Filipino Expats Blog in Thailand

What takes a teacher, an expat at that, to be a success in Thailand?

For Monalisa, founder of the 22-year-old Liza’s School of Languages in Nakhon Ratchasima, in the northeast of Thailand – it is not that plain and simple. She points to a serendipitous mix of reasons behind “success.”

For one, being married to a Thai is a definite advantage. “My husband (whom she met in the Philippines when they studied at the same university) helps me with the intricacies of Thai culture,” she said. “I learned a lot from him and this makes me suitably equipped to better understand and socially approach my students and their parents.” When asked how many students have enrolled in her school over the years, she said, “Probably by the thousands.”

Mona was also fortunate to experience extensive training from a well-known Catholic school in Korat (former name of Nakhon Ratchasima), where she first worked for 13 years. Coming from quite a different set of culture in Dumalag, Capiz in the Philippines, she was introduced to a new environment when she first set foot in Korat. “It was there that I gained exposure and understanding of the local culture and blossomed with inspiration,” she said. “It was there that I realized teaching was not simply the imparting of knowledge to students; it is an art – delicate and complex at the same time. Adjustments have to be made to best suit the student’s needs.”

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In the current situation, many Filipinos back home are heading out of the country in thousands to work abroad. Well, who can blame my fellow Filipinos if all of them desires to better their economic state? Nobody indeed.

As for us here Filipinos in Thailand, though life here is not always a bed of roses, most of the people that I talk to feels fortunate to be living here.

Just to give you more ideas about working in Thailand, here is an article of GLAIZA ANNE S. WOOD of OFW Guide that I would like to share with you.

Today it seems that the cost of living has risen to nearly insurmountable heights. A lot of families have to get by on salaries that are way beyond their means. In cases like these, the Filipino worker is forced to look for other options. As always, the most popular option is to work abroad.

Filipino Teachers Abroad

Teachers are one of the many Filipino professionals that have no trouble finding work outside the country. Some teachers have even gone to teach elementary and high school students in the US. In Asia, the demand for Filipino teachers is growing. The main reason is that Filipino teachers are highly proficient in English.

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In compliance with the Teachers Council of Thailand Rules and Regulations for Testing and Evaluation of Knowledge of Foreigners in Applying for License to Practice the Teaching Profession B.E. 2549 (2006) Clause 2 (1) (2) and (3) [page 2], the English Program Coordinating Center – Northern Region has tasked Anubaan Chiang Mai School to host a Thai Language, Thai Culture and Professional Ethics Course on August 14-16 at Chiang Mai Phucome Hotel.

The course will cover the 20 hours required by the Teachers Council of Thailand (Evaluation of Knowledge for Practicing the Teaching Profession: Thai Language, Thai Culture and Professional Ethics Training Course [page 6-7]) to qualify a foreign teacher who has successfully completed the course to receive a certificate to be used in the application for the Teaching License, given that he/she has complied with all the requirements (Rules and Regulations for Testing and Evaluation of Knowledge of Foreigners in Applying for License to Practice the Teaching Profession B.E. 2549 (2006) Clause 1-6 [page 1-2]).

More details here