Job Discussion Forums

[jasperella]

I filled out the online application for the CELTA course last Sunday 22nd May, so it would have been waiting for the course admin staff on the Monday morning. After I submitted the form I got the page saying that the submission was successful. I've applied for the course starting in August.
I haven't heard anything back yet, not even a confirmation e-mail, and I was wondering if I should send a follow-up e-mail.
What do you think?
Thanks in advance!

[tbiehl2000]

I took the Celta at IH Krakow. Good course. Great tutors. If they don't get back to you today (30th) go ahead and contact them. At least that's what I would do. I'm sure they'll contact you...they need the money

[jasperella]

That's good to hear, thanks!

I'll send an e-mail today then.

[biffinbridge]

Applications to do CELTAs are always successful.Don't work for IH ,they pay awfully in Poland.

[philyyy]

The IH Celta course providers were a bit slow in replying to me when I applied so I ended up signing up for the Wroclaw course instead as they seemd much more interested, prepared and organised.

[Alex Shulgin]

[gregoryfromcali]

[tbiehl2000]

I'd like to hear from anyone that has worked for IH. I heard they pay less than the going rate but that they help to develop their teachers through workshops etc. Has anyone out there had positive experiences with IH? Positive or negative, I'd like to hear about it. Thanks.

[gregoryfromcali]

I haven't worked for IH but I can tell you that everything depends on the DOS.

I think they do offer a lot in terms of a teacher who wants to continue to live in foreign countries and I hear that they do have training sessions which is always better than none at all.

But I don't think that the pay is high.

However I can tell you what you may want to look for in a school.

I work for a Bell school and I can tell you that training sessions, monitoring and schools taking student feedback seriously definately helps a teacher develop.

The reason is that you can start out as a "not so good" teacher and in a place that offers support you can develop into a good teacher. Because the school will point out your mistakes and help you develop. On the other hand it can also be more stressful because the school has a standard that they want you to meet and it is a standard set by good teachers with years of experience.

I've also worked at places that don't offer support and the school basically leaves you alone. Which may sound like fun at first but I have noticed that more teachers at those schools are frustrated with their students or simply don't really care about teaching English grammar (as teaching grammar is the most challenging part for a native). I partially blame the schools though because they don't offer support therefore these teachers have no idea how to please their students and become jaded.

Although the school will expect more from you I would try to find a school that prides itself on some standards especially if you're going to get your CELTA. Because the CELTA only lasts for a month and it takes more than a month to be a good teacher and it also takes some time to develop your own style of teaching that includes the communicative method along with other methods.

[Martin P]

There are several different groups of IH schools within Poland. Even the different schools within eah group have noticeably different characters.

It's hard to compare without knowing what you've experienced before.

In terms of teacher developement, the best schools are as good as anywhere in the world.

Salary, not so good, but depends on the school.

[biffinbridge]

I worked for IH Bydgoszcz in 96-97.The pay was, and is, awful.The teaching development was hit and miss.Workshops are only useful when you can apply them.Personally,I'd never work for them again because you need a living wage in any profession.