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York School of English Krakow
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depechemodefan1966



Joined: 31 Jan 2015
Posts: 71

PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wouldn't believe too much about this "We can guarantee you X amount of hours per week. I wish I had a Pound for every time I have heard that.

As for being paid by the hour (45 mins), that is normal in Poland. That's why I will not do gaps, or split shifts, in my timetable as in the time you are waiting around, you don't get paid.

Also, check that meetings and training periods are paid too.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sun May 08, 2016 5:42 pm    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Same old, same old. Atrocious Polish EFL.
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svenhassel



Joined: 04 Aug 2006
Posts: 188
Location: Europe

PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 10:43 am    Post subject: Avoid! Reply with quote

This school will be hiring again soon as four new hires have recently left and they are seriously understaffed. All the negative reports on these pages may be making it difficult to recruit.

If you interview with this school you may notice the interviewer does all the talking and appears unable to listen and when she does she will almost definitely respond negatively. This is how conversations will go if you decide to work there and try to discuss the many problems you will encounter.

Oddly, Teachers are discouraged from teaching 'listening' and 'writing' in class as this is ironically considered a waste of class time. Apparently communicating with teachers in writing and listening to them is also considered a waste of time.

Despite not having any recent teaching experience, the owner will feel free to enter your class and take over, criticising your teaching and generally being very interruptive. 'Observations' will follow that format. The owner is obsessed with CLT despite not knowing much about it or that it is now considered out of date and you will be expected to apply this to your teaching.

You will be expected to attend unpaid meetings and 'training' which last for hours in which all of the above will become clear.

If you do decide to take up a contract here and then leave you should expect to have the cost of advertising for a replacement on tefl.com (1000 zl apparently) docked from your pay. As you will also be paying for your medical insurance, and flights to Krakow you should bring plenty of money to supplement your wages and to provide you with an escape route when it becomes unbearable.

Two secretaries have also just quit so it is anticipated that the levels of chaos will be higher than usual.

There are other schools in Krakow which you will no doubt find much more agreeable than this.

Ignore this and all previous reports on York School at your peril.
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delphian-domine



Joined: 11 Mar 2011
Posts: 674

PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2016 8:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Salary deductions are illegal in Poland, except in some very specific circumstances.

If it's as bad as you say, you could make a report to PIP, especially if you were paid using umowa zlecenie.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Mon Dec 19, 2016 6:50 pm    Post subject: mmm Reply with quote

Yet another horror story about getting dicked in Poland. It ain't worth the bother. It really isn't. Far nicer places to work for far more dosh and girls who are just as pretty.
I've worked for a uni there, IH, JDJ, Profilingua and Empik and done privates of course. The only place that didn't cheat or try and cheat was the uni. All the private language schools have shady contract/tax practices. Privates are the only way there but they are dreadfully unreliable and have Xmas and summers off more often than not. When I retire, I'll teach there for beer money, nowt else.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 12:56 am    Post subject: Re: mmm Reply with quote

dragonpiwo wrote:
Yet another horror story about getting dicked in Poland. It ain't worth the bother. It really isn't. Far nicer places to work for far more dosh and girls who are just as pretty.
So where exactly are you referring to?
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 12:56 pm    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Dubai or Abu Dhabi for a start.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm sure the pay is better in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but the girls? Last time I checked in with someone who lives in Dubai, expat non-Muslim men were not a hot commodity there.

Not to mention the social conservatism and human rights abuses that exist in those places.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:38 pm    Post subject: well Reply with quote

As someone who actually lives here, I can tell you it's a lovely country. Tonnes and tonnes of expats and a very vibrant social scene if that's your thing. It's a really nice country. Very multi-cultural and you get paid on time, a lot, every month. It's also near Goa, Sri Lanka, Zanzibar, Oman and a hop to Bali and Europe. What's to the moan about?
Poland on the other hand s a backward thinking country just look at PiS and its majority, you get ripped off and the wages are dire. Yep, it's a beautiful place but a shithole re work and working conditions unless you have zero aspirations in life and rely on credit and people to bale you out.
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spiral78



Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2016 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Poland on the other hand s a backward thinking country just look at PiS and its majority, you get ripped off and the wages are dire. Yep, it's a beautiful place but a shithole re work and working conditions unless you have zero aspirations in life and rely on credit and people to bale you out


So maybe you'd like to discontinue posting here? Since you're got nothing other than blanket negativity to offer, and clearly nothing but distain for people who have made it work for them?

Rolling Eyes

(to bail someone out: a bale/to bale is something different)
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2016 3:16 am    Post subject: Re: well Reply with quote

dragonpiwo wrote:
As someone who actually lives here, I can tell you it's a lovely country. Tonnes and tonnes of expats and a very vibrant social scene if that's your thing. It's a really nice country. Very multi-cultural and you get paid on time, a lot, every month.
....
What's to the moan about?

Well, you've been moaning on the UAE forum about possibly being out of a job soon given the big layoffs in the region's oil industry. Razz
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2016 12:06 pm    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Just seen that typo...changes nothing I've said.

Poland did work for me but it worked for me because of my publishing money not because of teaching at a uni. However, 1,800 quid a month and free digs was not enough given a kid and all that comes with that. That was pre-2000. Worked there twice since in 2007 and 2014 and it's simply not a serious job. Jobs pay you money.

Setting up your own company so other can avoid paying your tax ad zus is just daft.

Love my house and flat there tho.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Fri Dec 23, 2016 3:53 pm    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Good it's the festive season. Good luck to the turkeys who are voting for Christmas.
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depechemodefan1966



Joined: 31 Jan 2015
Posts: 71

PostPosted: Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recently spoke to another Brit about Krakow and he told me he had worked at York, and he told me it was Hell. She (the Director) had him running around all over the place. He wasn't being paid travel time so most of his day was being used for work activity but only being paid teaching time. He told me that in the end, he said 'To Hell with it', cut his losses and got out.

I would avoid it, especially if two secretaries have also quit.
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svenhassel



Joined: 04 Aug 2006
Posts: 188
Location: Europe

PostPosted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wrote to her (The Director) sarcastically suggesting she respond to some of the criticism on these pages in order to reduce her high staff turnover. Here's what she wrote back:

'Hallo *********

Thank you for an advice. 6 years ago we decided it would be the waste of time to reply to any anonymous lies. Plus why would anybody work in the same institution
for 18 months if they were soo unhappy?

But perhaps now, after having had the school 26 years and out of approx 130 native speakers - 70 of them among my Facebook friends,
inclusive most of the present teachers ….. it could call for some action…

Anyway, in the second year *** ******* was notoriously late to work and even skipped some of his classes so was fired in January when said to his students that …
was wasting his time with them (?) By the way, he looked like an English hooligan, short, fat & bald .
Sorry for this because someone might think we’re taking some revenge.

Wish you all the best

*** *******'

I wouldn't normally post private email like this but as she devoted some time in the meeting after I left disparaging me I think It's only fair. It also gives a good indication of what she thinks about employees.

You're welcome!
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