Job Discussion Forums

[blaz44]

Wondering if anyone had any experience with the York school in Krakow. I have been offered a job for the sept 2007-June 2008 year. This will be my second time in Poland teaching English but this time I am staying in Poland for good. The wage seems low to me for Krakow, although I do have a legit contract.

[blaz44]

I guess nobody has heard of anything negative about this school. This must be good as I have already signed the contract. Looking forward to being in Krakow.

[naturegirl321]

Let us know what York School is like. When do you arrive?

[blaz44]

I have a start date of Sept 20 but will be arriving around Sept 4. Be visiting in Leszno first.

[joscothewalrus]

dont be afraid to ask them for a reference from a previous teacher. although it sounds strange, i cant imagine they will refuse. its worth asking for, believe me

[redsoxfan]

I have a friend who worked there three years ago and has nothing but bad things to say about the place. He describes the DoS as the "worst person" he has ever met. "Unbelievably arrogant" and "self-centered" were used, as well as some less post-able adjectives. If the DoS is still a 60 something-year old crabby woman, the position hasn't changed. Well, in short, my friend's father was dying of cancer at the time so my friend had to go back to the States to spend a last bit of time with him and attend his funeral. The woman told my friend that he should not break his contract because his first obligation was to the school, and that by doing so he will be "walking on his father's grave."

Yup. There are other stories as well.

My friend recommended that you keep your options open and talk to other schools. When he was there anyway, the teachers "tend to leave" which should make you deeply suspicious. Anyway, why does a school in Krakow need to hire teachers from abroad, having never met them, when there are so many native speakers (I'm just going to stop capitalizing that term, I think) looking for work?

[gregoryfromcali]

We've discussed this school before on the forum, if you look in the archives or do a search on google you should be able to find the thread.

I've heard different things about the place and from what I've heard it sounds like things have improved.

But as redsoxfan said I've heard a few years ago that the teachers there weren't so happy.

In which case I wouldn't go running and screaming out of there, but I wouldn't get on anyone's bad side either.

The upside is I have met students who liked the school.

[blaz44]

D0S ARROGANT? Maybe. She emailed me not to use her first name as it was not proper...thought that was kind of strange. They haven't hired a native speaker from a non EU country in 3 years but I am being hired as a favor to a guy whoose mother owns the school. This has to do with another matter. I did email a few of the teachers who have pictures posted on the school's website, still haven't heard from them. I just asked in a very professional manner what their opinions of the school were. Maybe they have already left.

[ukrjamie]

york school seems to be pretty much the same deal as many other rather cowboy language schools in krakow, ie high native speaker turnover due to lack of any genuine concern for teachers. it's a pretty well equipped school though - but way out of town and the pay is quite a bit less than other schools (going rate c 60zl an hour). always worth heading round all the schools in late september, late february before the beginnings of terms and dish out your cv and mobile number... it's not hard to find work here if you've got any experience.

[ratsareeatingmybrain]

Old news by now i see, but thought I'd add my tuppence as I worked there for a few years two years back.

Strange your mate reckons his mum owns the school, as the DOS owns the school and she has two daughters and no son, unless he's some big dark secret of hers.

You got no replies cos the in-house mail system is mega-spammed and so nobody used it while I was there. Sounds like nothings changed.


There's usually a sociable bunch there as far as teachers are concerned so fun to be had. Lots of resources too and a fairly well-run place when i was there, though most of the office staff have changed since. Aye its out of the centre but not so distant as to be too much of a bind. The DOS is indeed an unusual character...

By the by, since when has 60zl been the going rate in Krakow? Beyond profi-lingua of course.

[chromium]

I was offerred a job there 3 years ago. It seems like the wage was around 33 net per 45 mins. + free accomodation, but can't remember exactly. I've never heard of a standard rate of anywhere near 60 at a school, private yes. But, for Krakow, 33 net is not great. Don't know what your offer included.

It seems like it was a well run school run by a dictator. They have their own professional York calanders with dates of when things happen, they're in PASE, etc. You'll find worse schools. But, I never actually worked for York.

[blaz44]

My experince with york school and DOS lived up to all the rumors and stories, would never work for a person like that nor should anyone else, I have too much self respect.

[zaba]

Hi there!

I worked at York some years ago. It was dreadful. The DOS is plain cuckoo, openly rude, distrusts everyone, mismanages students' classes, and yes, anyone with any self respect should not think about working there. There are 150+ schools in Krakow, many of them (run by younger Directors - and up-to-date with methodology and more human!) are good employers, so check them!

[ratsareeatingmybrain]

Plain cuckoo. Aye you might say that. I had no problems with her for a year and a half and ended up as her sole apologist almost. But then I had a run in with her where she was intensely rude about a situation that was all her making, before asking me for a favour!!