Job Discussion Forums

[own_king]

Working at Lertlah (Bangkok, Thailand) �Teaching in Hell�

Now let me start off by saying that I love Thailand, Thai culture, and to some extent Thai people, but working at Lertlah International Program School has been a year of Hell and here�s why . . .

Extra Work

- Staff meetings every week until 6:00 (a little much I think).
- Lunch duty every week expected to actively supervise. Thais just sit and eat and talk and never reprimand the kids for unaccepted behavior.
- Expected to clean own air conditioner filter because it is not in the cleaning staff�s contract, even though it was not in our contract either.
- Parent/teacher meetings until 6:30 PM the day before holidays begin to get every last possible minute of work out of you.
- Must work camps in October and April and stay until 4:30 even though the kids go home at 2:15 to get every last possible minute of work out of you.
- Required to attend Saturday events like concert, anniversary show, etc although our work week is supposed to be Monday to Friday and get severely reprimanded for being late.
- My visa expired April 24th because I came a few days early to travel before I had to begin. But rather than letting me go when my visa expired, they expected ME to pay for my own visa extension and work until April 30th even though by their own admission they did not tell me not to come early or the school would not be responsible for my visa expenses. The Principal just said "Maybe we should tell people in the future." Well that really helps me. So I left the country at Songkran (middle of April) and came back on a 30 day tourist visa, which took me well past April 30.
- The school hires people to work illegally. See above. I was even encouraged to do this by the Principal
- Admittedly, the pay is good for Thailand, but they expect a lot for their money - the workday is 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM which is just too long for kids never mind the teachers, you must conduct homework classes everyday from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM, you are expected to submit a weekly plan and yearly plan, make work booklets perfectly bound every month.

Lack of Resources

- Internet access 11:00 AM � 12:00 noon and 4:00 PM to 4:30 PM is very limited if at all to research resources you may want to use with your kids. If it does not get turned on that day, that is too bad because it is a privilege.

Lack of Focus on Academics

- More emphasis on activities for kids rather than education. The only time any academics is done at this school is when there is absolutely nothing else to do. School work takes a backseat to everything else.
- Photocopies will be rejected if there is a black spot on the page or if is not cut to be perfectly square, but will never be questioned with regards to educational value or relevance.
- Presentation is all that counts not education. The principal checks to make sure all photocopies look perfect because they know that no sane teacher will go to all this nonsense.

Contract Violations

- Can be fined for leaving light or a/c on all night
- Teacher was fired before October holidays so they would not have to pay him for them and he had to go to court to get a month�s pay in lieu of notice. And he was not fired because of incompetence, but because he was not liked by the �more popular teachers� on staff.
- If you don�t agree to stay a second year, they make life for you very hard for the rest of your first year, like moving you to a new location a half hour away from the apartment the school moves you into.


Thai Staff

- Lunch duty every week expected to actively supervise. Thais just sit and eat and talk and never reprimand the kids for unaccepted behavior.
- The Thai is staff unsupportive, uncooperative, unfriendly, and incompetent.
- Cameras in the classroom - you're spied on by the Thai staff and office staff at different intervals throughout the day, waiting for you to make a mistake. Sometimes they sit in the TV room for hours at a time. It's not just for parents to see their kids in class.
- You are always spied on by Thai teachers, other foreign teachers, the supply person, and of course the Principal and her minions to make sure you are following protocol.

Disorganization

- Things constantly change at the last minute. Memos are put into a binder hours before something changes and you are expected to have read it even though you might have already checked in the morning
- Memos are never put into the teacher�s mail box which would be a better place that most experienced teachers are accustomed to looking.
- The area in terribly boring and very far away from the city, although the handbook describes it as being close.

Administration

- The new Principal who will be taking the helm starting May 2004 tells his teachers that they disgust him and make him sick, brags about it to other teachers, and threatens to beat them up (physically) in the parking lot while yelling at the top of his lungs in front of parents.
- When the current principal was told about the incident she just said that �you got what you deserved for being late.�
- Most teachers in LIPS program have a B.ED, but next principal does not, although these qualified professional will be required to take orders from him.
- The new principal of the bilingual program has never taught a day in his life before coming to Thailand this year, and only got the job because he made friends with the current principal and the new one.

Kids

- On one occasion a grade 1 student hit a female teacher in the stomach in front of the other students and was not punished for it. She was just told to not do it again.
- The kids are sometimes argumentative and Thai staff would take the side of the students against a foreign teacher like if there was a disagreement because they are afraid of the kids and parents.
- The Thai staff will interrupt your lesson and talk to the kids in Thai while not telling you what is happening. They also allow them to go to the nurse�s room and not tell you where they are.

(Un) Professional Treatment

- They expected qualified professional teacher to hand their students homework books in to a Thai teacher who can barely speak English to make sure we are correcting and marking them consistently.
- Photocopier is only to be used by Thai staff which means you can not make your own photocopies even though you may be accustomed to doing so.
- All photocopies are to be submitted to be approved by the principal because nobody believes that you are a qualified professional who is able to choose reasonable material for your students.

Hypocrisy

Two phrases most constantly heard from Principal sometimes in the same breath.
- If you were back home you�d have to do this
- Well now you�re in Thailand and that�s the way things are done here
- huh? Which is it?

[sigmoid]

[own_king]

I usually try to live up to my responsibilities - after all, I did sign on for a year. I also liked my class for the most part and did not want to see them get stuck with some loser they find to replace me. And mostly, I really enjoyed my time in Thailand (outside of work) - great weather, close to many fun travel destinations, and weekends in Pattaya

[chido]

wow. you sound a bit frustrated. you worked in bangkok you say? well, have you ever heard of the school Fun English. They are paying 30,000 per month. does that sound pretty standard?

[own_king]

Yeah, 30000 sounds pretty standard, but I was making close to 50000 last year even though I had to put up with a lot of crap. I don't think Fun English would be much better for a 20000 pay reduction. Thanks for the advice though dude, but I'm kinda put off teaching in Thailand for the time being. Are you working there now? good points/bad points would still be valued. I'm always interested to hear other people's experiences abroad.

[AsiaTraveller]

Well, you were getting 50,000 a month, which is at the high end of English teaching salaries.

You looked the 'gift horse' in the mouth for a full year and then gave it a swift kick after you finished the job. I bet there are others who would put up with all the s*it work (as you yourself did) for that salary.

[own_king]

I don't think anyone who hasn't worked there has any right to speak about the place one way or another. But I know there are corporate yesman out there - no matter where you post. I stuck it out not because of the money, but because I'm the kind of person who finishes what I start and because of my kids. I didn't want them to have to change teachers part way through the year and disrtupt any continuity in their year. I also stuck it out because I really enjoyed living in Thailand which I have contended all along - it's just working there that stunk.

[AsiaTraveller]

Yep, you are right: There are corporate "yes"-teachers who will jump at the 50,000/month salary you received. Maybe some of them will even take the opportunity to model collegial and effective behaviours to the Thai teachers at that school.

[Pepsi-Bones]

Interesting post. Is there anyone out there who has had experience teaching at this School this year? They are looking for staff to start work in May 2006. Has the School improved - or is it still the same?

[bluffer]

[bluffer]

[AjarnErnes]

I just walked out of a 65,000THB job teaching English at a VERY big Catholic high school. The reasons?

Re-read original posters post. That would pretty much be the same as what I would write.

After 2 years of working here I'd had enough BS and decided if I put up with even one more day of the Thai way of management I would most likely end up taking hostages and climbing to the top of a clock tower with an AK47.

It just makes you CRAZY!!!

Be flexible like the bamboo tree, they said... At some point even bamboo breaks.

ajarnernest

[own_king]

[Lertlah_teachers]

We (two of us) are currently teachers at Lertlah Building 5 Kaset-Nawamin and have been here for the past 6 months. Building 5 is a new building that was opened in May of 2006 and our reply is based on our experiences with this particular building. Our reply is also not intended to speak for other teachers in our building, these opinions are strictly our own. With this reply we hope to better inform interested teachers with what Lertlah has to offer (or not offer) and our experiences so far.

[landanna]

I have been teaching at Lertlah Kaset Nawamin also known as campus 3 for half a year now. As far as I know from talking to my friends at the other campuses, it is very different at all 3 campuses. This campus is known for being "slack" mostly due to lack of English administration and supervision as I have heard the other two campuses of Lertlah have in place.

At first - as non B Edu degree holder - I was pleased at the lack of formality. However now that I am settled in my position, found I enjoyed teaching and care for my students and would actually like the support and guidance, it is not available. The job is fairly easy. It is up to you what you put into the job. Over half the staff bring in their laptops and watch movies and skype when not in class. The other half use their prep time. No one monitors what goes on in the classrooms. You get evaluated 2x a year with fair warning. Overall, if your are looking for an easy year and not developing much professionally, this could be the place. If you have a strong work ethic or you are a new teacher with a b edu, you might find working here frustrating if you get bothered that while your working hard the teacher beside you is watching a movie. There is no one to complain to or if you do no one will listen. If you want support with lesson planning you will get the 'I m sure whatever you want to do will be fine"

I will not respond to everything in the posts prior however from my experience is the following:

Pay - Good compared to starting salaries discussed on this forum - First year non B edu holders get paid 43,500 + 5, 000 housing allowance. Housing is arranged for you in walking distance from the school. You are welcome to leave and find your own accommodation. B edu holders get paid 46 - 48,500 + 5, 000 housing allowance. There are teachers working without any degree and are being paid 30,000 + 5, 000 housing. Every additional year you teach, you receive a 3,000 baht raise.

Hours - contract says 25 hours/week. I teach 22. There are other teachers teaching 10 hours and sleeping on their desks the rest of the day, the upper level teachers teach 25. There is alot of "dead" time with no students during the year that you are required to be at school - all of March, 2 weeks in May, 1 week in October. School was canceled for kindergarten for 1 week in July due to foot/mouth disease but we still had to come in and sit at our desks. This is to be used as prep time but I ve seen that most teachers use it to take long lunches, catch up on their emails or just chat amongst each other. You are being paid to be there so not much to complain about.

Medical insurance was provided to me within a month.

I came on a tourist visa and the school arranged and paid for my non - B visa. Work visa was arranged on month 4.

Holidays - 1st year - 4 weeks plus thai holidays ( 2 weeks in October, 2 weeks in March). 2nd year - 6 weeks. 3 rd year - 6 weeks plus additional unpaid requests granted.

Working hours - 8 - 4:30 Monday - Friday. You must finger scan in, if you are not late over the course of the month you get at 400 baht bonus at the end of the month. Never had a problem being paid on time. There are teachers that arrive late everyday ( 10- 15 mins late) and it seems okay. You are permitted 20 paid sick days a year. I have not seen anyone not get paid for sick days however if it is a Monday or Friday be prepared to bring in a doctors note. Lunch time permitted is 50 minutes, however this is not adhered to. Many teachers leave the school to go out for lunch at the mall or even go home for a couple hours. No one really notices you are gone. Saturday classes are paid - 1,200 baht for 3 hours teaching. You must sign up for 4 a year however it is easy to pay another teacher to take your class for you.

A bank account was arranged for me in month 2 of my contract.

Uniform - Men must wear dress pants and shirt with tie. Women receive material to get a uniform made. The cost if you do it through the school tailor is 400 baht per item (shirt, pant, skirt).

Staff meetings - have only had 2 since I arrived and both during office hours. One was scheduled outside of office hours but was cancelled.

Parent teacher - 2 nights from 3 - 6 pm per year. This is not something to complain about.

Year end concert - 1 Saturday in the year.

Lunch duty - there is no lunch duty here.

Morning activity/gate duty - 1- 2 x a month you are expected to greet children/parents for 15 mins. This is during working hours. Again no big deal.

Resources - same as above poster. Equipment not working about 10% of the time, supplies often do not come in on time. For the most part you can get by as there is a adequate stocked supply room. Thai staff are quick to help if any problems arise.

Any questions, ask!