Job Discussion Forums

[islanddreamer]

Does anyone have any info on this school? I've had a look at the great links above but haven't seen anything specific, and the website doesn't give a lot away. Thanks for any comments.

[Sheep-Goats]

No specific info for you. A few words of caution about "international" schools in Thailand:

1) An "international" school is one where a majority of the students are not Thai nationals. Generally these schools are for expat kids whose fathers want a smooth transition for their kids when they go to college back home.
2) This means they generally want subject teachers (math, science, social studies) as opposed to English language teachers. Any international school that wants English teachers is perhaps not really international.
3) The word "international" has become an adjective to Thais meaning something like "very good." Hence phrases like "my phone is international" or "my husband live international". This makes it an attractive thing to throw into the name of your school, whether it's actually international or not.
3.5) Therefore, the term "international" is often used by schools which have nothing international about them.
4) Most true international schools are only interested in teachers with BEds or teaching certificates (or PGCEs if employing British teachers). They may, in a pinch, employ non-teaching certificate holders -- at much reduced salary rates. This is becasue they want to keep their schools licensed with governments back home so that their students can transfer into universities in those countries as normal high school students would instead of as non-native students would have to (extra testing, less financial aid).
5) Is your school a real international school or not? Easy to tell. Real schools recruit mainly abroad (NOT in Thailand) and pay 80,000B a month and up. Fake international schools hire a lot in Thailand and pay 40,000B and up. (These are Bangkok salaries. Schools not in the 'Kok pay less, but not drastically so.)
6) Whether the school is really international or not, the job still might be a good one for you. And if you're looking at working on Samui, you'll be lucky to find anyone at all with a slot for you.

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

If you've already seen these, please disregard.

The links below will self-destruct in 30 seconds.



http://www.tiasamui.com/

http://www.kohsamui.com/activities/tia/

http://www.siamdir.com/public_services/schools/index.html



And as Sheep-Goats cautioned, this excerpt from their webpage:

"We have been awarded our English School License and we are
now working towards obtaining our International School License."

~ reposted from link #2 above

[islanddreamer]

Thanks very much for your postings. In fact, although I am a teacher (currently based in Hong Kong), I was looking at TIA for my son. It's a lot cheaper than the one I have chosen - St. Andrews in Rayong............ I guess it's so much cheaper because it's not really an international school.

[kenkannif]

Someone else asked me about them before and I checked with my mate that has a school on Samui, this is what he said:

"Regarding the International Academy I�m sorry to say I didn�t respond
before as I personally don�t have anything positive to say about them,
from what I�ve heard, seen and experienced myself.".

[islanddreamer]

Thanks for posting, kenkannif. Is there any way that you could find out specifics for me? As far as I can tell, it used to be called the Bencaja Education Centre. I'm wondering if Dulwich College intended to take it over - they planned to open a school in Samui - but have now pulled out.

[kenkannif]

Will try mate!

[kenkannif]

Just in:

Just a heads up on the International Academy on Koh Samui. I am a teacher on the island and TIA as it is known probably has the worst reputation of not only any school but any establishment on the island. There are countless stories about this school, just ask anyone whos lived here for a while what they think about TIA, and you will see for yourself. Hope this isn\'t to late.

Avoid methinks!!!!