Program Reviews

A lot of universities could take a lesson or two from how everything is arranged at Maximo Nivel. I took the Spanish course in Guatemala five years ago, and I chose Maximo Nivel this time to have a different adventure because I knew that everything would be well arranged and that the highest quality would be guaranteed.

I would even dare to say that the brochure and website information undersell what a truly amazing experience the TEFL course is, mainly due to the great teacher we had. Sean has the energy, knowledge, and patience to develop great future teachers.

Not only does the course content give you exactly what you need to prepare yourself to be in front of a class, but it also gives you the hands-on practice to stand there with confidence, think on your feet, and enjoy the experience.

I am already missing the classes and Cuzco. Thank you Maximo Nivel and thank you Sean!

I was on the proverbial fence about getting recertified in TEFL, as I had previously received my TEFL cert 16 years ago from the University of Arizona in Tucson. There seemed to be a lot of job opportunity in the area so part of me was thinking, “Why spend money unnecessarily when I can just start working right away?” Having said that, I am SO GLAD I signed up for the TEFL course with Máximo Nivel (Cusco) which I just completed this past Friday. Years ago, I got by teaching ESL based on the fact that I was a native speaker and that I had a fairly fun personality which my students generally responded well to. However, though most days I was passionate and gave my all, some days I was not good and did a disservice to the students I was teaching. Afterall, they were paying hard-earned money to learn English, not to be entertained. Máximo Nivel´s philosophy of teaching prioritizes STT (Student Talk Time) and in this course you learn not TO TEACH English, per se, but rather how to elicit and pull English language from the students! You learn how to constantly check in with your students to ensure they are understanding the activity in the classroom (CCQing), and you learn how to correct errors in a very direct and effective manner. Sean is the apotheosis of this teaching philosophy. He is in fact from day one modeling these techniques the whole time he´s teaching TEFL. Spoiler alert: about a week into the course, you realize that he has been teaching you in the same manner as he would his ESL students, utilizing all the same techniques. He has in fact elicited and pulled all of the information directly from the students and you discover that we’ve been doing most of the talking and that we’re having a blast while doing so. It is such an engaging and empowering method of teaching; you remember the information easier because you are the one, in fact, producing the information. Brilliant! He basically is modelling and teaching you how to metaphorically do Aikido on your students! Using THEIR energy/activity/voice toward the ultimate goal of “doing” English. I don’t want to give the illusion that this was an easy course, not at all. Especially for an old dog such as myself (50s now…yikes!) who struggles learning “new tricks” and whose personality is very well established. Speaking for myself, I had to destroy my ego and slowly build it back up again throughout the four weeks of instruction and there were many bumps along the way in learning how to consciously utilize these techniques. My younger cohort, all very talented and intelligent young women, were able to adjust more quickly. In the end I was able to do well enough to pass the course and when I struggled Sean was RIGHT THERE to support me. He was very available to his students; you got the feeling, and he in fact told us, he wouldn’t allow us to fail. The last thing I’ll say is that you immediately get to practice the techniques you are learning on ambitious young Peruvian students who take advantage of the free opportunity to participate in mini lessons which you, the TEFL student, are leading them through. This opportunity occurs weekly up until the final week where (M-F) all you are doing is preparing for and teaching a full class of students who are paying the institute money to be taught by you via all the techniques Sean has instilled in you. I thought my previous experience at U of A was great, but really there is no comparison to the hands-on, participatory experience offered my Máximo Nivel.

I'm very excited to leave this review, as I was a TEFL student and now a teacher and my kids attended Spanish lessons, so it was a great experience overall. I recommend the programs to anyone looking to get their TEFL, study English, or take Spanish classes. The campus is beautiful, it has the best views of the volcanoes and is peaceful. The teachers are wonderful, especially my TEFL teacher Wayne, he was amazing and fun! I had a great time and was actually sorry to be done because I missed the classes and the campus!

Me and my friends were assigned to work at albergue hermanos Pedro’s and we loved it there. The staff was amazing and really cared for their patients and it was great getting to help them and learn more about the patients and interact with them. We also loved all the available travel activities. We picked hiking la Pacaya and the zip lining trip, both of which were amazing experiences and were extremely glad we decided to do both. Antigua itself is also super beautiful. We spent some days just walking around learning the town and exploring the market and carnival that was there.

The highlight of the TEFL program at Máximo Nivel is the TEFL professor, Mr. Wayne. Mr. Wayne is very knowledgeable, super fun, charismatic, energetic, and he has this knack for helping you improve as a teacher. He is a really kind person who tells you exactly how to improve your teaching skills. He is always on a mission to instruct in the most efficient and effective manner, that will allow his TEFLERS to grasp the concepts he is trying to convey. He is always prepared and very professional. He is truly the best teacher I’ve had!!!! The Máximo Nivel program had great qualities, but I recommend the program to anyone solely, so that more TEFLERS get the chance to learn under such a great teacher like Mr. Wayne. He won’t just hand you grades, but he will encourage you and give you constructive criticism that will help you work towards those 100s. WAYNE, YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!

The classes were very informative, and I progressed so much within the first 5 days of me being there! The instructors were highly knowledgeable and skilled, making the learning process both enjoyable and effective. The classes were well-structured, engaging, and tailored to my individual learning needs. I felt supported and encouraged throughout my journey to learn Spanish.

The organization also provided a positive and inclusive learning environment, which helped me feel comfortable practicing and improving my language skills. The cultural aspects integrated into the lessons added depth and richness to the learning experience.

I took an online TEFL course (from a different company) during the pandemic, but have yet to actually teach as the course did not prepare me sufficiently (or at all). The Maximo Nivel course was well worth the rigorous schedule. I learned so much in the past month and have learned how much I truly love to teach. The practical teaching experiences were invaluable; I loved connecting with the students and seeing the "aha!" on their faces as they grasped the concepts. Costa Rica is an incredible country and the Maximo Nivel school in Quepos is no different. Everyone is incredibly friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.

Pros:
-Instructor Wayne is a top notch master instructor brimming with knowledge.
-Application of the new knowledge by teaching a class which develop your ESL skills
-The staff is friendly and helpful

Cons:
-No technology (Pack a mini projector, it will make your life much easier)
-The location of the host family's house. It was far away in not a great neighborhood. Since it did not have an address or streets, the Uber driver were always lost and I was always lost. I moved to a VRBO after 1 week.

I came as a solo traveler and I was a little nervous. As I got in Costa Rica I was very welcomed by everyone and the locals were really friendly. I wasn’t sure I could make an impact on the kids for a week but I felt like I really helped and the kids were really grateful. I recommend for the people that don’t speak spanish and want to do childcare, stay with the younger kids. I already knew spanish, so staying with the older children was not difficult, but they love to talk and get to know you.
In childcare is important that you take clothes that cover more, and it’s the clothes you will wear all day, the city of San Jose has many different places to get lunch, you can go anywhere by bus but it can sometimes be very full and take longer to get where you want.

The weather here is very hot, I spent the 2 weeks of July (their winter here) only on summer clothes, but be prepared for rain.
I made friends from many different cultures and countries, on the weekend, we went to the beach and did some programs around Costa Rica. This country is very beautiful and has a lot of touristic nature places to visit, IVHQ provides many day trips that you can go with the friends you make.

The maximo nivel guides are very helpful, fun and feel free to tell anything you need because they always want the trip to be awesome for you!

I came in with an open mind and I’m leaving with a warm heart and full of new friends and experiences.

From start to finish the Maximo team was helpful and supportive. Tania was a patient and fun instructor. The International Office made sure I had everything I needed. The tandem practice was an exceptional opportunity and greatly helped my speaking proficiency. My classmates were diverse and I benefited from hearing about their cultures in addition to the Peruvian Culture. June was a great month to be in Cusco because of all the Incan celebrations and festivities. It was a life experience and Maximo helped make it feel safe and welcoming.