PolishForums LIVE  /  Archives [3]    
   
Posts by mw78  

Joined: 4 Feb 2009 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 18 Sep 2009
Threads: Total: 3 / In This Archive: 1
Posts: Total: 29 / In This Archive: 10 		From: colchester, UK
Speaks Polish?: no, not really, but I'm learning.
Interests: music, jazz, soul and more the arts, allsorts really

Displayed posts: 11
sort: Oldest first   Latest first   |
mw78   
4 Feb 2009
Work / Would previous experience be necessary to teach english in poznan [22]

Hi,

Im a brit currently living in the UK and I'm going to move to Poznan this summer with my partner. She is polish and has family there.

We both visited Poznan last year and really loved it so we are quite set on moving there, although, I have not seen the rest of Poland yet ; )

I have decided to enroll on a 4 week "cert TESOL" tefl course prior to leaving the UK, with intentions of getting work teaching English.

I also have a BA honours degree in fine art, I dont know if this would improve my employment chances.

My question is, will I be able to find work and live in poznan without previous teaching experience and just the TESOL qualification alone.

I have looked up some English schools within poznan on the internet and some of them seem to be asking for 1 or 2 years experience teaching. Have I misunderstood something? will there be more employment opportunities to find once I'm living there?

How easy will it be for me to get work and live?

Im planning on emailing and phoning all the schools that I can find to see what possibilities there are but any helpful information would be gratefully appreciated,

many thanks, mw78

p.s. I found this website while searching for advice and it seems like a great forum, I have already found some useful advice searching the boards. me likes : D
mw78   
4 Feb 2009
Travel / Weird and wonderful sights in Poland [30]

the poznan goats?

youtube.com/watch?v=MXj7SSXGKpE&feature=related

sorry I cant post the whole link yet

I found them wierd and wonderful
mw78   
4 Feb 2009
Work / Would previous experience be necessary to teach english in poznan [22]

thanks,

like you say myself and my partner had some concerns about finding work during the summer, if the worst comes to the worst I have considered staying in the UK until the new academic year, but I really want to go in june or july.

I have contacts for half a dozen or so english schools in poznan that i found via google maps. My partner and I will get in touch with them tomorrow, so fingers crossed I will have some luck there.

will check out these places

English Unlimited
Top English School
Native English
School of English
Miles English
Business English
English School
Happy English Centrum
House of English

anyone worked for these companies in poznan

will also try and find something via the art route but I think my very poor polish will be a problem at the moment.
mw78   
4 Feb 2009
Work / Would previous experience be necessary to teach english in poznan [22]

PS All those schools sound pikey - I don't know anything about them but the names are just so .... pikey

heh heh... happy english centrum

will continue to look for more but beggers cant be choosers, I'm gonna phone everywhere up tomorrow will report back on the pikeyness

do you think doing my tefl in poland will be cheaper? I think the closest place I can do one here is in london (I'm based in colchester) and including travel costs I think its gonna cost me about £1100

and what do you mean try before you buy exactly? edit* you mean go an have look around right?
mw78   
4 Feb 2009
Work / Would previous experience be necessary to teach english in poznan [22]

thanks for the help,

I'm still trawling through the old threads on the forum, has been useful,

Do you think these online tefl courses are any good, how did your friend find it? The whole world of tefl courses I find really confusing I just want to make sure I choose a decent one.

have started to learn polish, I know quite a few words now but structuring sentences along with cases, gender and tenses is completely beyond me

will report back once I have phoned tomorrow, lets hope they aren't all pikey eh.

edit*

It could be. Let's see what's on the net

Thanks for the advice. I had come across the wroclaw school before, and you have a good point, im sure it would prepare me better for teaching in poland.

thanks for your opinions on online courses too
mw78   
4 Feb 2009
Work / Would previous experience be necessary to teach english in poznan [22]

In Poland you will want a CELTA.

Is this much more recognised than the trinity cert TESOL, which was my original choice.

I'm aware that the trinity and cambridge qualifications seem to be the only ones worth getting.

wroclaw sounds great from what people tell me and it does not seem too far from poznan.
I must say the idea of doing the course in poland is sounding more appealing.

BTW: I taught EFL in Poland for 12 years. It felt so damn good to finally get out of the profession!

what are you doing now if you dont mind me asking, are you still in poland?

thanks mw78
mw78   
23 Jul 2009
Work / Would previous experience be necessary to teach english in poznan [22]

Firstly, sorry for not getting back sooner.

I'm now living poland and will be moving to poznań in august, gotta a kawelerka sorted in winogrady.

I ended up doing a 4 week TESOL course at ISIS Greenwich school of english.

Me and my partner are currently living with her mum in zawiercie, small town but seen some nice countryside over the last two weeks.

Haven't found a job yet, will try gumtree like you say nuncle, have got my resume on daveseslcafe and tefl.com.

think I will be cold calling all the schools I can find.

Is it the wrong time of the year or something, because I've had no luck finding teaching positions online.

there seem to be loads of crappy tefl websites all over the place that are doing my head in.

anybody think these tefl job sites are any good?
mw78   
31 Jul 2009
Work / I'm interested in teaching in Poland and I need some help. [33]

Do you have any Polish friends who can help you on your way. I'm in a similar position although I'm now in Poland and looking for work.

My girlfriends Polish and having her and her family able to help me with housing, phones etc... I'm sure has made everything much easier for me.

Although I know some employers apparently sort accommodation etc... out for you prior to leaving the UK.
mw78   
5 Aug 2009
Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

You may find it easier to get a job immediately after you get your CELTA if you do it in Poland. I know some schools will offer any upcoming vacancies to students that have passed thier CELTA at the same school. I also think a school in Poland would be able to give you much more advice on getting a job in Poland than one in Canada.