Teachers Latin America wants to show you what it's like to teach and travel. Below are pictures and stories of some current and previous program participants. Check back for updates from 2009 and beyond.

Adam Oliver-Johnson

"For months before moving to Mexico I researched TEFL training programs throughout Mexico.  I was nervous about picking one because I really had no idea how to know if they were reputable or not.  I finally settled on the Teachers Latin America program in Mexico City.  I found the program to be small but extremely well-run.  The staff was very experienced and Guy Courchesne, the course instructor, was particularly knowledgeable and skilled at teaching.  They helped teach me skills that have helped me teach AND live in Mexico happily and safely.  This is not an easy program, mostly because of the high volume of totally new ideas and skills being learned, but if you are willing to work hard for a short period of time, you can certainly do it.  And it is well worth it.  Even before the program began staff helped me consider my options and began looking for jobs for me.  I began working the day after I finished the program (in Mexico City) and I am very happy with my job placement.  This program gave me opportunities and skills that I could not have aquired on my own. 
I recommend this program to anyone who is considering an adventure or a life abroad- as with many things in life, you will get out what you put in…  "

Meet n' Greet, July 2008 with Teachers Latin America in Mexico City at the zoo.

Brandon Baker

"I found Teachers Latin America in a guide book for traveling abroad to Mexico. At the time I just wanted to visit Mexico City and had no real intentions of moving here. So I did some research on TEFL schools in Mexico and the United States and the Teachers Latin America School looked like the only serious choice. The course is a bit challenging at first. When it is over you will have all the necessary resources and teaching tools that are demanded of a foreign language teacher in Meixco or any country in Latin America for that matter. The TLA staff was very helpful in arranging accomodations and helping me find my first teaching jobs in Mexico City. I would highly recommend this teacher training course to anyone who wants to teach English south of the border."

Dale Faustin

"This course was quite challenging. I've never taught English before and was nervous about starting out in Mexico then teaching later in Costa Rica.
The instructors did an excellent job of helping me through the lessons and theory and great feedback during the classes I taught helped me to improve. Teachers Latin America showed me several jobs offers in Costa Rica as I finished the course and I've now settled into a great spot here. Thank you for the course training and I fully recommend the experience to everyone. "

Paul Harkins

"The Teachers Latin America course was definitely intensive. It took over my life for two weeks, although I did find time to visit some of the amazing museums Mexico City has to offer.

The most valuable skills that I learned from my instructor were how to prepare for a class, with or without course material provided by a school, and how to interact with students during a class. At the end of the two weeks I felt confident and prepared to teach.

I was immediately able to use the information I learned in the course to use, as Teachers Latin America helped me to obtain a job in Villahermosa, Tabasco. I use the teaching resources CD that I was given on an almost daily basis, as it provides a wide variety of grammar explanations and material for classes.

The course was intense, practical, and the job placement was immediate."

Meet n' Greet, August 2007 with Teachers Latin America in Mexico City.

Hannah Turner , Mexico City TEFL Internship

"Everyone at the school has made me feel really welcome and they have treated me as a colleague from day 1.

Week 1 - observation with 4 different teachers, at all levels, then concentrating on basics and preintermediates with Angel and Roxanna. Danni arranged staff training form 11-1 each day so I had an opportunity to go through the steps of lesson, relaxation exercises, material, teaching structures etc. This was really useful. Conversation club on Thursday was fun and allowed a little more flexibility for discussion than the very rigid structure in the 4 week courses. Speaking assessment of a new student.

Week 2 - joint teaching of preintermediates, more training on Tuesday, afternoon session on Monday (although I had hoped to see a few more teachers but they don't all start until 6 pm and it was getting late to get back to Cuatro Caminos), End of course assessment on Thursday at the conversation club.

Week 3 - new courses started and I took more control of full lessons. There was no conversation club this week as it was a holiday.

Week 4 - teaching all lessons completely and being left alone with the students (I feel this is better and reduces their automatic want to speak Spanish to the teacher). I've really been enjoying the classes and feel that the students are progressing well. I have Basic 2, Pre Int 2 and Pre Int 3. (9-10, 12-2)

Danni has asked me to stay for another couple of weeks and a Basic 1 class starts on Monday which I feel will be the biggest challenge but an exciting one."

Tiffany Tropino

"I found every part of the class useful. Yes, it was a lot of work and reading, but everything that was required of us did not feel like work, I really felt like I was preparing for my future, not just doing busywork like in college. I wanted to read, I wanted to know as much as I could because all of the issues and themes that we discussed in class I am sure will arise in my classes.
Also, the help I have recieved in finding a job has been invaluable. Teachers Latin America has put me in touch with schools that I would have never found on my own and the jobs fit the type of teaching that I want to do. At the very least, this service is worth the course. And finally, if you are planning on staying in the Mexico City area my course instructor has set up a casual meeting about once a month to create a network with us ex-pats. This course is highly recommended."

Meet n' Greet, October 2005 with Teachers Latin America in Mexico City.

Courtney Cook

"I am so fortunate that I found Teachers Latin America online. Guy Courchesne’s instruction on how to teach English is arguably the best in the industry. I highly recommend taking the course prior to teaching in Latin America because without it, you may be a bit lost in the classroom; it’s not as easy as it sounds! Because of the course, teaching English and learning Spanish are so much easier because I learned what to listen for, how to ensure the students learn better and in addition, how to pick up on the Spanish language faster.

As for living in Mexico City, I love living and teaching here! I never thought I would like the big city or Mexico because I always heard horror stories! I initially had my mind set on Panama, but everyday I am so thankful that I decided to stay in Mexico City. The weather in this state is the most ideal climate in the world; now I know why this is the world’s second largest city! Teachers Latin America introduced me to so many new people, helped me learn about and travel throughout the city, called and arranged all of the apartment viewings and did not stop until I was satisfied. I never hesitate to call when I need something because I feel as if I have developed such meaningful and true friendships within the organization. I’ve never had such amazing hospitality!"

Courtney, your warm and charming personality has made it a great pleasure to go the extra mile for you.

Leinaaa Ley

Leinaala had some very nice comments on the instructor for her program.

"The TEFL course I did with TLA was really impressive. My course instructor is one of the best instructors I've ever had- he's very competent and knowledgeable about his professional field as well as the actual practice of teaching English, incredibly helpful, and a cool person with great mentoring skills.

I'm interested in teaching in Mexico and TLA has been indisepensalbe and very hands on in helping me locate opportunities there.

The essential objective for the course definitely was to make the student a
competent teacher in the shortest time frame possible which means less focus
on grammer review and theory and much more focus on the practice of teaching
and how to communicate with a classroom full of people who don't speak your
language. The important thing about a great instructor is that in addition
to receiving very clear and simple formulas for effective teaching, the course instructor could apply them again and again in the classroom so that you learn by his example. A lot of classroom observation time in all TEFL courses involves
watching bad teachers, but in this course you at least get to see the TLA course instructor at work who is a GREAT teacher, and I think this is the best way to learn- by positive example.

For me, I think this course was the most successful possible given the focus
on teaching. I feel competent in the grammar area and needed more help in
the teaching area. An additional bonus is that you get a great supply of
course outlines and lesson plans on the course CD-rom so that you have
something tangible to take with you from the course that you can fall back
on"

Leinaala speaks of the Mexico City course instructor, Guy Courchesne. Leinaala will soon be starting a teaching position in southern Mexico.

Erik Roper

"While going through the course in Acapulco I was in contact
with friends who are teachers back in the States and when I told them what I
was studying they told me it sounded like a graduate studies level of
curriculum. I think anyone that comes to Mexico ready to study hard for two
weeks can pass this course and will then have a strong theoretical and
practical foundation which will allow them to hit the ground running in Mexico
as an English teacher."

Erik hit the ground running in Mexico City where he is now teaching, campaigning for the upcoming US elections, and enjoying some of the finest tacos to be found in the Republic.

Gregory Dumas

"The skills and experience I have gained through the course I will take with me back to the USA as I get involved teaching and tutoring ESL in Portland, Maine. I have found teaching ESL in the past to be a great way to embrace other cultures and learn a lot about your own culture in perspective. It's really rewarding work, no matter where it takes you."

Greg joined us in Guadalajara, Mexico for his TEFL program, then started an ESL teaching position in his hometown in Maine, USA. Greg is shown above trying to find the city of Tequila, Mexico.

Georgeanna of South Carolina and John of London joined us in a November, 2003 TEFL session in Acapulco. It happened that Georgeanna had the honor of carving the turkey for our American Thanksgiving Day dinner...something new for our practice EFL students in Acapulco.

Georgeanna took a TEFL teaching position shortly afterwards in Costa Rica. John enrolled in an intensive Spanish course in Acapulco and later began his teaching adventure with a position in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

...after sleeping off all that turkey and stuffing, of course.

Fred Fernandez

"Being an ex-patriated Californian, and having been living in Central America for the last 3 years, in Costa Rica, I've had an advantage up to a certain degree, to approach the challenge that teaching could present.

The Acapulco experience however, brought out some things in me that I did not know I had, which were different ways of approaching people, ways to relate to their every day life, and build my lessons around that. It not only brought out interesting classes, but also knowledge in two ways; from myself to the students, and vice-versa. It was fascinating to see their response to class subjects, and how they could relate them to their everyday life.

Teachers Latin America, certainly not only turned me into a teacher, but also into a better, and far more understanding person!!!"

Fred returned to Costa Rica for a teaching position.

Angela Washington

"I found the program to be very comprehensive. It integrated teaching methodology and hands on classroom practice which I believe will prepare me for the real thing. Also, the course location is a wonderful classroom and gave me the opportunity to experience an aspect of Latin America firsthand."

Sara Stark

"I feel that the course gave me a really strong base to start out from - what we learned in the course and in giving the practice classes really has helped me to be prepared for what language schools expect from their teachers. I'm very glad to have gone through the program"

An-Ling Taaffe

"The TEFL course I took with Teachers Latin America has given me the knowledge and resourses to confidently begin working as an EFL Teacher here in Mexico City. The resourse materials were very comprehensive and prepared me for receiving my first students. The staff of TLA have always proven to be very helpful with making contacts with schools to attain work, as well as being very friendly and fabulous for class resource information and ideas. They have made it very easy to adapt to a working life in Mexico. I would recommed this course especially to those interested in living in Mexico, or in the Latin American region as the focus of the course is perfect for these areas."

Sam Leflar

"The teaching method I learned through Teachers Latin America is extremely effective and can be successfully applied in the classroom, even for those with little or no experience, and has proven to be a great asset in job interviews thus far. However, adapting to the role of teacher and adjusting to living in Mexico and Latin America requires great flexibility and patience."

Sam later took a position in Queretaro, Mexico.

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