Topic: Srikranuanwittyakom in Khon Kaen Prov.

[crackerjack]

Srikranuanwittaycom... Well I just wanted to warn anybody who might be considering coming to Kranuan, Khon kaen to work at this secondary school should be leary of this job.  Actualy the students are great, friendly and eager to learn. But the problem lies in the English Department itself.  The Head of the Department is a horrible power hungry, military dressing, pathetic excuse for a boss.  The Farang teachers were never treated with respect as well as never told of what was going on as far as events and dyas off etc.  I have worked at several schools in Thailand and this was a horrible experience due to the fact of these incompetent administrators.  Most of thier time is spent gossiping and yakking about in very rude and loud tones. They do little work as far as teaching or concern for the students.  I was sad to leave the school due to the fact that the students are in such great need for a good English program and I saw so many improvements in thier speaking abilities.  But Be warned,,, the women in charge of the program will drive you mad with thier disrespect for the farang teacher.  They have no idea how to deal with human resource management and are a discrace to the school itself. 
I can not express this enough.   

[yippee]

Sounds just like the English Department in SRIAYUDHYA SCHOOL on Rangnam Road in Bangkok where they had a terrible English Department. The foreign teachers and the majority of the kids were great and just wanted to do a good job but...

The department was run by a useless sack of a Thai head of English who speaks let's wait for it... "No English" and an office full of women who gossip, complain and bad mouth the Farangs at what opportunity they could get.

Here is the feedback they all got...

Teacher A - "Doesn't play enough Games or doesn't do enough activities" to where he now "Plays too many games" after he adapted to the feedback...
Teacher B - "Complained that he kept calling the kids Buffaloes" - well they WHERE! but it was ok for the thai teachers to call him a stupid Farang amongst other things though
Teacher C - "Too much fun, singing and dancing in his classes" - and this is from a land that emphasises edutainment rather than education...
Teacher D - "Too many work sheets" to "not enough worksheets" and "doesn't explain enough" - errr I thought TEFL taught us to teach Direct language Acquisition and to not explain!
Teacher F - "Too boring, not enough variation..."

...and these are just a few I was told about. Basically the complaints went in to fit the mood of the moment and no matter what the teachers did they just couldn't do right for doing wrong.

If they was one of the popular teachers with the kids but not with the teachers (because say they didn't feel like doing the usual gratification and sucking up to the inadequates) they would even go as low as to start a rumour along the lines that they may be doing something Gary Gltter with the kids for them to be such a popular teacher - even though each class had a Thai teacher to monitor such deviances. As such far too many decent, hard working teachers had to leave because of such false rumours that were started ...

They also had spies every where and knew exactly where the teachers where and doing what and docked their pay for 'leaving the school to go to the coffee shop or for some lunch" but in the same breath these same teacher would be off to Big C en masses at 9am for several hours shopping without anyone batting an eyelid.

Finally, the school encouraged the kids to give feedback that would get the teacher sacked. Basically, if the kids didn't like the teacher, then they were out! One group of kids in the lower level classes realised the score and made it their policy to see how quick they could get the teacher to leave and went through about 7 teachers before it was twigged by the school administration...

I do hope these schools that behave this way around Thailand are left with no teachers come the beginning of May because quite frankly it's appalling how they behave and unfortunately it's always down to a few bad eggs having all the power in the school

[gimmieabreak]

  I agree with crackerjack as this school is no place to work if you intend on being content in your job.  The Thai staffs are just ridiculously imcompetent.  I think if you like insainity and mistreatment then this is a great place for you.  On the other hand, yes the students are respectful and nice to work with.  Too bad the adults at this school are less mature than even the M1 students.  Its a shame that the students have to suffer so much due to the iggnorant ideas of the thai staffs.  Also the town itself is about as exciting as a blank piece of paper and no pencil.  Expect to be swindled by the locals and over chaged by the "helpful" thai locals.  They will help you get what you need but of course they are reciving a commison as well.  Buyer beware.  There are much better schools in thailand!