What an intense year this has been. So many people inspired me along the way, fellow teachers, ex teachers friends and total strangers. Thailand first touched my heart and introduced me to the most basic of Buddhism more than twenty five years ago. (Koh Samui was a lush magnificent tropical jungle then, as it still is now). I went back to the UK and was fascinated by the whole possibility of a completely opposite to all I knew way of life. Suddenly less was more, and the call from my heart was to try to live a more simple life, not more complex.

Anyway, something called me to come back and say thank you. I was never particularly pro the concept of English teachers in a foreign country and thought maybe it was some leftover form of colonialism, our way is better. The truth is many people really want to learn a second and often third language. It turns out I had the courage to be able to stand up in a classroom and deliver some inspiration or at least be persuave why learning could be fun and over the year my focus was pure and simple, how to be really the best teacher I could be.

It was an extraordinary year, living in some absolutely ghastly places, (one house a school provided, actually had no back door), and being at the bottom of the food chain in a profession that is a business. I have no idea why I at times was so completely unhappy and disasatisfied with the politics of the profession, and yet, so completely sure that I was tapping into some really sweet gift that I had no idea I had been given.

Seeing students love learning, love each other and be willing to give up so much to try something new, has shaken up everything I think right now about everything. It is always been hard for me to fit into corporate systems, on the one hand I am totally passionate and out there giving my all, and then I am supposed to be meek and subordinate. I am reminded that I am if not an excellent teacher, I am certainly an excellent insubordinate! I have been trusted to totally do my own thing, and have respected that trust and worked hard to ensure that my own thing, followed really good learning principles. Like all teachers, at the end of the first year, I am happy, exhausted, certainly willing to reflect, and I promise myself after 31st March to go explore anything but teaching for a few weeks! ♥

Jojo Tiger

Well, where does one begin when they are writing a paragraph or two about living and working in Asia. I taught in several schools in several different towns and cities in Thailand for just under five years. I did my fair share of moaning and grumbling about the system there. How the Thais treated us, with utter contempt. And when the opportunity arose to relocate to Vietnam, I took it. After arriving here I did send a small post saying what a breath of fresh air it was being here and getting away from the Thais and their bad manners amongst other below par traits

Yes, I knew the dust had to settle here and to learn from scratch how these people tick. After being here one year now, I can honestly say Asians are the same throughout Asia. They might do certain things different, due to the cultural differences. But deep down, they’re all the same. To give a small example, it changed from me being called a FARANG to me being called YOU. I’ve found Vietnamese to have the same mentality as the Thais. And after talking to many traveling teachers that have taught in China, Laos, Korea and other countries. I’ve come to the conclusion, it doesn’t matter where you are in Asia. You will experience the same problems we all experience in Thailand.

So, if your thinking the grass is greener on the other side, IT’S NOT. Yes, we have to put up with ill educated Thais thinking they are superior to us and treating us as such. But unfortunately if we want to live in their land and enjoy their freedom of living, there’s not a lot we can do. Or we could go back to England, where native Brits are now the minority in our own land. As for me, I’ve started applying for teaching positions back in Thailand. Tail between the legs scenario.

P.S. Vietnam is a stunningly beautiful country and well worth a visit. But it is 15 years behind Thailand in every sense.

Russell

I would like to add to the degree vs no degree debate. I have worked in the training department for a large multinational for 10 years. I have also managed large sales teams. I worked my way up to these positions straight from school. I have taught thousands of workers and a range of different topics over the years. I am currently teaching in Thailand and I do not have a degree. With my experience I am most certainly in a better position to be teaching business English to my customers as I not only teach them English but also many other things ie sales, marketing, presentations and how to do them effectively.

I know how to grab their attention and make the classes enjoyable. DTAC and Cisco are among my current customers. Does this put me in a better position than someone with a degree? I will let you decide on that. Personally I think it does. I also do some private classes with children. The skills I have are very easily transferable as long as you have the knowledge to teach the subject. Also I understand how to network effectively and how to get new customers. Why someone with a degree in science for example would possibly think they are better than someone with much experience is beyond me.

I do not teach in a school. The reason for this is purely financial. I would not profess that I could teach English in England. You obviously do not need to teach the same material in Thailand as you would in an English School. I would guess a lot of teachers here would struggle to teach A level or degree level English in England. I have always believed experience and ability are much more important than a piece of paper. I would finally like to add I taught and trained many employees for my company on the graduate training programmes. Some were very good and some had no ability and no common sense at all. That piece of paper will not give you that.

Alexander

Just a quick response to clarify that I am educated. In fact I have been very fortunate and received a great private education courtesy of my father for which I am very grateful. I appreciate that James may well have missed this in previous comments.

In reply to Facebook, again I suspect James has misunderstood my comment I wasn't referring to the obvious slang and abbreviated comments that litter the site I was referring to where sentences in plain English had been written sadly incorrectly, by students who have undergone a rather expensive education within this system. And whilst James has been fortunate enough to have never seen or come across the incompetent professional, they do exist and to suggest that they don't is really being a little naive.

Of course there is never going to be anything that will replace a good education but there will always be room for that helping hand by intelligent people wherever they may be. So I hope James and all the other teachers will continue to do the good job that they, I suspect, actually do. Though I still hope that all the less than perfect teachers will get weeded out. It is always a contentious subject when any members of a profession are criticized, but sadly every profession has it's undesirables, a sad fact but true. So peace to all and have a great 2013.

Phil / Ajarn.com says "Thank you Jonathon and James for your contributions. Can you guys agree to disagree because I think we should bring this particular Postbox communication to an end?

Jonathan

In reply to Jonathan’s comments concerning the degree/non degree debate, (Past, present and future, Ajarn Postbox March 1st). I can assure you that my comments at least were not intended to be “trumpet blowing” or “hate filled”. They were simply observations that only in developing countries could a non-degree holder pass themselves off as a teacher. Surely, if the job requires only oral English capabilities, then all may apply and accent, vocabulary, plus pronunciation can be taught by any native English speaker, (or passing tourist). Perhaps Jonathan fails to realise this and is a little perplexed as to why the Thai government and education authorities are slowly realising that non-professional and/or non-degree holders shouldn’t be educating those that aren’t either?

As for Facebook, I’m afraid that I personally wouldn’t go near that site and as for obtaining information for a place like that, enuf sed, u no Wot i mEan? Certainly, if I was a teenager I too would want a blonde 30-year old, happy and non-degree tourist, against that of a professionally trained educator.

Alas, in all my contact with professional teachers I have never met one who couldn’t teach and the same goes for professional doctors; I have never met one who couldn’t diagnose and/or prescribe either, or a mechanic who didn’t know the workings of an internal combustion engine. I have also never met a non-degree holder who was more or better educated than a degree holder. The title and academic award(s) surely reflects the capabilities and training?

Jonathan suggests that those here for a depraved lifestyle should return to their countries of origin. Unfortunately Jonathan, this I suspect is where many of the non-degree and non-professional teachers are recruited from. They are not returning home because Thailand is one of the few places left where they can pass themselves off as ‘teachers’. The Thais at last are perhaps beginning to realise this?

This dumbing down of professional and academic achievements is, in my opinion, an emerging trend in western societies, where equality now triumphs over professionalism. A society where anyone can be everything with information gleaned from ten minutes spent on a website. Is this the route we want Asia to take? What is starting to happen now, with a tightening of professional standards, was bound to happen and the only surprise is that it took so long. The days of the fake degrees, the backpackers trying to pass themselves off as professionals, the falsified CV’s, the sex tourists . . . . . is starting to come to an end Jonathan.

The bottom line is this; if you haven’t or aren’t capable of educating yourself, you shouldn’t really be in a position to be educating others, no matter what you personally consider yourself capable of.

James

In reply to Jojo Tiger, 'Help urgently required' (Ajarn Postbox 1st of March) I don’t pretend to be, “in the know”, but putting myself in your position. In my opinion, many of the text books used in Asia in general are far in advance of the student's capabilities. They assume a level of competency that few attain, given the ‘happy happy’ method of teaching and the no-fail emphasis. We’ve all I suspect had this problem and the problem solving ball is now firmly in your court.

Take the sustainable economy question; what is a sustainable economy? Why is it in a country’s best interests to have one? How can overall production be improved to make a country self reliant? Given that Thailand is a rice producer and exporter, what type of rice growing, wet or dry, does it have and why? What is a trade deficit?

These sorts of questions might appear on a test examination; an hour or two spent on the internet will give you the basics of the subject, from which you can make lesson plans and try to second guess what might be asked. Keep things pretty basic, at the level of your students and bring in thinking skills, so that they also continue to question themselves about the subject and gain further knowledge.

This is where your teaching skills come into it, researching an unknown subject at a basic level and presenting the sort of information you get in a factual examination preparation way. Perhaps it isn’t what you were contracted to do, but it is a challenge and one which you too will learn from. If you can do this, I’d say you would be confident enough to teach any subject, anywhere and your professionalism will certainly increase in the eyes of those in the school hierarchy who have suddenly abandoned you.

Good luck to you and although my comments are simply suggestions; take a deep breath, spend a sleepless night researching on the net and you should have enough information to develop a small series of knowledgeable lesson plans by the morning.

James

Dear All, In my final installment to this lively debate which I hope will get published, however, I may give too much of a clue as to where I am referring which may need the humble "edit". I leave you with this.

I take my teaching very seriously and while I introduce fun and enjoyment into the classroom I expect a certain something to come out of my classes. I at the very least expect, from the time my students have spent with me, that my students are competent in the basic tenses or past, present and future. I really wish and hope that they have understood and I have been able to impart the knowledge of all the 12 tenses to them but sometimes that doesn't quite seem to work out. I would suggest to everyone who has a little time on their hands give Facebook a glance and have a look at the many Facebook pages that are representing some of the international schools.

Before the teachers among us with degrees start blowing the proverbial trumpet, have a look at the comments sent in from ex-students. I refer to students that have had the benefit of access to, in most cases, an imported, recruited abroad seasoned professional teacher. I suspect one of those teachers who have honed their skills over the years, as one person had put it. Take a good long hard look and see what they have written. Sadly having been exposed to that top notch education costing in some case millions of baht can they write in the past, present or future tense? Sadly not.

So, please stop all this business singing the praises of a degree-possessing teacher .Yes, in most cases they are the preferred option but they are not the only option and never will be, there will always be that waste of space floating around in the system and there will always be those without degrees doing a sterling job. Alas, however hard you try in this world "46 years of excellence" won't always give you what you expect.

I thank you for reading and thank every degree-possessing teacher in this country for the job they are doing and I request all the degree-holding teachers who can't teach to move on go work in a factory, that's where you should be. I also thank all the non-degree holding teachers in this country for doing a good job despite the hate that is constantly hurled at you, and I also ask all you non-degree holding teachers that are here for a backpacking, sex-filled, binge drinking holiday to pack your bags and move on go and work with the other teachers in that great factory of life.

Jonathan

The Non Formal Education sector in Thailand is one of the most important, well-funded areas of education and one of the most deeply rewarding audiences to work with. Many people grew up in villages where they were required to help their families and start working, and so were unable to complete their formal education. This later impacts their earnings as the pay will be based on where you left education. So enormous effort has been made to provide nationwide access to excellent opportunities for students who as young adults are determined and willing to return to evening classes. This is the most amazing way for young adults to finally complete their school certification process, and the dedication speaks for itself.

I have a class of thirty of the brightest, most hard working students any teacher could wish for. They are all in full-time employment, and make the time to come to class four times a week, so they can proudly finish their thai school years. I am employed for twenty hours a week to teach English, and have been given a lot of freedom in my classes. Their official text books are banded into the level at which they need to gain their Thai certification, and the text books are a guideline with probably too much emphasis on Hello, my name is......

The Thai students have often studied English for many years and switched off from their endless grammar lessons because they saw no point in learning. With a good teacher based in solid PPP teaching, it is possible to present new material and grammar and let them practice and produce great work. Of course, when they see the real language come alive through speaking and listening activities, their love for English deepens and they take the leap and actually can't stop talking English!

Learning what is your name, really only develops staff working in housekeeping, and does not have any real sense of empowering students to talk about their lives, and interests and learn the non Asian skill of expressing opinion. I now have a noisy class of adults talking about what film they saw at the weekend, where they are going next weekend, and what they want to achieve in five years time.

Practical applications for past and future tense, make them see very quickly that grammar brings all their vocabulary alive.

The reason I write, however, is that the Non Formal Education sector has two additional courses that on paper sound creative and essential. Learning Skills and Sustainable Economy. However, these two course books have been written at Post Doctorate level and translated into diabolical English. The level is far beyond even the best of students. They have no teacher for these two subjects and now, four weeks before their exams, they are in a terrible state of upset as they will be tested on material they can not possibly comprehend.

Of course, I care. If they fail these two papers, all their scores in English will drop and they will suffer from a lowered overall score. How can I help? I can drop all their English hours, and step in and pretend to be Teacher 2, and in four weeks try to translate these two text books, cram them for their exam and with a wing and a prayer get them through this. But, the bottom line, is the very thing they need to establish the potential of getting through these course books, is English, and this now has to be stopped. Yes, I can see the irony. And yes, I am pretty furious about this. I did not agree to a job teaching a theoretical social and economic model that is based on Thai agriculture policy and religion. And of course, I am not equipped to do this.

Are there any teachers in the NFE sector that are currently faced with the same concerns, and if so, please advise me how, on earth to manage this. Suddenly, my superiors, cannot speak English, and refuse to recognize that there is a problem. In fact, in typical fashion, I am now the problem!

Many thanks, and look forward to hearing from anyone in the know.....

Jojo Tiger

I won't reply to specific people because all I wanted to do was kindle a bit of lively debate. Whilst one gentleman has rather ignorantly assumed that I am not qualified to teach the others have, in the main, taken it to heart. I quite agree that there is no real replacement for an education in any field. However, in countries such as Thailand where there is a need for quality teachers, it is getting its fair share of teachers qualified and unqualified who shouldn't be anywhere near a whiteboard.

There are, without any doubt, a large number of qualified teachers ( they have managed to get a degree ) who are of such low quality that they have by sheer default ended up here because no self respecting school in the UK, USA or Canada would let them near impressionable children. It is through this exact same reason you get problems in some of the other professions such as lawyers, doctors and engineers. In all these professions the moron, as someone put it, who managed to stumble and drink their way through university and scribble down enough words to obtain their degree, would end up either killing someone on the operating table ( enough cases of that around the world to fill a book ) send the wrong person to prison ( more than enough of those cases ) or designed a building that eventually collapsed ( plenty of those too ).

So whilst I agree in the main with whats been said one should not forget that many years ago a degree was not necessary for some of these positions, the humble "A" levels were quite key to moving on in some professions. Obviously before some person jumps in steam pouring from his or her ears I am not suggesting that there is a substitute for any education I am merely pointing out that there are some people on this planet that have not had the good fortune to go to university but are more than capable of contributing to an equal level of someone who has gone to university. To suggest that anyone who has a degree really is very short sighted and single minded.

You might not like the idea of it but at the end of the day if I had a choice of who was teaching my children, yes, I would like the person to have a degree and be a suitably qualified teacher but if he or she doesn't know all their grammar ( maybe they were absent from that lecture due to the dorm party the night before ) what use are they.

I only comment on this having seen first hand the inner workings of the international school and to be honest, whilst I don't want to tar everyone with the same brush, if what I saw was the normal level of English you can keep it. So I wish everyone well and I agree to rid the country of all the teachers qualified and unqualified if they don't know their p's from their q's.

Jonathan

An oxymoron if ever there was one. An uneducated educator. My query: Why would someone who doesn't value education enough to actually get one think they are qualified to be an educator? In their home countries, having an education beyond a simple high school completion, coupled with professional licensing is required to join the ranks of the teaching profession. Why should Thailand (or China / Taiwan / Malaysia / Indonesia) be any different?

You can't be a chef without a 2-4 year apprenticeship.
You can't be an accountant without proper academic credentials and licensing.
You can't be an automotive mechanic without holding academic credentials and an apprenticeship of up to 4 years.

Real teachers take 4 years to learn the basics of their craft. They spend additional time each year on professional development and often return for upgrading and honing their skills. 4 years to be a cook, accountant or mechanic; why then should any person with a 100-hour TEFL and who thinks they can speak English, be considered to be a teacher? (you will also notice that the only people, in my experience, who think that uneducated teachers can teach are other teachers who also have no credentials). A degree is just the first step and should be considered as such. It should be the bare minimum; even in Thailand. Kids deserve that much.

Dave