Well, after teaching a month in a primary private school (read nursery), the owner of this school told me that they don't need me anymore.
The kids are not having enough fun, she said; plus, she said that the other teachers voted me out 'cause I was not a good teacher.
What teachers? I asked her. Nobody here speaks English, how can they judge me if they can't even understand me?! (not to mention the kids LOL). Their everyday lesson plan was to write and translate 5 words on the white board and have the kids write them in their notebooks and read them.
As for the fun, I know I tried hard. I integrated games, songs, charades to make the kids listen to me... still, the little spoiled bastards always had something else to do. And, yes, my co-teacher was never there. I was left alone with the little devils.
After 2 days I realized that the owner of the school wanted, and she did, to hire a Filipino teacher, with a much lower salary.
Anyway, time passed by and I found another school. Almost perfect, a government high school where the teachers can actually speak English (most of them), the students don't run like crazy and many of them are trying to learn. This school has almost everything, projectors, computers, etc. So I made some killer lesson plans - I was thinking - with music, videos, movies, pictures, etc. My lessons are always finishing before the bell, so I always play games in the end; usually word games, I still try to make them think a little. And most of the classes are fine, they seem to enjoy and participate. Everything seemed to be fine until today, when the head of the English department told (through someone else) me that I should have more activities in class.
What activities? I asked. I already did music, movies, pictures, games. Is there anything else? Should I take them outside for a walk?!
Well, the answer was the same as before, try to have more fun with the students. If they don't have fun, how can they learn!? (Thai logic)
How can they learn, if they have to much fun? I replied. Silence... The 'adviser' told me that, eventually, the students will vote the teachers and that they have the POWER to fire him/her. I was shocked, you can imagine.
The students have the power to get rid of the teacher, if they don't like him. Why this circus? Why do the schools hire foreigners? Do they need teachers or jokers, buffoons to entertain the kids? And most important, what will happen with the good kids. Some of them, a small percentage I guess, probably want to learn. Learning is not exactly fun. It never was. It can be fun, but sooner or later the student will get bored. However, if the student is bored all the time, how can the teacher entertain him and teach him at the same time?
Now, I decided like this... supposing the school will keep me for another semester. I won't be their buffoon but, I don't want to get that low. I prefer, from now on, to do nothing. Or to do just word games, music... no teaching, no writing, nothing else. And I will give them high grades. They can fire me, they are my bosses after all, right?!
What will you do in my place? remember that the students can fire you lol
I'd appreciate your advice. How are you teaching them? Are you teaching them or you gave up like I'm about to do.
Apparently, I'm not the only one in this strange situation: http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Reader/reader1363.htm
Last edited by wattaman; 19th September 2012 at 21:05. Reason: forgot a link
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"Never argue with an idiot; they'll bring you down to their level, then beat you with experience."
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I'm sorry to hear about what you've been through.
Ask the head of the English Department to give you concrete examples of what you should do in the classroom. Ask them who of the foreign teachers, if any, are for them reference teachers and request to observe them. Tell them that you're willing to learn and adapt but you need concrete examples to do so.Originally Posted by wattaman
If they aren't willing to help you, something else might be going on.
Good luck, wattaman.
sit in on other teacher's classes and see how they do it.
sounds like you're not connecting with the students
fred
Well, everyone (the Thai teachers) speaks good about this one new teacher who just came. He's a very nice guy and I watched him teaching but I was thinking his lessons are to easy for high school. Now I realized that he's right. The number of dumb kids is much higher than the smart ones, so teaching them how to spell is probably a better idea than asking them to describe photos.
Thanks for the advice and encouragement.
These kids are already learning, outside of the school. They understand that they aren't going to learn anything at the school.
Do you smile?
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Aloha - Aloha HARD
That's a good question.
Well, join the club. Yesterday, after more than 4 months on the job, my school gave me feedback through a self-appointed "HR manager". Not talking with a colleague seems to be how things get done over here.
Surely, the students like your efforts? I found them usually receptive and grateful when it comes to games and things you said to be doing. OTOH, there are always those who don't care. Who hand in blank sheets at exam time.
Maybe it's deja vu all over again? At my old school, they replaced the expensive teachers with some of a certain Asian country. Schools are strictly for profit, even government schools (in ways you may be shocked to hear about).
Yesterday, to get a 800 Baht check, I had to pay a kickback. And not do exams - or pay for the xxx photocopies.
If you are friendly and wai every body and keep mixing up your classes as you say you do, you should be fine. in my first semester, an excellent class sent me a letter, asking me to do certain things. Why not ask your customers what they want?
Good luck!
Chris
Last edited by Chris88; 20th September 2012 at 03:58. Reason: some keys don't work - need the OSK
More please.
More please.
There are few problems in life that cannot be solved with toast.
One of them, however, is opening a can of corned beef with that stupid key. This cannot easily be done at the best of times, and toast is of surprisingly little use in resolving the issue.
OP, sorry to hear about your situation.
I would take this opportunity to do some self-reflection and to try figure out what you personally can do better. Especially if you've had the same problem at multiple schools.
Lots of people on here will disagree with me, but I really think the "teacher is not fun" reason is a general term that is used in this country when they want to get rid of someone for some other reason.
Don't confuse "keeping the students happy" with having them like and respect you. It's important the students like and respect you, but that comes from being a good teacher. It's not easy to balance the 3 sides of the triangle- actually teaching the students, disciplining them, and having them like you at the same time, but it is possible and this is where a lot of newbie foreign teachers go wrong in Thailand.
It's a fallacy that teachers have to be monkeys and put on a show here. Have you ever walked past a Thai teacher's classroom? In all my years here I have never seen a Thai teacher acting like a monkey and performing in front of the kids. In fact, I rarely even see Thai teachers playing games in class with students older than P4 or P5. Probably 95% of the classes I see Thai teachers teaching the students are in their desks and listening.
This rumor can be combined with the one that all foreign teachers have to be young, blue eyed, and good looking. Just look around and you can easily see this is not the case. Thai kids respect good teachers, regardless of looks and age.
Learning doesn't have to be fun - it has to be interesting and well presented. Look at ways you can change your lessons around to make them more interesting, and also look at your classroom management skills to see how you can improve that too.
I know i'm going to get flamed, but take it as just one guy's two cents...
Last edited by Farad; 20th September 2012 at 10:47.
I agree I never did the monkey and was never fired of a job that I wanted to keep, it happened once or twice that a teacher or my boss came to me to ask me to introduce games or songs, i said ok, nodded and changed nothing. At the end of the year i wasn't fired because i taught and that was the reason i was there in the first place if they had fired me i wouldn't changed anything i would have continued until i would have found the school that fitted me
That logic can be applied Worldwide though. In varying degrees. Here ... it's rather high on the scale. Adapt or perish.
As far as I know ... that's the case everywhere in LOS. Students fill in "Report cards" for the teachers at the end of the year. (At my last two schools at least). I've had to do reports on assistant teachers too.
For show.
They'll thrive, grow up and buy Mercedes Benzs.
It's impossible to say without actually seeing you in action. Maybe you're completely fine and there's something wrong with the students and other teachers. Maybe you're as boring as bat shit.
What level/year are they? Maybe they're too young for you. Try a higher grade.
---Update---
Highschool!? And the daily lesson plan is writing 5 words on the board? I was imagining Anuban toddlers!
---Update---
I've seen plenty of them having fun in class though.
I can see where you're coming from on this. I used to go to the English Program of a government school, had some pretty horrible teachers there. (No offense to anyone here who teaches at a government school, there are always exceptions)
Aah, I found out about some directors in government schools that opened their own private schools, bigger-higher-brighter just next to the government school, after only 10 years of being directors. Seems that in the gov. schools the same ideology applies: students must be happy. I still don't know where the money are coming from, I can assume that some schools are just asking the students to pay extra for services that don't exist. Or maybe they just 'lose' the money given by the ministry of education (if any). Or maybe they just rent the land - in my school's yard there's a market now (?!).
Anyway, I'm also surprised that they require this from foreigners while they (the Thai teachers) don't have to do any entertainment and seem to teach normally, the "boring classic way", when the teacher speaks and the students listen and write.
However, if I'll get fired, I'm sure it is not because I'm boring or anything like that 'cause there were students asking me whether I will teach the next semester or not. I told them that I want to remain there, with them, and they seem very happy... like a lot.
Just to make sure it won't be the students', I'll just bribe them with grades. I am allowed to give them a certain number of points and I was thinking to be fair, more or less. I changed my mind, I'll just give them maximum or close to and tell them to spread the word among them that my classes have the highest grades- that's what my wife told me to do. She's Thai and I suppose that she knows the system better.
As for the next one, if I'll still be here, I won't give a shit anymore about their lessons plans and focus mostly on entertainment. If that's what they want, that's what I'll give them. Shame though 'cause this is supposed to be one of the best 10 high schools in Thailand.
It can be applied but that doesn't mean that that without fun students won't learn. I remember not having fun at all, all my years of teaching; students sitting on their chairs, nobody speaking in class, no copying, etc, etc. It was NOT fun. It was a nightmare but you know what? I'm glad it was like that because it made me (forced me, yes) to learn. I prefer that instead of having a funny adolescence and growing up an idiot adult who doesn't even know where's the Chinese Wall - it didn't made me wiser, true, but at least I have a little knowledge about the world we're living in and this can be helpful
In the end, you're right... you know what they say: "the wise man adapts the environment, the stupid one tries to change it"
...we'll wait and see what happens. Thanks for the advice
That's an excellent suggestion. Coming from Mathayom to Prathom, I have to confess that the latter is not my cup of tea. (Turn around and 4 boys might be rolling on the floor or play dead etc. And some P2 boys are very sweet but cannot sit still for even a minute. The urge to wiggle out of that chair and crawl on the floor etc. is irresistible).
Getting feedback is kinda unusual (lacking experience, truth be told). Especially after just a month!
How come it's a similar tune once again? We all want to defend ourselves against criticism, especially if it's not constructive criticism. Hope you can work out what they are on about?
It might be a smoke screen and they want to replace you with someone cheaper?
Hang in there and do find out if there is indeed an issue. any treatment begins with a good diagnosis
Chris
---Update---
Well, to get the check from some third party, a payment of 40 Baht was required. It's a small amount but sheds some light on how things are being d o n e.
To get something printed for free, one has to fill out a request form. Not sure how many signatures are required? I gave up after the 3rd. And the Head of Department had already signed. l
It's Monday. They ask "where are the exams"? No such request for the mid-term exams. Okay, that means hours of work in the early morning. And if you want to do it, you pay.
Money for drinking water and aircon? Yep. They are good at whittling away, nickle and diming you and every one they can to death.
Chris
Yes, always smile, thank them for the input and change nothing.
.................................................. .
Just reading your OP it occurred to me that perhaps you have to make more of an effort to connect with the students and other staff.
Always know the lay of the land and who's who.
I always had fun in every classroom in all my years there and that includes, at times, booting half the class out into the hallway for being a nuisance (in the educational sense, of course).
Remember that you are the teacher and its your classroom.
If you can't make things fun for all, which you can't, have fun with those who are "involved".
Good luck.
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
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