Work / I'm interested in teaching in Poland and I need some help. [33]

Does anyone know what the criteria for EFL language schools, accreditation by the Ministry of Education is?
I.e. what qualifications EFL Teachers are required to have by the MoE?

Unfortunately, I had to quit my degree years ago due to financial and family problems...so these days although I have my CELTA and a vast amount of experience to offer, it doesn't seem to be enough?

(Seems stupid, as I know people with degrees in English who's grammar is frankly s**t and who can't spell for toffee!)

I would very much like to move to Poland (my partner wants to move back there). I'm just wondering whether I should say I have a degree and hope for the best! I'm actually a bloody good teacher!

Work / International House - Kracow school - any chances of being offered a job there [59]

I did my CELTA there. The tutors were amazing and the course was brilliant.

HOWEVER...there were some issues. The governing body who came to inspect us found that we hadn't observed enough of other teacher's lessons to tick their boxes.

Personally, I don't know where they would have fitted this into the course without taking out a useful input/tutorial session. Plus, watching the experienced teachers we did observe didn't actually help, because those teachers had obviously settled into their own styles of teaching and were actually doing things we were being told not to do on our course! - Good way to pick up bad habbits really!

Secondly, there were issues with being ripped off, because anyone who had come from abroad was made to pay more than they should have.

Thirdly, there were problems with the accommodation that the school owners didn't seem to care about. For example, in our flat the washing machine stopped working so money was taken out of our deposits for it, the cooker's extractor fell off the wall in the night ...and money was taken out of our deposits for that too! (We later found out from meeting a guy who'd been in the flat before us that the same thing had happened to him!)

In the guy's flat, one guy had a broken sofa bed to sleep on (ended up sleeping on the sofa in a girl's bedroom instead as it was so uncomfortable) and another guy got serious bed bugs from his bed!

We were virtually paying the same rent as we pay in England so it wasn't a good situation...but we can look back and laugh!

Life / Tattoos and Popular culture in Poland [51]

If you're starting a debate about what Polish people in particular think of tattoos, I think opinions are always going to vary regardless of the country.....but...

...I have a small(ish) tattoo on my lower back, which is not seen in normal circumstances.

One of the Polish teachers I worked with this summer started a conversation about a tattoo he would like to have across his back and I ended up showing mine to everybody...and everybody loved it (believe me, some of them would have told me straight if they didn't!)...and they were all Polish....the general concensus was if you've got a good body and the tattoo is tasteful and drawn well, it can be sexy and interesting.

Work / Salary for Teaching EFL in Krakow [120]


Maybe you'd prefer it if I stayed in the UK on the dole, taking even more money from 'high-rate' taxpayers?? (I haven't been able to find a full time teaching job here during term time)

Work / Salary for Teaching EFL in Krakow [120]


This job (paying 3,000/m) was found on tefl.com...there are only two Polish schools advertising on there at the moment.


I know it's cheaper to live in Lublin than Krakow, I wouldn't mind living there and I've been offered accommodation in the form of a student friend's empty room while he's in Norway for a few months...but I have no idea about schools in Lublin.


Where are the schools that pay more than this now?
I'm not 'all about the pay', I really love teaching! Plus I do not have expensive tastes by any means; but there will be things I'll need to buy that extend to a bit more than frozen pierogi :)

Work / Salary for Teaching EFL in Krakow [120]

Sheesh! I'm really scared now!

Can someone give me the address of a school that pays upwards from 50zl per lesson?!!

I have a CELTA grade 'B' and 5 summers of teaching experience!!!!

Work / Salary for Teaching EFL in Krakow [120]

Ok, thanks guys.

I must admit, I'm a bit wary about asking for any more than that, because as you say, there is a lot of competition around at the moment and 3,000 seems to be the best wage I've found!!!! The accom isn't included - in Poland. I've been offered better wages with free accom and all kinds of other extras for a job in Turkey...but I've never felt the desire to go there.

It actually looks like they're going to offer me a job in Tychy actually. All my Polish friends are in Krakow but there isn't anything available in Krakow at the moment.

Anyone know what Tychy's like?

Language / Polish slang phrases - most popular. [606]


What does przypał mean? ....or what does pałprzy mean?

Does dobrze mean 'well' ?

(Just learning from the beginning sorry!)


ubzdryngolić się

Ohmygod I can't pronounce this! Is it just me or is this really, really hard for English people to pronounce?

Love / What do Polish Guys Like Women to Wear? [64]


Aw that's a shame. Why do you hope they do? (find ugg boots ugly).
My last boyfriend thought they looked cute..he wasn't Polish but English-Cypriot...maybe Polish guys are way behind the rest of Europe? I mean, if women have to go around looking like high class escorts or something?