Looking for accommodation & teaching job in KATOWICE

I don't need to discuss anything about teaching, I have a teaching job, I'm only interested in renting somewhere bigger.

I learned a lot on the job, it's true, but I came to the job with a thorough grounding in English (degree level plus CELTA). At first every lesson was a trial as I learned the ropes, but I think students got something from my classes even then.

so did I, I am just more honest than you..;)

Sid. Could you translate that please?

What you mean is that you know so little about teaching (and what it is that you are supposed to be teaching) that you are pretty much incapable of discussing anything related to teaching.

I will say it again as you obviously didn't understand, I DON'T need to discuss anything about teaching, I have a teaching job, I only want to rent somewhere bigger

In that case, you couldn't even get your subject line right:

Indeed ;)

This is no longer the case as I have stated more than once. sorry to confuse you.

So you have taught a couple of hours and now feel that there is nothing you need to learn from discussing things about teaching. Your students really are so lucky to have such a dedicated and professional teacher taking their hard earned money.

What you guys are doing is not discussing, I am happy to discuss aslong as you guys are aware that:

I'm not going back to UK.
I'm not going to stop teaching.

And stop with the remarks understating the understanding of my own English.

good catch;)

On the serious note:

if u r looking for accommodation, students are always good source of information. Good luck and enjoy Poland!!!!!!

Jack, I know the street you are referring to. It's not far from the train station, as you'd expect. There should be enough accommodation but you might have to settle for a poorer district, depending on how many privates you can clock up. Life is all about timing and being in the right place at the right time.

find a Polish student who is willing to look at the classified section of Gazeta Wyborcza and who will advise on finding a good location.

your student would be able to call the landlord and arrange a viewing. Although a good test of how good your school would be is to ask the

director if the school secretary would be willing to help with this matter

does your school have a clause in the contract preventing you from offering private lessons? some of them do but them enforcing it
is a bit tricky.

make a fuss of your private students. meet them socially, meet their friends and the private work will come rolling in

Pszczyna and Bielsko Biala are a train ride away and are good venues for a day trip from Katowice

the town is OK, the people are friendly but it is not the most attractive place in Poland.

The people are friendly? Some are but quite a few aren't.

I imagine there is a ban on meeting students of the school outside of school. The key is to get a good rep early days. It is then up to you to maintain it.

I found them friendly.

especially when compared to people from Warsaw

Ah, that's not hard to do ;) They are homely when you get to know some of them. They take pride in their region and will like you if you do the same.

there is, since when? Some of my students like to meet after class and since they are the ones who want to, I join them.

Don't tell me you're serious. I've never heard of such a thing (ok, maybe if your students are 12-year-olds). What right has a school to tell teachers who they can and can't socialize with?

There was when I taught English badly. (I hated it)
The owners thought you would poach their students, most teachers ignored this rule. Also you would have people trying to get coaching for free which was a pain.

Good post, Barney. That's the danger! They befriend you and what could have been a lesson becomes a chit-chat.

Teflcat, I'm dead serious. It was the same in Japan. Freedom of association has no place where ruthless capitalism applies :(

Aphro, it's been that way since I've been here. You can socialise on school nights out but not beyond that.

I see. I will ask the school director about that. Anyways, I have only one group who wants to go out 2 a year, so I don't think there should be a problem.

What gets me about this thread - who the hell hired a kid in Poland? This is the country where anyone under 40 without a moustache is considered to be "young"!

Jack, kiddo - listen to what people are telling you. You might think that Poles are stupid and will pay for classes in crap schools (that much is true, no-one is denying it) - but they still expect people to be prepared and to know what the hell they're talking about. I remember crashing and burning really really badly once in a class - I prepared for completely the wrong thing, and had absolutely no idea. Unsurprisingly, they complained - loudly.

Companies here are the same as everywhere else in that they have carved out a corporate image, part of which is to think you are sth when you are just another human being and only ever will be (you means the company workers btw, just to avoid ambiguity). Still, you have to play the game and delph was spot on to say that they are looking for professionalism. There are also disgruntled gits who want to trip you up so be careful not to give them any cause to catch you out.

not only the corporate clients. In most schools, the director will have a chat with the 7 year olds and ask whether you sang songs and played games with them.

your fate will be in the hands of your clients. having said that it is much easier to blag a primary class than a CAE class

Very true! You have to be on your guard a fair bit of the time.

That very much depends on whether one views the only tolerable children as being those which are at least a couple of hundred metres away.

I once had a class of ten-year-olds in St. Petersburg. At any given moment one of them was liable to burst into tears, fall asleep, urinate or attack another child. I'm sure this behaviour is not unique to Russian children, and that is why it was both my first and my last children's class.

Yeah, a little Japanese kid tried to spit on me in class and I soon fixed that by an 'accidental' knee to the head. I'm not there to take that nonsense so I made sure it didn't continue.

Hey guys just a quick update, as you know I left the Forum about 7 months ago due to all the negative comments,
but just a quick update, 7 months on and I'm still living in Katowice, Gliwicka st, not the most friendly place but
I haven't had any problems so far. I went on to work for Top English for the best past of the last 7 months, but

have just recently left for a school in Sosnowiec, and another small school on Sokolska just fitting in some extra hours
there as and when I can.

Not earning as much money as I would like at the moment, but then what can you expect with only 8 months experience,
but I'm going steady and the futures looking bright, there was certainly no 'crashing & burning' and no 'students complaing'
as someone suggested earlier on in the thread. In fact I have an excellent relationship with all of my students, and to be completely
honest I've not really had any major problems.

I met a very nice Polish woman 6 months ago, making my lonely life in Poland a little more manageable, and we are still going strong

to this day. :)

I'll appreciate any replies, but please have a bit of respect this time guys.

I got a job a company in Katowice with 6500 gross is that enough? Can you help me find an apartment?

Im coming with my husband