Country info and advice - Poland
The following comments are from teachers who have taught, or are currently teaching, in Poland. If you are a teacher and have some advice to share, please add it here.
Poland has high unemployment,
as a result your boss always has the upper hand. It is a good idea to get a
solid contract. The contract should
include pay and number of hours per week. Many poorly run "English Schools" will
guarantee high hourly wages but not the hours per week. This can be problematic,
if you make any plans based on your salary.
Transport system in the city
is wonderful - best is to buy a monthly ticket (ticket office at Plac Bankowy)
for 66pln. This will enable you to use the buses and trams and metro trains for
one month. 66pln is the equivalent of £10. Average cost of a flat is 1200 -
1400pln - just over £200 per month. You can get a very pleasant one room flat
with kitchen and bathroom for that amount. Any more and you are being suckered.
I have been working in Warsaw for four years - I have also spent one year in
Slovakia. If anyone wants more information they can get in touch with me at
gilgaskell@hotmail.com
Poland is becoming a popular
destination to teach English, especially among those who don't want to follow
the herd in Spain. I taught in Poland for one year in a place called Lodz, which
happens to be Poland's second largest city. Like many places in Poland, it was
grey and drab, and had high unemployment. That said, Lodz has a university and
important film school which attracts people from all over the world. On the good
side, the school was well-equipped, students were highly motivated, demanding,
but easy to get on with. At the time, I earned about 2,500 zloty per month,
which is of course peanuts in comparison to British wages.
Plenty of jobs available
especially for a native speaker. Many employers will take you on a part time
contract and allow you to work privately for extra money so long as you keep
focussed. Most cities are equipped with reliable and cheap public transport and
most young people will speak English if you ever require any assistance. As one
of the biggest markets for ESL teachers it is a great place to start, however,
to ensure you get a job it is a must that you appear in person for an interview,
as much for your sake as for theirs.
A wonderful place with
wonderful people. The language is a pig to learn properly but help will be given
if you try a little. Food is sensible and large cities have decent supermarkets.
Some really nice places to visit with mountains in the south and excellent sandy
beaches in the north - especially good for the Summer. Something for everyone.
Some very good schools and some real cowboys too
so be a little careful. Although the wages are poor by Western European
standards native speakers should earn a more than decent wage by local
standards. Some good schools will provide accommodation too possibly in lieu of
part of your wages... well worth a visit!
Honestly speaking, it is very
hard to make a decent living in Poland as an English teacher, and since most of
the cities were destroyed during WW2 and rebuilt by the communists, they are not
too colorful nor pretty to look at. The people are generally rude to deal with
too. I would suggest looking for work in the Czech republic or Slovakia... at
least you will have beautiful towns to walk around in.
Poland is a great place to
teach English. I taught English for just under 2 years in a city called Wroclaw
and I am very satisfied with how things turned out. There are lots of English
schools in Wroclaw as well as in every other major Polish city. The people are
very nice and the cities in Poland are extremely beautiful. Wroclaw's mix of
classical and modern architecture is a pleasure to be surrounded with. Poland is
one of the nicest countries in all of eastern and central europe but because of
Soviet domination after WWII many people are unaware of its true beauty and the
potential it holds for foreigners. Wroclaw offers a wide variety of activities
for your spare time including rich nightlife, clubs, pubs, museums, galleries
and sporting events. The city is equipped with effective modern transportation
so getting around was never a problem for me.
Due to the large number of
people who left Poland to work in Germany and the United Kingdom, Poland is
actually experiencing a shortage of labourers so there are tons of job
opportunities for outsiders, including teaching English. I was sponsored by a
Polish community center in Chicago to go teach English in Poland. I had my TEFL
certification so it was easy for them to find a position for me at a local
English training center for adults. I really enjoyed my stay in Warsaw and I
have already been contacted several times by my Polish employer to go back and
teach full time. This is why I am currently doing my TEFL diploma. Poland is in
high-demand for skilled English teachers. Although the place I was at likes to
hire native speaking English teachers, I learned that those who speak some
Polish are much more likely to land a job there because some programs are for
beginners who barely understand any English.
I taught ESL in Gdynia - one
of the three tri-cities; the other two being Gdansk and Sopot. Gdynia is a
lovely city and is considered one of the "wealthier" cities in Poland (due to
the shipping industry years back). The private school I worked in was highly
professional and very accommodating in the types of classes I wanted to teach.
The salary offered was minimal, though higher than that earned by the native
Polish teachers (bear in mind, I had only 1 year of teaching experience). I
found the students to be extremely hard-working, eager to learn the English
language well, and very respectful of their teachers. The students were a mix of
young (and some mature), ambitious, students and/or up-and-coming professionals.
The locals were another story. Though I was there during 2001-2002, it seemed
that many were still reeling from the years of post-communism. (Tourist
guidebooks that claimed the 40-something crowd were considered the 'lost
generation' offered me a clearer picture of why there was such disparity in
attitudes between generations). From stories that I've heard and my own
experience there, I would highly recommend teaching ESL in Poland. As in any
country you first work in, it pays to do some research on the school and to get
a firm (and clear) contract. Poland can offer you a beautiful landscape in which
to work and/or travel just as long as you are willing to accept the attitudinal
differences in the generations of Poles who lived through the rigors of war that
many of us have never come close to. Oh, and keep your valuables close at hand -
petty theft is still evident even in broad daylight.
Poland is a real mecca to
teach English... and is highly recommended. But it's not a mecca for money but
simply that there is always work available for native English teachers (despite
high unemployment). However, of course the quality of school does vary from
place to place. You should be really cautious. Some schools obviously just care
about the student's wallets rather than their language learning. At the moment,
there is a high demand to employ native speakers. In many of the smaller towns,
schools will still employ native speakers solely on the fact that they can speak
English 'fluently', even if they are not trained teachers of English. Whilst
this may all be very well and easy for those of you who haven't invested their
grand in CELTA or Cert TESOL... you have to ask yourself this. What sort of
educational institution employs unqualified "teachers"? The answer is simply
cowboy outfits who obviously don't care about the quality of teaching and are
literally desperate for the token native speaker. My advice to you all is to
avoid these schools at all costs and invest yourself in the 4 week CELTA course
(you can even do it here in Poland). You will feel much more comfortable as a
teacher and will actually be able to deliver some quality teaching at the same
time. After all...students come first!
Teachers applying to schools
in Poland might want to be wary of the following... a school currently seeking
teachers advertised two different gross hourly rates tied to the complexity of
the teaching work. They also advertised as additional benefits free
accommodation and private insurance. They did not seem too interested in Polish
tax or national insurance. These would be taken care of within the teacher's own
home EC country.
Later emails clarified the following...
a)The higher gross figure included accommodation and insurance. That is against
all conventions on how pay rates are normally expressed.
b)They also explained that payment could vary from month to month depending on
the school's judgement of the teaching quality - not something you will find on
many bona fide teaching contracts.
As another post explains...
many Poles have left Poland in recent years to find work in Western Europe.
Those applying to work there should ask themselves... if the natives are
doubtful about working conditions here, what are my chances as a foreign teacher
of securing a good job? The old system in Poland was manipulative and
authoritarian. Communism has gone but perhaps some residual traces remain.
Having been in Poland a few
months I've spoken to many schools and spent 3 months as a teacher for one. I
left there to return temporarily to IT mainly due to low salary and a female
manager with serious mood swings. Very unprofessionally shouting at me across
the length of the school for finishing a lesson early, despite having completed
the material, taught extra and then the student also asked to leave early to
attend another class. A common trait with polish managers - they have no ears.
When the student explained she had asked to finish early - the manager refused
to accept this. The student felt very embarrased about the situation and I very
angry. My general advice is 'read the small print'. I applied for another school
and something didn't seem right. I asked to see the contract before making a
decision, half of one page contained a list of all the tasks that must be
completed 'without pay' which could easily have eaten lots of time each week.
Also when I turned the job down based on the rate, it suddnely increased about
50%... so why wasn't it this high to start with? Charge high - pay low, then
wonder why teachers move on so fast. Some contracts state that hours are not
guaranteed and in 'school holidays' you simply earn no money whatsoever, so it's
worth asking about guaranteed hours. Finally, when you get that job - work at
it! You'll not only earn the respect of your students and colleauge but you'll
improve your career and enjoy it more. If you're a 'gap year teacher', please
remember that you're also setting a reputation, some schools are wary of native
speakers after having teachers who are consistantly late, rude, ill prepared and
drunken. So remember, you're preparing the ground for those who follow, don't
mess it up for them!
Be very careful teaching here,
especially if you're new. The students are usually eager to learn and happy to
have a native speaker. The employers are happy to have you too but many of them
will use you as a marketing tool rather than a valued employee. If you do get a
valid contract, read it very carefully. Many private schools have contracts with
double-meanings and fine print. These employers have no hesitation to pull a
fast one on you with empty promises of guaranteed money and hours. Be especially
wary if you are in the small towns and villages. This is where I experienced the
most corruption. These places are very poor and if you get caught sleeping, they
will take you for a ride in a heartbeat and never think twice about doing it. Be
very sure to check where you will teach. One time I was told I was going to
teach in a city. I signed a contract and the school was "outside" the city, over
an hour away. Also, I got 6 hours per day but I started at 10am and the last
class ended at 8.30pm. I spent many hours in a small town doing nothing. I ended
up working long days and only getting a few hours' pay. Basically, if you get a
deal that sounds too good to be true, it is. Be sure to do your research and
find reputable schools. Ask a lot of questions and avoid any places that have
people who dodge them. Poland has a lot of honest people who want to do the
right thing. However, being skeptical at first is a wise idea.
I have been working in Radom, Poland since
September 2010. I love it here. While the isolation might get to some people, for me it was
ideal. The people may appear cold at first, but once they get to know you, they are really
warm hearted and kind. My school, no issues about anything. Brilliant DOS and other teachers.
For the most part the students are respectful and motivated. I have already agreed to
another year, I might even make this my permanent home.
I have taught in Poland for 6 months now and I
only have 3 months left. I have absolutely loved it. I am only in Bydgoszcz which isn't the most
beautiful city but people are friendly and my school - International House is a brilliant place to work.
If you have a CELTA and want a good place to start out then I can't recommend it enough - especially
if you can get in with IH. Only downside is that it's cold and you won't earn enough to travel outside
of Poland. That's the only reason I'm leaving in December.
I've been teaching English in South-West
Poland for almost a decade now. Teaching here can be rewarding in many respects and provided
you supplement your income with private lessons, you can live comfortably. Unfortunately, I've
been here long enough to see the ugly side of Polish culture and mentality. As this is a forum
on teaching English in Poland, my negative observations about this country and people would be inappropriate.
However, I'd like to take this opportunity to only mention how horrible the air pollution is in
Poland. Coal is king, not to mention wood, plastic and any rubbish they can get their hands on to
burn for heating homes. These are not only poor housholds but in many cases very well off folks,
with a Mercedes parked in the garage. During the burning season, it can be unbearable. I'm not green, just aware. Unfortunately, Poles are not.
I came to Poland in 2007 didn't like the way that some schools treat teachers and are only interested in money using out of date books and second rate teachers. I now own the school I came to work in and have made it the best school in town, have got many great polish friends and love it here. But with any teaching job anywhere be careful as it can turn bad very quickly. I hope to bring in another brit to teach at my school feel free to email me... unotefl@hotmail.com... One other thing... why do us teachers not form a contact group to help each other?
I have been living in Poland for over 3 months in the Trojmiasto- amazing cities but after canvassing many schools I have found little to no interest! I have built up some private lessons and the only concrete job that has been offered is 2 hours away. I wanted to leave this post for anyone who has worked in Gdynia-Gdansk who maybe could recommend some more professional institutes or schools to me. I wish you luck if you journey to Poland- would definitely not sell it to you as 'friendly' or 'easy' to accomplish things. You need to be as keen eyed as they are with details and 'what was said'...
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English language schools in Poland
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