Teach English to at-risk Communities

Volunteer English teachers are placed at projects in impoverished communities where students come from low-income families and cannot afford to study at private institutes. Most students are children (of all ages), however we occasionally have placements with projects that teach to adults. Typically classes are held in small community centers, public schools, or churches.

As volunteer teachers, participants have the opportunity to:

• Create lesson plans or prepare materials in advance
• Engage in games and cultural activities with students
• Provide general support for all activities on site

Please note that you do not necessarily teach in front of large classes or in formal classroom settings. Often, teaching is done in one-on-one format or in small groups. If you are asked to teach at a school, you may be assisting a non-native English teacher with their lessons.

You should expect your teaching English project to feel disorganized, understaffed, and underfunded. In fact, this is why they need volunteers! During the orientation before volunteers join your project, Maximo Nivel provides them with materials, books, lesson ideas, and a brief crash course in teaching English to get them started.

Volunteers are always supported by Maximo Nivel’s in-country coordinators but they are not on site at the project every day.

The majority of our projects are located in and around San José. Travel time varies widely from project to project and volunteers should expect to spend 20-90 minutes traveling each way. The city bus system is generally the most effective and cheapest way to get to and from your project, although taxis are also widely available. For the first visit to the project, volunteers are taken by a Maximo Nivel representative using the local transport and given additional information about how to get to and from the project. Local bus rides are very affordable and a one way trip will rarely cost more than ₡350 (about $0.75). 

Working hours vary according to the needs of the project, but you can expect to work 3-4 hours per day, Monday to Friday, either in the morning or in the afternoon.

Within San José, volunteers can take a city tour, see shows at the National Theatre, visit the central market, and go zip-lining. Our local staff always posts a monthly events calendar to let them know of the activities going on around Maximo. Outside of San José, they can hike up volcanos, go whitewater rafting, and take a trip to the Pacific or Caribbean coasts. There are a lot of options and our staff is well-acquainted with the area to help advise on the must-see places. Tours and trips can also be easily booked through our on-site travel partner.