Thread: How Long can You Last?

Teaching in Thailand starts off great but after a few years gets one down. Once you are married, especially with kids, it's really impractical to do it due to the lack of cash. I'm not talking about the 'real', international teacher. I lasted about 10 years before I started to do other things. I'm still doing the odd bit after 15 years.
Once you learn the language, then I'd say it's impossible to work in the mattyom type environment, especially govt. schools.

How long can you you see yourself lasting? Are you aware that it's a shot-time vocation for most?

I did a few weekends teaching.

Enjoyed the first day, it was downhill after that.

I did 2 and a half days a week at a pratom school for one school year while I was setting up my business here. I enjoyed the teaching, for about a month, but as stroller said 'it was downhill after that'.

I couldn't do it again! It would kill me.

I went on one interview and threw in the towel.

I lasted 2 years.
But it was not in Thailand...

Leave home 4pm....travel one hour to Eastern Seaboard Factory....
wait for students to arrive for half hour.....teach for two hours....
travel back home for one hour. Salary 900bht!

Did it for three months. Never again.

The students all 27 of them, had worked for 10hrs. They were tired poor buggers. So was I.

Private one on one sessions locally for 350bht an hour are just about bearable.

Originally Posted by Milkman

For me, teaching is hard work,

Bollocks Milky! You've been a slacker for how long?!

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Milkman

For me, teaching is hard work,

Bollocks Milky! You've been a slacker for how long?!

You are totally right.

I had not been in a classroom for a whole 3 years. And even before then, it had been part-time as I had the privates.

Until about May 10th, when I went to work at a university to teach kiddies, because my privates were so slow. I had to lesson plan, be on my feet, and constantly adapt. A big room with only a fan, and a lot of classroom control issues, as the kiddies are so young.

I also returned to a backpacker school to teach adults only about 2-4 hours per week for weekly pay. I have since been able to leave that hell-hole.

So....I have been lucky enough to do what I like: privates.

If I ever have to go back to the classroom again full-time, I am out of the EFL business.

Luckily, my private work has picked up recently, but this year has still been a very, very, bad one for me.

Bad enough for me, to think, contemplate, and emotionally think about leaving South East Asia for a spell.

But as of now....I am...still surviving....and I will continue the fight to stay for now.

Originally Posted by Milkman

and I will continue the fight to stay for now.

Good man. You've got Christmas plans remember.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Milkman

and I will continue the fight to stay for now.

Good man. You've got Christmas plans remember.

Yes, I do.

I am committed to making it work here, no matter tough it gets.


I am not going to bag until it really, really, gets bad.

And yes, I am planning on the Xmas visit!

Taught for 30 years of and on and ended up running remote schools in the NT, Aus. After 5 years of trying to deal with the inane egocentric asses that ran the department I threw in the towel and I will never go in to a classroom again.
The kids are great, no matter where in the world, but the beaurocracy is soul destroying.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Taught for 30 years of and on and ended up running remote schools in the NT, Aus. After 5 years of trying to deal with the inane egocentric asses that ran the department I threw in the towel and I will never go in to a classroom again.
The kids are great, no matter where in the world, but the beaurocracy is soul destroying.

I am not a real teacher like you, but the

EDUCRATS

are a pain in the butt.


Not very good, not flexible, and not very smart, IMO.

And they are very annoying.

Mate, in my view the majority of them (beaurocratic managers) can't make in the class room and get out as soon as they can. Get into a non-teaching managerial position and then just try and work their way up the ladder with no real regard for those that are actually teaching - at the chalk face.
This is not the place to express my true feeling but I'm sure you get the idea.
Only two things are need to succeed in teaching, a. a sense of humour and b. getting a true buzz out of the students, especially kids.
A terrific job stuffed up by politicians.
End of rant.

pip pip



well getting there

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Mate, in my view the majority of them (beaurocratic managers) can't make in the class room and get out as soon as they can. Get into a non-teaching managerial position and then just try and work their way up the ladder with no real regard for those that are actually teaching - at the chalk face.
This is not the place to express my true feeling but I'm sure you get the idea.
Only two things are need to succeed in teaching, a. a sense of humour and b. getting a true buzz out of the students, especially kids.
A terrific job stuffed up by politicians.
End of rant.

pip pip



well getting there

Please continue.

Any insights that you have, I need.

I do appreciate it. And the others do also.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Milkman

For me, teaching is hard work,

Bollocks Milky! You've been a slacker for how long?!

because my privates were so slow.

There is a little blue pill available to help you with your problem

Originally Posted by Red dragon

Originally Posted by Milkman

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Milkman

For me, teaching is hard work,

Bollocks Milky! You've been a slacker for how long?!

because my privates were so slow.

There is a little blue pill available to help you with your problem

I think you're joking.

But here's my point.

I like privates. I really enjoy it. I'm not a classroom guy anymore and have not been for a long time.

So...if they run out, I am out.

No pills needed. Just moving on.

Originally Posted by Milkman

I like privates.

Ouch!

He was talking about your knob, you knob!

I'm at the 5 year mark and still loving it. The money is good, the schedule is easy and I have a ton of fun doing it.

That's the crucial point "FUN"
When the fun of the classroom is outweighed by the ballistic bullshit of beaurocracy it all turns sour.
Burn out and bugger off to somewhere quiet.

I have been teaching in the UK for 20 years, I used to love it, I have not had a good day at school for many years.

Just got a job in an international school and if I don't find it fun then no more teaching for me.

Teaching is the best job in the world when the students want to learn

Never done a minute of teaching, I'm not a very patient man, so it's most likely that I would lose my temper and start throwing things around

Same story back home though. I lasted 5 years before deciding my moral obligations to the UK's youth was void due to the anti-educational stance of both parents and students. Am lucky to be in a school where the kids are just great now... but again, how long can you last before boredom creeps in? If I can be happy in my boredom I'll stick with that.

I love teaching, best jobs I have ever had were ones teaching. I am not an "English" teacher but I have done some of it. Actually, I recently left a managerial job for an International organization in order to return to academia, however, to make it pay, I had to take a job outside of Thailand :-(.

Sure, teaching basic English to children can be kind of tough and is not something most people would want to do for a lifetime, but for the most parts I think those who complain the most about teaching are those who have not had much other work experience.

Teaching subjects one has a passion for to motivated university or grad school students has to be one of the greatest gigs in the world, too bad it doesn't pay better.

6 years in Asia!

just started my first year back in the UK...