Topic: Fake Degrees

[Geekboy]

Ok, if you need a fake degree to live in Thailand to be with family, that is a-ok in my book. A degree doesn't make you a good teacher.

What really gets me in people to tell others how superior they are and how much more educated they are, how much much more qualified, etc and hold up fake credentials to back themselves up.

I got a farang superior with a fake degree. I came across his resume in an interesting way and the stuff on it amazes me. First off, he has a two year degree. That is cool, but then he has a 4 year degree from a non-existent university in a foreign country and is studying a masters from a school he doesn't even talk about studying from.

If he was just a co-worker, it would all be cool or even if he was my boss and didn't tell us all the time that he was superior in his educational training than anyone of us, but he does and it makes me a bit angry. I am more experienced than he is and I have more qualifications than this poser.

What should I do?

[Krungsri]

Is this real, Geekboy?  It looks like a Dorothy Dixer.  If real, is this guy really studying for a Master's from a little known, but legit university?  If not, why's he studying when he can just pay up?  If the situation you describe is for real and you don't want to confront him or his superiors why not just finish your contract and leave.  "Life experience" degrees may be justified in some cases (Khao San doesn't qualify in my book), but they're not a platform to boast on.

[ajarnnormal]

Man that sucks. I have said many times on this forum that if someone has a fake degree all well and good. if he gets caught then I have no sympsthy. If one tried to tell me how wonderful he was I'm sorry but I would have to put him/her in their place. i would try to do it as nice as possible but if all else failed then I would give them a broadside and let fire. I remember one teacher who had a degree from some place like Tanzania and I said to hime is that for real. He had the gumpsion to tell me that it was a fake. He turned out to be a nice enough guy, but got found out. I had empathy but no sympathy I'm afraid. When you think about it they have not a leg to stand on in this world never mind this country. If the who thing got on top of me with someone like that I think I would leave too.

[anyonefortennis]

Personally I feel that Fake degrees are, no matter the circumstances, not acceptable. And as for life experience degrees, they're not worth the paper they're printed on, they're purely a license to print money for dodgy online universities.

If you want a degree, do the bloody work to earn one.

[ajarnnormal]

Yes AOFT you some it up very well. Unfortunately there are many out here and we have to live with the fact that our workmates may be frauds. I think with the recent events in this country there will be many teachers heading home at the end of this term or moving on to another country in Asia. I feel then there will be a drought and we will see many more fakes.

[airpuka]

I dont think ANYONE should be talking about how good they are at anything, in my experience all people that i have met that boast about what good teachers they are  are ###### (Mod Edit: Insert your insult of choice here, the one I edited is about the most colorful I have seen in awhile, but it was too colorful)

[ajarnnormal]

I agree but I can see no evidence that anyone was on this thread.

[Nemesis]

If someone uses a fake degree to get a job they wouldn't normally have gotten, they are cheating other teachers. Plain and simple.

[ajarnnormal]

Yes spot on mate and something that makes me cringe. As I have said many times, if the rules of the MOE etc state that a teacher must have a degree then that is cut and dry. Getting a fake one is breaking the law and anyone who is caught has my empathy but not my sympathy. I do not feel comfortable working with someone who has been to the Uni at KS road. They seem to want to prove that they are a teacher somehow. They also seem to be insecure about what they are doing.

[Nemesis]

Yeah, there are two types of people with fake degrees. The one who know they are doing wrong but have to do it for one reason or another. They don't make a fuss, don't make waves, they don't try to take the higher paying jobs and certainly don't try to be arrogant.

The other type, get the fake paper and becomes God's own gift to teaching. Superiority complex sets in...they demand higher salaries for their supposed higher paper qualifications...and they do it wrong to the honest teachers.

If you are the first group, you got my empathy and sympathy. Second group? TEFLWatch is pro-teacher. If you are an admin or working otherwise in a school and harming legitimate teachers, you are our enemy.

[anyonefortennis]

It's not actually that difficult to get a proper degree nowadays either, there are so many legitimate ways, whether it be fulltime, part-time (evenings or weekends), semi distance learning, full distance learning, dl online etc.

I just don’t think there’s any excuse anymore, education is more accessible than ever b 4 and anyone using a fake degree should have their arse whipped and be sent to work in the paddy fields.

[Thighlander]

If you are a fake, you are harming our profession and keeping wages low.  I hope you have your soap-on-a-rope, when the police come knocking.

[anyonefortennis]

doin time in a Thai slammer................wouldn't wish that on anyone (well, nearly anyone) not even a "fakey".

Just throw the buggers into the paddy fields and let em do hard labour.

[freedom fighter]

People with fake degrees would not be employed if the school admins actually did their jobs properly, but 'fakeys' are a tough question. 

I want to see the best standards for the students too but does having a bachelors in electrical engineering, which means you are legal here, make you a good teacher? 

I have known some 'fakeys' who were actually pretty good teachers.  Their TEFLs and commitment count more in my books than some guy with a degree in electronics.

I for one don't condemn 'fakeys', I judge a person by the job they are doing. 

I'm all for 'real' teachers but a degree, fake or real, is no measuring stick.

FF.

[anyonefortennis]

FF, I don't think the issue is so much about if people have a degree or not, it is rather about people claiming to have a degree when they don't, which is dishonesty.

If you are employed on the grounds of having a degree, then a degree you should have.

I know plenty of teachers without degrees, and they are very good at their job, and just as importantly they didn't gain their employment through deception.

I quite agree that a degree in film studies does not automatically qualify you as a teacher, but what it does do is show that you have been able to attain a certain level of education, a level of education that you can then encourage your students to either match or surpass.

For me, the problem with people using fake degrees boils down to the fact that they are bullshitting their employer and their students, if you ain’t got a degree, fine, but rather than making a fake one why not try highlighting on your CV why you are a great teacher – shit loads of experience, a people person, patient and understanding, good organizer etc. etc.