A Bigg Intimidation

[Matthew]

Those are his ony claims to faim, not his teaching strategies or methodologies.

Don't worry- I'm not worried!

As for teaching strategies, it would seem ABA takes active games and kinesthetic activities further than most language schools. NO- I mean NO textbooks involved. (You can, however, buy one of many Biggs-authored books, in Thai, in the lobby). I'd say it's a remarkable approach (by that I don't mean amazing or unique, but simply worthy of remark). I also like the idea of the friday night "open house" thing they do, so that students (and teachers) can socialize and hang out in the learning environment outside of class.

As for his "claims to fame"- has anyone ever heard him "claiming" anything? How do we know he's not a completely humble and sincere guy just like...the...rest...of........us?

Maybe chalk it up to the fact that he is THE ONLY truly succesful and truly famous farang English teacher in Thailand.

[re_fuse]

He is using the same formula as a guy in China ( in fact a couple of guys) I can't remember their names . ( I think one has a bald head also )

[Matthew]

Farang guys, in China, with TV spots as well?

[re_fuse]

There are a few.
Regularly they pay for foreigners to go on TV. ( about a months wage)
My debut to television had an audience of between 500 & 600 million watching me. In the same week two other television stations snapped me up. How embarrassment everyone in Changsha would look at me and smile leaving me wondering if they had seen me on the serious program or the other two where I was acting the fool?

[Matthew]

Posted after 1 minute 37 seconds:

Speaking of Rangsit, I've heard there are a lot of good teaching jobs there, lots of bilingual schools? Because it's new development and people with money...

Is that true?

[risktohimself]

[quote="Matthew"]I hope when you went on TV in front of 600 million people you spoke better English than you wrote that post with! /quote]


That's rich, bearing in mind your use of the word 'here' (twice) in your original post.

[jimbo]

Speaking of Rangsit, I've heard there are a lot of good teaching jobs there, lots of bilingual schools? Because it's new development and people with money...

Is that true?

My mate at Rangsit Uni. would testify that "yeah, it's true."

[Matthew]

I've gone back and fixed it just for you. That's a typical error when you're rattling something off on a keyboard, isn't it?

Read refuse's last sentence. I doesn't make sense (not that it matters!). But two different things. But thanks for calling me out on that, in a humorless way, too!

Anyway... :chug:

I got a call from a Rangsit school the other day offering over 40,000 for a 20 hour work week! Seems like the promised land.

[risktohimself]

Sorry to seem so humourless. I'm anxious about the football.

:chug:

[anon]

He is using the same formula as a guy in China ( in fact a couple of guys) I can't remember their names . ( I think one has a bald head also )

there's one in korea too. can't remember his name, but i'd bet IA can.

[Matthew]

Sorry to seem so humourless. I'm anxious about the football.

:chug:

Understandable. :chug:

[DunceCap]

I totally agree Jonny.

I have experienced the Bigg's envy. The students love my classes. They have a good time. I am not degreed in education, but find nothing that suits my palette more that teaching. I can teach just about anything but higher level maths. C+ in college was the best I could manage. Learned later from a good math teacher here that if I had had a better teacher things might have turned out different. Anyways, some teachers, who have observed me, complimented me well afterwards and asked questions. It felt nice to be appreciated by my peers. I did however have one chap who was completely hated by his students for not being fun---the key ingredient to teaching in Thailand. He always complained that my classes were too noisy. "Raise the roof!"....and they'll come screaming back for more.
Mathew..... I would have been very intimidated. But, would have just rolled along as you did. Next time you hear him yell, "Ma nee!" go to the door and say, "yes?"

I have watched his commercials....the students goof around speaking Thai then say one or two words in English about what ever they're showing.......not much difference than any language school I have seen in the represented age group. he is successful and more power to him. I wish my Thai was that good. And I'm bald too!

[Matthew]

There's something to the bald thing. Thais seem to like "skinheads".

I tried explaining the connotaions of that term once without success.

I'll be going to the barber tomorrow. It'll be a chair-time decision about

just how much to lop off. If it'll make me a better teacher.....

[wangsuda]

Shave it off - the kids love it. I, too, am balding and decided to go for the "ghon hua" look. It certainly keeps the students focused!

[Matthew]

I just might!

It'll save me a few minutes in the morning as well.

Posted after 2 seconds:

I just might!

It'll save me a few minutes in the morning as well.