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Just Poland
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For those thinking of heading to Eastern Europe for a break or longer, Poland can equal any country on its borders for friendliness, beauty and sights. It is a country with a plagued past but from the beautiful architecture of Krakow to the serene beauty of Zakopane, it is a worthwhile destination. It is especially unspoilt by Western tourism and while many of the large towns scream "industry" to the eye, you don't have to travel far to find a scenic lake for watersports or an historical site to explore. Following these links will take you through various experiences and insights to this country. For those with an interest in TEFL there are links in the latter section to schools and organisations which often look for teachers of English.
THE BLURB
Poland's EFL industry has a better reputation concerning sharks and dodgy dealers. Private lanugage schools offer reasonable conditions and enough pay to have a good standard of living. The Poles are enthusiastic learners and can't do enough to make you feel welcome - there are always exceptions of course. Many employers will offer accomodation as part of the package but this can be forfeited as a shared flat will be well within your range as a teacher. On the downside, you won't get very far if you are saving to return to the West as wages are good in the country but don't translate well into pounds or dollars. Having said that, Poland is an endearing country and those with the true spirit of cultural emersion will find many delights and surprises in the EFL world of Poland.
To work in Poland the government requires that you have a TEFL certificate (any kind). Some employers will ask for the Cambridge or Trinity certificates but there are plenty who won't. It is very common for teachers to have private students at home, despite the fact that many schools prohibit this. (Rates vary from 30-60 zloty/hr). Teachers can expect to earn substantially more than the average Pole, and so can have a very comfortable lifestyle. Many teachers work in Poland without the proper paperwork and it's unheard of (isn't it?) for authorities to take any action.
Of course, we cannot recommend that you work illegally but it is commonplace. For your own protection, going through the proper channels works to your advantage and the school usually deals with the bureacracy anyway.
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INFORMATION
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The Polish Embassy website can give the usual information on visas, events, tourism and current affairs with links to other governmental departments in the UK.
take me to the P.E.
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The British Council section for Poland is worth a browse, and includes information on projects currently running in Poland, British-Polish student exchange opportunities and working with the Council in Poland.
take me to the British Council
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The Zem site gives info on "Poland, the Poles and the Polish community in Britain. It directs you to other sources of advice and resources rather than providing that many itself, but it is good for learning names of UK available newspapers, folklore, history, travel and cookery.
take me to Zem
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Budget Travel's site is so comprehensive that it is the last word for travelling to Poland. It is crammed with links covering everything from jabs, travel agents, tourist offices, visas, medicine and health, religions, regions...need we go on?
take me to the jam-packed B.T.G.
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JOBS
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Below are links to some of the main TEFL employers in Poland. The following linked organisations do require a TEFL qualification, but scroll down for a list of contacts for those recruiting for conversational and non-qualified positions.
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For those wishing to teach without a TEFL qualification the following might be useful. It is a mixture of postal, email and website addresses. The Director of the Department of International Cooperation advises that prospective conversation teachers should apply to headteachers of schools directly. Schools might generally look to recruit no more than two unqualified native speakers. Of course if you have a Polish contact, get them to ask around for you.
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APASS is an organisation which sends students from the UK and Ireland to Poland. You can go for a 3 week camp, teaching about 3 hours in the morning for 5 days a week, receiving pocket money. After 3 weeks they pay for a grand tour of Poland including accommodation. Alternatively/Also you can go on a family placement to teach one-to-one. APASS help with travel costs, and there are no accommodation charges. For more info contact;
APASS (Anglo-Polish Academic Services)
93 Victoria Road
Leeds
LS6 1DR
TEL-0113 275 8121/274 4363 (8-10am & 4-6pm)
London:
139 Lansdowne Way
Stockwell
London
SW8 2NP
TEL-0207 498 7608
no fax or website available :-(
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Another language camp is to be found in Siennica (50km southeast of Warsaw) which looks for volunteers to teach conversational English. Interested people should write to;
Earl & Annmarie Adreani
77 Gayland Road
Needham
MA 02492
USA
email: annmarie_adreani@needham.k12.ma.us
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ALBION LANGUAGE SERVICES asks that their teachers have interesting teaching methods and a friendly attitude. They offer approximately £6/session (45 mins) and offer assistance with accomodation and visa. The only downside is that they tend to want a local interview, so perhaps a good option for those already in or around Poland. Always worth a try though...
Dorota Krajewska (owner)
ul Noakowskiego 26/26
00-668 Warsaw
TEL/FAX - (22) 628 8992
TEL - (22) 696 15 76 77
email - languages@albion.com.pl
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AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL does not require a TEFL certificate but does ask for a degree in any discipline. They employ 15 teachers and offer employment from October to June, 20-30 hours per week. Pay is approx. 35-45 zloty per 45 mins and they offer help with finding accomodation.
Contact:
John McKenzie
3/5 Foksal
Warsaw 00-366
TEL - (22) 827 26 54
FAX - (22) 827 26 54
email - ames@polbox.com.pl
take me to aes
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BERLITZ POLAND also ask for a degree along with a good personality. They offer a freelance agreement for a minimum of one year. Hours are flexible, full or part-time. They will arrange accomodation and pay 37-49 zloty/lesson.
Contact:
Malgorzata Bankewicz
Waly Piastowskie 24
80-855 Gdansk
TEL - (58) 305 1613
FAX - (58) 305 1614
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CELT (Centre of English Language Training) asks for any teacher training course (so one of the weekend TEFLs would suffice). It is afternoon and evening work, they pay an average hourly rate and few perks. The one bonus it has is it's the only one we could find in Krakow not expressing a need for RSA/TEFL.
Contact:
Konarskiego 2
30-049 Krakow
TEL - (12) 415 1732
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CALLAN SCHOOL OF ENGLISH is an international company which provides training for those that work for them. They are in several locations throughout Poland so it is best to visit their website and get targeted contact info.
take me to Callan
And just in case you need it here's a site where you can translate those bits in Polish into English for free...
take me to Poltran
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