Should foreign teachers do gate duty?
Postbox letter from Jack
If you think refusing to stand gate guard duty when it is expected will help you live a happier and more successful life, by all means refuse
Where do you stand on gate duty?
Do you approach those extra responsiblities with commendable gusto?
For those readers who have spent their teaching career cooped up in private language schools, gate duty is when a foreign teacher at say a government or Thai secondary school is told to stand in front of the school building – usually in the morning or at the end of the school day - and look like an asset to the institution.
People without formal teaching qualifications
I'm talking about those without as much as a TEFL or CELTA certificate
Some would say controversial words from Steve. But what is it about untrained teachers that really gets his goat?
Who gets the call when their arms are raised?
Which student gets the teacher's questions and why?
Here are the different groups of students within a typical class. They are quite distinctive and there's not really much of a gray area between them.
My ideas for change
Postbox letter from James
Having taught at government and private schools I echo the frustration of native English teachers when it comes to Thais being poor in English.
Black teachers in Thailand
Does racism exist in The Land of Smiles?
Over the years, ajarn.com has asked the question 'do black teachers have a harder time finding work in Thailand?' Racism? Xenophobia? Fear of the unfamiliar? These have been some of the responses from various teachers.
Why I work in a language centre
Thai high schools? Never again buddy.
The benefits of a good language centre far outweigh those of a high school. The freedom, work conditions and financial package make it the best option for me.
The highs and the lows of living and teaching in Thailand
Our survey said.........
To get an idea of exactly what teachers love and loathe about life in Thailand, we conducted a brief survey and with foreign teachers based in Chiang Mai.
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.
The A to Z of TEFL in Thailand
A playful look at this sometimes crazy industry
Have we come up with the ultimate A to Z of teaching TEFL in Thailand. I'm sure you could add a few more.
