Job Discussion Forums

[moonsongs2007]

The Guardian published a nice article about British people living in Poland back in December. (Sorry if this has been mentioned before.) I like the picture it paints.

www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2225850,00.html

[simon_porter00]

[YakTamer]

It's almost as if she is representing some school that needs to convince potential English teachers that a salary of 2500 PLN in Warsaw is something attractive!

Someone on 2500 living in the centre of town is more likely to end up moonlighting as a cleaner than hiring one themselves.

[marni]

i wonder if the interviewer spoke to any of their teachers?Jo Raskin head of recruitment and Sue Holmes DOS, i dont see them having much difficulty living on THEIR salaries. I notice they totally forgot to mention how ELS-Bell have no respect for the teachers and admit that their contracts arent even worth the paper they are written on, how about commenting on all the teachers they left stranded in Poland by dissolving their end-of-year bonus and offering only 1000pln, instead of a months salary. Totally agree with YakTamer check Tefl.com they are always advetising and must have one of the largest turnaround of EFL Teachers in Poland.

[scottie1113]

I work for Bell in Gdansk after having done CELTA at Bell in Warsaw. Sue Holmes was one of my CELTA trainers and Jo Raskin hired me. Both are extremely professional. In fact, it was my experience with them during CELTA that convinced me to work for Bell in Gdansk.

No respect for teachers? Not in my experience. My DOS is outstanding. Great support, great resources, and great camarderie and help from other teachers. I'm very happy with my decision to have chosen Bell.

It's true that the salary for a first year teacher (me) is 2400 zl but I also get a little more for teaching three hours on Saturday morning. The extra money helps and I love that class. I haven't had any difficulty with living on what I make and have even managed to save a litle bit.

I mentioned support. Bell found a flat for me only five minutes away from the school at a reasonable price. I'm American and they walked me through the residency card process. I could have done it myself but their assistance was invaluable. I'm also reimbursed for travel expenses when I have in company classes which I would expect from any school but that's not always the case. Other than a higher salary (and that will come in time) I couldn't ask for anything more from a school.

Turnover? I can only address that issue based on my experience in Gdansk. We haven't had very much. Two days ago the only other American full time contract teacher at the school just left after a year to teach in Thailand. That was his original goal and his departure wasn't due to any dissatisfaction with the school. He took a job with Bell in Thailand and the school helped him with the process. He may return to Poland after his stint in Thailand and there'll be a job for him if he does come back. And after all, isn't this a profession known for offering opportunities to see other countries? Case in point: Bell just hired a young American couple on a part time basis and they plan to leave in June for another destination. Me, I'm staying in Poland.

I read all the bad mouthing about Bell for a long time before leaving the US to come to Poland and on another site I made contact with some people who actually had had some experience with Bell. Their description of the school and my experience to date makes me wonder if we're even talking about the same Bell. My students and other English teachers I've met here who work elsewhere have told me that Bell has an extremely good reputation in the tri cities. From what 've seen so far they deserve it.

[marni]

If your talking about Bell in Gdansk, maybe ask your Dos Marila what happened 3 years ago that forced her ADOS John to walk out and never return, my experience with Bell Gdansk was, you just did as you were told and nothing else. 2400 thats very low im going back 3 years in the tri-cities and we were on 3000, so the salary has been cut dramatically, and if your saturday payments are worked out on your salary then i assume that the value of teaching on saturday has decreased also. And to be honest there hasnt been any bad-mouthing of Bell, but we could always talk about how a child sex-offender was found working at their school in Szczecin, and how their computers in Gdynia were found to contain child porn and lord and behold another kiddy fiddler there too, but im sure these facts were hidden from you. As for Darek, he's a godsend and will help you as much as he can but then dont be surprised if he hits you with a big bill at the end of your contract. As for travel payments 3pln for the skm is not really going to make anyone move schools. I worked Bell for 4 years and saw how dis-organised it truly was, teachers now wont speak of it and i know most of the teachers you work with, and all cause they fear ludka,jo,marila,gosia all not renewing their contracts because they actually thought that they might have rights as simple human beings, but working for bell in poland that is a wasted assumption. But i totally agree with you about Sue, a real good person as for Jo i wouldnt personally trust her as far as i could spit.

[Master Shake]

I just finished my second six month contract at Bell Gdansk. I left for Thailand because I wanted to see another country, not because of any problem with Bell Gdansk.

Bell was very helpful while I was changing jobs. Eliot, the new DoS, even offered to let me leave over two weeks before my contract was to expire so I could arrive when the Bell school in Thailand needed me. On top of this, they still paid me my end of contract bonus.

That salary is what it is. For me, it was enough to live on comfortably in Gdansk. My rent was about 1/3 of my salary. Affordable accommodation is getting harder to come by in the center, however, so if you plan to come to Gdansk, it might be better to arrange accommodation beforehand. I ended up living out in the ghetto (Dole Miasto) the last five months I was in Gdansk.

Marni, I have one question for you:

If Bell is such a bad school, why did you work there for four years?

[marni]

Because all the lying and falsifying of the truth happened in one day, to be honest 1 teacher asked if it was true that they were opening a school in Sopot and he was told 100% that this was not true and was just a rumour and that he was stupid to listen to rumours, the next day the teacher was told his contract was not going to be renewed and the following week, ludka and jo admitted it was true. What kind of people are they, you honestly think that was a fair action? People that cover their own lies and dishonestly by taking it out on thier staff, are people that have no respect for thier staff at all!!!

[scottie1113]

The real truth is MasterShake didn't make enough at Bell to live on so he supplemented his income by taking my maoney at poker.

Nive to see you made it to Thailand, kid. We miss you.