Check-list and Induction.
Welcome
The EP family, is a very large international family, with teachers from all over the world and amazing students doing amazing things.
Travel Insurance + Plus legalities.
Does your insurance cover riding on the back of motorbikes?
Some insurance policies do providing it is within the law. For example; licensed rider in control, wearing helmets and not breaking any other road rules like drink driving.
Contrary to popular belief it is illegal to be on a motorbike without a helmet or with more than 2 people. (Insurance companies love this).
Driving without a motorbike licence is illegal.
Recent changes to drink driving laws state that if you are too far over the breathallyser limit it is straight to Jail.
Some insurance policies do providing it is within the law. For example; licensed rider in control, wearing helmets and not breaking any other road rules like drink driving.
Contrary to popular belief it is illegal to be on a motorbike without a helmet or with more than 2 people. (Insurance companies love this).
Driving without a motorbike licence is illegal.
Recent changes to drink driving laws state that if you are too far over the breathallyser limit it is straight to Jail.
Employment times.
Contracts state that teachers (Thai and Foreign) must be available for duty as needed. This is never abused.
Teachers also have stated times on contracts for teachers to be available for duty.
If late or you leave early you are not available so can be issued a warning which if escalates will cost a day's pay.
Most contracts state 8am till 4pm as the main times unless the director has stated otherwise.
On occasions some teachers are asked to take a late class and to compensate start work later.
Sometimes we will have a staff meeting that goes to 5 o'clock although is not very often.
But often there will be no warning.
Be available; when you do not have any classess you need to be available for students to discuss work and partake of general conversation for practice. If you are approachable students will take advantage of this. On some occasions teachers can sit in the corridors chatting to students and discussing things like Thai life or language, different foods, how to get better marks, what your life is like back in your country and differences of culture. Avoid religion, Thai politics and royalty.
Teachers also have stated times on contracts for teachers to be available for duty.
If late or you leave early you are not available so can be issued a warning which if escalates will cost a day's pay.
Most contracts state 8am till 4pm as the main times unless the director has stated otherwise.
On occasions some teachers are asked to take a late class and to compensate start work later.
Sometimes we will have a staff meeting that goes to 5 o'clock although is not very often.
But often there will be no warning.
Be available; when you do not have any classess you need to be available for students to discuss work and partake of general conversation for practice. If you are approachable students will take advantage of this. On some occasions teachers can sit in the corridors chatting to students and discussing things like Thai life or language, different foods, how to get better marks, what your life is like back in your country and differences of culture. Avoid religion, Thai politics and royalty.
Sign in book.
To be signed at the front office on arriving everyday.
Leaving School book.
To be signed on arriving and leaving during the day.
Teachers must have permission from Kru Fai to leave the school and there is another book to sign out and in again. This book is at the front of the office near Kru Bretts desk.
Teachers must have permission from Kru Fai to leave the school and there is another book to sign out and in again. This book is at the front of the office near Kru Bretts desk.
Weekend work.
Some weekend work and evening work is required although it is not much and Prathom 6 evenings are paid evenings with a meal provided.
The contract as signed is work 'as needed' but this is not abused. It generally amounts to about 4 weekends in the year.
The contract as signed is work 'as needed' but this is not abused. It generally amounts to about 4 weekends in the year.
Dress sense.
Respectable clothing at all times especially when there are students at school (It is noticed by others).
https://brettwilkin.com/teaching-at-sa-nguan-ying/146-syep-dress-code
https://brettwilkin.com/teaching-at-sa-nguan-ying/146-syep-dress-code
Tattoos
Tattoos should be kept covered.
We are teaching in an elite school and there is still a cultural and social stigma about tattoos here.
We are here to adapt and learn about Thai society not try and change community assumptions.
We are teaching in an elite school and there is still a cultural and social stigma about tattoos here.
We are here to adapt and learn about Thai society not try and change community assumptions.
Work Permit.
The work permits are issued to the school for the school.
Any other work outside of the school is illegal.
In some cases teachers have been removed from the country.
No other work or holidays can infringe on the school requirements as failure to meet these requirements can be grounds to cancel contract and work permit.
https://brettwilkin.com/teaching-at-sa-nguan-ying/131-syep-work-permits
Any other work outside of the school is illegal.
In some cases teachers have been removed from the country.
No other work or holidays can infringe on the school requirements as failure to meet these requirements can be grounds to cancel contract and work permit.
https://brettwilkin.com/teaching-at-sa-nguan-ying/131-syep-work-permits
Work Overview.
Be on time to class as the students are your responsibility if a student has an accident,
you can be charged with neglect of duty.
you can be charged with neglect of duty.
Unit Plans
You will be asked for Unit Plans for what you are teaching
Try and give some information about lesson content as well as overall unit objective.
There is a format for these.
Try and give some information about lesson content as well as overall unit objective.
There is a format for these.
90 day checks.
These must be completed from about 1 week prior to falling due and there is a weeks grace for late checks.
Each day late attracts a fine. If you are 6 days late you don't have to pay the fine but if you are 8 days late you have to pay 8 days of fines.
The board in the staff room is so we can all help remind each other.
Each day late attracts a fine. If you are 6 days late you don't have to pay the fine but if you are 8 days late you have to pay 8 days of fines.
The board in the staff room is so we can all help remind each other.
Re-entry Permits.
You will arrive with a non 'B' visa for a duration of 3 months.
During the first 3 months the school will apply for a work permit and a 12 month visa extension.
If you get a re-entry permit in the first 3 months it is null and void when the visa is extended to 12 months.
If you want to travel outside of Thailand wait till after the visa extension.
Leaving Thailand without a re-entry permit will void your work permit and your 12 month visa extension.
During the first 3 months the school will apply for a work permit and a 12 month visa extension.
If you get a re-entry permit in the first 3 months it is null and void when the visa is extended to 12 months.
If you want to travel outside of Thailand wait till after the visa extension.
Leaving Thailand without a re-entry permit will void your work permit and your 12 month visa extension.
Parent meetings and behaviour reports.
Parent meetings are 3 times a semester mostly starting at 5pm and they generally take about 25 minutes for foreign staff to deliver their small synopsis of the term.
Behaviour reports are written for each student mid semester and end of semester.
There is a set format to use.
The report is simply another teaching tool, not a place for the teacher to vent their annoyance.
As a guide a report should never have negative comments. eg If the student would stop talking to breath, they might hear something worthwhile. Student must listen to the teacher and if they still do not understand they can ask questions when they are not sure.
Every comment in a report must be based on teaching in a positive manner. The reports will contain the midterm exam scores for the midterm reports and the final exam mark at the end of semester.
Behaviour reports are written for each student mid semester and end of semester.
There is a set format to use.
The report is simply another teaching tool, not a place for the teacher to vent their annoyance.
As a guide a report should never have negative comments. eg If the student would stop talking to breath, they might hear something worthwhile. Student must listen to the teacher and if they still do not understand they can ask questions when they are not sure.
Every comment in a report must be based on teaching in a positive manner. The reports will contain the midterm exam scores for the midterm reports and the final exam mark at the end of semester.
Student Behaviour.
Keep talking to all staff until you start to build a skill set that suits you.
The web address will give you much of the theory associated with managing students.
Don't bottle things up and don't lose your temper too often, learn to use eye contact voice control and presence to control your kids.
https://brettwilkin.com/teachingpractice/behaviour-management
The web address will give you much of the theory associated with managing students.
Don't bottle things up and don't lose your temper too often, learn to use eye contact voice control and presence to control your kids.
https://brettwilkin.com/teachingpractice/behaviour-management
Confiscated Phones given to EP Staff.
If a phone is confiscated and given to the Thai staff it becomes their responsibility. Thai's normally treat this responsibility quite seriously.
Please don't remove a phone from the Thai teachers desk to return it to the student without asking the Thai teacher first. (It can cause unnecessary stress)
If a phone is confiscated for more than the lesson always give the phone to the Thai staff for minding.
Please don't remove a phone from the Thai teachers desk to return it to the student without asking the Thai teacher first. (It can cause unnecessary stress)
If a phone is confiscated for more than the lesson always give the phone to the Thai staff for minding.
Religion.
Keep your beliefs to yourself.
Preaching is grounds for instant dismissal.
Preaching is grounds for instant dismissal.
Classroom Teaching.
It is still a very traditional teaching environment and even though change is happening teachers are expected to introduce their topic every lesson and clearly state the expectations and objectives for the lesson.
It is good to keep a series of small topics aside for small teaching moments.
The students often expect to be taught in the traditional sense rather than exploring and learning with guided direction.
A small amount of teaching or revising of the topic every lesson will keep the students from telling their parents that the teacher is not teaching them.
Students will regularly ask for free time. Free time is not a teaching method and students when asked what they did today will tell their parents we had free time. The parents then get in touch with the school and complain.
To deal with this have follow up work or give work that you do not expect all students to finish. Have a cut-off point where the average students can achieve a score of about 85% and the better students complete all for 100%. The slower students will often finish work for homework to get the higher mark well after the topic has changed.
Maths and Science tend to be taught in a traditional manner in that: Topic is introduced, 10 to 15 minutes of teaching, student centered project work, Summing up.
In mathematics students will need a very good explanation of any mathematical functions or laws as they are ESL students and will rarely understand without the teacher delivering the concepts many times. You will be given a text book for your subject. The content of the text book must be taught but you have some freedom as to how you teach the content. Be explicit about what you teach as students will tell parents they were not taught a particular content.
No physical contact. This inculdes poking kids in the ribs as a teasing gesture or tickling. Students will feel intimidated in this culture and will laugh due to being nervous. Westerners often misread this and continue the practice which has now become bullying and is reported as such to parents and directors.
It is good to keep a series of small topics aside for small teaching moments.
The students often expect to be taught in the traditional sense rather than exploring and learning with guided direction.
A small amount of teaching or revising of the topic every lesson will keep the students from telling their parents that the teacher is not teaching them.
Students will regularly ask for free time. Free time is not a teaching method and students when asked what they did today will tell their parents we had free time. The parents then get in touch with the school and complain.
To deal with this have follow up work or give work that you do not expect all students to finish. Have a cut-off point where the average students can achieve a score of about 85% and the better students complete all for 100%. The slower students will often finish work for homework to get the higher mark well after the topic has changed.
Maths and Science tend to be taught in a traditional manner in that: Topic is introduced, 10 to 15 minutes of teaching, student centered project work, Summing up.
In mathematics students will need a very good explanation of any mathematical functions or laws as they are ESL students and will rarely understand without the teacher delivering the concepts many times. You will be given a text book for your subject. The content of the text book must be taught but you have some freedom as to how you teach the content. Be explicit about what you teach as students will tell parents they were not taught a particular content.
No physical contact. This inculdes poking kids in the ribs as a teasing gesture or tickling. Students will feel intimidated in this culture and will laugh due to being nervous. Westerners often misread this and continue the practice which has now become bullying and is reported as such to parents and directors.
Teacher Ethics.
To gain a teaching degree in any country in the world there will be a similar version of ethics for teachers.
Political and religious dogma has no place in a classroom.
Sarcasm should never be used. Even in an ESL environment students will not know what is being said but it is very clear to them they are being 'got at'.
Never direct a personal comment at a student. If you are using this style of conversation to teach language, make sure it is clearly in the third person not in the first person. If this can't be done don't use personal first-person comments to teach.
Avoid situations of a private conversation. If it is needed for education, make sure it takes place in a public environment at school.
Be thoughtful of how you phrase conversations in 'Line' 'Messenger' or any other media, as they are all recorded. If they break ethical or moral protocol parents will inform the director.
Parents and students will sometimes invite teachers on excursions or out for meals. Go and enjoy the parents and children's company but be sure to never be alone for any length of time with a student. Everything said previously still applies.
Don't accept invitations to go somewhere and have an ice-cream with students unless another teacher or parent is with you or a large group of students in a public place.
Teachers seen with students having a meal drink or movie or anything similar will require you to justify yourself in light of being with an underage student by yourselves.
Students and adults will often ask you do you think they are beautiful. Where students are involved avoid personal comments by saying something like 'all my students are beautiful because they have beautiful hearts'.
Political and religious dogma has no place in a classroom.
Sarcasm should never be used. Even in an ESL environment students will not know what is being said but it is very clear to them they are being 'got at'.
Never direct a personal comment at a student. If you are using this style of conversation to teach language, make sure it is clearly in the third person not in the first person. If this can't be done don't use personal first-person comments to teach.
Avoid situations of a private conversation. If it is needed for education, make sure it takes place in a public environment at school.
Be thoughtful of how you phrase conversations in 'Line' 'Messenger' or any other media, as they are all recorded. If they break ethical or moral protocol parents will inform the director.
Parents and students will sometimes invite teachers on excursions or out for meals. Go and enjoy the parents and children's company but be sure to never be alone for any length of time with a student. Everything said previously still applies.
Don't accept invitations to go somewhere and have an ice-cream with students unless another teacher or parent is with you or a large group of students in a public place.
Teachers seen with students having a meal drink or movie or anything similar will require you to justify yourself in light of being with an underage student by yourselves.
Students and adults will often ask you do you think they are beautiful. Where students are involved avoid personal comments by saying something like 'all my students are beautiful because they have beautiful hearts'.
Assessments.
Assess everything you do and keep marks in 2 main categories of knowledge and processes.
Knowledge is little quizzes and tests and processes are tasks and can be anything from homework to assignments and class work.
When you assess everything, it does not mean you must use all of these assessments in your marks.
If many students fail a test it may have been too hard or the content not understood by the students
It is up to the teachers discretion as to whether the marks are used for assessment or improving teaching practice.
Check these points. work:
Has enough work been given and assessed allowing for an activity to be ignored if it is not representative of the class or student.
If work is not submitted has the Thai teacher been informed soon enough so parents can be informed and students complete extra work to make up grades.
Exams:
Are their enough questions in your exam so upon a student failing a question they do not fail the whole exam.
Link to more on assessments.
Assessments and Database Image
Knowledge is little quizzes and tests and processes are tasks and can be anything from homework to assignments and class work.
When you assess everything, it does not mean you must use all of these assessments in your marks.
If many students fail a test it may have been too hard or the content not understood by the students
It is up to the teachers discretion as to whether the marks are used for assessment or improving teaching practice.
Check these points. work:
Has enough work been given and assessed allowing for an activity to be ignored if it is not representative of the class or student.
If work is not submitted has the Thai teacher been informed soon enough so parents can be informed and students complete extra work to make up grades.
Exams:
Are their enough questions in your exam so upon a student failing a question they do not fail the whole exam.
Link to more on assessments.
Assessments and Database Image
Exams.
You are in control of your exams. Make them easy as you are working in an ESL environment. Any score under 75% requires a resit to lift the score to 75%. A resit must be no more than 75% as the top score.
Language.
Keep your language slow and precise while saying syllable sounds very clearly.
Students will tend to put Thai grammar to English words up until about M4 to 5.
This has the problem of creating confusion and in many cases reversing the meaning of what you say.
Be patient and understanding, imagine putting yourself in a Thai classroom to learn all the lessons in Thai.
Students will tend to put Thai grammar to English words up until about M4 to 5.
This has the problem of creating confusion and in many cases reversing the meaning of what you say.
Be patient and understanding, imagine putting yourself in a Thai classroom to learn all the lessons in Thai.
Paint the town red.
Go to Bangkok
Teachers are an elite part of society.
Standards of behaviour in the community are watched closely
to ensure students are being taught by upstanding moral and ethical people.
Teachers can be sacked due to inappropriate behaviour in the local community
although there is some tolerance for us as we are foreigners and don't know the Thai way.
Teachers are an elite part of society.
Standards of behaviour in the community are watched closely
to ensure students are being taught by upstanding moral and ethical people.
Teachers can be sacked due to inappropriate behaviour in the local community
although there is some tolerance for us as we are foreigners and don't know the Thai way.
Change.
On some occasions you will turn up to class and all your students are off doing other school activities.
We will try to keep you informed but often activities are not known before the students are told at assembly.
We will try to keep you informed but often activities are not known before the students are told at assembly.
The bosses.
The bosses chair is sacrosanct.
This is the same in any office anywhere in the world unless expressly told otherwise.
Every Thai person who enters the office will be able to affect your employment. Show respect and don't react when you think they are being disrespectful to you. Leave your own culture with any dogmas or indignities in your own country. Practice being humble at all times as you are here to learn a new culture. You cannot learn if you keep injecting your own culture into everything that happens.
This is the same in any office anywhere in the world unless expressly told otherwise.
Every Thai person who enters the office will be able to affect your employment. Show respect and don't react when you think they are being disrespectful to you. Leave your own culture with any dogmas or indignities in your own country. Practice being humble at all times as you are here to learn a new culture. You cannot learn if you keep injecting your own culture into everything that happens.
Have the urge to clean up the office.
Good idea and it can always do with some cleaning.
Be aware of the ownership of anything you are throwing. People can get very irate when you throw out their private things.
Some items are not to be thrown out as they are part of the EP audit and have never been removed from the books. If the item is not there when an audit is done the director has to reimburse the government for the item from their own pocket
Be aware of the ownership of anything you are throwing. People can get very irate when you throw out their private things.
Some items are not to be thrown out as they are part of the EP audit and have never been removed from the books. If the item is not there when an audit is done the director has to reimburse the government for the item from their own pocket
Everybody notices the small things.
The little things stand out. Wrong shoes, disrespectful clothes, arriving late when everyone else has to be early, leaving early when everyone has to stay till the time, doing work of a lesser standard, not being humble or being noisy in society.
Everyone notices and talks about it from the gateman. to other teachers to the cleaners and yardmen and to students who tell their parents. The foreign teachers are a topic of conversation through the greater community.
Nobody will say much but if you can't be on time wear the proper clothes or cannot be found when you are not teaching all the time the negatives will add up and you will get less and less support if anything goes wrong.
Everyone notices and talks about it from the gateman. to other teachers to the cleaners and yardmen and to students who tell their parents. The foreign teachers are a topic of conversation through the greater community.
Nobody will say much but if you can't be on time wear the proper clothes or cannot be found when you are not teaching all the time the negatives will add up and you will get less and less support if anything goes wrong.
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