I`m an Irish guy currently living in Dublin. I was redundant for my last position and struggling at the moment to find a new job. My background is in Human Resources and I was working for a hotel group for the last two years.
My wife is Polish and we are now discussing moving to Warsaw in September 09 or February 2010. I`m will do a course in CELTA and hopefully find work teaching, as I see from looking at this forum and others, that this will be my only option. I have basic Polish at the moment and I know that until I know the language, my options are limited to teaching or starting my own business.
I was just wondering if there are still jobs in schools for native english speakers and what would the average monthly salary be? I would also look to give private lessons.
I have been in Poland loads of times over the last two years and really love the country.
I just need to know is it just a pipedream to think that I could live there and have a decent standard of living, or should I stay in Ireland. The sun is shining here at the moment which make live easier but we only get around 2 weeks of sun per year!!!!
Anyway thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this post and reply.
Explain what you mean by 'decent standard of living' - you will not have what I can decent, if you are just teaching at a school.
I take you have a degree as well? If so, it will be easy for you to find work, but nobody can tell you which schools will be hiring, and how much they will pay. You have to go knocking on doors and find out. Have a look at all the posts where salaries are mentioned, so that you get a good starting salary. You do not need to know any Polish in order to teach in a language school - you are teaching English after all. Make sure, you brush up on your grammar ...to the 'nth degree.
If your wife also find a good job, then you can live comfortably.
Thanks for the reply, I`m aware that I will have to contact the schools directly. I was just looking for some general advice.
I have a business degree and will do the CELTA course. My wife works in Marketing, here in Dublin and will hopefully work in Marketing when we make the move.
The demand for English language teachers in Poland changes as everything in the economy. Companies try to save money and they often cancel courses in English (or in anything else) organised for their employers. I've heard of a number of companies in Warsaw who has done that in recent months. As for language schools, they might receive fewer pupils so the demand for native speakers which has been quite big and unchallenged in Warsaw until quite recentely may also be vanishing (for that, the best option is to check in the Monday paper edition of Gazeta Wyborcza for the Warsaw area).
with your knowledge of business english you can try to target the companies and do the courses for their staff. my friends wife do this and shes really happy with the money they pay.
Companies try to save money and they often cancel courses in English (or in anything else) organised for their employers.
Actually, the experience in my school is suggesting the exact opposite - companies are now signing up for classes in order to compete. It's got to the point where the summer shutdown now isn't happening - the groups want to carry on and companies keep signing up for more. It's odd, but...
It was explained to me that having English is almost becoming a de facto requirement for some people in their jobs, even for jobs that don't directly need it.
Hi Nando, I am a fellow irish man in poland(not an english teacher) but know the set up to moving over here. Here are a few pointers, for what it is worth -
- If you are not working at the moment, it would probably make sense ot try and get the CELTA. AT least that way, you can hit the ground running.
- Also, if you were thinking about doing the Business English, you might see about preparing stuff for it now e.g. buy a few books and prepare handouts etc. From my time learning (trying to) polish, you get handed crap. And preparation of classes can take a while so if you have some free time, get some in early. If you want to do the business english, professional looking documents would go down well.
- Any chance you could give some english lessons in ireland as a bit of preparation. Firstly, you can use it as 'experience' when you apply for a job. Also, it gives you an idea as to what is involved in teaching english. I have given a few english lessons(in exchange for polish lessons) and you get asked questions you would never think of.
- If you were working in a holel, maybe you could prepare classes for staff dealing with customers. You could then sell you services to the hotels e.g Communicating with your customers in English...etc.
- Talk to delphiandomine about the 'CAllan' method...apparently, your only qualification required is an ability to speak english.
And in relation to livingi n Poland, i dont think you will regret it. I have been here 3 years and have no intentions about going back to the aul sod...
Thanks for the advice, looking into doing the CELTA course with Bell at the start of August in Warsaw. In relation to teaching business english, I will take your suggestions on board.
I was thinking of developing sometime that I could offer to hotels in Warsaw in realtion to customer service for english speaking guests, I have always enjoyed working in the hotel industry and would like to have some sort of involvement with the industry in Warsaw.
Things don`t seem to picking up in Ireland, and some predictions are saying that it will be five years before things pick up again.
Vincent, if you don`t mind me asking what do you work at in Poland?
Hi Nando, I am kinda lucky in that at the moment i am actually working remotely for a company back in ireland. That was not the plan (did not really have one) but it worked out quite well. It is a contract gig and will likely be coming to an end by the end of the year. It is testing software. When that finishes i intend to develop something on my own around online training. Will have to wait and see how that goes.
- Talk to delphiandomine about the 'CAllan' method...apparently, your only qualification required is an ability to speak english.
Yep. This is basically it - because we can read aloud easily, it's an absolute doddle for any native speaker. It's worth investigating if you want an 'easy' introduction to teaching, and I think it's fair to say that a good school will let you supplement the classes as you need to with traditional teaching. I started doing Callan for an easy path in, but I'm now teaching teenagers as well as teaching traditionally. It certainly gives you a feel for classrooms and so on, and allows you to hide behind the structure of the 'method' if you get out of your depth.
But avoid any school that sticks rigidly to THE METHOD (indeed, avoid any school that puts a bar on creativity) - they are the ones that are solely after money and aren't about teaching at all. Some cynical people would say that private language schools are definitely about the money, but the better ones will have teachers who actually care.
I'm a Dubliner, living near Krakow but i am not an English teacher. I used to be, though.
The summer holidays are upon us and Krakow is a student town. Your best bet for finding a job is at the beginning of the academic year around the end of September, but come a month or so before that to be able to get a flat, as the students usually take everything.
Thanks for the info, yeah if we make the move we will be going in Aug/Sep...Giving things afew more weeks in Dublin to see if I can secure a job in my profession..
Things are tough here and at least the thought of Warsaw keeps me going, ideally would prefer to get a job in Dublin and stay for one more year. My wife is happy in her job here in Dublin and we had always said we go in 2010, but if we have to go earlier it is no issue.
I have always enjoyed going to Poland, I know it would be different living there full time, but the idea really excites me....I feel Poland has more to offer than Ireland, which is hard thing to say.....
Thanks for the info, yeah if we make the move we will be going in Aug/Sep...Giving things afew more weeks in Dublin to see if I can secure a job in my profession..
Bad time to go. In Warsaw you will need a CELTA in order to get the halfway decent jobs and that takes four weeks. With the time needed to settle in, find a flat and find a job, you'll need to be here not later than second half of July.
Nando, Also it helps a lot if you learn everyday Polish, Polite ways of buying food and getting bus tickets. I say polite out of my own silly mistake, that, as they say, is another story.
Are you sure you're Irish ????
No????
I'm a Dubliner
Last I checked it was still part of Ireland?.
or maybe it's just a typo.
Maybe
Dia duit is the correct spelling ..
Thank you, I will sleep better knowing you are there to correct me.
I have just finished the CELTA course in IH Dublin. The trainers are excellent and I really really enjoyed the course. I also know at the end of my course the school had part time summer work and the students from the CELTA course were invited to apply. It would be to your advantage to do this course here and even if you dont move until next year you can still teach here and gain some experience.
Also think about voluntary work, it looks good on a CV too. I have volunteered with my local Chernobyl Children's Group to teach basic words etc. to the children to help them during their stay.
I just wanted to thank everyone for there advice. Looks like I will be in Dublin for awhile yet, just got offered a contract position and have decided to take it...Starting on Monday..
Our plan was always to move in 2010 and now this will give me some time to get my CELTA and also get some teaching experience. Also need to keep working on my Polish..
Again thanks for the advice and no doubt will be back looking for more info when we do make the move next year. My wife is five years in Ireland and it is nearly time for us to make the move to Warsaw..
