How much is a teacher worth?

[Naam Jai (?2008)]

Just in case your tempted to do a little part time.
I was asked,at short notice,to teach middle school pupils, for two hours.
ECC who provide teachersfor private schools in Korat will also teach your GF/Wife English in the Mall for a not inconsiderable sum.
I had to travel to and from home and worked from 9 to 12 with a one hour gap for which I was not paid.

Now! How much do you think they paid me for two hours?

[KoratCat]

If you help out at one of the temple schools, Wat Pra Narai or Wat Boon, they give you some appreciation which amounts to a little less than the commercial schools - and don't let you refuse it! You feel a lot better about not comparing fees and salaries at private schools.

[Homer (?2011)]

Not much i guess...work is very cheap here and since you are a farang i don't think you are getting rich by teaching
But how much did they pay you

[Coffee Break]

EEC - How much do you think they paid me for two hours?

At least 1,000 THB.

[issanrebel]

EEC - How much do you think they paid me for two hours?

At least 1,000 THB.

That'll be the day!
There's better money in driving samlor in Korat than in teaching.

Probably he was asked for one time only, not expecting him to do a second day anyway.

[Naam Jai (?2008)]

Thanks for your comments. I will tell you exactly how much I received but will let this run to encourage more comment.

ECC asked me to register as a teacher.

I taught for months, on Monday mornings,for free, at a Government junior school. I know what community contributions are all about.

I discovered yesterday at one of the local watering holes that this weekend was abit thin on the ground because farang teachers only get paid at the end of the month. (Thais get paid fortnightly). The pub was quiet because money had run out. Say if this secondhand info is incorrect.

I cannot understand why teachers come here to teach and live on a shoe-string?

[dutch (†2012)]

My thoughts are the following:

Some people like to stay here and have no other opportunity than "teaching"

Some (young) people (teachers)like to spend a couple of years outside their daily routine and enjoy a lot of new experiences.

Some (older) people (teachers) are really devoted to their goal/teaching and esspecailly in a country like Thailand.

but....

If one makes this his job for the rest of his life,how to get a decent old age allowance later on(as they also do not participate in home country pension fund !)

[Isaan Rollie]

My guess for your two-hour salary is 400 Baht, hardly more but maybe even less.

[Homer (?2011)]

My guess is 50 Bath! Taking a bus is very cheap and you only worked 2 hours. A salary for a Thai working a whole day is no more than 150-200 Bath! So if you got paid in money, 50 Bath or only a free beer…………

[KoratCat]

A salary for a Thai working a whole day is no more than 150-200 Bath!

That would be the low end for unskilled to semi-skilled workers. They do hold teachers in higher esteem.

The supply of skilled workers, as I might classify teachers, is definitely not high enough to drive the salaries down that much. Still there's by far no comparing with teachers' salaries in Western nations.

That class-room time is not the only working time for a teacher is taken into consideration for full time teachers who gotta prepare lessons, correct homework, grade examinations etc. The "guest-teaching" by a farang has mainly the purpose to widen the student's views towards the world. It's more expected from guest-teachers to smile, be foreign and not speak thai to encourage kids to communicate in English.

[Naam Jai (?2008)]

Over one hundred views prompts me to end this saga.
290bht per hour is the answer
"Collect it from the Mall" (over a month later).

I'll do it for free from now on but I'm no monkey.

[Homer (?2011)]

For about 15years ago I was living in Spain for 3years. I was poor and living only with Spanish speaking people.
There I was asked to do a helping hand in the local school with English lessons. I remember that in the beginning I was the only one who spoke English. I was not happy about my salary and in the end I stopped going to class.
My salary was at that time only wine and free food, but when I see backwards I think that I was actually learning more than the kids. Most of all I was learning Spanish, culture and I were learning a lot about my self.
I have now been staying almost 4 year in Thailand and my Thai is NOT something I am proud of. I have been too lazy to learn the Thai langue.
Many times I am thinking I have too learn of my past and go into a school and ask I can give a helping hand in English lessons for free. Only because I need to learn Thai society, culture and language…..

[junko (?2007)]

I wonder if any Korat expat would like to teach English Part-time to children and adults on weekends. Please contact me soon.Thank you
Junko