mijan246 Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 Hopefully I am not stepping into the deepend here - so firstly I would like to clarify this is in no way an attempt to undermine/undercut the Professional Teachers currently working here in Thailand. I have enjoyed reading the pros and cons of various threads on this forum: 1.Volunteer English Teacher 2.Part Time Teaching 3.Teachers Needed 4.Teaching 5.How About Teaching Something Else? 6. Bring English Teachers From South Asia 7.Thai Friend Needs Teacher Throughout the above threads common thought patterns repeatedly appear, WP or no WP, Visa or no Visa, Legal or Not Legal, Volunteer or Not Volunteer etc. I have tried to steer away from direct reference to Degrees or "English" because I opened this topic to promote some healthy and sensible discussion on the viability of Thailand making use of the "untapped Farang workforce" sitting inside its borders. The PM spoke about bringing English Teachers From South Asia which certainly has its pros and cons, but what about a project involving those "Farangs" who are willing to participate in passing on language, technical and life skills to the Thai communities. To use the PM's words "lets start looking outside the SQUARE Payment could be achieved through a combination of Baht, WP's, Visa's etc. it may even take away some of that "why do they pay a farang X times what I get?" and also the anx of border hopping or whatever the current flavour of staying in LoS is. Some may say "completely-ridiculous TiT" others may say no-way! then again some may say why not give it a go? New Education Minister as of the reshuffle there is an old adage in the work study world [b]"there is always a better way" and as an young (sic) madam I know said - under age participation - [/color]If you don't ask we cant say no! Over to the floor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chownah Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 (edited) So are you suggesting that any farang can teach and all those alcoholic woman chasers are going to 1. want to teach and 2. be able to teach. Teaching is a skill and an art and it takes a long time to be good at it and many/most people will never be good at it because they just don't have the right stuff to be able to do it. To suggest that all those farangs already here should just be enlisted to teach is a poorly thought out idea at best. Sorry if I'm being harsh but when I think of all those farangs in the bars and go-gos in Phatong and think about your idea.....well.....just think about it youself abit and then post what you think. Edited August 3, 2005 by chownah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmsally Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Absolutely agree with Chownah. For goodness sake you can't believe that you can just pick anyone off the street to teach English or any other subject. To teach well you need to have the right knowledge, attitude and dedication. Better be good in psychology and people managing skills especially if you teach the big classes. Not every farang in Thailand fits the requirements! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 So are you suggesting that any farang can teach and all those alcoholic woman chasers are going to 1. want to teach and 2. be able to teach. Teaching is a skill and an art and it takes a long time to be good at it and many/most people will never be good at it because they just don't have the right stuff to be able to do it. To suggest that all those farangs already here should just be enlisted to teach is a poorly thought out idea at best. Sorry if I'm being harsh but when I think of all those farangs in the bars and go-gos in Phatong and think about your idea.....well.....just think about it youself abit and then post what you think. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> chownah Not all of us farangs sit in the bars and go-gos of Phatong. Some of us are living out in the country and if we were given some training we could do some good. Where I live there are not many farangs and some of us have time and may want to put it to good use rather than sit around and vegetate. I am 61 and I know I want to help the people where I live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijan246 Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 So are you suggesting that any farang can teach and all those alcoholic woman chasers are going to 1. want to teach and 2. be able to teach. Teaching is a skill and an art and it takes a long time to be good at it and many/most people will never be good at it because they just don't have the right stuff to be able to do it. To suggest that all those farangs already here should just be enlisted to teach is a poorly thought out idea at best. Sorry if I'm being harsh but when I think of all those farangs in the bars and go-gos in Phatong and think about your idea.....well.....just think about it youself abit and then post what you think. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Absolutely agree with Chownah.For goodness sake you can't believe that you can just pick anyone off the street to teach English or any other subject. To teach well you need to have the right knowledge, attitude and dedication. Better be good in psychology and people managing skills especially if you teach the big classes. Not every farang in Thailand fits the requirements! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Response in kind Obviously you guys are in the teaching game and are entitled to your opinion - the concept of the post is to open a think tank on the subject so therefore the Pros and the Cons need to be aired - try taking off the blinkers and avoid the stereotype cop-out = just to extract some of the comments not to denigrate but to highlight the typical one eyedness approach: 1. are you suggesting that any farang can teach - Simple answer NO 2. alcoholic woman chasers are going to 1. want to teach and 2. be able to teach - are you concerned about "alcholic". "women chaser" "want to teach" "able to teach"? Does your rationale apply to the "alcholic men chasers" too? 3. Teaching is a skill and an art and it takes a long time to be good at it YES So what value are the inexperienced Graduates providing?? or are you suggesting (forgetting Thailand at the moment) They "the inexperienced should not be teaching??even in their own countries 4.To suggest that all those farangs already here should just be enlisted to teach is a poorly thought out idea at best I don't think I said that all the farangs, if this perception was given "Apology submitted" intent was "Some" -[COLOR=blue]To use the PM's words "lets start looking outside the SQUARE[/color] 5. For goodness sake you can't believe that you can just pick anyone off the street to teach English or any other subject. Have you ever considered how many "farangs" successful in their own right are here relaxing as the first respondee said not all "farangs" sit in bars all day!! 6. To teach well you need to have the right knowledge, attitude and dedication. Simple answer YES 7. Better be good in psychology and people managing skills especially if you teach the big classes. Not every farang in Thailand fits the requirements! Lets look into that a little shall we: ## psychology and people managing skills - Does't this apply to most walks of life? ##especially if you teach the big classes - are we suggesting only teacher can manage large groups? ##Not every farang in Thailand fits the requirements - Simple answer again You are 100% correct- this of course includes those "professional teachers"who become indignant when their profession is mentioned - yet I wonder how many of them tinker with their cars, fix the odd door, or even dare I say change a light globe or on the more technical side replace a plug on an extension cord?? (I wonder who TAUGHT them to do this -Probably their Dad - hope he wasn't just picked off the street?? A bit narcy at the end sorry about that and to chownah and cmsally thank you for the input lets hope it encourages more, then we may ask the Admin to parcel it up and pass on to the Minister - It would be interesting to see if he gained any points from the CEO for looking outside the SQUARE or was just poo hooed for considering there are worthwhile "farangs" living in Thailand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeaceBlondie Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 This is not just an off-the-cuff reply, but based on teaching full time in Thai schools for the past two years. A. Farang are in charge of nothing in Thai education. We have at best a 1% influence or input on decision making. The decisions fluctuate with each revolving-door Minister of Education, and nothing substantially changes. B. Farang who are available to teach, and willing to teach, are welcome to apply in their moobahn, where they are respected members of the community. It's a nearly thankless, virtually impossible, incredibly difficult job, where you go months without seeing results, and minutes without being disappointed. C. The drunks and sexpats already have a few of the teaching jobs in Thailand, but that's beside the point. Good luck; you'll need it. Everybody teaching in Thailand is already doing volunteer work. And farang are NOT being paid enough, at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijan246 Posted August 4, 2005 Author Share Posted August 4, 2005 This is not just an off-the-cuff reply, but based on teaching full time in Thai schools for the past two years.A. Farang are in charge of nothing in Thai education. We have at best a 1% influence or input on decision making. The decisions fluctuate with each revolving-door Minister of Education, and nothing substantially changes. B. Farang who are available to teach, and willing to teach, are welcome to apply in their moobahn, where they are respected members of the community. It's a nearly thankless, virtually impossible, incredibly difficult job, where you go months without seeing results, and minutes without being disappointed. C. The drunks and sexpats already have a few of the teaching jobs in Thailand, but that's beside the point. Good luck; you'll need it. Everybody teaching in Thailand is already doing volunteer work. And farang are NOT being paid enough, at all. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> PB your points are quite valid and actually two of them add weight to the belief there needs to be change: B. It is those volunteers and partially legal (- WP, - V) professionals that stand to gain by having a better system surely! C. Maybe and I only say maybe - by having a larger base from which to select from it may be the start of the end of - The drunks and sexpats who under the current arrangements already have teaching jobs in Thailand. Your comment "Everybody teaching in Thailand is already doing volunteer work" I take encompasses "The percieved low salaries being made lower by the expense of constant visa runs". Simple answe YES but how do you solve the problem is the real question? I am not saying that the above is the only answer but unless the topic is aired in an open and frank way with suggestions being salied to and fro, its not going to change. The constant revolving Edn Min happens I believe because they the Ministers are not providing viable solutions to the education problem in Thailand!! I am no expert just considered it was worth public discussion I would be more than happy for someone more qualified - Teacher, Long term Expat, Bottle-O, to take up the thread and either promote or kill it off as a waste of electricity!! now back to an area I do know something about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebear Posted August 5, 2005 Share Posted August 5, 2005 now back to an area I do know something about <{POST_SNAPBACK}> so what is your job and current location? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijan246 Posted August 5, 2005 Author Share Posted August 5, 2005 (edited) now back to an area I do know something about <{POST_SNAPBACK}> so what is your job and current location? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Bluebear thanks for the educated input! Answer -my published information is much the same as yours. Active Stats User's local time 2005-08-05 16:16:34 Total Cumulative Posts 202 ( 0.3 posts per day / 0.05% of total forum posts ) Most active in Thai visas, residency and work permits ( 44 posts / 22% of this member's active posts ) Last Active Today, 2005-08-05 15:06:51 Status (Offline) Communicate No Information No Information No Information No Information Send a Personal Message Send an Email Information Home Page No Information Birthday No Information Location bkk Interests lots Additional Information Location No Information Brian's Lament I sit here at home overlooking the Chao Praya with the (thai) guys and gals from the teaching game whom I have known for the past 20+ years and wonder if my next move should be "show me your GPA" or just ask politely ask would anyone like another drink? The decision was easy a few more chang, and that cosy little ajarn up the end might be ready to hit the sexspots with me - alas she has read my thoughts and appears I am:unsure:what my next move should be - Do I say or do i just stick my head in the Sand like so many other people and tomorrow continue to Complain about my "lot in life" No contest think of tomorrow as another day and request the thread be:closed1:Why waste my with issues that i can gripe about with my "fellow-expat-friends"everytime I need too. Excuse me ladies and gentlemen would anyone care for another refreshment? Due to lack of forethought by the OP request the thread be Edited August 5, 2005 by mijan246 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mijan246 Posted August 5, 2005 Author Share Posted August 5, 2005 Bluebear my current stats Viewing Profile: mijan246 mijan246 Member Member Group: Members Joined: 2005-07-23 Profile Options Add to contact list Find member's posts Find member's topics Ignore User Active Stats User's local time 2005-08-05 17:16:41 Total Cumulative Posts 28 ( 2.1 posts per day / 0.01% of total forum posts ) Most active in Teaching in Thailand Forum ( 8 posts / 29% of this member's active posts ) Last Active Today, 2005-08-05 17:16:33 Status (Reading Board Index) Communicate No Information No Information No Information No Information Send a Personal Message Private Information Home Page No Information Birthday No Information Location No Information Interests No Information Additional Information Location No Information Edit my Signature · Avatar Options · Edit my Profile to view stats prior to this you will have to request a copy of usa246 and mijan24 currently not available. The answers to your questions are included within the text of my previous response. happy ebaying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenkannif Posted August 7, 2005 Share Posted August 7, 2005 Will close unless anyone wants me to re-open this? PM if so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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