A Native Speakers EFL Teachers' Association - Page 6 - Ajarn Forum

russellsimpson · 21st November 2006, 10:51

twknott wrote:

Quote:

While idea is viable some of the people here couldn't help you because of their proclivities to senility.

Yes. And judging from your post you seem to fit comfortably into the profile.

jonny danger · 21st November 2006, 10:59

I see the word union as the word sex organ. If it works it is good, if it doesn't it ain't. Potency is what make the man's stuff work for his benefit, just like a union.

Senility. Is that a term for the members who don't agree with you?

ScorpioPower · 21st November 2006, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unwell

back next year, going to get a pgce fingy...

I hope you don't have to teach brats like what I was!

champagne charlie · 21st November 2006, 11:34

At the micro-level it's been tried at my school with laughable yet painful results. What you have here is a bunch of dullards who are scared, don't know how to take care of themselves and are trying to cover up their cluelessness with pretentious babble about concern for others.
I've seen first-hand the damage that these kinds of psuedo-moral crusades can inflict. Interminable meetings, speeches, documents, and the inevitable punchline: the crybabies have had their coveted day in the sun and things are worse off than before.
Oh, the Thais love these earnest little revolutions -a golden opportunity to crack the whip, handed to them gift-wrapped. They don't lose any face because the request for representation, clarification, etc came from the dumb-bell farangs...like lambs to the slaughter.
What makes it worse is that the pious little pricks who stir up all the trouble are the first ones to exit when things get uncomfortable, leaving the seasoned pros to clean up their mess.
Thailand ain't a place for lamers without game.

DunceCap · 21st November 2006, 11:41

Clause 6

Teachers who have received a license to practice the teaching profession from the Teachers Council of Thailand, shall receive the following benefits:

(1) Teachers who were licensed in their home country and work at international schools........(great compensation package)

(2) Teachers who were licensed in their home country but don't work at an international school.........(pretty good compensation package, but no where near as good as great)

(3) Teachers who were educated specifically to teach (education degrees)
..........PhD(80K+)......Mstrs(70k+)......Ba(60K+)

(4) Teachers who have specific degrees plus teaching exp
..........PhD(70K+)........Mstrs(60K+).......Ba(50 K+)

(5) Teachers with degrees and exp
..........PhD, Mstrs, Ba (50K+)

(6) Teachers with degrees but no exp
..........PhD, Mstrs, Ba (30K+)

-------------------------------------------------
dreaming of a white christmas

chuck_s · 21st November 2006, 12:12

Could always setup a Teachers coop for english teachers here and go from there.

jonny danger · 21st November 2006, 12:15

Teachers with Thai wives + 10,000.

zehner · 21st November 2006, 12:18

Quote:

anybody know if there are similar unions in korea or japan?

if there aren't unions in these countries then there isn't a slushy snowballs chance in hell of starting one here

torbek · 21st November 2006, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by champagne charlie

At the micro-level it's been tried at my school with laughable yet painful results. What you have here is a bunch of dullards who are scared, don't know how to take care of themselves and are trying to cover up their cluelessness with pretentious babble about concern for others.
I've seen first-hand the damage that these kinds of psuedo-moral crusades can inflict. Interminable meetings, speeches, documents, and the inevitable punchline: the crybabies have had their coveted day in the sun and things are worse off than before.
Oh, the Thais love these earnest little revolutions -a golden opportunity to crack the whip, handed to them gift-wrapped. They don't lose any face because the request for representation, clarification, etc came from the dumb-bell farangs...like lambs to the slaughter.
What makes it worse is that the pious little pricks who stir up all the trouble are the first ones to exit when things get uncomfortable, leaving the seasoned pros to clean up their mess.
Thailand ain't a place for lamers without game.

You are without a doubt one of the greatest wankers this forum has to endure.

Scared? Why the fuck would I be scared? Amply qualified. Ample financial resources. More than enough work on plate, none of which is in jeopardy.

Pseudo-moral? Tell me then...why do associations exist anywhere if they were supposedly doomed to fail were no more than a misguided moral crusade?

Pious little pricks? What the fuck is pious about suggesting a body of over 5,000 similarly employed people take some steps to create some sort of representative body?

Lamers without game? No worries Rambo...

Seasoned pro? No. Fucking idiot.

Umbuku · 21st November 2006, 14:32

Interested, yes. Able to do much, probably not. I'm busy working long hours now and for the next year until I head back to Australia. Put me on the mailing list and I'll do what I can Torbek. I haven't read many new opinions on the thread that differ from the last round when Ajarn Forum and I bandied around the possibility. We met and discussed the possibilities several times but had to admit that without senior Thai government backing it would be a risky venture. The other big hurdle was admittance. What qualifies someone to be a member? Fees paid, or a bar limited by holding a degree? What kind of degrees/qualifications? It's a sticky mess but I'm listening.

torbek · 21st November 2006, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Umbuku

...but had to admit that without senior Thai government backing it would be a risky venture.

That is the chicken-and-egg nature off. Too few members - Thais won't give a damn. No Thai recognition - members wont give a damn.

Even if you have enough members, the pitch must be pretty good to get the Thais to react at all, let alone positively.

But it is possible...perhaps...

Quote:

The other big hurdle was admittance. What qualifies someone to be a member? Fees paid, or a bar limited by holding a degree? What kind of degrees/qualifications? It's a sticky mess but I'm listening.

You need some sort of qualification criteria or Thai wont see you as genuinely concerned about standards and qualified teachers will see you are representing the unqualified.

That is why I figure let the Thais sort it out...allocate full membership for those holding a Teachers Council TL, and associate membership for others - those undergoing application process, training, whatever yet still involved in teaching. Saves all arguments on our side.

Cyrille · 21st November 2006, 15:26

Charlie - that is one bostin post! Suggest you get on with it and prove him wrong, torbek.

torbek · 21st November 2006, 15:28

OK...

I'm just starting to get some nibbles. Almost enough (not quite) for a preliminary meeting of minds to share some ideas of what is the best way to move forward.

(Yes, sorry CC, the start of the interminable meetings.)

What I think we really lack is a fully qualified teachers - doesn't matter whether you are in favour of or against the idea - to participate as a sounding board.

Any takers please reply (or PM).

jonny danger · 21st November 2006, 15:33

Quote:

What I think we really lack is a fully qualified teachers

Does that mean those who can put a sentences together? *

Cyrille · 21st November 2006, 15:33

^ I AM a fully qualified teacher. I DONT have a PGCE. There's no way in hell I'm not fully qualified to teach ESOL, though - ergo - I'm fully qualified.