Results 1 to 15 of 15
  1. #1
    Thailand Expat Storekeeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Jomtien
    Posts
    11,943

    Graduate Certificate ... Worth the time?

    So I’m thinking about enrolling in this program:

    Graduate Certificate in Teaching English Language Learners

    It’s a 15 credit graduate certificate in teaching English Language Learners.

    Should I do it? Why or why not?

    If I decide to teach again it probably won’t be for more than 2-3 years.

    Thanks for any input provided.

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Chiang Mai
    Posts
    48,094
    Again? Didn’t know you ever taught. Where would you be teaching?

    Doing nothing in retirement works for me.

  3. #3
    Thailand Expat
    qwerty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Last Online
    26-03-2024 @ 02:09 PM
    Location
    Not far from Ratchada.
    Posts
    1,760
    If you are thinking of teaching in Thailand you should double check to make sure that this degree will actually get you a teacher's license.

    I see two potential red flags...are the courses 100% online? The PGCEi courses that a lot of people are taking are something like 10% F2F seminar and 90% online, which is acceptable, but 100% online is not accepted.
    The other issue is that they want a degree in Education. This may be considered to be a graduate degree in education, but I would recommend double-checking.

    This is the website of the Kurusapa (Teachers Council of Thailand). They issue teacher's licenses or waivers:

    คุรุสภา

  4. #4
    The Fool on the Hill bowie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    นนทบุรี
    Posts
    5,839
    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    Should I do it? Why or why not?
    Why not? Any schooling is beneficial. Only downsides are the time, energy and costs involved. If you got the time and energy - do it. Nothing to lose.

  5. #5
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Last Online
    30-04-2022 @ 02:44 AM
    Posts
    11,204
    A post graduate diploma of teaching might be better

  6. #6
    In Uranus
    bsnub's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    30,429
    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    So I’m thinking about enrolling in this program
    Jeezus are you not a double pension dipper? I know you have a Navy pension, and I am pretty sure you get one from the civvy military job you worked since. Why do you not just retire and chill?

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    17,214
    Quote Originally Posted by bsnub View Post
    Why do you not just retire and chill?
    ...because for many folks, chill eventually turns to mind-numbing rot especially after months of Netflix and booze...SK may not need the money, but he might want an activity beside chatting with the gardener...

  8. #8
    Custom Title Changer
    Topper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Last Online
    Today @ 09:04 AM
    Location
    Bangkok
    Posts
    12,119
    If it were me, no.

    And I'm going to be a bit "brutual" here, please forgive me.

    First, at your age, few schools will be interested in you unless you've got tons of teaching experience. Most schools want young, photogenic teachers with lots of energy.

    Secondly, I think the difference in education will mean little in salary over enough time to make the cost and effort worth it. Why pay for a course that's not going to give you a nice ROI in the timeframe you'll be teaching?

    SK, just my two cents....
    "I was a good student. I comprehend very well, OK, better than I think almost anybody," - President Trump comparing his legal knowledge to a Federal judge.

  9. #9
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Last Online
    30-04-2022 @ 02:44 AM
    Posts
    11,204
    Having said that if he is doing it for self growth, why not?

    a colleague in her 60’s is working on her doctorate

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat Storekeeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Jomtien
    Posts
    11,943
    Thanks for all the responses. Here and in repo comments.

    Misskit: Yes, taught P5 English for two years back in 2008-2010. If I teach again it wouldn't be below P5.

    qwerty: Yes, that link I shared is 100% online. In regards to the teaching license if I remember correctly without looking at your link there is a 5 year limit for working without a teaching license. I'm fine with that. Do you think the MOE has a record of me working for two years 10 years ago? If so I'd still be cool with only being allowed to teach 2-3 more years.

    Real KW: The school I used to work at sent me a link for a university in the Philippines to do a graduate certificate in teaching. I haven't ruled that out yet. Reminds me .. when I was teaching back in 2008-2010 I had started an online M.Ed. and just a couple courses into my school informed me it wasn't going to help me in any regards at their school in regards to more money or upward mobility. Thanks for the reminder.

    tomcat: You are correct kind sir. I basically have no hobbies. Not interested in golf. So basically teaching for 2-3 years is kinda like subsidized volunteer work.

    topper: Point taken. I'll be 60 and not really interested in teaching P5/P6/S1 more than a few years. Long term if I stick with it I'd want an AO kinda gig at the uni level. Yes I do have a Masters.

    bsnub: 2-3 years teaching = 1,000,000 baht = easy money …

    AO: Get me a job at your school.

  11. #11
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Last Online
    30-04-2022 @ 02:44 AM
    Posts
    11,204
    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    when I was teaching back in 2008-2010 I had started an online M.Ed. and just a couple courses into my school informed me it wasn't going to help me in any regards at their school in regards to more money or upward mobility
    Look into finishing this, sometimes you can get the credit for the completed courses you have already done.

  12. #12
    Thailand Expat Storekeeper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    Jomtien
    Posts
    11,943
    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealKW View Post
    Look into finishing this, sometimes you can get the credit for the completed courses you have already done.

    Getting an offer for a Navy civilian job and my old school dissin' the M.Ed. program I was enrolled in happened really fast in succession and I failed the second class. Just stopped logging on. Copped the attitude of 'I'm outa here'.

    I have a program called the GI Bill which will pay for whatever education program I'm inclined to do. But, after 40 plus years it will expire in March of 2022. No more extensions or conversions. It's pretty close to "Use it or lose it" time.

    So I've pretty much narrowed it down to doing the program in the link I shared or nothing at all.

    Gotta say this … my TEFL International instructor for the TESOL certificate is still teaching in Thailand and he's 78. He has to work but seems pretty happy and content. Just seeing how he's pretty fit both physically and mentally at his age is kinda motivating.

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat tomcat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    17,214
    Quote Originally Posted by Storekeeper View Post
    AO: Get me a job at your school.
    ...many of the Rajabats hire older non-native speakers simply because they can't get anyone else...as a native speaker with a master's degree and a pulse, you'd have significant advantages even with your advanced years. You'd also have a greater choice of location...

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat armstrong's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    6,881
    If it's just the teaching licence you want do the Filly Diploma in Education. 1 year, face to face once a month, easy pass.

  15. #15
    . Neverna's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Last Online
    @
    Posts
    21,241
    If you're only going to teach for 2-3 more years, SK, you won't need a full teaching licence. A waiver/temp licence will last you 2 years (so long as you stay at the same school) and you may be able to renew it after that. You may have already had a waiver in your last job. You can check on the TCT/kurusapa website for that. If you get a job in a uni, you won't ned to bother about a licence at all (different system). In your particular circumstances, I would not recommend the diploma in Teacher Education at the Philippines university (assuming that is the same one you got the link for).
    Last edited by Neverna; 09-07-2020 at 07:17 AM.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •