In defence of the edutainers
A young teacher's perspective on teaching in Thailand
Most of the English teachers in Thailand seem to be slightly older so it’s understandable that they would view energy, positive reinforcement and affability in the EFL classroom with disdain and denial.
Can you advise this teacher?
The problems with working for a great school but a poor agency
John loves the school that he works at but there are storm clouds brewing. He feels that the teacher placement agency might be in danger of losing the contract but he is 'legally bound' not to work directly for the school. John sees his long-term future in Thailand but doesn't want to continue with all this uncertainty. What would you do in his situation?
Fashion redux
Fashion tips for the female EFL teacher
What to wear and what not to wear in the classroom. A guide for lady teachers.
Long term work or short term work?
What are the pros and cons?
I'll simply take a look at some pros and cons for both long term and short term teaching stays in Thailand. For the sake of this article, 'short term' is anything less than a school year and for 'long term', any work that keeps you in Thailand for more than a year.
What makes a good school?
Postbox letter from Kyle
For a school or any business to truly work well, everyone has to feel respected and appreciated. From the head honcho to the cleaners, they all have to feel they have a part to play and are contributing.
It's better in Slovakia
Postbox letter from Tim
The TEFL industry here is pretty poor also, but they have proper laws protecting teachers from unscrupulous schools.
The natural order of things
Not all students are created equal or should be treated as equal
In the best interests of the students who are capable, interested and who want to learn, some kids have to be left behind. That's why our school has streams.
Marko's guide for newbies
Ten top tips for new teachers arriving in Thailand
New teachers teaching Thais in schools are often placed into an awkward and stressful situation, not really sure of their authority and sometimes not even placed with assistants who are much help
Handling students with learning difficulties
How can I ignore students just because they are different?
I remember in my first week at my government high school there was a student who was severely autistic. I just wasn't prepared for the task at hand.
Summer school is for the birds
Does it beat cocktails on the beach? Hell, no.
If you do end up wanting to go all-in with teaching, it's probably more important to not burn yourself out, and I'm certainly feeling the strain as most of my colleagues are sending me pictures from the beaches they're drinking on.
