Job Discussion Forums

Alexandros · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 12

Hi all,

IO am aGreek Cytpriot and I'll be teachign English in Bangkok from the 3rd of September. Being a Greek, I am used to eye contact between students and teacher in the classroom during teaching. That is also part of my style as a teacher.

a) Is eye contact between teacher and students in the classroom culturally inappropriate in Thailand?

b) My apologies for addressing this quite irrelevant question here. The (private school) I'll be teaching at, said that I can only get (unpaid) leaf during October and from March to mid May. but guys, apart from thes eperiods, arent's there any other specific dates during the year that are holidays, e.g. religious holidays, or birthday of the king, etc. My girlfriend says that maybe it's because it's a private school, so they don't have the holidays public schools have. Anyone knows? Has anyone worked to private school?

Thank you so much.

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

a) No.

b) Depends on the school. Just 'cos it's a public holiday doesn't mean you'll be off (I'm not).

Sound like you'll be working for a language school mate....so even if you are off you probably won't get paid and often substitution days won't be taken into consideration.

blondie10 · Joined: 12 Aug 2006 Posts: 40

Eye contact with students is appropriate. The only inappropriate thing is touching their heads unless they are real young students and then it is permitted.

There are many holidays, the trouble is you will probably never know when they are. They tend not to write down any schedules. You will sometimes show up to school and find out there is no school that day. It is best to get acquainted with your teacher assistant so she/he can inform you of these times. In the year that I was there, each week there was something going on, and hardly ever a full week.

We asked for a yearly schedule and never got one. Even if they did give us a schedule it would probably change, they are not into organization.

Alexandros · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 12

Blondie,

considering what kenkaniff said above, as regards school holidays, it matters to what kind of school you work for right?> what kind of school did you work for? private or public? langauge school in particular or not? are you still in Thailand?

Thanks....

kenkannif · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 550

I work for a private language school mate.

Yes, I am still in Thailand and have no plans to leave.

By all means ask away mate!!!