Lang Company fired me

Hey all,

don't trust this English Language company. They operate in Poland. Got rid of me because they didn't need the staff, despite me paying out a lot of money to go there. I they also let another teacher go recently under worse circumstances.

Are you a native English speaker (educated outside of Poland)? Did they fire you only and what was the reason? You probably had a work contract with them - has it just expired and then they let you go?

Native speaker yes. I think they fired a guy too, I had a contract but they could axe me with no notice in the first month. I was only a few days into the "contract"

Any compensation they gave you? It'd be annoying to invest time and money into moving to Poland and then find out they don't need you any more after a short period of time. Well, at least you've got experience and other schools should be able to hire you on the same / similar teaching position...

No compensation. Had to rely on other schools for work!

@Polskiee: of course, it's terrible for you but you know no job is 100% safe. Also what kind of contract did you have? Even if real work contract, as I said, you have no guarantee. Maybe client(s) complained about your teaching or personality (you know Poles are not used to speak their minds so they're all "smiles" but a lot happens behind back ;)) or maybe the school has lost clients and can no longer give you work.

It is very risky to leave home to take a job abroad (especially so with those tiny "language schools" in the middle of nowhere in Poland)

Good luck to find another job! If you are good English teacher, it's the right time to find work as the academic year starts in October. Instead of wasting your time in PF and others, do look for work! :)

PS: if you got fired only after a few days's work, it could be seen by them as a probation period. In contracts ruled by Polish labor law, employees always have a 3 month probation period during which they may leave and may get fired without notice.

What I hear is that private language schools are really hurting all over. The market has been glutted for years and the demand just isn't there anymore.

They probably hired you and the other person with expectations of work that never came in. They needed to be prepared just in case.
Did they keep any native speakers?

Part of the problem is that ZUS and others really started to hurt language schools that were using dodgy contracts. They were ignored before, but using umowa o dzieło for fully-directed work (such as teaching) is now an absolute no-no.

I've heard of over employing natives only to wait and see if they even need them or not. There's simply nothing you can do, but avoid such schools!

But I know of a school looking for someone if you're interested :)

@Ajb: Absolutely! No language school can be sure in advance of what work load they'll have. This is most fluctuating, clients come and go. It is very likely that especially small schools in remote areas are too ambitious, expect a lot of business (?) and hire "a lot of" natives. Said natives arrive and soon find out there is very little work (with corresponding money and of course with different conditions as those announced ;)) or no work. As to private lessons that they expect to find, let's be realistic, they don't put bread on the table (too few of them, too much competition, students not willing to pay much and cancelling all the time .. = more trouble than anything).

I am aware that a lot of schools don't behave properly towards their teachers but sorry a lot of those (young) natives are so naive that they don't think a second before accepting any bs job in rathole "towns".

I seem to recall that they're notorious for doing it. At least, one school in Kedzierzyn-Kozle was - and I can't imagine there are many schools there.

Hi All,
This person was fired quite simply because when he came to school he was stinking of alcohol, and wearing dirty and smelly clothes (and his trousers were unzipped). Nobody wanted to be in the same room with him because he stank so badly. Unfortunately some people still think that it is enough to be "a native speaker" to get a job abroad.

If you're genuinely from the school in question, then it's remarkably unprofessional to post such a thing online, even if it's true.

@Delph: Yes (although no name mentioned) but the OP has started with complaining about the school and even has indicated name of the school and where it is located.

I don't know either OP or the above but I have heard so many cases of "native speakers" being drunk or having severe hang overs while on their jobs. Such scum give bad reputation to the whole teaching profession. For sure, as the above member said, it takes more than being a native speaker to be a teacher but whose fault is it? Who hires such people? It beats me that anyone barely literate from British underclass can be a "teacher" in Poland. It's a joke and in such a case, yes, better to hire someone competent and serious from .... Ukraine ;)

I refer you to Dr Frank (Bryant) in Educating Rita...

"Drunk? Of course I was drunk - you wouldn't expect me to teach this crap sober, would you?."

I had a rep for being smashed in weekend classes - because the prof insisted I take extra-murals, when Nottingham Forest were still in the First Division and playing Saturday afternoon. So I got my revenge by having a Saturday liquid lunch. Generally the day went downhill from there :) (Un)happy days!

PS Kedzierzyn-Kozle is a rat infested hell-hole and needs flattening. Whatever are you doing there? That's no place for the British - come up to Gdynia; plenty of work here for natives and Thomson Reuters etc :)

I found another job elsewhere but it was all last minute. They did get rid of a guy too so if boss6 is from the school then it could be him.. not sure, might be a different school. They have about 3 in the area. Costs a lot of money to up and pack to Europe.

Polish people have generally been really friendly, though, and I am surprised at how much in demand English Teachers are in the country.

Mind you, for all I know it could have been me! Didn't get much feedback..

Oh well, you live and learn with some places.