Thread: Best TEFL/CELTA etc course in Bangkok

On another thread, a job applicant was told he needed face to face time to accomply his TEFL cert.

I wonder how many schools actually ask for this or are just concerned about the TEFL. I've been teaching now for almost 5 years so I think face to face time would be a bit OTT (I've had both peer reviews and reviews from my boss).

Or perhaps I should ask the question another way....is face to face time considered important for new teachers or is it related to the type of TEFL the teacher has or .....?

I've decided to take an online TEFL. I've basically got the next two months off and as I've never done a TEFL before I figure now's a good time for it.

Thanks for all your replies everyone.

I think I'll leave it until it's proven I absolutely need to/have to take one. For the time being I can get by with what I've got mostly due to the fortunate circumstance that I'm a female teacher and therefore in short supply and high demand in thailand's languge schools and secondly because I am well experienced.

I'm getting worried waiting for a PGCE/GTP place and thinking of plan B's in the worst case scenario that I don't get on any course this year. Though if that happens, I'll come back to LOS and TEFL again while I wait to reapply the following year. All the primary PGCEs I've applied to so far are heavily over-subscribed, they're being super picky about who theyleton and they're now all full and closed in my area. GTTR is now processing my applications to teach secondary, but to be honest my heart is really in primary. Hopefully I can still teach primary in Thailand as they may ignore which age group my qualification specialises in. Remaining hopeful about the GTP though. They said if i DIDN'T get on the course, I would have a rejection letter by the end of March, so I'm guessing they're going though the process of setting up the interviews now, which should include me.

Fingers crossed, eh? God it's like a flipping prison sentence here though. Can't wait to go back. I had a much better life - far more interesting anyway!

^ Heard a while back that they are desperate for men to apply to teach in primary. Do you know if that's true, dx? (I have a mate who's considering it)
Anyway, good luck with your application.
Stick it out - sure to be worth it.

yep if you're a qualified male primary teacher you're pretty much guaranteed a job in the UK - it ticks all the boxes for the Local Authorities. You've got it made if you're a black, one-legged lesbian though!

Originally Posted by DXBgoddess

yep if you're a qualified male primary teacher you're pretty much guaranteed a job in the UK - it ticks all the boxes for the Local Authorities. You've got it made if you're a black, one-legged lesbian though!

That's the myth at least; reality is slightly more oblique. Firstly, there are extremely few vacancies in primary anywhere, male or not. Secondly, for unfortunate reasons, male primary teachers are viewed with a degree of suspicion - more by the parents than by the employers (but this understandably influences school recruitment) - so this idea of them being a shoe-in is just not true.

It is correct to say that male applicants are favoured in terms of PGCE recruitment, though. It is, however, merely a slight advantage on what is by some distance the most heavily oversubscribed teaching course; you still have to have 'something special' in terms of your background to get on a primary course. IMO, the crux of the matter is that with so many chasing so few jobs, it seems a little pointless at the moment.

Why not test your mettle - do secondary!? Laugh off those physical and verbal assaults as mere playful banter by a bunch of enthusiastic young rogues; revel in the endless reams of pointless paperwork; smile brightly at the latest round of government initiatives; think happy thoughts as your pay rise fails to match inflation in consecutive years ... at least that's what I'll be telling myself when I start in September ...

One thing's for sure - if there's anyone considering secondary Science or Maths any provider will roll out the red carpet for you. 9k bursary + 5k 'golden handshake' after first year as an NQT! In those subjects you can pick and choose your school; some of the indepedent sector schools offer fantastic wages and terms.

Originally Posted by ellroy

One thing's for sure - if there's anyone considering secondary Science or Maths any provider will roll out the red carpet for you. 9k bursary + 5k 'golden handshake' after first year as an NQT! In those subjects you can pick and choose your school; some of the indepedent sector schools offer fantastic wages and terms.

A little over the top there.

I qualified 2 years ago as a science teacher along with about 20 others on my course (another 5 failed/dropped out along the way). Of the people I'm still in touch with, 2 are working for supply agencies and have never had a permanent position, 4 have permanent positions, none of whom (including me) at schools they'd consider 'their choice' and 3 have already packed in teaching altogether, one because he just couldn't get regular work, the other two because its stresssful as a mo fo!

My school just held interviews for the vacancy created as I'm leaving. 5 applicants, all rejected (inner city school, over 90% of students qualifying for free school meals). They're readvertising. Schools can still be picky, partly because the government are training so many teachers.

I'm glad I did the PGCE, and I'm glad I've got 2 years experience. I've aged 5 years through the stress of it all though. Got the £5k golden handshake which kind of makes up for it. Note: In order to get this golden handshake, you need to complete your induction year after your PGCE and have a permanent position.

^ You sound like you're exactly what overseas int schools are looking for, naboo.

Originally Posted by Cyrille

^ You sound like you're exactly what overseas int schools are looking for, naboo.

Maybe when I've chilled for a bit.

Originally Posted by naboo

A little over the top there.

Damn, another illusion shattered! You're quite right to point out the discrepancies between the advertised picture of an abundance of jobs and the stark reality. I thought it was different for Science/Maths, but there you go. I'm not eligible for the 'golden handshake' as English is technically no longer a shortage subject (although you still get a bursary).

I've heard about the during/post PGCE drop-out rate being high, which explains the continuation of the massive recruitment drive, and I can't say that it doesn't worry me! Speaking of which, there were some interesting figures in last week's TES:

Number of FT equivalent teachers in England as of Jan 2007: 439,000

Number of qualified teachers that have never taught in schools as of March 2006: 91,000

Percentage of teachers who qualified in 2005, but were not schools by spring of the following year: 22

(Source: Dept for Children, Schools and Families)

So, looks like the government's training scheme is a rip-roaring success ... The amount of money this must be costing for this level of poor delivery is nothing short of a disgrace.

Interesting post there naboo with your honest appraisal of how you've found things post PGCE. I note what you say about stress and it begs the question as to what exactly is/are the stress factors. Is it the system, the school, the children..?

Originally Posted by dagsyk

Interesting post there naboo with your honest appraisal of how you've found things post PGCE. I note what you say about stress and it begs the question as to what exactly is/are the stress factors. Is it the system, the school, the children..?

I've just written a very long essay in answer to this, but feel that, with a slight possibility of the identity of the school being fairly guessable (remote chance I know, but a chance none the less), it would be the wrong thing to do to post it.

Basically, you can't blame the kids for the product of their environment, be that their home life or school life.

The system sucks, its absolutely shocking, mainly due to the target driven government we have. No teacher is trusted to do their job, everyone is monitored. That creates the stress, along with the fine analysis of every set of results your classes get. I heard a lad leaving one of my colleague's lessons the other day, saying about the teacher "She only wants us to do well so she doesn't get the sack". In so many ways, that's true. The worst thing is, with the kids knowing that, they know the pressure is not on them and if they fail, its the teacher who'll take the blame. (I'm getting the impression this is also the case in thailand...)

The school does what the system wants it to do, and it does it very well. I'm not saying the school does a good job, but it fulfills the wishes of OFSTED, the DfES and the DCFS (if the latter two haven't already merged). When i entered the profession, many ex teachers my Dad knew told me not to, it had gone down hill massivly in the last couple of decades. I wanted to give it a go, I did, and I'd say to anyone considering a job in England to expect the worst and be prepared to accept you will possibly looking for a new profession or to leave the country within 5 years.

As an experience, its been fantastic. I know myself, my strengths and weaknesses and I think as a person its made me better. But I'm going to pay for it with an earlier than should have been death due to the stress!

^I can relate. I also have my PGCE (BEd in Canada), and worked in England on a six-month contract. There is so much paperwork in teaching (to please OFSTED etc..) that the quality of teaching often gets the short end of the stick. I went over with an agency, that hired me and paid me as a supply teacher on a daily basis.

I was put into a grade six class in January. I found this out later, but apparently the students gave the previous teacher a nervous breakdown. The kids were out of control, and had no respect at all for me. I had to start from scratch with them. Not all the students were naughty, and I realize that it would of been much better to be at the school starting in September.

The principal was not well-liked at the school, and she was making all these changes, that the staff didn't appreciate. There wasn't much school support for behaviour issues. I felt like I was put in a bad situation, and the pressure was huge. I did value the experience though, and as you said, I learned alot about myself in the process.

Not all schools are the same. My friends that were teaching in a London high school, told me that it was hell for them. They were threatened everyday, and told to F off most days.

Teaching in any country is stressful these days. I think out of the 40 people in my graduation class, only about half are still in teaching today, according to the recent Teacher's college survey.

Oh my God! Well those comments shed a new light on things. Maybe I should give up with the primary PGCE/GTP and get some sort of nursery qualification or masters in education even though it doesn't give me QTS, and wait for the situation to get a little better. For the time being I just want enough to be able to continue working in international schjools in Thailand, but I didn't want to close myself off completely to teaching in the UK in fthe future. But maybe I should try again nearer the time. any advice?

Originally Posted by DXBgoddess

any advice?

Find out why you've been unsuccessful in your attempts at getting on a Pgce course. Work on whatever area(s) you're falling short in.....
Prep for the interview(s) and make sure you DO get accepted next time.

It's strange with your experience that you are finding it so difficult to get on a course.