Thai School Watch

[LDMA]

Nice little earner, I bet!

So you think Watchman is PAYING us for this?

I give you credit for doing that after BP got slaughtered for doing the same albeit with a larger banner.

Water off a ducks back huh, Loadsamoney? Poop

Nope sorry, not with you..

[bluebeard]

It's also a very good idea to consider the sources as well. As Phil and Unwell mentioned, there are many crackpots and nutcases out there who have nothing better to do with their time than to find ways of creating problems for schools, companies, and individuals. They're never happy unless they feel as though they "got one up" on someone. There is a lot of vindictiveness out there, and LOS seems to attract more than its fair share of those personality types. Best bet is to take it all with nothing more than a grain of salt. That forum is very poorly moderated, nothing is substantiated, alot of whinning and personal attacks. Unwell said it best, find out for yourself. There are many companies and schools to choose from. If you don't like one, try another. If you don't like it, someone else might. It's a personal preference. If its not your style, no need to knock it...leave it alone and go somewhere else. I would hope most of us are here to at least enjoy life, not to let everything bring ya' down. Some people will never grow out of their childish mental states.

There are many schools and people who are honest and treat teachers fairly and with respect.There are also many schools and people in positions of power in schools who are nasty, vindictive and dishonest.These people and schools are completely unregulated and do whatever they like.The modern day ajarn.com represents and sympathises with them and don't forget they pay for this service.Thai school watch evens up the score by giving teachers a voice.Not all teachers who make complaints are crackpots and people with grudges as we are told to believe by people in positions of influence.Many teachers are victims of unfair practices and personal prejudice and they deserve a voice.Many people who run schools or hold positions of power in them would not even qualify to receive an application form for a similar position in their own countries and cronyism and corruption isn't just practiced by Thai's.Let's not forget that.

[Covertjay]

Here Here. Well put.

If you don't like one, try another. If you don't like it, someone else might. It's a personal preference. If its not your style, no need to knock it...leave it alone and go somewhere else.

No need to knock potentially VERY dubious sexual practices eh?? Just leave it alone. Gimmie a break. I for one think it is definately something to be shamed along with unprofessionalism, and thought the new forum could do this. Sadly it can't.

Added after 9 minutes:

What on Earth does someone's sexuality have to do with a school's competence or the way it treats its teachers?

If the person in question is in authority and his/her sexual appetite manifests within the teaching environment (and is not kept quiet in the background where it should be) and is used to differentiate staff in the manner of their treatment; and also where it could have ramifications on the students then I would say it should be reported on.

Exceptionally well put. This is a great danger to children that seems to be glossed over as 'bitter teachers bitching'. I for one am currently happy, just worried about an issue that many countries are rightly passing extra terratiorial laws on.

It's a matter of time.................

Added after 16 minutes:

As long as it's explained in this way, sure, but I would have thought that was pretty obvious. Basically, all I was saying was that I don't consider it acceptable to, say, argue that a school is not fit to work for because the HOE is a "poof".

Agreed, but what concerns most people straight, gay, and bi, is anything that endangers minors.

[thaimex]

I went to thaischoolswatch to see what the hullabaloo was all about. How can anyone take a website seriously when the background is black and the text is white and what (?) 8-point type? Anything that hard to read isn't worth reading.

[LDMA]

I can read it ok...maybe get some glasses or use that fantastic feature installed in all web browsers since the beginning of time...increase text size.

[keeshou]

I can read it ok...maybe get some glasses or use that fantastic feature installed in all web browsers since the beginning of time...increase text size.

Text size not withstanding the Black background and font colour make it a difficult read. I usually highlight the text with my cursor so that the contrast is readable.

[watchman]

Okok....I've added another lighter skin....you can select it your profile if it doesn't come up by default....I like the darker skin myself...still we're all different I guess.

[LDMA]

Replaced as a sticky at Watchman's request. I am happy that several issues that concerned me regarding content management have been addressed. Including the appointing of moderators, and clear policies on unacceptable content.

[robin]

btw guys, i hope we are all intende to be fair minded in the naming and shaming thing. critism should always be constructive, after all thats what we try to do with the poopils no?

so what you must also include is a blacklist of rogue teachers please, schools and similar institutions should be encouraged to report poor quality substandard service offer by so -called foreign teachers. I am sure all you dedicated educators will have no problem with that

[kenkannif]

Ain't going to happen. Although you might want to have a chat with Macha about setting up a site with him.

[LDMA]

Well, it's for that reason I've often argued that this is why we don't have naming and shaming on Ajarn Forum. Of course it's a ridiculous idea for individuals to be randomly named on a public site with no fallback to any kind of standards of verification.
It's equally rocky ground to allow it for schools, though maybe institutions as non-living entities, and within a cultural establishment biased towards them should be a little more accountable than individual immigrants who are hired at the whim of such organisations, and have fewer legal rights under Thai law than the people that employ them. However it's our stated policy that we don't allow it here, and I'm sticking to it. I've read TSW and while it's without doubt an interesting read, it's not something I feel is the direction that Ajarn Forum should be heading.

[PeaceBlondie]

LDMA, that's a good point about institutions being non-human entities (although sole proprietors never think so, even if they employ dozens of teachers). I'd make a distinction between a single person being a bad apple - that's no real threat to the system. But if entire, large entities that employ dozens of teachers and serve hundreds or thousands of customers can go through their public life without being held to public scrutiny - that's different.

Besides, many schools have often had an informal network of informing one another of bad apples. It's called 'checking a teacher's references.' Schools that don't bother to check references get whom they deserve.

[LDMA]

An excellent point PB....those gossip networks can be very tight especially in the smaller towns. If anything schools have had access to these kind of networks for a lot longer than web forums for farrangs have been around.

Though since the current trend is to get a farrang to do the recruiting, they may not have access to such information, but maybe the point is that a school should use information contain on a resume to it's full advantage.

[robin]

I was being a little tongue in cheek with my suggestion

this thing of flangs recruiting flangs is equally pernicious. Ive hade some horror shows with illiterate pest phoning you up

"ear mate i got just the job for you 30 hours 20 grand ok, get yer ass down ere got the director waiting to take you this afternoon, start now"

and i am not joking

also some of the stories ive heard from well meaning young travellers are equally dumb

when going for any kind of job you must start with a job description. Why the LOS has to be considered a special case is beyond me, and i have travelled more than half the world.

really its a case of physician heal thyself. this worthy forum could be a good place to start say by helping to develop

a) a code of practice for flang teachers

b) ditto thai schools

c) model form of job description

d) model form of tnc terms and conditions

all in english with thai xlation

not rocket science

so anyone want to pitch in and help

[watchman]

Sorry guys, it was an interesting read while it lasted, but I've decided to call it a day on TSW.

When a project starts interfering with offline activities then it's time to stop.

I started to doubt the validity of many posts and posters on there, was getting nasty PM's, and threats of legal action were starting to emerge.

I'm not sure if they had my real identity or not, but I'm taking no risks and have packed it in.

Altruism aside the over-riding lesson is that TIT. If nothing I hope we've proved how easy it is to start something like this and how those who don't like what we had to say moved to get us closed down.

I like having fun with forums, not sleepless nights.

I may also have to put www.teacherswhatarecunts.com on hold too :p

Watchman has now left the building....and he ain't coming back.

See you as somebody else.

Luv and Kisses

The Watchman