Job Discussion Forums

[sarajsk]

I am of Polish descent and will graduate next May from college with a degree in elementary education. Will I still need to obtain a TEFL certificate with that degree? Also, do you recommend going to Poland to teach for a year? I want to live in Poland sometime in my life, but my parents do not want me going back there because they say I will not earn anything, and living there alone is going to be much different from vacationing there and staying with family. But, I think teaching English to kids would be an awesome way for me to live there.

Should I teach there for a year after college? I have been on and off the fence about this...

Thank you for all your help and advice. I really appreciate it. Have a great day!

[sarajsk]

I also wanted to mention I am an avid traveler, so I think this would be a great opportunity to travel around and just enjoy my time abroad for a while before getting into a teaching job back home.

[scottie1113]

You can get a jog without any tefl certificate, although a CELTA will be a big plus for the better schools.

I wouldn't teach kids for all the tea in China, but that's just me.

Where are you from?

[justflyingin]

Do you speak Polish? Teaching kids without being able to effectively tell them to "be quiet" is difficult. I've watched a friend of mine try to do it. He ended up bringing his wife into the classroom to translate for him. The kids ran all over him.

But, if you wanted to teach older kids (like 11 and up), you could do it with limited Polish. It is really hard with no Polish to teach 5-6-7-8 year olds.

The teachers who teach English on the elementary level usually spend some time crying. You have been fair warned. But sure, "come on"...we could use some energetic English teachers! They love young ones here.

Often the public schools lack English teachers. Esp. the worst ones.

[sarajsk]

Yes, I am fluent in Polish. Ideally, I would like to work in Krakow. The certification is a bit expensive, so I wasn't sure if I should get it with my degree.

Crying? Oh, dear, haha. I just want to teach some English, meet some people, and have a good time in the mother country.

And I would like to be in a good school. I heard private schools were better than public? 20-25 hours would be awesome. I read some schools work you like dogs...

P.S. I've browsed through every single thread on here, even though I am a newb. I am really motivated and enthusiastic about doing this.

[justflyingin]

[sarajsk]

The certification I was talking about was the CEFL.
If you could put me in contact with that girl, that would be wonderful. Thank you!

[maniak]

[dynow]

it's true.

the travel thing is tough to do. if you take trains and stay in hostels, it's doable if you save your money, but that's the only way to do it. If you go by train, it takes forever and becomes illogical because it will be a full day of travelling, a full day back, making weekend trips simply not doable.

i rarely travel in Europe for the same reason I rarely travelled in the states, I couldn't afford it and/or I didn't have enough time to drive there and back.

[sarajsk]

So, I could save up enough money now to travel later?

Also, is it easy to meet people there? Is it easy to get along with the other staff (of course, it will depend on the school)....?

Thank you.

[Master Shake]

Tough to save a lot of money on a teachers salary. You might want to bring some cash with you to Poland, if you are so fortunate. (Set up a bank account in Poland and wire it from home = safer)

The school I worked in Gdansk had a friendly atmosphere and I met up with other teachers in pubs, pool halls and restaurants a few times a week. Doing this will eat into your travel money, tho.

[justflyingin]

[maniak]

[justflyingin]

[sarajsk]

Hmmm. I was offered a position teaching an adjoining elementary school to a university in South Korea, and I realize that would bring in more money, but to go and live in Poland would be such a great experience, I feel.