Job Discussion Forums

[sadcliffefall]

Hello to everyone and a big "thank you" and "I really appreciate it" in advance to anyone who can help me with what I know is a fairly vague and general query.....

Is it possible to get short-term positons in EFL/ESL teaching in Poland? I am hoping to do 'stints' around the world for a year and was wondering if it is worthwhile researching ways of teaching in Poland for three months. I have been teaching ESL at a unversity in Australia and have a BA. Hons English, a Dip.Ed English and a CELTA. What are my chances?

I have taught in Korea for almost two years and am happy to give advice, information to anyone wanting to try teaching there, in Seoul or Incheon in particular.

Thanks again

[afowles]

Three-month contracts might be hard to find. You could risk it and come here and do the private lesson, thing. No contracts. You ought to be able to find a flat where you rent month-by-month.

[redsoxfan]

Hi

The reason why you haven't received many responses is two-fold. First, your question has been answered many times; do a search. Second, those of us who intend on staying in Poland for a bit of time don't really want to encourage "backpackers" to come and take jobs and give us a bad reputation. Now, I came here with a backpack and a suitcase, and in a certain sense I am living temporarily as well, but I am not a backpacker. If you can't commit to one city for even one year, you are a backpacker. Nothing wrong with being a backpacker mind you--most of us really enjoy travelling. But when teachers run for the border after a few months, you can see why private language schools often have a "fly by night" reputation, and you can also see why many schools are suspicious of Native Speakers. (Why do we capitalize "Native Speakers" anyway?!) I've been told by a director that, "We don't really have, well, the same expectations of Native Speakers...!" Many directors, it seems to me, prefer not to deal with Native Speakers at all, possibly because of past experiences with folks who show up reeking of booze, then show up late reeking of booze, then don't show up at all because they've decided that they fancied travelling to Vienna instead.

Besides, why teach for 3 months at a time? It takes a while to get settled, and you're going to have to find an apartment and go through all the paperwork at each place you live in. The first 3 months are often the most annoying months. You won't meet very many people, and even if you do, you'll be taking off so soon that it'll be hard to form any meaningful friendships. I don't think many schools in Poland will hire you for 3 months, so the only other option is to sign a year-long contract and then leave early, which screws everything up for the school, the students, and the other teacher who didn't get the job that you took. How would you feel if you came to your physics class one day and were informed that Mr. Smith simply decided to go travelling?! I say, pick a place you think you'll like, live there and earn a decent wage, and use the money to travel around the region. From Poland you can easily travel to about seven different countries.

[zippy2k]

I agree with RedSoxFan in a lot of what he says but I have to say I think the day is coming when schools in Poland will offer short-term contracts, as you can have in the rest of the EU.
Despite the obvious unpheaval involved, for many a short-term position is what they want. This doesn't necessarily mean they're just out for a bender at each city they visit! In my experience, schools in Poland have every class quite well documented in terms of what takes place in each lesson and teachers are supposed to record any problems with students for the precise reason that when another teacher comes along, be it to cover them for sickness or someone leaves for whatever reason, there are procedures in place for this.

I don't share the view that ppl looking for a short-term contract are just "backpackers". I'm in my 2nd year working here and I asked for a short-term contract (4 month/1 semester) because I wanted to go back to the city I was at last year. I would have covered half the course by then and after the semester break another teacher should be able to take over, they'll still have the same local teacher. I don't see that as necessarily disruptive - it does depend how its handled. I was disappointed that I was told by my school director that "I'm sorry but I can't offer you that" when I asked him before signing a 1-year contract but it wasn't a point-blank refusal...

Big schools probably wont offer you a short-term contract, I dont know about smaller ones though.

[gregoryfromcali]

Poland is not really the place for short term contracts.

Although I don't encourage it, it can be done.

You could always get a job in September and leave after the first semester. Just be sure you give your school plenty of notice. Besides most schools have a drop in enrollment for the second semester.

Although I've seen it done, most schools aren't too happy about it.

You're going to want to be careful with the chain schools. Because if you break a contract with a chain school it'd be hard to hired by that same chain again.

I too agree with what Redsoxfan said that it does seems a little pointless. I often see people teach in China stay for a few months and leave. But the problem is that in China it takes about half a year just to start getting used to the place.

In some ways Poland is similar, but its the other way around. It takes about 6 months to figure out how Poland is different.

By the way Poland in Springtime is unlike any other place in the world.

Why don't you just spend a year in Poland and a year somewhere else?

Afterall in Poland a school year is only about 8 and a half months.

By the way you could always spend your summers in China with English First. They pay for your flight but you pay with your hours.

[sadcliffefall]

First of all I would like to make it very clear that I am not a back-packer. I am first and foremost a dedicated professional and a person of deep integrity. I Resent the assumption that I would do a runner on any school because I wanted to go travelling. I have never done that.If I intended to do that then why would I enquire as to the availability of legitimate short-term contracts [ emphasis on contract as I am a person who keeps my word ] ? I carry an EU passport and have done short term contracts in England and Ireland before - mostly at private ESL colleges catering to the vast infux of Spanish and Portuguese students who come only for a few months over the Summer, as with the Swiss German students who come to London only for six weeks to do the Cambridge exam and then return home. I was simply asking for first hand advice in this area owing to time restrictions..............not dedication restrictions. As it is I will probably look to Poland for six months.

Thank you to those who offered friendly advice in response to my query and didn't criticise me as some neophyte in the world of teaching overseas. I am an experienced teacher NOT a fruit-picker and certainly not a backpacker!!!

[gregoryfromcali]