# Teachers needed



## Mr. Soap (Feb 6, 2010)

Salary: 35000 / Monthly	Location: A. Muang Uttaradit Province, Thailand
Type: Full-Time	Postal Code: 53000

English Teachers position available in our school, ANUBAN UTTARADIT SCHOOL. We are looking for native speakers teachers for our MEP (English Program) for next semester in a good location of Thailand and good city. Nice Quiet, next to Pitsanulok and Chiangmai. Visa, insurance and Work Permit are included in our services. Work in the best office, free lunch, and coffee. Great Government school in Thailand. get 1 year Bonus when you finish 1 year contract.
Please contact us soon. 
Before end of March, 2010

They want CV mailed to them. It looks like they need more than one teachers.
I came across this ad and thought it might help some expats.


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## gino (Jul 20, 2009)

Is that a one-year contract completion bonus or one-month?


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2010)

My guess would be that it's rather badly phrased, and that they mean an undefined bonus after completion of the first year.


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## soiwalker (Dec 15, 2009)

frogblogger said:


> My guess... that they mean an undefined bonus after completion of the first year.


I'm sure that this is correct. Most schools of this ilk will give a bonus after the successful completion of a 1-year contract which is approx equal to one month's pay.... some more, some less.


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## gino (Jul 20, 2009)

*"Bonus" comes from Latin for good, but ...*

Unfortunately, some also penalize teachers who fail to complete their contract by fining them one or two month's pay. In theory a teacher could work two months and not be paid at all. Such fines would be highly illegal in the States. 

Bonuses based on length of service may vary from one school to another, but should be fixed by contract. Otherwise, such a bonus is meaningless. Bonuses based on merit may be discretionary or based on various subjective evaluations and may be limited to some aggregate amount for all teachers, but I haven't seen any merit bonuses mentioned in job listings. 

Whenever I see a contract completion bonus, I assume it's there for a reason and odds are that reason is to counteract high turn-over due to poor working conditions and noncompetitive wages.


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## KhwaamLap (Feb 29, 2008)

ginocox said:


> Unfortunately, some also penalize teachers who fail to complete their contract by fining them one or two month's pay. In theory a teacher could work two months and not be paid at all. Such fines would be highly illegal in the States.
> 
> Bonuses based on length of service may vary from one school to another, but should be fixed by contract. Otherwise, such a bonus is meaningless. Bonuses based on merit may be discretionary or based on various subjective evaluations and may be limited to some aggregate amount for all teachers, but I haven't seen any merit bonuses mentioned in job listings.
> 
> Whenever I see a contract completion bonus, I assume it's there for a reason and odds are that reason is to counteract high turn-over due to poor working conditions and noncompetitive wages.



This is true, some schools have been known to fine - however, it iis illegal here (in Thailand) too (unless its in the contract) - some schools have even held back a percentage of wages against the teacher finishing the contract - as some unscrupulous schools have even sacked teachers a month before the end and kept the held money. These things have all happened, but as far as I have heard all are illegal and the MoE has been known to come down quite tough with schools that practise this - as have courts. Many people think farangs stand no chance against a Thai establishment, but that is not the case when in comes to court. 

However, as this is a government school it is unlikely to be a con. It is most likely that because the school is in the back of beyond, they mainly get back-packers who disappear mid term and leave them in it, so they try to attract proper teachers with better wages and bonuses for sticking around. For a government school 35k for EFL is a good salary, not a poor one (many in CM will only pay 20 to 25) - I may even apply myself as my contract has just finished  I used to get free lunch at my school too (though I tended to eat out instead) - its a cheap bonus for them as they are often cooking for several thousand kids, so a few extra portions are likely to hit the bin anyway.

/edit/ PS: I think I just worked out TANSTAAFL - There ain't no such thing as a free lunch (that'll make my grammar teacher roll over in his grave!)


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## soiwalker (Dec 15, 2009)

KhwaamLap said:


> This is true, some schools have been known to fine - however, it iis illegal here (in Thailand) too (unless its in the contract) - some schools have even held back a percentage of wages against the teacher finishing the contract...


Yes, and actually this is quite common even within international school contracts. Most, however, have a clause that reads that 'proper notice' must be given. This can vary, of course, from school to school and anything from a min of 30 days to one school term is common in education circles. This, because of the difficulty in finding properly qualified candidates overseas. However, if proper notice is given, the contract will then be seen to have been ended successfully (even if early). 

As to salary deductions... If x-amount is deducted from salary within the international school realm (real international schools with home-country accreditation, not the 'fakers' in name only), these decent schools will also match this number and make it into something like a 'savings plan' to be paid out upon contract completion. A common number is 3% to 4% deducted from salary and banked with a matching 3 - 4% given by the school. If a school doesn't match the funds, with written specifics in contract, I would run like the wind! In short, an educational employment contract must be a two-way thing. Any decent school will also offer benefits like return airfare every two years or something similar.

In my experience, a bonus based on actual performance is a very new thing to Thailand and only the best international schools/private schools seem to understand the idea.


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## KhwaamLap (Feb 29, 2008)

soiwalker said:


> Yes, and actually this is quite common even within international school contracts. Most, however, have a clause that reads that 'proper notice' must be given. This can vary, of course, from school to school and anything from a min of 30 days to one school term is common in education circles. This, because of the difficulty in finding properly qualified candidates overseas. However, if proper notice is given, the contract will then be seen to have been ended successfully (even if early).
> 
> As to salary deductions... If x-amount is deducted from salary within the international school realm (real international schools with home-country accreditation, not the 'fakers' in name only), these decent schools will also match this number and make it into something like a 'savings plan' to be paid out upon contract completion. A common number is 3% to 4% deducted from salary and banked with a matching 3 - 4% given by the school. If a school doesn't match the funds, with written specifics in contract, I would run like the wind! In short, an educational employment contract must be a two-way thing. Any decent school will also offer benefits like return airfare every two years or something similar.
> 
> In my experience, a bonus based on actual performance is a very new thing to Thailand and only the best international schools/private schools seem to understand the idea.


In respect to the last para. I would be woried about how most schools would grade "performance" here anyway. Many of us have worked in places were teacher's give exam answers to students (especially in resits). Many teachers never seem to give homework or mark books either (this is more noticeable with farang teachers than Thai teachers I might add) - and yet still seem to grade course work. I would suggest most schools would decide 'perfomance' on student grades and/or on teacher popularity neither a good way to decide here given the above. 

Here's one. I was in the staff room (shared with Thai teachers and farangs - just 2 of us). I was the only farang there. The head of department decided to have an open discussion in Thai about the farang teachers (as we were both on renewable contracts rather than full time permies nlike the Thais). I heard the HoD say about the 2 days I was not in and had to be covered. I also heard one of the Thai teachers defend me (my daughter had been rushed to hospital - and I did call in). The HoD was still obviously not too happy about it. Wonder if I would have lost my bonus (if I got one) - maybe I should have left my daughter's side after all she's 8 years old now!


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2010)

KhwaamLap said:


> I heard the HoD say about the 2 days I was not in and had to be covered. I also heard one of the Thai teachers defend me (my daughter had been rushed to hospital - and I did call in). The HoD was still obviously not too happy about it. Wonder if I would have lost my bonus (if I got one) - maybe I should have left my daughter's side after all she's 8 years old now!


Hope all's well now!!


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## soiwalker (Dec 15, 2009)

KhwaamLap said:


> In respect to the last para. I would be woried about how most schools would grade "performance" here anyway. Many of us have worked in places were teacher's give exam answers to students...


Yes, I agree with you.


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## KhwaamLap (Feb 29, 2008)

frogblogger said:


> Hope all's well now!!


Yes just a stomach bug, but because she couldn't drink even water and hold it down she was very dehydrated - tey put her on drip for 24 hours and tablet to stop her vomiting and to kill the infection. Two days and one night in hospital.


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## Mr. Soap (Feb 6, 2010)

*In Person*



KhwaamLap said:


> In respect to the last para. I would be woried about how most schools would grade "performance" here anyway. Many of us have worked in places were teacher's give exam answers to students (especially in resits). Many teachers never seem to give homework or mark books either (this is more noticeable with farang teachers than Thai teachers I might add) - and yet still seem to grade course work. I would suggest most schools would decide 'perfomance' on student grades and/or on teacher popularity neither a good way to decide here given the above.
> 
> Here's one. I was in the staff room (shared with Thai teachers and farangs - just 2 of us). I was the only farang there. The head of department decided to have an open discussion in Thai about the farang teachers (as we were both on renewable contracts rather than full time permies nlike the Thais). I heard the HoD say about the 2 days I was not in and had to be covered. I also heard one of the Thai teachers defend me (my daughter had been rushed to hospital - and I did call in). The HoD was still obviously not too happy about it. Wonder if I would have lost my bonus (if I got one) - maybe I should have left my daughter's side after all she's 8 years old now!



One thing about Thai people in any workplace or neighborhood, they like to be talk to in person when it comes to invitation, explanation and apology. Did Khun KL talk to HoD in person and explain to her/him about the hospitalization of your daughter? Talk to her/him and you will find out how softy a Thai can be when it involves a child.


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## PaulJ (Feb 24, 2010)

So, there is such a thing as a 'free lunch'!


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## Bobr (Aug 11, 2009)

soiwalker said:


> Yes, and actually this is quite common even within international school contracts. Most, however, have a clause that reads that 'proper notice' must be given. This can vary, of course, from school to school and anything from a min of 30 days to one school term is common in education circles. This, because of the difficulty in finding properly qualified candidates overseas. However, if proper notice is given, the contract will then be seen to have been ended successfully (even if early).
> 
> As to salary deductions... If x-amount is deducted from salary within the international school realm (real international schools with home-country accreditation, not the 'fakers' in name only), these decent schools will also match this number and make it into something like a 'savings plan' to be paid out upon contract completion. A common number is 3% to 4% deducted from salary and banked with a matching 3 - 4% given by the school. If a school doesn't match the funds, with written specifics in contract, I would run like the wind! In short, an educational employment contract must be a two-way thing. Any decent school will also offer benefits like return airfare every two years or something similar.
> 
> In my experience, a bonus based on actual performance is a very new thing to Thailand and only the best international schools/private schools seem to understand the idea.



Unless you have a genuine unforeseeable personal emergency, or are clearly not welcomed at the school anymore, quitting in the middle of a school year is a crappy thing to do. If someone cares that little about the children he/she teaches, then that person probably should not be teaching at all.


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## gino (Jul 20, 2009)

*That seems like a reasonable assumption.*



Bobr said:


> If someone cares that little about the children he/she teaches, then that person probably should not be teaching at all.


Then again, if the school feels compelled to offer a substantial bonus for completion of the contract, there must be a need for such bonuses. If the school were primarily concerned with the quality of teaching, one would think they would instead offer bonuses based on the quality of instruction. 

One can’t help but think if the only bonuses offered by the school are intended to ensure the teachers actually complete their contract and the school needs to implement further incentives by penalizing teachers who do not complete their contracts, then there must be a reason. One suspects the reason for such seemingly illogical behavior might have something to do with some combination of poor work conditions, noncompetitive salaries, deceptive hiring practices, inadequate resources, poor management, unrealistic demands unrelated to education, lack of training/support, etc. 

You assume the students are children.


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