Job Discussion Forums

dfields3 · Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 29 Location: Atlanta

Hello everyone. I am going to be taking a TEFL program in Mexico this summer and was wondering which school would be the best. The school that I have been looking at is ITTO. Does anyone have any experience with this school? Any info would be cool and greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Derrick Fields

J Sevigny · Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 161

You will pay your money and you will get a certificate that tells immigration, and of course potential employers, that you are an English teacher. The job placement at ITTO leaves much to be desired.

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

A friend of mine did get a job immediately at the Canadian Center in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. That`s not much of a recommendation considering the school, but she did say that there were other jbo prospects that ITTO had offered her.

dfields3 · Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 29 Location: Atlanta

I am actually not going to be looking for a job immediately when I finish the program as I have a year to go at my university in Atlanta. I just want to get the certificate this summer to have one. I might want to teach after I graduate and would probably not be using their job placement. I guess my question is, is the certificate reputable when you go looking for a job?

geaaronson · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 948 Location: Mexico City

Yes. Absolutely.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Derrick, are you planning to teach in Mexico after you graduate in Atlanta?

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

I attened ITTO two years ago. The programme is decent when you consider that it is only a month long. They manage to pack a good deal of information into a short time. I was offered several jobs through their placement service. I ended up finding my own jobs because the ones they offered were either not in areas where I wanted to work, or I didn't like other aspects of what was being offered. But it did give me an idea of what was out there. I think a lot of schools in Mexico probably recognize ITTO but I'm not sure about outside the country.

dfields3 · Joined: 14 Feb 2007 Posts: 29 Location: Atlanta

Yea, I want to teach after I get my degree in Atlanta. I am minoring in Spanish so that is why I was looking at Mexico. I had thought about going to grad school for ESL after I teach for a year or two.

lisa1968 · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 52

I looked into all the programs that I could find in Mexico before making my decision, and I decided against ITTO. One of the things that turned me off was the big business attitude they seemed to have. I went for a smaller, more personalized program in Chiapas. I don't think you will have any problems finding a job in Mexico with their certificate, but I didn't either with mine. I went on to teach in Asia with the certificate that I got and went back to teach later in Mexico. I don't think that either certificate is recognized in the States for teaching, but may count for experience. If you want details of the program in Chiapas, you can PM me.