Thread: Diploma-Degree mills

By the way, my friend went on to do a Masters at a Bonafide Thai Uni on the strength of his *B.A*. So now the M.O.E. don't give a shit either, he's an M.A. and no way would they question him now.

That's why Thailnd and Thai Unis are considered ajoke in the real world

When in Gulf I helped UK DOS recruit any applications from Siam went straight in bin unopened.

This corruption is all part of top heavy hegemony of Hi-sos whose sons and daughters end up 'managing " TG TOT AOT etc
real money is for Chinese of course but even Hurray HuaHins and PornTIPTOPS are assured places at Wigan Poly and Vancouver Hairdressing Uni with their Masters from
Rajabhat Kamphaeng Phet etc

Originally Posted by killerbees

It's also really important to bring back khanom or gifts for people in your office when you go away somewhere. If you don't do that, people will dislike you. Once the chatter about you turns negative, you're focked.

As far as the kids liking you goes, it's quite important. They are forced to study English, whether or not they have any natural interest or inclination to do so. They don't get a choice between French, English, and German. They must take English. This breeds a lot of ill will. They're also mostly taught by a bunch of old biddies who can't speak English to save their lives. It's rote learning. The kids don't understand. The syllabus progresses from year to year whether or not the students do. Most M6 students speak at an M1 level but they still use M6 textbooks. Then you take a bloody foreigner and toss him or her into the mix. Someone who most likely doesn't understand the culture or educational culture. Someone who may or may not have any experience teaching. Someone who might be drunk in the morning or a right c*nt. Does that sound like a recipe for success? These are the teachers these kids have had in the past. This is the legacy with which you have to contend.

The odds are stacked against you from the moment you walk into a classroom like that. If, by some miracle, you can get those kids on your side and actually show them that learning and taking responsibility for their education and their lives can be a worthwhile, rewarding and possibly enjoyable thing to do, I don't care what piece of paper you have.

Obviously, some schools are quite nice and the students are eager to learn (or so I hear). The above paragraph is based on a place where I worked previously, where a polite request for a student to sit down often resulted in a student saying something cute like, "Fokk your mother."

This guy really knows what he is talking about
In addition to pedagogical issues a lot is performance
In same way we all enjoy watching a good act on stage or concert even better a cat fight The Falang in Isaan Mathyom 3 is a bit like one of those demostration sports at the Olympics or Bra ads on the subway to catch your attention rather than change the world.
TEFL is last resort of idle alcoholic drifters and those deluded souls who think they make a difference of course the past Masters like me+JJ excepted

Originally Posted by rubbajohnny

are assured places at Wigan Poly and Vancouver Hairdressing Uni with their Masters from Rajabhat Kamphaeng Phet etc

Buying one from KS road is quicker and probably worth more than one from Rajabhat Kamphaeng Phet.

Agreed unless you wish to be rector or Head of Dept there!

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Rajabhat Kamphaeng Phet.

the uniforms are better

Well thank you for a lot of the comments, a few questions answered from my point of view, about teaching in the LOSneers.

1: From my experience, being liked by your students keeps you in employment..so sorry JJ but it's true. 'Accredited as much as you want'. If they don't like ya then your GONE. that's a fact.

2: I know teachers that teach English that are from Russia, Denmark, Italy...you name it.

3: At least my mates born in the UK..so it's his native language.

4: He does make a difference at his schools, He has had glowing references from all the schools he's worked for. So his only failing is that he didn't expect his life to take this turn, and that he didn't get a degree when he was young. From the way you put it JJ, it's like he's a horrendous criminal?

5: I agree that just because you got a degree from a UK 'Uni' and you sat though years of lectures and gave the examining board what they wanted to hear/read (in some circumstances, no freedom of thought is allowed in some subjects!!) doesn't make a good teacher. But what the hell does???
Just because you got papers to prove it??

Some of my teachers were lousy at my schools in the UK, some teachers didn't give a sh*t, rarely any effort to make sure the kids were working or learning!

IMO being a good teacher means that you convey the text or conversation to the students successfully, and that they obviously know what it means.... Ta Da not bloody rocket science is it really over here.

They're not learning bloody Chaucer for gods sakes are they JJ ???????

so what he's got a blag degree, if he's doing a good job and really actually cares about the students education..so please stop being up your own arse (you know who you are)

Sorry but my degree is in Telecommunications, so should I not be teaching either..also I didn't expect to be married with a baby in the LOSneers either...but such is life. you take it as it comes

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

Sorry but my degree is in Telecommunications, so should I not be teaching either..also I didn't expect to be married with a baby in the LOSneers either...but such is life. you take it as it comes

yeah true.

The ethics of using a bogus degree aside, here's some actionable advice:

Tell your pal to go for it, I personally know people who teach on bogus BAs which have been submitted to BK. He may be alright.

Tell him to keep largish amounts of cash on hand (20k baht or so at a min) if immigration or MOE people show up, innocently ask if there is a fine you can pay on the spot, discretely pull out the money and pictures of your pregnant wife or better still, a baby and family pics of you and the in-laws in a shack in the sticks. (sounds silly, but Thai's take Song San seriously).

Action: there is a company called "Media Kids" google it. They have contracts all over thailand and they can manage it if you don't have a degree but can get the job done. They (and others) do this by getting you a 90 day non imm B every term.

Also, once you have the kid, you can get an automatic 2 month extension to a tourist visa for "visiting family". In Laos you can apply for, and get a 2 month tourist visa every time you show up.

The 90 days in and out rule only applies to "on-entry" visas. If you leave the country and get a "real" tourist visa, there is no 90 day limit.

Get a degree at Thai university and you will be just fine... You can pretty much buy one of those as well, but you gotta do the time. Once you are enrolled, you get a visa for the duration.

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

being liked by your students keeps you in employment

Fundamental error of the system.

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

I know teachers that teach English that are from Russia, Denmark, Italy

Not an issue if they're "fluent", and explain that it's not their L1.

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

so it's his native language.

Whoopy shit. No longer a valid argument IMHO

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

so please stop being up your own arse (you know who you are)

Just looking for the best. As in, if the Thai government got it's act together it would be reasonably easy to turn the situation around

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

but such is life. you take it as it comes

Agreed.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Just looking for the best. As in, if the Thai government got it's act together it would be reasonably easy to turn the situation around

And if they did, they would find that they would either have to pay 2 or 3 times as much to attract the qualified teacher or if they weren't prepared to do that (which they're not) they would end up with no teachers (which is what they're beginning to find already with their stupid bloody teacher's course).

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

And if they did, they would find that they would either have to pay 2 or 3 times as much to attract the qualified teacher

or more.

having said that a mate on my pool team told me last night he is here earning $460 p/m !!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by kingwilly

having said that a mate on my pool team told me last night he is here earning $460 p/m

Jesus! How can he survive on that?

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Jesus! How can he survive on that?

he actually said he aint 5 Million Rups a month, which is about that amount but fucked it i know how he survives, very carefully I guess. He owns his own house here, bought from funds that he had in England (life savings) so he doesnt need to pay rent.

he also married his bargirl g/f just before she got pregnant, but now she aint pregnant anymore.

(she was a bit miffed that the house is not in her name.....)

he is also a part owner of a bar.....

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

And if they did, they would find that they would either have to pay 2 or 3 times as much to attract the qualified teacher or if they weren't prepared to do that (which they're not) they would end up with no teachers (which is what they're beginning to find already with their stupid bloody teacher's course).

I'm in complete agreement with you. My point is that the only way to resolve the problem is to throw money at it. Pay peanuts and get monkeys. No offense meant.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Pay peanuts and get monkeys. No offense meant.

Completely agree.

But, they need to start with sorting their own teachers & schools out first and somehow introduce a culture of studying, which they simply don't have here. Having the best EFL teachers in the world will make zero difference if the students have no drive.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Having the best EFL teachers in the world will make zero difference if the students have no drive.

Agreed, and that won't happen whilst graft, corruption and dishonesty prevail. So, it'll never happen.

^ So we're agreed that EFL teachers with iffy degrees is the way to go for Thailand at the present time?

Good. Glad that's sorted.

Next...

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

So we're agreed that EFL teachers with iffy degrees is the way to go for Thailand at the present time?

Nope, it's obviously not the way to go as the outcomes indicate.

Unfortunately the solution has yet to be found. I'd recommend a coup.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Nope, it's obviously not the way to go as the outcomes indicate.

OK, so you don't want unqualified teachers and it's a waste of time to have proper teachers.

Who's going to teach the kids then?

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

So we're agreed that EFL teachers with iffy degrees is the way to go for Thailand at the present time?

Nope, it's obviously not the way to go as the outcomes indicate.

What outcomes?

Originally Posted by jandajoy

No offense meant.

Well, you had me fooled

^ Well put and a good post.

Thanks for all the posts, great advice. IMHO I also believe that a dedicated teacher makes all the difference. Rather than some boring twat forcing uninterested Thai kids to speak English then fail and just play games all the time to placate them. Like so many do in my experience.

Originally Posted by Mr R Sole

Thanks for all the posts, great advice. IMHO I also believe that a dedicated teacher makes all the difference. Rather than some boring twat forcing uninterested Thai kids to speak English then fail and just play games all the time to placate them. Like so many do in my experience.

Actually, (well-designed) games are one of the most effective learning tools you have