Race and non-degree jobs
Postbox letter from Xandra Martin
I am a female teacher from South Africa. I am a person of colour (or coloured) in my country. I do not have a degree in any field - only a diploma. When doing my TEFL course and doing research on the internet, people painted a picture of how easy it would be to find a teaching job in Thailand. This however does not appear to be the case.
Working smart, not working hard
Making the most of your teaching time
By paying more attention to your teaching hours and your overall availability, it's possible to juggle teaching jobs around and watch your monthly earnings soar.
Soaked during floods
Postbox letter from Jimmy
I am not surprised some teachers are being told by Thai schools that they will not receive money for the time they didn't work during the floods. The safety net is for the Thais, not the falang. If you've been there long enough, you should know the pecking order by now.
Making the transition
Reasons why people teach English and the possible career paths
Foreign ESL teachers in Thailand or other parts in Asia are a diverse lot and have many different motivations for teaching abroad.
One year later
Thoughts from a first time teacher on living and working in Thailand
The end of the term has made me very contemplative. A year ago I was in a very different situation than I am now; I was jobless and overwhelmed with debt and I was very confused about how to lift myself up from that desperate situation and pursue my dream of living abroad.
He sleeps in a storm
Disorganization, discipline, and decisiveness in the overseas TEFL industry
I really dislike job interviews. Not because of anything I do. I show up on time; I wear the right clothes; I'm polite; I listen and I ask the right questions. But when it comes to the interview and meeting other people in this industry, whether fellow teachers, administrators, principals, or directors, the ‘niceties' stop at my cover-letter.
ESL teachers and global poverty reduction
Teaching English is a valuable contribution to our global society
I recently signed an agreement with a publisher for a new book which will focus on the private sector's role in poverty reduction in Asia. It is always exciting to have an agreement for publication for a writing project and poverty reduction is a topic I am passionate about.
Impressive school, impressive owner
A place where educating youngsters really does matter
For this month's blog I would like to take an in-depth look at one of the most impressive schools in Thailand: Varee Chiang Mai School
Should I stay or should I go?
Getting to grips with life as a teacher in Thailand
I flew in to Bangkok and spent four amazing days and nights there. I was about to head out towards Ubon to start looking for work when I was tipped off with a potential opportunity in the Si Sa Ket province of Isaan.
The power of positive thinking
A positive attitude can make a teacher's life in Thailand much happier
Some foreign teachers love engaging with Thai culture while others find each day a struggle to overcome culture clashes. All the teachers experience the same culture, so why such different reactions?
