Job Discussion Forums

euro2010 · Joined: 20 Jun 2010 Posts: 13

OK, Bell Szczecin isn't going to make you rich but yes you can live on what they're paying you. In addition the support they offer new teachers is (was) excellent. Szczecin is a fairly expensive city by Polish standards (along with Wroclaw, Poznan, Krakow and Warsaw). Beware of things being taken from your salary though - the former Szczecin director (Zenon, maybe he's still there) was regularly criticised for strange deductions and then poor excuses which made teachers suspicious - no idea if these deductions were legit but either way they were poorly explained. ELS Bell can be bitchy and the claims about teachers not having their contracts renewed for asking Ludka questions are true. One year many experienced teachers in Szczecin (and other branches) didn't have their contracts renewed. The school suffered greatly because of this and lost a much loved DOS in the process. Maybe the school is a changed place now, who knows?

scottie1113 · Joined: 25 Oct 2004 Posts: 375 Location: Gdansk

An update. The OP has just completed his first year in Poland and was happy with his experience.

More nonsense about Ludka. How many years ago were your experiences? If they're not current, they're worthless. I just signed my fourth contract with Bell. I'm on the ground here. Are you?

merthin1234 · Joined: 18 Aug 2009 Posts: 2

An update. Someone is billy bullshitting[/quote]

scottie1113 · Joined: 25 Oct 2004 Posts: 375 Location: Gdansk

Say what?

chromium · Joined: 06 Jun 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Dalian, China

all I can say for prospective teachers is that I worked for Bell for 3 years and never had any problems with flats, visas (non-EU), money, etc.
They are definitely one of the better schools to work for, albeit you will not get rich.

Master Shake · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1202 Location: Colorado, USA

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

Get rich? You ARE rich. Last time I went to Lord Shake's mansion in Wilanow he served me the finest booze with the most incredible hors d'oeuvres.

So unaccustomed to such fine food, my stomach went into meltdown which was then, in the bathroom (which was as big as my pauper's flat) I wiped my rear end with gold plated toilet paper.

Master Shake · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 1202 Location: Colorado, USA

mdm15 · Joined: 20 Jun 2012 Posts: 10 Location: Poland

Just finishing up some time at Bell School and this school WAS a good school,hence the loyal support it often gets on these forums. Teachers however, have been suffering progressive pay cuts and increasing workloads as the school is just not attracting new students and the present students are very unhappy as standards have slipped drastically.

If you want to though,some advice....

They try to make you believe you have a fulltime contract - dont believe it. Its a sales contract called a umowa u dzielo, they use this as they can avoid paying you ZUS (a social security to help you if your sick, need hospital care etc)

Sort out your own NIP (they will try to put you off getting one for the above reasons)
the "agreement" acutally means you only have to work to a set number of hours. they will try to make you work alot - being on call, filling out all sorts of paperwork etc but just dont accept it, state that you know that its not a fulltime contract and spend you other time having fun or finding private students (they also try to make out you cant have them too - again, dont believe it).

Ludka admitted that next year's pre-payments will pay for new teachers' salaries then I would be concerned as a new teacher to Bell.

Tread very carefully with this school and do all the research as I have found they will take advantage.

For more information see this..

http://www.polishforums.com/archives/2009/work-study-43/advice-needed-els-bell-szczecin-dodgy-37890/

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

Dangerous misinformation as regards NIP and Umowa o Dzieło here. Please see:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=96798

mdm15 · Joined: 20 Jun 2012 Posts: 10 Location: Poland

NO misinformation here, it has all been checked and verified by Polish lawyers. If you work a full time job in PL you are entitled to ZUS. Schools use a umowa u dzieło so that they push you to work fulltime but then you should only have to work the hours specified. for bell it was 680 teaching hours and 10 hours on site for prep.

All teachers would say they worked well over 40 hours a week, esp when your new to the job. When I asked our Director this question he replied that teachers work no more than 20 hours a week. They know what they are doing - all im saying is do your research and dont be kept in the dark as they will take advantage of you.

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

answered on different thread
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=96798

Can we keep the discussion on the one thread above please?

chromium · Joined: 06 Jun 2007 Posts: 69 Location: Dalian, China

I would have to agree more with simon regarding ZUS and NIP; however, I cannot dispute what mdm wrote since I haven't worked there for 2 years.

I don't think Bell ever said they would pay my ZUS (the national health insurance), but they did provide me with Allianz private insurance, which covered most of the basic stuff other than prescriptions. I am an insulin-dependent diabetic so I, too, was concerned about insurance, so I had to pay for insulin, etc. out of my pocket. However, Allianz did cover seeing a doctor and would have covered many other healh related procedures had I needed them.

As far as NIP: I don't think I filled out even one form to get my Polish ID card and I paid zero to get it done. Darek, if he is still working there, took care of all that. All I needed to do was go to a gov't place in Gdansk and Gdynia to sign some stuff, as you would be expected to do n any foreign country.

As far as the contractual hours: I don't think I ever worked more than 24 (and that was on the 45 minutes = 1 contact hour scheme). The people who did work more than that were paid overtime, and I know some people who wanted the extra hours for the extra pay. So, some people may have worked 40 hours, but that was their choice.

Having said all that, maybe mdm is correct. But, it is hard to imagine things have changed that much in 2 years. I could be wrong, but Ludka was always fair with me, I was paid on time for the work I was contracted to do, and I never had any contractual disputes with her.

To anyone with an interest in teaching in Poland for a private language school:

you will not make much money and probably won't save anything.
At least I didn't, but I wasted a lot of money on booze and going out. However, I did live literally a 1 mintue walk from the school and a 3 minute walk to the center of one the most beautiful European cities: Gdansk.

TEFL is our chosen lifestyle. Don't expect to make a ton of money simply because you speak English and have a 4 week certicate. Many EFL teachers in Poland make as much as doctors and twice as much as nurses and state teachers, who both have considerably more education and training in those professions than do most of us. I happen to have a Delta, but that was still only 2 months of additional training. To become a certified teacher in the US requires 4 YEARS! Try getting a job in the prettiest cities in the US (or any country, for that matter) and being able to live in the heart of the city with only a 4 week "degree" You would be laughed out of the office, and quickly.

Just my 2 cents

Irishdave · Joined: 17 Jan 2011 Posts: 25 Location: Belfast

4,000 zloty in 4 days?

Pffttt, 600 zloty lasted me a week without any problems while I was staying at a friends.

Granted, I didn't pay for all the food, but I paid for half, and we ate out in restaurants and drank regularly.

I love the absurdity of some comments on these forums.