Program Reviews

Potential Teachers:

I want to begin by saying if you are coming to the EOD program through Bridge you won't be disappointed in terms of the skills you will learn and the practice you will get. I had some teaching background prior to my arrival in Chile; however, the intensity matched with the breadth and depth of materials covered throughout my month long course at Bridge proved beyond useful. You will be begin teaching classes within the first week of your training. But don't worry, the lectures, reading, and breakout session will prepared you and offer amble means by which to reflect on your teaching. Although I had taken some teacher training in graduate school, I found that the course Bridge offered to far surpass my previous training.

As for the EOD experience, I have had a great time with both my students and my fellow Chilean colleagues. In terms of the personal, this country and culture far surprised my hopes. I was quickly welcomed into the fold and made part of the community. Family is an important element of Chilean culture and the openness with which you accept this and live this you will be returned that warmness in kind.

However, on the flip side of this, you will need to realize that while Chileans are open they can be easily offended. This is usually because of cultural missteps that are bound to happen. Don't let that intimidate you. But the one element of Chilean culture that complicates this is that Chileans tend to skirt conflicts, so even though they might be offended they won't tell you. This can lead to some passive aggressive behavior on their part. You need to communicate everyday and continually ask questions and ask for things to be clarified. If you don't, you'll wind up isolated in your home. The Ministry does little to prepare you for this and it appears that they do little to prepare host families for cross-cultural visitors. You might feel like you're being asked to live up to some standard you don't understand--and you are.

There are several drawbacks to this program. The Ministry of Education offers little training prior to your arrival in your town. If I hadn't had my experience at Bridge, I think I would have floundered. Additionally, the resources at schools varies, so be prepared for anything and mostly hands on approaches. If you have a reliance on technology it would be best to shake that. The regional representative in my area like many others has a way of being absent and aloof. You will have to handle most problems that arise yourself. A major difficulty with the regional representatives is their tendency to leave vital visa paperwork unattended for quite sometime. There were several volunteers in my area that never received their visas and were almost deported because of our representative's negligence.

You should be prepared for difficult classes and a lack of a study/classroom culture. Chilean students aren't asked throughout their time in school and often act as if they are in the midst of recess even during classroom sessions. While you will not have to manage the attention of the entirety of a class (most of the time), you will find that students will act out often and be rude. Most of this can be and is countered by making your lessons as active as possible and also as physical as possible. Make lessons hands on. Provide a lot of colorful material and be prepared to act and mime yourself. Make the language something lived and participated. But even still there is a great resistance among students to pay attention at times.

Additionally, be prepared for your schedule to apparently change on a daily basis. This is not because there is no set schedule it is just that events, programs, and special meetings will come up that no one will have remembered to have told you about prior.

Lastly, be open to a loose interpretation about being on time. Things never, never, and I mean never, start when they are suppose to even in schools. Plan accordingly with your lessons and don't sweat it.

The kids will be trying, but I would say that well over 90 percent of your class time will be of great value to your students and to you. You will learn a lot about thinking on your feet and preparation for classes. You will definitely gain some stripes.

The experience has most definitely impacted all spheres of my life and I have gained valuable experience and people skills. Through working with kids of varying age-groups and also with many different types of professionals and other teachers I have learnt a lot about myself and about what it means to be a volunteer and a teacher.

Don’t come to Chile with any strong-set preconceptions. Even though there is a definite cultural trend, Chile is still very diverse. Schools, host families, and volunteer placements can vary considerably. You need to expect that you may have to work with what you have and just make the best of any situation.
Students may not be motivated, or your working environment may not be ideal. However, even though it’s going to be tough (yes, it’s not going to be easy) it will be worth it in the end. After all, giving of yourself, your time, and your skills to help others is one of the best things one can ever do.

This program is great in theory, but almost all of the volunteers are taken advantage of. The program leaves you in the lurch and does not tell you how the situation will really be. What the program wants from the volunteers is almost impossible, since the students are no where near the level of English they should be. The real problem is with the teachers and that is where this education system needs the most help. Very few people have a great experience. Those are the few lucky ones to be in semi private schools and/or in Santiago.

Overall it was a nice experience to learn how to teach English as a second language in another country. The teachers were knowledgeable and the classes were definitely kept interesting each day.

The trainers were often overwhelmed with work and not enough support when needed. They were understanding and gave their advice and expertise on what to expect out there. We needed more support though.

The program in BA definitely needs updated, hands-on materials. They need to update their computers and they need a scanner, a xerox machine and more printers. They had a poor library and needed new resources.

Job placement assistance is always advertised on the website but the program lacks the assistance. You are definitely on your own finding work and knowing how to negotiate.

I always felt safe in the city however, living expenses were practically the same as NYC. The rent was always higher for USA citizens. Unfortunately the period that I went I was not getting income in but spent on living expenses and couldn't on social events. I went broke and went back home.

I truly enjoyed my experience with Bridge in Santiago. I felt safe throughout my stay and made friends with others taking the class and some of my students. This was truly a rewarding and enriching experience. Not only did I learn how to teach English, my own grasp of my language improved as a result.

Bridge Brazil is more than just a course I took for one month of my life. The staff, professors and friends I met will continue to be an influence in my life here in Brazil and abroad. They truly create an environment for learning as well as training us to teach. New ideas and approaches of teaching were introduced, resources were available, and the hands-on experience of teaching students with levels ranging from beginner to high intermediate made me ready to start teaching immediately after completing the program.

Nice people. Very supportive. Got me jobs. The school is nice and in a safe area (at least durring the day). Rio is amazing. Course is just challenging enough that you'll feel confident, but not overwhelming.

I had a great time at BridgeTEFL. Their facilities are in one of the nicest parts of Santiago. The staff was really nice, they actually helped most of my group find apartments (either directly or indirectly). I got a pretty competitive job afterwards, it was the first one I applied for. I was well-prepared, and that is the point of the program. It was fun, a decent amount of work, and the pedagogy is in line with the latest methods. I'm currently a high school teacher in Connecticut (science), and I have encountered a lot of the same methodology when learning about how to teach ELL students. My only criticism is cost, it's a bit expensive, especially compared to a similar certification obtained in the USA. However, if money isn't a huge factor, I'd pay it. Typically, for young people traveling abroad (a luxury), money isn't a big deal. Santiago is an amazing city, and I'd highly suggest it to anyone interested, si po weon!

I had a great experience living in Santiago, Chile while taking the IDELT course at Bridge. I chose to stay with a host family, and they were great. Every day they asked how I was doing and what I was learning in the course. They made sure I had everything I needed and treated me like their daughter. The course was very challenging, and I really loved everything about it, especially the structure. I liked having input sessions in the morning and teaching practice in the afternoons. The teaching practice was very helpful, and if I wasn't teaching, I was observing other teachers/trainers and giving them positive feedback. Santiago is a great city, with a lot of different things to do. It's clean, safe, and very easy to get around, whether by walking or taking the metro. Everything is accessible. I highly recommend this program!

The staff was great, very helfpul in finding a job as well as letting us return to the school after we graduated to hang out in between classes. I would highly recommend the school.