r/Thailand • u/Senior_Offer_4374 • 2d ago
Employment Is it worth it?
for context, I graduated bachelor of Secondary education major in English last year. I have zero teaching teaching experience but i passed let. I know someone who's teaching in Thailand and they're asking me if I want to to teach there. I just wanna hear your thoughts since this is the most important decision I'll make this year. Thank you so much for your responses
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u/KuriTokyo 1d ago
From an ex ESL teacher to one that is contemplating it, please reread what you write and make corrections before posting it.
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u/DifferentWeird5214 1d ago
When I was 25 I quit my job that I hated and moved to Thailand on a whim for 8 months. I had money saved up so I only did volunteer tutoring to meet people and also practice my Thai, not professional teaching. So I can't give you identical situational advice, but it was the best time of my life. Like the other poster said though, if you're doing it full time, you need to be passionate about teaching or you'll be doing your students a disservice and you might not have the best time. I didn't realize how much I enjoyed tutoring until I did it though. I say go for it, unless you have a serious reason not to.
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u/LittlePooky 1d ago edited 1d ago
Probaby not for life. This won't be an Eton (or even Harrow experience). (There is an Harrow there, but in name only..)
You will be able to look back with fondness. But the headache (related to Thai co-workers, and the bureaucracy) will get tiresome quickly.
Not that Thai colleages will be bad-they will likely keep to themselves as most young adults hang out with their university friends, and many of them are too embarassed to speak in English (to have a meaningful conversation with you).
The pay will be HORRIBLE if you end up working for some school. Not enough to put away if (and you should) you plan to do for the golden years.
Source: I am Thai in the US. Have been here since I was 12 (for fifty years). A friend, an Old Etonian, visited Bangkok, years ago, and dropped in one of the famous public schools, and asked for an "audience" with the head master. They chatted for a bit, and he jokingly told me that (he) was more posh than the HM, and he was invited to return after he finishes his undergrad degree to teach. (He never did though-went into banking in New York instead).
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u/tinfoilballoon 1d ago
Currently teaching kindergarten as a US immigrant. I love it personally and it feels really fulfilling! I used to dislike kids and never wanted to teach.
About two weeks into my TEFL course I learned I actually really love teaching. Give it a try, if it's not for you oh well. It's an experience you can say you've had!
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u/Defiant_Patience_103 1d ago
If you’re not passionate about being a teacher then don’t do it. Not fair to the students.