Hey there PB. FYI, I've been "seeing all kinds of teachers and ways they teach" on a full-time basis since 2012. This has been at the core of my job; as far as I can tell nobody in the entire field (okay, industry) comes close to observing more teaching than those in my specific position (average 3/4 teachers, at least 2 hours every single day, giving comprehensive written and interactive feedback on every minute of it).
I have a top Masters in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. I did not, however, take the US public school teacher certification track, because I was so busy teaching adult immigrant learners, doing teacher training, getting involved in teachers associations, etc. This means, of course, that I wouldn't be a proper 'foreign-hire' subject teacher at any top-tier International School. Perhaps someday I'll look in that direction, but believe it or not I'm interested in...wait for it...teaching English to speakers of other languages.If you want to see better quality, then get into an upper tiered international school. However, I don't think you have a teaching degree, correct?
As for "my own methods and style" surely I'm with ya there - however....well, I'm of the mind that it's important, also, to go beyond your own intuition to inform your instructional decisions and the ultimate approach they pattern. Reading and processing good research, for example, can support the development of expanded skills and a strong pedagogical knowledge base (given you also put in the time and effort to activity experiment and reflect). Unfortunately, access to research - much less the difficulty in actually reading it - is a bit of shitshow. That's why I'm a supporter of and contributor to ELT Research Bites ? More than just an abstract, for example. Have a lil' peek...
Thanks for the bit of simple encouragement, though.
Last edited by Matthew; 14-02-2018 at 04:13 PM.
Good luck Matthew. The land of smile awaits and the oppurtunities are endless.
Hi Matty! You mentioned something about how some of them teach, which is why I said, you will see all kinds. How has it been thus far? I'd suggest looking into working for International House which I enjoyed when I took the CELTA there. Have you found many opportunities?
I didn't think you had your state credentials, but was wondering about that as I could give you some suggestions. I'm also looking into moving to Thailand soon. I teach EAL to young learners in the international school setting. Thanks for the ELT link, I'll have a look at it. Best of luck and keep us in the loop.
Welcome back to LOS and I hope you keep sharing your work and insights in the profession.
Good luck in the job search! I actually found Thai students to be some of the most enjoyable to teach: energetic, keen, polite and up for anything new and exciting. I do teach 6 year olds though, so that probably has more to do with it than nationality! Plenty of good second tier international schools to look at, and from personal experience that M.Ed will get interest. Actually got on a offer from one of those fancy Nord-Anglia schools, but got a better offer in Myanmar.
But I get what you're saying about the teachers moaning about their students. "I prepared a lovely 50 min PPT with Gifs and sounds for my pre kinder class but they were uncontrollable!" I don't have the patience to deal with teacher training; hat tip to you,sir!
Right. I was specifically talking about some teachers I've known here in Thailand who spend a lot of time and effort complaining about Thai students and very little time and effort focusing on developing their own teaching knowledge and skills. It's certainly not just a Thailand thing...but it's probably quite a bit more prevalent here than many places for a number of reasons.
I should add that there are lots (...and lots) of things to complain about when it comes to Thai education and Thai students. I'm no head-in-the-sand idealist do-gooder who's playing out their own lil' teacher-hero drama (there's another kind)...but I do try to separate things I can control/affect and things I can't - which is what the above is about.
Well, Week 1 was attending the Thailand TESOL conference in CM, Week 2 traveling in the north and down through BKK very briefly, and Week 3 so far has been settling in at home in southern PKK province. Just started earnestly starting up the on-the-ground job hunt. Mostly been doing all kinds of other things while reuniting with family.How has it been thus far? I'd suggest looking into working for International House which I enjoyed when I took the CELTA there. Have you found many opportunities?
I'm always up for suggestions.I didn't think you had your state credentials, but was wondering about that as I could give you some suggestions. I'm also looking into moving to Thailand soon. I teach EAL to young learners in the international school setting. Thanks for the ELT link, I'll have a look at it. Best of luck and keep us in the loop.
Last edited by Matthew; 15-02-2018 at 03:54 PM.
I've been helping nieces in the neighborhood with their homework, etc. over the last several days.
It's going to be the inverse challenge from when I arrived back in the states and my 2nd day back was teaching a group of advanced students in an "English for Foreign Executives" program in Boston. Shit was ugly at first because I was briefly 'stuck' in low-level teaching mode.
Now I need to get back to basics, be more direct, re-acclimate to the dimensions/speed of Thai thought (flatter/slower), etc. after working with mostly native-speaking teachers and teaching hyper-motivated learners moving to the US of all levels..but few at the typical Thai level of development. It'll take a little bit.
^ Matthew,
You're last location in the US was Tacoma, WA, right?
How was your experience there?
Right, this makes total sense. I hope you can adjust to the different level and background of learners. Are you looking to teach English to adults or corporate type work? There seems to be a few corporate type jobs out there from my research. Good luck and keep in touch. It would be nice to meet up with you both again as it has been a long time.
I'm primarily out for university work and/or teacher training. This job, as it happens, is just about perfect for the likes of me: https://www.ajarn.com/recruitment/br...7.html?popup=1
If I've known you at all over the last 15 years and you work at a Thai uni, you've likely already been spammed by me. If you work for a reputable TEFL course, you know there's an experienced CELTA trainer ready to up your course's game because I may have spammed you, too. If you're neither of those things but you've got a certain something AND you're close to my in-laws' utopian commune homestead? Listen for me knockin'!
Ultimately I have designs to create my own educational enterprise here but that's all tippy top secret bidness that I shall mention only in code from here on out.
They want an MA or PhD and will only offer 30,000 baht?! There's more money teaching kindy
^Yeah, sadly the salaries haven't went up much in Thailand ever....
Really when I look at the salaries in Thailand, I am saddened.
Money isn't everything, but 30-35,000 is the starting salary for many jobs in TEFL.
Friends, the $ numbers on a job ad do not tell the whole story...do they? If you think so, you might as well christen yourself with the nickname "Thailand TEFL fodder" and just go with the flow. The thing about EFL and Thailand is that YOU can be the author of your story to a large extent, is it not?
Is it not common knowledge that you must take initiative as a teacher in Thailand to make good things happen? Good things - safely, satisfyingly beyond the mediocrity that is both the object and the source of ^those kinds of comments, that kind of perspective and habit of mind. It's really a bug in the system, intellectually and emotionally.
30k? Never. I made up to 100,000 baht in a month by avoiding all of that - by considering my energy better spent playing the game well than ever, ever sitting on the bench souring over coach's gameplan, something I have ZERO control over. I consider this 'freedom-loving EFL Teacher School 101'! Be like Steph Curry: hack the sport with intense concentration and effort, win a lot (whatever that means for you), and maybe even end up being sincerely, brilliantly fucking happy about the life you choose to lead.
I'm not always there but sometimes, yeah. The proof of my approach, anyway, is in my posting (almost exclusively about teaching) something like 17k times on ajarnforum without ever ONCE falling into that trap; it's obviously no kind of grand life achievement I'm touting, but it's something that I believe is a crucial element of happiness and success in this niche of the world.
You teach who you are. All those thoughts infect your teaching. Your teaching is your product. Your product is your success.
What do you think?
(I'm LOLing reading this back - WTF when did I turn into the Tony Fucking Robbins of TEFL?)
Last edited by Matthew; 19-02-2018 at 01:41 PM.
Leaving Thailand has shown me that all of that is achievable, the fact of the matter is that 9/10 it is easier in countries other than Thailand. The Gulf/China and even most of Thailand's neighbors offer more PD opportunities, better curriculum and more favorable working conditions on the whole. Thailand is a wonderful place to live, but working there can be a challenge. The reverse is true for Myanmar. Thing is, I would go back to Thailand to have a more favorable home life back.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)