The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

racefan

I currently live and work in Jomtien, but there is a remote possibility that in the next few months I will be moving to the lovely teak house I have had built in Chonabot, near Khon Kaen.

I am not sure how I will adapt to rural living so I am thinking of taking a teaching course as I believe that I could get work in one of the local schools.

I am however 57 and my wife seems to think that there is a compulsory retirement age of 60 in which case it would be a waste of time doing the teaching course.

Does anybody know whether or not that is correct please?

Also, I get the impression that a TEFL qualification is scorned by many of the BM's.

Bearing in mind that I would have no aspirations of teaching in anything other than a small provincial school would a TEFL certificate be adequate?

If so, what if any previous qualifications do you need to take the course?

kingwilly

There is probably others better qualified to answer than I, however, for what its worth....

I think it may well be correct about the retirement age, not sure how vigorously they enforce it in the villages...

What is a BM?

Ability to speak English I think.

pai nai ma

I have seen the retirement age formally waived for a falang in a uni with little more than a memo from the school to the MOE.

Sir Burr

For a Mod you don't know much.
BM=Board Member.

kingwilly

oh, I was thinking it was something related to TEFL or schools.

like business manager.....

anyway who says Board Members? I juz say peeps....

pai nai ma

It all depends on the school. Worth spending the day driving around and asking various schools in the area you wish to work/live. With no degree, no experience and only a tefl -- you are at the bottom of the food chain, for sure (though still employable).

good2bhappy

I think if you have experience you can work into your 70's at private schools. I know one such person who is head of curriculum studies

pai nai ma

Private schools could care less as it is market driven. public schools have a hard retirement date for thai's. this is why you see them hiring their retired friends back as part-time/hourly. i know of one older falang who got the retirement date waived as the school wanted him. other times i have heard people turned away from public school employment due to age.

Sir Burr

^
Meeoooooow.......pffft..pffft.

Spin

Space missing.


Spelt wrong, only one "g" in bandwagon.


This is a complete mess, is your space bar broken?


Error, it should be you're and not your.


Spelling again.


Space missing again, do you really have a degree?

racefan

Thanks to those who have given a response to the points I raised. I would appreciate knowing what previous qualifications you need for the TEFL course.

andrewdicksonsmith. I would certainly not presume to degrade professional teachers and would not regard myself as a wanabee at 57 years of age.

I would not need to teach to survive financially, but am interested in teaching mainly because if I do move to my Issan home I feel that I would need to do something constructive during the day rather than count the neighbours chickens and I thought,possibly wrongly, that it may be a way of putting something back into the community.

kingwilly

I've fold you mate, there are none! well, maybe $

pai nai ma

zip//

CSFFan

No quals required for a tefl course. And good on you! I don't think sitting around all day not being productive in some manner would be good for anyone. But I will say this...it takes a lot more than you think to be a good teacher, be sure its something you want to do.

Surely you know a teacher or two..maybe they can give you a tour of a government school in the area. If you can't, let me know and I'll give a tour of the school I work at in BKK.

Camel Toe

One point is that we tend to teach it the way we learned it. Since Rote learning went out in our countries a loooong time ago I'd guess whomever you are you could do it better than a large % of Thai teachers, just from the simple fact you attended a First World university .. and graduated.

IMO, as long as you are conscious of the fact you are new to the profession, keep up an open mind and never stop educating yourself in teaching theory and class management, strategies and the like, you'll be okay. Start at the bottom, don't shoot too high, realize you will make more errors than one with many years of teaching experience and/or formal education. Make your mistakes in an environment where parents pay very little for their child's education. A place where mediocrity is on the main menu. And believe you me, there are plenty to choose from.

Nabeel

Will always be waived if:
1 They like you
2 You have a skill they need
3 Go back to 1

Plan B

Only qualification I know of is if you're not a native speaker you have to have a certain IELTS (or equivalent) grade. For TESOL course that is.

bruceveld

Four years ago we had a student that was 82 years old.

A few month back I ran into him--he is still teaching at a Rajabhat.

pai nai ma

(Having worked at a raj)...don't you really mean still employed at a rajabahat...?

Camel Toe

In a pinch, as we have in Thailand, no, it might not. Given a choice I'd bet there is a profile in the minds of administrators, and 82 ain't in it.