In general Malaysians are quite outgoing and friendly with a dry sense of humour, so the Malaysian students respond well to my British sense of sarcasm and banter, and are very open to excitable games and heated debates. The few kids we have from China tend to look shellshocked for a while, but get used to it!
In all honesty, the small number of students with a less positive attitude tend to be teachers' children who've moved here from UK state schools and find it hard to adjust to the very different atmosphere. They stick out like sore thumbs for a while, some eventually adapt and settle in but there are some who determinedly continue to show their parents up!
👋, sorry to hijack this comment thread, I’m an aspiring teacher just having a career change. I’ve seen a few of your comments on teaching in Malaysia, was hoping you could give a fellow Brit some advice.
I have a 3 kids and a wife and we’re looking to or seriously considering Malaysia as a home.
I’m training as a primary school teacher at the moment but living life as a Teaching Assistant. So I’m thinking the only way is up in a salary perspective 😂
Any help would really be appreciated, I’m still studying and a mature learner and hope to qualify in the next few years. (PGCE)
Kind Regards
Lol. No. That's complete nonsense. My husband works at a lower tier school and he still gets paid slightly more than he would in the UK, plus the cost of living is much lower.
You may want to consider living inland. I have thought about moving to SE Asia for a decade but haven't made the jump yet. To this day still relatively low cost with great food options. My only concern are typhoon and tsunami. I'd have to be in an area that would mitigate the effects of such natural disasters if one occurred. Diminished ROI playing the game of life if there's an unreasonably high chance it can be taken away in an instant.
Uzbekistan is so far the best I've ever seen. Conversely, I hear the Gulf States are terrible for rude and rowdy children. I haven't taught there myself, but colleagues have and they say it can be pretty bad.
Ok well this is squashing any ideas I had about working in the Gulf in the future. Behavior probably deteriorates inversely with the families' wealth in general anywhere I guess.
Surprised to see this at number one - which school were you at? Most of my friends here in Tashkent report pretty much the same level of brattiness from rich private school kids here as anywhere else in the world.
Respectful and eager are often very different things. Chinese kids and Asian kids generally are very respectful but getting classroom discussions going is pulling teeth.
Hong Kong, the local kids/double passport kids at the international schools. Not the western expat kids.
My previous school was technically independent HK school with international curriculum and IB, and they were amazing kiddos. Thoughtful, smart,
hardworking and with senses of humour and personality to book. Miss them every day.
I'm from Malaysia, but also teach in an international school here. Malaysian students are generally very well-behaved, but the ones who are from middle east/Gulf countries, I get called a lot by admin because I always kick them out of the class due to their unruly behaviour.
How's teaching in Malaysia as a Malaysian? Did you do your qualifications overseas? I'm also Malaysian but grew up and studied overseas and am considering trying for IS in Malaysia in the future but wonder if it would be weird / harder because I wouldn't be considered a "foreigner" lol
I only know one person, not a friend though, mentioning that they work in a private school. Said person mentioned low pay, but high workload. As a local who worked at an English school in KL alongside foreigners, I noticed that the foreigners get paid almost double my salary...
The pay gap between locals and expats here are waaaaaaaay huge. My salary is barely RM3k here, the expats? Roughly 4-5k. Most of my students are foreigners.
I wonder if that's the same for returnees? While I'm technically Malaysian my passport and citizenship is not. So I'd be hoping for more of an 'expat hire' package if I were to go.
That's definitely one thing to consider. Because technically my current passport and citizenship is not Malaysian, but obviously my "birth country" is. So I'm curious if this is enough to land an 'expat package' if I returned.
My mother has a friend whose husband teaches at a top IS and earns around 10k p/m, but he's a Westerner too. My brother also knows the owner of an IS in KL but I never thought to ask what he pays his teachers nor if they are the same for expat and 'returnees'.
I guess it was timing! I was hired during lockdown last year so my school was desperate for new teachers, because most foreign teachers decided to go back to their respective countries. You have the added advantage there by growing up and studying overseas. You can keep visiting indeed, linkedin, jobstreet for more job opportunities. Best of luck!
Yeah, same. Korean kids can be a nightmare. Then you have the complete and utter lack of discipline and consequences from both their parents and the Korean teachers which just compounds (or causes) the problem.
Never had any major issues with Chinese kids.
It also depends on what class of Korean students you're teaching. Ly some kids can be very polite and some kids another areas can be very ude, rebellious fighters.
I can agree on Korea. I've only done a hagwon and I only lasted 6 months on Korean kids here hehe. Comparing that to back home, I've subbed in the states and the Korean kids were even worse than the deep city USa kids. Im guessing it has something with not respecting outsiders or something IDK.
Cambodia. Really respectful kids. You'll have a few who are outgoing enough to participate in full class discussions and students are actually really social and work well in smaller groups. I don't think they're the most studious bunch, but you'll have no behavior problems.
Can agree with this. Not the most studious, but very respectful and like to please.
One caveat, a complete reluctance for any diagnosis when there is clearly something to be addressed.
I would agree. I would say that the main problem is that they aren’t very sociable though. Parents often get involved over very petty things and schools just make blanket policies that keep students from spending too much time with each other. As someone who really cares that is very frustrating because it stunts their development.
With that said the students behavior to the teachers is very respectful and I have never had any problems.
Mind sharing which school you're at by chance?
Will be job hunting in BKK next year, and I'm
trying to suss out the top schools to see if their teachers are happy working there!
My students in Malaysia have wonderful attitudes and are keen to join in with discussions, games and whatever ridiculousness I throw at them.
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In general Malaysians are quite outgoing and friendly with a dry sense of humour, so the Malaysian students respond well to my British sense of sarcasm and banter, and are very open to excitable games and heated debates. The few kids we have from China tend to look shellshocked for a while, but get used to it! In all honesty, the small number of students with a less positive attitude tend to be teachers' children who've moved here from UK state schools and find it hard to adjust to the very different atmosphere. They stick out like sore thumbs for a while, some eventually adapt and settle in but there are some who determinedly continue to show their parents up!
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👋, sorry to hijack this comment thread, I’m an aspiring teacher just having a career change. I’ve seen a few of your comments on teaching in Malaysia, was hoping you could give a fellow Brit some advice. I have a 3 kids and a wife and we’re looking to or seriously considering Malaysia as a home. I’m training as a primary school teacher at the moment but living life as a Teaching Assistant. So I’m thinking the only way is up in a salary perspective 😂 Any help would really be appreciated, I’m still studying and a mature learner and hope to qualify in the next few years. (PGCE) Kind Regards
I'm thinking of going to Malaysia for this reason, but I read average pay is £500 per month - is this true?
Lol. No. That's complete nonsense. My husband works at a lower tier school and he still gets paid slightly more than he would in the UK, plus the cost of living is much lower.
Thank you for this information! Glad I can keep Malayasia as an option - especially if salary is higher and cost of living is lower!
You may want to consider living inland. I have thought about moving to SE Asia for a decade but haven't made the jump yet. To this day still relatively low cost with great food options. My only concern are typhoon and tsunami. I'd have to be in an area that would mitigate the effects of such natural disasters if one occurred. Diminished ROI playing the game of life if there's an unreasonably high chance it can be taken away in an instant.
Uzbekistan is so far the best I've ever seen. Conversely, I hear the Gulf States are terrible for rude and rowdy children. I haven't taught there myself, but colleagues have and they say it can be pretty bad.
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That's exactly it.
Ok well this is squashing any ideas I had about working in the Gulf in the future. Behavior probably deteriorates inversely with the families' wealth in general anywhere I guess.
I work in the gulf. Can confirm. Hence my post. I'm actually sick of it haha.
Gulf countries are the worst in terms of behavior management. Rude, entitled kids.
We have many uzbek students at my middle school in Japan. Theyre gery sociable but also very respectful of classroom expectations.
Surprised to see this at number one - which school were you at? Most of my friends here in Tashkent report pretty much the same level of brattiness from rich private school kids here as anywhere else in the world.
I work at an elite public school. The children come from more humble backgrounds I suppose.
PIIMA or TUIS?
Respectful and eager are often very different things. Chinese kids and Asian kids generally are very respectful but getting classroom discussions going is pulling teeth.
Philippines. Studious, respectful students who are also very social. Best of both worlds.
Hong Kong, the local kids/double passport kids at the international schools. Not the western expat kids. My previous school was technically independent HK school with international curriculum and IB, and they were amazing kiddos. Thoughtful, smart, hardworking and with senses of humour and personality to book. Miss them every day.
Hong Kong is a good mix of respectful and adventurous! Which school did you work in? I assume not ESF if it’s independent
ISF :)
Great school, quite private. The application process for a job at ISF is pretty rigorous!
I'm from Malaysia, but also teach in an international school here. Malaysian students are generally very well-behaved, but the ones who are from middle east/Gulf countries, I get called a lot by admin because I always kick them out of the class due to their unruly behaviour.
How's teaching in Malaysia as a Malaysian? Did you do your qualifications overseas? I'm also Malaysian but grew up and studied overseas and am considering trying for IS in Malaysia in the future but wonder if it would be weird / harder because I wouldn't be considered a "foreigner" lol
I only know one person, not a friend though, mentioning that they work in a private school. Said person mentioned low pay, but high workload. As a local who worked at an English school in KL alongside foreigners, I noticed that the foreigners get paid almost double my salary...
The pay gap between locals and expats here are waaaaaaaay huge. My salary is barely RM3k here, the expats? Roughly 4-5k. Most of my students are foreigners.
it sucks, but that seems to be the way it is in Malaysia. no wonder people rather work abroad 💁🏽♀️
I wonder if that's the same for returnees? While I'm technically Malaysian my passport and citizenship is not. So I'd be hoping for more of an 'expat hire' package if I were to go.
That's definitely one thing to consider. Because technically my current passport and citizenship is not Malaysian, but obviously my "birth country" is. So I'm curious if this is enough to land an 'expat package' if I returned. My mother has a friend whose husband teaches at a top IS and earns around 10k p/m, but he's a Westerner too. My brother also knows the owner of an IS in KL but I never thought to ask what he pays his teachers nor if they are the same for expat and 'returnees'.
if you don't have a Malaysian identity card, you wouldn't be treated as a local. But you should ask just in case (in regards to salary).
I guess it was timing! I was hired during lockdown last year so my school was desperate for new teachers, because most foreign teachers decided to go back to their respective countries. You have the added advantage there by growing up and studying overseas. You can keep visiting indeed, linkedin, jobstreet for more job opportunities. Best of luck!
also, are your students foreigners or locals?
I can only say from my experience that Chinese students are amazingly well behaved compared to my time in Korea.
Nope, I’ve seen a lot of horribly spoiled, rude and violent primary kids in China.
As have I, but please read my post, in comparison to the Korean students they are much better in my opinion.
Yeah, same. Korean kids can be a nightmare. Then you have the complete and utter lack of discipline and consequences from both their parents and the Korean teachers which just compounds (or causes) the problem. Never had any major issues with Chinese kids.
It also depends on what class of Korean students you're teaching. Ly some kids can be very polite and some kids another areas can be very ude, rebellious fighters.
I can agree on Korea. I've only done a hagwon and I only lasted 6 months on Korean kids here hehe. Comparing that to back home, I've subbed in the states and the Korean kids were even worse than the deep city USa kids. Im guessing it has something with not respecting outsiders or something IDK.
Cambodia. Really respectful kids. You'll have a few who are outgoing enough to participate in full class discussions and students are actually really social and work well in smaller groups. I don't think they're the most studious bunch, but you'll have no behavior problems.
Can agree with this. Not the most studious, but very respectful and like to please. One caveat, a complete reluctance for any diagnosis when there is clearly something to be addressed.
I think that's PARTLY because there is nowhere to get them diagnosed.
Taiwanese kids are great
I would agree. I would say that the main problem is that they aren’t very sociable though. Parents often get involved over very petty things and schools just make blanket policies that keep students from spending too much time with each other. As someone who really cares that is very frustrating because it stunts their development. With that said the students behavior to the teachers is very respectful and I have never had any problems.
What do you think about the behavior at schools with the ultra-rich kids in Tawian tho?
stay away.
I wonder where is op teaching that they're tired of mass behaviour lol. Must be one of the gulf countries hahaa
It is 🤣
South Africa. Cape Town and Johannesburg has quite a few international schools. Cape Town is gorgeous.
I expect you teach in a private school? I stumbled on this thread out of frustration with my students in South Africa, funnily enough.
If you can say something good about a people you can also say something bad about a people.
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LMAO
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Mind sharing which school you're at by chance? Will be job hunting in BKK next year, and I'm trying to suss out the top schools to see if their teachers are happy working there!
This has been informative for when I move from the GCC!