When Is Enough Really Enough, Or What Would You Do If You Were Me?

[lostinisaan]

Hello and Sawasdee khrap,

I signed my new contract today, having my Thai government "guarantor" and honorable wife with me. Saw the director only for two minutes, no chance to ask anything, as everybody seemed to be in such a hurry. Okay, <deleted> wants to be at school on a Sunday?

Read the new contract, no pay raise, but four more contact hours on that piece of paper. When I said that three hours ordinary grade ones wouldn't be okay for me, the miscoordinator just told me that it's not even sure, if I'd have to teach them.

The fact that I had a friend ( a now retired Thai teacher) with me who'd spent hours with me just to sign some documents for me, gave me the feeling that it just wasn't the right time to start complaining, or not signing the contract.

I drove home, thought about it, sent the chubby one an e-mail that I won't be willing to do the grade one classes. I've posted this to find out what others would have done in such a situation, where the director had already left?

I personally believe that a pay raise should at least be discussed, even considering that my grade six kids were much better in their O-net tests than the ones a year before, when I didn't teach there.

I'm aware that it's a difficult one to write you opinion, when you're not in the same situation, but would definitely be happy to hear from others who've just signed a new contract with similar surprises.

Of course was the director too busy to register his institution at the SS office. My wife must have spent 20 minutes talking to the chubby one, but it might be more successful to talk to the general in power, or to a toilet seat in the bathroom....

Okay, they pay 12 months and I could even make it happen that they'll pay half of my expenses for wp and visa and might even get the 50 % of last year reimbursed, as it seems that somebody had pocketed this money.

I know that I signed a contract that states it could be 25 hours, but being in the middle of preparing a seminar that I'll have to conduct the next two days, doesn't leave me much time to think logical.

I just don't get to the point, where I could say, well, forget about this shithole and move on, or similar. also called stressed out.

How many of you guys received a pay raise just recently, when signing a new contract and if so, how much?

There's enough money coming in from the parents who pay for our special program, where I'm mainly spending my time teaching first and second graders also math and science in English.

I truly believe that four grade six classes in addition are already too much to ask for.

These two classes alone are already unbelievable hard work and stress. Thanks a lot in advance for any useful input.

[Rhys]

Dude...leave...

standard jumping the hoops..

At my institution for contract renewal... submit copies of course syllabus and associated papers...test, notes, power points on CD file and in a folder.. a short 5-10 power point slide/minute of what you have contributed.... . this is the volume paper deal..

Salary... increases... come yearly, based on performance and KPI...jumping the hoops.. to 4-7% most all of us range at 5%..

Then depending the contract range from to the 4 years if they love you.. 1 year if they are not sure 2 years the love is coming.. and 1 year after 60 to keep you until 65...if you are family...

This is not a govt school..

Edited April 26, 2015 by Rhys

[angsta]

What he said.

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed. Unless someone asks for advice on their spelling, grammar or sentence structure, it is off-topic.

[lostinisaan]

An off-topic post has been removed. Unless someone asks for advice on their spelling, grammar or sentence structure, it is off-topic.

I must have missed something very important. Is there a proofreader around who can change my up English, please?

I'll pay you per letter, okay? Please page me and you'll get paid yesterday.

Thanks Scott, it's really not about grammar or any sentence structure now, even considering that it's posted at the teaching forum.

It's about a lot for me now. Going for a new job, leaving all behind, or not? A pretty heavy weight on my shoulder.

Leaving, or staying. But in my honest and humbled opinion, those who throw the biggest stones here regarding wrong grimmer, or whatever, seem to have some very serious issues.

I've got five Power Points to finish, haven't eaten anything all day and would like to thank those who've got nothing else to do than criticizing something that was at least understood by some members here.

And for those who know what it's all about, thanks a lot for your answers.

.

Edited April 26, 2015 by lostinisaan

[aidenai]

I read all your threads and posts, lostinisaan. In most of your last threads I read bitterness, sadness and frustration. The time might have come to follow the advice you've sent out to other members.

Pack your bag - leave Thailand - leave Asia and return to Europe to find a job as plumber, carpenter or taxi driver. If that's not what your heart is looking for, you should change your attitude and think in solutions instead of problems.

[HeijoshinCool]

I worked one year only, so my experience is limited, but I have associated with numerous teachers, and remain amazed at the abuse they put up with. But then, I taught as a way to gain insight into Thai culture, and for the fun of it, not the money, so I had a choice.

Having said that, when I moved to Rhek Thum, being the only guava for miles, the very first day I was approached by a woman (I thought had a house for rent) whose first words were, "I can give you four days a week and twenty thousand baht per month."

I said, huh?

I spent the next school year working for Wanpen, Mon-Wed, 8 am to noon. Thursdays I came back at one for a single class. The rest of the week was mine. Zero (official) office time. The few times I attended English Camp, I was invited, not instructed to attend. I turned down any offer of cash, but they insisted on giving me 1000 baht for the day. Wanpen often took me out to lunch.

First through 6th grade, no syllabus. I taught my way, using drawings and action descriptions of what was on the sketches. We watched Barnyard a million times, and had contests on what was happening to the characters. In the second semester, students took the parts of the characters and played out the movie. The the kids had fun and learned. No power point; no computers. We didn't even have desks, but we did have an old workbook that (yeah, yeah, yeah) I photocopied.

We cooked food and gardened (not easy growing spaghetti squash in LOS), speaking English only; went on field trips (playing the I-See-Something-That-Starts-With game.) The head teacher, Wanpen, was laid back and a dream to work with. I wore a button-down shirt, jeans and sneakers. I drank coffee during class. Any discipline was mine to mete out, and that was rare and pretty much restricted to the 5th and 6th grade.

I had fun. It's one of the handful of things I very much miss about Thailand. I'm working back in the States again, making ridiculous money. I'm in want of nothing, with one exception. If not for wife coming next month, and her desire to spend a few years here, there are days I'd up and go back to Rhek Thum, just to teach.

Why put up with all the disrespect and abuse? Who needs who the most? I met a lot of teachers, but rarely met one who was truly happy. Satisfied, some. But few who were having a great time. I had a great time. Did I get lucky, experience something that can not be duplicated in the lab? Maybe. But I'd like to think that if one wants to find what I had, it would take some looking, an investment of time and energy, but these opportunities are out there.

There are small isolated towns who would be thrilled to have a teacher. The schools have limited budgets, so if you need 30-40k that would require tutoring on the side. This was readily available for me, and though I had my off time filled with other activities, I selected a few kids to work with because I knew they were serious and sharp. If I had wanted to, I could have taught afternoons and weekends, and easily have hit 40-50k per month. The months school was out, more. Even in the small towns, there are people with money, and having their kids learn English is just one more status maker. One-on-one, I charged 500/hour. The gold shop owner's kids, the kids of the couple who owned the local gas station and the 200 rai of rubber behind it, and others like them, they all wanted lessons.

One caveat, Wanpen did not want to go for the work permit. Me, I had no problem with that. Others would.

[lostinisaan]

I read all your threads and posts, lostinisaan. In most of your last threads I read bitterness, sadness and frustration. The time might have come to follow the advice you've sent out to other members.

Pack your bag - leave Thailand - leave Asia and return to Europe to find a job as plumber, carpenter or taxi driver. If that's not what your heart is looking for, you should change your attitude and think in solutions instead of problems.

Thanks for your kind words. Could I take my family with me, I'd pack my bags and leave.

Wouldn't you be frustrated when almost everything they promised you at your new school turns out to be a lie?

Had my wife, but also the needed Thai government employee with me to sign a new contract and instead of a pay raise, there're four more hours of teaching in the new contract.

Even my wife was lied to when she's asking why the director didn't register the school yet at the SS office and she was really pissed off.

I apologize when my posts didn't meet your expectations and thanks for the occupations you've suggested.

What I'm looking for is a fair deal. i work for them, treat them well, do a good job and i don't want a bunch of lies in return.

But thanks for your post, at least do i know where i am now.

Have you ever heard of people who get rid of their frustrations by writing about what bugs them?

And should you see anything written by me on any forum, just do me a big favor, ignore it and don't read it.

[TerryLH]

"...the director didn't register the school yet at the SS office..."

I think it's time you stopped talking about this subject. Obviously your director doesn't care (by the way, did it make you feel better to call him names>)

You're stressing not only yourself out, but now your wife is upset. If you didn't keep harping on the subject, she wouldn't have talked to him about it and saved the stress of being lied to. It's only hurting yourself to keep on with this.

You have SS, be happy for that.

I'd suggest you, and your fellow employees if you feel responsible for them, write a letter with your complaints. Write to the MOE, SS, the Gov and whoever else might care. Write to the most relevant person, and CC the rest. Make sure you include the persons you CC at the end of the letter so the person you write to knows who else will see the letter. Include the PM's office (if your imm and DOL stuff is current).

As far as the new contract is concerned, get over it. You signed it, live with it for the year. Don't blame being busy with doing other work - for a fee - for not giving it the attention it needed.

"And should you see anything written by me on any forum, just do me a big favor, ignore it and don't read it."

Maybe the suggestions weren't what you wanted to hear, and maybe not even something you could do, but valid points just the same.

Frustrating for sure, but not worth worrying about it once you've done all in your power to solve the problem.

Once you've done what you can, let it go or move on. You and your wife will feel better.

Good luck with this mess.

Terry

[NeverSure]

Sometimes when a guy is frustrated by something that involves his career, his family and his location he can be really hurting about it.

Those are the times when if there's something he needs to hear that he doesn't "want to hear", the words should be chosen with kindness out of simple human decency. I wish there was more human decency around.

Cheers

[Loaded]

...<snip>

I'd suggest you, and your fellow employees if you feel responsible for them, write a letter with your complaints. Write to the MOE, SS, the Gov and whoever else might care. Write to the most relevant person, and CC the rest. Make sure you include the persons you CC at the end of the letter so the person you write to knows who else will see the letter. Include the PM's office (if your imm and DOL stuff is current)...<snip>

Naive advice and potentially very damaging to the writer if the school director discovers.

And what's the complaint? "I read and signed a contract but a few hours later I changed my mind".

How long have you been here Terry? You don't solve problems here by making problems.

[SheungWan]

There comes a point in life where if one finds oneself playing the 'victim' to the whims of others then it is time to wake up and smell the coffee or forever be trapped into such situations with accompanying whingeing. Bottom line is that you are in a low-paid job with low status and easily replaceable with a never-ending supply of starry-eyed wannabe teachers wanting to 'find themselves' in Thailand. Time to plan a long-term career, assuming that is you have sufficient qualifications and are young enough to make the transition. If on, the other hand, you are either heading for 40 or are the wrong side of it, then you are probably doomed to forever be giving us updates on the horrible employment situation in Thailand. A version of Groundhog Day.

[lostinisaan]

Sometimes when a guy is frustrated by something that involves his career, his family and his location he can be really hurting about it.

Those are the times when if there's something he needs to hear that he doesn't "want to hear", the words should be chosen with kindness out of simple human decency. I wish there was more human decency around.

Cheers

Dear Never Sure,

I'd like to thank you very much for your post. In the end people like you make the world to a better place and I really deeply appreciate your words.

There are too many people out there, who do not care about others. But once they experience some difficulties, they're completely lost.

Those who never taught little kids in an environment, where you're completely on your own, seem to act like they're so freaking wise, instead of writing something that would be of help.

I start to understand why the guy who worked at Rajabhat Ubon took his life, having a serious crisis in his career, when his cry for help was unheard.

I'm not this type of person, to run away from problems and have seriously reached the point where I want to solve problems, which seem so ridiculous that it already hurts.

It's not just that I made a huge mistake first place by signing up got this school. it was also a huge mistake to post this thread.

I'm on my way now to hold a two day seminar and have my head full. Too full, to continue discussing something that doesn't seem to be understood by some guys here. But of course were the wise men on this form never in the situation, where they really needed help.

There might be the time when some of you find yourself in a situation, where you just don't see the light at the end of the tunnel and the occupation you used to love for a long time turns into a nightmare.

I was trying to deal with all these things in a way to write about it to see what others think, trying to keep my family out of it.

There're people out there who just take more and more, until they beat the shit out of their wives.

Dear mods, please shut this thread down, I've already got all the answers to my questions I had. Thanks a lot in advance.

[godden]

I can go broke laid in bed.

[kaorop]

A Thai once told me "Thais dont do nothing for nothing" whether others here believe this or not, fact is more work = more pay.

[duanebigsby]

Sometimes when a guy is frustrated by something that involves his career, his family and his location he can be really hurting about it.

Those are the times when if there's something he needs to hear that he doesn't "want to hear", the words should be chosen with kindness out of simple human decency. I wish there was more human decency around.

Cheers

Well spoken!

I was trying to think up a reply when I saw your post.

lostinissan, I found that teaching in Thailand is one part huge reward ten parts frustrating bs.

No one appreciates all the extras you do except for the kids. It's about the kids.

When the admin wants to jerk my chain I just picture what I'm doing for the students.

Bugger everyone else.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I do realize that you're probably that teacher kids remember.

[Scott]

Closed per OP's request.