Thread: TeflWatch.Org

The TeflWatch.Org site has been fully operational since Sunday evening. I have brought on a great team of moderators and we have done a bit of training on the board's functions. Instead of waiting for this afternoon to announce the replacement for ThaiSchool Watch, I am doing it now.

The main page will be a repository and commentary on the best school reports. The discussion forums are where you can post about your school experiences, good or bad. They are divided into forums by region.

I have went beyond the usual forums by having a "Sour Gripes" forum where you can complain and/or gripe about just about anything as long as you follow the rules. I also added a flaming room, The Squared Circle, which is by request only and has only a few rules mainly concerning libel and vulgarity.

So, take a look at it. I don't know if it will be what everyone wants and it might change it's incarnation, but I promise this, teachers will always have a place to discuss how they have been shafted by unfair administration.

TeflWatch.Org

I have went beyond the usual .....

(You're not a teacher are you?)

The one big problem with these kinds of sites is that all the complaints and moans etc are usually only one sided, meaning that the full picture is never or at best only rarely revealed. Sure, in principal, it's a good idea but there will always be the situation where a teacher who has been shafted somehow - and wanting 'revenge' on his school/employer will spout nothing but a load of indefensible crap on a public forum. One reason why I can never take those kinds of sites seriously.

Unfortunately there are plenty of people who take it all very seriously

Schools inadvertantly hiring loudmouth unprofessional losers might take a bit of a hammering though, we all know teachers like that I bet. Not the majority by any means, but there are enough of them about.

I'm glad about it, Rico. Geordie has a point when he says the other side of the story is never revealed, but it doesn't have to be that way; a school could surly defend themselves (in a post), couldn't they? But they don't often do that.

And true, it's doubtful you'd read bad press on a school that treats people well. I personally have the faith what I read on TSW was as reliable and true as what I read in the NY Times.

We need this sort of resource in Thailand. There are a lot of shrewed people here, they need to know we have the means to fight back. In the end and at the bottom of the page, TSW and anything like it are a great service to the teacher community, and those involved are soldiers at our borders.

Your are right StillGeordie, but the Thai administrations will spew indefensable crap behind the backs of teachers using their own channels of communication.

I personally think it is more fair what we are doing because we make it public and allow the offending school the opportunity to reply. As I said, schools collude in private against teachers, why can't teachers publically state their opinions?

Maybe you can answer us, StillGeordie, on what you would do to solve a problem when a school refuses to honor a contract and there is no recourse for the teacher?

What about a section called dodgy teacher watch? I've never had a problem with any school I've worked for because I've always acted in a professional manner and always given respect to my employers and this has been reciprocated. Of course I know there are others out there who have acted in the same manner and have been shafted. However, I cannot say the same about a lot of teachers I’ve worked with. From my experience there are far more shite teachers than shite schools. Maybe a list of dodgy teachers is already out there?

Personally, I think this kind of site is open to abuse by bitter employees, who can attack a school without any grounds, if they so wish. Unless you can back your words up with evidence, similar to what you would have to show if you took them to court, then I feel it is just hearsay and should not be allowed on a public forum. Why should someone be allowed to ruin the credibility of a decent school, just because they are pissed off?

It’s far better to live and learn by your experiences. In other words there is no need to have such a site.

enjoy, upon your return from sunday school please respond: suppose, inspite of your professionalism and respect you were treated badly, stolen from and/or repeatedly lied to by an employer? how would you handle this and might you consider a site such as teflwatch.org helpful in this circumstance? it is good that you are not in this situation but your virtue/virginity in no way reflect the whole of the tefl world in thai.

I don't think a truly decent school could have its cred ruined by a loudmouth loser. I also think that schools are perfectly capable of posting themselves should they so desire. I'm all for this kind of site because it does give teachers a chance to fight back. How often have we heard the expression 'it's you against the school, you don't stand a chance?' Unfortunately this tactic does work against some people, particularly if they haven't been here very long. I wouldn't use it solely as a slagging off site but as a place to warn people of dodgy situations and hopefully help them to avoid them, and they're there, bloody hell they're there. Education in Thailand is, sadly, rife with people who use it as a means to make money quick and treat it as a commodity instead of a basic right. Many of them are sharks and con artists and I for one would like to see them rooted out, they have no business being in education. Fair play to you Rico.

Originally Posted by Rico

Your are right StillGeordie, but the Thai administrations will spew indefensable crap behind the backs of teachers using their own channels of communication.

I personally think it is more fair what we are doing because we make it public and allow the offending school the opportunity to reply. As I said, schools collude in private against teachers, why can't teachers publically state their opinions?

Maybe you can answer us, StillGeordie, on what you would do to solve a problem when a school refuses to honor a contract and there is no recourse for the teacher?

As I said before, in principal it is a good idea but just too open - and thus too easy to abuse.

What about a section called dodgy teacher watch? I've never had a problem with any school I've worked for because I've always acted in a professional manner and always given respect to my employers and this has been reciprocated. Of course I know there are others out there who have acted in the same manner and have been shafted. However, I cannot say the same about a lot of teachers I’ve worked with. From my experience there are far more shite teachers than shite schools. Maybe a list of dodgy teachers is already out there?

Personally, I think this kind of site is open to abuse by bitter employees, who can attack a school without any grounds, if they so wish. Unless you can back your words up with evidence, similar to what you would have to show if you took them to court, then I feel it is just hearsay and should not be allowed on a public forum. Why should someone be allowed to ruin the credibility of a decent school, just because they are pissed off?

Nice post.

I don't think a truly decent school could have its cred ruined by a loudmouth loser.

Agreed, but it's far more difficult to build up a good reputation than it is too sink one.