WorldTeach

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Program Profile: Poland Summer

Program Description
Volunteer Role
Placement Sites, Housing, Food
Length of Program
Cost of Program
Requirements

Program Description

The WorldTeach Summer Program in Poland started in 2002, when WorldTeach received an invitation from Zbigniew Chrzanowski, a member of the Polish Parliament (Sejm), to place WorldTeach volunteers in the region surrounding the small town of Maków Mazowiecki – a region he represented. Mr. Chrzanowski and the local government’s efforts resulted in five volunteers spending two months in rural areas around Maków teaching English to primary and secondary school students in the summer of 2003. The program was given the official name “Wakacje z angielskim!” (Vacation with English!).

The volunteers worked at local schools in Maków, Karniewo, Różan, and Kransnosielc, all in the Mazowsze province above Warsaw. The main focus of the volunteers’ work was teaching conversational English, but ultimately, students participating in the program received much more: they were able to improve their understanding of American culture and engage in community projects with the encouragement, help and advice of the WorldTeach volunteers. All volunteers lived with Polish host families nearby the schools in which they were teaching.

This pilot program turned out to be so successful that the summer of 2004 saw WorldTeach returning to Poland, this time with 13 volunteers, who continued the initial efforts and investments made by the previous group in the region of Maków. The program expanded to new schools and locations, including Ostrołeka, Łyse, and Wyszków. We attribute the success of the summer programs in 2003 and 2004 in large part to Mr. Chrzanowski, who, throughout this time, continuously supported WorldTeach in Maków. It is natural then, that the program faced many challenges when Mr. Chrzanowski’s term in parliament ended in late 2004.

Fortunately, the program has not only survived, but WorldTeach has been able to establish new partnerships in Poland to allow for further expansion and development of the program. In 2005 WorldTeach returned to Poland, with 15 volunteers placed in two different regions of the country. The summer program in 2005 continued building on the model established by the previous two groups of volunteers in the Maków area, and at the same time, further developed and responded to needs of the local communities.

For the third consecutive year, there were some placements in the greater Maków region, where WorldTeach volunteers had great experiences in previous years. In addition, several new host schools from the southeastern province of Podkarpacie joined the program. Volunteers taught in the city of Stalowa Wola, as well as surrounding small towns and villages, including Baranów Sandomierski, Zaklików, Gorzyce, Jeżowe, Rudnik-nad-Sanem, Sokołów Małopolski, and Janów Lubelski.

Then in 2006, the program expanded yet again, incorporating schools in the urban area of Krakow and thus adding a third region to WorldTeach Poland. These expansions have allowed volunteers to be exposed to more facets of Polish society, while increasing the number of Polish students who have a chance to enjoy the rewards of learning from WorldTeach volunteers.

With the addition in 2007 of placement sites in Ciechanowiec in the Podlasie region and Krasnobród, Dorohusk, and Rejowiec in the Lubelszczyzna region, WorldTeach Poland now features a greater presence across the poorer, less developed eastern portion of the country – referred to by social scientists as “Polska B”, as well as the historic borderlands term “kresy”.

"As an American going to a post-communist country, I had thousands of misconceptions about life in this country that were shattered."

Jyothi Ramakrishnan, Poland Summer volunteer

"The program was truly a life-changing experience. I learned so much about my host country, learned to develop an appreciation for the diversity of cultures, and above all, I made lifelong friends. I would recommend the program to anybody who wants to help brighten up a child’s life, learn about different cultures, and make valuable relationships that will last a lifetime.”

Janet Rhi, Poland Summer volunteer

Volunteer Role

Your service in Poland will begin with a week of orientation in the town of Maków Mazowiecki. Orientation includes discussions of teaching methods and practices, an intensive TEFL training, information on health and safety issues, and an introduction to life, history and culture in Poland. The volunteers will also attend intensive Polish language classes and will have an opportunity to visit some cultural sites.

Your first week in Poland should introduce you to the Polish language and educational system, as well as aspects of society and culture. Most importantly, it should prepare you for your role as a teacher. Orientation is also a chance for you to develop lasting, supportive friendships with your fellow volunteers and Program Coordinators. During orientation, you will be equipped with the confidence and comprehensive preparation necessary for your summer living and teaching in Poland.

After orientation, volunteers will move in with their host families at their respective placement locations, where they will teach for seven weeks. Volunteers will convene again as a group for mid-service and end-of-service conferences; although more informal gatherings are facilitated by the close proximity of site placements.

Volunteers in Poland mainly teach high school students, but occasionally some middle school or even elementary school students participate in the program. Class size will vary between 10 and 15 students. Volunteers will be responsible for teaching conversational English, basic grammar, and some lessons on American culture. All volunteers will have internet access, and most will also have computer labs to use for instruction. Classes are open to the entire community, allowing students with a wide range of preexisting English skills to participate.

"Best of all were my students. Bright, eager, friendly and busting with potential. They are like their country, all going through an important time of transition. I felt so honored to be a part of their lives."

Patricia Hicks, Poland Summer volunteer

In addition to their teaching responsibilities, volunteers are also encouraged to actively participate in community life and engage in additional activities or projects of interest. Outside of the classroom, volunteers will have many opportunities to experience both traditional and modern Polish life. Trips to major cultural sites in the region and celebrations with host communities supplement the program, particuarly during the orientation, mid-service, and end-of-service conferences when the group convenes.

Placement Sites, Housing, Food

Once orientation is complete, the host families will meet the volunteers and transport them to the placement locations.

Most families decide to host a volunteer because they are pleased to have a native English teacher in their community and because they are interested in the cross-cultural exchange that will take place while you are a guest in their home. Very often they will be families with children who might benefit from having a native English speaker giving them some extra lessons.

The Program Coordinators will personally visit all the host families prior to making placement decisions in order to ensure that the volunteers will have an appropriate level of living standards. All families will be interviewed so that compatible volunteers and host families can be successfully matched. Alongside providing you with a furnished room and meals, they will become among your closest friends this summer. Most volunteers stay in contact with their host families long after they leave Poland.

Reflecting ties to the land and to farming, the Polish meal schedule looks a little different than what you may be accustomed to. Poles eat heartily, and rarely throw anything away. The day begins with first breakfast (pierwsze śniadanie), a light meal consisting of cold cuts (wędliny), scrambled eggs (jajecznica), bread (chleb), and tea (herbata). For your time at school teaching, your host families will most likely pack you second breakfast (drugie śniadanie), a brief midday affair which resembles an American lunch. Upon coming home from school, you will be greeted in the early afternoon with lunch (obiad), which is always warm and is by far the most substantial meal of the day, thus roughly correlating to an American dinner. After resting for a little while, you will be expected to prepare for the early evening dinner (kolacja), a slightly lighter occasion than the previous one, but nevertheless important. In some homes, you may hardly notice a break between meals. Finally, before going to bed, another snack is possible; however, early the next day, another round awaits. Throughout all this, you will also be asked to join your hosts in taking tea, desserts, and assorted sweets.

Being rich in farming traditions, another one of the most delightful aspects of Polish cuisine happens to be its seasonal variability; as you will be arriving in the summer, you will be able to enjoy bountiful fresh fruits (owoce) and vegetables (warzywa) straight from orchards and fields, along with an abundance of meat (mięso), which is often grilled outdoors in the summer. While potatoes (ziemnaki) and cabbage (kapusta) certainly comprise a part of the regional diet in the winter, during the summer you will be treated to hand-picked blueberries (jagody), plums (śliwki), sweet and sour cherries (czereśnie i wiśnie), apples (jabłka), forest mushrooms (grzyby), vine-ripened tomatoes (pomidory), cucumbers (ogórki), and miscellaneous soups (zupy). Dependent on where you live, fresh eggs (jajka) and milk (mleko) from the family farm may also be available. Other staples include pierogi, bigos, pork cutlet (kotlet schabowy), sausage (kiełbasa), and bread (chleb) that is thick, heavy, and not allowed to touch the ground, as it is considered sacred by religious Poles.

Length of Program

The program will last for eight weeks: one week of orientation and seven weeks of teaching. Depending on the academic calendar in Poland and on availability of flights the departure date will be in the second half of June and the program will finish in mid-August.

$3,990. This includes pre-departure information and preparation, roundtrip international airfare from a designated US departure city (most likely Boston or New York City), one week in-country orientation, meals and housing during orientation and term of service, in-country transportation, 24-hour in-country field support, and some weekend excursions to other parts of Poland.

Please read more about costs and services.

Note: WorldTeach summer programs may qualify for international internship and travel funds awarded by colleges and universities. Students are encouraged to check with their schools for eligibility.

Requirements

WorldTeach summer programs are open to qualified individuals over the age of 18 (including undergraduates) who are looking for a meaningful, short-term volunteer teaching experience. English language fluency is required. Prior teaching experience is helpful but not required. Interest in teaching, community participation, and development is encouraged. Successful volunteers will be flexible, mature, resourceful, and have a genuine interest in living and teaching in Poland.

For more information, please read our Volunteer Stories and Sample Placements.

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