Topic: Ajarn.com hot seat interview with someone from Bangkok Christian College

[Bangkok Phil]

http://www.ajarn.com/Hot%20seat/hotseatjayjohnson.htm

[Mods-Rockers]

Thanks Phil

[NukeThemSlowly]

Thanks, Phil, it is certainly informative.

It's also apologist tripe by a newbie pawn who has no idea what he's gotten himself into.  He's admitted to being some sort of administration flunky, so he can't be too negative and keep his job- he makes the point himself that the wrong kind of squeaking gets squashed.  Furthermore, he's completely new (since May 2006?!?  WTF, Phil, can't you find anyone there who's been working longer than that to interview, or is it that they simply know better?) and by his own admission also knows nothing about the place.  The people he talked with to "get the history" were all the ones who'd survived, who would obviously not have much invested in rocking their very shaky boat.  He brings out the "backpacker teachers" again as an excuse for the unacceptably unprofessional way in which BCC hires and fires staff and their incredibly high turnover (of which his own employment in his new position is a prime example).  Let's hear a BCC person admit a mistake in the firing of someone- when hell freezes over, eh?

He's the perfect person to do this because, being a complete newbie, he hasn't gone through the shell-shock of a BCC purge when perfectly decent teachers are fired because little Somchai's mother complained that the teacher doesn't understand Thai culture, probably because he wouldn't let Somchai throw rocks.  The administration there is probably still giving him the illusion that he has any power or influence at all.  Let's have another interview with him, say, about September when the next purge is due, and see what he thinks then, eh, Phil?

The only points he addresses from the OP of the BCC thread (c.f.) are the 10B per month annoyance, which hardly matters but is a safely trivial complaint to bring up, and the unspeakable rudeness of the students.  And he admits both of these problems are continuing.  He also confirms that the story about teachers being fired last year because they stood up for themselves later in the BCC thread.  And while he assures us that "things are changing," there are no details of how or independent confirmation of this.  The cumbersome multiple interview process he cites is no different than the one they were using 5 years ago, presumably before they "changed."

It seems like business as usual at BCC.  The best news perhaps to be extracted from the interview is that this website may be having some effect.

It might be useful to post a link here to the original thread:
http://www.teflwatch.org/forum/index.php?topic=259.0

[Mods-Rockers]

I have to agree with NTS about the needs for another interview either in Sept/Oct or even better maybe in late Feb next year when the contracts come up for renewal again.

The optomist in me likes to think that the place may be trying to turn over a new leaf, but then I think about phrases about leopards and spots and decide to take a watching brief on the matter.

Get him back Phil at a later date and see if...

[NamTok]

Thanks, Phil, it is certainly informative.

It's also apologist tripe by a newbie pawn who has no idea what he's gotten himself into.  He's admitted to being some sort of administration flunky, so he can't be too negative and keep his job- he makes the point himself that the wrong kind of squeaking gets squashed.  Furthermore, he's completely new (since May 2006?!?  WTF, Phil, can't you find anyone there who's been working longer than that to interview, or is it that they simply know better?) and by his own admission also knows nothing about the place.  The people he talked with to "get the history" were all the ones who'd survived, who would obviously not have much invested in rocking their very shaky boat.  He brings out the "backpacker teachers" again as an excuse for the unacceptably unprofessional way in which BCC hires and fires staff and their incredibly high turnover (of which his own employment in his new position is a prime example).  Let's hear a BCC person admit a mistake in the firing of someone- when hell freezes over, eh?

He's the perfect person to do this because, being a complete newbie, he hasn't gone through the shell-shock of a BCC purge when perfectly decent teachers are fired because little Somchai's mother complained that the teacher doesn't understand Thai culture, probably because he wouldn't let Somchai throw rocks.  The administration there is probably still giving him the illusion that he has any power or influence at all.  Let's have another interview with him, say, about September when the next purge is due, and see what he thinks then, eh, Phil?

The only points he addresses from the OP of the BCC thread (c.f.) are the 10B per month annoyance, which hardly matters but is a safely trivial complaint to bring up, and the unspeakable rudeness of the students.  And he admits both of these problems are continuing.  He also confirms that the story about teachers being fired last year because they stood up for themselves later in the BCC thread.  And while he assures us that "things are changing," there are no details of how or independent confirmation of this.  The cumbersome multiple interview process he cites is no different than the one they were using 5 years ago, presumably before they "changed."

It seems like business as usual at BCC.  The best news perhaps to be extracted from the interview is that this website may be having some effect.

It might be useful to post a link here to the original thread:
http://www.teflwatch.org/forum/index.php?topic=259.0

    I think this speaks well as to my own reaction to the PR stunt by BCC. I also take the skeptical view and attitude of Mods-Rockers. In fact, we might want to hear again from the BCC mouthpiece around the end of this month, nevermind Sept or Feb of next year. 

[blackmail]

Interesting interview.  I would have added the following questions:

1.  Have you been hit in the face with a soccer ball, yet?

2.  Does the female half of a teaching couple still come to school with an occasional black eye?

3.  Does the workroom still smell like a dirty jockstrap?

4.  Did they tell you to be there at 7:15, even though your contract says 7:30?

5.  How much of your time is spent breaking copyright laws?

6.  Is the nipple tickler still there?

7.  How many teachers are wearing earplugs at assemblies?

8.  Do the male students still walk around holding hands?

9.  Did you know that your "good insurance" will require you to pay hospital bills in full during the first year and wait
     for reimbursement, which could be as low as half of your bill?

10. How many of the teachers are working on tourist visas?

11. How much did you spend obtaining your Non-Immigrant B?

12. Did the people at the Thai Embassy laugh in your face?

13. Are they still using the police to threaten, coerce, and blackmail teachers?

14. How many of the teachers actually have experience in their home countries?

15. How many of the teachers make more at BCC than they did in their own countries?

16. Did they ever buy any toilet paper or soap?

17. Do they still have one 30 dollar printer, with no ink, in the workroom?

18. Did they give you a copy of your contract?

19. Did they tell you that you will have to sing Hanukah songs at the Christmas party?

20. Are the teachers still getting massages from students in the workroom, even though there are 200,000 professional massage therapists in Bangkok?

21.  Are the students still cheating their tails off?
 

[samvimes]

The sad thing is that last year there were a lot of problems on both sides. Several nut-job, wannabe teachers sneaked in the doors. There were several backpackers looking for a few months pay so they could continue their travels got. I remember several go-go alcoholics got in who simply wanted to clock in and clock out and get back to the party, and then call in sick with the brown bottle flu twice a week.

He has only been there two months so how can he remember last year?

Thanks Phil for the good read, however....

How about giving some of the ex teachers room to vent and give their side of the story on ajarn.com; "Thailand's Most Popular Teaching Website"?

It's a shame you didn't ask him about his educational qualifications as he doesn't come across as someone who is well qualfied within the field of education.

First off, the administration and the IEP dept is extending an invitation to you Phil

Also I'd also like to know your academic qualifications Phil if you intend to accept an offer like this about evaluating a school.

[NukeThemSlowly]

Mwahahahaha.... I like this thread more and more.

You caught a good bit, SV- just how can he "remember" last year?

I'd say a flip-side interview of a former teacher is certainly in order- or at least someone who's been working there longer than, oh, a month.   

Of course, one has to be careful...  remember what the Thai admin person posted in response to the OP on the last BCC thread?  (can one of the mods dig that up and repost it here, as a real example of BCC management panache)?  If one is identifiable, no doubt at all they'll go after you with every dirty trick they can.

[Bangkok Phil]

Let's have another interview with him, say, about September when the next purge is due, and see what he thinks then, eh, Phil?

There's no reason why we can't do that.

Jay contacted me and said that he would like to do a hot seat interview and present both the positive and negative aspects of BCC. If you go back and read it, I think that he achieved that. I admire him for stepping up to the plate. Many people who ask for an interview, receive my 15 questions and then head for the hills never to be seen again.

Which is quite frustrating on my part.

[samvimes]

I didn't have time to dissect the interview in any detail apart from catching the point about just how can he "remember" last year when he has only been there two years. Methinks something is rotten in the state of this member of staff.....

The squeaky wheels from years past that may have had a credible complaint did not get any grease - they just got replaced.

That's nice, anyone who had any constructive comments or wanted to make any changes at all just got axed.

OK, that's 120 baht a year that the bank charges - and so is the fact that we all receive at least 40,000 baht in bonus money and from 17,000 to 24,000 baht in flight allowance money from the school, depending on your attitude and work ethics, as well as a yearly pay raise, depending on performance.

Justify it however you want, it's still illegal and it's still not in the contract.

There are now 482 teachers at this school - over 70 foreign teachers and the rest are Thai. In the past years, the personnel department lost, misplaced, misfiled paperwork, and if you made someone angry enough, maybe even flushed.

I can't believe that anyone could even attempt to justify losing people's paperwork just because a teacher made them angry. Is this a professional school or not??

The new teachers here make about 50,000 + baht a month

Minus the 4000 baht a month deduction to "keep people honest" and "If you pull a runner, you deserve to lose it", oh and minus tax.

Let's not forget the summer camp where teachers had to pay for their own accommodation for a camp that they had to do....

Oh and I did laugh when I read about the

Very good insurance.

Which covers practically nothing and you have to pay for your treatment first and then claim it back.

For me the interviewee shows the symptoms of everything that is wrong in Thai schools and people like him are one reason why things are so hard to change.

BCC is one of the best - and it truly is.

It sure is, it's one of the best at

[Speaksoftly]

In my humble opinion, BCC is the kind of school that created the need for this kind of website.  It's a shame the the interviewee was not pressed harder about his ignorance (or his apparent lie) or about other specific problems mentioned by posters on our thread.

[Due Diligence]

It will be nice to ask him or other teachers there how they feel about 1 week before their end of year holiday, where bonuses are threatened to be with held if grades are not handed in on time.  Therefore the general feeling from the Axed teacher was "Will i get my end of contract bonus in April as told, what about my salary i'm entitled to??" 
Yes they did pay it, but there was that worry they wouldn't with the various events that happened during the last few weeks of the school year.  An axed teacher was promised papers to get a new non-b visa as they needed provide us one during April. However the said teacher was missing papers to get the visa and had to return on a tourist. 
They got rid of some great teachers including teachers who busted their arse to set up the curriculum for their final grade 12 in EIP to be told after that hard work they are no longer wanted. Even with replacements hired before they are told they are gone. 

[NamTok]

   Following the spirit of Blackmail, a few more suggested interview questions that weren't posed:

*Do the Thai administration, speaking to students at assemblies, speak in Thai against the foreign teachers, saying we're scum?

*Do the farang administrators happily enforce rules and policies because the farang administrators like to be "enforcers?" Some say "bullies?"

*Do you teach and sing songs in your classroom in between sports day, special activities day, Teacher's Day singing and dancing at the school, marching practice, English Camp, Scout Camp, Christmas activities week etc?

*What do you do with all of that super amount of pay you get each month?

*How many lunches provided by the school do you eat each week? Do some new teachers start spooning the food onto their plates from the swill bucket at the end of the tables, unknowingly because of only the slight  difference in taste between what's in the buckets at either end of the line?   

One could go on....
 

[accurate reporting]

I was wildly amused when i read the hot seat interview.  The interviewee was a former colleague of mine in a past life
who left the school we both worked at in the first two weeks of term with minimal notice meaning undue cover for us all. Now that he has his admin job he'll feel he has 'made it' because lets say his interest in teaching wasn't the most methodogically sound.  Now that he has turned up in BCC makes that soap opera one to watch more closely for me.  With BP's in put maybe one of the former staff should be allowed to give their views or let the the hot seat interviewee answer those questions posed by blackmail for example. 

[Bangkok Phil]

Jay has been in touch to tell me I made a mistake when editing the interview for brevity. The choice of the word 'remember' was in fact misleading and there is no way Jay could have 'remembered' what happened last year because as Sam Vines states 'Jay has only been there two months". This is my editing mistake and I do apologize.

Unfortunately I'm out of town until Friday but I will edit the interview and correct things when I return.

Phil 

[JJ]

Well, I was just informed of the feedback on my interview here.  First let me begin by saying thank you to all who have posted their opinions.  Second, whoever 'Accurate Reporting' is, never worked with me as I have never left any job during the first two weeks of any term, much less without sufficient notice.  There are no doubt other people on this planet with the same name as mine. 
As Phil said, during his editing, he put in the words ' I remember', not me, and a few other punctuations as well, but I think you get the gist of the interview.  And I'll say again, thank you to all of the good teachers that worked here before I got here that fought to have all these changes made, and everyone is invited to come by for a visit anytime.
Cheers........

[NukeThemSlowly]

So, uh, are you going to reply to any of the feedback?

What "changes" have occurred?  Does BCC still routinely fire people right before the between-term break?  Does BCC still consider itself "above" the labour law regulations on probationary periods of employment?  Are teachers still forced to attend religious revival sessions? 

I don't think it's from a lack of "visiting" BCC that it has such a poor reputation among so many.  I would say that reputation is formed from prior experience at the place. 

[RobRoy]

First, I got to give JJ credit for having the guts to do the interview after all the stuff that has been said here.  I interviewed at BCC during the "agency" period and although offered the interview with the "council" I decided I didn't feel comfortable working there, especially after reading the beginnings of this thread. 

One of the posters suggested that JJ is reinterviewed in a few months.  I agree.  Remember, he's only been there a couple of months and any changes, if any have been hard.  So, lets wait and see what happens there.  Or doesn't happen.  As long as we can get a honest report, from someone CURRENTLY working there, that should let us know whats up with the school.  Give him a chance to get some time under his belt and lets really see whats going on there today, as opposed to old whining from months/years ago.  Lets see what has changed.  Realistically how can he answer the question about teachers being let go before the break when he hasn't been there for the event?

[NukeThemSlowly]

^agree that it's hard for a newbie to answer these questions (if JJ is really a newbie, which I now consider open to doubt).  Then again, why was he the one who was interviewed?  You don't interview the teacher who's barely started working to find out what the school/job is like- as your post makes clear, RR.

[NamTok]

   Yeah, accepting JJ as a newbie becomes an increasingly difficult thing to do. Any purported changes at BCC certainly would need to be specificially pointed out and itemized. I'm beginning to think seriously that JJ's statements are those of another lawless and fraudulent Thai school ownership. JJ's statement below to TeflWatch (posted July 5th) certainly is mild and polite. Politeness is nice and desired. However, the presumptive burden is on BCC to make its case, specifically and in detail. We need some hard facts from BCC which would need to be verified by its knowledgable and legitimate teachers. That's a fair and reasonable standard, is it not?!?
 

[DW]

Well, I suppose its nice to know that the "martyrs" are appreciated by the new teachers.  But do they realise how much shite the martyrs went through to get any improvements?  In some cases it wasnt improvements, it was just getting what they had been promised!

And to say some of the stuff like, if you yell at people you deserved to have paperwork lost or you have to complain properly is frankly brown nosing.  if someone makes an arse of a job, they DESERVE to be shouted at.  But, if that is his real name I wouldnt blame him for doing that in his position.  Mind you it would have been better if one of the two bosses in IEP section had made a post.

Overall it read just like every government or big business speech after there has been some scandal or design fudge up causing people to be ill or injured.  Lessons have been learned, changes have been made, but if you were right and were fired or inconvenienced tough shit.

It wasnt our fault it was that big bad agency that hired the nasty people!  Oh PLEASE!!!!   

Appointees still had to see the school board, they still had to see the paperwork person ( admittedly, I am not sure if he would have had the power to change an appointment decision )   The two folk in charge could have fired the people before the start of school.

etc etc

[Harry]

Furthermore, he's completely new (since May 2006?!?  WTF, Phil, can't you find anyone there who's been working longer than that to interview, or is it that they simply know better?)

[Speaksoftly]

I was wondering- does this thread belong here, or in the subforum about schools in Thailand?  Surely this thread refers to a specific school?

[blackmail]

Interesting interview.  I would have added the following questions:

1.  Have you been hit in the face with a soccer ball, yet?

2.  Does the female half of a teaching couple still come to school with an occasional black eye?

3.  Does the workroom still smell like a dirty jockstrap?

4.  Did they tell you to be there at 7:15, even though your contract says 7:30?

5.  How much of your time is spent breaking copyright laws?

6.  Is the nipple tickler still there?

7.  How many teachers are wearing earplugs at assemblies?

8.  Do the male students still walk around holding hands?

9.  Did you know that your "good insurance" will require you to pay hospital bills in full during the first year and wait
     for reimbursement, which could be as low as half of your bill?

10. How many of the teachers are working on tourist visas?

11. How much did you spend obtaining your Non-Immigrant B?

12. Did the people at the Thai Embassy laugh in your face?

13. Are they still using the police to threaten, coerce, and blackmail teachers?

14. How many of the teachers actually have experience in their home countries?

15. How many of the teachers make more at BCC than they did in their own countries?

16. Did they ever buy any toilet paper or soap?

17. Do they still have one 30 dollar printer, with no ink, in the workroom?

18. Did they give you a copy of your contract?

19. Did they tell you that you will have to sing Hanukah songs at the Christmas party?

20. Are the teachers still getting massages from students in the workroom, even though there are 200,000 professional massage therapists in Bangkok?

21.  Are the students still cheating their tails off?
 

Surely, you are still reading this thread JJ.  How about a few answers.  Don't worry, they won't deport you; they will just say they will.

[bigman]

Hi,

I just wanted to say something in JJ's defense.

This is my third year working in the IEP department.  This year I have met JJ and am working directly with him in his learning stage. He is more than fully qualified to teach.

He told me about the hot seat interview that he was doing for Ajarn and I read the interview before he sent it back to BP.

He is not an Admin patsy.  I think that the article is fair considering he is only new to the school.

I have to say honestly that this year has started a lot smoother than the last couple of years.
I haven't heard any horror stories yet.  The actual attitude from the Board towards us has been noticeably different.

I will also tell you I am not an Admin patsy either.

Regards,
George.

[DW]

I was wondering- does this thread belong here, or in the subforum about schools in Thailand?  Surely this thread refers to a specific school?

Thats what I was thinking, it is about a specific school and should be moved back to the main section.  My first reaction was the thread had been removed because of pressure and the second one was wondering if the board had crashed again and posts had been lost.

bigman - I think that the criticism of JJ was more that by being a new person he is being set up by admin as a patsy rather then him being a patsy.  We all know it is difficult to come on a high profile board like this and give your real name ( assuming that is his real name ) and criticise a school while you are still there.

Nice to see its improved though, shame they couldnt have sorted it out in the first place and then there wouldnt have been any martyrs.

[Uncle Che]

I wish I didn't need to talk, but since the point was brough up twice, I will comment. I think BCC would love to have this thread combined with the other thread, it is very long thread already and ideas can be lost easily. From the get go this thread seemed more about the interview itself, what it said and didn't say more than a thread about the school, that is why it was never combined with the other thread.

No nefarious dark forces at work, just trying to make the board flow better. I just wish users could read between the lines a little better. 

No posts were lost, that little post loss shouldn't happen again. I set things up so that our host makes a daily backup of the entire site every day. Added to that I have the mysql database server do a backup every 12 hours. The backups coincide at opposite sides of the day. If that isn't enough, every few days, I download to the computer a complete database backup. 

[blackmail]

Hi,

I just wanted to say something in JJ's defense.

This is my third year working in the IEP department.  This year I have met JJ and am working directly with him in his learning stage. He is more than fully qualified to teach.

He told me about the hot seat interview that he was doing for Ajarn and I read the interview before he sent it back to BP.

I will also tell you I am not an Admin patsy either.

Regards,
George.

OK George, since you edited JJ's answers to the interview, you would be a good candidate to answer the other 21 questions (see above).  Most of them only require a simple "yes" or "no" answer so I would think that a BCC "Teacher," would be able to complete this task.

[Speaksoftly]

    Sorry, Unka Che!   

[samvimes]

"Bangkok Christian College seeks to promote four essential
qualities: Loyalty, Responsibility, Honesty, and Unity."

Talking to a few ex teachers and some of the teachers still there would indicate that the school don't seek to promote their own core values.

"The IEP department hasn't lost anyone this year" - it has now , they are advertising on ajarn.com again! (and JJ was only talking about the first two months of the year in any case)

http://www.teflasia.com/ajarn/jobs/00013752.html

Intensive English Program is now seeking a Year 4 and 5 teacher of English to start on Tuesday 15th August


And as for the annual salary increase, the board will never tell the teachers the salary bands and in any case promises of increases sometimes fail to manifest in an actual pay rise.

"The Employee will receive a monthly salary increment in accordance with the relevant salary scale upon renewal of his/her Contract for a further year, Where the Employee is placed at the top of a scale, or has reached the top of a pay scale, no increment will be payable. " 



"I started in Thailand 8 years ago at 25,000 baht a month and a 6 day work week with 7 days vacation a year and a few years and a few schools later, have well over doubled that salary and work 5 days a week with 40 days vacation a year.....not too bad I think. "

Sorry "JJ" that is pretty dire and shows that you are not exactly the high flier you think you are, it's a shame that you seem to be proud of it....

There is no way that you are a qualified teacher. You and BCC; it's a shame, but in a way you two deserve each other. Let's hope you don't hire any professional teachers by accident because that can cause problems due to the fact that a professional won't put up with the sham of education offered at BCC!

[JJ]

Dear Sam Vines, wrong answer trainee.  I am very well qualified, and if you would like to stop by and visit me, please feel free.  Yes, that is my real name, and I use it because I like to deal with squirts like you face to face.
Also, please feel free to stop by and meet the teacher that is leaving in August and returning home. We may even hire two teachers, as we have been 1 teacher short since the beginning of the year and are still looking for a good, qualified teacher for another position.  It sure is fun to sling mud on the internet, isn't it Sam? Be a man, and come by here and meet me........JJ

[bigman]

OK
You want a simple "yes" or "no" answer. Note these questions are answered from the persective of an IEP teacher.  It's a big school and I don't know everything that goes on here.

To many of the questions my immediate response is WTF (meaning I don't understand where this question is coming from).


No 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (we have text books) 7
WTF 6 8 12 19

9.  Never had any issues with insurance.  Only paid if the doctor prescribed expensive medicine.
10. Not sure. As far as I know in the IEP all teachers have their work permits and licences now.
11. Had my NON IMM B when I came to Thailand.  (paid no money for visas since then)
13. I don't know if they ever used police to threaten anyone.
14. We are a TEFL program but we do have at least 20% of our teachers with BEd or MEd.
15. I would think none. TIT
16. Yes, Our toilets have both soap and toilet paper.
17. The IEP department has all in all 4 laser printer, 12 computers for teachers (better than 1 computer per three teachers) and we also have a Multimedia Computer lab that can sit up to 18 students which is the maximum size of our classes.
18. This year we received copies of our contracts about 1 month after we started.  This is a vast improvement over previous years.
20. We do not allow students into our staff rooms.
21. I don't allow students to cheat in my class.

That's it.

George.

[samvimes]

if you would like to stop by and visit me, please feel free.  Yes, that is my real name, and I use it because I like to deal with squirts like you face to face.....Be a man, and come by here and meet me........JJ

How old are you?? Is it playtime?? Can't you respond like an adult?




Well qualified?? I don't think so but maybe you can set me right and tell everyone just how you are qualified and where from. As I said before when I quoted the spin from your interview, "I started in Thailand 8 years ago at 25,000 baht a month and a 6 day work week with 7 days vacation a year and a few years and a few schools later, have well over doubled that salary and work 5 days a week with 40 days vacation a year.....not too bad I think. "

Again that is a  pretty poor salary (to start with and end up with now) and shows that you are not exactly the high flier you think you are, it's a shame that you seem to be proud of it.... Everyone I know that is a proper qualified teacher in Bangkok makes a minimum of 100,000 baht per month but hey that's at a proper institution.


I know from people that have worked at your school what a truly nefarious place it is to work and that the reputation it has for ill using people is well deserved. Ask 100 teachers what they think of BCC and more than 80% will know of its infamy.

And lastly to George, there is no way that at least 20% of your foreign teachers have a BEd or MEd.
The toilets in EIP do not have soap or toilet paper.
Staff were threatened last year with the police.

[JJ]

Well, Sam silly boy,  I worked with the military at a gov't. school because I chose to.  I also believe that a good work place is important.  I am happy doing what I am doing, too bad you are miserable.  As I said before, you are welcome to come visit, but I doubt you will......blather on silly Sam.......

[samvimes]

Thanks JJ it's nice to see you demonstrate your rationality and maturity.

I have in fact visited your school before; just for the record I have visited a lot of  schools in many different parts of Asia all in my professional capacity.

JJ, you shouldn't infer that I am miserable from so little information. I work for an international organization and in fact I love my job. I love Thailand, hell I love Asia. My job is one of the best and most fulfilling I have had in my professional career; my boss is wonderful and supportive. This thread is not however about me, it's about your  interview.

So why does the fact that everyone knows how bad BCC is equate to the fact that I must be miserable?

I notice you still did not answer the question as to how you are qualfied!
 

[substitute]

Toilet paper and soap are now in the toilets this year but Sam is right, in the past there was nary a sheet to spare.  They are not not provided by the school but paid for by the PTA (Parents) as there are signs in the toilets saying so. Guess the parents felt sorry for the teachers or were just plain embarrassed..

[NukeThemSlowly]

Why don't the ringers and apologists... er, "like totally qualified professional teachers..." who are "explaining" BCC in this thread ever answer MY questions?   

P.S.  If an "anonymous" caller were to call BCC asking... oh, I don't know- to confirm employment for the sake of a credit check, for instance- they would certainly respond saying "Mr. Well-Qualified really works here and he has only been here since May 2006, sir," then, would they?  I don't know why this thought occurs to me...

[JJ]

Hello, Nukethemslowly,  I can only speak for the dept. that I work in, the IEP dept....there are 3 other departments with foreign teachers here.  I would be happy to answer any questions that I can for you about this program.  I have invited anyone that would like to, to come and tour our department.  Even Sam is welcome to come, not for a boot in the a**, but for an actual tour.  Sam has never worked here, but seems bent on spreading his negativity and jealousy, but is still invited to visit.  Cheers.....   

[samvimes]

Hi JJ

I can't help but notice that you ignore quite a few of the questions put to you especially how you are qualified to teach (and be a manager) in the high school you are defending.

And please, why would I be jealous about working at a place that does not trust their teachers and you have to swipe in and out like a blue collar worker; a place that can fire you on a whim and without cause because they don't follow Thai labor law. In short a place that has no morals or standards and does not follow their own mission and vision in their dealing with their own staff of "Loyalty, Responsibility, Honesty, and Unity."

Here are a few more questions and please don't forget to let us know just how you are qualfied to comment on the professionalism of other teachers.

1) How does BCC support their foreign staff in regards to CPD?
2) Why does BCC not follow Thai labor law?
3) Why are contracts not given to staff before they take up their positions like in a normal company?
4) Why are staff contracts broken so often?

[MrTam-di-dai-di]

And lastly to George, there is no way that at least 20% of your foreign teachers have a BEd or MEd.
The toilets in EIP do not have soap or toilet paper.
Staff were threatened last year with the police.

3 out of 8 in my office have BEds.

We now have soap and TP in the teachers toilet. Development is incremental.

A guy who had a fake degree from the IEP (not EIP) was escorted from the school premises last year by cops, and lets think about it, is academic fraud a crime???

Yup.

Have a nice day now!

[MrTam-di-dai-di]

I used the BCC med insurance (AIA) at St Louis three times and never had to pay.

[samvimes]

Thanks Mr Tam di dai di for trying to defend BCC but please back up the actual claim from George which was that 20% of foreign teachers at BCC are qualified with a Bed or Med. I know that there is no way that 20% of the foreign teachers at BCC have a Bed or an Med but then BCC does pay peanuts so what do you expect? If you pay peanuts, what do you get?? Did you get your inflationary pay rise yet that you had your finegers crossed for?

1) How does BCC support their foreign staff in regards to CPD?
2) Why does BCC not follow Thai labor law?
3) Why are contracts not given to staff before they take up their positions like in a normal company?
4) Why are staff contracts broken so often?

We still would like to know JJ's qualifications although he seems oddly reluctant to post about this.

[bigman]

Sam,

I didn't say 20% of all foreign teachers at BCC have B.Ed or M.Ed (I have no idea how many have education qualifications) I said that in the IEP department we have 20%.

Whether you choose to believe it or not is up to you.

We have 30 teachers. 2 have masters of Education (one in TEFL) and 3 have bachelors of education (one in TEFL).
I know 5/30 is not 20% more like 16.66% but thats the truth. (you can choose to split hairs about my overstatement of 3.33%)
All the other teachers have degrees and TEFL qualifications.

Regards,
George.

[monkey woods]

All the other teachers have degrees and TEFL qualifications.

If I get a degree quickly, can I come and work there?

[substitute]

I think you should see some classes in action.  Check out www.youtube.com Search under "students being whipped" and see teacher in action in regular program and then check out the students in EIP by searching under "Fart in the Face".  Both can be found by just typing in Bangkok Christian.  These short movies produced by the students themselves!  You can guess by the titles what is going on! 

[monkey woods]

My question was aimed, more specifically, at his claim that "all the other teachers have degress..."

and, if there is a chance I might be employed there if I get a degree quickly, I might just go down to Khao San Road and get one.   

[JJ]

Silly Sam, unlike yourself, I have a life, and don't have the time or the interest to check this site every day.  I will try to check it at least once a week and pass on any new information and answer any decent questions.  As for my qualifications, I have a CV here on my desk for you to pick up when you come for your tour. As for degrees, they are all checked and verified, sorry monkey woods, if you're looking for a job, call Silly Sam.         Cheers.......

[samvimes]

Thanks JJ for your articulate and intelligent reply and you raise some valid points. Please PM me your CV because I am really too busy to just pop in to get it.

I think it's very difficult recruiting quality staff and retaining them. I can remember a university (in Thailand)  who hired someone who basically lied all over his CV about his qualifications and experience, and when they checked out this guy's credentials, you found out that everything on the CV was nothing more than a bunch of lies, so you have my sympathies about findiing teachers and having to do background checks on foreign 70 teachers is really time consuming.

Anyway you still have not told us how you are qualified to teach or manage at a school and my guess is you never will.

You still have not answered these decent questions:

1) How does BCC support their foreign staff in regards to CPD?
2) Why does BCC not follow Thai labor law?
3) Why are contracts not given to staff before they take up their positions like in a normal company?
4) Why are staff contracts broken so often?

[monkey woods]

As for degrees, they are all checked and verified, sorry monkey woods,

JJ, could you please tell me exactly how you carry out this procedure.

[blackmail]

JJ:

That seems like a fairly simple question--tell us about your qualifications.  We understand that you are probably busy gearing up for the next BCC sleepover; but you could at least claim to be a citizen of a country and possess a degree from a University.

[monkey woods]

No problem there, Blackmail, at least, on the "citizen of a country" issue. The bit about the degree though...that might be a sticking point...

[MrTam-di-dai-di]

Thanks Mr Tam di dai di for trying to defend BCC but please back up the actual claim from George which was that 20% of foreign teachers at BCC are qualified with a Bed or Med. I know that there is no way that 20% of the foreign teachers at BCC have a Bed or an Med but then BCC does pay peanuts so what do you expect? If you pay peanuts, what do you get?? Did you get your inflationary pay rise yet that you had your finegers crossed for?

1) How does BCC support their foreign staff in regards to CPD?
2) Why does BCC not follow Thai labor law?
3) Why are contracts not given to staff before they take up their positions like in a normal company?
4) Why are staff contracts broken so often?

We still would like to know JJ's qualifications although he seems oddly reluctant to post about this.

Ok, I told you about the quals in my office coz I'm too busy to do a survey of all staff at the mo. I don't think it peanuts compared to other schools.

With the After school class program, bonuses, and privated I make an average of 75 000 a month. Not a western wage but enough to get by.

CPD?? Corporal punishment??? Expand the acronym ta.

Thai laws are all enforced or ignored willy, nilly. Most other schools are worse. Isn't it up to ministries to enforce these things??? And we know they like the air con too much to get out and about.

Contracts are often done at the last minute coz of the Admin guy leaving everything late.

I don't think contracts will be 'altered' post signing again.

[samvimes]

OK 2 definitions for you of CPD

CPD is the “maintenance and enhancement of the knowledge, expertise and competence of professionals throughout their careers according to a plan formulated with regard to the needs of the professional, the employer, the profession and society." (Madden & Mitchell, 1993)

and

“the process by which, alone and with others, teachers review, renew and extend their commitment as change agents to the moral purposes of teaching; and by which they acquire and develop critically the knowledge, skills and emotional intelligence essential to good professional thinking, planning and practice with children, young people and colleagues through each phase of their teaching lives" (Day, 1999)



Q1 Please see the definition above. Photocopying Bloom's Taxonomy and handing it out to staff is not CPD

Q2 : BCC does not follow the labour law

"Bangkok Christian College  (BCC) and other such schools are exempt from the Thailand Labour Department and
applicable laws.  BCC is subject to the law, procedures, and standards of the Ministry of Education (MOE).  The 20,000 Baht deduction is well below the maximum established by MOE for such payroll deductions.  The Board
members apparently feel that historically they have had sufficient costs associated with individuals violating their contracts that they must attempt to cover the advertising and recruitment costs that result
from those who choose to violate the contract by departing without proper notice."

Q3 : So the HR guy is inept in your opinion? Then why not fire him after all many farang teachers have been terminated for no reason and they were not all inept.

Q4 : Because the school don't respect the labour law of Thailand.

[monkey woods]

JJ's comments to Sam:

1) Dear Sam Vimes, wrong answer trainee
2) ...squirts like you...
3) Be a man, and come by here and meet me
4) Well Sam, silly boy...
5) ...blather on silly Sam...
6) Even Sam...
7) Silly Sam, unlike yourself I have a life...

I don't remember any scathing comments or threats like that in your interview with Phil. Have you saved them all for people who ask you pertinent and potentially embarrassing questions? Do Sam a favour; answer his questions, and save your witticisms for your students.

[Mods-Rockers]

JJ reminds me of Kerux over the other side, resorts to name calling when on the back foot.

[monkey woods]

Out of the same mould, certainly. Name-calling, avoiding crucial questions - all JJ needs is an annoying emoticon. What about this one:  ?

[Mods-Rockers]

I dont know does the  :roll: work here

[Mods-Rockers]

No, kinda glad really.

[JJ]

Good morning all, I said it before and I'll say it again, you are all invited to come by here for a tour anytime.  All your blather doesn't bother me a bit, but it seems monkey boy and silly sam were angered a bit as their jealousy has gotten the better of them.  You are both still invited to come by anytime......Cheers......

[samvimes]

Hi JJ,

So you still can't answer a straight question as to what your educational qualifications are to be a qualified teacher and a manager at the school?

Have your 15 credits of education??? Bed, Med, Phd?
Have a "real" degree?
Tefl Certificate?

or perhaps even......
a Bronze or Silver Swimming Certificate?


Maybe you can't read but I have visited your school before and it makes me sad that they are not discriminating enough to know what constitutes good staff; but then they don't pay enough to attract quality people and don't treat their staff very well to retain the staff that they do get.

Believe me JJ, but I am not jealous and I am sure that your spirited and articulate defence of your institution does a much better job of highlighting the inadequacies and the standard of mediocrity of the school than anything I could write.

Cheers!

[blackmail]

JJ:

How does it make you feel, when a post-menopausal, forty-something, half filippino, psychotic, b____ speaks to you like you're 12 years old? 

[MrTam-di-dai-di]

We go to a few seminars each year Sam, and some of us follow professional self-improvements of our own via website. Not enough probably.

Labor regulations can be circumvented here if you have influence, like it or not it's the Thai way.

The Admin guy keeps his job coz he does any menial little task the board asks of him.

In the West he would have been fired eons ago.

But we're here aren't we???

[samvimes]

Indeed we are here Mr Tam di dai di,

However we do have a choice as to how we are treated and how we treat each other.

The tone of your last comment is almost despairing, things will never improve without there being pressure to change and it is up to us as educators to bring pressure to bear and bring about change.

There are institutions out there that do respect their staff, that do honour their word and their contract, there are schools where you work as part of a team and are supported by the management.

I would hope that BCC can improve and actually gain a positive reputation in Thailand with the foreign teachers here, most people who have worked there that I have met do not have anything positive to say about the experience which is a real shame because I am sure the kids are great and it's a shame that the teachers are failed by the management and the administration staff to such an extent.

I know you have some good dedicated teachers working there or who have worked there, letting someone like JJ roam unfettered on the internet espousing his opinions does not exactly make it look like you have quality staff.

On an aside would you really want someone like JJ as your boss who obviously knows zero about education or teaching? Would you want someone like that teaching your kids?

I think you know the answer the those questions Mr Tam Di Dai Di and so do I 

[monkey woods]

letting someone like JJ roam unfettered on the internet espousing his opinions does not exactly make it look like you have quality staff.

Hear! Hear!

[JJ]

Dear Sam and Monkey, we will be having our 154th BCC Anniversary Celebration on the 5th of August.  Yes, it's on a Saturday, and guess what, this year it's not mandatory for the teachers to attend!!!!!  If a teacher chooses to attend, they will recieve a free Kings project yellow polo shirt and free admission for their friends to all the concerts and shows.  If you would like to attend, I will bring you and your friends in. Yes, I'm aware you both hate BCC and might not want to come, but you're invited none the less.  And Sam, thank you as well, it may have been some of your contributions that made it possible to have this be an optional workday for us current employees...by the way, I have an MA TEFL,  yes a 'real' one...12 years military....about 10 years teaching.... about 8 years teaching EFL.......Cheers

[monkey woods]

Dear Sam and Monkey, we will be having our 154th BCC Anniversary Celebration on the 5th of August.  Yes, it's on a Saturday, and guess what, this year it's not mandatory for the teachers to attend!!!!!  If a teacher chooses to attend, they will recieve a free Kings project yellow polo shirt and free admission for their friends to all the concerts and shows.  If you would like to attend, I will bring you and your friends in. Yes, I'm aware you both hate BCC and might not want to come, but you're invited none the less.  And Sam, thank you as well, it may have been some of your contributions that made it possible to have this be an optional workday for us current employees...by the way, I have an MA TEFL,  yes a 'real' one...12 years military....about 10 years teaching.... about 8 years teaching EFL.......Cheers

What bus do I get from Dudley?

Actually, don't worry about it, I'll pass. I don't hate BCC, as you think, I just found it strange the way you were reacting to Sam's questions: evading them like a politician rather than answering them. Is that what you are, JJ, a politician/department figurehead, someone who gives interviews to Phil and paints his school in a different light to the one in which it had previously been perceived?
I don't hate BCC or you, before you ask, but I would have thought it would have been more in keeping with the attitude of a person in your respected position to have answered all questions as and when they were asked, instead of avoiding them and inviting speculation whilst engaging in a slating match with Sam.

Cheers...

[Speaksoftly]

I wonder if one of those BCC employees semi-regularly posting on this thread/forum could kindly fill us in on the persistent reports that a highly placed farang staff member has been arrested?  If this were to happen at my school I would surely know about it and the details in pretty quick order.  Or are these reports entirely unfounded?

[Uncle Che]

Well, being that he has evaded the question several times in both PM and on this site, I would tend to believe it. He did say that he doesn't have anything to do with the Primary side, but that didn't answer the question. You are right, if it was my school, I would know what happened.

[blackmail]

The rumour is that the person was charged with credit card fraud. Therefore, I believe it is important for us to know the details, since many of us have had critical paperwork (IDs, transcripts, etc.) lost by the HR Department.  Maybe they are in on it, too.

[blackmail]

...by the way, I have an MA TEFL,  yes a 'real' one...12 years military....about 10 years teaching.... about 8 years teaching EFL.......Cheers

I think I know the location of your school; It's in the left margin advertisements on Ajarn.com.  How could anyone, who served 12 years in the military survive in such an undisciplined, irrational place as BCC?

[blackmail]

How about that follow-up interview with JJ?  Is he afraid to be seen in public?  Is he hiding his undocumented arse from the authorities?  Is JJ actually deportee, JM Karr?

The suspense is killing me.

[Yanqui]

I just read the hot seat interview. Am I the only one that thinks the intervieweee wants a kick in the ass? Or a good spanking.  If s/he is a teacher, then for me, it presents yet another reason not to work at BCC.   

Yanqui

[Speaksoftly]

Is it the right time yet to ask how many teachers didn't get asked back for 2nd term?

Hello?  Any pro-BCC teachers left out there?

[Pibthong]

   ...A lot of silence since Speaksoftly's Post #72 of, what, four days ago...

   

[blackmail]

They are probably too busy with the new acquaintances they made on an unpaid BCC sleepover.

[JJ]

Welcome back mongers !!!!!!!  Guess you missed me !! Well, BCC IEP Dept. is alive and doing well. I'm not sure about the other depts. because I don't work in them, so don't ask me about them. We had a nice long holiday in October and another coming next month.  We had several, 5 or so, teachers return to their countries, 1 got an IT job at a company here in Bkk and 1 was promoted to the head of the EIP dept., and we have hired new ones in their place.  NO ONE was fired or quit because of any problems in our dept.. Of course during the hiring process, we sussed out 2 trying to get in with fake degrees.  Anyone who would like a tour is welcome to come and you can even sit in one of my classes if you'd like.  Please remember also, about my hotseat interview, that when Phil edited and typed it, he accidentally even added some things to it that were not said by me.  So the grammar and spelling mistakes you see in it ARE NOT FROM ME ! 
I really like Phil and the ajarn website, but I'm not sure what happened during the editing process.  Anyway, such is life and it goes on.  Fire away.........cheers

[JJ]

Also, before you ask, yes, they were paid holidays, yes, everyone in this dept. completed probation, no, we didn't have to work during the holiday period or attend sleepovers, camps or anything else.
Sorry to blackmail for the late response, but, no I don't like being patronized by admin. and be told how 'special' I am to the school and then see the gate 'security guards' and students only wai Thai teachers and never foreign teachers,  but again, it's their country, TIT.
And, yes, I experienced things in the military that make the daily rigors of any other job laughable, and I do often shake my head and think,'what the hell are they thinking', but it does not make me angry or stressed by any stretch....ttfn

[samvimes]

We had several, 5 or so, teachers return to their countries

So basically what you are telling us is that 5 people did not complete their contracts??

we sussed out 2 trying to get in with fake degrees.

 

Could you let us know how you actually managed to suss them out, have things changed after Mr Carr, BCC's most famous teacher? 

I'm sorry but I don't think your vetting process will stand up to any scrutiny. Any business who asks "can you start tomorrow" has no time to check and vet their staff.

There are still many issues
Do you have your work permit or do the school still keep it?
Do you have your part of your teaching licence?
Do you know or have you ever seen the salary scale?
Do all students pass automatically?
Do Thai teachers simply just walk into a room with a western teacher in the middle of the class, ignoring the westerner?
Do you still have to swipe in and out like a blue collar doofus?

There still seems to be a huge basic lack of respect for the western teachers at BCC and I still think it deserves its lousy reputation.

Also, before you ask, yes, they were paid holidays,

Big deal, everyone who is on a contract gets paid holidays.

Are they still illegally keeping some of your money??? 20,000 baht?

It doesn't  seem any  better organized/managed.

[JJ]

Hi Sam,
the people that left had all been with BCC for more than 1 year and had completed their contracts.  No, not all teachers at all schools get 40 paid working days holiday by contract.  Yes, there is a lack of common courtesy for foreigners, but I could care a less.  I get paid the same if they throw rose petals at my feet and bow in my presence or just ignore me.  It's a job.
Yes, they still keep 4000. baht per month for the first 5 months, total 20,000 baht and return it to you plus interest upon competion of your 1 year contract, or at the end of your second year. If you give the 6 week notice before completion of your contract, it will be returned as well.
Work permit can be picked up anytime. 
So, it is getting better....maybe we'll hire John Gotti next week........cheers

[Mods-Rockers]

Sorry a little confused here, I always understood that the requirement under Thai law was to give 30 days notice, yet BCC will not, from what you say, return the "deposit" unless you accepts their bending of the law and post 42 days notice, nice what!

[samvimes]

the people that left had all been with BCC for more than 1 year and had completed their contracts.

Confusing I think. If you finish a 1 year contract and then sign a new 1 year contract and then leave half way through the new contract; doesn't that mean you broke the contract???

[JJ]

Sam, yes, if you want to extend, you can sign a new contract and leave anytime after giving the 6 weeks advance notice.
Mods,  THAI LAW???  Ha ha ha haha ha lol, what is that??? Thai law?   How long have you been in Thailand.   nice one...........cheers

[hero]

Mods,  THAI LAW?Huh??  Ha ha ha haha ha lol, what is that??? Thai law?

It's the law of Thailand.  It applies to Thais and farangs in terms of employment, offering legal protection for employees and a fair deal for all.  We are just as entitled to expect that the law be adhered to as are Thai employees.  If you want to be screwed out of a fair deal and scoff at those who insist the law is upheld, well that says a lot about you frankly!

[Mods-Rockers]

Mods,  THAI LAW???  Ha ha ha haha ha lol, what is that??? Thai law?   How long have you been in Thailand.   nice one...........cheers

Well seeing as how you work for a school that is notorious for disregarding that law yopu may well take that attitude, but there again you seemed willing to sell your soul on that proviso. personally I prefer legality and freedom, and BTW a few more years than you I have no doubt.

[JJ]

It was a joke, genius.   Jeezzzzzzzzz, where do some of these people come from?

[hero]

I'm sure all the teachers that have been shat on by BCC are laughing with you!

[Ronaldo]

Well Said Hero...

JJ you may feel that Thai law is to be scoffed at but it is there to protect both parties and believe it or not the vast majority of Thai's and foreigners here respect the rule of law, equally there are quite a few learning establishments that respect it as well, hence you don't see them being maligned on forums such as this one or elsewhere.

[Uncle Che]

Thai Schools and administrators wouldn't waste a minute using any law to their advantage in any situation with a farang. JJ, you only are told that the law means nothing because then you won't try legal means when you are screwed over.

[Mods-Rockers]

It was a joke, genius.   Jeezzzzzzzzz, where do some of these people come from?

You have studied under Kerux, latly of another forum. His favorite retort to one of his saying that blew back in his face was "I was only having a joke" the trouble is that you are not up to the speed of your master.

[samvimes]

Hi JJ,

Sam, yes, if you want to extend, you can sign a new contract and leave anytime after giving the 6 weeks advance notice.
Mods,  THAI LAW???  Ha ha ha haha ha lol, what is that??? Thai law?   How long have you been in Thailand.   nice one...........cheers

That's crap isn't it  BCC give a 1 year contract followed by another one year contract ad infinitum. Even if you give the 3 months notice they normally want, you are still breaking contract.

I've been in Thailand a long time JJ, in fact I know many people from a Thai university you have had the pleasure of dealing with in the past.  and they did mention some interesting things about some people having credentials that were a little bit fishy.....

The law is the law and BCC pay scant attention to it and have already been made to face the music before. Thai employment law is well on the side of the employee in any dispute.

cheers

[Mods-Rockers]

Oh dear are some people not all they are cracked up to be?

[JJ]

Sam, yes, I agree.  And I also agree that at every school in Thailand that hires foreign teachers will have a few 'dodgy' characters from time to time, some with real degrees and some without.  I'm sure the subject of 'fishy' degrees will always be around as long as there are teachers trying to one up each other and mudsling.  There will also always be some very good teachers around, some with degrees and some without.
Mods, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.  Go back to sleep.

[samvimes]

Hi Mods, yes it would appear that the reference I went to the trouble to obtain in regard to a certain individual would cast some doubt on some of their claims. 

[JJ]

Well Sam? Who is it? Are they working at BCC now? Tell us oh great stir master of the monger world......

[samvimes]

Would you like me to quote from the reference on here JJ.

I think you would be very upset if I did, maybe I'll just send it to the BCC board.....

By the way what's a "monger"?

[Uncle Che]

I have split off some posts here to the Sour Gripes room at the point where it kind of changed directions so you may check the thread in Sour Gripes.

[Mods-Rockers]

no probs

[JJ]

Good, now that's cleared up, on to other news.  Yes, the Admin. knew at the time I did the interview that I was doing the interview and read it all before it was posted.
We are having an Academic fair on Nov.27 and 28.  Sam and anyone else that would like to come is welcome.

[Uncle Che]

So the admin at BCC know their bad reputation and still refuse to do anything to clear things up?

[JJ]

So far this year, going into the 7 month of this schoolyear, the Admin. have done a great job.  By the way, our Academic fair is during the week, not on a weekend. cheers............

[hero]

Academic fair is during the week

No chance of me making it then .....

[blackmail]

JJ:

I think that it would only be fair, for you to reveal the names of the institutions, where you received your diplomas.  After all, you are representing a perspective employer (BCC)
here in this forum.  You say that you were in the military for 12 years; were you an Officer?

My experience says that many persons employed by BCC are very hush hush about their degrees.

[JJ]

Greetings...on Nov. 18 BCC will have a celebration honoring the past alumni of the school which will include an ex Prime Minister, doctors, lawyers, several movie stars and singers ect. ect.....this year it is not mandatory, although almost 100% of the foreign staff have volunteered to attend.  Should be fun.
Also, I must apologize, for saying that the time needed to turn in a letter of resignation is 6 weeks, when, in everyone's contract since the beginning of this school year, says 30 days. 
ttfn......

[Uncle Che]

Is it possible to have you scan a copy of the contract in, email it to me and I could post it here for everyone to see?

[blackmail]

Thaivisa.com has an interesting thread about "the worst schools in Thailand."  BCC is clearly the most mentioned school.

[DW]

I see the usual DENY DEFLECT tactic seems to be alive and well. 

JJ, answer the questions, theres a good boy!

[JJ]

We just finished up the Academic Fair yesterday.  It was quite a show.  5 other schools participated and were involved in the Academic competitions.  In the past it was always on a Saturday, it is now on a Monday and Tuesday.  I am going into my 8th month here, and have only had 1 mandatory meeting on a Saturday.  We also recieved an unexpected week off for the King's 60th year on the throne and the 'National Holiday' when the coup happened.  It's been a fairly smooth year so far....knock on wood.
 

[Yanqui]

So 'no' then?

[RobRoy]

JJ..you had a week off for the coup?  Dang, I think almost every other school in Thailand only had a day or two off.....I only got one and bragged to my friends in the States that I got a one day off from work because there was a coup d'tat in Thailand. And you got a week! 

[blackmail]

JJ, was John Mark Karr there?  Or did the staff decide that the self admitted pedophile was not kind enough to the children?

[Pibthong]

   I'd like to know more about JJ too, but asking for any information about someone who posts at TeflWatch, even the name of the degree-granting institution, seems a bit beyond the rules spirit of the site, does it not? I think that evaluating a person on the basis of his/her posts should remain as the regular and fair standard at TeflWatch. As for JJ's cheerful attitude toward his employer, it's true is it not that some people like the military life, or life in prison etc?

[hero]

I'm just happy that he's happy to be honest.  I'm happy for all the happy teachers.  I'm unhappy for his unhappy colleagues - although they are far less vociferous than they were in the past.  Perhaps this school is improving ......

[Mods-Rockers]

Or perhaps there is a new rule in the school that suspicion of making a post here that is not nice to the school automatically forfeits the 20k be a good boy money.

[los_teacher]

Thank you 'hero' for acknowledging that improvement is possible, even for a school like BCC.  I have been following all of the various posts regarding the school and was rather concerned when i took a position at BCC at the beginning of this year. 

I've been in Thailand for 4.5 years now and have worked at 3 schools - the first for 6 months, the second for 3.5 years and this year at BCC.  I have friends who worked at BCC 5 years ago and friends who worked here last year.  From what i've heard and read things must have been pretty bad.  But the truth is that I can say, with complete sincerity, that I don't see the kinds of problems and negative things happening these days that must have gone on in the past. 

No school is perfect but, from my experience this year, i can only conclude that BCC has made great efforts to correct many of the bigger problems that occurred in the past.  The management at BCC is, by far, the best I have worked with in my time in Thailand.  The students are a challenge to be sure, but they not malicious in any way, and they are generally good kids, and some of them are fantastic.

Just thought i'd put my 2 cents in on this.  I've been wanting to do this for some time now but seeing the treatment JJ has received in this thread I just didn't feel up to the abuse... 

[RobRoy]

Hero,

Are they not posting because things are getting better ( I hope so ) or is it because they are learning the meaning of the word "futility".

After all the stuff that has appeared on this site and others, wouldn't be cool to hear if the power of websites like this, and others, has made a difference at a school?  BCC could be the perfect example of the power of our opinions.....or the lack thereof.  

Lets hear from some teachers at BCC about what effect the internet has had on the school!

JJ...what effect has the comments on the internet affected management/teacher relations at BCC.

A pretty simple and direct question....

[RobRoy]

Los_Teacher,

Great post....glad someone has the cohones to post postive changes at BCC.  And you're right, JJ has been put thru the shit with some of the most pessimistic people in Thailand.

Its good you're putting a positive spin on things from your prospective.  Could you get other teachers to post about the improvements?   We here at Teflwatch want an unbiased opinion so the more teachers that speak out the better for everyone!

[hero]

Hero,

Are they not posting because things are getting better ( I hope so ) or is it because they are learning the meaning of the word "futility".

Dunno dude - you read what I read.  I have never even been to the place and the two guys I knew in BCC are long gone!  Maybe it really is getting better **does 7 handstands in disbelief**!

[hero]

We here at Teflwatch want an unbiased opinion so the more teachers that speak out the better for everyone!

I'm with him on that one!

[Andy]

Thanks los_teacher, nice to hear a positive post. Like , can the school change? I'm sure it could, your post seems more genuine that JJ dude's posts. There's still the deal with the 20k per month and paying money to get your salary. Do ya still have to pay money to get your salary? Do they still jack 20k from you salary as hostage money?

 

[los_teacher]

1) Yes, I believe there is a 10 bt charge for the bank transaction for salaries.  Frankly I'm not concerned over the loss of 120 Bt annually.  One learns to pick the battles working here in thailand and this is a pointless one to me.

2) Yes, they do take 4,000 Bt per month for the first 5 months.  This really grated on me during those 5 months.  I found it offensive and demeaning.  But now that i've paid in the 20k it is not so much of a problem.  To be fair, I was told about this policy before I signed the contract.  They went to extra lengths to make sure i understood and agreed to this clause.  It wasn't the nicest feeling walking into a new job feeling untrusted , but that's the way they do it - and i agreed by my signature.  At the end of the second year I will get the passbook for that bank account and the money will be mine again.  I will also get that back if I resign in a professional way.  Moreover this policy was only promulgated because too many foreign teachers were walking out in unprofessional ways, thus putting the school in a very difficult position with parents, other teachers, students, etc...  So today i look at that 20,000 bt a nice little nest egg waiting for me in a time when i will need it.

3) The salary is decent, the benefits are very good, and the holidays are also good.  Overall the package is much better than most schools of this type.  I believe that only Assumption College has a higher starting salary.  Unfortunately, Assumption is having pretty severe problems this year with management-teacher relations and i wouldn't want to work there until these get sorted.  Also, the BCC Board of Directors has been made aware of the salary discrepancy, and there's a good chance that all salaries at BCC will be increased for the next contract term.

I'm happy to answer any questions honestly, and provide further details as necessary, so long as the debate and discussion remains healthy and professional.  I'm not interested in arguing about this, that, or the other thing.  The point of this website is to provide teachers with objective facts, and balanced perspectives on the more subjective aspects, of schools in thailand.  If we all keep this in mind, then all teachers can benefit.

[blackmail]

Would anyone care to discuss why there is no playground for the students?  Why do they run the corridors like they've each had a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper?

Or perhaps, we could talk about the Summer Camp ripoffs.  Maybe we could talk about the viscous backstabbing that occurs between teachers.  Yes, some people actually enjoy being incarcerated.  There are some folks out there, who will even pay to have someone **** on their face.

[los_teacher]

I'll try to address the things Blackmail has inquired about:

1) Playground:  There is no playground per se'.  Instead there are 3 floors of indoor gymnasiums (each larger than a full-length basketball court) , 1 regulation size outdoor grass football field (which is now being used, they close it during the rainy season to repair the grass), 1 newly built swimming pool, and one or 3 or 4 outdoor areas roughly the size of full-length basketball courts. 

2) Summer Camp: I'm not sure about this issue.   Here is what i know: there is a summer camp that we must attend that occurs during the contracted working time.  It will be 3 days long and occur on weekdays.  Summer break begins AFTER the summer camp.  There is a small additional remuneration that teachers will get because of the overnight requirements.  I understand that last year they deducted accomodation costs from that remuneration.  This last clause seems unfair to me and I intend to explain this to my supervisor.   I will let ya'll know what happens next March...

3) Backstabbing:  I heard that backstabbing was a major problem last year and was part of the reason why a large number of teachers were not retained.  This year the backstabbing is limited to the usual gossip that happens in all workplaces - mostly harmless.  All this pertains only to the department in which i work because i don't have inside knowledge of the other departments...

4) Teacher Retention:  In my department I believe that all teachers will be invited to return and that most teachers will accept this invitation.  Of the 15 or so foreign teachers in my department perhaps 1 or 2 won't come back.  We'll find out at the end of the year, and again I will let you all know...

5) Kids Running the Corridors:  Yes, it still happens.  Yes, it is annoying.  Yes, I have been jostled and stepped on.  Yes, I think the issue should be addressed.  And no, it probably will NOT be addressed.

[RobRoy]

Blackmail....where can you buy Dr. Pepper in Bangkok....haven't had any since I've been here and truely miss it.

[Pibthong]

   As usual, won't we need more posts from at least a few more teachers who've had immediate experience at BCC but recently have left and from those such as los_teacher who presently are at BCC?

   A complete turnabout by BCC would be great news for us all and would confirm the power and impact of internet sites such as TeflWatch. The massive inertia of the Titanic couln't move it quickly or sharply enuff to avert disaster. So what supposedly is making BCC avoid the next iceberg? Has the composition of the BCC Board changed? If so, how? If not, what evidence and proof can be see that indicates that the identical, same or similar BCC Boad has turned suddenly enuff, quickly enuff and decisively enuff to begin to change its course radically?

   If there's something there, it could serve as a model or example to other schools and would be most welcome and, I would be sure, duly recognized. However, if all we're getting from JJ but especially from los-teacher amounts to only a peaches and cream fantasy, then we'd need to flesh that out too.

   BCC foreign teachers present and immediatly former, please move the ball at this point...

[Mr X]

After seven months at BCC, I can state that I am pleased to be a teacher at BCC.  On the whole, I have found that I like my bosses, the students, and my co-workers. The administration has lived up to the contract without any surprises so far. 

Comparing BCC to the two other schools I worked for, I have found BCC to be a much more pleasant job.  I have encountered much less of the maddening faults of the Mc-Sarasas Empire and the government zoos. 

I found at BCC much of what was missing for me at the other schools.  Here is an abbreviated list:

1.   My bosses back me up when they should, and they have not been arbitrary. 
2.   The students are clever and have personality. 
3.   My co-workers respect my opinion and behave professionally.
4.   The administration is not intrusive and keeps to itself for the most part.

During my other teaching jobs, I felt like packing it in nearly every other week. Since I started last May at BCC, I have only twice felt near the end of my tether.  I believe that is a very favorable report.

My only significant gripe is the 20,000 baht withholding to prevent runners.  Witnessing five runners at the other schools, I can understand the need for a withholding until the contract is completed.  I think that the amount should be about 10,000 baht.

The old posts on the board sound like an entirely different school than the current BCC.  I’ll periodically post my opinion of BCC be it positive or negative.  I can only speak of my program which is the IEP. 

To prevent a few absurd postings:

I am neither a paid corporate stooge nor a brown-nosing shill.  I don’t wear rose-tinted glasses.  I don’t subsist on peaches and cream. 

I am merely an English teacher like the rest of us.

Yours honestly,

Mr X

[lemon]

Did you guys know a manager who uses I and not we in reference to the enterprise is 5 times more likely to fail in business?

[los_teacher]

Hmm....  Not really sure what Lemon is going for here.   In any case - I chose to use 'I' exclusively in my post to indicate that this is my own personal experience, thus allowing for differences of opinion.

Peaches and Cream?

Well, not really.  Having worked in Thailand for almost 5 years I have adapted and adjusted fairly well to the work environments here.  Many things happen now and I just shrug or shake my head - TIT.   Some of these things would certainly have sent me into an indignant and righteous rage during my first year(s) here.  My perspective has changed over the years I guess....

It's all relative.  But I do stick by my earlier comment:  I find the conditions at BCC to be far better than at any other schools I have worked for.  I agree with each of the 4 points mentioned by Mr. X.

All in all I am happy and see no reason to change schools for the next 4 or 5 years, perhaps more.  Ultimately I'll get a proper certification from back home, but for now i'll continue developing my skills in the teaching profession, which will in turn improve the education of the students - and that's what it's all about anyway.

[NukeThemSlowly]

Hmmm... so once again we have two relative newbies, piping up after a term change with the next great TURNAROUND of BCC... after a grand old year including not less than:

...multiple teachers getting screwed and/or fired (as usual)....one arrest and deportation of a teacher on international credit fraud charges...at least one (perhaps more) deaths of students from disease contracted on the grounds....one arrest and deportation of *another* teacher as "undesirable," catapulting BCC into international infamy

Some of these events are less than 6 months old.

I can understand BCC'd want to promote a changed image- even if they didn't really mean it- but there's no way it's changed this quickly.  Two newbies backing each other up on the whole seems-like-a-totally-different-school-now BS just seems fishy to me.

Brownie points to both of them at least for complaining about the contract deposit.  BCC has a lot of nerve claiming that teachers ditch out on them, with their history of arbitrary firing.

[Mr X]

Hmmm... so once again we have two relative newbies, piping up after a term change with the next great TURNAROUND of BCC...

I can understand BCC'd want to promote a changed image- even if they didn't really mean it- but there's no way it's changed this quickly.  Two newbies backing each other up on the whole seems-like-a-totally-different-school-now BS just seems fishy to me.

Allow me to paraphrase, "You're new, so your opinion has no value or merit.  You're a BCC plant too." 

I particularly enjoyed your use of the derisory words "newbie" and "piping up."

Yes, we are new.  Maybe this allows us to see the current situation more clearly than looking through biased lenses from the past.  On the other hand, maybe we haven't encountered all of the dark side yet. 

This is why I posted my current subjective and mostly favorable opinion.  Remember, I mentioned future posts about what happens both good and bad. 

Will I get the bonus or will I get sacked?  Tune in next March!

I ask a question arising from curiosity:  Did you work at BCC or are have you been retailed second hand opinions by biased and angry people?

If you wish to verify my existence, please ask for XXXX XXXX in IEP.  As long as you're not psychotic, I have no trouble discussing things in person.   

No stalkers please.

Sincerely,

XXXX XXXX AKA Mr X

Mod edit: Remember, no names.

[Andy]

Is it possible that the school has changed? Sure. I got some inside dope from the old admin here that one dude very high up is personally tryin' to clean things up specifically because of TEFLWatch. If that's true, then we oughta take things at face value. But WTF cares? We'll know the straight dope in March.

[bomha]

Maybe there is a proverb in Thai like "a new broom sweeps clean."  Old schools are institutions which have their own culture, habits that die a very slow death.  Let us wait and see.  Even Russia finally changed.

If a school in the Hall of Shame gets better, TEFL Watch can take some credit for that change.

[blackmail]

It appears that the HOS is working!  We can't do away with it.  Imagine if we would have the same amount of leverage to get rid of bad administrative staff as the leverage the Thai parent's use to get rid of falang teachers.  Then the administrators would make sure they stay out of the HOS (without making threats, of course), or it would be the end of their jobs!  Or, the only way for a two star school to make it out of the HOS, would be administrative replacements.

[JJ]

Yes, it's been quiet lately as we are trying to cover as much material as possible before our Christmas vacation.
The schoolboard has made almost everything voluntary this year for the foreign teachers, such as our BCC fair, the Alumni day, the Christmas party and so on, and left it up to the teachers to decide if they want to support the school, and I'm happy to say that there has been a near 100% turnout from our teachers.
After next week, we will be enjoying our Christmas bonuses and our vacation that the schoolboard has given us.
I know some of you hate the fact that there are some teachers who enjoy working here, but so be it.  Don't worry, with the great number of foreign teachers we have at this school, I'm sure it won't be long until someone does something for everyone to yak about.  In the meantime, I WILL report on the good things as well. 
No, it's not all peaches and cream, it's a lot of hard work too, and the normal everyday frustrations, but nothing like I've been told it was in the past................ttfn

[accurate reporting]

I was very disappointed that JJ merely posted the same response for two threads even though they were looking at BCC from different angles.

Has the HOS had an impact at BCC?  You talk about the holidays as some special perk, as you know most private schools give their foreign staff generous holidays as it ties in with half term / sports day / camps etc.  I take it your bonus is guaranteed by your posting - you didn't give any details of the bonus.  As to extra curricular events that's normal in teaching - parents day / sports day / managing teams   etc.  As long as it's not to excessive it's OK so whats the problem.  I'm glad the Stasi or whatever term you could call management that make such events compulsory aren't doing so - progress.

[blackmail]

.......1 month 'Base' salary (about 40,000 for most teachers) to be paid half at Christmas and half at the end of the contract.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this about a 20% DECREASE from a few years ago.  If this is the case, They are now paying just a small bit more than the other schools in BKK.  So is it really worth it?  Another case of "the goal posts continuously moving."  Bear in mind, Sathorn is one of the most expensive areas in the whole country.

[los_teacher]

The bonus is determined by the 'base' salary which is about the same for all teachers.  The actual monthly salary is 20%-60% more than the base salary depending on type of degree a teacher holds, whether you have a homeroom class, years teaching at BCC, etc...

There are teachers renting 2 bedroom houses in Sathorn for 9,000 Bt per month.  Not so easy to find, but reasonable housing is available in the area if one takes the time to search...

[ponder]

I have been teaching in the IEP at BCC since August 2005, teaching M4-M6. Up to now, I have enjoyed the experience very miuch and my impression is that the majority of the teachers are very happy here. This year, at least four of our "new" teachers are people who worked here previously, went to work in other countries and returned to BCC. If it was such a bad place, they would surely have looked elsewhere.

There is a good atmosphere in the staffroom. Teachers help each other by sharing resources and ideas and also socialise together quite a lot.

There are a few things I don't enjoy. I am not looking forward to the Summer Camp, for example. I wish I could worm my way out of it but unfortunately, it is in my contract so I will have to grin and bear it. However, there are many very positive things to report at BCC : good resources, unintrusive but observant management, freedom for teachers to use their own teaching methods (within reason), small class sizes (maximum eighteen students per class, usually much less), and polite, fun-loving students. In spite of all the bad press that this school has received in the past (and I was aware of this before I accepted the job here), this is a good place to teach.

The school is conveniently located and it offers quite a good remuneration package including generous holidays and bonuses. Having spoken to teachers from several other schools and compared our situations, I consider myself fortunate to be working at BCC.

[blackmail]

It does appear that things are improving. I'm sure there are some nooks and crannies in the school that are quite good.  But, back to my question of several months ago:  How do you think this will look on your resumes?
Due to events of the recent past (nothing to do with this site), BCC is now World reknown.  I came back to North America, got hired working with students (200% more money) and I while I told them I spent a year in LOS, I sure as heck did not mention my affiliation with JMK or BCC.

[los_teacher]

Thanks blackmail for that completely valid point.  The reputation of the school is important to any teacher's career.  In this case, I think that within Thailand the reputation of BCC is fairly strong and I will have little to worry about.  I think that working at BCC will in fact help me with my next career move in Thailand.  As far as the rest of the world: as time goes on this will become a distant memory for people not directly involved in the school or the Ramsey case.  Time passes - people forget.  The good news is that I am happy where I work and that I expect to be here for several years, long enough to weather any lingering storms from that unfortunate situation.

[bomha]

I am not one of those guys with a B.Ed. and a M.Ed. and fully certified, so I do not know.  But my buddy teaches in the States and to them, Thailand is so far off the radar (literally) that they don't know.  Oh, he did write to say that in Hilary Clinton's book, Chiang Mai is a center of human traffiking.  If my buddy is sitting in the staffroom in Omaha Nebraska, would he know the reputation of Xiong Shi Academy in some remote province of China?  Or even in Bejing?  I do not think so.

I did not think that teaching in Thailand is that much of a plus to professional school employers in the West in any event, unless you're fully fully qualified and teaching in a fully qualified international school that's accredited.

[blackmail]

As far as the rest of the world: as time goes on this will become a distant memory for people not directly involved in the school or the Ramsey case.  Time passes - people forget. 

Yes, los_teacher, time passes, but unfortunately so does TIME Magazine, which has a circulation of 100 million, and is distributed in 60 languages in over 130 countries.  Do a Google search and you will easily find the archived article, where a BCC "board member" admits that he did not bother to check out JMK's references, one of which was merely across town.  They even talk about the much disputed employee turnover at BCC, which seems to vary between 5% and 90%, depending on who you ask.  See you at "Summer Camp."

[blackmail]

 

[los_teacher]

Lucky for me i'm getting married this year, just started a 6 year loan on a new vehicle, and the wife will open a business this year.  So i'm settling in for the long haul here in Thailand and won't have to worry about positions abroad for a long while...
 

[anyonefortennis]

I don't mean to be rude, but I can't say I can see too much that is lucky about starting a six year loan, given the question mark hanging over the future economic direction (up or down..........down, down down!) of Thailand I'd be tempted to think that it is perhaps a tad foolhardy. And I'm not so sure that this is the time to be starting a new business, it takes a brave man to open a business in a recession.

As for getting married, all the best.

[Pibthong]

   Ditto. Beware the Tsunami, whether it hits from the sea, Government House, the military barracks, the SET, the central bank, the Baht, the bastards etc.

[JJ]

NO, there was no raid at BCC, and no reason for one.  As a matter of fact, we just had our annual inspection and recertification from the Education Dept. the first week of Jan. and maxed it.  Yes, the camps are coming up soon and everyone is looking forward to the change of pace a bit. All of our camps are being held during the normal work week and we will be taking our Mathayom students to Kanchanaburi for 4 days, should be fun. Time is flying, we're off tomorrow for Teachers day and then back to prepare for the end of year exams and camps.  It was a great holiday, and we are looking forward to winding this year up next month.

[teflschmefl]

...."unintrusive but observant management"...does this mean that the Head of IEP still has her army of personal informers skulking around the corridors staring through the windows at the farang teachers?

...and are the teachers still banned from looking at the TeflWatch website?

I look forward to a post from an out-going teacher.

[Mods-Rockers]

Is Thai-ness catching? It's just that I woke up this morning with a strange empty feeling in my head...

Just noticed this and had to giggle uncontrollably. cheers m8 made a glum day much better!

[JJ]

Bewildered,  you know how inspections/certs/ even IMO quals,  are done here in LOS, so I don't really need to answer on that one, but we were prepared just in case.  Here is MY point, SO FAR, THIS YEAR, there have been zero BIG prolems, GRANTED, the year is not yet over and NOW, nearing contract completion / renewal is usually when things go helter skelter at most schools.  So, we will wait and see how the year ends.  Granted, some people will not get their contract renewed for different reasons, will be angry and may even post on here.  No sweat, that's life.  I can truthfully say many changes have actually taken place, changes for a better working environment, and I am SURE this website had something to do with it, as well as improved hiring practices in our dept..
Teachers read TEFLwatch often and no one has ever said anything about reading or posting on it in our dept.. No teacher has been micro managed this year unless they had shown an inability to do their job, ie., classroom mgmt., following lesson plans, using good judgement regarding your own and the students actions in class etc. same old same old........
I'll also throw in a plug for the EIP (English Immersion Program) dept....I teach an extra class of P2 students after school and the students are all EIP students and for their grade level (grade 2) their English is outstanding, and whoever their teachers are - they learn all subjects in English except Thai reading, writing, grammar etc.-  have done a lot of hard work with them.
Stay tuned for more..........

[hero]

I can truthfully say many changes have actually taken place, changes for a better working environment

Care to elaborate ..... ?

I am SURE this website had something to do with it

Does that mean I get all the credit for starting the BCC thread?

[teflschmefl]

Reading posts by JJ always reminds me of the old Sandie Shaw Classic - "like a puppet on a string"

[Mods-Rockers]

Reading posts by JJ always reminds me of the old Sandie Shaw Classic - "like a puppet on a string"

To be fair, JJ is only carrying out his duties and responsibilities as a farang under manager (read administrative go between) and intelligible spin doctor. It does seem that he may be hinting that trouble is brewing with the following:

So, we will wait and see how the year ends.  Granted, some people will not get their contract renewed for different reasons, will be angry and may even post on here.  No sweat, that's life.

Where have we heard that befor? Sadly, all too often, the term ‘different reasons’ can cover a multitude of sins on both sides.  How often has a overly critical teacher been branded something quite different when he is let go. Will that be the case again come the end of the semester. How often has there been a frivolous reason given for withholding a bonus? Will the teachers who are ‘let go’ get their ransom money back, will they get the accrued interest? Will they have to wait for it?

I can truthfully say many changes have actually taken place, changes for a better working environment, and I am SURE this website had something to do with it, as well as improved hiring practices in our dept..
Teachers read TEFLwatch often and no one has ever said anything about reading or posting on it in our dept.. No teacher has been micro managed this year unless they had shown an inability to do their job, ie., classroom mgmt., following lesson plans, using good judgement regarding your own and the students actions in class etc. same old same old........

Yes same old same old, we shall have to wait and see, the thing is that any gagging restriction placed on a teacher while he is in the contract would not be worth much when he/she is let go. So we may start seeing stories coming out soon, and no doubt the spindoctors will have a different spin to put on the story.

Stay tuned for more..........

Oh we will, jj, we surely will. Actually I do sincerely hope that what you have been stating over the last six months has more than a ring of truth to it. It would be nice to believe that a leopard can indeed change its spots. If its true you never know, it may catch on in other schools, nah wishful thinking!

[NukeThemSlowly]

So, JJ, by saying there has been no trouble this year, do you mean this CALENDAR year (i.e., 1/1-1/20)?  If so, it's hardly surprising that not so much has happened yet.

If you mean in the last 365 days, then haven't you forgotten about the two arrests, the repeated complaints from teachers quitting and having been fired, the student deaths, etc., etc.?

Hero:  Credit where credit is due.  I'm giving you a rep. point.
 

MR:  Bet you anything you like after they're fired JJ's friend Dr. Tweedle-Dee will be back to say they were "backpacking slackers," which of course was not evident at all when they were hired.

 

[Mods-Rockers]

nor for the first semester or the majority of the second! Seems they hid the dreadlocks well until right up to the end.

Talking of the good doctor. he has been unusually silient of late! could it be that BCC have made JJ their only spindoctor?

[blackmail]

We haven't heard from BKKMAN since August.  Looks like a JJ is the sole PR "man" at this time.

[JJ]

Jeeeeeeeeeez, you guys must have been bored this last weekend, or just jealous with rage as bewildered obviously is....set em' up and you'll ?  What an idiot.
1. JMK wasn't 'hired' here.  He was beginning his probation in the EIP when he was told to leave because he couldn't manage a classroom.
2. The kid didn't die here, he died at home and he didn't have foot to mouth, the school was cleaned as a precaution.
3. I am not Bkkman, I only post under my own name.
4. Any of you are still invited to come and visit me here anytime for a guided tour.

ttfn............

[Mods-Rockers]

Jeeeeeeeeeez, you guys must have been bored this last weekend, or just jealous with rage as bewildered obviously is....set em' up and you'll ?  What an idiot.
1. JMK wasn't 'hired' here.  He was beginning his probation in the EIP when he was told to leave because he couldn't manage a classroom.

I am a little confused by your statement #1 above!
“JMK wasn't 'hired' here” Are you saying that no contract of employment was in force? Are you saying that it is BCC’s policy to make teacher work their probation period without being hired? The implication of this is that BCC are forcing the teacher to work illegally and thus BCC would also be acting in an illegal fashion! If JMK was not hired then he would not have had a work permit, what did the labor department have to say to the BCC administration regarding this gross violation of Thai laws?

You know one of the prime tenets of being a good spin doctor, is to either have  background in the law or to check any statements you make with the legal department before they are made, its called damage limitation, or to put it in simpler form it stops you putting both feet in your mouth simultaneously!!!!!!!

With regards to the sad case of the dead child, your spin that he died at home is very fragile. Many victims of RTA’s die in hospital, that does not imply that there was a multiple vehicle collision in the emergency room.

I note that you deny being BKKMAN, and I have no reason to disbelieve you, I also note that you neatly avoided the suggestion that you were now the only official/semi official spindoctor, and that gagging orders had been placed on all other BCC employed farangs!

Have a nice day spinning off the walls!!!

[teflschmefl]

JJ, inviting others for a guided tour is going to prove what exactly? BTW, Kim Jong Il is also inviting tourists to North Korea for 'guided tours' to prove that all is good and working just fine!!....Or is it just your way of saying "come round here and say that"?

Ironic that you had to wait until going back into work before posting a reply. I can picture you in the bosses office "those nasty people have been saying bad things again, what shall I say?"

Of course John Karr was hired, as is everybody working their 3 month probation period.

Although, I must confess that I don't believe the rumours that a certain Mr. G.L. Itter has been hired as a co-ordinator for next semester.

[JJ]

Welcome back....  the reason that I am the main poster on this thread is because it is about me, at BCC.  There is another thread that is about BCC only.  This thread was started by Phil about me, at BCC.  I will continue to post information about BCC here regardless of the retarded comments made by some of the mongers here. Bewildered is a good name for you, or retarded....a rose

Mods - As you may or may not know, schools in Thailand offer you a contract, and then begin the process of obtaining the teachers license, work permit, and then the one year visa.  The contract is needed, or at least a letter verifying that you will work at a school to get a b visa. I have never known anyone that had their work permit on the first day of a new job in Thailand, ever.  You may very well know much more than me about the written law
in Thailand, I 'm just stating what actually happens.  I don't 'spin' any info., I just write what's happening, since I actually DO work here.  Some of the people that were fired from here, or not good enough to get hired here, like teflschmefl,  just constantly try to create problems, such is life.

Wow, cool, I would like a free tour of North Korea, where do I sign up?

[Mods-Rockers]

As Bewildered so nicely put it, ‘nice wriggle’

Mods - As you may or may not know, schools in Thailand offer you a contract, and then begin the process of obtaining the teachers license, work permit, and then the one year visa.  The contract is needed, or at least a letter verifying that you will work at a school to get a b visa. I have never known anyone that had their work permit on the first day of a new job in Thailand, ever.  You may very well know much more than me about the written law
in Thailand, I 'm just stating what actually happens.

You had made a statement that was so obviously a li… so obviously erroneous that I challenged it. You then spun that away from to try and deflect from the issue/challenge. Either JMK was hired or he was not, you made a statement say he was not and yet the facts state otherwise making you a …?

You do state quite correctly what tends to actually happen in the majority of school in Thailand. This is sadly normally the fault of the school and its inept administration. My own school had my WP in my hand within 48 hours of signing the contract, it would have been 24 except I mislaid my medical certificate and thus they were delayed. I was told by a close friend of my wife who works for one schools admin that the stories the schools give to teachers about delays getting TL and WP were mostly BS and was just the school trying to save money on teachers that would not get past probation, often because they complained too much about the inept administration. The TL can take a little time but very rarely longer than two weeks unless the school has fcuked the paperwork yet again or there is a query about the authenticity of the applicant’s degree.

Now I wonder what spin will be put on this?

I don't 'spin' any info., I just write what's happening, since I actually DO work here.  Some of the people that were fired from here, or not good enough to get hired here, like teflschmefl,  just constantly try to create problems, such is life.
 

You don’t ‘spin’ oh, pardon me but to paraphrase something stated on this thread; a duck by any other name still goes ‘quack quack’ some people were fired from there and some were not hired and are thus free to speak, I have noticed that you have never addressed the point about present employees, yourself excluded having a gagging notice placed on them, what was it I heard (rumour and not so far confirmed” that the 20k withholding money is forfeit if you post on teflwatch or anywhere else about the school? Are you going to deny it?

[los_teacher]

I've never been asked not to post by the administration at BCC.  I have never been threatened with losing the 20k for posting, nor have I heard of any such threat to another teacher.  I simply stopped posting here for a few reasons:

1) there was no compelling reason to do so, I am still relatively happy 
2) it's nearing the end of the year and things are getting a bit busy
3) the tone of the recent posts on this thread isn't very productive.  Few questions have been asked, and many of the comments have been inflammatory, nitpicking, and 'trollish'.

But hey, we all get bored sometimes, and it is the nature of forums for people to get picked apart for no other reason than that it is amusing to do so.

I'd be happy to answer any direct questions anyone asks of me, but i promise i won't offer you a tour....


Note: I should also add that posting at teflwatch directly helped me with a nasty situation that occurred with Assumption College over the summer term (feel free to read that thread if you don't know what i'm talking about).  So I definitely value this site.  I strongly believe that it has, does, and will continue to be a great resource for foreign teachers in Thailand.

[teflschmefl]

JJ, never been fired from there, will never be applying for a job there.

Actually, I'm surprised you ever got a job there yourself judging from your photo on the website. You look as if you've just come straight off a 12 hour bender!

[los_teacher]

i think this is what you were looking for....

http://www.bcc.ac.th/web2005/index052.htm

[Nemesis]

No more diggs about JJ looks or about his picture, ok? And lay off the fact that he is posting here, but please continue to question what he is saying. He is their spin doctor and and when he posts what he posts, he is just doing his job, just like whores and cops are just doing their jobs.  How many of us in the same position would be doing the same thing? I think we need just to wait and we might hear some great stories about teachers who have escaped from the clutches of BCC.

[JJ]

Also, we are having our BCC walkathon at Lumpini Park this Sunday beginning at 06:30.  It's volunteer only.  All you guys are invited.......

[JJ]

We just went over SIX THOUSAND hits on this thread !!!  You guy's are doing a great job !!!  Keep up the good work !!

[los_teacher]

I think we need just to wait and we might hear some great stories about teachers who have escaped from the clutches of BCC.

Alternatively we might just find that in a few weeks, when teachers are informed of their retention status, this thread remains distressingly quiet and free of complaint from current BCC teachers (as it has for the last 9 months).

Just a thought....

[teflschmefl]

"Alternatively we might just find that in a few weeks, when teachers are informed of their retention status, this thread remains distressingly quiet and free of complaint from current BCC teachers (as it has for the last 9 months)."


I don't see many current teachers defending you either!


It's very kind of you but I'll decline your offer to walk around in circles at 6.30 in the morning

[los_teacher]

Lets look at the stats from this thread:


Current Teachers at BCC

Number of teachers who posted negatively:  0
Number of teachers who posted positively:   6



Past Teachers or People Who Never Taught at BCC

Number of teachers who posted negatively:  12
Number of teachers who posted neutrally:    7
Number of teachers who posted positively:    0


So there have been no negative postings from people who currently work here.  In fact 6 different teachers who currently work here posted positive remarks.   That is interesting.

Even more interesting is that not one current teacher posted negatively.   There are plenty of people who did post negatively but they all either worked here in the past or never worked here at all.

If I am looking to work at a school then I think that the most important thing to consider is whether the teachers who currently work for the school are happy, and if they find the working conditions favorable.  The history of a school is, however, not unimportant.  The history shows where the traps may be, and might suggest lurking dangers.  It should not be ignored, but it is not nearly as important as the present conditions.

[los_teacher]

Posting on a forum is completely anonymous (with the exception of JJ of course) - so why would it be unwise to post negatively?

In the past - the time when BCC earned it's reputation - many teachers employed at BCC made many negative posts and a few made positive posts.  So what is different now?  Why are there no negative posts from teachers who work here?

I also think that it is extremely significant that six different teachers working at BCC posted positively in this thread.  If someone can point me to any thread from any other school on this forum that has such overwhelming support from it's staff I'll be surprised.  Very few people bother even posting on a site like this in the first place and to have six from one school - all in favor - is almost unheard of here.

I never indicated in any way that the experiences people had in the past were to be treated lightly.  I validated their position and their experiences.  What I did try to do was to place their grievances in the appropriate context.  I believe that change is possible in any individual or organization.  And I believe the best indicator for job satisfaction in any workplace is the job satisfaction of the present employees.

In any case, valid conclusions cannot be reached until after the announcements are made about next year.  If all turns out bad, I'll be the first one back here with a complaint.  Best we just wait and see....

[Pibthong]

   Jus' for ol' times sake, Teflwatch still has the "Special Partners Sarasas and BCC" thread at the Sour Gripes function. I was jus' glancing over it. I got some good perspective re-reading the thread. A few chuckles too.

  How's that thread look today? JJ, los_teacher, others, whaddayu think?

[teflschmefl]

Maybe some things have changed, who knows, we'll just have to wait and see if any outgoing teachers (if there are any) tell us any different. I'm not sure how much the fact that no current teachers have posted negative comments tells us. What I do know for a fact is that there was quite a witch-hunt last year to find teachers that were doing so, and there WAS a ban on accessing Teflwatch. Like I said, maybe that's changed.

I don't have anything personal against the pro-BCC posters on here, but JJ's original slating of all ex-teachers being of somewhat suspect character ( entirely based on hearsay ) needs a retraction. Maybe that's already happened, I haven't read a lot of the early threads.

[JJ]

He he he, brown nose who or what, for what?  I mearly keep posting here because I like to read your blather and watch you try to out stupify yourself.  I really like it when you try to disect others posts by breaking it down sentence by sentence and using your limited intellegence and sharp as a bowling ball wit to try to make yourself sound like you have a clue ha ha ha.
Jealousy has never been show in such a bright light. Don't get upset, you're still invited to the Walkathon this Sunday he he he.......

[teflschmefl]

JJ, whenever anyone disagrees with you, you accuse them of jealousy....how old are you? Can you explain just what it is that we're supposed to be jealous of?    BTW, it's merely, not mearly. Wow, and you an English teacher!!!

It sounds like you're getting a bit flustered old boy. Go and ask your boss to give you a cuddle and a pat on the head. Now run along and be a good boy.

[samvimes]

I only have "limited intellegence" (sic) and I work for BCC.....

The only people I know who left BCC all doubled or tripled their salaries and went to work somewhere more professional.

[JJ]

Ouch, you got me on the spelling schmefl, how embarrassing !!!!!

[blackmail]

JJ, never been fired from there, will never be applying for a job there.

Actually, I'm surprised you ever got a job there yourself judging from your photo on the website. You look as if you've just come straight off a 12 hour bender!

http://203.146.122.12/iep/IEP_teachers_M1to5.html

I couldn't help but to notice a resemblence between JJ and Otis Cambell on The Andy Griffin Show.

Hey Otis, you better keep your paws offa yung Ope or youins gonna spend some time in Sherrif Taylor's Jail, where Gomer Pyle will have his way withya.

But seriously, isn't it a bit starange that none of the faculty give their academic credentials?  After all--it is a learning institute.  Otis, ah, I mean JJ, could you please tell us what pig farm you worked at before you came to BCC?

[JJ]

JJ (aka Otis)   thanks for the compliment !   I like Otis ! And I wish I had a pig farm  Only hi so folks where I come from get to own businesses like that.....The reason we don't discuss credentials is because it's absolutely NONE of your business      You want to know about the school, ask away......ttfn
ps... don't forget about the Walkathon on Sunday.......

[Mods-Rockers]

The reason we don't discuss credentials is because it's absolutely NONE of your business 

Fair comment, however it’s the norm for academic establishments to do so if only as a method of one upmanship, of course if there was something to hide! Also fair comment, don’t you think?

[JJ]

Sure mods, but jeeez, could you imagine all the great feedback you'd get from the shi* stirrers on this forum.  Regardless of where you went to school, it would immediately be the crappiest schoool on the planet that let's anyone in and let's anyone graduate etc. etc.yadda yadda yadda.......ALMOST ANY question asked on this forum is bait for the mongers
The biggest losers ALWAYS try to post something that they think will make themselves sound more mature or intelligent while trying to drag down fellow teachers.
This forum is SUPPOSED  to be about dragging down bad SCHOOLS.
But it's still a lot of fun to watch the wannabe BCC teachers dog the ones who ARE !!!!  Jealousy is a hard emotion to kill  ....he he he.........

[JJ]

And going COMPLETELY off topic, so please forgive me, but I read about the teachers that were locked up and I feel exactly like ya'll do.  Any of us teaching a class on the side, could get scooped up and lose everything while we are only trying to help Thailand further itself.  Just doesn't make any sense,,,,,,

[samvimes]

But it's still a lot of fun to watch the wannabe BCC teachers dog the ones who ARE

I really want to work at BCC, please fix it for me to take a huge cut in salary and benefits so I can work at your esteemed establishment.

I'm a monger (whatever that is) and seek advice from Ajarn JJ whose Girlfriend (or possibly boyfriend)  went to Chula, has a masters degree from a western university and makes him so much better than everyone else who must all be here for the carnal pleasures.

Please JJ could you run some seminars so that we can all be as good as you and so that we can move our lives forward from being losers?

Pretty please with sugar on top.

I await your reply with eager anticipation so that I can have the opportunity to participate in a proper educational institution with real educators who and where I can learn what it is to be a teacher here. We yearn to be released from the contraints placed upon us by jealousy.

Please help us....

[JJ]

I'll think about it Samantha, in the mean time, keep dreamin'..........

[samvimes]

Thanks JJ, in the meantime let's just amuse ourselves with part of the staff handbook which was supplied nicely by a colleague of yours....

We at TEFL watch really like the incentive scheme to retain staff. Let's see, if we stay there for 10 years we get a bonus of....
5,000 baht!!!!! That's not 5,000 per year is it? Just a one off. Wow that's huge and such a big benefit. I bet you can't wait to get it JJ

If I stay for 40 years I can get 60,000 Baht!!!

We also like the illegal withholding of money to staff

"The amount of 20,000 Thai Baht will be deducted from the Employee’s salary over a 5-month period (B. 4,000 monthly). This amount of money will be reserved as a safeguard against the Employee terminating his/her Contract without giving the Employer a three months notice."

Nice way to trust your colleagues JJ....

If you too want to see BCC's handbook and contracts, they are freely available on the internet for anyone to download and read.

[Pibthong]

   Well, let's see...the school year is winding down for most schools, to include HoS school BCC ...BCC has had foot to mouth disease and a subsequent defumigation of the buildings and grounds; a nutcase BCC teacher cheerfully confessed to a murder he didn't commit; a couple of BCC teachers have dared to post at TeflWatch that BCC isn't perfect yet but is a better place; Teflwatchers are relentlessly attacking the two BCC teachers who are making positive posts about BCC...

   Have any other HoS schools had any of their present or former teachers make positive posts about the schools?

   BCC looks to be damned if it does and damned if it doesn't.

[anyonefortennis]

"BCC looks to be damned if it does and damned if it doesn't."

Pib,

I couldn't agree more.

In fact I'd say,  the on nail head hit you the, or something such like.

ps. now you are back in BKK perhaps you should consider giving JJ a wee bit of tutoring, for a spin master his English is pretty shoddy. I'm sure on his BCC wages he could well afford at least 1500THB per hour, and in no time (say 50 hours) you could have him closing in on the TOEFL 550 score.

[Mods-Rockers]

Sure mods, but jeeez, could you imagine all the great feedback you'd get from the shi* stirrers on this forum.  Regardless of where you went to school, it would immediately be the crappiest schoool on the planet that let's anyone in and let's anyone graduate etc. etc.yadda yadda yadda.......ALMOST ANY question asked on this forum is bait for the mongers

If you say so JJ, if you say so! Personally I doubt that what you say is true, of course if one of your staff was showing paper issued from a papermill the yes I would query it, however if it were from a fully accredited university then I fail to see why or how it could be slagged off without showing the ignorance of the slagger, but then you always seem to know best!

The biggest losers ALWAYS try to post something that they think will make themselves sound more mature or intelligent while trying to drag down fellow teachers.

Yes very true JJ, always trying to post something without any means of backing it up, you know like claiming to have an academic staff par excellent yet being very coy about the credentials, like claiming their most famous employee was not actually employed but merely on probation! Like … oh WTF like you have been doing for quite some time!

This forum is SUPPOSED  to be about dragging down bad SCHOOLS.
But it's still a lot of fun to watch the wannabe BCC teachers dog the ones who ARE !!!!  Jealousy is a hard emotion to kill  ....he he he.........

a sweeping generalization there JJ! The other day you were claiming that those who slag of BCC were dreadlocked backpackers who you had to fire and now you are claiming that this is not so and that all BCC slaggers really want to work there! Come on now which is it to be. For your information I have never worked there, though I know a few very respectable teachers who you claim to be backpackers, Still as you are a newbie there I guess you can only spin what you have been told to spin!
Your right JJ this forum is about dragging down bad SCHOOLS, remember that’s what happened to BCC before you were employed as head of PR, Whilst it would be nice to belive that BCC has indeed changed, you must surely understand that few believe that a leopard can so dramatically change its spots after having the old spots so long!

[JJ]

You knotheads, what a bunch of pansies.  Samantha, you said you were working here, so why would you need to borrow a staff handbook if you already have one?
The rest of you can start back at the beginning of the thread and re read all the posts again, you're trying to out stupify yourselves again.
What you need to do is accept the fact that we will not hire you. 
But you can still join me at the Walkathon if you'd like.....

[JJ]

Also, it may be a week before I can get back to babysit you guys, and when I return I want the hit's on this thread to be over 7000.  I want at least 5 more post about how mature and intelligent you are, and at least 2 about how immature and unintelligent I am, at least 1 about how big of a brown noser I am and at least 2 about how great your spelling is.  Maybe even throw in a few in about your credentials, and how you are qualified to be the compass of morality.
And no more jealousy !
You guy's can handle that, right?  I'm counting on you !!!!!   ttfn.... 

[Mods-Rockers]

Oh diddums den JJ is um having a hissy fit? never mind mumsy wumsy will cum and help you blowsie your nosie for you and then change that nappsie wappsie!

you are really starting to show you maturity here JJ or rather lack of it, yes I would suggest a week away, try some deep breathing exercises for the nerves!

Believe me JJ any place that would hire you and then make you the spin doctor is not on my list of potentil employees. not until I start walking on my hands, i.e. not while my ass points down!!!

[teflschmefl]

Oh dear! Poor old JJ, the toys have definitely been thrown out the pram this time.

I think the walkathon will do you a lot of good mate.

[teflschmefl]

I want the hit's on this thread to be over 7000. 

Your use of punctuation leaves a lot to be desired too JJ.

You shouldn't be teaching English really should you?

Never mind, I'm sure there are other things you're good at. What about 'colouring-in'? Or maybe 'lifting heavy things'?

[Pibthong]

   Cannibalism.

[Speaksoftly]

I also note from the handbook that public holidays are considered as NORMAL days, and teachers can be required to work on them without extra pay.

Furthermore, if you want to quit, you have to give the school 3 months notice- if they want YOU to quit, they only have to give 14 days.  If you're quitting because you're so sick that you can't work anymore, they only pay you for 30.  Now, THAT's respect.

[Mods-Rockers]

I also note from the handbook that public holidays are considered as NORMAL days, and teachers can be required to work on them without extra pay.

Technically legal under the Thai Employment laws, the employer must however give  compensation day in lieu of the worked day!

Furthermore, if you want to quit, you have to give the school 3 months notice- if they want YOU to quit, they only have to give 14 days.

Again illegal!

If you're quitting because you're so sick that you can't work anymore, they only pay you for 30.  Now, THAT's respect.

So when did BCC ever respect anything except its own bank balance? They certainly have no respect for the Laws of this country and have said at many times that they are outside these laws!

What a bunch of smucks!

[Pibthong]

   Thanks to samvimes and Speaksoftly, each of whom is a Mod, for remaining focused on the school and the issues that pertain to BCC being a HoS school. Leading by example is a good thing. Maybe someone good from BCC might someday soon make a post based on an updated discussion of the school and its policies, not to mention its HoS status.

[JJ]

There is no new managers in the IEP Dept..  She was put in charge of the EIP Dept., although she did come from the IEP Dept..  BS'ers at work on other threads again.
Some of the things in the policy books apply only to Thai staff, and some, only to foreign staff.
We are in the middle of testing and grading, so I don't have much time to babysit some of the posters here, but I will keep everyone informed of what happens.........ttfn

[Mods-Rockers]

ps. Are you any good at bricklaying? It is just that teaching English, debating, and being a good management stooge dont really seem to be what you are good at. Maybe macrame or basket-weaving?

Brick layer? far too technical!!! Looking at his pic on the BCC website I would tend to say he looks like a hod carrier, but then thats just a personal impression, though its certainly backed up by the displayed intellect!!!!!

[wordsworth]

Hi all!!

Well I must say that I have been watching this thread over the last few months and it sure beats the average sitcoms on the telly!! I wonder if JJ would like to comment on the loss of yet another teacher from the I.E.P??? It seems that this teacher in question left under a "dark cloud". Something to do with false documents or lack of real documents. Maybe instead of playing the national anthem of Thailand in the morning they could play a popular song by Queen - "another one bites the dust". 

[wordsworth]

Mmmmmmmm………….this old leopard will NEVER change its spots!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wordsworth]

You knotheads, what a bunch of pansies.  Samantha, you said you were working here, so why would you need to borrow a staff handbook if you already have one?
The rest of you can start back at the beginning of the thread and re read all the posts again, you're trying to out stupify yourselves again.
What you need to do is accept the fact that we will not hire you. 
But you can still join me at the Walkathon if you'd like.....

Ha ha, looking at your photo on the BCC web site i would say that the "walkathon" might do you some good. Eh fatboy.
 

[JJ]

Nice to see the mongers back, or should I say mongrels?  he he... AND NO, regardless of how many compliments you may make, YOU WILL NOT BE HIRED TO WORK HERE h ha ha bunch of jealous zealots.  Pardon my grammar again, my only excuse is that I spend about as much time writing on this forum as you  do on your lesson plans, so mistakes are common.  I've really enjoyed this year here watching you follow me (your leader) through the laughter !!!!  ttfn...........almost 8 thousand hits...

[JJ]

ok, ok, I'll put up another pic before the next school year, the next one in a thong just for you....

[anyonefortennis]

JJ, one Chang too many at lunch time?

[Veritas]

   JJ, we're not laughing at you, we're laughing near you.

   Well, actually, the truth be told...

   Everyone, JJ is too easy, wouldn't you say? Why waste the time?

[los_teacher]

Just hang on a bit more fellas.  In light of my positive posts about conditions at BCC, I know you're all chomping at the bit to tell me 'I told you so' - but right now there just isn't anything to report. 

Information about retentions, slaughters, contract retoolings, stats about how many teachers choose to leave, etc are all forthcoming.  I have nothing to hide and will duly report on the situation.  Just be patient...

[wordsworth]

Just hang on a bit more fellas.  In light of my positive posts about conditions at BCC, I know you're all chomping at the bit to tell me 'I told you so' - but right now there just isn't anything to report. 

Information about retentions, slaughters, contract retoolings, stats about how many teachers choose to leave, etc are all forthcoming.  I have nothing to hide and will duly report on the situation.  Just be patient...

REALLY? I was informed from a reliable source that an IEP teacher was how shall I say.........."let go" very recently. Well that is very handy for BCC considering that it is nearing the time for the school to cough up the old end of contract "bonus" and holiday pay, oh and yes the 20,000 baht that they illegally take from the teachers over the first term. Funnily enough, I can recall BCC doing the exact same thing last year to a certain teacher from Scotland. Or maybe I am experiencing deja vu??

[los_teacher]

I work in EIP and nothing of the sort occurred there.

IEP and EIP aren't the same departments, different managers, different pay scale, etc.  I don't have any idea what you're talking about, which doesn't mean it didn't happen, but that I haven't heard about it if it did.  JJ would be the guy to discuss IEP business.

[JJ]

We will be having our 2007 graduation ceremony tomorrow (Saturday 16, Feb.)at 8am.  You are all invited to attend.  Be here no later than 8am.  No, it's not mandatory.

[wordsworth]

We will be having our 2007 graduation ceremony tomorrow (Saturday 16, Feb.)at 8am.  You are all invited to attend.  Be here no later than 8am.  No, it's not mandatory.

JJ...what planet are you on? You are asking other teachers to attend a ceremony at BCC? for what purpose? Will it demonstrate that BCC has stopped shafting teachers and it is now a nice place to work? Or is it that you need some help on the day? Have you double booked yourself on the ass kissing session?

[JJ]

Yes, I have to have something to do while you are kissing mine...

[ajarnnormal]

Going to come and absail from the roof in a pink party frock. I don't suppose I will be the only one.

[JJ]

Just for the record, the guy that left the IEP Dept. will be going to a job in Vietnam. His 20,000 baht deposit, plus interest, was returned and he recieved his salary and prorated bonus money ect. as well. 
 

[samvimes]

JJ your english is awful.

ect.

What does "ect." mean......? Or do you mean etc.??

It's from the Latin at cetera which means and so on....

[Andy]

I split some posts off to the Squared Circle, keep this about the interview and not about Sarasas or bickering about things unrelated to BCC.

 

[Mods-Rockers]

Thank you!

[hero]

I removed a couple more posts which I thought were pretty pointless - I could have moved them.  If anyone feels they would like them restored, please PM and we'll get them put back in Squared Circle

[wordsworth]

JJ your english is awful.

ect.

What does "ect." mean......? Or do you mean etc.??

It's from the Latin at cetera which means and so on....

JJ, I would offer you this, but you seem to already have one......

[wordsworth]

JJ.............dig it?

[Stan the Man]

Just for the record, the guy that left the IEP Dept. will be going to a job in Vietnam. His 20,000 baht deposit, plus interest, was returned and he recieved his salary and prorated bonus money ect. as well. 
 

I must say it sounds like you know too much about this poor Scot fooker. If you know he's gone to work in Vietnam, I'd seriously be checking on this guys whereabouts, cause JJ, you come across as one spooky arse licker, who may go to any lengths to lick ya bosses smelly one.

[JJ]

As usual, thank you for your compliments.  You guys are so gullible and so easily manipulated ha ha ha...  get a life..........ttfn

[wordsworth]

As usual, thank you for your compliments.  You guys are so gullible and so easily manipulated ha ha ha...  get a life..........ttfn

Manipulated? keep dreaming my son. As usual a highly intellectual post JJ. Keep digging mate. 

[wordsworth]

Maybe this thread should be renamed? How about "Ajarn.com hot seat interview with a cretin from Bangkok Christian College".

Oh, and just for you JJ..........

Cretin:
n. mentally and physically deficient person, generally a large- headed dwarf, whose condition is due to deficient thyroid secretion. cretinous, a. cretinism, n. 
 or
cretin: /kret in/, /kree tn/, n. Congenital loser; an obnoxious person; someone who can't do anything right.

Peace

wordsworth

[Mods-Rockers]

As usual, thank you for your compliments.  You guys are so gullible and so easily manipulated ha ha ha...  get a life..........ttfn

Actually I believe the ones who are looked on as gullible are those who signed contracts with BCC and not those that you believe, while in your dream states, are looking for a job there! However you do have a perfect right to believe anything you want to believe!!!

[Speaksoftly]

Obviously, some adults are needed on the premises.  Please keep the unrelated "issues" off this topic.  I'll be watching more closely for awhile.

[Thighlander]

No word from JJ lately.  Are the Chinese still painting him gold and using him in their parades.  This thread seems much quiter than usual.  I know that if those people owed me money, I wouldn't post on this forum.  Will JJ be back at SUCI (Sathorn UnChristian Institute) next school year?

[stevejones123]

Just two questions:

• If BCC is celebrating its 154th anniversary, why is the starting date of the longest serving member of staff in JJ's department only 2003?
• If JJ has a degree and an MA TEFL why does he boast in the original interview that after eight years in Thailand he now earns about the same he would get with tips in a Macdonald's in his home country?

[ponder]

• If BCC is celebrating its 154th anniversary, why is the starting date of the longest serving member of staff in JJ's department only 2003?

Because JJ's department (IEP) has only existed since 2003.

 

[JJ]

Welcome back everyone.  Had a nice vacation and now it's back to reality.  A good first 2 weeks and I hope it stays this way all year.  Have a nice holiday tomorrow......JJ