The dreaded demo lesson

How to make sure your demo lesson goes as smoothly as possible

7th February 2012

Now that the busy hiring season is almost upon us, many schools will be asking potential teachers for a demo lesson. Don't panic. Let them know who the professional is.

We just want fair treatment

Sent in by Vick Mackey

26th November 2011

The fact of the matter is that the wages the teachers are being paid (i.e. teachers that look for jobs on ajarn) are barely enough to survive on. And please spare us the “you can live in a 5k a month room” speech. Foreigners who are serious about living and teaching in Thailand are not interested in living like Thais.

Soaked during floods

Sent in by Jimmy

26th November 2011

I am not surprised some teachers are being told by Thai schools that they will not receive money for the time they didn't work during the floods. The safety net is for the Thais, not the falang. If you've been there long enough, you should know the pecking order by now.

The demise of our socialist dreams!

Sent in by James

25th November 2011

I would suggest that we remove our European (and U.S) socialist blinkers and learn to accept that the world, or the schools in this instance, do not owe you anything except a wage for teaching. The schools did not force teachers out of Bangkok, the floods did.

No acts of God in my contract

Sent in by Liam

25th November 2011

What about all the teachers forced out of Bangkok? The ones paying for hotels not knowing what is happening. Many schools haven't even bothered to help their teachers in the slightest. Just kept them in the dark and hope no one will say anything. Not even a phone call to ask 'are you okay?'.

Food for thought?

Sent in by James

25th November 2011

I do understand the financial position that some are in regarding the recent floods, but stop short of agreement. Firstly, doesn’t your contract state that you won’t be paid for ‘Acts of God’ and those involving specifically floods, civil unrest, etc.?

Things I won’t do for work

They say that everybody has a price

5th July 2011

Although most of my TEFL experience has not been in Thailand, there is still a long list of things I won’t accept in a teaching job. Talk numbers and cross my palm with silver because these are the things I simply won’t do for work.

Teachers and their legal standing

Sent in by Seeker of Knowledge

18th February 2011

I know a group of teachers last year that tried to take a well known private school to court over various acts of blantant labour abuses. They fell like rocks when a well known law firm (which also wrote the law book we were using to find information) told them the law they published did not apply to us. Since then I have been very cautious about my work contract.

Teacher severance pay

Sent in by The Dude is Going To Labour Law Korea

5th May 2010

The letter of the law

What about a teachers association?

Sent in by Johnny Kay

5th May 2010

Teachers need to get hardline and not just wimp out when they don't get paid.

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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.