Job Discussion Forums

[scotv]

I know there have been complaints about the pay concommitant to the cost of living in Poland, but that aside do you TEFLers like teaching English to Polish students and why?

I know many of you have had jobs in the corporate world before embarking on teaching, how do you compare the two, i.e. the hours, job satisfaction, stress, etc.?

[dynow]

in general, i feel as though this is an unfair comparison because it's different industries in different countries with different infrastructures and much different standards of living. in my case, you simply can't compare a white collar life in America to an ESL teacher's life in Poland.

[Master Shake]

Come on, dynow.

He's just asking which job you prefer in terms of hours, job satisfaction, stress, etc.: A white collar job in the States or TEFL-ing in Poland.

I never had a "white collar job" in the USA. I started TEFL-ing right after I finished a BA in English. But I sure do like teaching English more than working in a spice factory, moving furniture, or counting ballots - all part-time and summer jobs I had before I left the States and came to Poland to teach.

[scotv]

Dynow, forget about comparing the fruits that can be born from your labor in either America or Poland; obviously, your standard of living will be higher in America. Simply take the job at face value, do you like teaching English to foreign speaking students? You left your American job for a reason, I suppose. Are there things--hours worked, job satisfaction--that you like better about one job compared to another. Do you get more satisfaction out of contributing to the development of someone speaking English better or devising a business model that is implemented (for example). Again, obviously you'll make more money and have better roads in America etc., etc., but those are fruits. I would like to know how you TEFLers like doing the job

[scottie1113]

I LOVE teaching English. Do a search on this forum for FAREWELL and you'll find out more about my background and why I came to Poland. Too long to repeat here. My students are highly motivated and I love to see their progress during a semester or a year, especially in pre-int through upp-int. When I came here two years ago I didn't know anyone. Now my phonebook is full of names, and most of them are students from my classes. They've become my friends and I've learned a lot about Poland from them.

I've had a lot of jobs in my life (again, see FAREWELL) and teaching English is the most satisfying and rewarding one I've ever had. I don't teach for the money. I made a lot more in the US and enjoyed a higher standard of living but I wouldn't trade teaching for any of them.

Granted, I'm an exception, but I love Poland and I'm not going to leave, and I'll continue to teach for as long as I can. Stress? What stress? My only stress comes when I'm playing poker with Vlad and Shake and they're trying to steal my hard earned zl.

[dynow]

hmmmmm......

yeah, yeah.....i see what you all mean, but i still struggle to begin to compare the two. i would have to write in very specific terms.

job satisfaction.....well, i don't enjoy working, i could think of a million other things to do with my life other than iron a shirt and go to work every day, but regarding teaching english vs. my last corporate job.....hard to say. my boss was a cretin, the organization was a romper room, and each day consisted of meetings with people trying to figure out how to spend, or waste, more of the company's money, but i had a fantastic work schedule, amazing benefits and drove 10 minutes to work every day rather than taking smelly trams or walking a couple hours a day (I'm an avid runner, i don't need the exercise, so hold the lazy American comments ). did i get satisfaction with what i was doing at my corporate job......in general, not really.

with my teaching job, i have some students that would rather be anywhere but english class, some of them are o.k., some of them are an absolute pleasure to teach and give me a great sense of accomplishment when i help them with their english.

unlike Scottie, i am in it for the money. For those of us teaching english on this forum, we do it because it pays well compared to the other jobs most 20 and 30 something Poles are doing in Poland and because it was an easy way of getting into the country and landing a job right away and start living. If the Polish language wasn't a barrier and much better paying jobs were out there that we were qualified for, most of us would be out of the ESL profession in a heartbeat. I'm still a young buck, have hopes of buying a small house one day somewhere warm, having a couple kids and to retire comfortably, so getting my 1 zl. a year (if i'm lucky) raise, doing the same thing year after year, with little room for promotions.....leaves a little to be desired when speaking about job satisfaction. all satisfaction with this job is in the classroom, which at times is fine, it's something i didn't get much of in my corporate job, but when you tack on having to commute to work twice a day, having a completely topsy turvy work schedule that requires me to wake up at 6:30 for an 8:00 a.m. class and sometimes not getting home till 9:30-10:00 p.m. at night, the fact that Mr. Kowalksi finally mastered present perfect starts to lose it's magic.

[scotv]

Scottie, I read your posts on the FAREWELL thread. Good conversation between you and Dynow. Do you mind if I PM you sometime?

Dynow, I see you're from Jersey. What town?

[scottie1113]

Sure. PM me anytime,

[justflyingin]

I enjoy the teens and adults. The children and junior highers are a pain.

I say that because they are so much more work. The adults want to be there. They are eager learners. They work at it. The upper teens also are at least quiet during class.

The children...it's stressful and takes a lot of energy. Maybe it's because I've had 5 kids, but I think the behavior of these classes is atrocious. Is it my fault? I don't know. I want to teach the language, not have to discipline the kids into behaving.

Teaching a language to a group of children who don't understand is tiring and wearing. I don't particularly enjoy it.

I ENJOY the adults. I've enjoyed getting to know Polish people who are internationally minded, thinkers, smart, and want to learn something new. I needed it personally. I knew too many very poor Polish people who only wanted to know me as an American because of how I could help them out financially. Getting to know people who have enough money to actually pay for English has been a huge plus. It has encouraged me to think that there are some open minded Polish people who aren't just zombies of the RCC. We've had some of the adults in our home.

I've encouraged them that if they see me in the store or on the street to say "hi" to me, as I might not remember their names (as a substitute, I'm in some classes only once). Some have taken me up on it.

I don't do it for the money since we have another income, but the money I do make is my own "mad money" or "travel money". For that I am grateful. I've been able to go to Egypt and Israel with the money I've made teaching English. I hope to go to Crete this year.

But, if I didn't get paid, I wouldn't do it. There isn't enough value in it for me. So, I guess I AM doing it for the money.

[scotv]

[scottie1113]

RCC? What does that mean?

I taught at a summer camp last month. Children? Never again, at least not during the regular school year. I always told my DOS anytime, anyplace, any level, but not children. I love them, but I won't teach them during the year. Never.

[scotv]

RCC=Roman Catholic Church.

[englishwithjosh]

I must say I'm impressed how many other people have left the corp world to teach across seas, and even in Poland at that. I did the same but bit on the Korean hook. I know, I know, this is Poland forum but I got my sites set on it next.

Having left the desk I can say it's worth it. So far I can see a lot of the bs is the same in any job. You'll have a boss you probably don't like or respect, the employees' voices are heard, there be some illogical busy work, etc., but the one thing you do get from teaching overseas is a memory. Back home, my free time would be spent looking up stuff to buy because I needed something to validate the best years of my life being squeezed out of me by databases, meetings and phone calls. At least being overseas you get memories, and stories that you've lived instead of having watched on tv. Any job is stress, so you just have to figure out what helps you get through that more easily, a car with refrigerator in the glove box or having people circled around you as you tell them about the crazy stuff you saw half ways around the world. For me it's the latter and I know when I'm stuck behind a desk again I'll be selling off the years that aren't that great anyway.

[scottie1113]

The years that aren't that great anyway? Ha! Son, when you're anywhere near my age every day on the green side of the grass is good! And I'll never go back to a desk again. Do a search for my posts and you'll know why.

Not to nitpick, but "sites" should have been "sights".

[dynow]