The Wannabe English Teacher Thread

[sabang]

I'm thinking I should get off my arse and do something.
Rather than chasing the biggest buck, I want to do something that gives me a reasonable balance between work and leisure time, enough holidays, and not too stressful. So it seems that English teaching might be the way to go, and it means I'm doing something useful, in a small way at least.

A bit about me -
I have a BA & MBA, both from Aussie universities. I won a posh sounding academic award for my MBA.
I have never been a teacher, although I have trained people in the arcane world of investment theory and all that. I was reasonably senior actually, and I wonder if people might question my motives wanting to be a teacher for less than a tenth of the salary I'm used to.
I'm 47, and here in Thailand on a marriage visa.
I'm gonna be renting my pile out for about 2-3 times my likely salary as a teacher. This means I can be flexible where I work- don't really fancy Bkk unless I can land some prestigious job, preferred areas probably Pattaya/Rayong, Ubon, KK or Udon. Don't need thousands of expats Pattaya style, but do want a place that at least has a falang Pub or two.

I'm sure we must have some fellow lowly paid teachers here in TD, so may I bother you with a few questions:-
1- Am I mad? Should I reconsider?
2- Do I need this TEFL/TESOL thing or will my degree's see me thru'?
3- Any info on where I should or shouldn't do a TESOL? There's one here in Pattaya, another down at Ban Phe in Rayong. Does it matter where?
4- As far as employment goes, any thoughts? Are private schools better than public? Are private teaching academies shit employers or OK? Universities? Teaching business English perhaps?
5- Wot's it like! The ups, the downs and all that.

Any feedback would be appreciated, I'd particularly lurv to hear some shared experiences so I can get an idea of what I'm letting myself in for.
If you think teaching is not for me or a bad choice, certainly interested to hear any other thoughts or suggestions, even employment agencies I might speak to.
The bottom line is although it's not urgent, I should start doing something with this brain again before I pickle it.

[William]

from your post I'm assuming (a) you don't need the money; and (b) you don't need the visa requirement. Lacking those two elements, I think you'd be mad to want to teach (or even work) here.

[ChiangMai noon]

I think you'd be mad to want to teach

I very much agree.
loopety loop.

[kingwilly]

Ajarn.com - living and teaching in Bangkok

[kingwilly]

actually tho, i am a teacher, tho not TEFL etc.

I enjoy it. Mate give it a go, u might to! ignore the other comments - I can understand u wanting to do something during retirement.

[dirtydog]

i am a teacher

And how many minutes perday do you actually teach

[William]

I think you'd be mad to want to teach

I very much agree.
loopety loop.

To be fair mate, I did't restrict that comment to teaching. I really believe that if you neither need the money nor the visa requirement, you're crazy to work here. IME, Thailand is hard work.

Unfortunately, I need both

[ChiangMai noon]

I enjoy it. Mate give it a go, u might to! ignore the other comments

what do you teach Willy.
I hope to fuck it's not English

[Marmite the Dog]

2- Do I need this TEFL/TESOL thing or will my degree's see me thru'?

I really would recommend you do one of these courses, as they are a big help in giving you a basic grounding.

Alternatively, you could just spend all day posting crap on TD like CMN does.

[ChiangMai noon]

Posts: 12,243

i remember one or 2 good ones.

[Boon Mee]

I think you'd be mad to want to teach (or even work) here.

Amen to that.
Play golf.
Fish.
Grow mangos - anything to keep yourself occupied but who needs that other aggravation...

[klongmaster]

Sabbas:Before the idiots get here and tell you to fok off to the "teachers" forum, let me make a few observations..

First: Thailand is desperate for qualified personnel in disciplines other than English...bearing in mind how much Thais love to do MBAs, I would strongly recommend that you shop yourself to the various unis who are flogging MBA courses.

Second: money...you seem to be a bit like me - although younger , before Marmers reminds us all how old I am - and therefore the money is not the prime consideration...however, you should look for between 1000-2000 baht per hour...don't sell yourself short...

Third: places of employment...you'll find heaps on this here with the rules & regs here. For an overview of the Thai schooling system go here and for the deal re privates and corporates try here ...

hope that's helpful for starters...

[klongmaster]

Oh...and the TEFL thing...absolute waste of time and money if you're not teaching English...

I have one from the early 90s. Got it in NZ on one of my brief visits back home...in 11 years in Thailand I have never been asked for it...

but for unis they will want to see the original copy of your degrees and your transcript for your MBA...I emailed an application through one unis website which resulted in me teaching there part-time for the last five years...

Here's a list of Thai unis for you...

[Marmite the Dog]

i remember one or 2 good ones.

Fucked if I can.

[kingwilly]

I enjoy it. Mate give it a go, u might to! ignore the other comments

what do you teach Willy.
I hope to fuck it's not English

What do you teach Willy?
I hope to fuck it's not English!

no, not enngrish

dirtydogQuote:
Originally Posted by kingwillyhggtb
i am a teacher

And how many minutes perday do you actually teach

didnt say i worked but, did i?

[Boon Mee]

Second: money...you seem to be a bit like me - although younger , before Marmers reminds us all how old I am - and therefore the money is not the prime consideration...however, you should look for between 1000-2000 baht per hour...don't sell yourself short...

And, how many ~$60.00 an hour jobs are there out there?

[William]

^actually, a lot. My ex-wife (spit, spit, spit) demands at least that an hour.

EDIT ^that sounds horrid, she's not a pro and demands that teaching English*

[klongmaster]

Booners: it's a popular misconception that the teaching industry in Thialand is poorly paid...in reality it's the same here as anywhere else in the world...you get paid according to your qualifications...

with a Masters he should get a minimum of 1000/hr...not big money for the corporate guys on Td, but worth getting out of bed for...

Chula and others pay 2000/hr for specialist teachers in their MBA programs...

before you get on your high horse remember this is not yankee politics and we don't need you here doubting and SHOUTING...

[ChiangMai noon]

^
That is certainly true of Bangkok.
Not so, ChiangMai unfortunately.
A mate of mine just took a job at a local private school (not language school) for 20,000 a month. Full time. 8-4 Monday to Friday.
He has a masters degree from Berkely and has been accepted for a phd course at Oxford startinbg in August.
I'm not kdding you.

Corporate English classes are also notoriously stingy up here.
I have taught at Tesco Lotus and Makro.
Big companies who are unwilling to pay more than 1,000 an hour for classes of 16 or so students.

[NickA]

^Fek, sounds perty crappy, lucky you are a consultant and not a teacher

[ChiangMai noon]

Fek, sounds perty crappy, lucky you are a consultant and not a teacher

I know Nick.
It's the main reason I have been with the same lot for 6 years.
No fukking alternative up here.
We get about 50 applicants a day when we advertise a new job.
People are desperate to stay in CM, but it's not the easiest place to make your way.

[William]

CMn - that's interesting to know. My ex was commanding B500 per class of more than 4 back in 1999

[ChiangMai noon]

My ex was commanding B500 per class of more than 4 back in 1999

Demand and supply William I suppose.
I have lost count of the proposals I have written for the multinationals down on the Lamphun Industrial estate.
They always want cheaper and are willing to pay less to unqualifieds.
So long as they are white and youngish.
Purely window dressing.

[NickA]

^There are still people willing to work for 300 baht an hour at language centres in Bangkok

[William]

^Nick - must be the crappy $ exchange rate