Topic: Filipinos are among the best English teachers here

[Nemesis]

3,000 Pinoys teaching English in Thailand

By JOSE RODEL CLAPANO

The Philippine Star

BANGKOK – More than 3,000 Filipinos are now teaching English in various parts of Thailand.

Thai teacher Chaiyot Saengthong told The STAR that Filipinos are among the best English teachers here.

Saengthong, a teacher at Minburi Polytechnic School in Bangkok, said Filipino teachers are good in English and are currently working in various private and  government-owned schools in this country.

He said Filipino teachers are earning salaries ranging from 12,000 Baht (P17,000) to 30,000 Baht (P43,000) a month.

He said the Filipino teachers are more efficient than their Thai counterparts.

“They are better than Thai teachers when it comes to English and Mathematics subjects,” Saengthong said.

Napoleon Favila, 28, a Filipino teacher who attended the four-day Southeast Asian workshop for the media hosted by the UNESCO from Aug. 14-17 here, said that he was forced to work in Thailand because he was not able to get a job in the Philippines after graduation.

“I’ve been here in Thailand for the past two years now. I applied to an agency two years ago because I failed to get a job in our country. I was luckily hired to teach in Sathit Bangna School located in Bangkok where I earn 12,000 Baht per month,” said Favila, who finished Bachelor of Science major in Industrial Education at the Nueva Vizcaya Polytechnic College in 2001.

Favila said his wife, Robelyn Bergonia Favila, is also working in Lumpini, Bangkok as an aide to Associated Press executive Patrick McDowell.

“My two kids are living with my parents in Nueva Vizcaya. So, I’m still sending them money from the earnings that I’m getting from my teaching profession here,” Favila said.

Favila said he transferred two weeks ago to Islam Lam Sai School, a government-owned school being funded by the King of Thailand, because the salary offered to him was bigger than what he is receiving from the private school.

“The management is giving me topics for students in Kinder to Grade VI, then I will create a conversation training in English for them. I also teach grammar for Thai English teachers here,” Favila said.

Favila said he is now earning a monthly salary of 20,000 Baht (P29,000).

“I have free lunch here. I am budgeting 3,000 Baht for my needs for the whole month. Lam Sai is a very peaceful place. There is no violence here and the people are all honest. I easily adjusted here because Thailand is just like the Philippines except for the culture of the people here,” Favila said.   

Favila said he and his wife meet only during weekends whenever they have time to go out.

He said he plans to continue working in Lam Sai until he saves P500,000 which he will use for the construction of a house in the hometown of his wife in San Manuel, Isabela.

“I have no plans of migrating here. But before I return to our country, I want to build our house in Isabela where my wife’s parents have land of their own. My wife and I are scheduled to have our vacation in the Philippines next year and visit our two kids,” Favila said.

From: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storyPage.aspx?storyId=88791

Any comments?

[hero]

Thai teacher Chaiyot Saengthong told The STAR that Filipinos are among the best English teachers here.

At least they are at his school.  Pretty strong generalisation by the journalist to assume this applies across Thailand - there is little likelihood that the guy quoted will have ever worked with native-speakers at his polytechnic!!!

He said the Filipino teachers are more efficient than their Thai counterparts.

We all know that doesn't take much

Favila said he is now earning a monthly salary of 20,000 Baht

Lots of Filipinos earning a lot more than this I believe.  Just as with other nationalities, I have encountered good and bad Filipino teachers here.  I certainly don't go for grand statements like the journalist above.

Any comments?

Typical flag-waving, chest-thumping, third-world journalism 

[Nemesis]

My thoughts exactly, hero!

[wangsuda]

Ya know, I'm going to play devils advocate here and agree with the article and the title of the topic - WITH ONE CAVEAT: FOR THE MONEY THEY GET PAID Filipinos are the best English teachers in Thailand. 20,000 baht per month is well below poverty level in most first world countries. The quoted article shows that it is beyond what a third world teacher can make in his/her home country. Perhaps Filipinos see this as a good thing; it expands their job market.

[bomha]

I have never met a Filipino teacher, or worked with one, anyway.  Color me ignorant.   But from what I have heard, Filipinos are NOT native speakers, usually they speak with accents, they speak with strange syntax and grammar, they use the same old failed methods that do not work for the Thai teachers of English, etc.  However, they usually have a strong work ethic, and make good slaves for the Thai directors.  If we work for peanuts, the Filipinos work for sawdust.

[certified]

The Filipinos here are a self promoting group that will say and do about anything for a job. Sure they are hard working when the boss is looking, and on time when someone is checking, however just turn your back and for many of them its break time. They like some of the rest here are on false documents,or retired gangsters running from the law, over the hill bar hostesses,ignorant cab drivers, con artists, thiefs and undesirables. Lets face it Thailand with it's sloppy regulations and it's greed to turn a buck will take anyone to make money. Filipinos are just the same as anyone else. They try to alter this perception to get as much of the educational market they can get for themselves. I work with 10 of them now and only 1 has a background in education. Three of the staff are on false documents.

[Krungsri]

I have never met a Filipino teacher, or worked with one, anyway.  Color me ignorant.   But from what I have heard, Filipinos are NOT native speakers, usually they speak with accents, they speak with strange syntax and grammar, they use the same old failed methods that do not work for the Thai teachers of English, etc.  However, they usually have a strong work ethic, and make good slaves for the Thai directors.  If we work for peanuts, the Filipinos work for sawdust.

Depends on what you mean by "native speaker".  Some Filipinos are brought up bilingually and have very strong English skills, but not many of them would be looking for teaching jobs here.  In my experience there is some variation in both English competence and teaching ability.  Some of our Filipino teachers have really native-like English skills, but there are some who fall well short of that mark.  They generally work conscientiously and are easy to manage.  Perhaps their apparent docility is partly caused by their relative powerlessness; perhaps it is partly due to the Asian employee ethic.  Generally I have found them to be capable teachers who stay in the job and cause little turnover.  They are also pleasant people to have around the school.  Some Thai parents and students resent having Filipinos on staff, but (in my experience) they generally get good value for the money.

[retiredstillteaching]

The thing I like about educated and qualified Filipinos is that they don't take any shite in class from the Thai students. The Filipinos make it clear from the outset as to who's running the classroom.

One time I did a relief lesson for a Filipino teacher who unusually was absent. I began the lesson as I always begin a relief lesson, saying "Don't say this to anyone because I only heard it myself and don't know for sure, but Mr. ********* (the teacher, in this case a Filipino male) died." I LMAO because the whole class spontaneously broke out in applause. The Filipinos I've worked with over the past ten consecutive years in Thailand insist on an orderly classroom which, as we know, Thai students hate.

As to the newspaper piece presented above, I second the reaction that it isn't tuff to teach English better than a Thai teacher. However, most Filipinos I've worked with don't know English language idioms well, e.g., "I've got a bone to pick with you," usually goes right past 'em.

[Thai Me Up]

I can't stand it when some Dutch, German or Swedish guy tries to pass himself off as a "native speaker" in the TEFL workplace but can get away with it because his skin is WHITE.  Isn't that what it's all about?  Filipinos are dark-skinned so fair game for bashing even on this pro-teacher forum.  "If you're white, you're right, if you're black, stay back."  Do Dutch, German or Swedish teachers know English idioms?  Nope.

As for comments that Filipinos speak with "strange accents" and that they are a "self promoting group that will say and do about anything for a job," well, everyone speaks English with some accent and tries to promote himself in some way.

Is this thread warming up for some off-color Filipino jokes next?

[RobRoy]

Dang, I once again agree with TMU!

I worked with some white guys from England (Manchester, I believe is where this guy is from) and I couldn't understand him.  Same with a couple of Scotttish guys...yes, they were white, yes they had a UK passport but could the speak clearly (to my American ears), sadly no.   

From my humble experience, yes, Filipinos make great teachers, but get them in a group and there is usually problems...everything from religious differences to petty whining that makes 5 years seem all grown up.  My wife (a Filipino teacher) won't work where there's already a large number of Filipino teachers because of this.

[retiredstillteaching]

To be as clear as I think I can be, only educators certified in their native countries and whose native language is English should be teaching TEFL/ESL etc anywhere in the world.

It so happens that in general Filipinos are a constant topic of discussion among native speakers of English who teach English in Thailand.

I taught at a proprietary school here in Thailand which elevated a black-skinned South African woman to the position of Coordinator of Prathom English, a matter which went wholely unnoticed at the various TEFL forums in Thailand and globally. I guess fairly or unfairly, if she'd been Filipino there probably would have been hell to pay!   

[Nemesis]

Depends on what you mean by "native speaker".  Some Filipinos are brought up bilingually and have very strong English skills, but not many of them would be looking for teaching jobs here.  In my experience there is some variation in both English competence and teaching ability.  Some of our Filipino teachers have really native-like English skills, but there are some who fall well short of that mark.  They generally work conscientiously and are easy to manage.  Perhaps their apparent docility is partly caused by their relative powerlessness; perhaps it is partly due to the Asian employee ethic.  Generally I have found them to be capable teachers who stay in the job and cause little turnover.  They are also pleasant people to have around the school.  Some Thai parents and students resent having Filipinos on staff, but (in my experience) they generally get good value for the money.

Yeah and my wife's best friend worked at one of the campuses, it might be yours. She had a run in with your director because of the 12,000 baht per month she was earning and what she was expected to to.

From my humble experience, yes, Filipinos make great teachers, but get them in a group and there is usually problems...everything from religious differences to petty whining that makes 5 years seem all grown up.  My wife (a Filipino teacher) won't work where there's already a large number of Filipino teachers because of this

I know the feeling. There's a mindset among many Filipinos who go abroad that just because they are abroad, they're something special. Not to mention a crab mentality that makes TEFLWatch look like a walk in the park.

My wife was the same way at her last school. She wouldn't help any Filipinos get on the staff because she knew what you describe would happen.

[Nemesis]

I can't stand it when some Dutch, German or Swedish guy tries to pass himself off as a "native speaker" in the TEFL workplace but can get away with it because his skin is WHITE.  Isn't that what it's all about?  Filipinos are dark-skinned so fair game for bashing even on this pro-teacher forum.  "If you're white, you're right, if you're black, stay back."  Do Dutch, German or Swedish teachers know English idioms?  Nope.

Is this thread warming up for some off-color Filipino jokes next?

I hate double posts, but this different enough of a post to be worthy of its own post.

I agree almost totally, TMU. At a school I worked at, Filipinos earned half what Westerners earned. The reason was, native speakers vs non-native speaker. Or so they said. They hired this South African woman. White skin but her grammar sucked. She was not a native speaker, but they paid her full salary. The Filipinos? Half her salary. It was obvious that it wasn't about English fluency but rather about skin color. And that ain't right. This site stands against racism, totally.

I don't think we'll be bashing Filipinos. RobRoy has a Filipina wife, we do have some Filipinos who check in here, and I'm in the Philippines.

[herrkutz]

Certified.

I know exactly what you mean perhaps or in fact we do work at the same place. Add to the Fillippino experience with an unqualified school owner with a self awarded "Life Experience Degree" a scheming liar of an Indian manager a couple of grumpy old men with dubious backgrounds, co-ordinators that have worked at 35 schools in 5 years and an ex cook along with his ego you now understand why qualified staff are feared at this particular school (sic) 
 
Praise be to Allah Blessed be his name !!! 
 

[fed_up]

I agree almost totally, TMU. At a school I worked at, Filipinos earned half what Westerners earned. The reason was, native speakers vs non-native speaker. Or so they said. They hired this South African woman. White skin but her grammar sucked. She was not a native speaker, but they paid her full salary. The Filipinos? Half her salary. It was obvious that it wasn't about English fluency but rather about skin color. And that ain't right. This site stands against racism, totally.

There are 2 reasons for lower Filipino salaries:

1) They are sooooo desperate to get anything that they haven't realized yet that they can command higher salaries by just saying "no".

2)

Favila said he transferred two weeks ago to Islam Lam Sai School, a government-owned school being funded by the King of Thailand, because the salary offered to him was bigger than what he is receiving from(a) the private school.

“The management is giving me topics for students in Kinder to Grade VI, then I will create a conversation training in English(b) for them. I also teach grammar for Thai English teachers(c) here,” Favila said.

“I have free lunch here(d). I am budgeting 3,000 Baht for my needs for the whole month. Lam Sai is a very peaceful place. There is no violence here and the people are all honest. I easily adjusted here(e) because Thailand is just like the Philippines except for the culture of the people here(f),” Favila said.

Spot the grammatical mistakes ? Let's correct them:
a) he was offered a higher salary than what he was receiving from
b) then I will design an English conversation course
c) English grammar to Thai teachers
d) I get free lunch here
e) I have adjusted here easily
f) no need for "of the people here", just omit

Well, I guess we all try to sell ourselves as best as we can, but I believe that native speakers have (hopefully) more to offer than Filipinos. After all, would you send your luk krung to learn English from this guy who made 6 (even more but I disregarded couple of them) grammatical errors in 3 paragraphs (even a basic past continuous tense error) ?

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys....

Oh, by the way, I felt the need to modify the post as IMHO South Africans are not native speakers of English no matter what they say.

[Thai Me Up]

fed up,
I understand your dissection of the direct quotes from the Filipino teacher.  However, your criticism in a) reflects upon an indirect quote, so your criticism should be pointed towards the article's editor, not the speaker on that one.  Do you feel threatened by our Filipino teaching colleagues here in Thailand?

If they are motivated to come to Thailand to work rather than starve in PI, power to them.  And regardless of their motivation to come to Thailand, Filipino teachers are filling a niche market for Thai schools that don't want to pay the salaries demanded by "white" teachers, whether they are native speakers with bad cockneys, Irish brogues, or Dutch with non-native inflections.

I look at Filipino teachers in Thailand as my colleagues.  If a Thai teacher comments that he is pleased with his Filipino staff, then he has a right to that opinion.  I enjoy working with Filipino staff as they give me a welcome break from the relentless rants about Man U, Chelsea and beer binges of my English teaching colleagues.

[fed_up]

fed up,
I understand your dissection of the direct quotes from the Filipino teacher.  However, your criticism in a) reflects upon an indirect quote, so your criticism should be pointed towards the article's editor, not the speaker on that one. 

Correct. I totally agree.

Do you feel threatened by our Filipino teaching colleagues here in Thailand?

Not at all. Our markets are different. I command over 60K on a bad month, therefore I can't compare myself to our Filipino colleagues.

If they are motivated to come to Thailand to work rather than starve in PI, power to them.  And regardless of their motivation to come to Thailand, Filipino teachers are filling a niche market for Thai schools that don't want to pay the salaries demanded by "white" teachers, whether they are native speakers with bad cockneys, Irish brogues, or Dutch with non-native inflections.

Agreed. There are many unintelligible native speakers. IMHO, they should get the same salary as Filipinos, however as long as the Thai mentality of "style over substance" continues, they will continue to be the flavors of the month.

I look at Filipino teachers in Thailand as my colleagues. 

I do too. But, I cringe most of the time I hear them speak English. I'm pro-student and pity that they are learning a weird version of English from most of them.

If a Thai teacher comments that he is pleased with his Filipino staff, then he has a right to that opinion. 

Sure they'd be happy with them as they pay them next to nothing. It boggles my mind when I read that poor guy surviving on 3000 a month. I spend that in a day sometimes.

I enjoy working with Filipino staff as they give me a welcome break from the relentless rants about Man U, Chelsea and beer binges of my English teaching colleagues.

Agreed.

[RobRoy]

Probably the same reason you're here TMU...knowing there is money here even if YOU are the double bagger.

And once again Mods...the topic of this thread was......

[RobRoy]

TMU

I don't know you and you surely don't know my wife.  Be a gentleman and leave my wife out of your crude comments.  As a MAN, as a gentleman, as a decent human, I would think that you would respect that in a poster.  My wife doesn't post here, I do.  If you want to comment on me, thats fine.  To make crude comments about my wife, well, how would you react?

You're way out of bounds dude.  Thats NOT a cool post.

[anyonefortennis]

My little un is taught by a Filipino in Annuban 3, previously in A1 / A2 she was taught by Thais, the difference in this semester is f8cking huge. Yes, sometimes she comes home and says "Papa, teacher May say Penciled not pencil" but WTF, I say 'nowt' rather than 'nothing'.

My accent is rural Cheshire (UK), and if I were to speak to my students naturally (how do, all reet? = hello, how are you?) they would have f8ck all idea what I'm talking about, but perhaps more importantly is the fact that 99.9% of them will never meet another person from Cheshire, so learning 'Cheshire' English would accomplish what excatly?

So Filipina teachers don't know a truck load of English idioms, so what, when the f8ck would the average student get to use English idioms? "Somchai, I need to chew this one over with you" is not really gonna be used that much. Filipina teachers do know everyday 'basic' conversation, which is probably far more useful for most Thais.

I'd say Filipino teachers are fine for government school students, the majority of whom will not need advanced (or even basic) English skills once they finish school. International school students should be receiving education from teachers who are qualified from whatever the country the curriculum is based, if that includes Filipinos, fine.

Personally I understand most Filipinos better than Scots, Irish, Welsh, Cocknies, Brummies, Liverpudlians, Mancs, Geordies, Macums, and folk from the West Country, doesn't mean to say they're better teachers.

And, TMU, my daughter's teacher is as fit as they come  

RR, here here.

[airpuka]

It's stupid to sayall fillipinos can speak the same level of english.They are definitly not native speakers and most of them have that accent  where everything starts with a "B" example "Buck you mother Bucker" but some of them are wonderful teachers.I dont think they have a right to make anymore then a thai teacher though.I believe us native speakers do deserve the salary we are getting and should actually get more because

1.We are NATIVE SPEAKERS

2.The reason the schools are making good money is cause they are charging the parents alot so their kids can study with an Amercian ,Canadian.Brit etc...

i grew up in hawaii and there are SOOOO many fillipinos there and they all still have that damn accent.

[RobRoy]

Another great example of members here.  I guess if I spoke with a heavy southern accent from America, its OK, but to talk about someone who speaks with "that accent" would suggest that MY accent is the only accent that is correct to speak with.

Do any of us communicate in perfect "BBC" English?  How many of us don't have accents of some kind...American, Oz, Brit, Scottish, etc.....or Indian, Filipino, Burmese....

Yes, Airpukeka, we do get more money because we are white....but does that really mean we deserve it?  A person from Manchester that sounds like he's has a mouth full of rocks that only his mother and God can understand or a Filipino teacher that can be understood?  Who would you want you kid taught by?

A good question...A Filipina with average language skills or a Scottish guy with a mouth full of rocks.  Which would you want to teach your kid?

[Nemesis]

I don't like to see people slagging another poster's wife and making posts about whether Filipina teacher is sexy or not is never ok.

Posts have been deleted and you have been warned.

[wangsuda]

On a side note, I read a comment from a recruiter for Filipinos wanting to teach in Thailand. His English is . . . well . . .

ARE WILLING TO GIVE THE GOOD FOR THE UNKNOWN i always say this to all i interacted in view of the teaching opportunity in thailand… ARE U WILL TO RISK AND GAMBLE FOR UNCERTAINTY never in my dealing with them that i view them that is easy to have work or job in thailand never never…..I CAN FACE MY GOD SQUARELY……

If he is representative of the Filipino level of English, then I can see why Filipinos have problems. This man is not a good representative of the Filipino community. I also like the way he threatens people, in God's name, to hell:

GOD IS THE SOLE JUDGE… I HOPE U CAN SLEEP AFTER WRITING LIES AND LIES… I JUST WISH AND PRAY THAT U CANT EXPERIENCE THE THINGS YOUVE THAN TO ME OF DISCREDITING INDIVIDUAL BY FALSE AND UNFOUNDED ACCUSATION… REMEMBER THE BIBLE SAYS: WHAT U DO TO THE LEAST OF YOUR BROTHER YOU DID THAT TO ME….. U HAVE DISCREDITED ME SO THEREFORE YOU HAVE JUST DISCREDITING YOUR GOD THAT IF YOU HAVE GOD….

If the Filipino community has obsticals to overcome here, it is because of this man, and those like him.

Full comment here: http://www.teflwatch.org/306/winston-pedro-bayron/#comments

[bomha]

I have never noticed any native English speaker who had a strong native accent, to use it in the classroom whilst teaching EFL.  Texans, hillbillies, Welshmen, Scots, et al, all try to sound like the better presenters on the telly.  Yes, some of the aforementioned yahoos are unintelligible in the staffroom or down at pub  , but in the classroom, they contort their mouths to speak some kind of "standard" English.

I do not know if adult Filipino(a)s can lose their accent as easily.

[hero]

That's cos we is native speakers innit.  Years of exposure to English of all dialects means that we can understand it however it is spoken (for the most part in any case) and reproduce it for the benefit of folks who don't share our localised tongue.

Non-native speakers don't have the benefit of such experience.  They reproduce what they have learnt to the best of their ability, but it's never natural.

[Thai Me Up]

Thais cannot distinguish one English dialect from another.  Filipino teachers fill a teaching niche in Thailand; their skin is darker so Thais can get away with paying them 50% of what a "white" teacher earns, whether that white face is a native speaker or not.

Do inarticulate native speakers from Ireland and Scotland really speak English differently in the classroom once they leave the teacher's room?  Not that I've heard.  When an Irish teacher keeps saying "ting" for "thing" and an English teacher drops the "h" as in "'eat this up for my 'usband," are they truly more intelligible than the Filipino teacher?

I applaud Filipinos who are enterprising enough to leave their home country in search of better work opportunities.  You can belittle their bilingualism or their English dialect, but it all smacks of racism directed at teaching colleagues.  As for character, I've seen more teachers from England not report to work after binge drinking or report to work 'ung over than their Filipino counterparts.

[anyonefortennis]

It's stupid to sayall fillipinos can speak the same level of english.

Quite, as it would also be stupid to suggest that all native speakers posses the same level of interlect.

some of them are wonderful teachers.

Yes, indeed they are.

I dont think they have a right to make anymore then a thai teacher though.

Really? Why's that then?

I believe us native speakers do deserve the salary we are getting and should actually get more

You deserve the salary? Don't you have to earn it?

AP, let's get this right, you're saying some Filipino are wonderful teachers that should get a sh8t wage, whereas native speakers, regardless of teaching ability, should be getting a bigger slice of the cake, right?

2.The reason the schools are making good money is cause they are charging the parents alot so their kids can study with an Amercian ,Canadian.Brit etc...

What's interesting is that schools have started to realize that they can make more money, without native speakers.......all they have to do is lower the students fees, say by 10%, and hire a Filipino and therefore half the salary overheads. Parents aren't that fussed, after all little Pong has been learning 20 hours a semester in a class of 45 and has yet to show any improvement............it is a thankless task. By insisting Filipina teachers should get a sh8tty salary, you may just be pricing NS outta the government school market.

I have never noticed any native English speaker who had a strong native accent, to use it in the classroom whilst teaching EFL. 

I often hear NS mumbling away just above that of a whisper at the front of class, using vocabulary that is just so inappropriate for the level of the students, so whilst the accent is lost, the students still don't have any idea what the f8ck the teachers talking about.

I actually believe there is benefit for Thai students to learn English from other Asians, such as Indians, Chinese and Vietnamese, as surely, certainly in business, these are the guys they're going to be dealing with, not NS, and anybody whose taught Indian students will know their accents take a lot of getting used, so why not start early.

[Nemesis]

On a side note, I read a comment from a recruiter for Filipinos wanting to teach in Thailand. His English is . . . well . . .

ARE WILLING TO GIVE THE GOOD FOR THE UNKNOWN i always say this to all i interacted in view of the teaching opportunity in thailand… ARE U WILL TO RISK AND GAMBLE FOR UNCERTAINTY never in my dealing with them that i view them that is easy to have work or job in thailand never never…..I CAN FACE MY GOD SQUARELY……

If he is representative of the Filipino level of English, then I can see why Filipinos have problems. This man is not a good representative of the Filipino community. I also like the way he threatens people, in God's name, to hell:

GOD IS THE SOLE JUDGE… I HOPE U CAN SLEEP AFTER WRITING LIES AND LIES… I JUST WISH AND PRAY THAT U CANT EXPERIENCE THE THINGS YOUVE THAN TO ME OF DISCREDITING INDIVIDUAL BY FALSE AND UNFOUNDED ACCUSATION… REMEMBER THE BIBLE SAYS: WHAT U DO TO THE LEAST OF YOUR BROTHER YOU DID THAT TO ME….. U HAVE DISCREDITED ME SO THEREFORE YOU HAVE JUST DISCREDITING YOUR GOD THAT IF YOU HAVE GOD….

If the Filipino community has obsticals to overcome here, it is because of this man, and those like him.

Full comment here: http://www.teflwatch.org/306/winston-pedro-bayron/#comments

http://www.siampinoy.com/forum2/index.php/topic,336.20.html

Yeah and that one has an interesting story. It seems another site, Siampinoy.com got ahold of the TEFLWatch Main Piece and posted it on their forum. I'm ok with that. In fact, I encourage it. They did add a link to it when I asked them to. Getting the information out there is the most important thing.

Anyways, not before a Philippine newspaper got ahold of it:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/60517/Group-warns-of-fake-teaching-job-offers-in-Thailand

In case you're curious, GMA is one of the major networks in the Philippines. It's pretty sad when one of the largest news networks in the Philippines runs a story without doing even the most basic fact checking to see where a story originated from.

[retiredstillteaching]

It would seem many of us are saying that life is unfair, which of course we well know it is. A well-spoken Filipino educator gets half or less than half the salary a marble-mouthed Scot gets. One has darker skin the other has white as the proverbial sheet skin. Unfair as hell, yes. Let's all point that out to our bosses tomorrow, first thing.

I'm from the US and teach with a "cracker" from Arkansas (Native American for "south wind"; Kansas, sans "Ar" = "north wind") and could barely understand him for the first few days, then got used to him. It was pretty much the same for the students, except it took students a few weeks of hearing him to begin to translate his speech into English. This somewhat connects to the post by hero. (FYI, 26 of the 50 US states have Native American names, including my native state of Massachusetts, which means (downhill) "from the mountains (Berkshires in the west) to the sea (ol' Atlantic seaport Boston)". (Massachusett Indians.)

My American English dialect is Northeast, which omits the 'r' so we have a 25-letter English alphabet, at least in practice. After I went to work in Washington DC I quickly acquired the dialect that is considered the Standard American English speech, ie, Midwest American English. Anywhere in the world, anyone who has a teacher from the US will get one of the three distinct dialects of American English: Northeast, Midwest, South. (We now need a fourth dailect, West Coast, but that's another matter.)

What wuz the topic?

[Thai Me Up]

retiredstillteaching,
I think the point you made supports my contention, that Thai students will adapt to the dialect or "accent" of their teacher.

As for original topic, I agree wholeheartedly with the OP who proposed that Filipinos are among the best English teachers here.

Mabouhai Philippines!

[airpuka]

Why should Filipinos make the same as a native teacher? Why don't Thai teachers make the same amount as a fillipino teacher? Because of supply and demand. if Fillipinos don't like the wages they are getting then they should stay in their own countries and make less.I don't understand how they can come to thailand and complain about not getting treated fairly sometimes.True enough If a recruiter or somebody lies to them they have every right to seek out what they were promised, but if they are getting what was agreed upon they should be grateful that they can even come here and get work and housing paid for, that would be a sweet job in their own country.

[Mods-Rockers]

Why should Filipinos make the same as a native teacher?

Possibly for the same reason that a NNS European will often get the same as a native speaker!

Why don't Thai teachers make the same amount as a fillipino teacher? Because of supply and demand.

Well for starters if you believe that Thai teachers earn so little you are a bigger fool that the Thai admin take farang for, Yes a newly graduated teacher in a govt school will be on as little as 6k/month, but did forget the annual length of service increment? Did you forget that Thai teacher scales have had 6 pay rises compared to farang only one in the last 15 years?  Did you forget the availability of interest free loans (often up to 10 years wages) that is available to Thai teachers? did you forget that after only 150 months of continuous employment at one school they are entitled to a pension at 50% of final salary? Supply and demand my foot, do some homework!

if Fillipinos don't like the wages they are getting then they should stay in their own countries and make less.I don't understand how they can come to thailand and complain about not getting treated fairly sometimes

You don’t understand why they complain? Possibly for the same reasons native speakers complain about the very same things. NS’s also signed on the dotted line and yet when their beer and ho consumption outstrips their income we often see complaints. I do however quite agree that those who do not like it can go home and make less!

[7baht]

they didnt tell you no sane person in their right mind would work at Minburi Poly tech. Right down the road from place and i duck down at night when i drive by it.
its well known for violence and gang recuitment.

[sabai_sabai]

Until I own my own school (which will be never) I cannot change how much someone else gets paid.  Signing a contract and agreeing to a salary is between a teacher and a school and other teachers have no power to negotiate anybody else's contract.

The crab mentality is alive and well among the Filipino teachers at our school and they are starting to try and drag the native speakers into their arguments (we, of course, have our own.) Perhaps pay is an issue with Filipino teachers at our school, but they are slacking off worse than the native speakers right now and they go straight to the owner with any problems they have while the native speakers tend to use that as a last resort.  Some of the native teachers are suggesting that we go to management and suggest that they replace the five Filipinos or the 30 native speakers.  The amount of problems coming from 3/5 of those teachers right now makes me consider the idea.  Personally, I'd rather just try and fix the problems with the three teachers. 

While my experience at school right now is decidedly negative with Filipino teachers, I wouldn't go around saying that, "Filipinos are among the worst English teachers here."  I think the article in the OP is a bit biased, to say the least.

[Thai Me Up]

sabai,
I think you're on the right track by trying to patch things up with the 3/5 Filipino staff.  Of course, you'll never be in any work situation where there is perfect harmony with 100% of staff.  However, as a working teacher, I have always learned to view management with suspicion and mistrust.  The native speaking teachers at your site are wise to approach management as a last resort.  Management has their own problems and their own agenda, and resolving problems among teachers is usually the last item on any manager's "to do" list.

 

[certified]

The Filipinos like also like to claim they are more "assimilated" in Thailand than westerners are.

[retiredstillteaching]

Educated and qualified Filipinos are sensitive in the extreme about their relations with farang teachers and concerning the attitude we show toward Filipinos as, yes, being educated and fluent in English but, nonetheless, from a Third World country that is poor and disorganized. I've worked with a good number of Filipinos during my 10 consecutive years teaching in Thailand and say without reservation that their English is better than that of Thai English teachers.

It's just that the Filipinos who teach over here have such a high regard of themselves. However, many farang do look down their noses at the Filipino teachers here.   

[Pavlovsdog]

I've worked with lots of Filipino teachers and their abilities (as teachers and as speakers of English) varied considerably.  I've met some who were excellent teachers, but spoke English with heavy accents, I've met others who spoke like natives, but didn't have a whole lot of teaching experience.  I've also met one or two that had the whole package and a boatload who didn't have anything going for them at all!

All in all, the only real difference between the Filipinos and the Farangs is that they are more desperate for jobs than we are and, once hired, are more likely to actually show up at work every day!

[Mods-Rockers]

A question begs to be asked here! Is most of the anti Filipino resentment shown by farang merely sour grapes?
I and I dare say many other farang have seen that although the Filipinos earn considerably less than we do, they seem to live well within their wages, some saving as much as 2/3 of what they earn. With frugal investment 10 to 15 years working here and they are set for life back home. Farang on the other hand can hardly save a plugged nickel due to their higher cost of living and after 10 to 15 years here can, and I admit this is a generalization, only look forward to a cardboard box under some overpass back home!

[bomha]

Those of you who wish to argue can do it by PM's; your bickering has been totally deleted.  Act like grownups.

The title is well stated, if a bit overly optimistic.  Among the best teachers in Thailand are a few Filipinos, a few farang, even some Thais, maybe a Burman.  The sad fact is that there are not nearly enough 'best teachers' here.  There are many who tried their best, did a great job, and were beaten down like soi dogs.  I know one fairly well, who has been reduced to a pitiful drunk, and it was the schools and administrators who drove him to drink.  Many good teachers had enough self esteem to quit, which is sad.

I love to teach, and I'm not bad at doing so.  My reward does not come in a monthly paycheck or a well written evaluation.  My rewards come from seeing the students learn, their faces lighting up, their use of the language taking on a natural tone, the smiles, the sincere appreciation of my work by the Thais.

As for the Filipinos, they work hard and are happy to earn their well deserved money.  We might try to draw them into conversations as equals, get to know them better, and maybe some of our language and their best traits will rub off on each other.

[Thai Me Up]

bomha,
Looks like you've removed comments you don't like, summarized what you feel is the correct response to the thread topic, and added some anecdotes about teachers you know...war stories.

Why not close the thread now that you've given it closure?

[certified]

If these Filipinos are such outstanding teachers, then why don't the Thais send their kids to schools in Manila rather than New Zealand. If they are as good as they say they are, then why is it Thai parents prefer schools with Filipinos taking on secondary and support roles.  And why aren't there schools only run by the Filipinos, with Filipinos as the only teachers. Well it's because the Thais don't want to put themselves at the mercy of another country's unemployable, who had no intention of teaching here in the first place, and whose credentials and speaking abilities fall short when compared to the real qualified teachers from the west.

[RobRoy]

bomha,
Looks like you've removed comments you don't like, summarized what you feel is the correct response to the thread topic, and added some anecdotes about teachers you know...war stories.

Why not close the thread now that you've given it closure?

Probably he deleted your comments that showed a complete lack of respect of the posters here.  Yet again....but hey, its not the quality of the message, its HOW you show the degree of professionalism and respect to others.  BTW, my wife is waving hello, but is only using one finger....

no intention of teaching here in the first place, and whose credentials and speaking abilities fall short when compared to the real qualified teachers from the west.

certified....Between you and that person TMU, I have to laugh.  I would say you're both lucky that bomba deleted your posts so you don't continue to show your lack of manners in a public forum. 

certified...damn good question..Why don't the Thai's send them munchkins to the PI?  They send them everywhere else, why not the PI.  I'll get back to you on that one....I know the owner of a couple of schools there and ask him.  Heck, I had a friend teaching in the wilds of China and he met Thai students, if the parents will send their kids there for Chinese (I presume), why not the PI for English?

[Thai Me Up]

....but hey, its not the quality of the message, its HOW you show the degree of professionalism and respect to others.  BTW, my wife is waving hello, but is only using one finger....

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


But seriously, I view Filipino teachers as teaching colleagues.  In California where I taught for 10 years, the Filipinos were among the finest staff at the schools where I worked.  I don't look down my nose at them because 1) of the color of their skin, 2) their dialect, or 3) the fact that they've gone outside their country for employment.  It's hypocritical to slag off Filipinos for coming to work in Thailand when we (white faces I'm guessing) are here for the same reason.  Unity folks, think unity.

[Sadly-confused]

But seriously TMU, insulting the wives of another poster shows a total lack of class! Insult the poster by all means, he is a big boy and here to defend himself, but keep away from family, lest you start getting the same back!

The gutter level tone of your insulting posts makes me believe that the only thing you could have taught for 10 years in California was toilet cleaning 101 at the janitors academy!

[Thai Me Up]

The gutter level tone of your insulting posts makes me believe that the only thing you could have taught for 10 years in California was toilet cleaning 101 at the janitors academy!

hey, it was the Custodial Engineers Academy...nobody calls 'em janitors anymore.  and they were good guys, none of their wives waved their middle fingers at me.

[RobRoy]

So TMU, if my wife gave you the finger, just what handle did she post under and what did she say that offended you?  Anything that can be attributed to MY handle is something I said.  So please explain, how were you so offended that you had to attack someone you don't even know, down Filipino teachers at the same time and insult myself and my wife.  Who said what where?  Please recap for us.  After all, you are on the pro-teacher/pro-Filipino teacher bandwagon, as I am, so what did my wife, who is a Filipino teacher or myself say to you to insult us and Filipino teachers? 

Just curious at what level your mind operates.  At times your opinions ARE valued, even by me, and I've even mentioned it in the past.  Why stoop to school yard stuff when you, at times, come across as a competent professional?  As you apparently work with Filipinos your contributions to this thread are important, but keep it relevant, not insulting to family members.  It only makes you look shallow, stupid and basically someone the majority of the posters ignore, even when you have valued information. 

From the heart....take it for what its worth...we need to stay together or else we'll be like RST and Mods, bickering about school yard stuff instead of covering each others backs. 

[Thai Me Up]

"BTW, my wife is waving hello, but is only using one finger...."

Your words RR.  Your complaint is as disingenuous as your backhanded compliments.  If you could only go back in time and delete this unfortunate description.

"The Moving Finger writes
and having writ moves on,
Nor all thy piety nor wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a line,
Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it."

Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam

You seem like an educated fellow.  Cool it on the put-downs already.  It's that simple.

[RobRoy]

Was this before or after you insulted her?

[Nemesis]

Enough!