Thailand has developed into a ‘must-go’ destination for teachers from overseas, according to a new survey of almost 200 educationalists. Almost nine out of ten (88%) teachers surveyed would recommend teaching in Thailand to a friend or colleague and well-over six out of ten (63%) could picture living in Thailand long-term. The findings have been published just days ahead of the Bangkok Teachers Network (BTN) annual conference, with over 600 teachers attending this year’s event, hosted outside of the capital for the first time ever by The Regent’s School Pattaya. The attraction of Thailand’s international schools clearly has much to do with the quality of life enjoyed by expat teachers. Over nine in ten (92%) of those surveyed felt that teachers were highly-regarded within Thai society and a similar proportion agreed or strongly agreed that they enjoyed a good quality of life in Thailand. A large majority (83%) agreed or strongly agreed that they felt safe living in the country. About half (46%) of all respondents lived and worked in provincial Thailand and the remainder in Bangkok. Not everything is rosy, however. The proportion of teachers who felt that in Thailand they could find the educational resources they required to do their job (36%) was less than those who felt they could not (41%). The same was true when it came to the question of sourcing professional educational services, such as well-qualified music tutors. The BTN findings come on the back of a recent survey by HSBC Bank. In a survey of 7,000 ex-pats worldwide, Thailand topped the bank’s Expat Experience League Table, with more than seven in ten Thailand-based ex-pats (76%) saying they found integrating into the local community easy compared with the global average (66%), and around half (54%) agreeing that they socialise more with their expat friends compared with elsewhere in the world (39%). Principal of The Regent’s School Pattaya, Mike Walton, who is also Co-Chairman of the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT) Accreditation Committee and a former Chairman of the Federation of British International Schools in Asia, commented: “I have been Principal of Regent’s for nine years and it is no surprise to me that my colleagues enjoy living and teaching in Thailand. This is such a rich, welcoming and rewarding culture for students and staff alike and, in my experience, both Thai and foreign parents are highly supportive of what goes on in school.” Notes The Bangkok Teachers Network The Bangkok Teachers Network was started in 2006 to support teachers in Thailand to improve their teaching practice through sharing professional development resources, professional expertise, and information about how to access supplies and resources in Thailand to support school programmes. It has since grown in size and has been running annual conferences for the last eight years. Committee Member schools meet several times a year to plan the annual conference and to share professional development resources. The Regent’s School Pattaya The Regent’s School Pattaya is a British international school on the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand. It offers the English national curriculum and international Baccalaureate Diploma to approximately 1,000 students aged from 2 to 19. It is the first school outside of Bangkok to host the annual BTN Conference. The BTN Survey The survey was conducted online. 350 conference registrants were invited to take part, of which 179 completed the survey. The following are quotes left anonymously by survey participants: “Living abroad is tough at the best of times but Thailand seems to be a country that rewards positive, passionate people with an appetite for adventure and new experiences.” “Living in Thailand has changed me in many ways. I have quickly had to adjust to new ways of doing things and a new way of life. What previously may have caused stress in the UK is just almost insignificant here. I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to live and work here.” “Living in Thailand has changed me and made me a better teacher. Resources and professional development aren’t always readily available and I have become more resourceful and creative in my own planning and teaching.” “Living in Thailand has changed my values. I have been very impressed with the attitude to children and family here. I would like to emulate it wherever I go in the future.”
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 03:23:32 +0000
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