The highs and the lows of living and teaching in Thailand
Our survey said.........
To get an idea of exactly what teachers love and loathe about life in Thailand, we conducted a brief survey and with foreign teachers based in Chiang Mai.
Dealing with the troublemakers
Discipline: tips on control in the classroom
Troublemakers. We have all seen them do their thing, causing mayhem and disorder in the classroom; perhaps you were even one yourself at some point during your time as a student. Troublemakers are the bane of every teacher's existence and they make our job go from difficult to pounding headache and hair-tearing proportions.
I don't want to learn!
The biggest teaching hurdle: motivation
Motivation in the classroom, both from the teachers and the students, is essential for learning but it is a tricky balance to strike since the two are so interconnected; if the teacher loses motivation, so do the students and if the students lose motivation, so does the teacher.
Great Expectations
When parents of students are simply too demanding
The demands and expectations that some parents burden their children with are alas often too great. At the moment I’m teaching a kid who hasn’t even turned six, yet his life revolves solely around learning.
Using a touch screen in class
Maintaining student interest with technology
I felt so overwhelmed by the results of using the touch screen computer for this was my first time in 9 years to use the most updated technology in my English classes. In fact, during my last observation, my inspector rated me excellent in my teaching.
Comparing teaching in Thailand v Saudi Arabia
What happens when you leave for the big bucks.
Thailand had run its course for me. I enjoyed it for years but the shine eventually wore off. I plan to return for a visit here and there. You just don't live in a place for 10 years and forget it.
Stepping back in time
Postbox letter from Colin
After teaching in English programs for 8 years in the Bangkok area, we moved (and built our own home) in Udon Thani. Teaching here is like stepping back 20+ years
Sand dust
An American teacher takes up a position in Saudi Arabia
It is because of our children that six months ago I started to look for new employment, as Thailand is still a country of poor people and wages are not very high. A single individual earning my salary would have been relatively well off, but now I support my wife and kids and bills would pile up and we would be living from paycheck to paycheck.
Dear Bob the Teacher
Postbox letter from Marko
Here are the reasons why we can't employ you.
An innovative teacher
Using technology to create interest in language learning
I have been very impressed by one particular Filipino teacher who uses modern technology in his classrooms and is always looking for ways to keep students learning and improve their performance.
