Volunteering at a Kuraburi Primary School

Teach English at Rural Thai Schools

Teach English at rural Thai Government primary schools. The schools grades run from Kindergarten through sixth grade and do not have a budget to hire a Western English Teacher.  The schools offer a unique experience that allows for committed volunteers to boost the confidence and capacity of local Thai students while working with a Thai co-teacher. You will teach a variety of grades and make your mark on the students at the school!  Students are eager to learn and brilliant at finding ways to navigate the communication barriers.

With good preparation, patience and cooperation from the English teacher, every day at the school offers a new opportunity to effectively teach interactive lessons to the students! You will quickly discover all the joys of getting to know the students and quickly become engaged in activities like playing soccer, singing or dancing!

The Kuraburi area is full of possible evening and weekend activities such as : daily morning and night markets, Buddhist temples, jungle hiking, visiting local waterfalls, bicycling through the local orchards, beautiful undeveloped beaches to watch the sunsets!

How You Make a Difference

You will play a vital role in the education of the children at the school by helping them gain confidence and experience in dealing with foreigners. Many of the Thai children in this region go on to make a living in the tourist industry (fed by the nearby coral-rich islands of the Andaman Sea and the Khao Sok National Park) if they are able to speak English well and deal confidently with foreigners they have a change to secure employment in the local area.

We welcome volunteers who are experienced teachers, but also those that have the drive and the enthusiasm for interacting and teaching children.

Volunteering at a local Thai primary school.

Daily Schedule

Monday-Friday, morning assembly begins at 8:15AM and classes start shortly after at 8:45AM. The school day ends at 3:00PM and is often a great time to chat with the teachers or play games with the kids. You will get a ride with your counterparts, ride bicycle, or take the local school bus. Be prepared to teach kindergarten through sixth grade. The length of each class is fifty minutes long, but the actual time spent teaching is usually less. You will be co-teaching with the Thai English teacher who is always enthusiastic about new teaching techniques. It is helpful to lesson plan the subjects you choose to teach with the English teacher and create interactive activities to coincide with the lessons to keep the students engaged.

Final teaching schedules will be given to volunteers by their project counterparts upon arrival to ensure that current needs of the projects are fulfilled.

Volunteering at a local Thai primary school.

Skills and Qualifications

Everyone has a valuable contribution to make. An ideal volunteer will be able to commit to a minimum period of two weeks.

It is important that volunteers be proactive and able to work independently. Solo volunteers are much appreciated and welcome. The orphanage staff recommends volunteers come in pairs, as the companionship and support can add to one’s experience.

The Andaman Discoveries’ team is close by and is available to assist you if questions or concerns arise.

We ask that all volunteers be:

  • Open-minded, proactive and patient;
  • Willing to accept new ideas and be respectful of different cultures;
  • Be independent, mature and flexible; and
  • Be willing to learn some basic Thai
  • Motivated and enjoy working with children and teenagers
Volunteering at a local Thai primary school.

You can come and volunteer at any date, except when the Burmese Learning Center is closed for holidays. The center is closed from March to mid-May and from mid-September to late-October.

  • Donation to the school
  • Lunch at the school
  • Local accommodation
  • Financial contribution to other local social and environmental projects
  • Support from bilingual Andaman Discoveries’ staff
  • 7% Value-Added Tax

  • Flights, visas and departure taxes
  • Vaccinations and travel insurance
  • Expenses outside of the orphanage
  • Optional excursions with the children during weekends and/or holidays
  • Transfer from the orphanage to your next destination
  • Other personal items and expenses

Three meals a day are provided at the orphanage. Meals are nutritious with fruits, vegetables, meats and based upon the staple of rice. You will have access to drinking water and coffee.

It is recommended that you purchase a travel insurance policy prior to your departure. There are different options available covering everything from lost baggage to a medical emergency. We advise that volunteers select a policy that covers all activities with us and in your own time. Some activities, such as diving, are not covered by some insurers.

We encourage our volunteers to learn some Thai words as well as to teach some English during their trip. And we have developed Thai-English phrasebook and we highly encourage you to print it out and use it during your stay in Thailand.

We have a detailed volunteer guide and provide hand-off notes to help volunteers better prepare.

Volunteering at a local Thai primary school.