Tales of Thai school discipline
When foreign teachers face the classroom troublemakers
I thought I'd tell you about a few of my memories of disciplining students from my (so far) 20-year teaching career.
A qualifications conundrum
Can you help out and offer some advice to this teacher?
I have been in Thailand for many years and I used to teach without a degree. Over the years I worked in a variety of schools and universities. I now find myself about to finish a postgraduate degree in education but the path ahead is far from clear.
Qualifications won't turn your fortunes around
Postbox letter from Steve
Teaching in Thailand is a joke. Most of the things pulling you here can be found in other South East Asian countries.
The 'unwanted' senior teacher role
Postbox letter from Liam
This agency I worked for thought that not only could they employ anyone without doing their due diligence, but that the good teachers already at the school would do their job for them also.
Regaining control of your classroom
Some discipline tips for when things start to go pear-shaped
The famous yellow and red card system is often a winner. Get some coloured cards and every time a student is bad, present them with a yellow card, football-style. Two yellows equal a red and a punishment. Works especially well in all-boy schools.
Little hope for a teacher in lockdown
Postbox letter from Jasmine
I don’t want to go home but if I have to because of the lack of work, it will be the ultimate defeat and one I will not cope at all well with.
A reluctance to question the teacher
Postbox letter from Sophie
I've found one of the most challenging aspects of being a new teacher in Thailand is the students' reluctance to ask questions in class.
The class A and B new norm
Is it going to work well or is the system doomed to fail?
Teachers were told that the standard programme student classes, that each consist of thirty-odd students, would be split into approximate halves and each group would now only study at the school on alternative days.
Testing times
How is the COVID-19 situation affecting schools and teachers?
Thailand is now in the middle of the Coronavirus 'third wave' and infection numbers are not showing much sign of improvement, however, the new school term will still go ahead on June 14th
Think about what students you want to teach!
Are you the serious, lecturer type or do you enjoy clowning around?
New teachers in Thailand often give plenty of thought to where they want to teach and how much money they want to make. But strangely, one question few teachers seem to ask themselves seriously is what kind of students they will be happy with.
