I have just been introduced to this website...
I understand the thread was openned a while ago...but for the record...
I was hired, by English Abroad, to work at Kwong Chow School. I lasted there for several months.
I have Master/Bachelor/Celta accreditations...
English Abroad were sometimes vague, not as strong an advocate as i'd like, were in the end, honest and helpful.
The problems seemed to have emanated from the different contracts i had signed with English Abroad and the contract signed between English Abroad and the Kwong Chow School.
There seemed to be vast differences between the two...when the school began making demands contrary to my contract with English Abroad, I refused to comply, referring the school to my contract.
The school's position was that as they had a contract with English Abroad, I was under the same contract...my informing the school that i was only contracted to the document i had seen and agreed too was not greeted too warmly...
For Example:
I was informed that there would be some extracurricular events i would be obliged to attend. I was particular with English Abroad on this issue and was reasurred several times that these events would be infrequent, perhaps several per year. Within my first two months, there were 3 events, 10 hours of unpaid time, with the first event requiring 800 baht of my money for the food.
Teacher meetings were stated to be once per month. Within the first two months there were four such meetings. All anounced with no longer then 48 hours notice, while one could give an apology, too many apologies were stated to be considered as showing a poor attitude. My main complaint here was the short announcement times. I could not understand why a regular two hour administrative meeting could not be arranged one week in advance.
An extra 'optional' class was incorporated daily. This was stated by English Abroad to be worth approximately 300 baht. Upon these classes beginning, I enquired into the pay, as the school was to pay us separately from our salary, which was to be paid by English Abroad during our probation period. On every occassion, perhaps 5 times, during 4-6 weeks of these classes that enquiries were made into the payment for these classes, the head of the English department refused to provide the information...when pressed, this staffperson claimed that the school had yet to clarify the amount. I was eventually paid 80 baht per class, but did not receive this princely amount until 2 weeks after being sacked.
I worked with several other English teachers...I was informed through my colleagues that the school was going to take over paying us...when i attempted to discuss this issue with the school, a change of contract, i was referred to English Abroad. English Abroad were agreeable to continue the original payment system. I continued to seek a meeting with the school regarding their intention to alter 'my' contract with English Abroad and was repeatedly referred back to English Abroad.
I eventually pressured English Abroad to make a meeting with the school to clarify these seemingly ongoing issues. The meeting was set for a Tuesday and English Abroad informed me that they, the school and the English teachers would attend. The meeting went ahead between the school and English Abroad. I was informed, later that day, by English Abroad that the school had terminated my employment the previuos Friday afternoon. Remember, this was the following Tuesday afternoon. When I asked English Abroad when they had been informed of my being sacked, they replied that they were told during Tuesday's meeting. I asked if I would be paid for Monday and Tuesday, as I'd worked until I was told to stop...English Abroad replied that "as far as Kwong Chow School is concerned, your employment was terminated last Friday afternoon and they will not pay you for Monday and Tuesday." English Abroad could not say why the school did not make a statement on the previous Friday.
Eventually, I was paid in full by English Abroad.
I do not know if the school paid English Abroad for my work on the Monday and Tuesday.
I was informed that my employment was terminated on 'personality' grounds. Whilst I cannot say categorically, my belief is, my demands to be treated in accord with my contract put me at immediate odds with the head of the English Program...a fellow Falang...
I cannot say what the truth of my experiences with the Kwong Chow School were. All the above are my view of myexperiences.
I have no actual knowledge of any communications between the school and English Abroad.
My experiences with the school were paradoxical...with the management...my experiences were difficult to state, sometimes warm and friendly, other times dismissive and disrespectful...with my teacher colleagues, my experiences were 'generally' very supportive and welcoming...with the student body, my experiences were entirely wonderful...
I am an inexperienced teacher and so, have little references points...however, the school did appear to me to have good resources to assist my teaching...
was I the problem, was the school, was English Abroad, was the problem the dual contracts...I cannot say...but the experience left me feeling entirely abused and disrespected, in spite of being fully paid...
insideleft...
Topic: ENGLISH ABROAD (Read 5324 times)