Teaching English in Poland Program

Teaching English in Poland Program (TEIP)

The Kosciuszko Foundation invites American teachers of all subject areas and those teaching visual, auditory, performance and literary arts of all levels, American college/university students, and American high school students who are at least eighteen years of age, to apply for participation in a unique four-week educational and cultural exchange program in Poland. The Foundation encourages ESL/TESOL teachers and student teachers to apply as well as teachers and students who can provide instruction in American sports such as baseball, softball and football. Applications are now being accepted for service in the ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION - AMERICAN CULTURE CAMP and the ARTS ENRICHED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAMP.

The TEIP Program is currently organized and conducted by the Kosciuszko Foundation in cooperation with The Polish National Commission for UNESCO and Polish educational and municipal administrations and organizations in the localities that are hosting our camp program.

The Polish National Commission for UNESCO has been instrumental in the organizing of summer foreign language immersion "camps" for Polish students since 1956 and has hosted teachers and student assistants from Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, and the United States. The Kosciuszko Foundation, The Polish National Commission for UNESCO, and the Polish Ministry of National Education have worked cooperatively in preparing and implementing the Teaching English in Poland Program since 1991 through 2009. In 2009, local school and municipal administrations and non-profit organizations assumed responsibility for the program.

Over the past twenty-one summers, approximately 1,724 Americans have rendered volunteer service at 106 Kosciuszko Foundation/UNESCO English Language Immersion Camps throughout Poland at the following cities and towns: Warsaw, Tczew, Gorzow Wielkopolski, Lomza, Myslenice, Olsztyn, Gdansk, Myslenice, Goldap, Pulawy, Ustka, Limanowa, Krakow, Przytok/Zielona Gora and "Nadwarcianski Grod" at Zalecze Wielkie). More than 10,300 Polish students have benefited from this program.

This summer Polish students will be offered a choice of two three-week camp experiences:

•       The ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION - AMERICAN CULTURE CAMP that provides Polish students (upper elementary school students with instruction and practice in conversational English within an American cultural context. (site to be determined shortly)

•       The ARTS ENRICHED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAMP that presents a rare opportunity for Polish students (upper elementary through high school) to experience a curriculum focused on the Arts: visual, auditory, performance and literary that is conducted in the English language 

The Kosciuszko Foundation's TEIP Program will provide American teachers, college/university students and high school students (who are at least eighteen years of age) with the opportunity to become acquainted with the people, history, language, and culture of Poland.

TEIP Program Goals:

• To refine and expand the listening and conversational English language skills of Polish students through interactive English language experiences and activities within an American cultural context.
• To familiarize Polish students with various aspects of American life and culture.
• To enable Polish students to experience various aspects of the Performing and Fine Arts while perfecting their conversational English
• To introduce American teachers and teaching assistants to the culture, history, traditions, and people of Poland so that their knowledge and impressions will be shared with their colleagues, students, families, friends, and communities.
• (Additional for Arts Camp) To gain appreciation of the Arts: visual, auditory, performance and literary
• (Additional for Arts Camp) To engage students in the use of their imagination in creating, exploring, experiencing and thinking about their identity and the world around them. 

TEIP Program Elements:

Sites: (The Elementary Site will be confirmed shortly).

The ARTS ENRICHED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAMP for two Polish student groups ages 12-14 and 15-18 will be conducted for the third year at the Polish Scouting Educational and Recreational center, "Nadwarcianski Grod", in Zalecze Wielkie, with the support of Ośrodek Szkoleniowo-Wypoczynkowy ZHP " Nadwarciański Gród and the Nidzica Development Foundation (NIDA) Foundation of Poland. For more information about the site, please visit www.zalecze.pl.  

Both camps are endorsed by the Polish National Commission for UNESCO.

Program Dates:

The schedule for the four-week 2012 program for American staff assigned to the ARTS ENRICHED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAMP is as follows:

29 June            American staff departs for Poland 

30 June            American staff arrives in Poland

1 July                 American staff arrives at the Camp

21 July               Classes end

22 July               Students depart from the camp

22-27 July        Tour dates

27 July               Travel to Warsaw and Final Dinner

28 July               American staff departs for the United  States

The schedule for the American staff assigned to the ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION - AMERICAN CULTURE CAMP will have the same departure to Poland.

(Program and travel dates may vary slightly because of group flight schedules and changes/verification by our Polish partners.)

Travel:

Participants are expected to travel to Poland with the group. The Kosciuszko Foundation will make arrangements for group flights to and from Poland for program dates. Our agent can also arrange connecting flights with other cities in the U.S. as well as extending one's stay in Poland or in other European countries. Polish staff members from each site will meet our group flights in Poland with chartered buses. Special arrivals and pick-up arrangements for independent travelers cannot be made. If you plan to travel to Warsaw independently, you are required to meet your group either at the airport when the group arrives or at a designated place in Warsaw. Our Polish hosts will provide land travel (on a group basis) to and from our assigned locations as well as to scheduled tourist attractions. U.S. Citizens must have a valid United States of America Passport for travel to Poland that will not expire until at least six months after the return date to the U.S.A. They are not required to obtain a visa for stays in Poland up to ninety days.

Group reservations on LOT Polish Airlines non-stop flights or on another airline will be made for round trips between Warsaw and NEWARK, New Jersey and/or JFK Airports, New York and O'Hare Airport, Chicago, Illinois. Domestic connecting flights can be arranged.

Camp Staffs:

The American staff at each Kosciuszko Foundation camp usually includes one American Staff Leader, nine teachers, and several teaching assistants (American students). The American Director of the Teaching English in Poland Program and her Assistant oversee the project for the Kosciuszko Foundation. A representative of the Kosciuszko Foundation in Warsaw is available for assistance. A Polish staff consisting of a Camp Director, Assistant Director, teachers, a doctor and/or nurse, and camp counselors is provided by the local school administration. The Polish Staff is responsible for the health and domestic needs of the students.  They also arrange for special activities involving the students and American staff. Representatives of The Polish National Commission for UNESCO, the Polish Ministry of National Education and local dignitaries may monitor the program.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION -  AMERICAN CULTURE CAMP SUMMARY

During the three-week language immersion instructional term, American teachers are responsible for conducting a homeroom period and three fifty-minute classes each weekday morning for small groups of Polish students who are generally at the intermediate to above-average levels of proficiency. A curriculum guide is provided electronically by the Kosciuszko Foundation. Utilizing topics or themes based on life in the United States and on American cultural experiences, the teachers prepare the students and engage them in interesting interactive English language immersion activities suitable for the students' age group that stimulate vocabulary expansion, correct usage and thinking in English, encourage the acquisition and use of American expressions, and promote the improvement of conversational skills and pronunciation.

Suggested topics for lessons that are appropriate for the age and level of the students include: daily living experiences and challenges; hometowns of teachers and students; aspects of the democratic process; tourism in the USA and Poland; health and safety (making positive choices); the environment; entrepreneurship for young adults; preparing for college and/or employment; communications (advertising and marketing techniques, recognizing hidden messages in TV and news programs, using the internet sensibly and safely, etc.); business etiquette; Native American cultures; dealing with counter-cultures (drugs, bullying, etc); multi-ethnicity in the USA; the preservation of American and Polish ideals, values, culture, and traditions; current events; and American literature, music, art, sports, dance, holidays, foods, money, banking, etc.

Teachers and Teaching Assistants organize and lead popular American extracurricular activities or "clubs" such as: drama, musicals, talent shows, sports (especially softball, volley ball, basketball, and soccer), board games, scavenger hunts, crafts, line dancing, literary magazine, campus newspaper, debates, local field trips, etc. during afternoon and evening recreational periods. They are also required to accompany the students on field trips scheduled during weekdays and on weekends and to maintain the use of English in all contacts with students. Time off is scheduled during the week and on a weekend.

American student participants serve as teaching assistants and tutors. They work with the teachers in preparing classroom materials and assist during classes and extracurricular activities. They also organize and lead some extracurricular activities. TAs work together to plan and organize special events such as American Field Day, The Great Scavenger Hunt, Fourth of July, Halloween, other holiday celebrations and exhibits. They are essential in reinforcing the immersion process by interacting with the Polish young people during classes, meals, activities, free time, and trips.

ARTS ENRICHED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAMP SUMMARY

The schedule and content for the Arts Enriched Camp are developed by the American Team Leader and specialized staff members. Lessons focus on introducing the students to various aspects of the Performing and Fine Arts and require careful planning regarding use of musical instruments, art materials and the amphitheatre and timing of practices, rehearsals and setting up of exhibits.

During the three-week instructional term, American teachers in the Arts Enriched English Camp are responsible for conducting four fifty-minute classes each weekday morning for small groups of Polish students who are generally at the intermediate level of proficiency. The Kosciuszko Foundation provides a curriculum guide containing specific information regarding daily schedule, program theme, class descriptions and other pertinent information. Teachers and teaching assistants will receive this document electronically when accepted in the program prior to their departure for Poland.

American student participants serve as teaching assistants and tutors. They work with the teachers in preparing classroom materials and assist during classes and extracurricular activities. They also organize and lead some extracurricular activities. TAs work together to plan and organize special events such as American Field Day, The ARTS EXPO, Fourth of July, Halloween, and other holiday celebrations and exhibits. They are essential in reinforcing the immersion process by interacting with the Polish young people during classes, meals, activities, free time, and trips. 

End-of-program Tour:

During the fourth week of the program, the Polish hosts provide the American teachers and American students with a gratis tour of important cultural and historical sites in Poland as a way of expressing their gratitude for the volunteer service of our staffs.  A chartered bus and all aspects of the tour are arranged by the camp's Polish administrator. Participants and their American Staff Leaders will receive tour information during the camp program.

TEIP Eligibility Requirements:

Experienced teachers/administrators certified in the United States, educators with private/parochial school or other verifiable teaching experience, college/university faculty, and those engaged in student services (school nurse, social worker, guidance counselor, school psychologist, etc.) are eligible for participation. Those applying to the ARTS ENRICHED ENGLISH LANGUAGE CAMP must have teaching experience in visual, auditory, performance and literary arts of all levels.  Although educators who are actively involved in teaching are given priority, beginning teachers, retirees, and those on leave are also considered for participation.

College/university students and high school students, who are at least eighteen years of age may apply for teaching assistant positions.

All applicants to the TEIP Program must be responsible, energetic, flexible, and in excellent physical, mental, and emotional health. A great deal of stamina is required to keep up with the rigorous pace of the program and the high energy level of the students. They must also be creative and dynamic and must possess superb communication and interpersonal skills. They must be native speakers of American English and have an excellent command of the language. The ability to work cooperatively with team members is required. All teachers and assistants must have a strong commitment to attain the goals of the program and must be willing and able to accept the responsibility of working within the program's daily schedule and of living harmoniously in a dormitory setting. 

To ensure the quality of the program, American personnel must adhere to the educational, ethical, and behavioral guidelines and standards set forth by the Kosciuszko Foundation in The Kosciuszko Foundation's Teaching English in Poland Program and Curriculum Guidelines and the regulations of the Polish Ministry of National Education and local school administrations.

Applicants must be able to work effectively with teenagers and upper elementary/middle school students. They must be willing to adapt readily to cultural and professional variations and to individual differences in interpersonal relationships. As guests, our staff members must respect and observe the regulations stipulated by the joint sponsors of the program. The Kosciuszko Foundation, the Polish Ministry of National Education, local Polish school administrations, The Polish National Commission for UNESCO, and their representatives reserve the right to dismiss any participant for breach of professional, ethical, or moral conduct.

Letters of reference must give evidence of the applicant's professional ability, positive interaction with colleagues and students, communication skills, creativity, flexibility, excellent mental and physical health, stamina, maturity, emotional stability, exemplary character, and adaptability.

Polish ancestry and knowledge of the Polish language are not prerequisites for acceptance to the program.

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