Jessica Watson

Jessica Watson's blog on Ajarn.com


The dreaded letter grade

The anguish of having to evaluate progress with a single letter

I teach Pre-School, Kindergarten and Prathom 1, 2 and 3 and while I find it easier to dole out letter grades to my Prathom students, giving A,B,C's to my Pre-School and K's is much more difficult.


Dealing with the troublemakers

Discipline: tips on control in the classroom

Troublemakers. We have all seen them do their thing, causing mayhem and disorder in the classroom; perhaps you were even one yourself at some point during your time as a student. Troublemakers are the bane of every teacher's existence and they make our job go from difficult to pounding headache and hair-tearing proportions.


I don't want to learn!

The biggest teaching hurdle: motivation

Motivation in the classroom, both from the teachers and the students, is essential for learning but it is a tricky balance to strike since the two are so interconnected; if the teacher loses motivation, so do the students and if the students lose motivation, so does the teacher.


This is an English-speaking only zone

Reflections from teaching in an English-only international school

Six weeks ago I started a new teaching job in Myanmar at an international school. The job and the school have surpassed my expectations and one of the most impressive things is that I can use complete sentences in the classroom and give directions in English and the students not only understand, but they respond with great English.


From Thailand to Cambodia

It was time to say goodbye Thailand and hello Cambodia

The last two months of my life have been a whirlwind of changes, emotions and excitement. The end of the term also signaled the end of my contract with the language company I was employed with and the start of new adventures.


One year later

Thoughts from a first time teacher on living and working in Thailand

The end of the term has made me very contemplative. A year ago I was in a very different situation than I am now; I was jobless and overwhelmed with debt and I was very confused about how to lift myself up from that desperate situation and pursue my dream of living abroad.


No work, all play!

vacation time as an English teacher

There are many perks to teaching English abroad and my absolute favorite is the amount of paid vacation alloted to foreign teachers.


Food, glorious food

One of Thailand's many conveniences

There are a lot of perks to living and teaching English in Thailand and as someone who likes to eat good food, one of the perks I enjoy the most is delicious home-cooked food being available at your fingertips.


Featured Jobs

Coaching English Teacher

฿47,000+ / month

Bangkok


Coaching English Teacher

฿47,000+ / month

Bangkok


NES Teachers

฿34,000+ / month

Songkhla


NES English Teacher

฿60,000+ / month

Pathum Thani


NES Lead Teacher

฿15,000+ / month

Bangkok


NES Grade 4 Math and Science Teacher

฿40,000+ / month

Chiang Mai


Featured Teachers

  • Pett


    Filipino, 33 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Charlotte


    Filipino, 41 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Vengie


    Filipino, 26 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Mirvano


    Slovenian, 34 years old. Currently living in Slovenia

  • Joanna


    Filipino, 26 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Artem


    Russian, 34 years old. Currently living in Thailand

The Hot Spot


Will I find work in Thailand?

Will I find work in Thailand?

It's one of the most common questions we get e-mailed to us. So find out exactly where you stand.


The cost of living

The cost of living

How much money does a teacher need to earn in order to survive in Thailand? We analyze the facts.


The Region Guides

The Region Guides

Fancy working in Thailand but not in Bangkok? Our region guides are written by teachers who actually live and work in the provinces.


The dreaded demo

The dreaded demo

Many schools ask for demo lessons before they hire. What should you the teacher be aware of?


Teacher mistakes

Teacher mistakes

What are the most common mistakes that teachers make when they are about to embark on a teaching career in Thailand? We've got them all covered.


Air your views

Air your views

Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


Need Thailand insurance?

Need Thailand insurance?

Have a question about health or travel insurance in Thailand? Ricky Batten from Pacific Prime is Ajarn's resident expert.


Contributions welcome

Contributions welcome

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