never ever happen again.

That went on for a long time, seminar after seminar, always the same buffalo dung, until I had to prepare a three day seminar for Thai school directors at the best hotel in Mukdahan. The seminar was meant to prepare the school directors for the upcoming ASEAN community.

The former boss of the educational area two, my school belonged to was with me. All went pretty well and I gave them an assignment, divided them into groups, each group had at least one who could speak an okay English and somebody who was good in writing.

On the last day, they had to come up with a presentation, I gave them a pretty difficult task, considering their level of English. The first days was mostly introducing the used vocabulary, formal and informal speech, with the focus on school related issues.

They worked hard and all groups were superb when they presented their work. All I wanted to know was why would I bring my kids to their schools? I had never seen school directors being so happy receiving orders from others.

What makes your school to a good one, what should be changed? Are the teachers really qualified teaching the subjects? Etc...One director even made a nice drawing and hugged me. It was so successful that I was really proud about myself.

I had a double room for two days alone, every evening they took me out and we went to the best restaurants, the ones at the Mekhong River, we always had some not cheap Whiskey and they really treated me well. Some sightseeing tours were included.

When we checked out of our hotel after three days and the guy gave me an envelope, I was positively surprised about the amount of money they paid me. 600 baht per hour, paid through lunch break, coffee break, etc.

That was the point when I found out what they really receive for a foreign teacher to hold such a seminar.

Well, then I’d quit my job and started at my current school. Not long and they wanted me to hold a seminar for all the "big shots" from the educational area xxx, including supervisors and the boss. Their “final verbal test” was on the following Monday, where all of them had to introduce themselves, answer some serious questions about their duties and all in all did they do pretty well.

All of them had to be able to introduce themselves and answer questions related to their particular occupation within the educational are xxx. Office. I made new friends and really appreciate to see them from time to time to have a chat.

People should never underestimate others, so when we sat outside, planning our seminar, I heard them speaking in Thai that they'd pay me 800 baht a day and two “ladies” wanted to share my money. Better said the money they wanted to pocket.

Not again was the only thing I had in my brain, ready to let them know to look for somebody else and walk away.

They must have thought that we foreigners are all a bunch of idiots, willing to do whatever they want us to do, for almost nothing.

I never lost my temper, spoke very slowly and not loud, pointed them into the right direction, mentioned the going rate of 600 baht/hour and all in a sudden the "Kothoot na Ka thing.".

They're very surprised that I was able to follow the whole conversation and I acted like I “a sort of overheard” that they wanted to share the part of cash, they didn't want to pay me before.

I'm also aware that through the upcoming ASEAN community, there'll be various seminars, where they'll need experienced guys to teach them.

My source is a nice guy who works for Khurusapha at our local educational office. So please keep that in mind when somebody’s asking you to do something similar. Make sure what you’ll receive before you even start to prepare anything.

Sorry for the long post. Wasn't really planned, but I finally thought it would be necessary to understand my point.

[Neeranam]

500 baht an hour is what an inexperienced English teacher charges for 1 to 1 lessons.

I used to do seminars about 8-10years ago and charged 1000 baht an hour.

With inflation, I suggest you do it for nothing less than 1000 baht an hour.

1900 baht for a whole day is an insult.

[lostinisaan]

500 baht an hour is what an inexperienced English teacher charges for 1 to 1 lessons.

I used to do seminars about 8-10years ago and charged 1000 baht an hour.

With inflation, I suggest you do it for nothing less than 1000 baht an hour.

1900 baht for a whole day is an insult.

That's what the government through the educational area xxxx office pays for in a small town. 600 baht an hour.

That on the other hand also depends on how many trainees you've got.But I'm okay, if the pay 600 baht/hour for a seminar for 40, or less.

And considering that I a;so receive my teaching salary at the same time, ( if it's a school day, or not) a fair deal.

Edited March 30, 2015 by lostinisaan

[WonnabeBiker]

Consider yourself lucky. Last time such an event was planned, our director blindsided the 4 new teachers within minutes of the first meeting he had. Every body being eager to please and all that... Will you hold a seminar... during the holidays. He failed to find paying Thai teachers, so we had to teach some M4 and M5 classes (in a meeting hall). Payment? What payment?!? At that time, most Thai teachers were on Fall holidays...

The financial deals which are going down in even some small English department in some rural government school are something else!

My wake-up call was when there was some "English Tour" for 250 students. Foreign teachers were asked to pay the full retail price. Q: You think Thai teachers paid a single Baht?!?

When a teacher returned to California due to an illness of a parent, the school never told the paymaster that they had one teacher less to pay. Instead, they passed on the work load and then scheduled the meeting about how to pay us for the extra work so that another payday was missed. And then, the last payday, the agreement wasn't honored at all. Yours truly got 4 k a month for several classes plus all the test taking and related work including entering many scores into a computer).

English Camps are another money maker. Usually, one gets 0 Baht although it will be on a weekend. When our HoD demanded about 280 for some darn shirt, that was another reminder what this is all about. Departments usually have surplus funds. Trips to Hot Pot or purchase of a high end Sony TV costing more than what I'm making in 2 months? You bet. (Now there is constant Thai content making work a little bit harder for those who want to work in a huge office).

Money. Due to nonpayment of TOT's leased server and related (ISP) fees, my school was cut off alltogether. Why worry? Let the school be internet free for weeks! How come the school ran out of funds - or were funds deviated to some "Mercedes Savings Plan"?

Good luck OP, and may you get some money! (Foreign teachers were "contracted out" to hold English Camps at nearby village schools. I'd like to know how much profit the director made. We were handed 500 Baht for 8 hours on a Saturday.

[WonnabeBiker]

500 baht an hour is what an inexperienced English teacher charges for 1 to 1 lessons.

I used to do seminars about 8-10years ago and charged 1000 baht an hour.

With inflation, I suggest you do it for nothing less than 1000 baht an hour.

1900 baht for a whole day is an insult.

That's what the government through the educational area xxxx office pays for in a small town. 600 baht an hour.

That on the other hand also depends on how many trainees you've got.But I'm okay, if the pay 600 baht/hour for a seminar for 40, or less.

And considering that I a;so receive my teaching salary at the same time, ( if it's a school day, or not) a fair deal.

Another English Camp organized by my school for the town hall (Amper?) and was compulsory @ 800 Baht. Then that amount was reduced because admin had one more mouth to feed. No, they wouldn't pay the extra teacher out of their own cut! Had to cancel 6 classes at a center and that cost me 1,000 B as I was paid 300 B/hr at a center.

OP, will you be looking for another job? Knowing these directors might be useful...

[lostinisaan]

500 baht an hour is what an inexperienced English teacher charges for 1 to 1 lessons.

I used to do seminars about 8-10years ago and charged 1000 baht an hour.

With inflation, I suggest you do it for nothing less than 1000 baht an hour.

1900 baht for a whole day is an insult.

That's what the government through the educational area xxxx office pays for in a small town. 600 baht an hour.

That on the other hand also depends on how many trainees you've got.But I'm okay, if the pay 600 baht/hour for a seminar for 40, or less.

And considering that I a;so receive my teaching salary at the same time, ( if it's a school day, or not) a fair deal.

Another English Camp organized by my school for the town hall (Amper?) and was compulsory @ 800 Baht. Then that amount was reduced because admin had one more mouth to feed. No, they wouldn't pay the extra teacher out of their own cut! Had to cancel 6 classes at a center and that cost me 1,000 B as I was paid 300 B/hr at a center.

OP, will you be looking for another job? Knowing these directors might be useful...

Hey, sorry to hear that. Sounds pretty much like my former school's HoD. I saw her pay slip once, she's making 60 something thousand a month and doesn't seem to have a problem to rip off whoever's involved.

I made up my mind and will be staying as many things have changed. But I assume that was because they must have realized that they truly need me to set up a "Special Program" out in the sticks.

They'd tried it before by hiring some Africans, just to find out that their English wasn't understood by neither the kids, nor the Thai English teachers.

One of them was out with a Thai drunk, they'd spent about 20 K in two weeks for booze and finally expected the director to pay the bills.One of them became so nasty, told them that they wouldn't honor such an experienced teacher with a degree in education from Beau.

I had a copy of his degree in my hands and the guy graduated in 1959. But he was 29 years old. Well, the guy put a lot of pressure on all of them, said things like: "Where my coffee? You not make coffee and give me, I good teechaa. Now, I;m not joking.

I'm almost on my way to school now to get my documents for visa and work permit sorted out, plus to make sure that a pay raise will be written down in the new contract.

Then I'll have to put some pressure on the director who still didn't register "his" school at the SS office. The 8th of May, when I turn 55, I could take my 80 K out and buy a big bike, but then I'd be without any insurance after six months.

I'll have to do it the Thai way, to make it look like the idea came from him. it's about 10 guys. A Filipino, eight assistant teachers, those who work at Anuban, who really do the shitty jobs like wiping asses clean.and myself.

I'll have to find the right way that he does it alone. If not some guys from the office will come and visit him, my name will not be mentioned, because a Thai friend will do it for me.

I've got a real difficult job to teach grade one, this year also grade two not just English. Math, science and computer on top. But when looking at the result, I can be more than happy. Many kids i had in grade one, attending the so called "Special Program" are really outstanding in science and math.

So I'm finally my own boss, anything related to English should go through me and i get more and more freedom. I was very close to quit my job, but then released that I had to adopt my teaching, using more educational cartoons, etc..

Then there's a change from one day to the other. I found my own way to keep them quiet, without physical harm. When you ask the kids now what their favorite subject is, 85 % tell you English.

And that's something that shows you as their teacher that you at least did something right. G'Day, will meet the PO now and do my best. -

[Neeranam]

Dudes, how do you put up with all that crap? Work your 15 hours or whatever and market yourself in the times you don't teach. When I worked at a provincial university I ony did 12 hours for 30k a month but made more than 30k doing some private classes.

Just tell the bloody directors, "no" and make sure the new teachers know the score and show some solidarity.

Edited March 31, 2015 by Neeranam

[Rhys]

maybe they confused .. the ngo volunteers and GO volunteer English teachers.. with salaried English teachers....they do it free and don't expect the extra 500..but those famous square pillows.. you know the ones. Now that is a prized artifact...

Edited April 3, 2015 by Rhys

[SlyAnimal]

Our Thai head teacher gave all of us a 500 baht bill and I couldn't believe it.

Yeah, I'd have been pretty much spitting tacks, as that's just insulting.

Doing a camp, we usually don't expect to receive our "usual" hourly rate, as it's multiple hours back to back, it's fun and usually includes lots of breaks while others at the camp run activities etc. But 500 THB would be insulting, better to just ask us to do it for free and try appealing to our generous nature lol.

[lostinisaan]

Our Thai head teacher gave all of us a 500 baht bill and I couldn't believe it.

Yeah, I'd have been pretty much spitting tacks, as that's just insulting.

Doing a camp, we usually don't expect to receive our "usual" hourly rate, as it's multiple hours back to back, it's fun and usually includes lots of breaks while others at the camp run activities etc. But 500 THB would be insulting, better to just ask us to do it for free and try appealing to our generous nature lol.

Just found out that the seminar by the end of this month will be for all teachers of two private schools. What I do not understand is that one school, a private Chinese school, in the middle of the sticks, receives 65 % for all expenses from the Thai government.

This is from a very reliable source, a guy working for the educational area xxx.

Might be one of the quality tourist things, working at Burger Kings and spitting on our onion rings things. I started to dislike the rulers of this country.

It's like talking to first graders when trying to have a conversation with them.

Wish all the guys who might think they're real teachers, but actually only a sort of windmill fighters, a very wet Songkran.....

Edited April 11, 2015 by lostinisaan