Clouds of smoke

Sent in by Fair go

19th March 2011

Surely there must be the element in institutions where English is taught for profit in Thailand, that they want to adorn their business prospectus with a young and handsome or beautiful white face.

Schools are not Hooters

Sent in by Sar C. Astic

18th March 2011

Comparing the hiring process of Hooters to a school in Thailand is not only illogical but also utterly tasteless.

Asian features seal my fate (part two)

Sent in by Multi racial American

18th March 2011

The example of being discriminated at Hooters for not being a sexy young female is not equitable with my discrimination here. That is the restaurant industry in America and this is education

You give customers what they want - it’s a business

Sent in by Joe Hoeson

17th March 2011

I would like to say that my original letter was regarding whether or not it's okay to put 'native speakers only' need apply. Now, whether or not native speaker is used to mean we do not want black or Asian teachers is another story.

Asian features seal my fate

Sent in by Multi racial American

16th March 2011

Schools can technically hire whoever they want. If they want white faces, there is nothing that can be done about it.

Let’s not kid ourselves

Sent in by Anonymous

16th March 2011

The bottom line is that Thailand does not adhere to non-discriminatory hiring practices: height, age, attractiveness, overall appearance, and especially skin tone are typically and explicitly considered for any job that requires working with the public

Job ads are not racist

Sent in by Joe Hoeson

16th March 2011

Having been a school owner before, I see nothing racist in saying that I only want native speakers to apply.

Racism in job ads

Sent in by Sar C. Astic

15th March 2011

This letter is for employers who post their job ads here on Ajarn.com. I hope that you will consider "some" non-native English speakers. Changing "NES only" to "NES preferred" can make the ad more sensitive to NNES like me.

Whites or native speakers?

Sent in by Terri

10th January 2010

I am fluent in both French and English. My students were told I was French but I always told them I was African - born and raised in France. If you dont like my teaching methodologies, they can bring in another teacher but i am not gonna lie about anything.

If you’re white, you’re alright

Sent in by Spectre

24th October 2009

I stopped attaching my picture to my applications and instantly started receiving more responses.

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Ajarn Guests

Fear of change?

In Thailand the government has set 2012 as English Speaking Year with a goal of encouraging students to converse in English every Monday. Such policies are useful but the major leap of enacting legislation to make English an official language for Thailand is also needed

Software for student tests

The integration of internet and computers with education and English learning is something students find normal, and classrooms without some access to educational software may seem quaint. Some students may even feel they can get more ‘professional' teaching from the numerous online ELT sites if a school is behind in IT.

Whatever happened to the shopping mall teacher?

They are the shopping mall English teachers - gliding like pale, undernourished phantoms amid the hordes of weekend Thai shoppers. The main reason I empathize with the shopping mall teacher is because I was once one myself. I know how desperate and soul-destroying it can be.

About Ajarn.com

Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.

Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.