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Teaching in Poland - what opportunities are available to me?


laowai89  1 | 1  
15 Jul 2013 /  #1
Afternoon all!

I'm new to the forum and am hoping to be enlightened about what job opportunities I would have in Poland. I travelled to Poland for a holiday earlier this year and am planning to move there in the future.

Now I understand that the job requirements are pretty high for the best, most well-paid jobs. I lived in China for 3 years and have worked for 1 year in corporate training, 6 months teaching adults in a language training centre and several months teaching children. I have a 7-day intensive TEFL certificate, however I don't have a bachelor's degree as I quit university after 1 year.

With this level of qualifications and experience what kind of work would I be able to find? I would prefer teaching adults, but I'm not too concerned shout money, as long as I'm earning enough to live off of. Also, I'm ideally hoping to live in a reasonable-sized city, not some boring small town.

Any helpful information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Eddie
Monitor  13 | 1810  
15 Jul 2013 /  #2
please attach CV
delphiandomine  86 | 17823  
15 Jul 2013 /  #3
Now I understand that the job requirements are pretty high for the best, most well-paid jobs.

The best jobs just don't get advertised in Poland - they go to people who are already known by others.

I lived in China for 3 years and have worked for 1 year in corporate training, 6 months teaching adults in a language training centre and several months teaching children.

Won't count for anything in Poland, I'm afraid - Asian experience is seen as irrelevant here, not least because the mentality is completely different.

I have a 7-day intensive TEFL certificate, however I don't have a bachelor's degree as I quit university after 1 year.

This will count heavily against you here. When the school secretary will have a Masters degree and every Polish teacher too, you need to have the CELTA as the bare minimum to make up for your lack of degree. Without CELTA and a degree, there aren't many doors open to you I'm afraid.

With this level of qualifications and experience what kind of work would I be able to find?

In the beginning, you'll be looking at Callan school work at best. You can expect it to pay no more than 2200zl/month on average (taking into account all the holidays, cancellations, etc) - which -

Also, I'm ideally hoping to live in a reasonable-sized city, not some boring small town.

Will be nearly impossible. Most cities in Poland (except, perhaps, Bydgoszcz and Zielona Gora) are full of native speakers already - and they are qualified native speakers too. Any city with something happening in it will already have many native speakers there - but "boring small towns" may be willing to hire you without degree/CELTA.

If you really want to come to Poland, try and get a job anywhere you can. Do that for a year, and doors will open elsewhere. But you've got no hope in hell of getting anything reasonable in any city that can be called attractive.

Why Poland?
OP laowai89  1 | 1  
15 Jul 2013 /  #4
Thanks for the helpful reply - kind of what I was expecting. Might have to go and get myself a CELTA!

What is a Callan school by the way? I've heard the name on these forums a few times before (usually in a negative context) - would they be worth working for as a means of getting a foot in the door? Or should they be avoided like the plague?

Also, what other work possibilities would I find (I don't speak Polish)?

Cheers
Monitor  13 | 1810  
16 Jul 2013 /  #5
I think they teach with this Callan Method:

The Callan Method is a fast and very effective way to learn English as a foreign language. Suitable for all students, from beginner to advanced level, the method is designed specifically to improve listening and speaking abilities in a lively and active environment.

With its long record of achievement, the Callan Method is used successfully all over the world, helping many thousands of people every day to learn English quickly and efficiently. Its dynamic nature means lessons are absorbing, and its well-structured format means learning is both thorough and fast.

callanschoollondon.com/en/about-the-method/

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