My First Day as a Teacher in Thailand Was a Nightmare
I fell into teaching in Thailand. I came here on a holiday in 2001 and only intended to stay for a few weeks – in fact my main aim was to tour Vietnam. I had been working as a registered nurse in Saudi Arabia but during this break decided that I did not wish to return to land of sand and regulations.
Another reason for leaving Saudi was that I was also attempting to escape an alcohol problem. This addiction was actually the reason I took the job there in the first place, but despite the promise of a booze-free sanctuary it actually turned out to be party central. I had to leave Saudi or knew that I would drink myself to death there. I had a bit of money saved and so decided to party on Koh Chang instead.
My Call to Teaching in Thailand Was Not of the Vocational Kind
After a few months on the Thai islands my finances joined my alcohol addiction in a downward suicidal spiral. A friend suggested that I try teaching, and I decided that I had nothing to lose. It would mean leaving the islands and going to work in big bad Bangkok, but this sounded a whole lot more exotic than returning to Dublin with my tail between my legs.
When I think about the lack of preparation with which I approached my first lesson I shudder. I believed the other drunks in bars who said it was ‘a piece of piss’. I arrived to my first class with a stinking hangover and no idea what I was meant to do. I had no real prior teaching experience. I suppose that if I was less hung-over I would have run away, but my delicate condition meant that it was easy for the representative from the teaching agency to direct me into a classroom. My first experience of teaching was to be fifty secondary students in a government school in a run-down area of Bangkok. Poor students! Poor me!
My First Day Teaching in Thailand
The first thing to hit me in the classroom was the noise. The students all seemed to be out of control and either shouting or banging something. I felt terrified. Some of them looked at me expectantly while the rest just ignored me. I felt sure that they could smell my fear and knew that this was the worst thing I could allow to happen. I had to somehow gain control of this unruly bunch, otherwise they might turn on me and who knows what could happen then. I considered running away but there was a Thai teacher standing right in front of the only exit; it was like he could read my mind.
I grabbed one of their textbooks and opened a random chapter. It was all about occupations. I began selecting different students and began grilling them about what occupations they wanted to choose when they finished school. Some didn’t seem to have any idea what I was on about and more didn’t seem interested in what I was asking, but one or two offered a response; “policeman”, “soldier” and “business woman”. I wrote these on the board. One student said “rice farmer” and everyone laughed. The tension in the class seemed to ease.
The next fifty minutes seemed an eternity, but somehow I muddled through. It was obvious that I hadn’t a clue what I was doing, and I felt embarrassed by this. I felt like a fraud. I decided that once this class was finished I would walk away from teaching forever.
When the end of class arrived I told the agency representative that I had enough, but whether because she didn’t understand me, or maybe because she did, I ended up allowing myself to be taken to another classroom full of unruly kids. The next class seemed slightly easier, but it was years before I felt anything like ease in front of a group of students.
My Last Days as a Teacher in Thailand
I ended up teaching for another seven years and it turned out to be a wonderful experience. During this time I managed to escape my alcohol problems. I also completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education to add a bit of legitimacy to my efforts. I never really felt completely comfortable in a classroom though. During my schooldays, and even on to university, I was always a member of the gang of unruly students – it felt wrong being the teacher.
If you enjoyed this post you might also like Why I Quit Teaching in Thailand
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Hi Paul, your first day must have been an absolute nightmare.
Good you’re now doing the things you like to do.
I wouldn’t like to teach in front of a classroom with a lot of unmotivated students. I’ve been a guest teacher on several occasions in Japan. The adult class was silent and I felt like I was talking to a wall, another class was with younger children aged 6 and asked me all kinds of questions, that was fun. I also have been co-teaching in the company were I was working for Japanese staff who went to a branch office in Canada and could speak very little English and had only one month time, so I taught them if they wanted something to say: “How about …”, since one will not need any grammar in order to be understood in lots of situations.
When they gave examples however, one said: “How about toilet?” My Japanese ‘colleague’ improved him by teaching the phrase: “Nature calls me” so later they left to Canada: Knowing: “Yes”,”No”, “How about…” and nature calls me.
I’m now teaching a bit of basic Italian to the staff of my mansion since they have six Italian guests who hardly speak any English.
All for fun and for free of course.
Hi I-nomad, it still gives me the shivers to think of that first day. The sad fact was that that particular group of students were used to dealing with inexperienced teachers. Apparently I was something like their fifth English teacher that year and it was still the first term – they had gone reason to be demotivated.
I’m impressed that you can speak Italian. I taught for free as well for a while; it was a rewarding experience.
I just speak basic Italian, I don’t want to boast about my language skills
I think being able to speak even the basics of a language is good – it is nice to be modest though 🙂
Paul, you were so brave to stick it out as kids can smell fear. But I’m guessing that Thai kids are better behaved than their western counterparts? Thai kids look energetic (lots of talking) but it doesn’t seem like they are raising juniour thugs.
I had brief aims of being a child physiologist when I was in college (no real drive, everyone around me seemed to be in the industry so I wanted to try it on). One brief summer working as a children’s councilor, and I knew that was I not suitable. And that I should also downgrade my thoughts of having a half dozen children to one or none. And that being the case, being a Catholic was out. It was an educational summer for me – three months to heathen.
Hi Cat, I was just commenting on your website while you were commenting on mine – spooky.
I agree that kids can smell fear – I remember the hell we would put substitute teacher’s through if they couldn’t assert their authority quick enough (most couldn’t).
I wanted to be a children’s nurse at one stage but I worried about what my friends would think – they already thought I was a bit gay for wanting to be a nurse (my old drinking pals weren’t the most politically correct bunch you could meet). I worked agency shifts in a children’s hospital for a while and really liked it. I also got to work as a student nurse in a children’s hospital for a couple of months while I was training – that was fun too. I would imagine that working as a councillor would be hard though.
Good morning Paul! Ah. I thought you were commenting on mine from here. Spooky 😀
I know friends like yours. They don’t wear pink… they don’t have man bags either… they come with a whole list of other don’ts at the ready!
I enjoy being around kids one-on-one (I love the amazing thoughts they have), but in a group they can be lax in manners. When that happens I start plotting to string the little monsters up.
But I seriously doubt that I could work in a children’s hospital as I physically feel pain when I see someone else in pain (it shoots across my chest and down my arms). I know that empathy is what sick children need, but first I’d have to go through therapy myself just to toughen up.
Hi Cat, you are right about kids being harder to manage in groups – especially after they get past the toddler stage and are more susceptible to peer pressure. I have this to look forward to with my son – wouldn’t it be great if we could freeze time :-).
I used to be fairly squeamish but working as a nurse changed all that. I was involved in trauma and you get to see some horrific things – it’s a job though and you have to toughen up. I would never become immune to other people’s suffering but you learn to switch off so that you can do your job.
Paul, it takes a special type of person to be around pain and I’m glad there are people such as you around to do just that. I just doubt I’d ever be that person (you should see me around unhealthy soi dogs – I flinch).
Thanks Cat, I think some people get the impression that doctors and nurses need to be a bit insensitive, but I don’t think that this is right. It is just the ability to switch off and focus – not everyone can do this.
Paul, you are a much better man than I. The first day would have been my last but for you to remain 7 years and turn it into a great experience speaks volumes.
Hi Talen, it took me a long time to appreciate just how unsuited I was for the job – some of us are really slow learners 🙂 I did have good days and periods when it seemed like I had the makings of a good teacher. In the end though, I just didn’t have enough passion for it.
Hi Paul,
One of the worst things is class sizes in Thailand. Usually anything from 45 – 60 screeming kids! If you’re expecting the western norm of 30 or so in a class it’s a shocker.
When I first taught at Horwang school in BKK the nice agency lady asked me in the car on the way there, are you okay with teaching 50 kids? I replied… well suppose I’ll have to be.
Then there’s the noise, the heat of the classroom, not good if your straight, never mind having a stinker and being dehydrated!
I asked myself what I was doing there. With sweat running off my back and my handouts flying everywhere with the wind from the running fans. 5 years later I was still teaching. You just have to stick at it, the first reaction for most is to run.
Hi Mark, that is so strange. The school I’m talking about in this post is Horwang School in Lad Prao ( I assume we are talking about the same place). I worked in the ECC office at Central Lad Prao nine years ago and Horwang was one of my schools. What a small world we live in 🙂
Wow…I can’t imagine teaching that many kids. You are much, much stronger than I am! Yikes.
Hi Megan, teaching a lot of kids in the one class was always challenging. My last job was in an bilingual programme and all the classes had more than 40 students. It is hard giving each student enough attention – remembering their names was even harder.
Hi Paul,
Yeah, I think it was ladprao near central department store right?
Ecc did have a few teachers there when I was teaching at Horwang. I worked through an agency called English plus. funny thing is that I liked the school and the teachers were alright too. It was in my opinion a good school to start your first teaching job.
I tried to get back but the company no longer had a contract with them. A shame really as it brings back good memories for me.
That’s the one Mark. I only worked there a short time because it was too far for me to travel. I will never forget my first day – it was bad. Maybe I’d have liked it if I stayed longer. There were a few other westerners teaching there at the time who were real characters – a lot of drinking in-between classes.
“a lot of drinking in-between classes”
Paul, like most everyone living in Thailand, I’ve read quite a bit about sloshed English teachers. Care to do a post on the subject?
I have considered such a post for a long time Catherine, but I’ve always held back. I just don’t like the idea of adding to the bad reputation of foreign teachers in Thailand. It is something that I’ve been itching to write about so maybe I will try to do something – but not an attack post on teachers.
Paul, most of the posts I’ve read have indeed been penned by those wanting to shock. So perhaps an honest article would be in order?
Yeah that’s Horwang alright! Quite a shock to the system especially for newbies.
I remember virtually begging one teacher to stay. He came in did a day and then said that the kids were too out of control even with the Thai teacher there in the classroom!
It’s a make or brake place.
Hi Mark, it certainly was a trial by fire. I couldn’t blame the kids though; they were obviously fed up with the constant parade of foreign babysitters and clowns. Even the most diligent student will get impatient after about their hundredth introduction lesson of ‘how are you?”, “what is your name?’ 🙂
Hi Paul, You back in Ireland now. I spent about 76 years teachinf in Thailand as well. I am now back in Ireland and trying to get fully qualified. However not a day goes by that I don’t wish to be back in The Land of Smiles.
Sorry , correction. I spent 6 years teaching in Bangkok.
Hi Patrick, nice to hear from. I still live in Thailand but I don’t teach anymore. I ended up doing my PGCE to fully qualify as a teacher, but after doing all the work and spending a lot of money I decided that teaching wasn’t for me after all – I don’t regret it though.
Did you have to come back to Ireland to do the PGCE or did you do it online?
Hi Patrick, I did the PGCE with the University of Southern Queensland. Some of the modules were online and some were by correspondence. I was able to use the classroom experience in Thailand as the practical component of the course.
That sounds great. Can you do your classroom experience in a thai school or does it have to be in an International school?
I am glad now that I bumped into your site as I am in the process of applying to universities right now and a bit flustered with the variety of different choices.
As far as I remember the only qualification is that you have a degree and that you are currently teaching. This is a fairly expensive course and you might find it hard to earn back the money teaching in Thailand – that is what I found anyway.
Thanks for the info Paul. It is very useful. BTW, Can I buy Dead drunk in Ireland. Really want to read it.
Also, do you think that a lot of Teachers in Thailand are all that bad. I worked with some of the best Teachers I have ever worked with in Thailand.I have also worked for 2 months in an Irish Primary school. And done some substitute work at Irish Secondary schools. I think that the teaching at the better schools (Bilingual, English programs at good schools, some International) in Thailand is just as good, if not better, as the teaching in Irish government schools. That is to say, the workrate, enthusiasm and professionalism of the foreign teachers. However I also worked at some dreadful schools where the foreign Teachers could get away with anything.
Hi Patrick, you should be able to pick up a copy in most book stores in Ireland. I was back there to promote it in April and know that all the book stores in Dublin had it in stock. I’ve also heard from people who bought copies elsewhere in Ireland. Easons had quite a large order. I know that some shops had sold out but hopefully they will be restocked for Christmas. There was a lot of publicity in Ireland for the book. There is more info here.
I actually think there are some really good foreign teachers in Thailand. Those who stick around for a long time tend to be good; although you also get those who are going through the motions. I think even some of those who fell into the job for the wrong reasons can later turn out to be great teachers.
I might check Easons. I guess the book is doing well for you so far. Congrats.
I have a friend who wants to go to that wat in Saraburi. He lives in Bangkok and has mentioned it to me a few times.
Anyway gotta dash.
Thanks Patrick, I’m really happy with the way things have gone with the book. Thamkrabok helped me a lot and maybe it can do the same for your friend.
hello Paul ,
i had discovered your website , and actually after readng your post ,i remenbered my pastime , who i was teaching french with young students . You made me laugh so much and it was a real and huge nightmare for me as well , but after a couple of time i was able to overcome my fears and maneged and its was great to hear theses kids talking some words .
However i agree when you told about cheatings and lies , kids loved to cheat each others as i never seen in french , that soound very bad for theirs future jobs , i was living with a beautiful thai woman ,but unfortunnatly she never cared her daughter ‘duties and lessons at homes as most parents .
parents are just preoccuped by theirs social level and theirs image .student have to pss on that all, they don’t care about learnt knowlege or not
Kids played and told louder , into a classroom , althought i tried to apply some funny games , it was harder to bring something to theses kids , a fews kids was interrested but how could you teach with noises and turmoil , i turn out from this job and i did or bake cookies afterward . this new job made me happier than teachng .
Sorry but i not agree at all when you explain that thai kids are probably a first education in this world . when kids are not allowed to ask something to teacher because itsnot theirs culture , ( loss a face in front of others or maybe for a thai-teacher who doesn’t known how to reply ) . how could expect to get a good communication with your students .
and you have to told another time about all theses fuc.. event at school , where manager and politics come to talk indefinitely while people are asleep .
paul , i’m actually pleased to read from you , see you later and ahve a good time .
eric
Hi Eric, great to hear from you. I think most foreign teachers find working in Thailand a real challenge because of the different culture and expectations. It does often seem that it is easier not to do your job than it is to do your job – just entertain the kids and collect the pay check every month.
You could certainly see your expertise within the work you write. The world hopes for more passionate writers like you who are not afraid to say how they believe. All the time follow your heart.