Rajabhat Schools

[PAPA DUCK]

Are Ken or Steven in the house ? I would like to hear the scoop on the Rajabhat schools? I know the average salary is lower, but I'm interested in using a MA to get on the Gravy Train of Academia I say this jokingly but I think there are less hours involved for full time status and you're not restricted to the campus all day long, right ? ANy scoop you could pass to me other than salary concerns would be appreciated.

[Ijustwannateach]

Sadly, this is one of the few gigs I don't have much experience with or knowledge about, although reading Triceps' blog about them on Ajarn a few years back was a little scary... Maybe Ajarn here has a few ideas?

From what little I know [and you already know about the salary/perks thing] it matters a lot WHICH Rogerpot you go to, and who's in charge there. Try to find someone already working at the one(s) you're interested in and get an informed idea about the management sanity level. I've heard a range of comments about them from "black pit of hades" up to "not too bad." I've certainly never heard anyone wax effusive about how great the places were.

"Steven"

[PAPA DUCK]

Sadly, this is one of the few gigs I don't have much experience with or knowledge about, although reading Triceps' blog about them on Ajarn a few years back was a little scary...  Maybe Ajarn here has a few ideas?

From what little I know [and you already know about the salary/perks thing] it matters a lot WHICH Rogerpot you go to, and who's in charge there.  Try to find someone already working at the one(s) you're interested in and get an informed idea about the management sanity level.  I've heard a range of comments about them from "black pit of hades" up to "not too bad."  I've certainly never heard anyone wax effusive about how great the places were.

"Steven"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you. Maybe Ken will know more. Or maybe that Ajarn will tag on.

[kenkannif]

I'm the same mate!

There's a good article on Rajabhat's on one of the Ajarn hotseats (I'll try and find a link)......sorry Papa Duck mate!

Edited November 29, 2004 by kenkannif

[paully]

Use your MA to get yourself into a reasonable government university instead, don't limit yourself to Rajabhats IMO. The students are generally better and (sometimes) so are the admin and other ajarns. But remember that there is not much gravy on the gravy train of Thai academia: at best it's a pleasant, not-very-demanding job with reasonable holidays, bad pay and relatively low stress. To make reasonable money you need to plug into a uni which has extra classes available in evenings/weekends. Or you could use your extra time to run a business on the side.

[ProfessorFart]

In my experience it can vary from place to place however I wasn't a teacher. At the Rajabhat I studied at (Rambhaibarni in Chanthaburi) the English teachers there were given lots of slack and were pretty much free to come and go as they liked and all of them were doing OK through private lessons in their free time and the bosses were very supportive of this because it reflected well on the college. In the second half of the year they had even less to to and were maybe only teaching 2 or 3 lessons a week. Not bad work if you can get it.

On the other side of the coin I went to visit a friend who was studying at Rajabhat Kanchanaburi and the English teachers there were chained to their posts 8 hours a day. A very different kettle of fish.

Most of the teachers at Chanthaburi had taught at various other Rajabhats and had had mixed experiences although if its of any use they all spoke highly of Phetchaburi and Ayutthya.

[PAPA DUCK]

Use your MA to get yourself into a reasonable government university instead, don't limit yourself to Rajabhats IMO.  The students are generally better and (sometimes) so are the admin and other ajarns.  But remember that there is not much gravy on the gravy train of Thai academia: at best it's a pleasant, not-very-demanding job with reasonable holidays, bad pay and relatively low stress.  To make reasonable money you need to plug into a uni which has extra classes available in evenings/weekends.  Or you could use your extra time to run a business on the side.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the advice. Any pay I get is just icing on the cake of living in Thailand. The LOW STRESS is exactly what I want

[Rhys]

As stated it depends on the RJB...and of course some of those students... are a pleasure to teach.. but..at the "teachers' colleges" you do have that other element. RJB .. it is a nice place to start out.. this comming and going at your leisure.. suspect information.. you have your class schedule ...as I recall 20 teaching/in-class hours a week..plus you add in your preparation for class.. what is it 50 plus or more to a class..

The directors.. of the "Foreign Language Departments" may have their Ph.D. from a western school and those....are cool...

The weekend programs they run.. well it is the RJB Credo: Access to education..

And you do earn a little bit more.. for the mass classes

Housing is provided.. at most RJB...campus housing or an allowance.. For the most part the stint is a good one.. the yearly contract renewals are up to you..

Issan RJB are fine.. Did mine there and enjoyed it..

Drive on...