How Scott Persson Built a Global Teaching Career in Thailand
| by Erin Martin
It is 90 degrees in Bangkok, Thailand, and Scott Persson is exhausted. He has just finished day three of a week-long school field day-type event. Instead of running the events, his role is managing the chaos.
“It’s a fun chaos,” Persson says. “Kind of corralling the kids around everywhere and making sure everyone’s at the events that they’re supposed to be participating in.”
The work is demanding — humid, unpredictable, and nonstop — but it’s exactly where he wants to be.
Persson has spent the last eight years teaching in Thailand. Today, he is a Grade 2 teacher and team leader at an international school in Bangkok. But getting there was not a straight path. It required a major life shift, a move across the world, and a decision to invest in his growth through both certification and a master’s degree.
A 20-Year Interest that Turned into a Career
Persson did not always know he would become a teacher, but the idea was always there.
“I think growing up, I always kind of liked school,” he says. “I liked the structure of it. I generally enjoyed my teachers and my friends at school.”
In eighth grade, he completed a project where he had to choose three potential careers. One of them was teaching.
That idea stayed with him, even as life took him in a different direction.
“Life has a funny way of being a river and going wherever it wants to,” he says.
Years later, after the end of a long-term relationship, Persson found himself rethinking everything.
“I finally realized I could do two things I wanted to do that I always wanted to do,” he says. “One was to teach, and one was to live abroad.”
He chose both.
Starting in the Classroom and Building a Future
Persson moved to Thailand and began teaching after earning his TEFL certification. His first role was in a government school, but he eventually transitioned into an international school environment.
There, he found what he had been looking for.
“You get to work with a bunch of other teachers from all over the world… and it’s a much more similar environment than I remember from when I went to school,” he says.
As teaching requirements in the region began to shift — especially after COVID — Persson saw the need to formalize his experience with a U.S. teaching license.
“I was like, oh man, I really like teaching… how can I get an American teaching license online?” he says.
That search led him to Moreland University and the TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program.
From Certification to Immediate Impact
While completing the 9-month TEACH-NOW program, Persson was already teaching full-time. What stood out most was how directly the coursework connected to his classroom.
“I would do that assignment and think, well, I’m gonna make this an assignment that I can actually use in school next week,” he says. “And that part was awesome for me.”
Rather than feeling like separate responsibilities, his learning and teaching worked together.
“Anytime I had assignments for Moreland, I tried to tie them into what I was actually doing at school,” he explains.
The program also provided something just as valuable: a global community of educators.
“We all got to share the problems that we run into, share the solutions that we come up with,” he says. “It was just a good group to be with.”
Choosing to Go Further with a Master’s Degree
After earning his teaching license, Persson found himself in a position many educators reach — comfortable, confident, and settled into a routine.
“It was almost getting a little too routine… a little too easy,” he says.
Instead of staying there, he made a decision.
“I wanted more challenge. I wanted to challenge myself more.”
Rather than changing grade levels, Persson chose to continue building his expertise. Just a few months after completing TEACH-NOW, he enrolled in Moreland’s Master’s Add-on Program, earning his Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) in Teaching Multilingual Learners.
“Being in Thailand, that seemed like the perfect fit at the time,” he says. “And I’m still happy with it.”
Continuing the Cycle as a Mentor
Persson’s connection to Moreland did not end when he completed his degree. Today, he mentors teachers going through the program — supporting them through the same process he once navigated.
“I remember how nervous I was… recording yourself in front of the class,” he says.
That experience shapes how he approaches mentorship.
“I try to be very sympathetic,” he says. “It’s very fun for me to observe them, give them feedback, but know how vulnerable it feels.”
For Persson, it is about something bigger than his own classroom.
“I like getting more good teachers into the world,” he says. “I’m always happy to help.”
A Practical Next Step for Educators
For teachers considering whether to continue their education, Persson’s advice is straightforward.
If the concern is time, the structure will feel familiar.
“If they’ve done the teaching certification program, you’re familiar with the methods,” he says. “You’re just diving a bit deeper.”
If cost is a concern, the long-term value is clear.
“I’ve already paid mine [master’s degree] off almost just by getting it and getting that pay bump,” he says.
For Persson, the decision to continue his education was not about starting over. It was about building on what he had already begun.
And that choice continues to shape his career — one classroom, one student, and one lesson at a time.
Ready to Take the Next Step in Your Career?
Moreland’s 12-month, online Master’s in Education program is designed for working educators who are ready to grow into their next role.
If you’re a graduate of Moreland’s TEACH-NOW program like Persson, you can add a master’s in 3-4 months through the M.Ed. Add-on program.
Apply for free or request more information today.
