Look Out For Yourself
As teachers, we have a huge responsibility to provide quality education for our students. It’s part of what makes us teachers. In order to succeed at this, we also need to look after our own financial needs. The idea of a poor teacher who gives everything and lives as a pauper is a very nice image to imagine, but it really stinks in reality.
Teachers willingly give up a part of themselves to their students, but they can not do that at the detriment of their own family, but unfortunately many teachers are asked to do just that. They are asked to forsake their own families and their own children so that others may get a good education. I find it funny when expensive schools that cater to the rich ask their teachers to make these kind of sacrifices. Yeah, right.
New Direction
Lately I have been giving a lot of thought to what I think TEFLWatch is all about. I have heeded the advice of others and teachers who are concerned with getting the best possible deal. I have decided that to be the most effective site that TEFLWatch can be, I must expand the focus on this site to fit more with the lifestyle of teachers all around the world, not just in one location and not just on schools. I need to have a holistic approach to the entire teaching profession and serve as a mentoring and information source for all teachers, not matter what their needs or desires are.
To this end, I will begin focusing many of our articles on things that can improve the lifestyle of teachers and improve our knowledge about our profession. I know some readers will not like the change, but I think it is a change that will build a much stronger site that can give teachers information.
Want Info on Teaching in Asia?
For awhile now, I have been tossing around an idea of reviewing TEFL, TESOL, and ESL websites. I think that is out of my league, but I think it is time we start recognizing websites that are doing their bit for teachers around the world. They are trying to improve the lot of teachers, they are trying to improve the teaching profession, and they are trying to help their fellow teachers.
The first TEFL teaching website I would like to single out is TeachAsiaOnline.com, a great teaching resource site for teachers by teachers in Asia. It is an ever growing treasure trove of information on teaching in Asia and has a discussion forum to boot. Go over and visit and tell me what you think.
Special Warning: Ad Targeting Filipinas
Ok, this is time for a very special warning. It turns out that there might be some illegal recruitment going on again in the Philippines. It sure looks something dangerous and something that needs to be avoided when looking for a TEFL Job. Scams are proliferating on the internet trying to get money from teachers, but this one seems even more sinister to me.
Teacher 30,000 pcm in Thailand.
Salary and benefits include PHP30,000 pcm tax free, plus retun airfares, share apartment in Pattaya Beach Resort with pool, cable and wi-fi.
Suit 23-33 year old female with Bachelor degree or higher.
Start date 12 January 2008 for 3 month contract could lead to full time position.
I will fly to the Philippines to interview on 10th December.
If interested email me at - harry@4potter.com
Ok, this ad just doesn’t seem right. First of all it is paying a salary that is more than a typical Filipino teacher salary. With a large pool of Filipina teachers already in Thailand willing to work for this, why do they need to advertise abroad? Ah then there is Pattaya. It is widely known as the sex capital of Asia.
The website 4potter.com is an under construction site and could be considered not related at all to teaching and some may even consider it pornographic
The original details was just a job teaching a 9 year old New Zealand boy at 30,000 pesos a month. Even that sounded fishy, but seeing Pattaya in this ad, in my opinion, this was a job that might involve things of a sexual nature. Sexual trafficking of women is a bad thing and it is something TEFLWatch stands firmly against.
In my opinion, this is trafficking of women in the worst regard.
Additional Information:
This was another ad I found online:
Teacher 30,000 pcm (plus expences) in Thailand.
Start 12 January 2008 teaching a 9 year old New Zealand boy one on one.
Intial contract for 3 months could lead to a permanant position.
On top of the 30,000 pcm tax free salary other benefits include return airfares,
share your own apartment with pool, gym, games room, cable and wi-fi.
Education - Bachelor or higher. Age 23 to 33 years old female.
I will be flying to the Philippines on 10th December to interview applicants.
If interested email me - harry@4potter.com
Looking for a Job?
Are you looking for a TEFL job? Over the last month, I have set up a TEFL Jobs page on TEFLWatch. I haven’t publicized it until now. I would like to introduce all TEFLWatch readers to the TEFLWatch Jobs Page. Keeping with the spirit of our site advertising, all jobs come from the ESL Job Feed, in other words I have no control over what jobs appear or do not appear, much in the same way I have no control over of the companies whose advertising that appears on this site. If you are looking for a job, you would do well to check out the jobs page.