I spent a year with BFITS teaching at a large convent school based in the heart of Bangkok. Having worked overseas for one year in South Korea, I had some experience of dealing with companies placing native teachers in schools and language centers. Currently I work in essentially the same job at a private high school in Tokyo.
I found BFITS to be professional, supportive, and organised. Along with this, I found their staff to be knowledgeable with regards to good teaching practice. As somebody who still teaches English and sees this as my career, my time in BFITS taught me a lot about teaching large classes, using materials, engaging with students, classroom management, writing tests and arranging a curriculum. Among other critical applications for an aspiring teacher. The company were efficient with the arranging of visa dates and clear about how the process works.
I taught classes of around 25 students between the ages of 13 - 15. When I started the position, I was given a tour of the premises along with a chance to observe lessons and get a feel for the school. The company was very supportive in this and provided me with a useful handbook to give me an idea of how to conduct myself around the school, and I was also given pre-prepared attendance records and other such materials. Now that I work in a high school in Japan, i have learned that these benefits - while seeming small - are not always provided and are very handy!
BFITS is a multi-cultural organisation. Between management and teaching staff I worked directly with staff from Thailand (of course), America, Philippines, Taiwan, Britain, and Canada to name a few. This multitude of nationalities lends itself extremely well to a positive teaching environment, the importance of which cannot be understated as - in order to provide students with a cooperative environment in which to study English - that atmosphere should exist within the teaching staff as well. This is something BFITS has fortunately recognized.
In regards to management, I again left with a very positive impression of the program - BFITS provided regular feedback and observation, and my program manager did a wonderful job of recognizing improvement as well as offering areas for potential improvement. Feedback was always constructive and well laid out. My co-teachers were also very professional, highly motivated and generous with their time and knowledge. The head teacher of the English department was also very friendly and helpful - not always the case when working in a foreign country as an English teacher and a mighty relief.
Overall I would highly recommend BFITS, particularly to new teachers who are motivated and want to ''try on'' English teaching. Thailand is a very beautiful country and has plenty of sights to see, so even if you're just wanting to work overseas while seeing the sights, the company does provide a generous amount of time off. Just be sure that you're motivated to work hard and be professional, but with that being said, I think this role could appeal to someone who wants to take a year out and see Southeast Asia.
What would you improve about this program?
The improvements that could be made are not so much applicable to BFITS itself as they are to language teaching as a whole.
Salary - Ok, and will offer you the chance to travel and/or enjoy nightlife. Saving money, however, will be tricky and you might find yourself living paycheck to paycheck. BFITS does offer an extra months salary as a bonus for completing the contract. The salary at BFITS is ok, but I believe a new teacher could find something marginally better, though you will lose out on the other benefits offered by BFITS which I outlined in the review. Though overall the payment structure is something I think the company should look at.