The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

puppy

I started teaching privately on the side and now it has become my sole source of work.

I charge 700 per 50-minute period, but the rate is the same whether it's a 1-on-1 or a class of 6, they are only paying for my time, so my hourly rate never changes. Charge more if you go to their place for your transport.

Make sure you have a good, solid cancellation policy, this is the biggest problem for freelancers. You should not allow people to cancel on the same day you teach (unless they are sick, and even then, they could be lying about that). Cancellations are the hardest part.

Mind you, I now live just outside Bangkok, where there are no other English teachers so ECC are my only competition and I also teach online, so there is plenty of work to be had.

You can make a living out of it if you apply yourself. Why make other people rich, especially those idiots running the Thai Culture course that all these naive teachers think they have to take.

Nawty

Where did you go to school that your hour is different to everyone elses ??

So what do you do in the final 10 minutes ....go to the toilet ?

klongmaster

Thanks for the info regarding your situation...just a thought about teaching at home which is a thing I never do...

what is you home? A house, condo, apartment?.. My personal feeling - and remember (before Marmers gets here to remind you) that I'm your grandfather and have somewhat old-fashioned ideas on some of these thing - that students should never see your bedroom...therefore if you have a bedsit it's an inappropriate place to teach them. Obviously your marital status comes into this as well. If you're single, don't take students to your home because your neighbours will gossip as will your colleagues...

you seem to have thought all these things through sensibly which is why I'm taking the time to answer in-depth...good luck in all this...being 'content' is the key to longevity here in Thailand...

__________________


To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

killerbees

Haha, yes. Okay, without getting into all the particulars of where I'm working and what I'm doing, there's a lot of extra work that I do, things that don't really fall under the aegis of English Instructor but have more to do with editing/advising/marketing/... I'm more than happy to help out with that kind of thing. I also am available for special classes during working hours. All people need to do is schedule them. I'm a salaried employee so these classes do not effect my pay. They do, however, make me look like a nice guy. In addition, my actual teaching load is so light that it's not really a bother and the extra classes are few and far between.

What I meant was private lessons outside of my normal working hours/conditions. I've got a pretty good idea of prices now, so thanks for your replies.

killerbees

Klongmaster,

Thanks. I agree with you about teaching at home. I wouldn't be considering it if I didn't have a place with a good set-up. I have thought things through but who's to say how much that amounts to? I'm sure there will be some hitches along the way (if I ever get underway) but I'm just trying to minimize those before I start.

Cheers.

Accidental Ajarn

^

Charge whatever the market allows if you actually want to do it. Charge over the market rate if you don't. I have no idea what the market rate is though.

kingwilly

useful post that one.

must be an ajarner, no?

Thormaturge

I know a gentleman who teacher English in Bangkok

If ever he is asked about private lessons he states it will be ThB 1,000 per person per hour payable in advance.

Never given a private lesson yet.

He figures that if they aren't serious about it then he doesn't want them.

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


"Chang_ed"

kingwilly

half a dozen years ago I was charging 1000-1500 for an hour for a lesson (one on one).

gave it up, my time is too valuable.

Accidental Ajarn

^

Another Super TEFLER? WOW, you must be absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!! You can charge around double the going rate (I am making an assumption here as I am not a TEFLER, so I don't know exactly what the going rate is) but still you are too talented to work for that?

WOW, I am so impressed, you the MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But the original poster may not be a SUPER TEFLER like yourself, so your answer may not be of much value to him. But at least you got to make the point about how great you are!!!

kingwilly

erm, no. making the point about the going rate. something you apparently know nothing about.

nope not at all. quite ordinary as a matter of fact.

nope, that is the going rate.







but if it makes you feel better, believe what you want...

Accidental Ajarn

^

"nope, that is the going rate."

Right, Thailand is filled with people who can afford 30-50 dollar an hour for private lessens. I think you would have some trouble getting people in Japan or Korea to pay that much. I am sure there are a few busy exectuves and rich families wanting special treatment for their kiddies willing to pay that price, but I doubt the demand for courses at this level of expense would be great.

kingwilly

in a word, yes.

Accidental Ajarn

^

So at say 20 hours a week, you can make around 30,000 baht or over 120,000 baht a month, but your time is too valuable for this when the average wages for TEFLERS is between 35 and 60K Baht?

You make more than this in English teaching elsewhere?

WOW, TEFL SUPERHERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure everyone on the forum is now duly impressed. I know I am.

Bexar County Stud

This looks good, although I would avoid one on one's and go for the group big money.

I've charged 125/hour for the last few years. That sounds cheap, but my group size is 8 minimum, or 1000 baht an hour.

You've got to make it worth your while, or you will get burned out IMO. Last year I had a group of 17, which came to 2125 an hour. Tasty!

How to find such big groups? That's the trick.

Accidental Ajarn

^

If you have a group of 17, that is not a private lesson, but a class. You would in effect be running your own school. Seems this would require a lot of marketing and/or sales to sustain. Doubt most TEFLERS have either the ability or willingness to spend that much time and effort in self-promotion.

Bexar County Stud

Working at a school, the parents approach me directly or through the Thai teachers. I don't do any self-promotion, the parents want their kids to be taught by me after school and I'm happy to oblige. This is a quite common setup with both farang and Thai teachers.

I don't see what difference it makes if you call it a private lesson, school or Mercedes Benz. The point is that big groups can be quite lucrative. Trying to make the best out one's situation would be better than worrying about nomenclature IMO.

Accidental Ajarn

^

Oh, you are doing that pay me so your kids will get a better grade in class deal. But this requires you to have a full time teaching job at a school where you have control over grades of the kiddies. Big difference from teaching "private" lessons. You are teaching extra classes after school hours, huge difference from teaching privates. Hey, no problem, gotta make a living some how. What you are doing is basically an extortion racket, not teaching.

kingwilly

erm, no.

and no. you dont listen good, do ya?>


if you get 20 hours a week, every week after your normal job.

exactly.

not far different from when i get to do a workshop, i get several hundred dollars a day for doing them.... it would be a great racket, except, I do not get at least one workshop each and every week of the year.. rather I get about 10 over the whole year.

drinking money. that;s all.

__________________

Thormaturge

I don't think there is too much difficulty finding "privates". I have people coming up to me in the gym and even 7-11 offering money to teach them English, and I'm not even a teacher.

Knowing how reliable Thais are I imagine it must be a nightmare trying to run private courses.