Topic: Niva International School - good, bad or indifferent

[ajarn1970]

Unfortunately tennis, I've already cancelled my appointment and it would have involved a bit of travelling anyway.....sorry dude 

Them's the breaks.

Are there any good international schools in this country? 

[anyonefortennis]

no worries fella, just an idea.

Patana's pretty good out on Sukhumvit 105. I've never seen them advertising, maybe you should just walk in and tell em how damn good you are - drop me a PM if you want the Executive Directors contact details - might as well go right to the top! 

By the way it's a British curriculum school so I'd imagine those from the UK with GCSE teaching experience are looked at favourably.

[hero]

There are several very good international schools here I believe.  The top ones (like Pattana mentioned above) probably try and do most of their recruiting from abroad, job fairs and the like.  I'm sure they can't always achieve this, however.  A well-written letter to the big cheese might get you a foot in the door.  They usually like qualifications from back home and minimum of a couple of years experience with either the UK national curriculum or an American education system (depending upon their academic orientation) as the very minimum requirements - again this isn't always the case, I know at least one guy who landed a plum international school gig with neither (kind of through a family connection though) although he did have post-grad education qualifications.

[goo]

I am speaking personally, but I would love someone from the school admin to come on to this site and respond to some of the issues raised. Granted my own posting a couple of months back was a bit emotional (and reading back a bit unintelligable), but there are a few issues that this school should be responding to:-

1) why is the staff turnover so high

2) why is the owner still bullying people (including making female teachers cry on a regular basis)

3) why are the students allowed to come and go at will (even encouraged by the admin who actively authorize insane absences)

4) why are there flagrant breaches of Thai Immigration law (obtaining working visas through fraudulent information etc.)

5) why are there breaches of Thai (MoL and MoE) Law and regulations (I know about the fake degrees (encouraged by the school), the violation of the working locations from the work permits, 'teachers' working as adminstration staff etc.)

I would like to stress that I am fully supportive of every person working at the school, which ever religion they follow or not, from any country they come from, apart from the 2 clowns who actually run this place.

The owner needs to explain how he reconciles his obvious anger and hatred (and downright illegal practices) with his religion and how his (American) sidekick justifies some of his crass stupidity. I know I am not bringing anything new to this forum, just a plea for the admin of this place to come on here and justify some of the issues raised - defend if you can, I am reasonable and can have a reasonable debate with anyone (I tried with you in your own school).

[retiredstillteaching]

Clearly, the onus is on the owner and/or managers of this school to respond to a reasonable and fair request by a reasonable sounding teacher. The teacher deserves support in his request as the matters he itemizes are all too familiar to so many of us who teach at schools in Thailand.

A response would be welcome and might lend some credit to the school.

[preceptor]

I was recently hit from behind by a taxi while riding my motorcycle from teaching at Niva.  The incident sent me sailing into a concrete lightpost and into Ladprao General Hospital.  All of my 12th grade class showed up to bring me presents and offer me support in this unfortunate situation.  The administration at Niva fired me.  They said they were having difficulty getting my teaching license.  I know that to be bogus.  The visa officer just weeks before believed there would be no problems.  They let him go too. 

I received very high marks from one of my department heads after being reviewed.  The owner and administrator said I was a great teacher and would only get better.  All of my students loved me and couldn't wait for me to get back.  So what does this administration do to someone who just spent a week in the hospital.  The fire them.

Niva really isn't that great of a place to work.  The students are great, and the teaching staff is really good too, but they work you like a machine and get upset if you ask questions or need support.  The teaching load is rediculous.  At last count I spent 26 periods in the classroom and then had other responsibilities they contributed to my already heavy load.  On top of that, they are going through accreditation and teachers are required to do that work as well.

The administration is downright unpleasant.  I had the unfortunate experience to watch them get worse as the months passed.  The top administrator exploaded in a 45 minute rant at one meeting because he perceived something someone said to be rude.  He talked about maintaining professionalism.  I never saw it from him.

If you want to be overworked, rediculed, treated poorly and be unappreciated, Niva International is the place for you.

Good luck!

[preceptor]

I was recently hit from behind by a taxi while riding my motorcycle from teaching at Niva.  The incident sent me sailing into a concrete lightpost and into Ladprao General Hospital.  All of my 12th grade class showed up to bring me presents and offer me support in this unfortunate situation.  The administration at Niva fired me.  They said they were having difficulty getting my teaching license.  I know that to be bogus.  The visa officer just weeks before believed there would be no problems.  They let him go too. 

I received very high marks from one of my department heads after being reviewed.  The owner and administrator said I was a great teacher and would only get better.  All of my students loved me and couldn't wait for me to get back.  So what does this administration do to someone who just spent a week in the hospital.  The fire them.

Niva really isn't that great of a place to work.  The students are great, and the teaching staff is good too, but they work you like a machine and get upset if you ask questions or need support.  The teaching load is rediculous.  At last count I spent 26 periods in the classroom and then had other responsibilities they contributed to my already heavy load.  Other teachers have a heavier load than me.  On top of that, they are going through accreditation and teachers are required to do that work as well.

The administration is downright unpleasant.  I had the unfortunate experience to watch them get worse as the months passed.  The top administrator exploaded in a 45 minute rant at one meeting because he perceived something someone said to be rude.  He talked about maintaining professionalism.  I never saw it from him.  This man's propensity for nastiness is profound.

If you want to be overworked, rediculed, treated poorly and be unappreciated, Niva International is the place for you.

Good luck!

[ajarn1970]

These wankers should be exposed for the morons they truly are. They offered me a job earlier this year and I told them I'd heard the place had problems.

This top admin twat you speak of fired off at me about coming to "his" country. I mean last time I met a Thai guy his name was Thanaporn or Somchai, but this guy had a western name.

But then again where else can this guy work but an ego pit where he feels like he's worth more than roach crap. Professionalism? How about humility first!

Get a life NIVA you pack of unprofessional slugs......  

Bloody 7th dayers! 

[tony]

I'll bet money the side kicks name is Steve.  He slimes into a new school every couple of years.   

[ajarn1970]

Actually I can't remember his name off hand AND I won't attempt to in case I misfire and someone innocent gets hit. All I remember is that he is definitiely NOT Thai but refers to all us dirty foreigners coming to HIS country as scoundrels attempting to only take and not give.

Some people are just outright wankers and this guy gets the Golden Globe for it 

There is apparently another dude who recruits and is reportedly OK.
I've since deleted the e-mail he (side kick) sent but I would have loved to have kept it and posted it here.....it was hilarious to say the least.
I'm sure this guy was toilet trained by the Taliban!

[ladyteacher]

As I posted earlier in this thread I had the grave misfortune to work at Niva, the owner is from I think Sri Lanka or possibly Colombo.He hates white people and despises the Thai's. He claims a Masters Degree in some vague area of education but never could name the university he earned his degree from.An overbearing power freak who gets very close to certain people in the school in the final years grades too.Terrorises his staff who sadly in many cases are not able to gain employment elsewhere due to their lack of English language skills and in his eyes they are cheap labour
This from a person who professes to be a devout Christian person (God Help Us)

[ajarn1970]

They should team up with that horrific joint B.E.S.T Burapa in Pattaya (or WORST) more appropriately to make a collosal spank joint. They can teach fundamentals of ego (EGO 101) and tell everyone how good they are whilst keeping quiet to all parents that the place makes a terrorist training camp look like a bridge meet.

Some people just boil my blood 

You correct you on ethnicity, the guy's apparently Malaysian but there's good and bad in every race as we all know. Most Malaysians I meet are actually very friendly, courteous and professional people.