Topic: Satriwittaya 2 School Lad Phrao

[admin]

This report, originally a comments on the front page, deserves to be on the discussion board in order to qualify for entry to Hall of Shame and to get increased feedback from other users.

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A few words only - stay away - a BIG WARNING don’t go to Satriwittaya 2 school in Lad Phrao, Bangkok……

I was working there until a few days ago, but now no more, because one small assistant teacher found out she didnt like me…. so she start talking and talking and talking to anyone - father have good connection in the school and soon no one was talking to me. I would have been more happy to work at the northpole. The conduct a test of the teachers and after one month showed only grate 1,2,3, and a very few 4 out of 5 and the 4 only came in one class with 37 students. Most 2 or 1. So the called me for meeting saying i was doing wrong. I bowed and said okay how is everyone else doing - i got no reply - but later found out that thai teachers working at the place often only get 3 or 4 in grate from the students and some even 5. One of the teachers in the meeting attact me - he got many low grates…..

I teacher computers. But when school year 06 started there was no computers in the room i was assign to teach in. Then finaly I got new compuers but no programs and no projector. No lessonplan was provided - you teach them something about graphics or flash - okay where is the program to install - ohh go pantip and buy one, was the quick reply.

The thai teachers got another room with computers - of cause no legal software, a new projector, and control software for student interaction. And a lesson plan - but no one would translate it or help me build mine up. You just teach something, and then that was wrong and together with the small hi so teacher assistant that got 7.100 bath a month in salary everything added up in a “reel funhall” where you want to send your worst friend and hope he will never get out.

In the end of may the school boss want to see his foreign teachers - less than one month later more than half of them is gone.

No info - no help - only teachers that dont understand why they need to have foreigners, no computer to work with for the computer teacher ect. Can you please take your own…..

a lot of promisis but no one was kept. You know goverment budget i was told. But the problem was i was teaching Mini english programs students. Everyone needs to pay a fee of 34000 bath for a year and for some classes even a laptop was required. So the parants are paying for something there small lovly kids dont get

2 weeeks ago they got a new center for training and new pcs - i was not told in advance but suddently someone came with pcs and screens (flatpanels) put them up and left again. No software no real windows xp - and then one teacher thats was the head of englisg program said can you please set it up. I said yes and worked with it for 3 days to setup 16 pc and doing classes too. and then they said - ohh its not your job…..and complaint i used the time on it.

Stay AWAY. The biggest and the best school in Bangkok - 6000 students - but no support and no kindness - no wai and no hallo to the foreigners…

Learn about thaiculture - yes copy expensive computer programs install them - good………. continue that way. And everyone will be happy….

Coz one happy teacher is also a good teacher”.

at this school they don’t create happy teachers and there is no good payment, no benefits offered, and then NO materials are provided so one can do a desent job.

Don’t go

[admin]

I have deleted now three posts on this thread. Please don't make me delete another post. Comments concerning someone's English ability are off topic. Why? This is a forum for teachers, every teacher, no matter their language background, are welcome to post on this forum. A thai person could post about a thai school if they so desired.

In simple terms, don't berate another poster's English skills. Don't berate another poster, period.

Update: It is now 5 posts that have been deleted. This is getting a bit tiring. My alternatives are to ban to the user in question, lock this thread, close down the entire forum, or hope that teachers who berate the English abilities of others can understand English enough to read this post. Again, this forum is for all teachers, native or non-native English speakers. If you don't like it, please leave.

[Everton]

As new member to this forum but not new to Thailand, it seems there is a lot of negative feed back about Thai Schools and also a feeling that unless you are here to slag off and put down a school you are not welcome!!!!

I have previously taught at SW2 in both the regular (M6) and MEP (M4) programmes. Of course there are problems and pit falls in all jobs, (I currently work in an computer sales company in Bangkok and can assure you if you feel there are dramas in a school, wait until you try and apply western business practices to antiquated Thai polices.) however, this school is by no means a troubled school, out looking to abuse and cheat foreign teachers. Yes, there are anti falang teachers there, but if I was a teacher of 20 years on a 15,000 baht salary watching a foreigner who couldn’t speak the local language or understand the problems faced by a government school, earning twice as much as me, I would be a little upset.

SW2 is a good school, which, when previously represented by dedicated and passionate teachers had a great feeling of friendliness (the only real problem, was thinking of small white lies to get you out of another invitation to a night out with the Thai members of staff!!!! 

I hope that this post will show the remaining English Teachers and the rest of the dedicated Thai staff at SW2 that there are some foreigners that enjoy Thailand, its culture and its education system.

One final point, good luck to all the M6 students this year, myself and the other previous teachers will be very proud when we see you graduate later next year!!

Everton

[admin]

Your comments are most welcome as long as they are not abusive to your fellow teachers. I want both positive and negative feedback about schools, the key word is schools.

Thank you for your positive comments about the school.

[thaiblue]

we should all be happy with SCHOOLS that give us the freedom to design our own lessons and do not insist on us everything their way.
we should all be happy with SCHOOLS that take the time to listen to the most important people, the students.
we should all be happy with SCHOOLS that trust in the students' opinions as to how a teacher is doing.
we should all be happy with SCHOOLS that care enough to find the best teachers they can and rid themselves of teachers that do not make the mark.
we should all be happy with SCHOOLS that actually want the best education for their students.
we should all accept that SCOOLS do not always have all the necessary equipment we need to teach our lessons. sometimes we just have to make do.
we also need to accept that SCHOOLS will always have a few individuals working for them that do not understand/accept/like their native speaking staff. this should not be an issue as the whole of the country is the same. the majority understand/accept/like us but some don't. so what.
i agree with everything you say EVERTON. while it is too much to ask for everything to be perfect, SW2 has a pretty good go. if any problems do arise it is usually because the native speaking staff are generally treated a little too well. which as we all know can drive a wedge between us and them.
SW2 does not belong in the hall of shame but i'm sure i've said it should in the past!
good luck to the school. i hope you find the new teachers you are looking for soon.

[bon]

According to someone , he wrote under the topic of Satriwittaya 2 school Lad phrao. I think he really misunderstood about Satriwittaya 2 school. There are a lot of facilities for everyone : hundreds of computers for students, more than 4 projectors for teaching. The school is extremely ready to give the knowledge to students. The director is so cool and he is a very excellent administrator. He takes care of everyone. All good farang teachers are really happy to work there with the good salary.  All Thai teachers are friendly to all people and also to the farang teachers. They are so helpful and take care of farang teachers. I never see the problems there. The students are so happy with their schools and their teachers. The parents paid a lot for their kids and they are always given the worth things back.  Please come to Satriwittaya 2 school. You will be happy forever. You will know and touch only good things there. Please come, don't scare.  We are friends.

[Ajarnforeign]

Hi.... everyone. I support STRONGLY the original poster........

I went teaching at the M1 to M6 a couple of years ago....... and I feel the same about the school.
Yeah, right, the director is a nice Man, and so what, so am I too. One "not happy with foreigners" thai teacher is enough to make a farang teacher feel very,very lonely. I know from my stay in 2004, that the Highschool part of the sw2 got teachers that thinks they ARE SO DIFFERENT AND THE SIMPLY THE BEST just because they teach there and not into a juniorschool.

At the M1 juniorschool every thai person, be it a straffperson or one of the teachers, would be nice to the foreigner as long one just stay smiling all the time and never ever mention that something dos'nt work.

I personaly Did now about theacherassistants there, that thinks farangteachers must have a second home in the beachtown of Pattaya, and Yes many of those guys working there would never ever say Hallo to You. Just ignoring one - can be pretty hard to stand through, though.

If I was a computerteacher - I am not - Whats a keyboard :-) - would feel it very strange to teach without a projector. I know there is software around for help to teach a class with many computers, but if no software is provided how the hell was the original poster surpose to teach a class of 40 students or more at the same time .... on a whiteboard in a program like PHOTOSHOP - forget it guys, thats not possible.

SW2 is not the most bad school in Bangkok, but also NOT the best. And the thai straff  love to talk behind Your bag, when You are not around. Surely I felt the heat Myself, when My ex told Me, that they don't talk nice when the subject went into the schools foreign straff. Coz She went waiting for Me one day at the frontbuilding. A I was late, She head all the gossip.

So Yes I would say the same ... stay away from the highschool part of sw2 and if another job pops up, stay all the way away from there.

Pay good - thats another subject....... If the absolut minimum pay is a 'great' payment, sure go ahead, are You one the payrole for such a 'great' outbust.

Narda, I would not ever, even in My wildest dreams, go back to sw2 in lat prao. My one year there was surely more than enough.

[luk ling]

Bon, what position do you hold at SW2? When reading your post I first thought that you were a farang teacher writing in defense of the school. The "don't scare" gave you away, it's a very common mistake that my students make all the time. So, what position do you hold, and how did the original poster come away from your school with the impressions he/she has?
If everyting you posted is true, then I have some questions. How much do you pay? Do you have any vacancies? Your post makes the school sound like a dream come true, which makes me suspicious about your motives for posting.

[thaiblue]

SW2 accepts GOOD foreign teachers with open arms.

[hero]

  In response to the above comment - let's be honest, most Thai schools accept most teachers with open arms most of the time - unfortunately it doesn't always mean they treat them well when they are there

[Harry]

Does SW2 have a website, in English?

[think4yourself]

For those who have such good things to say about this school, I have a question.

Is it still a requirement to make sure you give all the students only 3s and 4s?  Or has the school gotten stricter by demanding that teachers only assign 4s for a final mark?

[Kent F. Kruhoeffer]

Harry:


Here's a link to their EP webpage,

although it's mostly in Thai:



http://www.sw2.ac.th/

[Harry]

^ Yeah, got that already KK, but I was looking for the situations vacant page on their website, in English. 

[mike]

I really feel that the original poster is "off base".  This is the 4th year that I have been teaching at SW2 school.  I have never wanted to leave because of the way that I am treated here.  I am paid fairly and have never felt cheated in any way. 
Two things that I look for in a school are in abundance here.  One is a friendly and helpful faculty and administration.  In my time here I have never experienced anything but an ongoing sense of friendliness and spirit of teamwork.  From the Director to the Department Heads to my fellow teachers I am treated with respect and kindness.  I like that--It feels good to go to work!  Any time I have ever needed help with any problem, I have gotten it without exception.  Although a foreigner,  I am treated as a member of the faculty and not as an outsider.  The second area of abundance is the great student body.  These kids are wonderful and I enjoy working with them.  I get to challenge some extremely bright children to learn and they in turn challenge me to be a better teacher.  We each grow from the experience. 
As I said, I have been here 4 years and the original poster only 1 month.  I feel my insights might be a bit more valid.  This is a fantastic school to work in and I would recommend it to any foreign teacher who has good skills and enjoys working with high quality coworkers and students.