English teachers - 'functioning alcoholics with a superiority complex'

Sorry to dig up an old topic, but I've had such a giggle today reading through the archives.

'functioning alcoholics with a superiority complex'

'jaded, angry with the world for letting them down, homesick for their mothers'

I've been tarred with this brush many a time, but I'm like a duck....

So, hands up. Who's an English teacher?! :-)

(I suspect a few :-p)

Oh! They must be still in bed, nursing a hangover! :-p

pretty fair comment ......lol

For sure not me - I am Belgian and I am working in television-land :)

Good morning ....

Still living in UK, London ...... hoping to move over to Warsaw like UK Expat; done various things in my life but as I'm approaching the BIG 50 next summer trying to slow things down and lead a less stressful life.

Recently have been involved in property development here in UK, and hoping the sale of my present property will fund the 'Good Life' in Poland - I have done English conversation for University of Tver, out in Russia in the late 1990's when I out there with my Uni doing Masters research.

I have friends in Warsaw who successfully run English Lang School and also a translation Pol <-> Eng business, which I hope to get involved with once I have settled in.

I will probably search out business opportunities ..... see what could be profitable :o))

Polanglik

Greetings Polanglik! And good evening :-)

good luck with the sale of your property, I hope we'll become near neighbours soon.

btw, my friends call me Pete

Actually, I was teaching this morning-without a hangover.

Your school mustn't be paying so well :-)

Welcome to the group Scottie!

I'm not sure why you think that. I'm doing just fine.

Thanks for the welcome, although I'm hardly new to either Poland or PF.

Scottie, I'm teasing you. I'm not even in Poland, but I will be soon. Trying to find some like minded friends :-)

Yeah, I figured you were just pulling my chain-winding me up. Where will you be in Poland?

I won't make a final decision until my feet are on the ground.....but Warsaw, probably Mokotow

When do you plan to arrive?

January mate. Worst time I'm told, but things can only get better!

Oh, well, you haven't yet met the other British proles who lurk here on PF (they must still be nursing their daily hangovers).

Many of them left Blighty in a hurry and undisclosed circumstances. So they are currently squatting in Poland and teaching English as well because it is the only low-wage, dead-end job skill set they have. They are in survival mode and have no other talents that anybody in Poland would pay for except maybe driving a taxi. But all the signage is in Polish so that would never work for them as they would always be getting lost and risk getting beaten up by irate customers.

And they know that their Polish students won't realize the quality (and lack their of) of teaching they received until it is too late. These British teachers can always turn around and blame the students - that's of course if these Brits are still around and haven't hot footed it to another non-English speaking country.

In the interim you will discover soon enough that your fellow countrymen spend most of their time on here trying to convince others in vain that because they are hiding in Poland that in and of itself makes them Polish too.

Still being racist, Puzzie? Not much of a surprise there - your familiarity with the proletariat can only be based on personal experience, after all.


Hardly. Then again, it sounds like you have personal experiences about leaving somewhere in a hurry.


Except most people who are teachers on here aren't doing dead-end jobs at all. I suspect again, you have personal familiarity with this.

I think it's more likely that he'll see you for what you are - a 2nd/3rd generation immigrant who pretends to live in Poland because your own country has rejected you and your ways.

I say, that seems a bit mean!

Ok, you have a point that there are numerous Brits 'teaching' English abroad who do seem to nurse almost daily hangovers, and who have dropped out in one way or another ... but I think nowadays they do actually need some kind of teaching qualification, don't they? Or at least have been on the 4-week TEFL course. Well, any reputable school would require that.

I taught English in a very famous UK school in Poland back in the 1990s, and yes, I saw a very motley crew of Brits in the ranks, particularly at other schools that weren't so fussy in their recruitment. And they all lived in the bars, and spoke pidgin Polish and were a bit embarrassing, really. I went native and pretended I didn't speak English ...

HAVING SAID THAT, I also came across A LOT of Polish English teachers who couldn't actually speak much English. Seriously. Not just the accent - all of the trimmings such as articles, correct tense usage, and other such niceties. They were prepared for lessons and didn't stink of last night's vodka, but the English they were teaching was suspect, to say the least.

But that was ages ago ... I though it must have all changed by now?

One important point, though: nobody can hope to teach a foreign language out of that country (e.g., teach English in Poland) and for students to perfect that language. It is impossible. You have to live in the country of origin to have even a chance of getting to the higher levels of real fluency. So: the aim of learning English in Poland has to be competent communication (someone knows you're not English, but still understands you, and you them). In which case, if those Polish English teachers were just a bit better at English, they would probably best best for the job ... (and I'm sure thousands are, nowadays, 99% perfect at English ...).

Wow a whole 4 weeks course. Makes you wonder why some professions have a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship to qualify.

I know, but I did say 'at least' ... better than nothing, and is an intensive course, so in some ways equivalent to a few hours of tuition a week for a year ... a hello of a lot better than nothing.

The ELT books are designed for idiot teachers in mind, you know. No skills are assumed on the part of the T. I should know. Wrote several of them.

Back to the question at hand.
I am beginning to believe the answer is non-existent.
Once a week I have to go to a local technikum where the students have had four years of exposure to English in some form. I am not sure what their previous English teacher had been doing in the classroom (probably playing poker on the internet). It is not an exaggeration to say that they were clueless when asked:

'What is your name?'
'Where are you from?'
Please translate: Nie jestem zadowolony = 'I don't ...hmm' - a typical response.

Not true as my Polish friend who has lived in Poland all her life (never left) speaks and writes English perfectly.
That took an excellent English teacher.
I did find this thread most interesting however.

One third active members here?


Yes, threads about English teachers are the most fascinating of all. Coz we are so special. Once a Teacher, Always a Teacher.

But they are trying to find a cure.

True Teachers don`t need no cures. They are Semper Fidelis to their vocation.

Yes, they do. At least here. When they vote 90% "democrat" they prove they are mentally defective and socially disconnected.

That is interesting you know such data. It is unavailable for teachers in Poland - nobody has made such research.

This thread is eight years old and the general consensus hasn't changed by the majority about teachers having a superiority complex.
I think that may be because they know how easy it is to baffle children with b.s. so the children believe it is gospel truth.

Children are trusting and don't know any better.
Then when a genius like you, Rich, call them out with any kind of facts they start projecting their guilt trips, denial, humor, re-directs and anything else they can to save face.

This is not saying there aren't some good teachers out there, it merely is saying that most school teachers have a big head and demand respect that they don't deserve.

I think pawian is a good teacher for Polish students by Polish standards.

hahaha Thank you very much. You are mistaken, though - I am not just good, but one of the best here. I already tried teaching in America with good results but there was recession and language schools were hit so I prefered to look for a job somewhere else.

And don`t tell me it is a classic example of a superiority complex. I am telling you honestly how things are.

Wow you gave up all that money , security and a great lifestyle to return to Poland and live on a shoestring, respect dude.

Yes, I gave up American money only to earn Polish money and I have never complained. :):)

Security? What are you talking about?

Great lifestyle? Come on. I have a great lifestyle in Poland - the one I really like and want.

But the true reason was different. Do you know why I returned?

There were two reasons, dolno.

Firstly, I returned to Poland coz I have always been so patriotic. I didn`t want to waste my genius in a foreign country and work all my life to make aliens feel good - I decided to use it for the good of my own country and my compatriots. I felt they needed me so much. Yes, it was me who invented the slogan MAKE POLAND GREAT AGAIN. Trump perfectly copied me.

Another reason, even more important, was total disappointment with the USA. After I found a few giant bugs in the kitchen in my NYC apartment, I realised I need to run away from the country where even cockroaches are the biggest in thw world. The fact they could so easily wander all over the building just put me off. That was madness - I wasn`t able to feel free in my own home! Can you believe it?

It was the the first time in the USA I saw those glue traps in my life. I had to use them, too. I will never forget that scene - a glue trap in the cupboard under the sink, and the giant bug in it, as long and wide as my finger, helplessly trying to crawl away. YUUUCK!

No, it wasn`t for me. Thank you very much.

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