I am not your typical TEFL-er. I am not in my 20's . I am not looking for a job to allow me to travel the world. Rather I am a retired anesthesiologist. In our community of Morristown New Jersey there is a tremendous need for someone to teach English to the many immigrants, so they can become productive citizens in their new country. Karen Wilke and Sarah were outstanding teachers. The course was packed with essential tools so that we could start teaching immediately upon completion of the course.. The key for me was that I was taught a method of teaching.and then was provided with ample opportunity to practice these techniques with actual students. A review of English Grammar was surprisingly essential!! As native speakers we give little thought to why we speak as we do. The Maximo Nivel organization provided great support and of course living for a month is Antigua, Guatemala in the winter was its own reward. Many students looking for jobs were hired on the spot I can not think of a better use for a month in your life.

From the moment I chatted on the phone with Maximo Nivel's support team I knew that I was choosing the best place for my TEFL certification. Having had visited Antigua many times before, I was sure that Guatemala was the best location for me. I can honestly say that Maximo Nivel exceeded my expectations. The teachers, Karen and Sarah are beyond helpful, extremely educated in TEFL and more than anything, they want to see their students succeed!! Also, the support staff, administration, and my wonderful classmates made my experience spectacular. I will recommend Maximo Nivel forever!

I just finished my Telf certification at Maximo Nivel Guatemala and the program is just fantastic!

Karen my teacher and Sarah her assistant did such a good job teaching, preparing and helping each and everyone in my group. Maximo Nivel is so lucky to have that quality of teachers on board, not only because they are saavy in the matter but because they have such passion for teaching others and such commitment to seeing everybody succeed. They for sure made the Tefl experience fun!

Doing Tefl in Antigua was such a treat. Antigua is such a cute colonial city. You can walk around everywhere, it has tons of yummy restaurants, plus a cool nightlife too.
I got to meet really cool people while learning about the art of teaching. The program is designed so that as you are learning, you are also putting into practice what you learn. For me that actual practical teaching experience was priceless. Not only because I was able to implement what I learned but also because I got feedback on how I could improve.

The professionalism and quality of service provided by Maximo Nivel was top notch. The staff was so well organized and so helpfull to all of us doing Tefl. Truly a wonderful team!! The school is beautiful, they have a cute garden where you can go eat, read or study. They also have a little shop on site if you want to buy snacks and a tour operator agent in case you need travel assitance. Plus the serve free coffee and tea all day!

Come to Guatemala! You will love it.

I have finished this course with an incredible amount of new knowledge and skills. I cannot believe how much I have progressed in a brief four weeks. With a great TEFL teacher, a supportive and helpful staff and a fabulous location in Antigua, what could be better?

I think the best part of this course aside from the thorough grounding one receives in how to teach, is the amount of practical teaching time. It's the doing that really sinks the lessons in.
Thank you Maximo (and Karen Wilke) for making this an amazing experience.

I am so glad that I chose Antigua, and particularly Maximo Nivel, to take my TEFL certification. At the heart of a small but beautiful city, Maximo Nivel provides more than your money's worth for this four week experience. Karen and Sarah have been the most passionate, fun, and engaging instructors, dedicated to our success. Colin is a fantastic manager who bends over backwards to make everyone feel at home, that every possible need is met and any problem dealt with swiftly and professionaly. Everyone at the international office helped me with everything I needed: Jorge, Nancy, Andrea, Mimi, and Wally are all gems. I loved my homestay family: Wendy and Paco are beautiful, kind people who I hung out with more than anyone else the whole month I was here, their sons are hilarious and fun and way better than me at Mortal Kombat. Enjoy this tremendously walkable, affordable city while taking a very practical step forward toward sustained travel and impactful teaching opportunities. You will make friends here, you will climb a volcano, you will dance salsa and eat guacamole, you will buy clothes from the Paca, you will love Karen and Sara, you will become a better teacher.

Ths course is amazing and I highly recommend it. Especially in Guatemala! Guatemala is a lovely country and Maximo does a great job of making you comfortable and safe. If you go to Guatemala you get to work with Karen and Sarah who are the best education teachers I have ever had. TEFL is such a wonderful certification to have and opens up many doors in many countries. Go get TEFL certified in Antigua, Guatemala!

First I will say to ANYONE that is considering becoming TEFL certified-- DO IT! Whether you are considering a career change, feel your life's lacking fulfillment, or just ready for a new adventure the TEFL course is your answer to ALL of the above.

I was working a job I hated, felt completely unfulfilled in life and knew there was more to life than what I was doing. After tossing around the idea and reading countless reviews I made the jump and it was the best decision I've ever made. I researched many schools and decided on Maximo Nivel in Antigua Guatemala. The city is bustling with culture, beautiful architecture and let's be honest... who doesn't want to look at a volcano while they drink coffee and work on class projects?

My TEFL trainer was Karen and to be honest if I had anyone else I don't think I would have enjoyed it nearly as much. The course is not easy but Karen made every class fun and could turn even the most boring of subjects into something anyone could enjoy. She truly cares about all of her students and wants to see them be the best teacher/person they can be. She is the BATMAN of TEFL trainers!!!!
I graduated and am now teaching here in Guatemala and could not be happier :)
So I say... if you're thinking about making the change..DO IT!

I have been both a volunteer and a student with Maximo Nivel spending over 11 weeks working side by side with their programs and administration. Throughout my time in Guatemala, I was consistently given the support I needed to be beyond successful in my day to day tasks. Our TEFL trainer, Karen was out of this world. Class started around 9 am everyday and continued till about 4 pm with a 1 hour lunch break, giving you ample time to explore the local restaurants, market, and roam the beautiful cobble stone streets.

Going into the course, I had zero knowledge of where to start teaching had I been tossed into a classroom without training. Karen took the time to go at the pace of the students in her class, going into more detail and ensuring our total understanding. This intensive 150 hour course provided me with the knowledge and the confidence to be able to enter a class room with ESL students whom speak little to no English, create both daily and weekly lesson plans, and the confidence to toss everything I had planned out of the window in any scenario.

Antigua Guatemala is the most beautiful place on this planet. Although Guatemala has a reputation to be very dangerous, Antigua is a very safe place to walk around during the day and in groups at night. There is always something to do here in this vibrant city including hiking volcanos, surfing, night life, touring Guatemala City, taking a chicken bus, exploring the many different markets, and studying with Maximo Nivel.