Job Discussion Forums

[ling ling]

I'm contemplating moving to Surratthani early next year seeking employment at the Rajabhat Surratthani campus in some kind of TEFL capacity.

I'd be interested to hear if anybody has had any dealings with this institution, what they thought of the place, people, admin, resources, workload and whether or not they are flexible in their expected hours of teaching... etc.

Cheers

[JosephP]

I worked there five years ago. It was a typical Rajabhat mishmash, meaning that flexibility is built into the system if you iknow how to massage the system. The pay was the standard 25580 Baht per month, but if you are a go-getter it is easy enough to nearly double this amount, but be warned, you won't have much in the way of a life.
Resources? Better to develop your own as the admin won't give you any help there (maybe different now but that was the case when I worked there. However, there is a spiffy multi-media room if you are luckey you might get to use once in awhile.
Workload? If you are a lazy type go for the afternoon classes. When I was there I was rostered eleven hours and half the time my classes would have sports day, flower arranging day, third-level bureaucrat backside kissing day, and I'd pretty much be left alone to while away the day drinking lemonade and chatting with the canteen ladies.
Class size was a bit ridiculous. Expect between 40-65 students, few of them motivated, but overwhelmingly polite (both males and females).
The administration is worse than useless, so get the folks in your own department to help you out. The upside is that your pay will be on time.
Also, don't expect any hand holding. They have their own lives and they expect you to get on with your own.
The location is, like most Rajabhats it seems, is out in the sticks so if you don't have a motorbike, you will be reduced to squeezing on songthaew to get there in the morning. Also be sure not to hang out at the Rajabhat too late as the last songthaew into town leaves around twenty to six. And it is a freaking long walk into town.
That's all I can think of now. Remember, this is what I encountered five years ago and some things are likely to be different, but overall, many things I don't see changing.

[ling ling]

Thanks JosephP for your reply,

Teaching in Rajabhat seems like an exercise in patience across the board from what I'm reading. One can only hope that things have changed over the last five years and that the place operates more efficiently than how you described it.

I guess on the other hand though one needs to go into these things with an open mind about what things are given priority in the Thai education system and if flower arrangement is up there, then well... that's just how it is but hey thanks for the forewarning.

Cheers

[JosephP]

Ling ling,
I'm not trying to rag on Rajabhats. If I was to return to Thailand I'd look for a job with a Rajabhat or university rather than a private language school. I did work at private language schools and commercial colleges and Rajabhats are paragons of honesty and efficiency compared to those places. And a whole heck of a lot less stressful.
Choke dee on your work choices. All the best.