Finding work in Warsaw / Poland as an English private tutor

Being serious (not tired anymore...)


Actually - in my opinion, you don't want to create a decent working relationship with any school. Polish school directors are notoriously ruthless, and they can (and will) stab you in the back at a moment's notice. What you want to do is create a relationship where you know exactly where you stand - and come down heavily on them the second that they deviate from an agreed-upon contract. It is *vital* in Poland that you are seen to be stronger than them - otherwise they'll just take advantage.

Not all schools are like this, of course - but the good schools won't be interested in you in your first year. You'll soon find out who to work for - and you can attempt to get in there.


By bored clients, I mean the usual 7am corporate classes with people who would rather be in bed. These can be a real passion killer - especially if they're IT guys who couldn't care less.

What I urge you to do is consider going somewhere in a smaller city. From your posts, you talk about needing to work straight away and so on - so I can only recommend trying as many small towns as possible. You'll find that in those places, they'll give you accommodation and in/around 2000zl a month net - which isn't a bad amount of cash for the first year. Furthermore, they're likely to guarantee your salary for the 10 months or so of the academic year.

Why are you writing this on my post?
At least Jacus was kind enough to post something positive and friendly here.

Haven't you got another


post to write?

As an up-date, just 6 days to go. Thank you all for your helpful contributions and advice.

Hello, moved over to Poland, living in Krakow.

Does anyone know anything about Mak Scool of English, Nowa Huta and Krakow area?

Also need friends anyone up for a pint or watch the footie (United Fan but don't hold it against me) sometime let me know.

cheers

Hi Macarney,
Flying in to Krakow tomorrow :O


We could go for a pint sometime and watch the footie. Just as long as you don't mind me being an Arsenal fan:P

Dunno when I will next have time to post after today. So thanks for all your help and advice guys. Wish me luck! Cheers:)

I hope your both still there in may when i come lol any advice on getting somewhere to live from you to? p.s wish i was flying tomorrow lol

This school blc.pl

apparently says


So, if you don't have a CELTA, just show them your Master's in English - I know most people in the UK have a MA in English, don't they :-D

I have a huge favor to ask you. Could you post in this forum when you return to England? I'm making a list of how long "native speakers" stay in Poland.

Are you saying it's not easy to find work teaching English in the cities? I would have to agree - unless the person has CELTA or that Masters under their belt. And maybe not even then?

FWIW: locally here, someone is charging 30zl an hour for English 1 to 1. I would love to know if they get students. Not one tear off strip has been taken from it, and it's just sitting there stuck to a bus shelter until that man I once saw comes along and rips all the ads down and bins them.

If they do get students, I would be very happy with 30zl an hour. I have an English qual but of course nowhere near the high bar many schools in the cities are setting,

it's not quite the right time yet. phone calls should start in the second week of the new school term. then it's mid october when university students start ringing.

I may give it a go if I'm here in October, thanks Wroclaw

What do you have, out of curiosity?

You will find a job.

A-lev @A


Thanks, I don't know where to find students - I offered to teach a very nice shopkeeper for free (really nice bloke) but he didn't even want free lessons! I used to teach IT 1 to 1 in the UK when I was self emp there. Didn't do too badly, got recommended, didn't really have to advertise much after 6 mths. But was no great big income either so I stopped it after a few years.

I might be down in Wroclaw sooner rather than later - if you want, I'm happy to meet up and give you some ideas as to how things work with schools?

The usual trick is to be indispensable. Instead of trying to get full time hours, approach them with a request for 2-4 hours a week. You'll soon find that they have offers for you of more work - but it's getting the foot in the door that matters.

Kind of you to offer that to me or who it was aimed at (a zenski?) ;o)

Yes, wise advice, but believe it or not that's what I've been offering the handful of schools here that I know of - "a few hours" I called it, it's exactly what I have been pitching and getting my Polish-speaking helper to ask them. As we go to press, no joy. Too much competition here in Wroc or just unlucky with the schools I approached. Dunno...

Ok, so just a quick post from me to thank everybody with all their help and advice. I haven't disappeared, I've just been busy. Had I not made an account on PF I probably would be struggling right about now. So THANK YOU to all the people who have helped me. And a big sorry to everyone who I was going to meet up with in Krakow. Unfortunately, I'm not living there and have been very busy in this first month. I am very happy that I came to Poland though. I am now working for two schools and have plenty of private students. I'm quickly running out of free hours in the day. I might have to stop taking on new students soon. I was very nervous about giving my first lessons. Especially, as I knew how competent a lot of Polish teachers are. But then I saw how the 'cowboy' schools teach 'English'... OMFG! Some very 'experienced and qualified' teachers cannot even pronounce the most basic of words in the English language.


Pantsless, I have a huge favour to ask you! Next Summer after I have successfully completed my first year of teaching in Poland I will upload a picture of my backside 'pantsless'. Would you kindly kiss it for me?

Thanks again guys, take care :)

Where more or less are you staying? No need to mention any names, just the population of the place. It might be helpful for other wannabe English teachers.

good advice.

I like happy endings:D Good luck!!!

While its apparent you have a big enough coconut to have discerned a mild tone of sarcasm in my post, my intentions were hardly ill-natured. But ok. Eleven months (August 27th, 2013) from now send me a picture of your hairy butt, but I'll need proof that you're still physically located in Poland... how about you buy a copy of your city's local newspaper and stick it in there so I could at least verify the date?

Anyway, if you're still around by then (which I doubt, most never come back after Christmas), maybe you'll be a bit more thick-skinned, teaching does that to you. Good luck and talk to you in a year.

OK, speak to you in a year. However, I'm here to teach, not to prove a point. But maybe next time you could help those people looking to do something new instead of just bashing people. I wouldn't have survived without the help and advice of one member of PF. I love it here and I'm not planning on going anywhere for a long time. I'm not going to disclose my location either. Despite the quotation, this post isn't aimed solely at you mate. Na razie.

I think you got a fair cross-section of advice from a lot of people. But, perhaps I'll be the second person to help you out and help the students you say you are teaching somewhere in Poland: check your spelling, because on the thread below and in just one short paragraph, quite a few spelling errors were obvious. If you're tempted to do printed handout sheets, run them through a checker first.


Before you point out the errors in my grammar and my spelling, it doesn't matter half as much because remember I'm not a teacher. Yes I was thinking of becoming one but realised I can't do it adequately as my knowledge of grammar et al is insufficient.

You are not looking at this in the right perspective. You have complained for some time about not finding work. This gentleman has found work, a place to stay and has an income which he is happy with. Is his approach wrong or is yours?. The Polish teachers can not give the pronunciation, neither can an american, he has found the niche which is needed.

lol

His is right for him as he has what he wants - the income.

Mine is right for me - no pretence, and not taking money from student customers while aware my own knowledge is less than it should be.

What is right for the students depends to a great extent on what they expect of a teacher and how well they assess a person's skills while being taught by that person. If the students realise the score and are happy with the trade off, I guess it's fair enough if they're paying peanuts for the native's time.


Ooh, cheeky!

I'm afraid you are mistaken. If money was important to me I would have stayed in the UK. I have come to Poland to make a better life for myself and to get some teaching experience. Job satisfaction is important and the satisfaction I get from giving private lessons is immense. I don't charge as much as I could charge, but I certainly don't work for peanuts. I charge a fair rate and I feel honoured to teach my students.

There is no competition for me because I live in a small town. Had I took a chance and gone to Krakow, Warsaw, Poznan or Wroclaw I would probably be on a plane home right now.


I will never post my location on this site and neither will I give my real name. TBH, I am living in paradise here:) I really don't want dozens of ex-pats coming here ruining that for me. I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I am very happy right now and I am not going to blow this opportunity.

Good afternoon, hope everyone is well.
I'm planning to spend a couple of years working in Poland, preferably in education.
I'm 29 years old, I have a degree in English Literature, a PGCE plus a CELTA. I've no baggage and a fair bit of money saved!

I've been studying Polish for 3 years at evening classes and have a couple of Polish friends who I practise conversation with.TBH my written Polish isn't all that good but I can get by with the spoken stuff!

I have 5 years experience teaching TEFL and ESL in the Bristol area.IT skills aren't great but I can get worksheets together if need be!

Been reading lots of personal accounts of teaching in Poland, some great success stories.
I know the market for teachers in the big cities is saturated, so where are the jobs going to be?



You seem to have really cracked it!
Don't want to queer your pitch, any clues as to the rough area you're teaching in? N, E, W, S? Province?
I'd like to work in the northern area of Poland but anywhere to start off with!
Ideas welcomed!

maybe it is worthwhile to start looking in big cities' satelites like Otwock which is just next to Warsaw, (Warsaw has got a couple of satelite towns like Piaseczno, Pruszków) in Tricity area (Gdańsk-Sopot-Gdynia) you;ve got Wejherowo and Rumia which lie on the outskirts of Gdynia and Pruszcz on the other side next to Gdańsk - in case of Kraków you;ve got Skawina and Wieliczka - in Katowice area you've got also smaller satelite cities like Żory, Rybnik, Wodzisław, Jastrzębie,

Holy smokes Batman. If you want I'll tell you my real name, location , street address and if I'm circumcised or not. Who the hell cares. At least I feel secure enough where I don't feel threatened by "the internets" or "ex-pats ruining my half-assed game". Peace.

Lol! Pantsless. I made a promise to someone and I'm not going to break that promise. That's all I'm going to say about that...

I don't feel threatened at all. Your 'half-assed' game is your business. I couldn't care less.
Don't forget that in 8 months you gotta kiss my ass. You said you would. In fact, if you can't wait that long, you can kiss it right now... :D


You need to ask the experts here mate. I'm just a noob!
I've had some very good advice and some bad advice.
The only way that you will know if you can succeed is if you come here and try for yourself.
Start by picking up the phone and calling some schools. That's what I did...