Dive into a long-term service opportunity, joining us for a year to staff one of our English positions.
Teach
English
Join Us
Colegio Cristiano Avivando el Fuego is a fully-certified, private Guatemalan school. The very heart of the school is to raise up disciples of Christ, providing kids with a safe learning environment and high-quality education.
Part of the Guatemalan curriculum requires that students receive English classes, but beyond this requirement is our own desire to offer English to our students. By offering English as a Foreign Language (EFL) starting with the very youngest children, by the time our students graduate from our school system they will have English skills that allow them to apply for job opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them.
Our 2019 Need:
6 positions
TEFL Department Assistants
TEFL Assistants act as helpers to the TEFL teachers and may spend more time with younger or older students depending on preferences and abilities. This position provides support to the department as a whole, enrichment for advanced students and extra support for struggling students. No teaching certification required.
TEFL Primary Teachers
There are teaching positions available at our primary school, teaching students from Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 9. Students receive two classes a week, and teachers take part in the life of the school throughout their stay. A TEFL certification or teaching experience is required.
TEFL Secondary Teachers
Students at the secondary level are usually in a bilingual program, with daily English classes, working towards English language fluency. Teachers will work with students at the Grades 10-12 level. A TEFL certification or teaching experience is required.
What to Expect
All TEFL positions are all full-time. Staff begin work at 7am, and finish either at 2:30pm or 3:00pm, depending on their teaching assignment. School runs Monday – Friday. Our TEFL personnel are active in the school like any other staff member, including participation in our 30-minute morning devotional, supervision during student breaks and extra curricular school activities.
To help picture what a year in Guatemala would look like, click through the image gallery above.
Timeline
If teachers have completed their TEFL certification, the commitment to a TEFL position would start in January with orientation, preparation and planning before the school year begins. Teachers are expected to arrive in Guatemala with their TEFL certification completed.
If teachers are interested, they can complete their TEFL certification on the ground in Guatemala, arriving in early November and studying at a local TEFL school. (Courses are run in English.)
Depending on graduation dates in October, teachers depart at the end of the school year in early November.
Food & Accommodation
Teachers live in ministry housing. All apartments are finished with bathrooms, kitchen and laundry on-site. Rooms are fully furnished. Teachers receive $400/month which is more than enough to cover food and local expenses.
Spanish Class
You will be provided with Spanish classes for the duration of your stay. Classes are one-on-one with a local teacher and are approximately 5 hours a week.
Dollars & Cents
All TEFL staff fundraise for their work with Global Shore Opportunities. The estimated fundraising total for a year’s ministry is C$11,000.
The total amount covers the following items:
one international flight to and from Guatemala
room & board with a host family for first two months of stay
an apartment to live in for 10 months during the school year
$400/month in pay throughout the term in Guatemala
orientation tours & activities, on-the-ground support and ongoing missionary care
1-on-1 Spanish instruction throughout the year
out-of-country medical insurance
If the applicant does not have a TEFL certification and the applied-for position requires it, we are willing to work with you, referring a reputable organization for certification. Fees associated with certification can be fundraised for.
This price does not cover the following expenses:
passport application fee and passport photo
flight cancellation insurance
immunizations
lodging, travel and meals to and from the airport from which the flight is booked
Mikhaila Bergen
from St. Thomas, Ontario
TEFL Teacher '17
“It’s been the most incredible, incredible kind of contrast, looking at my life before and who I was before and then who I am with the kids. I feel like it’s this whole different part of me that I never knew was there. They’re my greatest joy and my greatest passion, which is so cool because I went from strongly disliking children to feeling like I love these humans more than anything in the world.”
“To encourage people who are thinking about coming [and teaching at the school], I want to say that when I came all I saw were the giants: the money you have to fundraise, leaving your family and stuff. But honestly it’s one of those things that you would never want to change for the world. There are things that are going to be hard and frustrating. I definitely had a lot of times when I asked: ‘Why did you send me here, Lord?’ But looking back I see how it fits in this perfect plan of His. To encourage the people who are thinking of coming: the money, it doesn’t matter. It’s not your money, it’s the Lord’s money. What is human currency to an infinite God? Leaving your family? The year goes by so incredibly fast and it’s been the biggest blessing of my life. I’m sure anyone else who has come to this school has been touched by it. It’s not just in Guatemala, it’s spread throughout Canada and the United States what’s happening here. This year is one of the greatest gifts of my life.”
Verena & Tony Sanz
from Vancouver, British Columbia
TEFL Secondary Teacher & Assistant '17
“We know that we work really well together. We entertain together, we cook together, we actually like working together. And it’s interesting: it reminds me of a prophetic word we received in 1981 that we would be a team and that we would work together. So, this year has been a more tangible fulfilment of that.
“[Verena] would always teach and prepare for the lesson. When they have some work on their own we would often work with them one on one. Help them go and write sentences, make sure they find their way, get them right, correct things. Often I would take them out one on one to work with some part of speech. Then I would help her with marking and collect all her marks and calculate all the results and make a spreadsheet and stuff like that.⠀
“Verena’s a conscientious person, so she wouldn’t do a half-baked job. So she would go, go, go, which is okay. I just took care of everything else. It was good, it was a bit of a role reversal. I had been working for many years and she provided the infrastructure to make this possible… [So coming] was one of Verena’s dreams for a long time. She really loves teaching and she really fell in love with this place and the students through short-term teams. Really, this was a dream for her.”⠀
Travis Dyck
from Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
TEFL Secondary Teacher '16
“Teaching English with Global Shore has been both a challenging and rewarding experience. It is a privilege to work in a school that is so invested in its students. It is exciting to watch the kids grow into the sons and daughters that God created them to be, as well as to see them step out and challenge themselves to go further and do greater things. Both the staff and students are a testimony to God’s grace and faithfulness. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing my students get excited about learning, speaking English, and seeing what God is doing in their lives. I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching and learning with my “carrera” students. This experience is teaching me how to give and serve, but also how to receive well. I am excited to see what God will do for us this year, and for my students in their future studies and adventures.”
Micaiah Thomson
from Windsor, Ontario
TEFL Assistant '16
“Teaching in the assistant position in Guatemala is an awesome opportunity! It is somewhat stretching when you don’t understand the language that the kids speak, but on the other hand that is a good thing since you really shouldn’t be speaking Spanish to them anyway!
The process of learning to teach is very rewarding and the process of learning to communicate the love of Christ to the kids is even more so. It astounded me when I first arrived at how much love I received from the kids even though they hardly knew me, and it just pushed me to want to return it tenfold. You will never find a place with better coworkers who are unified in the mission of raising disciples of Jesus Christ whose lives are fully directed by him. I am grateful to have been part of this team whatever the future holds.”
Ellis Huebner
from Waterloo, Ontario
TEFL Teacher '15 - '16
“Teaching English with GSO has been a complete blessing from God. The school and ministry is overflowing with God’s love. It’s outstanding! God has used me time and time again to impact my students with English and as a spiritual leader. For example, a student named Daniel doesn’t have the best home situation, but God has used me to help him understand God the Father and what it is to be a man of God with stability. It is amazing to care for and see the spiritual growth in my students.
Guatemala has been a place where I can explore a new culture and learn Spanish. GSO has amazing leaders who have guided me through everything new and challenging. My experience here has been so transforming I even married a Guatemalan! I met her here through our ministry. There are so many great people to work with here at the school and in our church. They have been great mentors and have showed me integrity and a passion glowing for Jesus! This an environment truly to live out God’s calling!”
Julisa Stuart
from Toronto, Ontario
TEFL Teacher '11 - '15
“It is amazing what God can do with you when you say yes to following him! I did just that and he brought me to Guatemala! The country is beautiful, but the people are even more so! These people became my family. I was truly blessed to share life and grow spiritually with them.
For the five years I served in the school in the English Department, I was given a new heart for children. I have never smiled SO much in my life! I developed a passion to teach and I have been blessed to watch these children and adolescents grow into skilled and confident individuals. We laughed together, struggled together, and triumphed together. They are my joy.
Being used by God to give our kids a tool that they can use to go out into their communities or reach nations to share their love for Christ Jesus truly warms my heart. I know that I did a lot more than just teach English; It’s SO MUCH MORE than that. It was the best experience in the world for me.”
731 Lakeshore Rd.
RR#2 Port Burwell, Ontario
N0J 1T0
Phone: (519) 875-3382
Fax: (519) 875-1606
info@globalshore.org
