Benefits of Having a Teachers License

[sensei]

The title says it all...

What are the benefits that go along having a license.

I've searched the forum for answers but got nothing but the requirements to get one.

I have one; had it renewed and is still good until 2019.

I know what the schools can get out of this but I just couldn't figure out what good this gives to me aside from allowing me to work in a government school.

[thesetat2013]

Easier to get a job in Thailand and can get a work permit

[aidenai]

No problems in getting an extension of the permission of temporary stay or getting a work permit when working in schools falling under the OBEC. i.e. private or government.

[johnatong]

You want to Teach children ?

Then get and retain a licence.

Does whichever country you come from permit unlicensed "teachers" to "teach" ?

Edited April 8, 2016 by johnatong

[DavisH]

Not waking up each morning an worrying everyday that your provisional waiver is one day closer to being revoked. I don't understand long term teachers who are on good salaries and have families here and risk it all by not making progress in getting the full licence. It also makes our salaries stagnate as schools turn to agencies with their high turnover of tourist teachers. The don't need to worry about the full licence as the stay only a short time.

[sensei]

You want to Teach children ?

Then get and retain a licence.

Does whichever country you come from permit unlicensed "teachers" to "teach" ?

You are not answering my question.

I work at a school that employs a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 12 foreign teachers.

This number will jump to around 20 in the coming term,

How many of those teachers are licensed to teach by the TCT?

ONE

Obviously, Thailand allows unlicensed teachers to teach.

[sensei]

Not waking up each morning an worrying everyday that your provisional waiver is one day closer to being revoked. I don't understand long term teachers who are on good salaries and have families here and risk it all by not making progress in getting the full licence. It also makes our salaries stagnate as schools turn to agencies with their high turnover of tourist teachers. The don't need to worry about the full licence as the stay only a short time.

Yeah, I guess that is one benefit of having a license. I was wondering if this license gives a teacher long-term job security but I guess it doesn't. The only job security that it offers is as long as the contract that the school offers.

[johnatong]

You want to Teach children ?

Then get and retain a licence.

Does whichever country you come from permit unlicensed "teachers" to "teach" ?

You are not answering my question.

I work at a school that employs a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 12 foreign teachers.

This number will jump to around 20 in the coming term,

How many of those teachers are licensed to teach by the TCT?

ONE

Obviously, Thailand allows unlicensed teachers to teach.

Do all these "teachers" have an appropriate visa + work permit ?

[gerryBScot]

A licence belongs to the teacher and is valid for a period of five years from issue; a waiver can only be applied for by the school and is valid for two years. The waiver is not transferable; you leave your job then if you intend to work in another school then your new school needs to apply for another waiver; with the five year licence, you have the ticket and it goes with you so in theory starting a new job and the issues relating to visas etc should proceed more smoothly.

[sensei]

You want to Teach children ?

Then get and retain a licence.

Does whichever country you come from permit unlicensed "teachers" to "teach" ?

You are not answering my question.

I work at a school that employs a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 12 foreign teachers.

This number will jump to around 20 in the coming term,

How many of those teachers are licensed to teach by the TCT?

ONE

Obviously, Thailand allows unlicensed teachers to teach.

Do all these "teachers" have an appropriate visa + work permit ?

They are on waivers.

Two are studying in dodgy schools to attain the credentials they need in order to get a license.

Allowing teachers to teach on a waiver is one giant loophole that backpackers and agencies are taking advantage of. This allows the job market to be diluted by "teachers" who can just come and go.

This hurt the chances of licensed teachers in finding better teaching opportunities.

Edited April 9, 2016 by sensei

[DavisH]

You want to Teach children ?

Then get and retain a licence.

Does whichever country you come from permit unlicensed "teachers" to "teach" ?

You are not answering my question.

I work at a school that employs a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 12 foreign teachers.

This number will jump to around 20 in the coming term,

How many of those teachers are licensed to teach by the TCT?

ONE

Obviously, Thailand allows unlicensed teachers to teach.

Do all these "teachers" have an appropriate visa + work permit ?

They are on waivers.

Two are studying in dodgy schools to attain the credentials they need in order to get a license.

Allowing teachers to teach on a waiver is one giant loophole that backpackers and agencies are taking advantage of. This allows the job market to be diluted by "teachers" who can just come and go.

This hurt the chances of licensed teachers in finding better teaching opportunities.

It also tends to increase the numbers of non-native speakers working in schools here as many of them have teaching licences from their home country. Having said that, it doesn't necessarily make them better teachers (my own observations), but they satisfy the government's requirements. That's all that counts. A teaching qualification from third world backwater is good enough. Yet many of them have no idea what to do in a classroom. This situation has changed dramatically over the last 15 years I've been here. There are very few qualified native speakers left in schools now. Those that had a teaching licence can generally command 50-90K a month in normal schools (english programs).

[sensei]

@DavisH

We can't just throw out these stereotyping and generalisations out there...

Not all NES are qualified teachers
Not all NES teachers are good teachers

Not all non-native speakers are lousy teachers.

In my 10 years of teaching here, I've seen the best and the worst of many races and nationalities.

Edited April 9, 2016 by sensei

[quandow]

I have a TESOL certificate and a 2-year college degree. I cannot EVER get a REAL job teaching in Thailand nor in most developing or developed countries. I looked into completing the degree, the least expensive online accredited college was $17,000 U.S. NOT cost effective.

IF you REALLY want to pursue a career in teaching, having that license is an important step. Get yourself into an International school quick, fast and in a hurry. To this day I have NEVER seen a happy retiree from the Thai educational system.

[bstafford214]

I have a TESOL certificate and a 2-year college degree. I cannot EVER get a REAL job teaching in Thailand nor in most developing or developed countries. I looked into completing the degree, the least expensive online accredited college was $17,000 U.S. NOT cost effective.

IF you REALLY want to pursue a career in teaching, having that license is an important step. Get yourself into an International school quick, fast and in a hurry. To this day I have NEVER seen a happy retiree from the Thai educational system.

I was happy to find this post, because I was trying to decide whether to teach or not in my local town. The school was a private school and one of the UK teachers is permanently retiring, so I interviewed with the owner. I have a BS in engineering, also took the course and received my TESOL certificate last year. Here is the sad part, not able to find a position in the government school, no positions available, but the private school I mentioned with the retiring individual would only offer me 20K, It was really disappointing, told him no thanks, not interested, not worth my time and said goodbye, no other offer.

I assume he did not care about the credentials, they meant nothing to him, would not work for them with that being the case.

Thanks for the advice here knowing what to look for in future.

[uptheos]

What good would it be in your home country, apart from allowing you to teach.

It's not a bus pass, its a teaching certificate.

[DavisH]

@DavisH

We can't just throw out these stereotyping and generalisations out there...

Not all NES are qualified teachers

Not all NES teachers are good teachers

Not all non-native speakers are lousy teachers.

In my 10 years of teaching here, I've seen the best and the worst of many races and nationalities.

I made no comment regarding NES teachers, but I agree with you. Good teachers, of any description, are hard to come by.

[DavisH]

I have a TESOL certificate and a 2-year college degree. I cannot EVER get a REAL job teaching in Thailand nor in most developing or developed countries. I looked into completing the degree, the least expensive online accredited college was $17,000 U.S. NOT cost effective.

IF you REALLY want to pursue a career in teaching, having that license is an important step. Get yourself into an International school quick, fast and in a hurry. To this day I have NEVER seen a happy retiree from the Thai educational system.

The best international schools are not interested in the Thai teaching licence. They mostly recruit from overseas and select qualified teachers with experience in western education systems. They can be choosy as they could have 100+ applicants for given position. Such teachers will automatically qualify for the Thai teaching licence based on their qualifications.

At the lower end of the scale, some International schools pay similar salaries to those of some english programs in Thai schools. Those are easier to get into for local hires.

[ghworker2010]

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/apr/02/secret-teacher-refuse-negativity-teaching-bring-down

[thequietman]

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/apr/02/secret-teacher-refuse-negativity-teaching-bring-down

I am sorry but it's impossible for me to say that the teaching profession in Thailand is great.

I wish it was but it clearly isn't. It is not the best job in the world under the current circumstances. Sorry.

[rubyjuan]

Teaching at a government school is a joke, plain and simple. I did it for two years and it was a joke. Yeah, the kids are fun, the Thai teachers despise you because you make a few hundred dollars more than them, but what they don't realize, is that they often get a free place to live, they can stay in the hospital for a week, virtually for free, they get zero percent loans and they get a pension for life, among other things. If you're a teacher, and want to teach, go else where and make some money.

[sensei]

Teaching at a government school is a joke, plain and simple. I did it for two years and it was a joke. Yeah, the kids are fun, the Thai teachers despise you because you make a few hundred dollars more than them, but what they don't realize, is that they often get a free place to live, they can stay in the hospital for a week, virtually for free, they get zero percent loans and they get a pension for life, among other things. If you're a teacher, and want to teach, go else where and make some money.

True that..

The new director's been looking into my salary.

He's looking at the number and shaking his head.

He failed to consider that I've been working in this school for ten years already

and not to mention that the job that I do is normally done by 2 or more teachers.

They are actually saving money on me.

I was really wondering if my teacher's license offers me some kind of job security

or some kind of protection against this kind of threat.

Apparently, it doesn't.

[lostinisaan]

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/apr/02/secret-teacher-refuse-negativity-teaching-bring-down

I am sorry but it's impossible for me to say that the teaching profession in Thailand is great.

I wish it was but it clearly isn't. It is not the best job in the world under the current circumstances. Sorry.

It was much better 15 years ago and it's getting worse from year to year. The salaries go down instead of up.

Too many people are making too many problems.......

[aidenai]

Due to renew my teacher license. Still happy with it. No worries about a next or new provisional teaching permit.

Edited April 17, 2016 by aidenai

[lostinisaan]

Trying to give an easy answer, OP. What are the benefits of having a Thai driver's license when you've got an accident in Lieland?

[sensei]

Trying to give an easy answer, OP. What are the benefits of having a Thai driver's license when you've got an accident in Lieland?

Easy...

You get blamed for the accident!

[ChristianBlessing]

I have a TESOL certificate and a 2-year college degree. I cannot EVER get a REAL job teaching in Thailand nor in most developing or developed countries. I looked into completing the degree, the least expensive online accredited college was $17,000 U.S. NOT cost effective.

IF you REALLY want to pursue a career in teaching, having that license is an important step. Get yourself into an International school quick, fast and in a hurry. To this day I have NEVER seen a happy retiree from the Thai educational system.

In the US the national average teaching salary is $45,000 annually. A teaching position at a top-tier international school in most countries will offer something similar, and include insurance, housing allowance, retirement, etc. I would think that that $17,000 would be money well spent if one desires to teach in a quality school.