Job Discussion Forums

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

Sure does. On top of it all, your students will be the same. Same as in
'act up/don't do homework/make-me-wonder-why-I'm-here-teaching-for-chickenfeed' bunch.

One soon gets tired of playing the fool. Anyone with brain cells, that is.

Tainan · Joined: 01 Apr 2009 Posts: 120

sheikxhoni · Joined: 28 Jun 2009 Posts: 48 Location: Bangkok

I am facinated by all this teacher licensing talk that I am hearing for the first time. Everyone who is not here in Thailand - as I have been for the last six months - should probably know that - from my experience - a lot of teachers are hired with no qualifications or permits that we hear so much about. Many English tutoring schools act as a sort of employment agency for the public schools. I work at a large public high school with five other native speakers. I am the only one who is even qualified to get a work permit. No one else has a degree or any experience except one of those quickie TEFL courses common here. Neither the public high school nor the school-acting-as-employment-agent took any interest in applying for either a Non-immigrant B visa or the work permit for me. Not having worked anywhere else I have assumed this is not unusual. The higher quality international schools and universities may be a lot different but that is my experience at a supposedly highly regarded public school. When I became aware of the penalties I started making demands and slooowly things get done - but only when I insist. I quit to move on to a better situation at the end of the first semester AND before the work permit was ever applied for. My B visa is only temporary.

Regardless of all the talk about requirements and licenses, I am curious if my experience is common or unusual? Are people getting deported and going to jail for not having work permits? Or are these rules enforced with the same enthusiasum as rules against prostitution which is also supposed to be illegal?

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

I don't know, guys. If you're teaching on anything less than the non-Imm B, you could be playing with dynamite. I've read war stories over on Ajarn told by people who taught here "illegally" several years ago (such as in 2004) and are now being prosecuted for it.

sheikxhoni · Joined: 28 Jun 2009 Posts: 48 Location: Bangkok

So, anyone else? Does any one have a real experience and not just a story from another blog from maybe five years ago? Are schools and recruiters currently ignoring all this stuff like B visas, work permits and now licensing? Yes or no?

I am not aware of any penalties for the schools or recruiters. They can ignore the laws with impunity. When there is a crack down only teachers get hurt, as far as I can tell. What are the penalties for schools or recruiters when teachers work with no visas permits or licenses? We teachers should be very nervous.

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

My post comes from blogs that were posted five weeks ago.

Do your homework.

sheikxhoni · Joined: 28 Jun 2009 Posts: 48 Location: Bangkok

Howdy Rigel - - I read your post on June 16th and I see we have a lot in common since I am frustrated by the nature of the students and the school admin. In your responce yesterday you replied by talking about posts on Arjan in 2004 to show that people have been prosecuted. So, everyone, does anyone know of people being prospecuted now? All I see is talk about tests being required for licencing.

Everyone, the subject now here on Dave's seems to be whether we must take these licensing tests. My question for everyone is to ask if there is any current effort to prosecute any teachers? And I repeat that it seems like the penalties only apply to teachers - not to public school administrators or school/agents. From my own experience all three requirements - B visa, work permit, and licensing tests - seem to be ignored where I have taught - and I wonder if that is common practise. The answer may provide ideas regarding the best coarse of action to protect ourselves.

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

I've also read about these incidents on other sites.

I don't think it's a big deal to do these courses. I just wouldn't pay for them. I've taught here before and I know how seriously the students take this subject. No way will I pay for that course. Perhaps if Thailand paid a decent salary, I'd pay for it out of my own pocket. But also, I get tired of the 'blame the teacher ' mentality that is so common in Asia. If the students don't do homework, it's the teacher's fault. Make teacher take courses so he'll be 'better'. Students dick around on computer games all night instead of practicing, that means it's the TEACHER'S fault. Let's make him take yet another course to make him better. Students refuse to participate in class, that is the.....

Never do they attack the real problem. Surprise, surprise, I don't teach in Thailand anymore. Even if the folks around here did address the real source of poor performance, I'd still not pay for this course. Let me land a job that pays 75,000 baht a month and then maybe...

stu_miller · Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 7

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

Am I qualified?

Not at public schools in Thailand, no. I used to be 'qualified', but not anymore. That's fine. I've taught at a public high school in the past here, and I know I'm not missing anything by not being able to teach certain groups now.

I'll leave those 8,000 baht courses (or whatever they cost), and the chicken-feed paying jobs those courses will get me, for the young naive types.

stu_miller · Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 7

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

I taught high-school-aged students.

I was fully legal when I worked here, meaning I had a non-imm B work visa. You need certain quals to get that, such as a Bachelor's degree from one of the Big 5 Countries. I believe I needed a TESOL cert as well, which I have. I pulled a year at this school. I went to a private college here after that. I've done nothing but colleges since.

stu_miller · Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 7

thanks. always interesting to compare notes from different people...

i am about to arrive in thailand to do celta and then hopefully teach, and this is the first i've heard of this license...

however, it sounds somewhat "optional" from most of the comments here!

is it something i have to seriously worry about?

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

MOD EDIT

Doing a CELTA here is a good idea. After that, you should look to Korea, Japan, or the Middle East for jobs. When I first got into this, I was doing it because I wanted to 'make a difference'. Thailand got me over that bleeding heart stage. Now when I do this I do it for the money. Nothing else. When your students don't want to learn, money is all you'll have in the end to show for your efforts.