My name is Sano and I have been teaching here for more than 7 years. I am from Guinea (West Africa). I graduated in 2005 in Malaysia and came here looking for a job. I am fluent in both English and French. The first thing i noticed was that skin color was the first thing most schools looked at but not the qualifications. We always heard "native speakers". I do agree that a language should be taught by a native speaker but it is also important to look at the person's qualifications. I worked with many native speakers and were better than them in many fields. They were without degrees and qualifications.

Another thing is that people from Russia, France and other European countries are preferred to non-whites just because of the color. To be honest i have nothing against anybody out there but the thing is that the system is so unjust and unfair. i have a decent job and wish that many non-native teachers had the same opportunity. Dont judge a book by its cover. I do understand that it is not the schools' or agencies faults all the time. It is simply because the parents want their children to be taught by a white-skinned person and that is all. So it is all about parents paying money and schools or agencies offering them what they want. Thank you and I am sorry if anyone feels offended by this.. it is the reality

Sano

In reply to Jonathan French, "Who is really qualified to teach", Ajarn Postbox 26th February. The answer is in the word, 'qualified'. A degree is a requirement in your own country for any profession; what makes you think it shouldn’t also be a requirement in Asia?

I agree that education ought to be about quality; a degree alone doesn’t guarantee that, but what it does do is guarantee that the holder is in possession of some knowledge gained over a substantial period of intense study, against that of no formal education. I personally received my knowledge from people qualified and knowledgeable enough to give it, not from people who could manage a class, keep them happy and keep the money rolling in. To those of us who earned and received our degrees, I can assure Jonathan that we’re grateful it came from professionals and not from our ex local factory worker who came for a holiday and never went back.

Should we now be seeing the demise of teacher training colleges and Universities in favour of those who think formal education is an outdated requirement? Is the giving of education now to be seen in the light of changing the spark plugs on a car? It’s something you either can do, or something you can’t?

What does a teacher without a degree tell me? Nothing of any value. What it does suggest is that they are probably incapable of finding work within their own countries and if they did, it would probably be related to that of a checkout operator at their local store, or a factory labourer. What then makes people without an education, who are unable to teach in their own countries through lack of a formal education, suddenly become worthy of the title of educator in another?

To anyone working illegally, without even a degree, (or a fake one); I hope you’re removed as soon as possible back to your country of origin and try to do the same there! As an example; I’m not an engineer and so am not able to secure employment in that sector in my home country; completion of a 100 hour certificate should not enable me to obtain employment in that sector in another country either.

Jonathan’s statement that his friend is the Head of an English Department and hasn’t even got a formal education says it all. Where else but in a developing country would that be allowed? I personally find it reassuring that doctors, nurses, lawyers and others in professions aren’t allowed to practice with the equivalent of a three week certificate!

It is probably for these reasons that Thailand is tightening up on the people who educate their children and I wish them the best of luck.

James

Dear Ajarn, I am emailing in reply to the many letters that have appeared recently regarding mainly those qualified to teach English. It is true I believe that the Thai government is trying to tighten up on qualifications and the type of person that ends up teaching in their schools. It is sadly still true however, that a significant number of people are still teaching in schools that really shouldn't be, and I comment on that from the point of view that they don't know their grammar and are not really capable of stringing two sentences together.

Yes, someone may have a degree but what does that tell you? Are they going to be a good teacher, in most cases probably, they will want to do their best. Sadly in quite a large number of cases you can have someone with a degree who is not going to be a good teacher and someone else without a degree who is a very good teacher, but they will lose out as they don't have the coveted piece of paper.

A friend of mine works at a school and is head of English, he doesn't have a degree and neither have a lot of the teachers there. The school is quite happy even though a tad illegal but at the end of the day, the students are getting a good education from teachers who know their subject.

The same colleague recently dismissed two teachers. Unfortunately students asked them a specific grammar question and they had to say they didn't know, it came to pass that they didn't know a lot about grammar. I suspect that you will all say "well that serves them right for employing teachers without degrees and knowledge" it did serve them right but these two teachers had degrees in English too. So what does this tell you, a piece of paper doesn't necessarily make you a good teacher you need that special quality.

A lot of people also have a dig at Filipinos who in the main can be good teachers but also some cannot. I recently spent some time in an international school where parents were paying nearly 500,000 baht a year to have their children taught English. The one Filipino teacher couldn't string a sentence together correctly and the information signs up in the classroom were so bad I nearly fainted. On the other hand, two classrooms down a Filipino with 20 years teaching under her belt was doing a very good job.

I think what I am trying to say is there should be some common sense attached to the employment of teachers. To all you sex tourists, perverts and other undesirables who trawl the teaching profession here for a salary to fuel your degenerate and pathetic lifestyle here, I hope all is done to rid you from this country and spare the children from your filth and depravity.

To everyone else who works here illegally and legally I hope you continue to give the students a good grounding in English and lets hope that some common sense prevails. Please let teaching be about the quality of the teacher and not the quality of the paperwork. I know this will annoy a lot of teachers with degrees that have the short-sighted view that anyone without a degree cannot be a teacher, I hope those will take a good look around them and see that actually a degree does not automatically make you a good teacher. Best wishes, Jonathon

Jonathan French

I'd like to react to both Lyndsay's and Brian's letters concerning the EFL industry in Asia. I do partly agree with Brian that a lot of English teaching is considered entertainment and that many if not most students are not really interested in learning English seriously. Therefore, many teachers are reduced to being entertainers since most schools adopt the no fail policy. As for Lyndsay saying skin colour matters, well this is unfortunately true for many schools. Although I agree that it shouldn't be important and that qualifications and experience trump appearance, in Thailand it is still much easier to get a job when you are white.

Filipinos or other teachers who were not born white can, however, also be great teachers. Maybe given more time Thais will start acknowledging this. Finally, it is not a good idea for these teachers to argue their case by sending a letter containing about two dozen mistakes. This negates the case they are trying to make. Just saying.

Dave Watson

This letter is in response to "the darker the skin, the smaller the wage." (Ajarn Postbox 4th February 2013)
Those who are in Asia teaching English need to understand this simple reality: English teaching is a superficial industry. English language aptitude is simply social and economic capital in Asia. Is this not stating the obvious?

Those who can speak English often flaunt it like any other status symbol: a new car, Iphone, etc. English is simply a commodity that is bought and sold. Therefore, English teachers are commodities in Asia paid to attract and retain customers- just as any service worker or performer. English teachers are not there to do groundbreaking research or to change the social and moral norms and civil rights of the country that they are in. English teachers are not revolutionaries or diplomats, even though many would like to believe they are. If anything, the English teacher's presence reinforces social and economic structures - oppresive or not. The people with money are the consumers, not the have nots. So for those of you that cannot seem to accept that ESL in Asia is a service/entertainment industry that caters to the rich and fashionable, my advice is move on. I did, and I am at peace with my decision.

I knew, had I stayed in Asia, my "stock" would go down every year as I got older, even if I became a better more qualified teacher. Like entertainment and fashion workers, English teachers are the most marketable when young, affluent, attractive and novel. Unfortunately for qualified and competent Philipino teachers, old teachers, fat teachers, ugly teachers and teachers of colour, the ESL industry does not value these people as much. And why would it? The whole premise of ESl in Asia - the fake grades, the rote memory tests, the automatic passes, and the short term employment of the workers are, by and large, a big show. English teachers, escpecially in language schools, are entertainers that are there to display the social norms and capital of their "prosperous" culture. But what's wrong with that? Many people make their money entertaining others. Windowdressing is not prostitution.

English is taught, bought and sold the same way a major motion picture is at Siam Paragon. You have the actors, the directors, the stage and the audience. By the end of my teaching stint in Thailand, I likened my classes to one of those medieval restaurants where the patrons dress up in medieval garb, eat giant drum sticks and throw them on the floor when they're done. And the more I accepted it as a game, the more the students and administration liked me.

So for those of you in Thailand scraping by, please remember you are there as an entertainer. Your marketablity is determined before you get there and you'll easily be replaced when you go. Enjoy your stay and try not to believe too much in your role. Who knows, with enough patience, you can even make director one day.

Brian

Hi Lyndsay. I read your letter ("The darker the skin, the smaller the wage" Ajarn Postbox, 5th February 2013) and can completely understand the shoes you're in. I am an American (but of Hispanic descent). When I first moved here, I too faced some of the same likely scenarios you seem to have faced. Bottom line, the Thais always seem to place 'image' above everything and anything else important and frequently favor those with light skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. * (That's why 95% of ads always insist on attaching a photo to your resume).

The way I finally started to see it, one may have all the qualifications they believe to get the job, but there's one 'qualification' truly desired that they don't always mention. As a result, I highly suspect I was dropped from a potential list of candidates from a handful of jobs just because of an appearance conflict. Yeah it's prejudice at it's best though and you're also right: it's definitely sending the wrong message to everyone - foreigners and Thais alike. I think that with a thinking like this, it could possibly inhibit others to think the same way and/or that this sort of profiling/generalizing is "an okay practice".

You're right though. A person's image should NOT play a part in whether or not they can do the job. Unfortunately, as a frequent saying goes, "This is Thailand" and I strongly agree that things here can be far from perfect, but with some patience and determination, I think everyone can eventually land a good job and where acceptance can be made by all. You must be patient though. It took me a bit of time before reaching the step I've reached on the corporate ladder. However, finally rising to the place I felt I should be in, I'm very pleased and satisfied where I am now. That and I honestly carry my head a little higher because of all I've been through. Best of luck to you Lyndsay!

Jeff

I know for a fact that since the native English speakers have spoken English since the time they were born, they think they will do better as an English teacher. Given the fact that it can be true, it is not fair to be stereotyped that Filipinos could not speak good or better English than a native English speaker. I do have to argue that even ‘Farang’ from non-English speaking countries such as Spain, Italy, Germany, etc. is somehow considered as native English speakers even though they are not. Is this all about the skin color? The race? Therefore descrimination is there. I believe that when discrimination is present, then good education is not.

Another argument is how do you categorize a “Native English Speaker”? I can be a Filipino, born and raised in the Philippines, but grew up with English as a first language or I can be an American with both pure American parents that lived in Peru which makes my first language Spanish.

What about a Filipino without a Filipino accent? Well-educated, well-traveled, and with credentials more than qualified to have the “Native English Speaker” salary against a German dude who just finished his high school and decided to teach in Thailand? What they should understand is what they really want to be good at? Let’s say English. Okay, my skin color doesn’t speak English but my tongue is. As a matter of fact, proving it with my authenticated university credentials and TEFL certifications or even challenge it with personal, phone interview, or much better a teaching demonstration.

How can you degrade a service price because of the skin color? Of someone’s race? By continuously going with this un-ideal policy, it will gain bad reputation, progress will not be that fast because of the absurd reason behind all of it. It’s unfair. If they keep living this way, then they will encourage more unqualified and wrong people in those positions, and those qualified people will just have to find a better place for themselves. Where better working conditions and attitude lies. In return, those unqualified teachers will of course, produce unqualified students.

I hope Thai people will understand that they have to look more closely and deeper to it.

Lyndsay Anne Cabildo

In response to Darrens letter ("Look before you leap, Ajarn Postbox, 9th January 2013) Your experience is not unique by any standard. Though I do not understand why you suffered the whole term. If no contract exists ( that is worth the paper it's written on ) which is doubtful - then I would move on to better things. A surprising number of schools will hire direct if you approach them (it saves them commission)

I myself have just taken legal action against an international school for a breach of contract. I signed a contract for 20 months and I left a secure position. Then this school changed its mind and just before Christmas called me in and said they were terminating my contract. Fortunately with a signed contract you are protected under Thai Labor Law when it comes to how a contract can be terminated.

Well I moved on and am quite glad not to be at that school anymore. The English standard was far below what I would expect from an International school and I am certainly glad I am not a parent spending hard earned baht for each term there.

I have found a very nice government school where the teachers have a genuine interest in helping the students and where the students have a genuine interest in improving. It is not the richest of schools but what it lacks in funding it makes up for in many other ways.

But I say to all teachers out there - don't be disheartened. There are many good agencies out there and many schools that will hire direct. Visit them in person and drop off a nice little resume pack with all your photocopies, certificates etc. It will work wonders.

'Stiff upper lip' as we Brits say.

Jonathan

I saw an advert on ajarn.com and sent in my CV. I was swiftly selected for an interview, which I attended and passed, and was offered the job immediately. WOW!! I had landed a dream job at a great school in Thailand. I was ecstatic about the school placement, but one thing has left a terrible taste in my mouth - and that is the agency that placed me there.

I am sure that this is not standard treatment for teachers here in Thailand but I can summarize my recent experiences as follows. The agency gave me no support or help in any way. There was no communication from them. My salary has been withheld and not paid to me. The bonus money that I was promised was never received. I have received nothing except wild accusations and threats, verbal abuse and threats of legal proceedings against me. I have been given no contract and no work permit. Even though all the above was promised to me at the outset the agent has delivered nothing. Well, nothing but pain and disrespect towards me.

In short, I am coming to the end of the school term and have had a horrific time at the hands of my employers. I am now struggling to make ends meet with no money and at the mercy of this grotesque and unprofessional agency that advertise everywhere, on every job board on every education website in Thailand.

Knowing that I cannot name names and or fight any legal issues here, I am lost before I have even started. I can only offer words of advice to other teachers.

Before you accept any contract, no matter how good it looks from the outset, Google and research the agency first. Look at the complaints against them - and only then will you be aware of who you are dealing with.''

Needless to say I have learned this lesson the hard way and walk out scarred, bitter and slightly twisted. Please take heed - even before you send your CV or resume, check your employer out. You might find this a revelation.

Some agencies operate under several different company names due to the fact that for legal reasons they have had to change their name at some stage. You can figure it out, stay well away, be careful as it is no fun to find yourself on the receiving end and you are 100% powerless as a farang here. Once you have signed up, be sure you have made the best choice for your future.

From my current position at the bottom of the heap, good luck and I wish you better luck here than I have had.

Darren

In response to Steven at the end of his tether (Ajarn Postbox 26th December 2012) First and foremost have fun! Laugh and be happy, if possible, all of the time (before, during and after school). The kids will notice when you adapt to the culture, which will make them more comfortable with you and that takes months and years to accomplish. But, until then, try to apply the advice offered to you by experienced staff. Try to empathize with the different groups of students rather than to each individual student. Get your students involved in the lessons and be sure to keep them brief. Learn from your students and Thai staff. Be a good listener. Never be rigid and always be flexible. Don't give an opinion unless you are asked for it by another teacher.

As you've lived here a few years you will definitely have a better handle on what it is you got yourself into, and by then none of this will even matter. If I knew all the crap I was to go through five years ago I may not have stayed. So, relax. Don't ever be serious. Laugh. Try not to reflect too much. Have a soft voice and softer heart. Be patient. Don't take the job personal by seeking approval from western perspectives, or try to justify being a teacher defined by a western vocabulary - ewwwwwwwwww.

Keep these tips in mind and no matter what happens, there are lots more teaching jobs available in Thailand.

DJ