Guatemala is a country I had never heard of before, I wasn't aware of its existence and would never have thought about choosing it as a place to visit nevermind relocate to Antigua for a month to complete my TEFL certification. I am so glad that I chose Maximo Nivel to complete my course, it is an experience I will cherish forever! Antigua is a beautiful place with cobbled streets, gorgeous buildings and the happiest people I have ever encountered. There isn't a day I can't recall walking down the streets from my home stay to Maximo without seeing a smiling face or being greeted warmly. As for Maximo I can't praise the staff enough for the help while being in Antigua, whether it was to do with the course or what I should do in my spare time they were more than happy to help. Karen Wilke was my TEFL trainer while at Maximo Nivel and she is an amazing woman with a huge passion for education that she passed onto all of my peers on the course, the topics were covered in detail but that didn't mean the lessons were boring, they were far from it, from learning on the terrace of the Maximo building with the view of the Volcanoes in the background to getting up out of our seats and dancing the classes were full of laughter and learning! The practical teaching week was definitely the highlight of the course for me with great feedback and support provided for every lesson. I can't thank Karen and the Maximo Nivel staff for making my experience of Guatemala an amazing one!

When i joined up for this course I was really scared. I didn't enjoy university and I was scared of the month of training. However, this course is amazing. There is help every step of the way and our teacher was fantastic. The feedback really helped during the lessons and i just loved every moment of it. I had taught before but this was completely different to every other lesson I had taught. It was hard to get used to at first!

My TEFL course in Antigua, Guatemala through Maximo Nivel was more than I ever hoped for. I expected to work hard for a month, get my certification, and then get to the fun part...that was not the case. Every day was fun in my class, and that is hugely in part to my teacher, Karen Wilke. She truly loves whats she does, and she will do whatever she can to help you succeed. I also was lucky enough to come away with new friends that I will keep for life. Every class is different, and of course, so are the people, but if you are looking to do the TEFL course, I promise you won't regret doing it with Karen. The month will fly by, and before you know it, you will be holding your certificate, as well as countless new memories to cherish. One of the best decisions I've made, so don't be afraid to take the plunge :) Pirates of TEFLtopia for life!

The TEFL/TESOL course at Maximo Nivel, Guatemala is an excellent program located in the beautiful city of La Antigua. Audra, my trainer, is an amazing teacher who pushes her students to do their best and succeed, and the other staff at Maximo Nivel are always there to help and support their clients. The course itself involves a great deal of work, seeing as it is only a month long! However, from the first week onwards you'll begin to receive practical teaching experience with detailed feedback and guidance in how to improve. Having completed the course, I feel ready to begin teaching ESL and have confidence that I can get jobs all over the world with Maximo Nivel's generous assistance and letter of recommendation. This course really is worth it!!

TEFL is not an easy course. The course will consume four weeks of your beautiful life in Antigua, Guatemala. But after earning the TEFL/TESOL certificate and taking advantage of the Maximo resources, you will be able to teach ESL anywhere in the world.
I had the great fortune to be taught by one of the best instructors I have ever had in my life. At first I was taken aback by the energy that Audra brought to the classroom, but I found out after two days that this energy sparked all of her students to increase their energy level. Audra will make you laugh and learn at a comfortable pace for 6 hours a day. She is an inspiring teacher; she makes sure all of her students get the most out of their TEFL experience. For me, there is no doubt; the huge effort was worth it.

Absolutely loved my course! Admittedly I was a little skeptical about a month long course that can certify you to teach English. However Maximo and my instructor Audra challenged me everyday, helped me to gain valuable teaching experience, and gave me invaluable advice on going out and teaching in the world! Would recommend to anyone.

I came into the TEFL program as a teacher, and it challenged my teaching strategies right from the start. The class is intense but at the end you are better then when you began. I greatly appreciated the mini lessons and practical teaching, as it allowed me to grow the techniques that were being taught. I will admit at times I felt overwhelmed, but the staff is more then accommodating and are always available to help you. The instructor, Audra, was always bubbly and entertaining and taught the course using the techniques being taught. The ability to observe other teachers in action was also very helpful, as it allowed you to see the techniques in action as well as consequences of not using them in the classroom setting. I recommend this program for any level teacher. I also utilized the host family option and was very pleased with the accommodations and the family was more than welcoming. The location of Maximo was great for walking to various restaurants and staff at Maximo were always recommending places to visit or sites to see.

I took the TEFL certification course at Maximo Nivel in Antigua in August of 2015 with Audra. The TEFL certification course itself was excellent. Audra was thorough with the information, but also made the class interesting and engaging. She was also always available to answer any questions. The rest of the Maximo staff was also eager to provide assistance in any way possible, from printing documents to recommending activities or places to eat for the weekends. Both Maximo buildings in town are great locations, and less than a block away from one another. Antigua is a fantastic location to take a TEFL certification course because of the myriad of restaurants, bars, and foreigners from all over the globe. I would also recommend the host family home stay while enrolled in the program. I have not heard a single complaint from any of my classmates or former TEFL students about their experiences with a host family.