Steve Restarick
It's not Thailand's fault you're still on 35K
Thailand didn't trap you; you just stopped moving.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you’re still earning 35K after half a decade, the problem probably isn’t the system - it’s you. Is it really the school holding you back? Or is it the fact you stopped climbing?
Samut Prakan Phil
RIP the mid-range Thai restaurant experience
Long live the Grab drivers
My wife and I are two people still foolishly trying to eat meals while seated at a table. Well, sometimes we are.
Joseph Hunt
The illusion of 'the good school'
Many schools have learnt how to sell themselves to foreign teachers.
A good school doesn’t have to sell itself that hard. If the school is trying too hard to convince you it’s a great place to work - there might just be a reason.
Teacher Lani
Let me introduce myself
My name is Teacher Lani and I’m from a small town in Laguna, Philippines
Some days, I feel like I'm doing the work of three teachers. But the students? They make it worth it. Even when they forget every verb tense we studied last week.
Laura Thomas
Two teachers, two outcomes
Why one stayed and one didn't
Both women arrived in Thailand around the same time. Both were qualified, motivated, and excited to teach. On paper, there was no reason why one would succeed and the other would struggle.
Teacher Rants
Can we just shut up and teach, please?
Surviving the staffroom one complaint at a time
I’m not saying we need to be all sunshine and lotus blossoms. But how about just a little balance? A few positive comments to go with the griping. A moment to appreciate the good things - the student who improved, the lesson that landed, the joke that actually got a laugh.
David Parfitt
Are international school jobs the ultimate goal?
Despite the excellent pay, the jobs might not be for everyone.
Unlike some TEFL jobs where a photocopied worksheet and a few games can get you through a day, international school teaching requires sustained effort. There’s less room to “wing it”
Paul Metcalfe
Visa roulette
When your paperwork is a comedy of errors
No one moves to Thailand for the paperwork. But if you plan to stay, it’s part of the deal. And while it may feel like a game of roulette at times, most teachers make it through, eventually.
Edward Pembroke-Hayes
The art of being watched
Lesson observation etiquette for the masses
Having endured more than my fair share of clipboard-wielding middle managers with iPads and anxiety disorders, I feel uniquely qualified to offer guidance on how to behave when stepping into my classroom - or anyone else’s - with the intention of “providing feedback”
Jason Byrne
What to do if you're teaching during an earthquake
Critical actions you can take to keep yourself safe.
Having taught through several earthquakes in Japan and Italy, I vividly remember the 9.0 Tohoku earthquake in Japan in 2011. The quake's energy waves were so intense that they lifted my house repeatedly - an absolutely terrifying and surreal experience.
