Going Rates For Private English Language Tuition In Cm

[katnip]

What should a fully qualified, experienced teacher of English as a foreign language ask for an hour of private tuition of individuals and small groups in CM ?

Private messages welcome if preferred.

[Ajarn]

The average in Chiang Mai is about 300 baht per hour.

[Loaded]

What should a fully qualified, experienced teacher of English as a foreign language ask for an hour of private tuition of individuals and small groups in CM ?

Private messages welcome if preferred.

A few other things to consider when teaching privates:

Make sure you're paid for a block (10?) hours in advance as Thai students are notorious for cancelling at the last moment. Have rules that clearly state your cancellation policy.

Where will you teach? I know some people who have used Dunkin Donuts near CMU. Not ideal but teaching in apartments could cause all sorts of problems.

The hourly rate depends very much on how much the student thinks you're worth. ie if you're recommended by their friend you can easily earn 500 baht/hour.

Another way of charging is ask for payment per student with a minimum overall hourly rate ... but no maximum.

[katnip]

...

Edited September 2, 2006 by katnip

[katnip]

Thank you for your helpful replies.

What do you suggest I ask for small groups ? I think groups of 3-4 (max. 5-6) might be workable but they'd need 2 hours per class to get any value.

I have been wondering where I would do this, too. We are renting a house close to the city centre. There's plenty of room and it could be a very pleasant learning environment but it might create a "situation" , as they tactfully say on "Queer Eye for a Straight Guy" (on televison last night -great show. Americans can get some things right ! ) . I am a 40-something woman, so just mean that something could go awry with neighbours.

I have not been actively seeking work as I am still on a tourist visa and quite busy settling in and enjoying beautiful CM. Local people who find out I am a teacher are starting to suggest that they might have students for me. I am beginning to feel I will need to accept at least some of these students as a favour to their parents. I have not mentioned I am an IELTS examiner as I have no desire to coach for tests. That might add to my bargaining power, though. Or not ?

The full-time teaching positions I see advertised are not terribly attractive to me. I'd like to keep teaching and do it legally but value my free time, too. I don't think I have ever seen a legal part-time position advertised.

Comments and advice welcome.

P.S.

The hourly rate depends very much on how much the student thinks you're worth. ie if you're recommended by their friend you can easily earn 500 baht/hour.

Thanks for this insight. I want to let it be understood from the start that I just teach . I do not sell "tips".

Edited September 2, 2006 by katnip

[PeaceBlondie]

Right now, nobody's recommending that people work without a work permit, or without a non-immigrant visa.

I'm in a similar situation - would like to work part-time, but with it being highly illegal, it's just too risky.

I taught privates once to a group of 8 to 10 teenage girls, and insisted on 500 baht an hour. They hesitated, then paid.

[katnip]

Thanks for the reply, PeaceBlondie.

I note your mention of the Non-Immigrant Visa. Is it considered OK to work if you have one ? Would private classes be tolerated ?

I taught privates once to a group of 8 to 10 teenage girls, and insisted on 500 baht an hour. They hesitated, then paid.

500 per student or for the group ?

Edited September 3, 2006 by katnip

[meadish_sweetball]

Just the non-Immigrant visa is not enough.

To work, you also need a work permit (which can only be obtained by people holding a Non-Immigrant Visa, class O or B ). As if that was not enough, I also believe the work permit is only valid for the activity that is specified in the application.

The details and requirements for teaching may differ slightly, though.

I am not sure if private tutoring is possible to do with a work permit. In all cases I know of, the work permit application is done in connection with work for a Thai registered company.

You should ask about this in the visa or work forum, as there are other people on the board with lots more experience than myself in this matter.

[PeaceBlondie]

I believe the meadish sweetball is entirely correct. I don't know how a farang would be self-employed. We might need teachers licenses as well. Apparently a work permit can have more than one location endorsed simultaneously, but that doesn't mean they'll just allow home tutoring.

I got 500 baht an hour for the whole class.

[katnip]

I don't know how a farang would be self-employed.

It is possible to set yourself up as a consultant and get your own work permit. I do not know if that would cover teaching or not.

[rishi]

The standard procedure for setting oneself up as a consultant is to form a 7-shareholder company (co. ltd), which must have a registered capital of 2 million bath per foreigner's workpermit. Typically the company then employ its founder as director and consultant.

The company will also need proper licenses for its undertakings. Talking teaching this means the company must be registered as some sort of school. I've seen some older threads discussing the plentiful of problems involved for a would-be school getting such licenses, but I don't know much of that part of it.

Basically, there is no simple way to work legally as a "private" teacher in Thailand.

[Ajarn]

I think that if you're going to consider a group of students- not as a employee of someone else- then you should consider what the Thai students pay at ECC and such. When I last checked (a number of years ago) students were paying about 75 baht per hour at most of these private schools. So, I knew what the 'top' rates were when I was in a similar position.

Around 10 years ago, it was easy for me to get private groups where I was making 500 baht in Chiang Mai, but still, it was illegal, and I was a legal teacher at CMU, where at that time, they paid between 400 and 900 baht per hour for extra teaching, with no worries... So I rarely took those ouside private classes unless they were special (nurses, etc.)...

For a qualified (good degree and teaching experience) teacher, there are plenty of good opportunities around. But for doers, not talkers.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I think that if you're going to consider a group of students- not as a employee of someone else- then you should consider what the Thai students pay at ECC and such. When I last checked (a number of years ago) students were paying about 75 baht per hour at most of these private schools. So, I knew what the 'top' rates were when I was in a similar position.

Those would be the rates for signing into an existing class, or scheduled class - not a class specially scheduled for them.

[Loaded]

I think that if you're going to consider a group of students- not as a employee of someone else- then you should consider what the Thai students pay at ECC and such. When I last checked (a number of years ago) students were paying about 75 baht per hour at most of these private schools. So, I knew what the 'top' rates were when I was in a similar position.

Those would be the rates for signing into an existing class, or scheduled class - not a class specially scheduled for them.

Agree. If a student wants to study 1-1 in a language school, they'll pay upto 1000 baht/hour.

British Council were never interested in offering 1-1 classes but I think that they do now.

[katnip]

Thanks for the replies.

Does Chiang Mai have a foreign teachers' association of any kind ?

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Thanks for the replies.

Does Chiang Mai have a foreign teachers' association of any kind ?

Not at all.

Does anyone know how many foreign teachers there are in CM? How many would be legal?

[Loaded]

Thanks for the replies.

Does Chiang Mai have a foreign teachers' association of any kind ?

Nothing formal but places to find teachers are the Irish pub... and em I don't know anymore. Where do teachers hang out now?

[katnip]

Where do teachers hang out now?

Evidently not in this forum .