Kevin Forster
Tired of the rather negative images portrayed in many of our hot-seat interviews, Kevin fancied a go himself at answering a few questions and giving his own points of view. Kevin is a 46-year old government high school teacher and has worked in Thailand since 1995.
Kevin, welcome, you've been in Thailand since 1995 but in Asia since 1993. Where did you spend the first couple of years and were you teaching during that time?
I was seriously fed up with life in England so I sold up, house, contents, the lot. I put the money in an offshore bank account and set off to travel around Asia. I took a TEFL course before I left home but I just travelled around for a couple of years. I was too busy having a good time to work.
What made you eventually decide on Thailand?
Pure chance. I was sitting on the beach in Koh Samui one morning, I was down to my last 500 quid and an airline ticket. Basically two choices should I stay or should I go now. Obviously I chose to stay
You've taught at the same government high school in Bangkok for five years and you've just signed on for more. Firstly, I presume you're on the government salary package bumped up with a bit of overtime?
I'm actually paid by the PTA of the school. All the students pay into the foreign teacher program and we negotiate a contract from there. I make 35K a month and do a bit of moonlighting to make the party money.
Five years. Wow! Not many teachers last at these places for that long. I know it's rather a broad question but what's the secret of being a successful teacher in a government institution?
Where to start??? Break down the student teacher barrier, become the kids' friend. Find out what they enjoy and use that in your lessons. Learn their nicknames, they love it if you greet them with Hi Som, rather than Good morning student especially if they are not in school. Be the teacher you wish you had when you were a kid. Laugh and joke with all the kids as you walk around the school. Lay down a few simple classroom rules in your first class and apply them fairly. Use the carrot not the stick. Forget the fact that you have 50 kids in the room. Split them into 4 teams, let them elect team leaders and after your presentation make sure your team leaders understand the activity and use them as peer teachers then monitor each of the teams in turn, they love the responsibility.Never tell a kid she's wrong just ask her to try again. Always praise good work. Never humiliate a student as a punishment sit them down and talk the problem through. Always dressed smartly kids hate scruffy teachers. Pretty easy really.
Any horror stories about Thai administration? Most teachers in government schools usually have a tale or two.
The biggest problem I have is that no one tells you anything..... then you are criticized for not doing whatever it was that you weren't told to do.
On the flipside, how does the school take care of you and make you feel special?
The feedback from the kids is what makes everything worthwhile. I just came back from camp in Khao Yai. My M3 class that I have taught six periods a week for three years had their farewell ceremony and I had to bless them and tie the white string to their wrists . They were all in tears as they said thank you and goodbye. No amount of money could buy that feeling.
Do you prefer to be addressed as 'ajarn' or 'khru' - or couldn't you care less?
My name's Kevin and that's what they call me.
OK Kev...er...Kevin. You work at an all-girls school. You must miss teaching the young Thai lads - what with them being so motivated to study and all that?
Yep.
Now what's all this about the hot-seats being negative. Perhaps teachers who love teaching just don't feel the need to bitch and moan on websites and discussion forums?
I didn't quite mean that. I meant that most posters have a downer on government schools. I just wanted to present the other side of the coin.
I presume you scan the ajarn jobs page now and again though. Purely for research purposes of course?
I like to make sure what the going rate is and of course to check my job's not on there.
Aye, Aye. You hail from Manchester. Great city. Do you still get to go home much?
Haven't been to England since 1996
How long do you see yourself doing the government school gig. Any grand plans for the future?
I'm always having great plans but all my mates say that they'll carry me of this school in a box. They're probably right.
You're obviously a city boy like me to want to stay in Bangkok so long?
Although I come from Manchester, I spent most of my life in a small village of about 3,000 people.
Complete the sentence. If I weren't a teacher, I would probably........?
Haven't got a clue. I used to be a production manager in a food factory so probably something in that field.
I'm always intrigued by the meals they dish up in school canteens. What did you feast on today?
Duck noodle soup.
