The Great Escape
Are you a teacher who once taught in Thailand but decided to seek out pastures new? Has the grass been greener on the other side? Maybe you swapped Thailand for the financial lure of Japan or Korea? Read about those who have left Thailand, and their reasons for moving...
Read the stories of others or tell us of your own experience.
Dave’s Journey
(last updated 16th August 2010)
Inspired by our story about Julia, we're also tracking the progress of Dave Montgomery as he prepared for life in Thailand as a teacher. Dave's situation is slightly different to Julia's. He's married to a Thai lady already and he intends to teach in the city of Udon Thani - up in the North East of Thailand. And his father-in-law is also a teacher!
Julia’s Journey
(last updated 19th June 2010)
Ajarn.com is documenting the story of one female teacher as she prepared to give up life in her homeland and head out to Thailand to teach English. Hopefully her journal will give inspiration and information to those about to embark on a similar journey. Let's begin at the beginning and let Julia introduce herself.
Articles
Spice up your teacher threads
Alternatives to the shirt and tie combo
What can a teacher do if they are fed up with the standard 'teacher's uniform' of business shirt, necktie and trousers? Ajarn's man of style, Sebastian Hawkes, comes to the rescue with some carefully thought out suggestions. Mimi Rodgers offers her valuable opinions from a woman's perspective.
Teaching tips
What to do and what not to do in the EFL classroom
Regular ajarn contributor Tim Cornwall is back with more tips and techniques for both experienced and inexperienced teachers alike from smiling to laying down class rules and from teacher movement to setting up activities.
What’s your bag?
Pay close attention to what you carry those textbooks in
Fashion guru, Sebastian Hawkes, joins ajarn.com to cast a critical eye over what teachers should be carrying their stuff in this coming Fall. Could it be time to ditch the backpack for something more trendy?
Biking blunders
Man and machine in not so perfect harmony
When a group of experienced motor-cycling friends suggest hiring powerful bikes to explore the beautiful Chiang Mai region and you know full well that you've never ridden a motorbike in your life, that crazy sense of adventure takes over.
Ajarn.com can go to Hell
You can please some of the people some of the time
Recently we sent out a teachers newsletter to let people know about all ajarn's latest developments and news. Although a lot of the feedback we get is complimentary, this letter from Dave Bryant proves that it's not always a bed of roses running the ajarn.com office.
Tips from the trenches
Tips to help a new teacher get through that very first day of class
Worried about that first day of class? The following compilation of articles might offer some insight into how to approach your students for the first time, regardless of their age, numbers and gender.
House of horrors two
Just when you thought it was safe to walk under the scaffolding
Teacher Ralph Sasser has now returned to America. After being duped by building contractors here in Thailand, it's the only way he can save enough money to get the job finished and realize his dreams.
People without formal teaching qualifications
I'm talking about those without as much as a TEFL or CELTA certificate
Some would say controversial words from 'Oooh that hurts'. What is it about untrained teachers that really gets his goat?
Oh, one more thing - you’re fired!
One teacher's account of being popular with students and getting fired
I found out later after talking with other teachers, that there were two teachers that didn’t like us and they were both on the “committee” The director couldn’t go against the committee because she would lose face.
You’re moving to where?
People's reactions on hearing that you're Thailand-bound
Leigh-Anne Hunter has found out that people fall into three distinct groups when you let them know of your ridiculous plans to move to Thailand. How do you know you'll like it if you've never been? Isn't that where the tsunami was? I guess these people mean well.
E-mailing for jobs
Doing it the right way!
One of the most soul-destroying things for many job applicants is to not receive replies to your emails. But are you going about things the right way? Read recruiter Chris's excellent guide on how to do it right.
Teacher’s crib
Look what I did Mom!
Take a look at what teacher Steve Salyer has done to his studio apartment in Sukhumwit 71. Let Steve be your inspiration. Now isn't it about time you paid more attention to your living environment and stopped your mother worrying so much?
PJ’s journey
How difficult is it to adjust to life back in the old country?
How easy or difficult is it to adapt back to a life in your native country after spending seven or eight years teaching in Thailand? Will jobs be easy to come by? Are your old friends still around, and if so, how will they react when the wanderer returns? How does it feel to suddenly find yourself thrown into a world of credit crunches, binge drinking, escalating crime rates and a world far removed from the one you left behind?
With a kid in tow
Loving parent Kirsten Jeffrey tackles the parent child issue
Kristen Jeffery came to Thailand for 18 months to teach English....with a husband and a very young daughter in tow. Kristen very kindly tells ajarn.com how her experience unfolded and needless to say, it's a must-read for anyone thinking of teaching English while caring for a young child at the same time.
A teacher in Chiang Mai
Is it paradise or pants?
Few teachers know Chiang Mai better than Andy B. Although he started working there for less than 10,000 baht a month, he soon found out that displaying a degree of professionalism reaped dividends.
Discrimination against Filipinos
Are the Filipinos getting a fair crack?
Straight-talking Australian teacher Ajarn X has written an excellent article on racial discrimination in Thailand, and also what makes the good Filipino teachers very good and the bad ones extremely bad. Not just a good read for Filipinos, but anyone who teaches in Thailand.
Ajarn Art
One of my favorite ever contributions to ajarn.com
Take a look at the ajarn.com art gallery. This is the place for talented teachers to scan and send us those little masterpieces that are created while students are busy doing tests or assorted gap-fill exercises.
No Saturdays, no kids, no evenings and no TEFL certificate
One woman's quest to find a teaching job through informal interviews
Kathy Willis from the USA contacted me to say that she was going to spend a whole week interviewing for teaching jobs in Bangkok. Yes sir, she was going to run a finger down all those banner ads on the ajarn.com homepage and hit the mean streets in search of suitable employment.
Most recently answered question:
is it illegal to work as a teacher on an ED visa ?
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