Interview with Robert Kelly, currently teaching in Thailand
Where are you from Robert?
Newfoundland, Canada
Where are you teaching or where did you teach English?
I taught in Bangkok, Thailand - Panchasap school in Din Deang
What do/did you like most about living and working abroad?
I loved the southeast Asian culture of Thailand, and found the
people
extremely friendly and curious. I also felt safe in Bangkok - safer than
I could ever feel in any north American city. Everything seemed just so
laid back - everybody was always smiling. Also, I really miss the
children I taught.
What do/did you dislike the most?
I didn't like how the schools seemed like business' rather than
educational institutions - and I really didn't like the physical
discipline many of the children received. The poverty too was
unsettling, but I was in a 3rd world country so that was to be expected.
How did you get started teaching English abroad?
I applied to a position I found online at Dave's esl cafe..
Do you have any back ground in teaching English, if not, how did you
learn?
I did not have a background in teaching English, but I did have
experience teaching music to children. My mother is a retired primary
school
teacher so she helped prepare me before I went abroad and taught me how
to organize myself when it came to preparing classes. But, I don't think
anybody, training or not, can really be prepared when entering a
classroom for the first time. You have to learn the children around you,
their interest, from experience with them in order to teach them
properly.
How long have you been teaching English?
I taught for 4 months in Thailand.
Do you feel teaching English overseas is a good way to make a good
living?
In some countries "yes", but in others, such as Thailand, "no". Not
unless you have a masters degree and can get work at an international
school. Those schools pay very well - but they have a reputation for
treating their staff horribly. The students in those schools pay a lot
of money to be there, so if a student is causing trouble for a teacher
and the teacher reports the problem to the administration, the
administration is more likely to dispose of the teacher than discipline
the child. It's cheaper that way.
Can you give some good advice for someone thinking about living and
teaching English abroad?
If you do not have an open mind, do not bother to go. People either
love it or hate it. If you are ethno-centric and feel that your country
is
"right" and that many others are "wrong", stay home. Yet, if you
embrace other cultures and are ready to learn and live day to day a
totally
different way from that of which you are used to, then I strongly
recommend it.
I loved my experience in Thailand and didn't want to leave when I had
to. One more thing, and probably the most important thing, is that if
you do not love the idea of teaching children, if your plan is to roam
from school to school and make enough money to support a party
lifestyle, do not go.
This is a child's education at stake here, and it is no place to be
selfish. I'm sure that you would not have wanted it that way when you
were a child in school. You have to understand that you are going to
effect that persons life forever, therefore it should be in a positive
way.
Many of the children you will teach, in regard to 3rd world countries,
are
only there because their parents have sacrificed greatly to put them
there.
Don't waste these poor peoples money.
Can you describe what it is like living and working in country you're
in?
In Bangkok, I lived in an apartment building with my girlfriend (also a
teacher) in the north of the city. It had two main rooms and two
bathrooms probably more space than we needed. It cost about $230
Canadian a month. It was really clean and the services were very good.
The same apartment in the middle of the city would have cost about $600.
Because traffic is so bad, location determines cost - not size or how
clean.
If you eat Thai food (which is extremely good - but don't get it
confused with North American Thai food, that's completely different) you
can keep your food budget very low. But if you insist on eating north
American food, you'll probably end up having to pay more than you would
at home. Cheese is an excellent example of this.
Do you have any warnings for people considering
teaching English overseas?
Beware of recruiters - and don't ride the Tuk Tuk's.
If you could do it over again, what would you do
differently?
Nothing actually. I take all experiences as learning experiences
therefore if anything bad happened it was all in the name of educating
myself for the future - not to mention that when things go wrong, they
make for good stories.
Is there a way for someone to contact you for more
information?
Robert Kelly
37 Oxen Pond Road
St. John's NF, Canada
A1B 3J4
709-579-4681
robertkelly666@hotmail.com |
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