Job Discussion Forums

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Other countries make teachers out of their own nationals. Can't Poland do this ? Is their something specific to Poland that makes this impossible ?

Open your eyes and look around Europe !

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Poland is full of excellent local teachers these days. Back in the 90's it was different. I've met many great Polish English teachers. In fact, the standard of English in Poland is excellent I'd say...speaking generally of course. At the higher levels ie intermediate and upwards...there is no substitute for a native speaker. A quick look through modern course books Scott and you'll see that quite have been co-written by Poles. Poland is an EFL leader in some ways. The students rank among the top echelon of those I've taught in my almost two-decade long journey-(I refuse to call it a career as they have pensions and structure). Short-term it's a good place to cut one's teeth but if you want to develop you need to try out a few places before settling on one I'd say. Delph's assertion that there is some kind of upwards and onwards thing going on is largely a mirage. My Masters qualified friends in Poland are doing only marginally better than those without the MA and that's largely due to non-teaching work they're doing. Delph will learn....he's a relative newcomer.

simon_porter00 · Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 505 Location: Warsaw, Poland

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

A long way to go before Poland reaches Scandiunavian or Dutch levels of proficiency in foreign languages !

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

And what exactly is that pension worth/will it be worth in 30 years? I worked at several language schools there, one of the big unis and freelanced. I earned more for the magazine I worked for than I did as the Coordinator for Advanced Levels (uni post). I went out a lot too and did all that. At one point I had 3 jobs simultaneously. All for a couple of grand a month. Poland's attractions weren't worth that. The vast majority of TEFL teachers in Poland live hand to mouth and like normal people socialize and drink. Whether a relative newb like you would hire them or not is irrelevant. Then again I suppose you can teach them Jockish Delph.

sparks · Joined: 20 Feb 2008 Posts: 632

I'm not sure why one needs a pension structure or some sort of 9-5 job where you are an employee who works for an employer in the traditional sense. I thought that working for oneself is to truly have made it. Sure you can schlep aro-und in the snow and muck and be miserable (I enjoy moving about, actually) or you can do something else in Poland. I'm still not really sure why people are so bent on proving that Poland sucks. If you like it here, that's really all the reason you need to stay. Saying that oil country is better or some girls are hotter somewhere else, or all EFL teachers here are 'lics is nothing more than opinion. I wonder why such a strong divide and need to fight for or against Poland? Anyone? Why do you care so much about defending or bashing the country? I'm interested to know.

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

People need to know that the place is a-expensive, b-awash with efl teachers and c-full of dodgy outfits. They also need to know that it's a slog long-term.....that running around wears thin. Then kids come along and it's a whole new financial ball game.

People can do what they want-the fact that there are so few female efl teachers in Poland says it all.

Men go to Poland and we all know why. To dress it up as some fantastic place is simply a way of making one's motivations sound better.

ecocks · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 899 Location: Gdansk, Poland

Amazes me that some people are so desperate to proclaim that Poland is a pit despite the belief of many (myself included) that it is an interesting and enjoyable place to live.

I'll be back in Gdansk after a 2-week trip stateside and while I will miss a few of the people back in the US, I am happy to be coming back.

Everyone is different, some of you seem to be clueless about life.

Ah well..............

dynow · Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 1080

I don't think anyone, myself included, is saying that Poland isn't interesting or enjoyable. the issue sometimes is a slew of posters that refuse to call a spade a spade.

you know what this forum needs? a thread that will provide statements about Poland that we can all accept as "factual" so that we can stop arguing the same points.

i'll start: kielbasa is not healthy just because someone's babcia made it from a pig she raised on her farm. although tasty, it's greasy fatty meat that gives you the farts.

delphian-domine · Joined: 11 Mar 2011 Posts: 674

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Delph-the difference is I know them really really, well. I've know most of them over a decade, some a decade and a half. I know where they live and who had to borrow what from who to buy said places etc. I also know, because they are my friends, that often, they can't come out because in their own words they're 'skint'. It's not running anyone down...that's your take on it. Most of them, if not all of them, don't party anything like they used to....and there are reasons other than money for that. However, less than 10% have kids, very few are married and I can't think of one....oh yes I can...just 1, who has a car. Nearly all of them do other stuff and that makes life possible. The man himself told me that it was the other stuff and the summer sessions that made it all possible....oh and some even have lodgers! I like my friends skint or not....we go back a long way. I think you'll find I run EFL Poland down, not them. You've said yourself that schools are dodgy and late/non-payment is a problem.....you've said yourself that it's getting pricy and yo've said yourself that works getting harder to find. I haven't relly said much that is different. I just state the things I have seen and experienced and share the opinions of the many TEFL teachers I know. I know most of the TEFL teachers in P and 95% are men. 99% of those who stay are men. Always been that way. I had a position of responsibility at the uni and I can tell you that road ain't paved with gold hence my assertion that the career path thing is largely a myth. Some of those guys are doing 40 contact hours a week. Some are working just about every week of the year. Quite a few do go to the Middle East when kids come along. All factual stuff.

Dynow's idea was good-can we agree on the following?

Average rent and bills=1,500Zl
Average pay per hour=50-60Zl
100 hours a month=About 5,500Zl-tax and health insurance

That's less than a thousand quid net per month in Europe. It's piffle.

Do you have a kid? No
Do you drink? No

So all your figures exclude most people's 2 biggest expenses in the short and long run respectively.

dragonpiwo · Joined: 04 Mar 2013 Posts: 1650 Location: Berlin

Delph-the difference is I know them really really, well. I've know most of them over a decade, some a decade and a half. I know where they live and who had to borrow what from who to buy said places etc. I also know, because they are my friends, that often, they can't come out because in their own words they're 'skint'. It's not running anyone down...that's your take on it. Most of them, if not all of them, don't party anything like they used to....and there are reasons other than money for that. However, less than 10% have kids, very few are married and I can't think of one....oh yes I can...just 1, who has a car. Nearly all of them do other stuff and that makes life possible. The man himself told me that it was the other stuff and the summer sessions that made it all possible....oh and some even have lodgers! I like my friends skint or not....we go back a long way. I think you'll find I run EFL Poland down, not them. You've said yourself that schools are dodgy and late/non-payment is a problem.....you've said yourself that it's getting pricy and yo've said yourself that works getting harder to find. I haven't relly said much that is different. I just state the things I have seen and experienced and share the opinions of the many TEFL teachers I know. I know most of the TEFL teachers in P and 95% are men. 99% of those who stay are men. Always been that way. I had a position of responsibility at the uni and I can tell you that road ain't paved with gold hence my assertion that the career path thing is largely a myth. Some of those guys are doing 40 contact hours a week. Some are working just about every week of the year. Quite a few do go to the Middle East when kids come along. All factual stuff.

Dynow's idea was good-can we agree on the following?

Average rent and bills=1,500Zl
Average pay per hour=50-60Zl
100 hours a month=About 5,500Zl-tax and health insurance

That's less than a thousand quid net per month in Europe. It's piffle.

Do you have a kid? No
Do you drink? No

So all your figures exclude most people's 2 biggest expenses in the short and long run respectively.