The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

Julia22

Hi all, are there any other volunteer teachers out there? I'm volunteering alone not through a school so I'm looking for a friendly forum to make some volunteer teacher friends.

obsidian

Ajarn.com - living and teaching in Bangkok, Thailand

this place is for loafers, degenerates and grifters.

Julia22

I am already a member there but they are in the main an unpleasant bunch. I have been talked down to, insulted several times, been called a "troll", asked irrelevant questions then had my thread locked for not answering them, attacked for making a typo, and people seem to be following me to get revenge for daring to stand up to them and perhaps made them look stupid (and they say Thais get nasty when they lose face).

I was hoping that this forum is better. Oh well.

Property

Failed. Too obvious!

obsidian

your thread wont get locked and folks are less likely to give a shit of you troll or not. hang around a bit and get a feel. welcome.

Boon Mee

Yes indeed Julia, hang around as this bunch isn't at all like those tossers over at Adjarn.

Talking about doing some volunteer teaching - once I get back to Thailand permanently, thinking of doing a bit of volunteer stuff at my local Wat. Help the kids with their English and improve my rusty Thai.

__________________
ผมเป็นคนบ้านนอก

kingwilly

Speak to the British council, I think they do some of that, your embassy often may help coordinate that sort of thing also.

As for Ajarn I imagine that some of the teachers over there feel threatened that you are doing for free what they get paid to do...

Some may be quite professional english teachers and dislike 'fly by night' backpacker teachers or volunteer teachers for giving the profession a bad name, understandable really.

good luck with it.

good2bhappy

That might happen here but you won't have your thread locked.
Take a seat and make a home for yourself.

Carnwadrick

Julia, you may have a problem right of the bat..lots of male chauvanists here..not me! cause I think I may have spelt it wrong..welcome and have fun

Marmite the Dog

Ummm...yes.

Loombucket

Greetings and welcome Julia22. You will find a mixed bunch here, so don't let one or two posters put you off. I like to do a spot of teaching myself, when i get the chance, although that tends to be limited at the mo. I currently have my hands full with a house project and a couple of gardens.

Stick around a while and join in a few things.

KhonKaenDan

Hi Julia,
Congratulations for your efforts. I have been teaching in 4 schools this school year. I like it because if gives me something worthwhile to do. I put in about 12 hours per week, and have developed about 20 hours of classroom instruction. What I find, is that most teachers want a quick way to learn English.

The schools that I teach in vary from small, less than 130 children to a large private school with about 400 students. Email me thru the TD network if you want any help or ideas.

When I want to have a good ,"Brain Enema", then I go and read some of the comments that members have left here on the forum. Stay with it if you enjoy teaching. Thai's need all the help they can get!!!!

jandajoy

Patronising or what?,

"Brain Enema" ??

I put in about 12 hours per week, and have developed about 20 hours of classroom instruction. What I find, is that most teachers want a quick way to learn English.

^ I don't understand this.

ray23

Well I did some volunteer work at the local University here with the teachers believe it or not. Some were teaching english and honestly in writing and such really knew the rules much better then I. But speaking was a different ball game. So I just helped them with that. It was truly a fun experience.

But that was jsut about the time the Tsunami hit and they were going after people with no work permits for that. Scared me so I stopped. I really don't think you would have a problem unless you upset the wrong person.

So I wish you well, it is important to stay active.

jandajoy

Hmm. Writing is good?

Julia22

Much more friendly replies. Thanks. I'll stick around.


I got attacked on ajarn forum for writing a short OP asking a straightforward question about short teaching courses. I think I made the mistake of daring to make a criticism of one of them. I got hounded by one idiot who insisted that I tell him where I come from over and over again, as if it is his business and anything to do with my OP.

I also got instantly criticised by people for wanting to do a short course. The fact that I have a degree in education and will only be volunteer teaching for a short time wasn't mentioned in the OP and nobody should have to justify themself in advance to indignant arseholes who probably fucked up their life and can only feel good about themself by talking down to people on English teacher forums all day long.

DrAndy

Hi Julia

never mind Ajarn forum, a lot of people here are refugees from that place

where are you based, that might be useful info if you want to make friends?

of course, you dont have to make friends from just volunteers like yourself

all sorts of people are friendly

__________________
keep 'em coming

smeden

welcome julia u will find most people here nice and helpfull

ChiangMai noon

poor old ajarn forum.

twisted itself all thew way up its own arse.

welcome julia.

colourful-era

or for keeping the wages low.

I mean what self-respecting Thai is going to hire a white experienced teacher that they have to pay when they can take on some shmuck prepared to work for free?

I wonder if there are any volunteer cleaning jobs going - how about giving that a try?