Jessica Watson

Jessica Watson's blog on Ajarn.com


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.


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.


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

Secondary English Teacher

฿54,000+ / month

Samut Sakhon


Vice Principal

฿65,000+ / month

Myanmar


NES English Teachers / Qualified Non-NES Teachers

฿34,000+ / month

Nakhon Si Thammarat


PE, Swimming and Health Teacher for Primary 1-6

฿40,000+ / month

Chiang Mai


Secondary English Teacher

฿44,000+ / month

Bangkok


Full-time Kindergarten and Primary Teachers

฿47,000+ / month

Bangkok


Featured Teachers

  • Anas


    Syrian, 44 years old. Currently living in Thailand

  • Krissa


    Filipino, 27 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Jennifer


    Filipino, 24 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Lalin


    Filipino, 44 years old. Currently living in Philippines

  • Md


    Bangladeshi, 31 years old. Currently living in Bangladesh

  • Pamela


    Filipino, 26 years old. Currently living in Philippines

The Hot Spot


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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.


The dreaded demo

The dreaded demo

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


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.


Can you hear me OK?

Can you hear me OK?

In today's modern world, the on-line interview is becoming more and more popular. How do you prepare for it?


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.


Renting an apartment?

Renting an apartment?

Before you go pounding the streets, check out our guide and know what to look out for.